Я, Робот
Little Lost Robot
"You’regoingtobesittingthere-"exclaimedBogert.
"Whynot?"shedemandedcoldly."WhatIexpecttoseemaybesomethingquitemomentary.Ican’triskhavinganyoneelseasmainobserver.Peter,you’llbeintheobservingbooth,andIwantyoutokeepyoureyeontheoppositesideofthecircle.GeneralKallner,I’vearrangedformotionpicturestobetakenofeachrobot,incasevisualobservationisn’tenough.Ifthesearerequired,therobotsaretoremainexactlywheretheyareuntilthepicturesaredevelopedandstudied.Nonemustleave,nonemustchangeplace.Isthatclear?"
"Perfectly."
"Thenlet’stryitthisonelasttime."
SusanCalvinsatinthechair,silent,eyesrestless.Aweightdropped,crasheddownward;thenpoundedasideatthelastmomentunderthesynchronizedthumpofasuddenforcebeam.
Andasinglerobotjerkeduprightandtooktwosteps.
Andstopped.
ButDr.Calvinwasupright,andherfingerpointedtohimsharply."Nestor10,comehere,"shecried,"comehere!COMEHERE!"
Slowly,reluctantly,therobottookanotherstepforward.Thepsychologistshoutedatthetopofhervoice,withouttakinghereyesfromtherobot,"Geteveryotherrobotoutofthisplace,somebody.Getthemoutquickly,andkeepthemout."
Somewherewithinreachofherearstherewasnoise,andthethudofhardfeetuponthefloor.Shedidnotlookaway.
Nestor10-ifitwasNestor10-tookanotherstep,andthen,underforceofherimperiousgesture,twomore.Hewasonlytenfeetaway,whenhespokeharshly,"Ihavebeentoldtobelost-"
Anotherstop.
