Я, Робот

           Shewenton,"Soheacceptedtheitem,butnotwithoutacertainjar.Evenwithdeathtemporaryanditsimportancedepressed,itwasenoughtounbalancehimverygently."

           Shebroughtitoutcalmly,"Hedevelopedasenseofhumor–it’sanescape,yousee,amethodofpartialescapefromreality.Hebecameapracticaljoker."

           PowellandDonovanwereontheirfeet.

           "What?"criedPowell.

           Donovanwasconsiderablymorecolorfulaboutit.

           "It’sso,"saidCalvin."Hetookcareofyou,andkeptyousafe,butyoucouldn’thandleanycontrols,becausetheyweren’tforyou–justforthehumorousBrain.Wecouldreachyoubyradio,butyoucouldn’tanswer.Youhadplentyoffood,butallofitbeansandmilk.Thenyoudied,sotospeak,andwerereborn,buttheperiodofyourdeathwasmade...well...interesting.IwishIknewhowhedidit.ItwasTheBrain’sprizejoke,buthemeantnoharm."

           "Noharm!"gaspedDonovan."Oh,ifthatcutelittletykeonlyhadaneck."

           Lanningraisedaquietinghand,"Allright,it’sbeenamess,butit’sallover.Whatnow?"

           "Well,"saidBogert,quietly,"obviouslyit’suptoustoimprovethespace-warpengine.Theremustbesomewayofgettingaroundthatintervalofjump.Ifthereis,we’retheonlyorganizationleftwithagrand-scalesuper-robot,sowe’reboundtofinditifanyonecan.Andthen–U.S.Robotshasinterstellartravel,andhumanityhastheopportunityforgalacticempire."

           "WhataboutConsolidated?"saidLanning.

           "Hey,"interruptedDonovansuddenly,"Iwanttomakeasuggestionthere.