lads. There’s nothing that gladdens your soul more than punctuality. Punctuality means order in the world. ( raises glass ) To punctuality!
Helena So... that means... that everything’s alright?
Domin Nearly everything. I think they’ve cut the cable. It’s only if the timetable is operating again.
Hallemeier If the timetable is operating again, then human laws are operating again, and God’s laws are operating again and the laws of the universe are operating again and everything is operating that should be operating. The timetable means more than the Bible, more than Homer, more the anything ever written by Kant. The timetable is the most perfect product of the human soul. Helena, I’ll have another little drink.
Helena Why didn’t you tell me anything about all of this?
Dr. Gall God forbid! We would rather have bitten off our own tongues.
Domin Matters like this are not for you.
Helena But if there’d been a revolution... and if it came here...
Domin You still wouldn’t have known anything about it.
Helena Why not?
Domin Because we would be sitting peacefully on the Ultimus and sailing over the sea. And after a month we’d dictate to the robots whatever we feel like dictating.
Helena Oh, Harry, I don’t understand.
Domin Because we’d have taken something with us which is very important for the robots.
Helena And what’s that?
Domin Their beginning and their end. ( Helena stands ) What is that?
Domin ( standing ) The secret of their production. Old Rossum’s manuscript. After a month of the factory being idle the robots would be on their knees to us.
Helena Why... why didn’t you tell me about this?
Domin We didn’t want to worry you without good reason.
Dr. Gall Haha, that was our trump card.
Alquist Helena, you’ve gone pale.
Helena Why didn’t you tell me about this?!
Hallemeier ( at the window ) Eleven-thirty. The Amelia’s dropping anchor
Domin Is that the Amelia?
Hallemeier The Amelia’s very old now. It was on the Amelia that Helena first came to us all that time ago.
Dr. Gall And now it’s ten years ago to the minute...
Hallemeier ( at the window ) They’re throwing off some parcels. ( moving away from window ) And that’s a hell of a lot of post there!
Helena Harry!
Domin What is it?
Helena Let’s get away from here!
Domin Right now? We can’t do that!
Helena Now, as soon as we can! All of us!
Domin Why must it be right now?
Helena Oh Harry, please don’t ask why. Harry, Gall, Hallemeier, Alquist, for God’ssake I beg of you, close down the factory and....
Domin I’m sorry, Helena, but none of us can go away right now.
Helena Why not?
Domin Because we’ve got to increase the production of robots.
Helena But now? Now, after there’s been a revolt?
Domin Yes, precisely because there’s been a revolt. Now’s the time when we’ve got to start making new robots.
Helena What new robots?
Domin There won’t just be one factory any more. Not just one universal robot. We’re going to start a new factory in every country of the world, and do you know what these new factories are going to make?
Helena No.
Domin National robots.
Helena What’s that supposed to mean?
Domin That means that each factory will produce robots of a different colour, different hair, different language. The robots will be strangers to each other, they’ll never be able to understand what the other says; and we, we humans, we’ll train them so that each robot will hate the robots from another factory all its life, all through to the grave, all through all eternity.
Hallemeier We’ll be making black robots and Swedish robots and Italian robots and Chinese robots, and if anyone ever talks to them about organisation and brotherhood and ( hiccups )... Pardon me, Helena, I think I’ll have another little drink.
Dr. Gall I think you’ve had enough, Hallemeier.
Helena Harry, that’s horrible!
Domin Helena, we need just another hundred years of
Helena So... that means... that everything’s alright?
Domin Nearly everything. I think they’ve cut the cable. It’s only if the timetable is operating again.
Hallemeier If the timetable is operating again, then human laws are operating again, and God’s laws are operating again and the laws of the universe are operating again and everything is operating that should be operating. The timetable means more than the Bible, more than Homer, more the anything ever written by Kant. The timetable is the most perfect product of the human soul. Helena, I’ll have another little drink.
Helena Why didn’t you tell me anything about all of this?
Dr. Gall God forbid! We would rather have bitten off our own tongues.
Domin Matters like this are not for you.
Helena But if there’d been a revolution... and if it came here...
Domin You still wouldn’t have known anything about it.
Helena Why not?
Domin Because we would be sitting peacefully on the Ultimus and sailing over the sea. And after a month we’d dictate to the robots whatever we feel like dictating.
Helena Oh, Harry, I don’t understand.
Domin Because we’d have taken something with us which is very important for the robots.
Helena And what’s that?
Domin Their beginning and their end. ( Helena stands ) What is that?
Domin ( standing ) The secret of their production. Old Rossum’s manuscript. After a month of the factory being idle the robots would be on their knees to us.
Helena Why... why didn’t you tell me about this?
Domin We didn’t want to worry you without good reason.
Dr. Gall Haha, that was our trump card.
Alquist Helena, you’ve gone pale.
Helena Why didn’t you tell me about this?!
Hallemeier ( at the window ) Eleven-thirty. The Amelia’s dropping anchor
Domin Is that the Amelia?
Hallemeier The Amelia’s very old now. It was on the Amelia that Helena first came to us all that time ago.
Dr. Gall And now it’s ten years ago to the minute...
Hallemeier ( at the window ) They’re throwing off some parcels. ( moving away from window ) And that’s a hell of a lot of post there!
Helena Harry!
Domin What is it?
Helena Let’s get away from here!
Domin Right now? We can’t do that!
Helena Now, as soon as we can! All of us!
Domin Why must it be right now?
Helena Oh Harry, please don’t ask why. Harry, Gall, Hallemeier, Alquist, for God’ssake I beg of you, close down the factory and....
Domin I’m sorry, Helena, but none of us can go away right now.
Helena Why not?
Domin Because we’ve got to increase the production of robots.
Helena But now? Now, after there’s been a revolt?
Domin Yes, precisely because there’s been a revolt. Now’s the time when we’ve got to start making new robots.
Helena What new robots?
Domin There won’t just be one factory any more. Not just one universal robot. We’re going to start a new factory in every country of the world, and do you know what these new factories are going to make?
Helena No.
Domin National robots.
Helena What’s that supposed to mean?
Domin That means that each factory will produce robots of a different colour, different hair, different language. The robots will be strangers to each other, they’ll never be able to understand what the other says; and we, we humans, we’ll train them so that each robot will hate the robots from another factory all its life, all through to the grave, all through all eternity.
Hallemeier We’ll be making black robots and Swedish robots and Italian robots and Chinese robots, and if anyone ever talks to them about organisation and brotherhood and ( hiccups )... Pardon me, Helena, I think I’ll have another little drink.
Dr. Gall I think you’ve had enough, Hallemeier.
Helena Harry, that’s horrible!
Domin Helena, we need just another hundred years of
Similar Books
