Free Rossum´s Universal Robots by Karel Čapek

managing director was in charge of production? Production is governed by supply and demand. Everywhere in the world they wanted to have their robots, and all we did was respond to the flood of orders. And all the time we were talking nonsense about technology, sociology, progress, and all sorts of interesting matters. How could talk of this sort chit-chat decide how things were going to turn out? Meanwhile, things gathered their own momentum, getting faster and faster and faster. Every miserable, greedy, dirty new order added its own pebble to the avalanche. That’s what happened, children.
    Helena Busman, that’s horrible!
    Busman It is, Helena. I had my own dreams, too. A Busman sort of dream about anew economic order; a beautiful fantasy, Helena, a shame to speak of it. But just now, while I was doing the accounts, it occurred to me that history is not about great dreams; it’s about the day to day needs of all the little people, the honest ones, the slightly dishonest ones, the selfish ones; about everyone. And all these thoughts and loves and plans and heroic deeds, all these noble things are worth nothing more than something to clutter up the museum of the universe, under the heading ‘Mankind’. And that’s all. And now, will somebody tell me what we’re going to do now?
    Helena And is it for the sake of that that we’re all going to die?
    Busman Don’t put it so harshly, Helena. We’re not all going to die. At least, I am not. I want to stay alive so that...
    Domin And what are you going to do about it?
    Busman But Domin, dear boy, I want to get out of here.
    Domin ( standing over him ) How?
    Busman For good. When I do things I always do them for good. Give me your full authority, and I will go and negotiate with the robots.
    Domin For good?
    Busman Of course. Let’s suppose I go to them, and I say, “Dear robots, happy race, you have everything. You have intelligence, you have power, you have weapons; but we have a rather interesting little piece of paper, a rather old, yellowing, dirty piece...”
    Domin Rossum’s manuscript?
    Busman That’s right. “And this piece of paper,” I’ll say to them, “tells us all about your great origins, your noble manufacture, and so on. My dear robots, without the scribbles on this piece of paper you will be unable to make a single new robot to keep you company: in twenty years, if you don’t mind my saying so, you will die out like flies. And that would be such a terrible pity for you. I’ll tell you what,” I’ll say to them, “why don’t you let all of us people here on Rossum’s island get onto that boat. In exchange, we’ll let you buy the factory and the whole island from us, and even include the secret of your manufacture. Let us sail away, in the peace of God, and we’ll let you, in the peace of God, continue manufacturing yourselves-twenty thousand, fifty thousand, a hundred thousand or more of you every day. My dear robots, this is a fair deal that I’m putting to you. Something for something.” That is what I would say to them, lads.
    Domin And do you really think we should let the secret of production out of our hands?
    Busman I do. And if not for good, then, er... Either we sell it to them or they find it here. However you like.
    Domin We could destroy Rossum’s manuscript, though.
    Busman Dear me, yes, we could destroy everything, not just the manuscript but ourselves as well and many other things. You should do as you think fit.
    Hallemeier ( turning back from window ) Damn it, he’s right, you know.
    Domin To actually sell them the means of production?
    Busman As you like.
    Domin There are... there are more than thirty people here on the island. We can either sell the robots the means of production and save those human souls, or we can destroy it and... it along with ourselves and everything.
    Helena Harry, please...
    Domin Wait, Helena. We’re talking about a serious matter here. What do you think,