Я, Робот
Little Lost Robot
Butaslongasmypaycomesthroughonthedot,Ishouldworry.TheDrive’snoneofmyaffair.Whataretheygoingtodohere?"
"You’reaskingme?Theybroughtamessofrobotswiththem,-oversixty,andthey’regoingtomeasurereactions.That’sallmyknowledge."
"Howlongwillittake?"
"IwishIknew."
"Well,"Walenskysaid,withheavysarcasm,"aslongastheydishmemymoney,theycanplaygamesalltheywant."
Blackfeltquietlysatisfied.Letthestoryspread.Itwasharmless,andnearenoughtothetruthtotakethefangsoutofcuriosity.
Amansatinthechair,motionless,silent.Aweightdropped,crasheddownward,thenpoundedasideatthelastmomentunderthesynchronizedthumpofasuddenforcebeam.Insixty-threewoodencells,watchingNS-2robotsdashedforwardinthatsplitsecondbeforetheweightveered,andsixty-threephotocellsfivefeetaheadoftheiroriginalpositionsjiggledthemarkingpenandpresentedalittlejagonthepaper.Theweightroseanddropped,roseanddropped,rose-
Tentimes!
Tentimestherobotssprangforwardandstopped,asthemanremainedsafelyseated.
Major-generalKallnerhadnotwornhisuniforminitsentiretysincethefirstdinnerwiththeU.S.Robotrepresentatives.Heworenothingoverhisblue-grayshirtnow,thecollarwasopen,andtheblacktiewaspulledloose.
HelookedhopefullyatBogert,whowasstillblandlyneatandwhoseinnertensionwasperhapsbetrayedonlybythetraceofglisterathistemples.
