Я, Робот

           Donovandrewbacksulkily,"Isthatallwehave?Beans?"

           "Couldbe."

           "What’sonthelowershelf?"

           "Milk."

           "Justmilk?"Donovancriedinoutrage.

           "Looksit."

           Themealofbeansandmilkwascarriedthroughinsilence,andastheyleft,thestripofhiddenwallroseupandformedanunbrokensurfaceoncemore.

           Powellsighed,"Everythingautomatic.Everythingjustso.Neverfeltsohelplessinmylife.Where’syourplumbing?"

           "Rightthere.Andthatwasn’tamongthosepresentwhenwefirstlooked,either."

           Fifteenminuteslatertheywerebackintheglassed-inroom,staringateachotherfromopposingseats.

           Powelllookedgloomilyattheonegaugeintheroom.Itstillsaid"parsecs,"thefiguresstillendedin"1,000,000"andtheindicatingneedlewasstillpressedhardagainstthezeromark.

           IntheinnermostofficesoftheU.S.Robotamp;MechanicalMenCorp.AlfredLanningwassayingwearily,"Theywon’tanswer.We’vetriedeverywavelength,public,private,coded,straight,eventhissubetherstufftheyhavenow.AndTheBrainstillwon’tsayanything?"HeshotthisatDr.Calvin.

           "Itwon’tamplifyonthematter,Alfred,"shesaid,emphatically."Itsaystheycanhearus...andwhenItrytopressit,itbecomes...well,itbecomessullen.Andit’snotsupposedto-Whoeverheardofasullenrobot?"

           "Supposeyoutelluswhatyouhave,Susan,"saidBogert.

           "Hereitis!Itadmitsitcontrolstheshipitselfentirely.Itisdefinitelyoptimisticabouttheirsafety,butwithoutdetails.Idon’tdarepressit.