Я, Робот
Catch That Rabbit
WhenIdid,hewastransmittingonlyfive-wayorders.Initiativedecreases–he’snormal"
"Howdidyougetallthat?"demandedDonovan.
"Justlogicalguessing.Itrieditanditworked."
Therobot’svoicewasintheirearsagain,"HereIam.Canyouholdouthalfanhour?"
"Easy!"saidPowell.Then,toDonovan,hecontinued,"Andnowthejobshouldbesimple.We’llgothroughthecircuits,andcheckoffeachpartthatgetsanextraworkoutinasix-wayorderasagainstafive-way.Howbigafielddoesthatleaveus?"
Donovanconsidered,"Notmuch,Ithink.IfDaveislikethepreliminarymodelwesawbackatthefactory,there’saspecialcoordinatingcircuitthatwouldbetheonlysectioninvolved."Hecheeredupsuddenlyandamazingly,"Say,thatwouldn’tbebadatall.There’snothingtothat."
"Allright.Youthinkitoverandwe’llchecktheblueprintswhenwegetback.Andnow,tillDavesreachesus,I’mrelaxing."
"Hey,wait!Justtellmeonething.Whatwerethosequeershiftingmarches,thosefunnydancesteps,thattherobotswentthrougheverytimetheywentscrewy?"
"That?Idon’tknow.ButI’vegotanotion.Remember,thosesubsidiarieswereDave’s’fingers.’Wewerealwayssayingthat,youknow.Well,it’smyideathatinalltheseinterludes,wheneverDavebecameapsychiatriccase,hewentoffintoamoronicmaze,spendinghistimetwiddlinghisfingers."
SusanCalvintalkedaboutPowellandDonovanwithunsmilingamusement,butwarmthcameintohervoicewhenshementionedrobots
