Я, Робот
Robbie
"Eh?Oh,yes!Yes,indeed!"HesmiledatMrs.Weston."Aviciouscircleinaway,robotscreatingmorerobots.Ofcourse,wearenotmakingageneralpracticeoutofit.Foronething,theunionswouldneverletus.Butwecanturnoutaveryfewrobotsusingrobotlaborexclusively,merelyasasortofscientificexperiment.Yousee,"hetappedhispince-nezintoonepalmargumentatively,"whatthelaborunionsdon’trealize–andIsaythisasamanwhohasalwaysbeenverysympatheticwiththelabormovementingeneral–isthattheadventoftherobot,whileinvolvingsomedislocationtobeginwith,willinevitably-"
"Yes,Struthers,"saidWeston,"butaboutthatsectionofthefactoryyouspeakof–mayweseeit?Itwouldbeveryinteresting,I’msure."
"Yes!Yes,ofcourse!"Mr.Struthersreplacedhispince-nezinoneconvulsivemovementandgaveventtoasoftcoughofdiscomfiture."Followme,please."
Hewascomparativelyquietwhileleadingthethreethroughalongcorridoranddownaflightofstairs.Then,whentheyhadenteredalargewell-litroomthatbuzzedwithmetallicactivity,thesluicesopenedandthefloodofexplanationpouredforthagain.
"Thereyouare!"hesaidwithprideinhisvoice."Robotsonly!Fivemenactasoverseersandtheydon’tevenstayinthisroom.Infiveyears,thatis,sincewebeganthisproject,notasingleaccidenthasoccurred.Ofcourse,therobotshereassembledarecomparativelysimple,but..."
TheGeneralManager’svoicehadlongdiedtoarathersoothingmurmurinGloria’sears.Thewholetripseemedratherdullandpointlesstoher,thoughthereweremanyrobotsinsight.NonewereevenremotelylikeRobbie,though,andshesurveyedthemwithopencontempt.
