Я, Робот

           Sowhenyoucometothatsheet,juststop,giveitback–andthat’llbeall.Youunderstand?"

           "Oh,sure.Bygolly,thedeathofhumans!Oh,my!"

           "Now,Brain,IhearDr.LanningandDr.Bogertcoming.They’lltellyouwhattheproblemisallaboutandthenwe’llstart.Beagoodboy,now-"

           Slowlythesheetswerefedin.AftereachonecametheintervalofthequeerlywhisperychucklingnoisethatwasTheBraininaction.Thenthesilencethatmeantreadinessforanothersheet.Itwasamatterofhours–duringwhichtheequivalentofsomethinglikeseventeenfatvolumesofmathematicalphysicswerefedintoTheBrain.

           Astheprocesswenton,frownsappearedanddeepened.Lanningmutteredferociouslyunderhisbreath.Bogertfirstgazedspeculativelyathisfingernails,andthenbitattheminabstractedfashion.ItwaswhenthelastofthethickpileofsheetsdisappearedthatCalvin,white-faced,said:

           "Something’swrong."

           Lanningbarelygotthewordsout,"Itcan’tbe.Isit–dead?"

           "Brain?"SusanCalvinwastrembling."Doyouhearme,Brain?"

           "Huh?"cametheabstractedrejoinder."Doyouwantme?"

           "Thesolution-"

           "Oh,that!Icandoit.I’llbuildyouawholeship,justaseasy–ifyouletmehavetherobots.Aniceship.It’lltaketwomonthsmaybe."

           "Therewas–nodifficulty?"

           "Ittooklongtofigure,"saidTheBrain.

           Dr.Calvinbackedaway.Thecolorhadnotreturnedtoherthincheeks.Shemotionedtheothersaway.

           Inheroffice,shesaid,"Ican’tunderstandit.