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 |