Rossum´s Universal Robots Read Online Free PDF Page A

too.

Act One
     
    ( Helena’s living room. Stage left, wallpapered door to music room, right, door to bedroom. Centre, window overlooking sea and harbour. Dressing table with sundry items, table, settee and armchair, chest o’drawers, desk with standard lamp, fireplace to the right, also with standard lamp. Whole room, in detail, of modern and purely feminine character )
    ( enter Domin, Fabry, Hallemeier from left on tiptoe carrying armfuls of plants and flowers )
    Fabry Where do you think we should put them?
    Hallemeier Ouf! ( puts down load and gives blessing in a large cross at the door, stage right ) She’s asleep, asleep! She who sleeps knows nothing.
    Domin She doesn’t know a thing.
    Fabry ( puts flowers in vase ) Let’s hope, at least, today’s not the day it happens...
    Hallemeier ( likewise puts flowers in vase ) Oh don’t keep on about it, for God’s sake! Look at this, Harry, this cyclamen is beautiful. A new species, my latest one-Cyclamen Helenae.
    Domin ( looking out of window ) No ships, no ships-it’s hopeless, lads, we’ve had it.
    Hallemeier Quiet! What if she hears you?
    Domin She doesn’t know a thing. ( Yawns, as if ill ) At least the Ultimus docked on time.
    Fabry ( leaving the flowers ) Do you think it might be today when...?
    Domin I don’t know. These flowers are lovely.
    Hallemeier ( approaching him ) This primula is one of my new ones, and this is my new jasmine. In fact I’m right on the threshold of a whole new Garden of Paradise full of new flowers. I’ve found a wonderful new way to accelerate development, and all sorts of new species! Next year I’ll be performing real miracles with flowers!
    Domin ( turning ) Next year?
    Fabry Well, let’s see what happens, anyway. Any news from Le Havre?
    Domin Quiet!
    ( Helena’s voice off, right ) Nana!
    Domin Everybody out! ( everyone leaves on tiptoe through the wallpapered door )
    ( enter Nana through main door, left )
    Nana ( tidying up ) Cor, wha’ a mess! What a bunch of ‘eathens! God forgive me if I don’t...
    Helena ( back to stage, in doorway ) Nana, come and zip me up.
    Nana Alrigh’, comin, comin. ( zips up Helena’s dress ) God almighty, they’re a bunch of animals!
    Helena The robots?
    Nana Give over, I don’t even wanna say the word.
    Helena What’s happened?
    Nana They caught another another of them. Started smashing up all the moulds and models he did, grinding ‘is teeth and foamin’ at the mouth-just went crazy. Ugh! Worse than animals, they are.
    Helena Which one was it they caught?
    Nana That, that... Christ!, it ‘asn’even got a proper Christian name! That one in the library.
    Helena Radius?
    Nana Yeh, that’s the one. God, they make me sick! Not even a spider I don’t hate as much as I hate them heathens.
    Helena Don’t you even feel sorry for them Nana?
    Nana Well you hate them, and all. What d’you bring me right out here for anyway? And why can’t any of them even touch you?
    Helena I don’t hate them, Nana, not at all, I just feel so sorry for them!
    Nana You hate them. Everyone hates them, it isn’t possible not to. Even this dog hates them, won’t take a scrap of meat from them; sticks out his tail, he does, and howls as soon as he gets the smell of them.
    Helena A dog doesn’t have reason.
    Nana He’s better than what they are, Helena. He knows perfectly well it was God what made him and that he’s better than they are. Even the horse takes fright when he comes across one of those heathens. They don’t have children, but even a dog has children, everyone has children.
    Helena Nana, do me up here, please.
    Nana Alright. It’s against the will of God, that’s what I say; work of the Devil, itis, making scarecrows like that with machines. It’s blasphemy against the Creator, ( raises hands ) it’s an offence against the Lord who made us in His own image, Helena. And you’ve dishonoured the image of God, that’s what you’ve done. You’ll suffer