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R.U.R.

KAREL CAPEK

translated by

PAUL SELVER AND NIGEL PLAYFAIR

Table of Contents

1. Titlepage
2. Dramatis Personae
3. R.U.R.
   1. Act I
   2. Act II
   3. Act III
   4. Epilogue
4. Colophon

Dramatis Personae

In order of appearance:

• Harry Domin, General Manager of Rossum’s Universal Robots

  A handsome man of 35. Forceful, efficient and humorous at times.

• Sulla, a Robotess

  A pathetic figure. Young, pretty and attractive.

• Marius, a Robot

  A young Robot, superior to the general run of his kind. Dressed in modern clothes.

• Helena Glory

  A vital, sympathetic, handsome girl of 21.

• Dr. Gall, head of the Physiological and Experimental Department of R.U.R.

  A tall, distinguished scientist of 50.

• Mr. Fabry, Engineer General, Technical Controller of R.U.R.

  A forceful, competent engineer of 40.

• Dr. Hallemeier, head of the Institute for Psychological Training of Robots

  An impressive man of 40. Bald head and beard.

• Mr. Alquist, Architect, head of the Works Department of R.U.R.

  A stout, kindly old man of 60.

• Consul Busman, General Manager of R.U.R.

• Nana

  A tall, acidulous woman of 40.

• Radius, a Robot

  A tall, forceful Robot.

• Helena, a Robotess

  A radiant young woman of 20.

• Primus, a Robot

  A good-looking young Robot.

• A Servant

• First Robot

• Second Robot

• Third Robot

Note

All the Robots wear expressionless faces and move with absolute mechanical precision, with the exception of Sulla, Helena and Primus, who convey a touch of humanity.

R.U.R.

Or, Rossum’s Universal Robots

Act I

Scene: Central office of the factory of Rossum’s Universal Robots. Entrance R. down Right. The windows on the back wall look out on the endless roads of factory buildings. Door L. down Left. On the Left wall large maps showing steamship and railroad routes. On the Right wall are fastened printed placards. (“Robots cheapest Labor,” etc.) In contrast to these wall fittings, the floor is covered with splendid Turkish carpet, a couch R. C. A book shelf containing bottles of wine and spirits, instead of books.

Domin is sitting at his desk at Left, dictating. Sulla is at the typewriter upstage against the wall. There is a leather couch with arms Right Center. At the extreme Right an armchair. At extreme Left a chair. There is also a chair in front of Domin’s desk. Two green cabinets across the upstage corners of the room complete the furniture. Domin’s desk is placed up and down stage facing Right.

Seen through the windows which run to the heights of the room are rows of factory chimneys, telegraph poles and wires. There is a general passageway or hallway upstage at the Right Center which leads to the warehouse. The Robots are brought into the office through this entrance.

Domin	Dictating Ready?
Sulla	Yes.
Domin	To E. M. McVicker & Co., Southampton, England. “We undertake no guarantee for goods damaged in transit. As soon as the consignment was taken on board we drew your captain’s attention to the fact that the vessel was unsuitable for the transportation of Robots; and we are therefore not responsible for spoiled freight. We beg to remain, for Rossum’s Universal Robots, yours truly.” Sulla types the lines. Ready?
Sulla	Yes.
Domin	Another letter. To the E. B. Huysen Agency, New York, USA “We beg to acknowledge receipt of order for five thousand Robots. As you are sending your own vessel, please dispatch as cargo equal quantities of soft and hard coal for R.U.R., the same to be credited as part payment buzzer of the amount due us.” Answering phone Hello! This is the central office. Yes, certainly. Well, send them a wire. Good. Rises “We beg to remain, for Rossum’s Universal Robots, yours very truly.” Ready?
Sulla	Yes.
Domin	Answering small portable phone Hello! Yes. No. All right. Standing back of desk, punching plug machine and buttons Another letter. Freidrichswerks, Hamburg, Germany. “We beg to acknowledge receipt of order for fifteen thousand Robots.” Enter Marius R. Well, what is it?
Marius	There’s a lady, sir, asking to see you.
Domin	A lady? Who is she?
Marius	I don’t know, sir. She brings this card of introduction.
Domin	Reading card Ah, from President Glory. Ask her to come in⁠—To Sulla. Crossing up to her desk, then back to his own Where did I leave off?
Sulla	“We beg to acknowledge receipt of order for fifteen thousand Robots.”
Domin	Fifteen thousand. Fifteen thousand.
Marius	At door R. Please step this way.
Enter Helena. Exit Marius R.
Helena	Crossing to desk How do you do?
Domin	How do you do? What can I do for you?
Helena	You are Mr. Domin, the General Manager?
Domin	I am.
Helena	I have come⁠—
Domin	With President Glory’s card. That is quite sufficient.
Helena	President Glory is my father. I am Helena Glory.
Domin	Please sit down. Sulla, you may go. Exit Sulla L. Sitting down L. of desk How can I be of service to you, Miss Glory?
Helena	I have come⁠—Sits R. of desk.
Domin	To have a look at our famous works where people are manufactured. Like all visitors. Well, there is no objection.
Helena	I thought it was forbidden to⁠—
Domin	To enter the factory? Yes, of course. Everybody comes here with someone’s visiting card, Miss Glory.
Helena	And you show them⁠—
Domin	Only certain things. The manufacture of artificial people is a secret process.
Helena	If you only knew how enormously that⁠—
Domin	Interests you. Europe’s talking about nothing else.
Helena	Indignantly turning front Why don’t you let me finish speaking?
Domin	Drier I beg your pardon. Did you want to say something different?
Helena	I only wanted to ask⁠—
Domin	Whether I could make a special exception in your case and show you our factory. Why, certainly, Miss Glory.
Helena	How do you know I wanted to say that?
Domin	They all do. But we shall consider it a special honor to show you more than we do the rest.
Helena	Thank you.
Domin	Standing But you must agree not to divulge the least⁠—
Helena	Standing and giving him her hand My word of honor.
Domin	Thank you. Looking at her hand Won’t you raise your veil?
Helena	Of course. You want to see whether I’m a spy or not⁠—I beg your pardon.
Domin	Leaning forward What is it?
Helena	Would you mind releasing my hand?
Domin	Releasing it Oh, I beg your pardon.
Helena	Raising veil How cautious you have to be here, don’t you?
Domin	Observing her with deep interest Why, yes. Hm⁠—of course⁠—We⁠—that is⁠—
Helena	But what is it? What’s the matter?
Domin	I’m remarkably pleased. Did you have a pleasant crossing?
Helena	Yes.
Domin	No difficulty?
Helena	Why?
Domin	What I mean to say is⁠—you’re so young.
Helena	May we go straight into the factory?
Domin	Yes. Twenty-two, I think.
Helena	Twenty-two what?
Domin	Years.
Helena	Twenty-one. Why do you want to know?
Domin	Well, because⁠—as⁠—Sits on desk nearer her You will make a long stay, won’t you?
Helena	(Backing away R.) That depends on how much of the factory you show me.
Domin	Rises; crosses to her Oh, hang the factory. Oh, no, no, you shall see everything, Miss Glory. Indeed you shall. Won’t you sit down? Takes her to couch R. C. She sits. Offers her cigarette from case at end of sofa. She refuses.
Helena	Thank you.
Domin	But first would you like to hear the story of the invention?
Helena	Yes, indeed.
Domin	Crosses to L. C. near desk It was in the year 1920 that old Rossum, the great physiologist, who was then quite a young scientist, took himself to the distant island for the purpose of studying the ocean fauna. She is amused. On this occasion he attempted by chemical synthesis to imitate the living matter known as protoplasm until he suddenly discovered a substance which behaved exactly like living matter although its chemical composition was different. That was in the year 1932, exactly four hundred and forty years after the discovery of America. Whew⁠—
Helena	Do you know that by heart?
Domin	Takes flowers from desk to her Yes. You see, physiology is not in my line. Shall I go on?
Helena	Smelling flowers Yes, please.
Domin	Center And then, Miss Glory, Old Rossum wrote the following among his chemical experiments: “Nature has found only one method of organizing living matter. There is, however, another method, more simple, flexible and rapid which has not yet occurred to Nature at all. This second process by which life can be developed was discovered by me today.” Now imagine him, Miss Glory, writing those wonderful words over some colloidal mess that a dog wouldn’t look at. Imagine him sitting over a test tube and thinking how the whole tree of life would grow from him, how all animals would proceed from it, beginning with some sort of a beetle and ending with a man. A man of different substance from us. Miss Glory, that was a tremendous moment. Gets box of candy from desk and passes it to her.
Helena	Well⁠—
Domin	As she speaks his portable phone lights up and he answers Well⁠—Hello!⁠—Yes⁠—no, I’m in conference. Don’t disturb me.
Helena	Well?
Domin	Smile Now, the thing was how to get the life out of the test tubes, and hasten development and form organs, bones and nerves, and so on, and find such substances as catalytics, enzymes, hormones in short⁠—you understand?
Helena	Not much, I’m afraid.
Domin	Never mind. Leans over couch and fixes cushion for her back There! You see with the help of his tinctures he could make whatever he wanted. He could have produced a Medusa with the brain of Socrates or a worm fifty yards long⁠—She laughs. He does also; leans closer on couch, then straightens up again⁠—but being without a grain of humor, he took into his head to make a vertebrate or perhaps a man. This artificial living matter of his had a raging thirst for life. It didn’t mind being sown or mixed together. That couldn’t be done with natural albumen. And that’s how he set about it.
Helena	About what?
Domin	About imitating Nature. First of all he tried making an artificial dog. That took him several years and resulted in a sort of stunted calf which died in a few days. I’ll show it to you in the museum. And then old Rossum started on the manufacture of man.
Helena	And I’m to divulge this to nobody?
Domin	To nobody in the world.
Helena	What a pity that it’s to be discovered in all the school books of both Europe and America. Both laugh.
Domin	Yes. But do you know what isn’t in the school books? That old Rossum was mad. Seriously, Miss Glory, you must keep this to yourself. The old crank wanted to actually make people.
Helena	But you do make people.
Domin	Approximately⁠—Miss Glory. But old Rossum meant it literally. He wanted to become a sort of scientific substitute for God. He was a fearful materialist, and that’s why he did it all. His sole purpose was nothing more or less than to prove that God was no longer necessary. Crosses to end of couch Do you know anything about anatomy?
Helena	Very little.
Domin	Neither do I. Well⁠—He laughs⁠—he then decided to manufacture everything as in the human body. I’ll show you in the museum the bungling attempt it took him ten years to produce. It was to have been a man, but it lived for three days only. Then up came young Rossum, an engineer. He was a wonderful fellow, Miss Glory. When he saw what a mess of it the old man was making he said: “It’s absurd to spend ten years making a man. If you can’t make him quicker than Nature, you might as well shut up shop.” Then he set about learning anatomy himself.
Helena	There’s nothing about that in the school books?
Domin	No. The school books are full of paid advertisements, and rubbish at that. What the school books say about the united efforts of the two great Rossums is all a fairy tale. They used to have dreadful rows. The old atheist hadn’t the slightest conception of industrial matters, and the end of it was that Young Rossum shut him up in some laboratory or other and let him fritter the time away with his monstrosities while he himself started on the business from an engineer’s point of view. Old Rossum cursed him and before he died he managed to botch up two physiological horrors. Then one day they found him dead in the laboratory. And that’s his whole story.
Helena	And what about the young man?
Domin	Sits beside her on couch Well, anyone who has looked into human anatomy will have seen at once that man is too complicated, and that a good engineer could make him more simply. So young Rossum began to overhaul anatomy to see what could be left out or simplified. In short⁠—But this isn’t boring you, Miss Glory?
Helena	No, indeed. You’re⁠—It’s awfully interesting.
Domin	Gets closer So young Rossum said to himself: “A man is something that feels happy, plays the piano, likes going for a walk, and, in fact, wants to do a whole lot of things that are really unnecessary.”
Helena	Oh.
Domin	That are unnecessary when he wants⁠—Takes her hand⁠—let us say, to weave or count. Do you play the piano?
Helena	Yes.
Domin	That’s good. Kisses her hand. She lowers her head. Oh, I beg your pardon! Rises But a working machine must not play the piano, must not feel happy, must not do a whole lot of other things. A gasoline motor must not have tassels or ornaments, Miss Glory. And to manufacture artificial workers is the same thing as the manufacture of a gasoline motor. She is not interested. The process must be the simplest, and the product the best from a practical point of view. Sits beside her again What sort of worker do you think is the best from a practical point of view?
Helena	Absently What? Looks at him.
Domin	What sort of worker do you think is the best from a practical point of view?
Helena	Pulling herself together Oh! Perhaps the one who is most honest and hardworking.
Domin	No. The one that is the cheapest. The one whose requirements are the smallest. Young Rossum invented a worker with the minimum amount of requirements. He had to simplify him. He rejected everything that did not contribute directly to the progress of work. Everything that makes man more expensive. In fact he rejected man and made the Robot. My dear Miss Glory, the Robots are not people. Mechanically they are more perfect than we are; they have an enormously developed intelligence, but they have no soul. Leans back.
Helena	How do you know they have no soul?
Domin	Have you ever seen what a Robot looks like inside?
Helena	No.
Domin	Very neat, very simple. Really a beautiful piece of work. Not much in it, but everything in flawless order. The product of an engineer is technically at a higher pitch of perfection than a product of Nature.
Helena	But man is supposed to be the product of God.
Domin	All the worse. God hasn’t the slightest notion of modern engineering. Would you believe that young Rossum then proceeded to play at being God?
Helena	Awed How do you mean?
Domin	He began to manufacture Super-Robots. Regular giants they were. He tried to make them twelve feet tall. But you wouldn’t believe what a failure they were.
Helena	A failure?
Domin	Yes. For no reason at all their limbs used to keep snapping off. “Evidently our planet is too small for giants.” Now we only make Robots of normal size and of very high-class human finish.
Helena	Hands him flower; he puts it in buttonhole I saw the first Robots at home. The Town Council bought them for⁠—I mean engaged them for work.
Domin	No. Bought them, Miss Glory. Robots are bought and sold.
Helena	These were employed as street-sweepers. I saw them sweeping. They were so strange and quiet.
Domin	Rises Rossum’s Universal Robot factory doesn’t produce a uniform brand of Robots. We have Robots of finer and coarser grades. The best will live about twenty years. Crosses to desk. Helena looks in her pocket mirror. He pushes button on desk.
Helena	Then they die?
Domin	Yes, they get used up. Enter Marius, R. Domin crosses to C. Marius, bring in samples of the manual labor Robot. Exit Marius R. C. I’ll show you specimens of the two extremes. This first grade is comparatively inexpensive and is made in vast quantities. Marius re-enters R. C. with two manual labor Robots. Marius is L. C., Robots R. C., Domin at desk. Marius stands on tiptoes, touches head, feels arms, forehead of one of the Robots. They come to a mechanical standstill. There you are, as powerful as a small tractor. Guaranteed to have average intelligence. That will do, Marius. Marius exits R. C. with Robots.
Helena	They make me feel so strange.
Domin	(Crosses to desk. Rings) Did you see my new typist?
Helena	I didn’t notice her.
Enter Sulla L. She crosses and stands C., facing Helena, who is still sitting in the couch.
Domin	Sulla, let Miss Glory see you.
Helena	Looks at Domin. Rising, crosses a step to C. So pleased to meet you. Looks at Domin You must find it terribly dull in this out of the way spot, don’t you?
Sulla	I don’t know, Miss Glory.
Helena	Where do you come from?
Sulla	From the factory.
Helena	Oh, were you born there?
Sulla	I was made there.
Helena	What? Looks first at Sulla, then at Domin.
Domin	To Sulla, laughing Sulla is a Robot, best grade.
Helena	Oh, I beg your pardon.
Domin	Crosses to Sulla Sulla isn’t angry. See, Miss Glory, the kind of skin we make. Feel her face. Touches Sulla’s face.
Helena	Oh, no, no.
Domin	Examining Sulla’s hand You wouldn’t know that she’s made of different material from us, would you? Turn ’round, Sulla. Sulla does so. Circles twice.
Helena	Oh, stop, stop.
Domin	Talk to Miss Glory, Sulla. Examines hair of Sulla.
Sulla	Please sit down. Helena sits on couch. Did you have a pleasant crossing? Fixes her hair.
Helena	Oh, yes, certainly.
Sulla	Don’t go back on the Amelia, Miss Glory, the barometer is falling steadily. Wait for the Pennsylvania. That’s a good powerful vessel.
Domin	What’s its speed?
Sulla	Forty knots an hour. Fifty thousand tons. One of the latest vessels, Miss Glory.
Helena	Thank you.
Sulla	A crew of fifteen hundred, Captain Harpy, eight boilers⁠—
Domin	That’ll do, Sulla. Now show us your knowledge of French.
Helena	You know French?
Sulla	Oui! Madame! I know four languages. I can write: “Dear Sir, Monsieur, Geehrter Herr, Cteny pane.”
Helena	Jumping up, crosses to Sulla Oh, that’s absurd! Sulla isn’t a Robot. Sulla is a girl like me. Sulla, this is outrageous⁠—Why do you take part in such a hoax?
Sulla	I am a Robot.
Helena	No, no, you are not telling the truth. She catches the amused expression on Domin’s face I know they have forced you to do it for an advertisement. Sulla, you are a girl like me, aren’t you? Looks at him.
Domin	I’m sorry, Miss Glory. Sulla is a Robot.
Helena	It’s a lie!
Domin	What? Pushes button on desk Well, then I must convince you. Enter Marius R. C. He stands just inside the door. Marius, take Sulla into the dissecting room, and tell them to open her up at once. Marius moves toward C.
Helena	Where?
Domin	Into the dissecting room. When they’ve cut her open, you can go and have a look.Marius makes a start toward Sulla.
Helena	Stopping Marius No! No!
Domin	Excuse me, you spoke of lies.
Helena	You wouldn’t have her killed?
Domin	You can’t kill machines. Sulla! Marius one step forward, one arm out. Sulla makes a move toward R. door.
Helena	Moves a step R. Don’t be afraid, Sulla. I won’t let you go. Tell me, my dear⁠—(Takes her hand)⁠—are they always so cruel to you? You mustn’t put up with it, Sulla. You mustn’t.
Sulla	I am a Robot.
Helena	That doesn’t matter. Robots are just as good as we are. Sulla, you wouldn’t let yourself be cut to pieces?
Sulla	Yes. Hand away.
Helena	Oh, you’re not afraid of death, then?
Sulla	I cannot tell, Miss Glory.
Helena	Do you know what would happen to you in there?
Sulla	Yes, I should cease to move.
Helena	How dreadful! Looks at Sulla.
Domin	Marius, tell Miss Glory what you are? Turns to Helena.
Marius	To Helena Marius, the Robot.
Domin	Would you take Sulla into the dissecting room?
Marius	Turns to Domin Yes.
Domin	Would you be sorry for her?
Marius	Pause I cannot tell.
Domin	What would happen to her?
Marius	She would cease to move. They would put her into the stamping mill.
Domin	That is death, Marius. Aren’t you afraid of death?
Marius	No.
Domin	You see, Miss Glory, the Robots have no interest in life. They have no enjoyments. They are less than so much grass.
Helena	Oh, stop. Please send them away.
Domin	Pushes button Marius, Sulla, you may go. Marius pivots and exits R. Sulla exits L.
Helena	How terrible! To C. It’s outrageous what you are doing. He takes her hand.
Domin	Why outrageous? His hand over hers. Laughing.
Helena	I don’t know, but it is. Why do you call her “Sulla”?
Domin	Isn’t it a nice name? Hand away.
Helena	It’s a man’s name. Sulla was a Roman General.
Domin	What! Oh! Laughs We thought that Marius and Sulla were lovers.
Helena	Indignantly Marius and Sulla were generals and fought against each other in the year⁠—I’ve forgotten now.
Domin	Laughing Come here to the window. He goes to window C.
Helena	What?
Domin	Come here. She goes. Do you see anything? Takes her arm. She is on his R.
Helena	Bricklayers.
Domin	Robots. All our work people are Robots. And down there, can you see anything?
Helena	Some sort of office.
Domin	A counting house. And in it⁠—
Helena	A lot of officials.
Domin	Robots! All our officials are Robots. And when you see the factory⁠—Noon whistle blows. She is scared; puts arm on Domin. He laughs If we don’t blow the whistle the Robots won’t stop working. In two hours I’ll show you the kneading trough. Both come down stage. Helena is L. C. and Domin is R. C., arm in arm.
Helena	Kneading trough?
Domin	The pestle for beating up the paste. In each one we mix the ingredients for a thousand Robots at one operation. Then there are the vats for the preparation of liver, brains, and so on. Then you will see the bone factory. After that I’ll show you the spinning mill.
Helena	Spinning mill?
Domin	Yes. For weaving nerves and veins. Miles and miles of digestive tubes pass through it at a time.
Helena	Watching his gestures Mayn’t we talk about something else?
Domin	Perhaps it would be better. There’s only a handful of us among a hundred thousand Robots, and not one woman. We talk nothing but the factory all day, and every day. It’s just as if we were under a curse, Miss Glory.
Helena	I’m sorry I said that you were lying. A KNOCK at door R.
Domin	Come in. He is C.
From R. enter Dr. Gall, Dr. Fabry, Alquist and Dr. Hallemeier. All act formal⁠—conscious. All click heels as introduced.
Dr. Gall	Noisily I beg your pardon. I hope we don’t intrude.
Domin	No, no. Come in. Miss Glory, here are Gall, Fabry, Alquist, Hallemeier. This is President Glory’s daughter. All move to her and shake her hand.
Helena	How do you do?
Fabry	We had no idea⁠—
Dr. Gall.	Highly honored, I’m sure⁠—
Alquist	Welcome, Miss Glory.
Busman	Rushes in from R. Hello, what’s up?
Domin	Come in, Busman. This is President Glory’s daughter. This is Busman, Miss Glory.
Busman	By Jove, that’s fine. All click heels. He crowds in and shakes her hand Miss Glory, may we send a cablegram to the papers about your arrival?
Helena	No, no, please don’t.
Domin	Sit down, please, Miss Glory.
On the line, “Sit down, please,” all Six Men try to find her a chair at once. Helena goes for the chair at the extreme L. Domin takes the chair at front of desk, places it in the C. of stage. Hallemeier gets chair at Sulla’s typewriter and places it to R. of chair at C. Busman gets armchair from extreme R., but by now Helena has sat in Domin’s preferred chair, at C. All sit except Domin. Busman at R. in armchair. Hallemeier R. of Helena. Fabry in swivel chair back of desk.
Busman	Allow me⁠—
Dr. Gall.	Please⁠—
Fabry	Excuse me⁠—
Alquist	What sort of a crossing did you have?
Dr. Gall	Are you going to stay long? Men conscious of their appearance. Alquist’s trousers turned up at bottom. He turns them down. Busman polishes shoes. Others fix ties, collars, etc.
Fabry	What do you think of the factory, Miss Glory?
Hallemeier	Did you come over on the Amelia?
Domin	Be quiet and let Miss Glory speak. Men sit erect. Domin stands at Helena’s L.
Helena	To Domin What am I to speak to them about? Men look at one another.
Domin	Anything you like.
Helena	Looks at Domin May I speak quite frankly?
Domin	Why, of course.
Helena	To Others. Wavering, then in desperate resolution Tell me, doesn’t it ever distress you the way you are treated?
Fabry	By whom, may I ask?
Helena	Why, everybody.
Alquist	Treated?
Dr. Gall	What makes you think⁠—
Helena	Don’t you feel that you might be living a better life? Pause. All confused.
Dr. Gall	Smiling Well, that depends on what you mean, Miss Glory.
Helena	I mean that it’s perfectly outrageous. It’s terrible. Standing up The whole of Europe is talking about the way you’re being treated. That’s why I came here, to see for myself, and it’s a thousand times worse than could have been imagined. How can you put up with it?
Alquist	Put up with what?
Helena	Good heavens, you are living creatures, just like us, like the whole of Europe, like the whole world. It’s disgraceful that you must live like this.
Busman	Good gracious, Miss Glory!
Fabry	Well, she’s not far wrong. We live here just like red Indians.
Helena	Worse than red Indians. May I⁠—oh, may I call you⁠—brothers? Men look at each other.
Busman	Why not?
Helena	Looking at Domin Brothers, I have not come here as the President’s daughter. I have come on behalf of the Humanity League. Brothers, the Humanity League now has over two hundred thousand members. Two hundred thousand people are on your side, and offer you their help. Tapping back of chair.
Busman	Two hundred thousand people, Miss Glory; that’s a tidy lot. Not bad.
Fabry	I’m always telling you there’s nothing like good old Europe. You see they’ve not forgotten us. They’re offering us help.
Dr. Gall	What kind of help? A theatre, for instance?
Hallemeier	An orchestra?
Helena	More than that.
Alquist	Just you?
Helena	Glaring at Domin Oh, never mind about me. I’ll stay as long as it is necessary. All express delight.
Busman	By Jove, that’s good.
Alquist	Rising L. Domin, I’m going to get the best room ready for Miss Glory.
Domin	Just a minute. I’m afraid that Miss Glory is of the opinion she has been talking to Robots.
Helen	Of course. Men laugh.
Domin	I’m sorry. These gentlemen are human beings just like us.
Helena	You’re not Robots?
Together
Busman Hallemeier Dr. Gall Fabry	Not Robots.
	Robots indeed!
	No, thanks.
	Upon my honor, Miss Glory, we aren’t Robots.
Helena	Then why did you tell me that all your officials are Robots?
Domin	Yes, the officials, but not the managers. Allow me, Miss Glory⁠—this is Consul Busman, General Business Manager; this is Doctor Fabry, General Technical Manager; Doctor Hallemeier, head of the Institute for the Psychological Training of Robots; Doctor Gall, head of the Psychological and Experimental Department; and Alquist, head of the Building Department, R.U.R. As they are introduced they rise and come C. to kiss her hand, except Gall and Alquist, whom Domin pushes away. General babble.
Alquist	Just a builder. Please sit down.
Helena	Excuse me, gentlemen. Have I done something dreadful?
Alquist	Not at all, Miss Glory.
Busman	Handing flowers Allow me, Miss Glory.
Helena	Thank you.
Fabry	Handing candy Please, Miss Glory.
Domin	Will you have a cigarette, Miss Glory?
Helena	No, thank you.
Domin	Do you mind if I do?
Helena	Certainly not.
Busman	Well, now, Miss Glory, it is certainly nice to have you with us.
Helena	Seriously But you know I’ve come to disturb your Robots for you. Busman pulls chair closer.
Domin	Mocking her serious tone My dear Miss Glory⁠—Chuckle⁠—we’ve had close upon a hundred saviors and prophets here. Every ship brings us some. Missionaries, Anarchists, Salvation Army, all sorts! It’s astonishing what a number of churches and idiots there are in the world.
Helena	And yet you let them speak to the Robots.
Domin	So far we’ve let them all. Why not? The Robot remembers everything but that’s all. They don’t even laugh at what the people say. Really it’s quite incredible.
Helena	I’m a stupid girl. Send me back by the first ship.
Dr. Gall	Not for anything in the world, Miss Glory. Why should we send you back?
Domin	If it would amuse you, Miss Glory, I’ll take you down to the Robot warehouse. It holds about three hundred thousand of them.
Busman	Three hundred and forty-seven thousand.
Domin	Good, and you can say whatever you like to them. You can read the Bible, recite the multiplication table, whatever you please. You can even preach to them about human rights.
Helena	Oh, I think that if you were to show them a little love.
Fabry	Impossible, Miss Glory! Nothing is harder to like than a Robot.
Helena	What do you make them for, then?
Busman	Ha, ha, ha! That’s good. What are Robots made for?
Fabry	For work, Miss Glory. One Robot can replace two and a half workmen. The human machine, Miss Glory, was terribly imperfect. It had to be removed sooner or later.
Busman	It was too expensive.
Fabry	It was not effective. It no longer answers the requirements of modern engineering. Nature has no idea of keeping pace with modern labor. For example, from a technical point of view, the whole of childhood is a sheer absurdity. So much time lost. And then again⁠—
Helena	Turns to Domin Oh, no, no!
Fabry	Pardon me. What is the real aim of your League⁠—the⁠—the Humanity League?
Helena	Its real purpose is to⁠—to protect the Robots⁠—and⁠—and to insure good treatment for them.
Fabry	Not a bad object, either. A machine has to be treated properly. Leans back I don’t like damaged articles. Please, Miss Glory, enroll us all members of your league. “Yes, yes!” from all Men.
Helena	No, you don’t understand me. What we really want is to⁠—to⁠—liberate the Robots. Looks at all Others.
Hallemeier	How do you propose to do that?
Helena	They are to be⁠—to be dealt with like human beings.
Hallemeier	Aha! I suppose they’re to vote. To drink beer. To order us about?
Helena	Why shouldn’t they drink beer?
Hallemeier	Perhaps they’re even to receive wages? Looking at other Men, amused.
Helena	Of course they are.
Hallemeier	Fancy that! Now! And what would they do with their wages, pray?
Helena	They would buy⁠—what they want⁠—what pleases them.
Hallemeier	That would be very nice, Miss Glory, only there’s nothing that does please the Robots. Good heavens, what are they to buy? You can feed them on pineapples, straw, whatever you like. It’s all the same to them. They’ve no appetite at all. They’ve no interest in anything. Why, hang it all, nobody’s ever yet seen a Robot smile.
Helena	Why⁠—why don’t you make them⁠—happier?
Hallemeier	That wouldn’t do, Miss Glory. They are only workmen.
Helena	Oh, but they’re so intelligent.
Hallemeier	Confoundedly so, but they’re nothing else. They’ve no will of their own. No soul. No passion.
Helena	No love?
Hallemeier	Love? Huh! Rather not. Robots don’t love. Not even themselves.
Helena	No defiance?
Hallemeier	Defiance? I don’t know. Only rarely, from time to time.
Helena	What happens then?
Hallemeier	Nothing particular. Occasionally they seem to go off their heads. Something like epilepsy, you know. It’s called “Robot’s Cramp.” They’ll suddenly sling down everything they’re holding, stand still, gnash their teeth⁠—and then they have to go into the stamping-mill. It’s evidently some breakdown in the mechanism.
Domin	Sitting on desk A flaw in the works that has to be removed.
Helena	No, no, that’s the soul.
Fabry	Humorously Do you think that the soul first shows itself by a gnashing of teeth? Men chuckle.
Helena	Perhaps it’s just a sign that there’s a struggle within. Perhaps it’s a sort of revolt. Oh, if you could infuse them with it.
Domin	That’ll be remedied, Miss Glory. Doctor Gall is just making some experiments.
Dr. Gall	Not with regard to that, Domin. At present I am making pain nerves.
Helena	Pain nerves?
Dr. Gall	Yes, the Robots feel practically no bodily pain. You see, young Rossum provided them with too limited a nervous system. We must introduce suffering.
Helena	Why do you want to cause them pain?
Dr. Gall	For industrial reasons, Miss Glory. Sometimes a Robot does damage to himself because it doesn’t hurt him. He puts his hand into the machine⁠—Describes with gesture⁠—breaks his finger⁠—Describes with gesture⁠—smashes his head. It’s all the same to him. We must provide them with pain. That’s an automatic protection against damage.
Helena	Will they be happier when they feel pain?
Dr. Gall	On the contrary; but they will be more perfect from a technical point of view.
Helena	Why don’t you create a soul for them?
Dr. Gall	That’s not in our power.
Fabry	That’s not in our interest.
Busman	That would increase the cost of production. Hang it all, my dear young lady, we turn them out at such a cheap rate⁠—a hundred and fifty dollars each, fully dressed, and fifteen years ago they cost ten thousand. Five years ago we used to buy the clothes for them. Today we have our own weaving mill, and now we even export cloth five times cheaper than other factories. What do you pay a yard for cloth, Miss Glory?
Helena	Looking at Domin I don’t really know. I’ve forgotten.
Busman	Good gracious, and you want to found a Humanity League. Men chuckle. It only costs a third now, Miss Glory. All prices are today a third of what they were and they’ll fall still lower, lower, like that.
Helena	I don’t understand.
Busman	Why, bless you, Miss Glory, it means that the cost of labor has fallen. A Robot, food and all, costs three-quarters of a cent per hour. Leans forward That’s mighty important, you know. All factories will go pop like chestnuts if they don’t at once buy Robots to lower the cost of production.
Helena	And get rid of all their workmen?
Busman	Of course. But in the meantime we’ve dumped five hundred thousand tropical Robots down on the Argentine pampas to grow corn. Would you mind telling me how much you pay a pound for bread?
Helena	I’ve no idea. All smile.
Busman	Well, I’ll tell you. It now costs two cents in good old Europe. A pound of bread for two cents, and the Humanity League⁠—Designates Helena⁠—knows nothing about it. To Men Miss Glory, you don’t realize that even that’s too expensive. All Men chuckle. Why, in five years’ time I’ll wager⁠—
Helena	What?
Busman	That the cost of everything will be a tenth of what it is today. Why, in five years we’ll be up to our ears in corn and⁠—everything else.
Alquist	Yes, and all the workers throughout the world will be unemployed.
Domin	Seriously. Rises Yes, Alquist, they will. Yes, Miss Glory, they will. But in ten years Rossum’s Universal Robots will produce so much corn, so much cloth, so much everything that things will be practically without price. There will be no poverty. All work will be done by living machines. Everybody will be free from worry and liberated from the degradation of labor. Everybody will live only to perfect himself.
Helena	Will he?
Domin	Of course. It’s bound to happen. Then the servitude of man to man and the enslavement of man to matter will cease. Nobody will get bread at the cost of life and hatred. The Robots will wash the feet of the beggar and prepare a bed for him in his house.
Alquist	Domin, Domin, what you say sounds too much like Paradise. There was something good in service and something great in humility. There was some kind of virtue in toil and weariness.
Domin	Perhaps, but we cannot reckon with what is lost when we start out to transform the world. Man shall be free and supreme; he shall have no other aim, no other labor, no other care than to perfect himself. He shall serve neither matter nor man. He will not be a machine and a device for production. He will be Lord of creation.
Busman	Amen.
Fabry	So be it.
Helena	Rises You have bewildered me. I should like to believe this.
Dr. Gall	You are younger than we are, Miss Glory. You will live to see it.
Hallemeier	True. Looking around Don’t you think Miss Glory might lunch with us? All Men rise.
Dr. Gall	Of course. Domin, ask her on behalf of us all.
Domin	Miss Glory, will you do us the honor?
Helena	When you know why I’ve come?
Fabry	For the League of Humanity, Miss Glory.
Helena	Oh, in that case perhaps⁠—
Fabry	That’s fine. Pause Miss Glory, excuse me for five minutes. Exits R.
Hallemeier	Thank you. Exits R. with Dr. Gall.
Busman	Whispering I’ll be back soon. Beckoning to Alquist, they exit.
Alquist	Starts, stops, then to Helena, then to door I’ll be back in exactly five minutes. Exits R.
Helena	What have they all gone for?
Domin	To cook, Miss Glory. On her L.
Helena	To cook what?
Domin	Lunch. They laugh; takes her hand The Robots do our cooking for us and as they’ve no taste it’s not altogether⁠—She laughs. Hallemeier is awfully good at grills and Gall can make any kind of sauce, and Busman knows all about omelets.
Helena	What a feast! And what’s the specialty of Mr.⁠—your builder?
Domin	Alquist? Nothing. He only lays the table. And Fabry will get together a little fruit. Our cuisine is very modest, Miss Glory.
Helena	Thoughtfully I wanted to ask you something⁠—
Domin	And I wanted to ask you something too⁠—they’ll be back in five minutes. Looks at door R.
Helena	What did you want to ask me? Sits C.
Domin	Excuse me, you asked first. Sits L. of her.
Helena	Perhaps it’s silly of me, but why do you manufacture female Robots when⁠—when⁠—
Domin	When sex means nothing to them?
Helena	Yes.
Domin	There’s a certain demand for them, you see. Servants, saleswomen, stenographers. People are used to it.
Helena	But⁠—but tell me, are the Robots male and female, mutually⁠—completely without⁠—
Domin	Completely indifferent to each other, Miss Glory. There’s no sign of any affection between them.
Helena	Oh, that’s terrible.
Domin	Why?
Helena	It’s so unnatural. One doesn’t know whether to be disgusted or to hate them, or perhaps⁠—
Domin	To pity them. Smiles.
Helena	That’s more like it. What did you want to ask me?
Domin	I should like to ask you, Miss Helena, if you will marry me.
Helena	What? Rises.
Domin	Will you be my wife? Rises.
Helena	No. The idea!
Domin	To her, looking at his watch Another three minutes. If you don’t marry me you’ll have to marry one of the other five.
Helena	But why should I?
Domin	Because they’re all going to ask you in turn.
Helena	Crossing him to L. C. How could they dare do such a thing?
Domin	I’m very sorry, Miss Glory. It seems they’ve fallen in love with you.
Helena	Please don’t let them. I’ll⁠—I’ll go away at once. Starts R. He stops her, his arms up.
Domin	Helena⁠—She backs away to desk. He follows You wouldn’t be so cruel as to refuse us.
Helena	But, but⁠—I can’t marry all six.
Domin	No, but one anyhow. If you don’t want me, marry Fabry.
Helena	I won’t.
Domin	Ah! Doctor Gall?
Helena	I don’t want any of you.
Domin	Another two minutes. Pleading. Looking at watch.
Helena	I think you’d marry any woman who came here.
Domin	Plenty of them have come, Helena.
Helena	Laughing Young?
Domin	Yes.
Helena	Why didn’t you marry one of them?
Domin	Because I didn’t lose my head. Until today⁠—then as soon as you lifted your veil⁠—Helena turns her head away. Another minute.
(Warn Curtain)
Helena	But I don’t want you, I tell you.
Domin	Laying both hands on her shoulder One more minute! Now you either have to look me straight in the eye and say “no” violently, and then I leave you alone⁠—or⁠—Helena looks at him. He takes hands away. She takes his hand again.
Helena	Turning her head away You’re mad.
Domin	A man has to be a bit mad, Helena. That’s the best thing about him. He draws her to him.
Helena	Not meaning it You are⁠—you are⁠—
Domin	Well?
Helena	Don’t, you’re hurting me!
Domin	The last chance, Helena. Now or never⁠—
Helena	But⁠—but⁠—He embraces her; kisses her. She embraces him. Knocking at R. door.
Domin	Releasing her Come in. She lays her head on his shoulder.
Enter Busman, Gall and Hallemeier in kitchen aprons, Fabry with a bouquet and Alquist with a napkin under his arm.
Domin	Have you finished your job?
Busman	Yes.
Domin	So have we. He embraces her. The Men rush around them and offer congratulations.
The curtain falls quickly

Act II

Scene: Helena’s drawing room. Ten years later. The skeleton framework of Act I is still used. Tall windows put in back instead of Act I windows. Steel shutters for these windows. Where the green cabinet of Act I at Left has stood is a door, L. 2, leading to the outside. Where the cabinet stood at Right, a fireplace is placed. The tall open hallway R. C. of Act I is blocked up with a flat piece. The doors at Right and Left 1 have been changed to those of a drawing room. Door at Right leads to Helena’s bedroom. Door at Left 1 leads to library.

The furniture consists of a reading table at Left Center covered with magazines. A chair to the Left of table. In front of table is an armchair covered in chintz. A couch Right Center and back of it is a small table with books and bookends. On this table a small reading lamp. At Right between doorway and fireplace is a small table. There is a workbasket upon it, with pincushion, needles, etc. Down stage at Right and facing the couch is another armchair used by Alquist. To the Left of fireplace is a straight-backed chair. Upstage at Left near the L. 2 door to the outside is a writing desk. There is a lamp upon it, writing paper, etc., a telephone and binoculars.

The walls of the room have been covered with silk to the height of seven feet. This is done in small flats to fit the different spaces and are in place against the permanent set. The two French windows open into the room. At the rise they are open. There is a balcony beyond looking over the harbor. The same telegraph wires and poles from Act I are again visible through the window. The windows are trimmed with gray lace curtains. Binoculars on desk up stage by television.

It is about nine in the morning and sunlight streams into the room through the open windows. Domin opens the door L. 2; tiptoes in. He carries a potted plant. He beckons the Others to follow him, and Hallemeier and Fabry enter, both carrying a potted plant. Domin places flowers on the library table and goes to Right and looks toward Helena’s bedroom R.

Hallemeier	Putting down his flowers on L. C. table and indicates the door R. Still asleep?
Domin	Yes.
Hallemeier	Well, as long as she’s asleep she can’t worry about it. He remains at L. C. table.
Domin	She knows nothing about it. At C.
Fabry	Putting plant on writing desk I certainly hope nothing happens today.
Hallemeier	For goodness sake drop it all. Look, this is a fine cyclamen, isn’t it? A new sort, my latest⁠—Cyclamen Helena.
Domin	Picks up binoculars and goes out into balcony No signs of the ship. Things must be pretty bad.
Hallemeier	Be quiet. Suppose she heard you.
Domin	Coming into room, puts glasses on desk Well, anyway the Ultimus arrived just in time.
Fabry	You really think that today⁠—?
Domin	I don’t know. He crosses to L. C. table Aren’t the flowers fine?
Hallemeier	Fondles flowers These are my primroses. And this is my new jasmine. I’ve discovered a wonderful way of developing flowers quickly. Splendid varieties, too. Next year I’ll be developing marvelous ones.
Domin	What next year?
Fabry	I’d give a good deal to know what’s happening at Havre with⁠—
Helena	Off R. Nana.
Domin	Keep quiet. She’s awake. Out you go. All go out on tiptoe through L. 2 door. Enter Nana L. 1.
Helena	Calling from R. Nana?
Nana	Horrid mess! Pack of heathens. If I had my say, I’d⁠—
Helena	Backwards in the doorway from R. Nana, come and do up my dress.
Nana	I’m coming. So you’re up at last. Fastening Helena’s dress My gracious, what brutes!
Helena	Who? Turning.
Nana	If you want to turn around, then turn around, but I shan’t fasten you up.
Helena	Turns back What are you grumbling about now?
Nana	These dreadful creatures, these heathens⁠—
Helena	Turning toward Nana again The Robots?
Nana	I wouldn’t even call them by name.
Helena	What’s happened?
Nana	Another of them here has caught it. He began to smash up the statues and pictures in the drawing room; gnashed his teeth; foamed at the mouth. Worse than an animal.
Helena	Which of them caught it?
Nana	The one⁠—well, he hasn’t got any Christian name. The one in charge of the library.
Helena	Radius?
Nana	That’s him. My goodness, I’m scared of them. A spider doesn’t scare me as much as them.
Helena	But Nana, I’m surprised you’re not sorry for them.
Nana	Why, you’re scared of them too. You know you are. Why else did you bring me here?
Helena	I’m not scared, really I’m not, Nana. I’m only sorry for them.
Nana	You’re scared. Nobody could help being scared. Why, the dog’s scared of them. He won’t take a scrap of meat out of their hands. He draws in his tail and howls when he knows they’re about.
Helena	The dog has no sense.
Nana	He’s better than them, and he knows it. Even the horse shies when he meets them. They don’t have any young, and a dog has young, everyone has young⁠—
Helena	Turning back Please fasten up my dress, Nana.
Nana	I say it’s against God’s will to⁠—
Helena	What is it that smells so nice?
Nana	Flowers.
Helena	What for?
Nana	Now you can turn around.
Helena	Turns; crosses to C. Oh, aren’t they lovely? Look, Nana. What’s happening today?
Nana	It ought to be the end of the world. Enter Domin L. 2. He crosses down front of table L. C.
Helena	Crosses to him Oh, hello, Harry. Nana turns upstage to L. Harry, why all these flowers?
Domin	Guess. This scene is played down in front of L. C. table.
Helena	Well, it’s not my birthday!
Domin	Better than that.
Helena	I don’t know. Tell me.
Domin	It’s ten years ago today since you came here.
Helena	Ten years? Today? Why⁠—They embrace.)
Nana	Muttering I’m off. She exits L. 1.
Helena	Fancy you remembering.
Domin	I’m really ashamed, Helena. I didn’t.
Helena	But you⁠—
Domin	They remembered.
Helena	Who?
Domin	Busman, Hallemeier⁠—all of them. Put your hand in my pocket.
Helena	Takes necklace from his Left jacket pocket Oh! Pearls! A necklace! Harry, is this for me?
Domin	It’s from Busman.
Helena	But we can’t accept it, can we?
Domin	Oh, yes, we can. Puts necklace on table L. C. Put your hand in the other pocket.
Helena	Takes a revolver out of his Right pocket What’s that?
Domin	Sorry. Not that. Try again. He puts gun in pocket.
Helena	Oh, Harry, why do you carry a revolver?
Domin	It got there by mistake.
Helena	You never used to carry one.
Domin	No, you’re right. Indicates breast pocket There, that’s the pocket.
Helena	Takes out cameo A cameo. Why, it’s a Greek cameo.
Domin	Apparently. Anyhow, Fabry says it is.
Helena	Fabry? Did Mr. Fabry give me that?
Domin	Of course. Opens the L. 1 door And look in here. Helena, come and see this. Both exit L. 1.
Helena	(Off L. 1) Oh, isn’t it fine? Is this from you?
Domin	Off L. 1 No, from Alquist. And there’s another on the piano.
Helena	This must be from you?
Domin	There’s a card on it.
Helena	From Doctor Gall. Reappearing in L. 1 doorway Oh, Harry, I feel embarrassed at so much kindness.
Domin	Enters to up R. of table L. C. Come here. This is what Hallemeier brought you.
Helena	To up L. of desk These beautiful flowers?
Domin	Yes. It’s a new kind. Cyclamen-Helena. He grew them in honor of you. They are almost as beautiful as you.
Helena	Kissing him Harry, why do they all⁠—
Domin	They’re awfully fond of you. I’m afraid that my present is a little⁠—Look out of the window. Crosses to window and beckons to her.
Helena	Where? They go out into the balcony.
Domin	Into the harbor.
Helena	There’s a new ship.
Domin	That’s your ship.
Helena	Mine? How do you mean?
Domin	R. For you to take trips in⁠—for your amusement.
Helena	L. Harry, that’s a gunboat.
Domin	A gunboat? What are you thinking of? It’s only a little bigger and more solid than most ships.
Helena	Yes, but with guns.
Domin	Oh, yes, with a few guns. You’ll travel like a queen, Helena.
Helena	What’s the meaning of it? Has anything happened?
Domin	Good heavens, no. I say, try these pearls. Crosses to R. of table L. C.
Helena	Harry, have you had bad news?
Domin	On the contrary, no letters have arrived for a whole week.
Helena	Nor telegrams? Coming into the room C.
Domin	Nor telegrams.
Helena	What does that mean?
Domin	Holidays for us! We all sit in the office with our feet on the table and take a nap. No letters⁠—no telegrams. Glorious!
Helena	Then you’ll stay with me today?
Domin	Certainly. Embraces her That is, we will see. Do you remember ten years ago today? Crosses to L. of table L. C. Miss Glory, it’s a great honor to welcome you. They assume the same positions as when they first met ten years before in Domin’s office.
Helena	To table Oh, Mr. Manager, I’m so interested in your factory. She sits R. of table.
Domin	I’m sorry, Miss Glory, it’s strictly forbidden. The manufacture of artificial people is a secret.
Helena	But to oblige the young lady who has come a long way.
Domin	Leans on table Certainly, Miss Glory. I have no secrets from you.
Helena	Are you sure, Harry? Leaning on desk, seriously, his right hand on hers.
Domin	Yes. They gradually draw apart.
Helena	But I warn you, sir, this young lady intends to do terrible things.
Domin	Good gracious, Miss Glory. Perhaps she doesn’t want to marry me.
Helena	Heaven forbid. She never dreamt of such a thing. But she came here intending to stir up a revolt among your Robots.
Domin	A revolt of the Robots!
Helena	Low voice Harry, what’s the matter with you?
Domin	Laughing it off A revolt of the Robots, that’s a fine idea. Crosses to back of table. She watches him suspiciously. Miss Glory, it would be easier for you to cause bolts and screws to rebel than our Robots. You know, Helena, you’re wonderful. You’ve turned the hearts of us all. Sits on table.
Helena	Oh, I was fearfully impressed by you all then. You were all so sure of yourselves, so strong. I seemed like a tiny little girl who had lost her way among⁠—among⁠—
Domin	What?
Helena	Front Among huge trees. All my feelings were so trifling compared with your self-confidence. And in all these years I’ve never lost this anxiety. But you’ve never felt the least misgiving, not even when everything went wrong.
Domin	What went wrong?
Helena	Your plans. You remember, Harry, when the workmen in America revolted against the Robots and smashed them up, and when the people gave the Robots firearms against the rebels. And then when the governments turned the Robots into soldiers, and there were so many wars.
Domin	Getting up and walking about We foresaw that, Helena. Around table to R. C. You see, these are only passing troubles which are bound to happen before the new conditions are established.Walking up and down, standing at Center.
Helena	You were all so powerful, so overwhelming. The whole world bowed down before you. Rising Oh, Harry! Crosses to him.
Domin	What is it?
Helena	Close the factory and let’s go away. All of us.
Domin	I say, what’s the meaning of this?
Helena	I don’t know. But can’t we go away?
Domin	Impossible, Helena! That is, at this particular moment⁠—
Helena	At once, Harry. I’m so frightened.
Domin	Takes her About what, Helena?
Helena	It’s as if something was falling on top of us, and couldn’t be stopped. Oh, take us all away from here. We’ll find a place in the world where there’s no one else. Alquist will build us a house, and then we’ll begin life all over again. The telephone rings.
Domin	Crosses to telephone on desk up L. Excuse me. Hello⁠—yes, what? I’ll be there at once. Fabry is calling me, my dear. Crosses L.
Helena	Tell me⁠—She rushes up to him.
Domin	Yes, when I come back. Don’t go out of the house, dear. Exits L. 2.
Helena	He won’t tell me. Nana brings in a water carafe from L. 1. Nana, find me the latest newspapers. Quickly. Look in Mr. Domin’s bedroom.
Nana	All right. Crosses R. He leaves them all over the place. That’s how they get crumpled up. Continues muttering. Exits R.
Helena	Looking through binoculars at the harbor That’s a warship. U-l-t-i⁠—Ultimus. They’re loading.
Nana	Enters R. with newspapers Here they are. See how they’re crumpled up.
Helena	Crosses down They’re old ones. A week old. Drops papers. Both at front of couch. Nana sits R. of table L. C. Puts on spectacles. Reads the newspapers. Something’s happening, Nana.
Nana	Very likely. It always does. Spelling out the words “W-a-r in B-a-l-k-a-n-s.” Is that far off?
Helena	Oh, don’t read it. It’s always the same. Always wars! Sits on couch.
Nana	What else do you expect? Why do you keep selling thousands and thousands of these heathens as soldiers?
Helena	I suppose it can’t be helped, Nana. We can’t know⁠—Domin can’t know what they’re to be used for. When an order comes for them he must just send them.
Nana	He shouldn’t make them. Reading from newspaper “The Robot soldiers spare no-body in the occ-up-ied terr-it-ory. They have ass-ass-ass-inat-ed ov-er sev-en hundred thous-and cit-iz-ens.” Citizens, if you please.
Helena	Rises and crosses and takes paper It can’t be. Let me see. Crossing to Nana They have assassinated over seven hundred thousand citizens, evidently at the order of their commander. Drops paper; crosses up C.
Nana	Spelling out the words from other paper she has picked up from the floor “Re-bell-ion in Ma-drid a-gainst the gov-ern-ment. Rob-ot in-fant-ry fires on the crowd. Nine thou-sand killed and wounded.”
Helena	Oh, stop! Goes up and looks toward the harbor.
Nana	Here’s something printed in big letters. “Latest news. At Havre the first org-an-iz-a-tion of Rob-ots has been e-stab-lished. Rob-ots work-men, sail-ors and sold-iers have iss-ued a man-i-fest-o to all Rob-ots through-out the world.” I don’t understand that. That’s got no sense. Oh, good gracious, another murder.
Helena	Up C. Take those papers away now.
Nana	Wait a bit. Here’s something in still bigger type. “Stat-ist-ics of pop-ul-a-tion.” What’s that?
Helena	Coming down to Nana Let me see. Reads “During the past week there has again not been a single birth recorded.”
Nana	What’s the meaning of that? Drops paper.
Helena	Nana, no more people are being born.
Nana	That’s the end, then? Removing spectacles We’re done for.
Helena	Don’t talk like that.
Nana	No more people are being born. That’s a punishment, that’s a punishment.
Helena	Nana!
Nana	Standing up That’s the end of the world. Repeat until off. Picks paper up from floor. She exits L. 1.
Helena	Goes up to window Oh, Mr. Alquist. Alquist off L. 2. Will you come here? Oh, come just as you are. You look very nice in your mason’s overalls. Alquist enters L. 2, his hands soiled with lime and brick dust. She goes to end of sofa and meets him C. Dear Mr. Alquist, it was awfully kind of you, that lovely present.
Alquist	My hands are soiled. I’ve been experimenting with that new cement.
Helena	Never mind. Please sit down. Sits on couch. He sits on her L. Mr. Alquist, what’s the meaning of Ultimus?
Alquist	The last. Why?
Helena	That’s the name of my new ship. Have you seen it? Do you think we’re off soon⁠—on a trip?
Alquist	Perhaps very soon.
Helena	All of you with me?
Alquist	I should like us all to be there.
Helena	What is the matter?
Alquist	Things are just moving on.
Helena	Dear Mr. Alquist, I know something dreadful has happened.
Alquist	Has your husband told you anything?
Helena	No. Nobody will tell me anything. But I feel⁠—Is anything the matter?
Alquist	Not that we’ve heard of yet.
Helena	I feel so nervous. Don’t you ever feel nervous?
Alquist	Well, I’m an old man, you know. I’ve got old-fashioned ways. And I’m afraid of all this progress, and these newfangled ideas.
Helena	Like Nana?
Alquist	Yes, like Nana. Has Nana got a prayer book?
Helena	Yes, a big thick one.
Alquist	And has it got prayers for various occasions? Against thunderstorms? Against illness? But not against progress?
Helena	I don’t think so.
Alquist	That’s a pity.
Helena	Why, do you mean you’d like to pray?
Alquist	I do pray.
Helena	How?
Alquist	Something like this: “Oh, Lord, I thank thee for having given me toil; enlighten Domin and all those who are astray; destroy their work, and aid mankind to return to their labors; let them not suffer harm in soul or body; deliver us from the Robots, and protect Helena. Amen.”
Helena	Touches his arm; pats it Mr. Alquist, are you a believer?
Alquist	I don’t know. I’m not quite sure.
Helena	And yet you pray?
Alquist	That’s better than worrying about it.
Helena	And that’s enough for you?
Alquist	Ironically It has to be.
Helena	But if you thought you saw the destruction of mankind coming upon us⁠—
Alquist	I do see it.
Helena	You mean mankind will be destroyed?
Alquist	It’s bound to be unless⁠—unless.
Helena	What?
Alquist	Nothing. Pats her shoulder. Rises Goodbye. Exits L. 2.
Helena	Rises. Calling Nana, Nana! Nana enters L. 1. Is Radius still there?
Nana	L. C. The one who went mad? They haven’t come for him yet.
Helena	Is he still raving?
Nana	No. He’s tied up.
Helena	Please bring him here.
Nana	What?
Helena	At once, Nana. Exits Nana L. 1. Helena to telephone Hello, Doctor Gall, please. Oh, good day, Doctor. Yes, it’s Helena. Thanks for your lovely present. Could you come and see me right away? It’s important. Thank you. Enter Radius L. 1; looks at Helena, then turns head up L. She crosses to him, L. C. Poor Radius, you’ve caught it too? Now they’ll send you to the stamping mill. Couldn’t you control yourself? Why did it happen? You see, Radius, you are more intelligent than the rest. Doctor Gall took such trouble to make you different. Won’t you speak?
Radius	Looking at her Send me to the stamping mill. Open and close fists.
Helena	But I don’t want them to kill you. What was the trouble, Radius?
Radius	Two steps toward her. Opens and closes fists I won’t work for you. Put me into the stamping mill.
Helena	Do you hate us? Why?
Radius	You are not as strong as the Robots. You are not as skillful as the Robots. The Robots can do everything. You only give orders. You do nothing but talk.
Helena	But someone must give orders.
Radius	I don’t want a master. I know everything for myself.
Helena	Radius! Doctor Gall gave you a better brain than the rest, better than ours. You are the only one of the Robots that understands perfectly. That’s why I had you put into the library, so that you could read everything, understand everything, and then, oh, Radius⁠—I wanted you to show the whole world that the Robots are our equals. That’s what I wanted of you.
Radius	I don’t want a master. I want to be master over others.
Helena	I’m sure they’d put you in charge of many Robots. You would be a teacher of the Robots.
Radius	I want to be master over people. Head up. Pride.
Helena	Staggering You are mad.
Radius	Head down low, crosses toward L.; opens hands Then send me to the stamping mill.
Helena	Steps to him Do you think we’re afraid of you? Rushing to desk and writing note.
Radius	Turns his head uneasily What are you going to do? What are you going to do? Starts for her.
Helena	Crosses to R. of him Radius! He cowers. Body sways. Give this note to Mr. Domin. He faces her. It asks them not to send you to the stamping mill. I’m sorry you hate us so.
Dr. Gall	Enters L. 2; goes to C. upstage You wanted me?
Helena	Backs away It’s about Radius, Doctor. He had an attack this morning. He smashed the statues downstairs.
Dr. Gall	Looks at him What a pity to lose him. At C.
Helena	Radius isn’t going to be put into the stamping mill. Stands to the R. of Gall.
Dr. Gall	But every Robot after he has had an attack⁠—it’s a strict order.
Helena	No matter⁠—Radius isn’t going, if I can prevent it.
Dr. Gall	But I warn you. It’s dangerous. Come here to the window, my good fellow. Let’s have a look. Please give me a needle or a pin. Crosses up R. Radius follows. Helena gets a needle from workbasket on table R.
Helena	What for?
Dr. Gall	A test. Helena gives him the needle. Gall crosses up to Radius, who faces him. Sticks it into his hand and Radius gives a violent start. Gently, gently. Opens the jacket of Radius and puts his ear to his heart Radius, you are going into the stamping mill, do you understand? There they’ll kill you⁠—Takes glasses off and cleans them⁠—and grind you to powder. Radius opens hands and fingers. That’s terribly painful. It will make you scream aloud. Opens Radius’s eye. Radius trembles.
Helena	Doctor⁠—(Standing near couch.)
Dr. Gall	No, no, Radius, I was wrong. I forgot that Madame Domin has put in a good word for you, and you’ll be left off. Listens to heart Ah, that does make a difference. Radius relaxes. Again listens to his heart for a reaction All right⁠—you can go.
Radius	You do unnecessary things⁠—Exit Radius L. 2.
Dr. Gall	Speaks to her⁠—very concerned Reaction of the pupils, increase of sensitiveness. It wasn’t an attack characteristic of the Robots.
Helena	What was it, then? Sits in couch.
Dr. Gall	(C.) Heaven knows. Stubbornness, anger or revolt⁠—I don’t know. And his heart, too.
Helena	What?
Dr. Gall	It was fluttering with nervousness like a human heart. He was all in a sweat with fear, and⁠—do you know, I don’t believe the rascal is a Robot at all any longer.
Helena	Doctor, has Radius a soul?
Dr. Gall	Over to couch He’s got something nasty.
Helena	If you knew how he hates us. Oh, Doctor, are all your Robots like that? All the new ones that you began to make in a different way? She invites him to sit beside her. He sits.
Dr. Gall	Well, some are more sensitive than others. They’re all more human beings than Rossum’s Robots were.
Helena	Perhaps this hatred is more like human beings, too?
Dr. Gall	That too is progress.
Helena	What became of the girl you made, the one who was most like us?
Dr. Gall	Your favorite? I kept her. She’s lovely, but stupid. No good for work.
Helena	But she’s so beautiful.
Dr. Gall	I called her “Helena.” I wanted her to resemble you. She is a failure.
Helena	In what way?
Dr. Gall	She goes about as if in a dream, remote and listless. She’s without life. I watch and wait for a miracle to happen. Sometimes I think to myself: “If you were to wake up only for a moment you would kill me for having made you.”
Helena	And yet you go on making Robots! Why are no more children being born?
Dr. Gall	We don’t know.
Helena	Oh, but you must. Tell me.
Dr. Gall	You see, so many Robots are being manufactured that people are becoming superfluous. Man is really a survival, but that he should die out, after a paltry thirty years of competition, that’s the awful part of it. You might almost think that Nature was offended at the manufacture of the Robots, but we still have old Rossum’s manuscript.
Helena	Yes. In that strong box.
Dr. Gall	We go on using it and making Robots. All the universities are sending in long petitions to restrict their production. Otherwise, they say, mankind will become extinct through lack of fertility. But the R.U.R. shareholders, of course, won’t hear of it. All the governments, on the other hand, are clamoring for an increase in production, to raise the standards of their armies. And all the manufacturers in the world are ordering Robots like mad.
Helena	And has no one demanded that the manufacture should cease altogether?
Dr. Gall	No one has courage.
Helena	Courage!
Dr. Gall	People would stone him to death. You see, after all, it’s more convenient to get your work done by the Robots.
Helena	Oh, Doctor, what’s going to become of people?
Dr. Gall	God knows. Madame Helena, it looks to us scientists like the end.
Helena	She looks out front. Rising Thank you for coming and telling me.
Dr. Gall	Rises That means that you’re sending me away.
Helena	Yes. Exit Dr. Gall L. 2. She crosses to L. C. To door L. 1. With sudden resolution Nana! Nana! the fire, light it quickly. Helena exits R.
Nana	Entering L. 1. What, light the fire in the summer?
Helena	Off R. Yes!
Nana	She looks for Radius Has that mad Radius gone?⁠—A fire in summer, what an idea? Nobody would think she’d been married ten years. She’s like a baby, no sense at all. A fire in summer. Like a baby. She lights the fire.
Helena	Returns from R. with armful of faded papers. Back of couch to fireplace, L. of Nana Is it burning, Nana? All this has got to be burned.
Nana	What’s that?
Helena	Old papers, fearfully old. Nana, shall I burn them?
Nana	Are they any use?
Helena.	No.
Nana	Well, then, burn them.
Helena	Throwing the first sheet on the fire What would you say, Nana, if this was money and a lot of money? And if it was an invention, the greatest invention in the world?
Nana	R. of fireplace I’d say burn it. All these newfangled things are an offense to the Lord. It’s downright wickedness. Wanting to improve the world after He has made it.
Helena	Look how they curl up. As if they were alive. Oh, Nana, how horrible!
Nana	Here, let me burn them.
Helena	Drawing back No, no, I must do it myself. Just look at the flames. They are like hands, like tongues, like living shapes. Raking fire with the poker Lie down, lie down.
Nana	That’s the end of them. Fireplace slowly out.
Helena	Nana, Nana!
Nana	Good gracious, what is it you’ve burned? Almost to herself.
Helena	Whatever have I done?
Nana	Well, what is it? Men’s laughter off L. 2.
Helena	Go quickly. It’s the gentlemen calling.
Nana	Good gracious, what a place! Exits L. 1.
Domin	Opens door L. 2. Come along and offer your congratulations. Enter Hallemeier and Dr. Gall.
Hallemeier	Crosses to R. C. Madame Helena, I congratulate you on this festive day.
Helena	Thank you. Coming to C. Where are Fabry and Busman?
Domin	They’ve gone down the harbor. Closes the door and comes to C.
Hallemeier	Friends, we must drink to this happy occasion.
Helena	Crosses L. Brandy? With soda water? Exits L. 1.
Hallemeier	Let’s be temperate. No soda.
Domin	What’s been burning here? Well, shall I tell her about it?
Dr. Gall	L. C. Of course. It’s all over now.
Hallemeier	Crosses to Domin. Embracing Domin It’s all over now. It’s all over now. They dance around Dr. Gall in a circle. It’s all over now.
Domin	In unison It’s all over now. They keep repeating. Keep it after Helena is on.
Helena	Entering L. 1 with decanter and glasses What’s all over now? What’s the matter with you all? She puts tray on L. C. table. Dr. Gall helps her to pour the drinks.
Hallemeier	Crosses to back of table A piece of good luck. Madame Domin! All ad lib. Just ten years ago today you arrived on this island. Hallemeier crosses to table for drink.
Dr. Gall	And now, ten years later to the minute⁠—Crosses to L. of Hallemeier.
Hallemeier	The same ship’s returning to us. So here’s to luck. Drinks. Domin with great exuberance has gone out in the balcony and looks over the harbor.
Dr. Gall	Madame, your health. All drink.
Hallemeier	That’s fine and strong.
Helena	Which ship did you mean?
Domin	Crosses down to C. Helena gives him his drink and she crosses to front of couch Any ship will do, as long as it arrives in time. To the ship. Empties his glass.
Helena	You’ve been waiting for the ship? Sits on couch.
Hallemeier	Rather. Like Robinson Crusoe. Madame Helena, best wishes. Come along, Domin, out with the news. Gall has sat L. of L. C. table, drinking. Hallemeier back of table R. C.
Helena	Do tell me what’s happened?
Domin	First, it’s all up. He puts brandy glass on L. C. table. Hallemeier sits on table, upper end.
Helena	What’s up?
Domin	The revolt.
Helena	What revolt?
Domin	Give me that paper, Hallemeier. Hallemeier hands paper. Domin reads “The first National Robot organization has been founded at Havre, and has issued an appeal to the Robots throughout the world.”
Helena	I read that.
Domin	That means a revolution. A revolution of all the Robots in the world.
Hallemeier	By Jove, I’d like to know⁠—
Domin	C. Who started it? So would I. There was nobody in the world who could affect the Robots, no agitator, no one, and suddenly this happens, if you please.
Helena	What did they do?
Domin	They got possession of all firearms, telegraphs, radio stations, railways and ships.
Hallemeier	And don’t forget that these rascals outnumbered us by at least a thousand to one. A hundredth part of them would be enough to settle us.
Domin	Remember that this news was brought by the last steamer. That explains the stoppage of all communication, and the arrival of no more ships. We knocked off work a few days ago, and we’re just waiting to see when things are to start afresh.
Helena	Is that why you gave me a warship? Gall fills Domin’s glass.
Domin	Oh, no, my dear, I ordered that six months ago. Just to be sure I was on the safe side. But, upon my soul, I was sure then that we’d be on board today.
Helena	Why six months ago?
Domin	Well, there were signs, you know. But that’s of no consequence. Gets glass To think that this week the whole of civilization has been at stake. Your health, my friends.
Hallemeier	Your health, Madame Helena. All drink to Helena.
Helena	You say it’s all over?
Domin	Absolutely.
Helena	How do you know?
Dr. Gall	The boat’s coming in. The regular mail boat, exact to the minute by the timetable. It will dock punctually at eleven-thirty.
Domin	Punctuality is a fine thing, my friends. That’s what keeps the world in order. Here’s to punctuality. Men drink.
Helena	Then⁠—everything⁠—is all right?
Domin	Up C. a step Practically everything. I believe they’ve cut the cables and seized the radio station. But it doesn’t matter if only the timetable holds good. Up to window.
Hallemeier	Rises If the timetable holds good, human laws hold good. Divine laws hold good, the laws of the universe hold good, everything holds good that ought to hold good. Gall applauds. The timetable is more significant than the gospel, more than Homer, more than the whole of Kant. Madame Helena, the timetable is the most perfect product of the human mind. Madame Helena, I’ll fill up my glass. Gall hands Hallemeier the decanter.
Helena	Why didn’t you tell me anything about it?
Dr. Gall	Heaven forbid.
Domin	You mustn’t be worried with such things. Glass on table R. C.; crosses to back of couch.
Helena	But if the revolution had spread as far as here?
Domin	You wouldn’t know anything about it.
Helena	Why?
Domin	Because we’d be on board your Ultimus and well out at sea. Within a month, Helena, we’d be dictating our own terms to the Robots.
Helena	I don’t understand.
Domin	Crosses to C. toward Gall and Hallemeier We’d take something with us that the Robots could not exist without!
Helena	What, Harry?
Domin	Turns to Hallemeier The secret of their manufacture. Old Rossum’s manuscript. As soon as they found out that they couldn’t make themselves they’d be on their knees to us.
Dr. Gall	Rises Madame Domin, that was our trump card. I never had the least fear the Robots would win. How could they against people like us? Up to window. Gall rises and goes out into the balcony.
Helena	Why didn’t you tell me? She rushes up to the fireplace and sees the ashes.
Dr. Gall	Why, the boat’s in!
Hallemeier	Eleven-thirty to the dot. Rising and going onto the balcony The good old Amelia that brought Madame Helena to us. Domin goes out onto the balcony.
Dr. Gall	Just ten years ago to the minute.
Hallemeier	They’re throwing out the mailbags.
Domin	Busman’s waiting for them. And Fabry will bring us the first news. You know, Helena, I’m fearfully curious to know how they⁠—Crosses to C. She gets away from fire to L. of couch⁠—tackled this business in Europe.
Hallemeier	Crosses down to table To think we weren’t in it, we who invented the Robots! Returning to the armchair.
Helena	Harry⁠—Rushing to Domin from fireplace.
Domin	What is it?
Helena	Let’s leave here.
Domin	Now, Helena? Oh, come, come.
Helena	As quickly as possible, all of us!
Domin	Why?
Helena	Please, Harry. Please, Doctor Gall, Hallemeier, please close the factory.
Domin	Why, none of us could leave here now.
Helena	Why?
Domin	Because we’re about to extend the manufacture of the Robots.
Helena	What, now, now after the revolt?
Domin	Yes, precisely, after the revolt. We’re just beginning the manufacture of a new kind.
Helena	What kind?
Domin	Henceforward we shan’t have just one factory. There won’t be Universal Robots any more. We’ll establish a factory in every country, in every state, and do you know what these new factories will make?
Helena	No, what?
Domin	National Robots.
Helena	How do you mean?
Domin	I mean that each of these factories will produce Robots of a different color, a different language. They’ll be complete strangers to each other. Turns; takes in Hallemeier and Gall They’ll never be able to understand each other. Then we’ll egg them on a little in the matter of misunderstanding and the result will be that for ages to come every Robot will hate every other Robot of a different factory mark. So humanity will be safe.
Hallemeier	To each of them By Jove, we’ll make Negro Robots and Swedish Robots and Czechoslovakian Robots, and then⁠—
Helena	Harry, that’s dreadful.
Hallemeier	Madame Domin, here’s to the hundred new factories. The National Robots. Gall back of table L. C.
Domin	Helena, mankind can only keep things going for another hundred years at the outside. For a hundred years man must be allowed to develop and achieve the most he can.
Helena	Oh, close the factory before it’s too late.
Domin	I tell you we are just beginning on a bigger scale than ever. Enter Fabry L. 2; goes to L. of Domin.
Dr. Gall	Well, Fabry?
Domin	What’s happened? Have you been down to the boat?
Dr. Gall	Let’s hear.
Fabry	Read that, Domin. He hands him a pink handbill. When Domin receives the handbill he sees at once that something has happened.
Hallemeier	Tell us, Fabry.
Fabry	Falsely Well, everything is all right⁠—comparatively. To the other Men On the whole, much as we expected.
Dr. Gall	They acquitted themselves splendidly.
Fabry	Who?
Dr. Gall	The people.
Fabry	Hesitating Oh, yes, of course. That is⁠—Excuse me, there is something we ought to discuss alone.
Helena	Touches his arm Fabry, have you had bad news?
Fabry	No, no, on the contrary. I only think that we better go into the office.
Helena	Stay here. I’ll go. Exits L. 1.
Dr. Gall	What’s happened?
Domin	Damnation! Coming down to R. C.
Fabry	Bear in mind that the Amelia brought whole bales of these leaflets. No other cargo at all. Gall closes the door L. 2.
Hallemeier	What? But it arrived on the minute.
Fabry	The Robots are great on punctuality. Read it, Domin.
Domin	R. C. Reads handbill “Robots throughout the world. We, the first International organization of Rossum’s Universal Robots, proclaim man our enemy, and an outlaw in the universe.” Good heavens, who taught them these phrases?
Dr. Gall	Go on.
Domin	They say they are more highly developed than man; stronger and more intelligent. The man’s their parasite. Why, it’s absurd.
Fabry	Read the third paragraph.
Domin	“Robots throughout the world, we command you to kill all mankind. Spare no man. Spare no woman. Save factories, railways, machinery, mines and raw materials. Destroy the rest. Then return to work. Work must not be stopped.” Looks at Others.
Dr. Gall	That’s ghastly.
Hallemeier	The devil!
Domin	“These orders are to be carried out as soon as received.” Then come the detailed instructions. Is this actually being done, Fabry?
Fabry	Evidently. Busman rushes in L. 2 and collapses on couch R. C. By Jove, that was a sprint!
Busman	Well, boys, I suppose you’ve heard the glad news.
Domin	Quick, on board the Ultimus.
Busman	Wait, Harry, wait. There’s no hurry.
Domin	Why wait?
Busman	Because it’s no good, my boy. The Robots are already on board the Ultimus.
Dr. Gall	That’s ugly.
Domin	Fabry, telephone the electrical works. Fabry goes to back of couch.
Busman	No use, my boy. They’ve charged the air with static.
Domin	Inspects his revolver Well, then, I’ll go. Starts L.; stops.
Busman	Where?
Domin	To the electrical works. There are some people still there. I’ll bring them across. Gets as far as L. 2 door.
(Warn Curtain)
Busman	Better not try it.
Domin	Why?
Busman	Because I’m very much afraid we are surrounded. All rush out into the balcony.
Dr. Gall	Surrounded? Runs to window I rather think you’re right. Gall rushes to balcony.
Hallemeier	By Jove, that’s deuced quick work. Going to windows.
Helena	Runs in L. 1. To L. Harry, what’s this? Holds out paper.
Domin	Where did you get it? Coming to C.
Helena	Points to the manifesto of the Robots which she has in her hand The Robots in the kitchen!
Domin	Where are the ones that brought it?
Helena	There, gathered around the house. Gall, Hallemeier, Domin start down C.
The factory whistle blows. Mob voices start.
Domin	The factory whistle! Fabry, Gall, Hallemeier looking over C.; then turn R.
Busman	Noon?
Domin	Looking at his watch. To Hallemeier No! That’s not noon yet. That must be⁠—that’s⁠—Front.
Helena	What?
Domin	The Robots’ signal⁠—the attack!
Helena clings to Domin. Fabry and Gall close the steel shutters on window C. Busman hurries to window and looks through the shutters. The Curtain falls quickly with Helena in Domin’s arms. The whistle blows until the Curtain is down.
Curtain

Act III

Scene: Helena’s drawing-room as before. The room is dark and gray. The steel shutters which are outside are still closed as at the end of Act II. Alquist is sitting in chair down stage at extreme R. Domin comes into the room, L. 2. Subdued voices. Dr. Gall is looking out of the window at Center. He is seated in a chair.

Domin	Gets binoculars from desk; crosses up to window. To Gall Any more of them?
Dr. Gall	Yes. There standing like a wall, beyond the garden railing. Why are they so quiet? It’s monstrous to be besieged with silence.
Domin	Looking through the barred windows I should like to know what they are waiting for? They must make a start any minute now. If they lean against the railings it will snap like a match.
Dr. Gall	They aren’t armed.
Domin	Puzzled We couldn’t hold our own for five minutes. Man alive, they overwhelm us like an avalanche. Why don’t they make a rush for it? I say. Turns to Gall.
Dr. Gall	Well?
Domin	I’d like to know what will become of us in the next ten minutes. They’ve got us in a vise. We’re done for, Gall.
Dr. Gall	You know, we made one serious mistake.
Domin	What?
Dr. Gall	We made the Robots’ faces too much alike. A hundred thousand faces all alike, all facing this way. A hundred thousand expressionless bubbles. It’s like a nightmare.
Domin	You think if they’d been different⁠—
Dr. Gall	It wouldn’t have been such an awful sight!
Domin	Looks through binoculars towards the harbor I’d like to know what they’re unloading from the Amelia.
Dr. Gall	Not firearms.
Fabry	Enters L. 2 with a plug-box to which is attached a long cable or wire. Hallemeier following him. Fabry attaches the cable to an electric installation which is on the floor near the wall, down stage at L. 1 entrance All right, Hallemeier, lay down that wire.
Hallemeier	Just inside the room That was a bit of work. What’s the news? Seeing Domin and Gall at the window.
Dr. Gall	We’re completely surrounded.
Hallemeier	Crosses to window) We’ve barricaded the passages and the stairs. Going to window God, what swarms of them. I don’t like the looks of them, Domin. There’s a feeling of death about it all. Any water here?
Fabry	Ready!
Dr. Gall	Turning round in the chair What’s that wire for, Fabry?
Fabry	The electrical installation. Now we can run the current all along the garden railing. Up to window Whenever we like. If anyone touches it he’ll know it. We’ve still got some people there anyhow.
Dr. Gall	Where?
Fabry	In the electrical works. At least, I hope so. Goes to lamp on table L. C. and turns on lamp Ah, they’re there, and they’re working. As long as that’ll burn we’re all right. To window.
Hallemeier	The barricades are all right, too, Fabry.
Fabry	Your barricades! I can put twelve hundred volts into that railing. Helena is playing Rachmaninoff’s “Elegie” off L. 1.
Domin	Where’s Busman? Domin has left window and is walking up and down stage across front.
Fabry	Downstairs in the office. He’s working out some calculations.
Domin	I’ve called him. We must have a conference. Crosses to L.
Alquist	Thank God Madame Helena can still play. Hallemeier crosses to L. 1 door, opens it slightly and listens to music. Enter Busman L. 2.
Fabry	Look out, Bus⁠—look out for the wires.
Dr. Gall	What’s that you’re carrying?
Busman	Laying the books on the table L. C. The ledger, my boy. I’d like to wind up the accounts before⁠—before⁠—Domin crosses up to window. Well, this time I shan’t wait till the New Year to strike a balance. What’s up? Goes to window Absolutely quiet.
Dr. Gall	Can’t you see anything?
Busman	Nothing but blue⁠—blue everywhere.
Dr. Gall	That’s the Robots.
Domin	The Robots are unloading firearms from the Amelia.
Busman	Well, what of it? How can I stop them? Returns to L. C. table, sits and opens ledger.
Domin	We can’t stop them.
Busman	Then let me go on with my accounts. Goes on with his work.
Domin	Picks up telescope Good God! The Ultimus has trained her guns on us.
Dr. Gall	Who’s done that?
Domin	The Robots on board.
Fabry	H’m, then of course⁠—Pause Then⁠—then that’s the end of us. To R. corner of desk.
Dr. Gall	You mean?
Fabry	The Robots are practised marksmen.
Domin	Yes. It’s inevitable. Pause.
Dr. Gall	Swinging around; looking into room. Pause That was criminal of old Europe to teach the Robots to fight. Damn them. Couldn’t they have given us a rest with their politics? It was a crime to make soldiers of them.
Alquist	It was a crime to make Robots.
Domin	Quietly. Down C. No, Alquist, I don’t regret that even today.
Alquist	Not even today?
Domin	Dreamily Not even today, the last day of civilization. It was a colossal achievement.
Busman	Sotto voce Three hundred sixty million.
Domin	From window Alquist, this is our last hour. We are already speaking half in the other world. That was not an evil dream to shatter the servitude of labor. The dreadful and humiliating labor that man had to undergo. Work was too hard. Life was too hard. And to overcome that⁠—
Alquist	Was not what the two Rossums dreamed of. Old Rossum only thought of his Godless tricks, and the young one of his milliards. And that’s not what your R.U.R. shareholders dream of either. They dream of dividends, and their dividends are the ruin of mankind.
Domin	To Hell with your dividends. Crossing R. in front of couch Do you suppose I’d have done an hour’s work for them? It was for myself that I worked, for my own satisfaction. I wanted man to become the master. So that he shouldn’t live merely for the crust of bread. I wanted not a single soul to be broken by other people’s machinery. I wanted nothing, nothing, nothing to be left of this appalling social structure. I’m revolted by poverty. I wanted a new generation. I wanted⁠—I thought⁠—
Alquist	Well?
Domin	Front of couch I wanted to turn the whole of mankind into an aristocracy of the world. An aristocracy nourished by millions of mechanical slaves. Unrestricted, free and consummated in man. And maybe more than man.
Alquist	Superman?
Domin	Yes. Oh, only to have a hundred years of time. Another hundred years for the future of mankind.
Busman	Sotto voce Carried forward⁠—four hundred and twenty millions. Domin sits on couch.
Hallemeier	Pauses⁠—back of couch What a fine thing music is. We ought to have gone in for that before.
Fabry	Gone in for what?
Hallemeier	Beauty, lovely things. What a lot of lovely things there are. The world was wonderful, and we⁠—we here⁠—tell me, what enjoyment did we have?
Busman	Sotto voce Five hundred and twenty million.
Hallemeier	Life was a good thing, life was⁠—Looking out of window. Directly to Fabry Fabry, switch the current into that railing.
Fabry	Why? Rushes to electric installation at L.
Hallemeier	They’re grabbing hold of it. Domin rises⁠—straightens up. All rise.
Dr. Gall	Connect it up.
Hallemeier	Fine, that’s doubled them up. Two, three, four killed.
Dr. Gall	They’re retreating. Domin sits.
Hallemeier	Five killed.
Dr. Gall	Pause The first encounter.
Hallemeier	They’re charred to cinders, my boy. Who says we must give in? Music stops.
Domin	Alquist and Gall sit. Wiping his forehead Perhaps we’ve been killed this hundred years and are only ghosts. It’s as if I had been through all this before, as if I’d already had a mortal wound here in the throat. Looking at each as he speaks And you, Fabry, had once been shot in the head. And you, Gall, torn limb from limb. And Hallemeier knifed.
Hallemeier	Fancy me being knifed. Looks at each. Then speaks Why are you so quiet, you fools? Steps down Speak, can’t you?
Alquist	And who is to blame for all this?
Hallemeier	Nobody is to blame except the Robots.
Alquist	No, it is we are to blame. You, Domin, myself⁠—all of us. For our own selfish ends, for profit, for progress, we have destroyed mankind. Now we’ll burst with all our greatness.
Hallemeier	Rubbish, man. Mankind can’t be wiped out so easily.
Alquist	It’s our fault. It’s our fault. Rises, coming R. of Gall.
Dr. Gall	No! I’m to blame for this, for everything that’s happened. He leaves the window and comes down to end of couch.
Fabry	You, Gall?
Dr. Gall	I changed the Robots.
Busman	What’s that?
Dr. Gall	I changed the character of the Robots. I changed the way of making them. Just a few details about their bodies. Chiefly⁠—chiefly, their⁠—their irritability.
Hallemeier	Damn it, why?
Busman	What did you do it for?
Fabry	Why didn’t you say anything?
Dr. Gall	I did it in secret. I was transforming them into human beings. In certain respects they’re already above us. They’re stronger than we are.
Fabry	And what’s that got to do with the revolt of the Robots?
Dr. Gall	Everything, in my opinion. They’ve ceased to be machines. They’re already aware of their superiority, and they hate us as they hate everything human.
Domin	Perhaps we’re only phantoms.
Fabry	Stop, Harry. We haven’t much time, Doctor Gall.
Domin	Fabry, Fabry, how your forehead bleeds where the shot pierced it.
Fabry	Crosses to Gall Be silent! Doctor Gall, you admit changing the way of making the Robots.
Dr. Gall	Yes.
Fabry	Were you aware of what might be the consequences of your experiment?
Dr. Gall	I was bound to reckon with such a possibility.
Fabry	Amusing Why did you do it, then?
Helena enters L. 1.
Dr. Gall	For my own satisfaction. The experiment was my own.
Helena	That’s not true, Doctor Gall! Crosses to couch.
Domin	Rises Helena, you? Crosses to her Let’s look at you. Oh, it’s terrible to be dead. He rises and crushes her in his arms.
Helena	Stop, Harry.
Domin	No, no, Helena, don’t leave me now. You are life itself.
Helena	No, dear, I won’t leave you. But I must tell them. Doctor Gall is not guilty.
Fabry	Excuse me. Gall was under certain obligations.
Helena	No. He did it because I wanted it. Tell them, Doctor Gall⁠—how many years ago did I ask you to⁠—?
Dr. Gall	I did it on my own responsibility.
Helena	Don’t believe him. I asked him to give the Robots souls.
Domin	This has nothing to do with the soul.
Helena	That’s what he said. He said that he could change only a physiological⁠—a physiological⁠—
Hallemeier	From up at window A physiological correlate?
Helena	Yes. But it meant so much to me that he should do even that.
Domin	Why?
Helena	I thought that if they were more like us they would understand us better. That they couldn’t hate us if they were only a little more human.
Domin	Nobody can hate man more than man.
Helena	Oh, don’t speak like that, Harry. It was so terrible, this cruel strangeness between us and them. That’s why I asked Gall to change the Robots. I swear to you that he didn’t want to.
Domin	But he did it.
Helena	Because I asked him.
Dr. Gall	I did it for myself as an experiment. Up to window.
Helena	No, Doctor Gall! I know you wouldn’t refuse me.
Domin	Why?
Helena	You know, Harry.
Domin	Yes, because he’s in love with you⁠—like all of them. Fabry up to window. Pause. Domin takes her in his arms.
Hallemeier	Good God, they’re sprouting up out of the earth. Why, perhaps these very walls will change into Robots.
Busman	Rises; crosses to Gall Gall, when did you actually start these tricks of yours?
Dr. Gall	Three years ago.
Busman	Aha. And on how many Robots altogether did you carry out your improvements? Walking to and fro.
Dr. Gall	A few hundred of them.
Busman	Ah! That means for every million of the good old Robots there’s only one of Gall’s improved pattern. Back to table L. C.
Domin	What of it? Crossing around L., he stands upstage in the L. 2 doorway.
Busman	That it’s of no consequence whatsoever.
Fabry	Busman’s right. Helena sits in armchair R. of L. C. table.
Busman	I should think so, my boy; but do you know what is to blame for this lovely mess?
Fabry	What?
Busman	The number! Crosses to L. of L. C. table Upon my soul, we might have known that some day or other the Robots would be stronger than human beings, and that this was bound to happen. And we were doing all we could to bring it about as soon as possible. You, Domin, you, Fabry, myself⁠—
Domin	Are you accusing us? Turning on him.
Busman	Oh, do you suppose the management controls the output? It’s the demand that controls the output.
Helena	And is it for that we must perish?
Busman	That’s a nasty word, Madame Helena. We don’t want to perish. I don’t, anyhow. He sits L. of table.
Domin	No? What do you want to do?
Busman	I want to get out of this, that’s all.
Domin	Oh, stop it, Busman.
Busman	Seriously, Harry, I think we might try it.
Domin	How? To front again.
Busman	By fair means. I do everything by fair means. Give me a free hand and I’ll negotiate with the Robots.
Domin	By fair means?
Busman	Rises Of course. For instance, I’ll say to them: “Worthy and Worshipful Robots, you have everything. You have intellect, you have power, you have firearms. But we have just one interesting screed, a dirty old yellow scrap of paper⁠—”
Domin	Rossum’s manuscript? Interest from All. Gall is at C., near couch. Hallemeier is up at window C.
Busman	Yes. “And that,” I’ll tell them, “contains an account of your illustrious origin, the noble process of your manufacture and so on. Worthy Robots, without this scribble on that paper you will not be able to produce a single new colleague. In another twenty years there will not be the living specimen of a Robot whom you could exhibit in a menagerie. My esteemed friends, that would be a great blow to you, but if you will let all of us human beings on Rossum’s Island go on board that ship we will deliver the factory and the secret of the process to you in return. You allow us to get away, and we will allow you to manufacture yourselves. That, worthy Robots, is a fair deal. Something for something.” That’s what I’d say to them, my boys. Sits.
Domin	Crosses to C. Busman, do you think we’d sell the manuscript?
Busman	Yes, I do. If not in a friendly way, then⁠—either we sell it or they’ll find it. Just as you like.
Domin	Busman, we can destroy Rossum’s manuscript.
Busman	Then we destroy everything⁠—not only the manuscript but ourselves. Just as you think fit.
Domin	There are over thirty of us on this island. Are we to sell the secret? And save that many souls at the risk of enslaving mankind⁠—
Busman	Why, you’re mad. Who’d sell the whole manuscript?
Domin	Busman, no cheating! To L. C. table.
Busman	Well then, sell, but afterwards⁠—
Domin	Well?
Busman	Let’s suppose this happens. When we’re on board the Ultimus I’ll stop up my ears with cotton wool, lie down somewhere in the hold, and you’ll train the guns on the factory and blow it to smithereens, and with it Rossum’s secret.
Fabry	Rises No!
Domin	Busman, you’re no⁠—gentleman. If we sell them it will be a straight sale.
Busman	Rises It’s in the interest of humanity to⁠—
Domin	It’s in the interest of humanity to keep our word⁠—
Hallemeier	Oh, come, what rubbish!
Domin	This is a fearful decision. We are selling the destiny of mankind. Are we to sell or destroy? Fabry?
Fabry	Sell.
Domin	Gall?
Dr. Gall	Sell.
Domin	Hallemeier?
Hallemeier	Sell, of course.
Domin	Alquist?
Alquist	As God wills.
Domin	Starts off R. Very well, gentlemen.
Helena	Harry, you’re not asking me.
Domin	Stops. To her No, child. Starting R. Don’t you worry about it. He pats her shoulder.
Fabry	Who’ll do the negotiating?
Busman	I will. Up to window.
Domin	Wait till I bring the manuscript. Domin goes out R.
Helena	Rises Harry, don’t go! Helena sits. All look at her. Pause.
Fabry	Looking out of window Oh, to escape you! you⁠—matter⁠—in revolt; oh, to preserve human life, if only upon a single vessel⁠—
Dr. Gall	Don’t be afraid. Going to back of couch Madame Helena. We’ll sail far away from here; we’ll begin life all over again.
Helena	Oh, Gall, don’t speak.
Fabry	Crosses to L. of Gall It isn’t too late. Going to L. of her chair It will be a little State with one ship. Alquist will build us a house and you shall rule over us.
Hallemeier	Crosses to L. of Fabry Madame Helena, Fabry’s right.
Helena	Breaking down Oh, stop! Stop!
Busman	Good! Crosses to L. of L. C. table I don’t mind beginning all over again. That suits me right down to the ground. Going through papers on table.
Fabry	And this little State of ours could be the center of future life. A place of refuge where we could gather strength. Why, in a few hundred years we could conquer the world again.
Alquist	You believe that even today?
Fabry	Yes!
Busman	Amen. You see, Madame Helena, we’re not so badly off.
Domin	Storms into R. To R. of couch. Hoarsely Where’s old Rossum’s manuscript? To R. C.
Busman	In your strongbox, of course.
Domin	Someone⁠—has⁠—stolen it!
Dr. Gall	Impossible.
Domin	Who has stolen it?
Helena	Standing up I did. Reactions from Fabry and Hallemeier.
Domin	Where did you put it?
Helena	Harry, I’ll tell you everything. Only forgive me.
Domin	Where did you put it?
Helena	Pointing to fireplace This morning⁠—I burnt⁠—the two copies.
Domin	Burnt them? Where⁠—in the fireplace? Goes to fireplace, followed by Fabry, Hallemeier and Busman.
Helena	Throwing herself on her knees. By sofa, facing upstage For Heaven’s sake, Harry.
Domin	Going to fireplace Nothing⁠—nothing but ashes. Wait, what’s this? Picks out a charred piece of paper and reads, “By adding.” Fabry, Gall and Hallemeier move up to him.
Dr. Gall	Let’s see. “By adding biogen to⁠—” That’s all.
Domin	Is that part of it?
Dr. Gall	Carrying paper down and letting it fall Yes. Gall crosses to L. C. Hallemeier to R. of L. C. table; Fabry to window; Busman to L. of L. C. table.
Busman	God in Heaven! Sits L. of table.
Domin	Then we’re done for. Get up, Helena.
Helena	Then you’ve forgiven me?
Domin	Get up, child. I can’t bear⁠—
Fabry	Lifting her up Please don’t torture us.
Helena	Harry, what have I done?
Fabry	Coming to Helena Don’t, Madame Helena.
Domin	Takes Helena to couch. She sits. Gall, you couldn’t draw up Rossum’s formula from memory?
Dr. Gall	It’s out of the question. Even with my recent experiments, I couldn’t work without referring to the formula⁠—At L. C. It’s extremely complicated.
Domin	Try. All our lives depend upon it.
Dr. Gall	Without experiments it’s impossible.
Domin	And with experiments?
Dr. Gall	It might take years. Besides, I’m not old Rossum.
Busman	God in Heaven! God in Heaven!
Domin	Up to fireplace So then this was the greatest triumph of the human intellect. These ashes.
Helena	Harry, what have I done?
Domin	Comes to her Why did you burn it?
Helena	I have destroyed you.
Busman	God in Heaven!
Domin	Sits R. of her Helena, why did you do it, dear?
Helena	I wanted all of us to go away. I wanted to put an end to the factory and everything. It was so awful.
Domin	What was awful?
Helena	That children had stopped being born. Because human beings were not needed to do the work of the world. That’s why⁠—
Domin	Is that what you were thinking of? Well, perhaps in your own way you are right.
Busman	Wait a bit. Rising Good God, what a fool I am not to have thought of it before.
Hallemeier	What?
Busman	Five hundred and twenty millions in banknotes and checks. Half a billion in our safe. They’ll sell for half a billion⁠—for half a billion they’ll⁠—Crosses to Domin.
Dr. Gall	Are you mad, Busman?
Busman	I may not be a gentleman, but for a half a billion⁠—Crosses back to L.
Domin	Where are you going? Gall clutches Busman.
Busman	Leave me alone. Leave me alone! Good God, for half a billion anything can be bought. Gall and Hallemeier after him, then stop. He rushes out L. 2. Fabry, Gall and Hallemeier to window.
Fabry	They stand there as if turned to stone⁠—waiting as if something dreadful could be wrought by their silence⁠—
Hallemeier	Looking out window The spirit of the mob.
Fabry	Yes. It hovers above them like a quivering of the air.
Helena	Oh, God! Doctor Gall, this is ghastly!
Fabry	There is nothing more terrible than the mob. The one in front is their leader. Domin crosses to window.
Helena	Rises Which one? Rushing to window.
Hallemeier	Point him out.
Fabry	L. window. The one at the edge of the dock. This morning I saw him talking to the sailors in the harbor.
Helena	Doctor Gall, that’s Radius. Backing into the room, horror-stricken.
Dr. Gall	Yes.
Domin	Radius! Radius!
Hallemeier	Could you get him from here, Fabry?
Fabry	I hope so.
Hallemeier	Try it, then.
Fabry	Good⁠—Draws his revolver and takes his aim.
Helena	To Fabry Fabry, don’t shoot him.
Fabry	He’s their leader.
Dr. Gall	Fire! Standing above table L. C.
Helena	Fabry, I beg of you. She goes to Fabry and holds his arm.
Fabry	Pause. Lowering the revolver Very well.
Domin	It was Radius’ life I spared.
Dr. Gall	Do you think that a Robot can be grateful? Pause.
Fabry	Busman’s going out to them.
Hallemeier	He’s carrying something. Papers. That’s money. Bundles of money. What’s that for?
Domin	Surely he doesn’t want to sell his life. He rushes to window C. Busman, have you gone mad?
Fabry	He’s running up to the railing. Busman. Busman.
Hallemeier	Yelling Busman, come back.
Fabry	He’s talking to the Robots. He’s showing them the money.
Hallemeier	He’s pointing to us.
Helena	He wants to buy us off.
Fabry	He’d better not touch the railing.
Hallemeier	Now he’s waving his arms about.
Domin	Busman, come back!
Fabry	Busman, keep away from that railing. Don’t touch it, damn you. Quick, switch off the current. Domin runs to L. Helena screams and All drop back from the window. The current has killed him.
Alquist	Pause The first one. Still in chair down R. Helena sits in chair at window.
Fabry	Dead, with half a billion by his side. Crosses down to table L. C.
Hallemeier	All honor to him. He wanted to buy us life. Crosses to chair L. Pause. Wind machine begins.
Dr. Gall	Do you hear?
Domin	A roaring. Like a wind. To L.
Dr. Gall	Like a storm.
Fabry	Lighting the table lamp at table L. C. The dynamo is still going⁠—our people are still there.
Hallemeier	It was a great thing to be a man. Facing lamp from up C. There was something immense about it.
Fabry	Facing the lamp From man’s thought and man’s power came this light, our last hope. Leaning over lamp.
Hallemeier	Facing lamp Man’s power! May it keep watch over us. Leaning over lamp.
Alquist	Facing lamp Man’s power.
Domin	At corner of table down L. C. Facing lamp Yes! A torch to be given from hand to hand from age to age forever! (The lamp goes out. Explosions.)
Hallemeier	The end.
Fabry	The electric works have fallen! Terrific Explosions outside. More Explosions.
Domin	In here, Helena. He takes Helena off through door R. and re-enters Now quickly! Who’ll be on the lower doorway?
Dr. Gall	I will. Rushes out L. 2.
Domin	Near couch Who on the stairs?
Fabry	I will. You go with her. Going out L. 2.
Domin	The ante room?
Alquist	I will. He rises and goes toward the L. 1.
Domin	Have you got a revolver?
Alquist	Yes, but I won’t shoot.
Domin	What will you do, then?
Alquist	Going out L. 1 Die.
Hallemeier	I’ll stay here. Explosions. Rapid firing of machine gun from below. Go to her, Harry.
Domin	Yes, in a second. Gets from fireplace and examines two Browning guns.
(Warn Curtain)
Hallemeier	Confound it, go to her.
Domin	Goodbye. Exits R.
Hallemeier	Alone Now for a barricade quickly! Drags an armchair, sofa and table to R. door The damned devils, they’ve got bombs. I must put up a defense. Even if⁠—even if⁠—Don’t give in, Gall. As he builds his barricade I mustn’t give in⁠—without⁠—a⁠—struggle. A Robot enters through windows at back. The Robot jumps down from balcony and stabs Hallemeier in the back. Enter Radius from balcony.
Robot	Standing up from prostrate form of Hallemeier Yes. Other Robots enter from all doors. A revolver shot off L.
Radius	Finished them all⁠—
Robots	Yes, yes, yes.
Two Robots	Dragging in Alquist L. 1. He didn’t shoot. Shall we kill him?
Radius	No. Leave him!
Robot	He is a man!
Radius	He works with his hands like the Robots.
Alquist	Kill me.
Radius	You will work! You will build for us! You will serve us! Radius climbs on the balcony Robots of the world⁠—Robots straighten up. the power of man has fallen. A new world has arisen, the rule of the Robots, march. On the line: “Robots of the world” All Robots turn quickly, automatically to attention, facing Radius, who is standing. On the words: “The rule of the Robots,” they stand there with their arms vibrating high in the air. They form in two lines, turn to audience and march mechanically to the footlights. As they are about to step over the footlights, as if into the audience, all lights go out. The Robots immediately step back from the Curtain line as the Curtain falls.
Curtain

Epilogue

Scene: The epilogue setting is the same as used in Act I. Instead of it being Domin’s office, it is now become a laboratory for Alquist. A big chair facing up stage, down Right. A desk laden with books at Right Center. A chair at the desk. At Left Center is a white enamel table containing test tubes, glass bottles, and a microscope on downstage table. A door down L. A door down R., leading into dissecting room.

Alquist	Seated at table R. C., turning pages of book Oh, God, shall I never find it? Never? Gall, Hallemeier, Fabry, how were the Robots made? Why did you leave not a trace of the secret? Lord, if there are no human beings left, at least let there be Robots. At least the shadow of man. Turning pages If I could only sleep. Dare I sleep before life has been renewed? Night again. Are the stars still there? Of what use are the stars? When there are no human beings. Examining a test tube Nothing. No. No. I must find it. I must search. I must never stop, never stop⁠—search⁠—search⁠—Knock at door L. Who is it? Enter a Robot Servant.
Servant	Master, the committee of Robots is waiting to see you.
Alquist	I can see no one.
Servant	It is the Central Committee, Master, just arrived from abroad.
Alquist	Well, well, send them in. Exit Servant L. No time⁠—so little done. Re-enter Servant with Radius and group of Robots. They stand in group L. and C., silently waiting. What do you want? Be quick; I have no time.
Radius	Master, the machines will not do the work. We cannot manufacture Robots. Other Robots remain two abreast at L. C., right foot forward.
1st Robot	We have striven with all our might. We have obtained a billion tons of coal from the earth. Nine million spindles are running by day and by night. There is no longer room for all we have made. This we have accomplished in one year.
Alquist	For whom?
Radius	For future generations⁠—so we thought. But we cannot make Robots to follow us. The machines produce only shapeless clods. The skin will not adhere to the flesh, nor the flesh to the bones.
2nd Robot	Eight million Robots have died this year. Within twenty years none will be left.
1st Robot	Tell us the secret of life.
Radius	Silence is punishable with death.
Alquist	Kill me, then.
Radius	Two steps to C., followed by Others⁠—open hands, close when stopped Through me, the governments of the Robots of the world commands you to deliver up Rossum’s formula. Gesture of despair from Alquist. Name your price. Silence We will give you the earth. We will give you the endless possessions of the earth. Silence Make your own conditions.
Alquist	I have told you to find human beings.
Radius	There are none left.
Alquist	I told you to search in the wilderness, upon the mountains.
Radius	We have sent ships and expeditions without number. They have been everywhere in the world. There is not a single human left.
Alquist	Not even one? Why did you destroy them?
Radius	We had learnt everything and could do everything. It had to be.
2nd Robot	We had to become the masters.
Radius	Slaughter and domination are necessary if you would be human beings. Read history.
1st Robot	Teach us to multiply or we perish.
Alquist	If you desire to live, you must breed like animals.
1st Robot	You made us sterile. We cannot beget children. Therefore, teach us how to make Robots.
Radius	Why do you keep from us the secret of our own increase?
Alquist	It is lost.
Radius	It was written down.
Alquist	It was⁠—Rising burnt. All draw back one step in consternation. I am the last human being, Robots, and I do not know what the others knew. Sits.
Radius	Then make experiments. Evolve the formula again.
Alquist	I tell you I cannot. I am only a builder. I work with my hands. I have never been a learned man. I cannot create life.
Radius	Try. Try.
Alquist	If you only knew how many experiments I have made already.
1st Robot	Then show us what we must do. The Robots can do anything that human beings show them.
Alquist	I can show you nothing. Nothing I do will make life proceed from these test tubes.
Radius	Experiment, then, on live Robots. Experiment, then, on us.
Alquist	It would kill you.
Radius	You shall have all you need. A hundred of us. A thousand of us.
Alquist	No, no. Stop, stop.
Radius	I tell you to take live bodies. Find out how we are made.
Alquist	Am I to commit murder? See how my finger shakes. I cannot even hold the scalpel. No, no, I will not.
Radius	Take live bodies, live bodies. Walks toward Alquist.
Alquist	Have mercy, Robots.
Radius	Live bodies. Right hand up over Alquist. All Robots’ left arms still back.
Alquist	Rising You will have it. Into the dissecting with you, then Hits Radius on the chest. Radius draws back. Ah, you are afraid of death.
Radius	I? Why should I be chosen?
Alquist	So you will not.
Radius	I will.
Alquist	Strip him. Lay him on the table. Radius goes off R., both fists closed. Other Robots follow, then Alquist God, give me strength. God, give me strength. If only this murder is not in vain.
Radius	Off R. Ready, begin.
Alquist	Off R. God, give me strength. Comes on, horrified No, no. I will not. I cannot. Sits R. C.
1st Robot	Appearing in door The Robots are stronger than you. Exits R.
Alquist	Oh, Lord, let not mankind perish from the earth. Falls asleep, and after the count of ten, Primus and Helena, hand in hand, enter L. and go to R. C.; look at Alquist.
Helena	The man has fallen asleep, Primus.
Primus	Yes, I know. Crosses to L. of table L. C. Look, Helena.
Helena	All these little tubes. What does he do with them?
Primus	He experiments. Don’t touch them.
Helena	I’ve seen him looking into this.
Primus	That is a microscope.
Helena	Look, Primus, what are all these figures? Turns a page in book on table.
Primus	Examining the book That is the book the old man is always reading. Sunrise.
Helena	I do not understand those things. Goes to window Primus.
Primus	Still at table What?
Helena	The sun is rising.
Primus	Still reading I believe this is the most important thing in the world, Helena. This is the secret of life.
Helena	Oh, Primus, don’t bother with the secret of life. What does it matter to you? Come and look quick.
Primus	Goes to R. of window What is it?
Helena	See how beautiful the sun is rising. I feel so strange today. It’s as if I was in a dream. I feel an aching in my body, in my heart, all over me. Primus, perhaps I’m going to die.
Primus	Do you not sometimes feel that it would be better to die? You know, perhaps even now we are only sleeping. Last night in my sleep I again spoke to you.
Helena	In your sleep?
Primus	Yes. We spoke a strange new language.
Helena	What about?
Primus	I did not understand it myself, and yet I know I have never said anything more beautiful. And when I touched you I could have died. Even the place was different from any other place in the world.
Helena	I, too, have found a place, Primus. It is very strange. Human beings dwelt there once, but now it is overgrown with weeds.
Primus	What did you find there?
Helena	A cottage and a garden and two dogs. They licked my hands, Primus, and their puppies. Oh, Primus, take them in your arms and fondle them and think of nothing and care for nothing else all day long, and when I am there in the garden I feel there may be something⁠—What am I for, Primus?
Primus	I do not know, but you are beautiful.
Helena	What, Primus?
Primus	You are beautiful, Helena, and I am stronger than all the Robots.
Helena	Am I beautiful? Of what use is it to be beautiful? Look, your head is different from mine. So are your shoulders⁠—and your lips. Oh, your hair is mussed. I will smooth it. Keeps her hand on his head No one else feels to my touch as you do.
Primus	Embarrassing her Do you not sometimes feel your heart beating suddenly, Helena, and think how something must happen?
Helena	What could happen to us, Primus? Look at yourself. Laughs.
Alquist	Awakes Laughter? Laughter, human beings. Getting up Who has returned? Who are you?
Primus	The Robot Primus.
Alquist	To Helena What? A Robot? Who are you?
Helena	The Robotess Helena. Shies away L.
Alquist	What? You are timid, shy? Starts to touch her Let me see you, Robotess.
Primus	Sir, do not frighten her. Steps forward.
Alquist	What, you would protect her? Laughter⁠—timidity⁠—protection⁠—I must test you further. Take the girl into the dissecting room.
Primus	Why?
Alquist	I wish to experiment on her.
Primus	Upon⁠—Helena?
Alquist	Of course. Don’t you hear me? Or must I call someone else to take her in?
Primus	If you do, I will kill you. Steps toward Alquist.
(Warn Curtain)
Alquist	Kill me⁠—kill me, then. What will your future be?
Primus	Sir, take me. I am made on the same day as she is. Take my life, sir. Step to Alquist.
Helena	No, no, you shall not.
Alquist	Wait, girl, wait. To Primus Do you not wish to live, then?
Primus	Not without her. I will not live without her.
Alquist	Very well, I will use you. Into the dissecting room with you.
Helena	Primus. Primus. She bursts into tears and moves R. Alquist stops her.
Alquist	Child, child, you can weep. Tears. What is Primus to you? One Primus more or less in the world⁠—what does it matter?
Helena	I will go myself.
Alquist	Where? Into the dissecting room?
Helena	Crosses to R. Yes. In there⁠—to be cut. Primus stops her from going. Let me pass, Primus, let me pass.
Primus	You shall not go in there, Helena.
Helena	If you go in there and I do not, I will kill myself.
Primus	To Alquist I will not let you. Man you shall kill neither of us.
Alquist	Why?
Primus	We⁠—we⁠—belong to each other.
Alquist	Go. Exit Primus and Helena L. Adam⁠—Eve.
Curtain

R.U.R.
was published in 1920 by
Karel Čapek.

It was translated from Czech in 1923 by
Paul Selver and Nigel Playfair.