R.U.R.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?