Я, Робот
Reason
DonovanhadfallenintoatroubledslumberandPowell’swearyeyesresteduponhimenviously.Thesignal-flashglaredoverandoveragain,buttheEarthmanpaidnoattention.Itallwasunimportant!All!PerhapsCutiewasright–andhewasonlyaninferiorbeingwithamade-to-ordermemoryandalifethathadoutliveditspurpose.
Hewishedhewere!
Cutiewasstandingbeforehim."Youdidn’tanswertheflash,soIwalkedin."Hisvoicewaslow."Youdon’tlookatallwell,andI’mafraidyourtermofexistenceisdrawingtoanend.Still,wouldyouliketoseesomeofthereadingsrecordedtoday?"
Dimly,Powellwasawarethattherobotwasmakingafriendlygesture,perhapstoquietsomelingeringremorseinforciblyreplacingthehumansatthecontrolsofthestation.Heacceptedthesheetsheldouttohimandgazedatthemunseeingly.
Cutieseemedpleased."Ofcourse,itisagreatprivilegetoservetheMaster.Youmustn’tfeeltoobadlyaboutmyhavingreplacedyou."
Powellgruntedandshiftedfromonesheettotheothermechanicallyuntilhisblurredsightfocuseduponathinredlinethatwobbleditswayacrosstheruledpaper.
Hestared-andstaredagain.Hegrippedithardinbothfistsandrosetohisfeet,stillstaring.Theothersheetsdroppedtothefloor,unheeded.
"Mike,Mike!"Hewasshakingtheothermadly."HeheldItsteady!"
Donovancametolife."What?Wh-where-"Andhe,too,gazedwithbulgingeyesupontherecordbeforehim.
