the robot was an aspect or attribute of me —my shadow, twin, double, animus, doppelganger. He was a projection of my personality into a particular situation; therefore whatever happened to him became my experience. Metaphysically there can be no doubt of this.
It was all very interesting. But at last I had to bring the courtship to an end. It was time for Elaine and me to plan our marriage and to coordinate our schedules. Accordingly, exactly two months after its inception, I told the robot to propose a wedding date and to terminate the courtship as of that night.
“You have done extremely well,” I told him. “When this is over, you will receive a new personality, plastic surgery and a respected place in my organization.”
“Thank you, sir,” he said. His face was unreadable, as is my own. I heard no hint of anything in his voice except perfect obedience. He left carrying my latest gift to Elaine.
Midnight came and Charles II didn’t return. An hour later I felt disturbed. By three a.m. I was in a state of agitation, experiencing erotic and masochistic fantasies, seeing him with her in every conceivable combination of mechano-physical lewdness. The minutes dragged by, Charles II still did not return, and my fantasies became sadistic. I imagined the slow and terrible ways in which I would take my revenge on both of them, the robot for his presumption and Elaine for her stupidity in being deceived by a mechanical substitute for a real man.
The long night crept slowly by. At last I fell into a fitful sleep.
I awoke early. Charles II still had not returned. I canceled my appointments for the entire morning and rushed over to Elaine’s apartment.
“Charles!” she said. “What an unexpected pleasure!”
I entered her apartment with an air of nonchalance. I was determined to remain calm until I had learned exactly what had happened last night. Beyond that, I didn’t know what I might do.
“Unexpected?” I said. “Didn’t I mention last night that I might come by for breakfast?”
“You may have,” Elaine said. “To tell the truth, I was much too emotional to remember everything you said.”
“But you do remember what happened?”
She blushed prettily. “Of course, Charles. I still have marks on my arm.”
“Do you, indeed!”
“And my mouth is bruised. Why do you grind your teeth that way?”
“I haven’t had my coffee yet,” I told her.
She led me into the breakfast nook and poured coffee. I drained mine in two gulps and asked, “Do I really seem to you like the man I was last night?”
“Of course,” she said. “I’ve come to know your moods. Charles, what’s wrong? Did something upset you last night?”
“Yes!” I cried wildly. “I was just remembering how you danced naked on the terrace.” I stared at her, waiting for her to deny it.
“It was only for a moment,” Elaine said. “And I wasn’t really naked, you know, I had on my body stocking. Anyhow, you asked me to do it.”
“Yes,” I said. “Yes, yes.” I was confused. I decided to continue probing. “But then when you drank champagne from my desert boot—”
“I only took a sip,” she said. “Was I too daring?”
“You were splendid,” I said, feeling chilled all over. “I suppose it’s unfair of me to remind you of these things now...”
“Nonsense, I like to talk about it.”
“What about that absurd moment when we exchanged clothing?”
“That was wicked of us,” she said, laughing.
I stood up. “Elaine,” I said, “just exactly what in hell were you doing last night?”
“What a question,” she said. “I was with you.”
“No, Elaine.”
“But Charles—those things you just spoke about—”
“I made them up.”
“Then who were you with last night’”
“I was home, alone.”
Elaine thought about that for a few moments. Then she said, “I’m afraid I have a confession to make.”
I folded my arms and waited.
“I too was home alone last night.”
I raised one
It was all very interesting. But at last I had to bring the courtship to an end. It was time for Elaine and me to plan our marriage and to coordinate our schedules. Accordingly, exactly two months after its inception, I told the robot to propose a wedding date and to terminate the courtship as of that night.
“You have done extremely well,” I told him. “When this is over, you will receive a new personality, plastic surgery and a respected place in my organization.”
“Thank you, sir,” he said. His face was unreadable, as is my own. I heard no hint of anything in his voice except perfect obedience. He left carrying my latest gift to Elaine.
Midnight came and Charles II didn’t return. An hour later I felt disturbed. By three a.m. I was in a state of agitation, experiencing erotic and masochistic fantasies, seeing him with her in every conceivable combination of mechano-physical lewdness. The minutes dragged by, Charles II still did not return, and my fantasies became sadistic. I imagined the slow and terrible ways in which I would take my revenge on both of them, the robot for his presumption and Elaine for her stupidity in being deceived by a mechanical substitute for a real man.
The long night crept slowly by. At last I fell into a fitful sleep.
I awoke early. Charles II still had not returned. I canceled my appointments for the entire morning and rushed over to Elaine’s apartment.
“Charles!” she said. “What an unexpected pleasure!”
I entered her apartment with an air of nonchalance. I was determined to remain calm until I had learned exactly what had happened last night. Beyond that, I didn’t know what I might do.
“Unexpected?” I said. “Didn’t I mention last night that I might come by for breakfast?”
“You may have,” Elaine said. “To tell the truth, I was much too emotional to remember everything you said.”
“But you do remember what happened?”
She blushed prettily. “Of course, Charles. I still have marks on my arm.”
“Do you, indeed!”
“And my mouth is bruised. Why do you grind your teeth that way?”
“I haven’t had my coffee yet,” I told her.
She led me into the breakfast nook and poured coffee. I drained mine in two gulps and asked, “Do I really seem to you like the man I was last night?”
“Of course,” she said. “I’ve come to know your moods. Charles, what’s wrong? Did something upset you last night?”
“Yes!” I cried wildly. “I was just remembering how you danced naked on the terrace.” I stared at her, waiting for her to deny it.
“It was only for a moment,” Elaine said. “And I wasn’t really naked, you know, I had on my body stocking. Anyhow, you asked me to do it.”
“Yes,” I said. “Yes, yes.” I was confused. I decided to continue probing. “But then when you drank champagne from my desert boot—”
“I only took a sip,” she said. “Was I too daring?”
“You were splendid,” I said, feeling chilled all over. “I suppose it’s unfair of me to remind you of these things now...”
“Nonsense, I like to talk about it.”
“What about that absurd moment when we exchanged clothing?”
“That was wicked of us,” she said, laughing.
I stood up. “Elaine,” I said, “just exactly what in hell were you doing last night?”
“What a question,” she said. “I was with you.”
“No, Elaine.”
“But Charles—those things you just spoke about—”
“I made them up.”
“Then who were you with last night’”
“I was home, alone.”
Elaine thought about that for a few moments. Then she said, “I’m afraid I have a confession to make.”
I folded my arms and waited.
“I too was home alone last night.”
I raised one
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