He himself  had been but little  pecked at. The heavy  guns were trained onDr. Seldon  himself. Hari Seldon, however,  sat there unperturbed. To Gaal,he   was   the   only   spot  of   stability   remaining   in  the   world.
The audience  was small and drawn exclusively from  among the Barons of theEmpire.  Press  and public  were  excluded  and it  was  doubtful that  anysignificant number of outsiders  even knew that a trial of Seldon was beingconducted.  The  atmosphere  was one  of  unrelieved  hostility toward  thedefendants.
Five of  the Commission of Public  Safety sat behind the  raised desk. Theywore scarlet and gold  uniforms and the shining, close-fitting plastic capsthat were the sign  of their judicial function. In the center was the ChiefCommissioner Linge Chen. Gaal  had never before seen so great a Lord and hewatched  him with fascination.  Chen, throughout  the trial, rarely  said aword.  He made  it quite clear  that much  speech was beneath  his dignity.
The  Commission's   Advocate  consulted  his  notes   and  the  examinationcontinued, with Seldon still on the stand:

It  was inevitable  that as  a new  generation grew, Terminus  would becomesomething more  than an appendage of  the psychohistorians of Trantor. Withthe Anacreonian revolt and the rise to power of Salvor Hardin, first of thegreat line of...
ENCYCLOPEDIA GALACTICALewis Pirenne  was busily engaged at his desk in  the one well-lit comer ofthe room. Work had  to be co-ordinated. Effort had to be organized. Threadshad to be woven into a pattern.
Fifty  years   now;  fifty  years  to   establish  themselves  and  set  upEncyclopedia  Foundation Number  One  into a  smoothly working  unit. Fiftyyears   to   gather   the   raw   material.   Fifty   years   to   prepare.
It had  been done.  the  publication of the firstvolume of the most  monumental work the Galaxy had ever conceived. And thenat ten-year  intervals ?regularly ?like  clockwork ?volume after volume
And with  them there  would be supplements;  special articles on  events ofcurrent interest, until?
Pirenne  stirred  uneasily, as  the  muted  buzzer upon  his desk  mutteredpeevishly.  He had  almost forgotten  the appointment.  He shoved  the doorrelease and out of an abstracted comer of one eye saw the door open and thebroad   figure  of  Salvor   Hardin  enter.   Pirenne  did  not   look  up.
Hardin smiled  to himself.  He was in a  hurry, but he knew  better than totake  offense at Pirenne's  cavalier treatment  of anything or  anyone thatdisturbed him at his work. He buried himself in the chair on the other sideof the desk and waited .