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           NoysLambent’sestatewasfairlyisolated,yetwithineasyreachofoneofthelargercitiesoftheCentury.Harlanknewthatcitywell;heknewitbetterthananyofitsinhabitantscould.InhisexploratoryObservationsintothisRealityhehadvisitedeveryquarterofthecityandeverydecadewithinthepurviewoftheSection.

           HeknewthecitybothinSpaceandTime.Hecouldpieceittogether,viewitasanorganism,livingandgrowing,withitscatastrophesandrecoveries,itsgaietiesandtroubles.NowhewasinagivenweekofTimeinthatcity,inamomentofsuspendedanimationofitsslowlifeofsteelandconcrete.

           Morethanthat,hispreliminaryexplorationshadcenteredthemselvesmoreandmorecloselyaboutthe"perioeci,"theinhabitantswhowerethemostimportantofthecity,yetwholivedoutsidethecity,inroomandrelativeisolation.

           The482ndwasoneofthemanyCenturiesinwhichwealthwasunevenlydistributed.TheSociologistshadanequationforthephenomenon(whichHarlanhadseeninprint,butwhichheunderstoodonlyvaguely).ItworkeditselfoutforanygivenCenturytothreerelationships,andforthe482ndthoserelationshipsstoodnearthelimitsofwhatcouldbepermitted.SociologistsshooktheirheadsoveritandHarlanhadheardonesayatonetimethatanyfurtherdeteriorationwithnewRealityChangeswouldrequire"theclosestObservation."

           Yettherewasthistobesaidforunfavorablerelationshipsinthewealth-distributionequation.