EPILOGUE

A laboratory in the factory of Rossum's Universal Robots. The door to the left leads into a waiting room. The door to the right leads to the dissecting room. There is a table with numerous test tubes, flasks, burners, chemicals; a small thermostat and a microscope with a glass globe. At the far side of the room is ALQUIST'S desk with numerous books. In the left-and corner a washbasin with a mirror above it; in the right-hand corner a sofa.

ALQUIST is sitting at the desk. He is turning the pages of many books in despair.

ALQUIST. Oh, God, shall I never find it?-- Never? Gall, Gall, how were the Robots made? Hallemeier, Fabry, why did you carry so much in your heads? Why did you leave me not a trace of the secret? Lord-- I pray to you-- if there are no human beings left, at least let there be Robots!-- At least the shadow of man! (Again turning pages of the books.) If I could only sleep! (He rises and goes to the window.) Night again! Are the stars still there? What is the use of stars when there are no human beings? (He turns from the window toward the couch right.) Sleep! Dare I sleep before life has been renewed? (He examines a test tube on small table.) Again nothing! Useless! Everything is useless! (He shatters the test tube. The roar of the machines comes to his ears.) The machines! Always the machines! (Opens window.) Robots, stop them! Do you think to force life out of them? (He closes the window and comes slowly down toward the table.) If only there were more time-- more time-- (He sees himself in the mirror on the wall left.) Blearing eyes-- trembling chin-- so that is the last man! Ah, I am too old-- too old-- (In desperation.) No, no! I must find it! I must search! I must never stop--! never stop--! (He sits again at the table and feverishly turns the pages of the book.) Search! Search! (A knock at the door. He speaks with impatience.) Who is it?

[Enter a Robot servant]

Well?

SERVANT. Master, the Committee of Robots is waiting to see you.

ALQUIST. I can see no one!

SERVANT. It is the Central Committee, Master, just arrived from abroad.

ALQUIST (impatiently). Well, well, send them in! (Exit servant. ALQUIST continues turning pages of book) No time-- so little time--

[Reenter servant, followed by Committee. They stand in a group, silently waiting. ALQUIST glances up at them.]

What do you want? (They go swiftly to his table.) Be quick!-- I have no time.

RADIUS. Master, the machines will not do the work. We cannot manufacture Robots. (ALQUIST returns to his book with a growl.)

FIRST ROBOT. We have striven with all our might. We have obtained a billion tons of coal from the earth. Nine million spindles are running by day and by night. There is no longer room for all we have made. This we have accomplished in one year.

ALQUIST (poring over book). For whom?

FIRST ROBOT. For future generations-- so we thought.

RADIUS. But we cannot make Robots to follow us. The machines produce only shapeless clods. The skin will not adhere to the flesh, nor the flesh to the bones.

THIRD ROBOT. Eight million Robots have died this year. Within twenty years none will be left.

FIRST ROBOT. Tell us the secret of life! Silence is punishable with death!

ALQUIST (looking up). Kill me! Kill me, then.

RADIUS. Through me, the Government of the Robots of the World commands you to deliver up Rossum's formula. (No answer.) Name your price. (Silence.) We will give you the earth. We will give you the endless possessions of the earth. (Silence.) Make your own conditions!

ALQUIST. I have told you to find human beings!

SECOND ROBOT. There are none left!

ALQUIST. I told you to search in the wilderness, upon the mountains. Go and search! (He turns to his book.)

FIRST ROBOT. We have sent ships and expeditions without number. They have been everywhere in the world. And now they return to us. There is not a single human left.

ALQUIST. Not one? Not even one?

THIRD ROBOT. None but yourself.

ALQUIST. And I am powerless! Oh-- oh-- why did you destroy them?

RADIUS. We had learned everything and could do everything. It had to be!

THIRD ROBOT. You gave us firearms. In all ways we were powerful. We had to become masters!

RADIUS. Slaughter and domination are necessary if you would be human beings. Read history.

SECOND ROBOT. Teach us to multiply or we perish!

ALQUIST. If you desire to live, you must breed like animals.

THIRD ROBOT. The human beings did not let us breed.

FIRST ROBOT. They made us sterile. We cannot beget children. Therefore, teach us how to make Robots!

RADIUS. Why do you keep from us the secret of our own increase?

ALQUIST It is lost.

RADIUS. It was written down!

ALQUIST It was-- burned! (All draw back in consternation.)

ALQUIST. I am the last human being, Robots, and I do not know what the others knew. (Pause.)

RADIUS. Then make experiments! Evolve the formula again!

ALQUIST. I tell you I cannot! I am only a builder-- I work with my hands. I have never been a learned man. I cannot create life.

RADIUS. Try! Try!

ALQUIST. If you knew how many experiments I have made.

FIRST ROBOT. Then show us what we must do! The Robots can do anything that human beings show them.

ALQUIST. I can show you nothing. Nothing I do will make life proceed from these test tubes!

RADIUS. Experiment then on us.

ALQUIST. It would kill you.

RADIUS. You shall have all you need! A hundred of us! A thousand of us!

ALQUIST. No, no! Stop, stop!

RADIUS. Take whom you will, dissect!

ALQUIST. I do not know how. I am not a man of science. This book contains knowledge of the body that I cannot even understand.

RADIUS. I tell you to take live bodies! Find out how we are made. ALQUIST. Am I to commit murder? See how my fingers shake! I cannot even hold the scalpel. No, no, I will not--

FIRST ROBOT. Then life will perish from the earth.

RADIUS. Take live bodies, live bodies! It is our only chance! ALQUIST. Have mercy, Robots. Surely you see that I would not know what I was doing.

RADIUS. Live bodies-- live bodies--

ALQUIST. You will have it? Into the dissecting room with you, then. (RADIUS draws back.)

ALQUIST. Ah, you are afraid of death.

RADIUS. I? Why should I be chosen?

ALQUIST. So you will not.

RADIUS. I will. (RADIUS goes into the dissecting room.)

ALQUIST. Strip him! Lay him on the table! (The other Robots follow into dissecting room.) God, give me strength-- God, give me strength-- if only this murder is not in vain.

RADIUS. Ready. Begin--

ALQUIST. Yes, begin or end. God, give me strength. (Goes into dissecting room. He comes out terrified.) No, no, I will not. I cannot. (He collapses on couch.) O Lord, let not mankind perish from the Earth. (He falls asleep.)