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 reenters. 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