R.U.R. Karel Čapek (story read aloud .TXT) 📖

seemed like a tiny little girl who had lost her way among⁠—among⁠— Domin What? Helena Front. Among huge trees. All my feelings were so trifling compared with your self-confidence. And in all these years I’ve never lost this anxiety. But you’ve never felt the least misgiving, not even when everything went wrong. Domin What went wrong? Helena Your plans. You remember, Harry, when the workmen in America revolted against the Robots and smashed them up, and when the people gave the Robots firearms against the rebels. And then when the governments turned the Robots into soldiers, and there were so many wars. Domin Getting up and walking about. We foresaw that, Helena. Around table to R. C. You see, these are only passing troubles which are bound to happen before the new conditions are established.Walking up and down, standing at Center. Helena You were all so powerful, so overwhelming. The whole world bowed down before you. Rising. Oh, Harry! Crosses to him. Domin What is it? Helena Close the factory and let’s go away. All of us. Domin I say, what’s the meaning of this? Helena I don’t know. But can’t we go away? Domin Impossible, Helena! That is, at this particular moment⁠— Helena At once, Harry. I’m so frightened. Domin Takes her. About what, Helena? Helena It’s as if something was falling on top of us, and couldn’t be stopped. Oh, take us all away from here. We’ll find a place in the world where there’s no one else. Alquist will build us a house, and then we’ll begin life all over again. The telephone rings. Domin Crosses to telephone on desk up L. Excuse me. Hello⁠—yes, what? I’ll be there at once. Fabry is calling me, my dear. Crosses L. Helena Tell me⁠—She rushes up to him. Domin Yes, when I come back. Don’t go out of the house, dear. Exits L. 2. Helena He won’t tell me. Nana brings in a water carafe from L. 1. Nana, find me the latest newspapers. Quickly. Look in Mr. Domin’s bedroom. Nana All right. Crosses R. He leaves them all over the place. That’s how they get crumpled up. Continues muttering. Exits R. Helena Looking through binoculars at the harbor. That’s a warship. U-l-t-i⁠—Ultimus. They’re loading. Nana Enters R. with newspapers. Here they are. See how they’re crumpled up. Helena Crosses down. They’re old ones. A week old. Drops papers. Both at front of couch. Nana sits R. of table L. C. Puts on spectacles. Reads the newspapers. Something’s happening, Nana. Nana Very likely. It always does. Spelling out the words. “W-a-r in B-a-l-k-a-n-s.” Is that far off? Helena Oh, don’t read it. It’s always the same. Always wars! Sits on couch. Nana What else do you expect? Why do you keep selling thousands and thousands of these heathens as soldiers? Helena I suppose it can’t be helped, Nana. We can’t know⁠—Domin can’t know what they’re to be used for. When an order comes for them he must just send them. Nana He shouldn’t make them. Reading from newspaper. “The Robot soldiers spare no-body in the occ-up-ied terr-it-ory. They have ass-ass-ass-inat-ed ov-er sev-en hundred thous-and cit-iz-ens.” Citizens, if you please. Helena Rises and crosses and takes paper. It can’t be. Let me see. Crossing to Nana. They have assassinated over seven hundred thousand citizens, evidently at the order of their commander. Drops paper; crosses up C. Nana Spelling out the words from other paper she has picked up from the floor. “Re-bell-ion in Ma-drid a-gainst the gov-ern-ment. Rob-ot in-fant-ry fires on the crowd. Nine thou-sand killed and wounded.” Helena Oh, stop! Goes up and looks toward the harbor. Nana Here’s something printed in big letters. “Latest news. At Havre the first org-an-iz-a-tion of Rob-ots has been e-stab-lished. Rob-ots work-men, sail-ors and sold-iers have iss-ued a man-i-fest-o to all Rob-ots through-out the world.” I don’t understand that. That’s got no sense. Oh, good gracious, another murder. Helena Up C. Take those papers away now. Nana Wait a bit. Here’s something in still bigger type. “Stat-ist-ics of pop-ul-a-tion.” What’s that? Helena Coming down to Nana. Let me see. Reads. “During the past week there has again not been a single birth recorded.” Nana What’s the meaning of that? Drops paper. Helena Nana, no more people are being born. Nana That’s the end, then? Removing spectacles. We’re done for. Helena Don’t talk like that. Nana No more people are being born. That’s a punishment, that’s a punishment. Helena Nana! Nana Standing up. That’s the end of the world. Repeat until off. Picks paper up from floor. She exits L. 1. Helena Goes up to window. Oh, Mr. Alquist. Alquist off L. 2. Will you come here? Oh, come just as you are. You look very nice in your mason’s overalls. Alquist enters L. 2, his hands soiled with lime and brick dust. She goes to end of sofa and meets him C. Dear Mr. Alquist, it was awfully kind of you, that lovely present. Alquist My hands are soiled. I’ve been experimenting with that new cement. Helena Never mind. Please sit down. Sits on couch. He sits on her L. Mr. Alquist, what’s the meaning of Ultimus? Alquist The last. Why? Helena That’s the name of my new ship. Have you seen it? Do you think we’re off soon⁠—on a trip? Alquist Perhaps very soon. Helena All of you with me? Alquist I should like us all to be there. Helena What is the matter? Alquist Things are just moving on. Helena Dear Mr. Alquist, I know something dreadful has happened. Alquist Has your husband told you anything? Helena No. Nobody will tell me anything. But I feel⁠—Is anything the matter? Alquist Not that we’ve heard of yet. Helena I feel so nervous. Don’t you ever feel nervous? Alquist Well, I’m an old man, you know. I’ve got old-fashioned ways. And I’m afraid of all this progress, and these newfangled