by Karel Čapek
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, lads, to sell it or destroy it? Fabry?
Fabry Sell it.
Domin Gall.
Dr. Gall Sell.
Domin Hallemeier.
Hallemeier Well for God’s sake of course we should sell it!
Domin Alquist.
Alquist The will of God.
Busman Haha, dear me, you’re all mad! Why would anyone sell the whole manuscript?
Domin Let’s not become liars, Busman!
Busman (jumping up) Nonsense! For the sake of mankind the...
Domin It’s in the interest of mankind to be honest.
Hallemeier I should hope so too.
Domin Lads, this is a tremendous step we’re taking. We’ll selling the fate of mankind; whoever holds the secret of production in his hand will be the master of the world.
Fabry Sell it!
Domin Mankind would never be free of the robots, it would never be possible to regain control of them...
Dr. Gall Just stop all this and sell the manuscript!
Domin The end of human history, the end of civilisation...
Hallemeier Damnation, just sell it!
Domin Alright lads! I myself,.... I wouldn’t hesitate a moment; for those people who I love....
Helena Harry, is it me you’re asking?
Domin No, that would be too much responsibility. This isn’t something for a girl like you.
Fabry Who’ll be the one to negotiate...?
Domin Wait. Just wait while I get the manuscript. (exit left)
Helena Harry, please no, don’t go in there!
(pause)
Fabry (looking out window) To escape from you, thousand headed death; from you, destroyed material and mindless hordes; the flood, the flood, mankind is once again to be saved on a single ship.
Dr. Gall You needn’t worry, Helena; we’ll sail far away from here and establish a colony that will be better than any other; we can make a new beginning...
Helena Oh, Gall, do be quiet!
Fabry (turning back) Helen, life is worth living; and if it’s up to us we will... we’ll do something that we’ve so far been neglecting. Just one boat to start with, and then a little farm; Alquist can build us a house and you can be in charge over all of us. You’re so full of much love, so much life...
Hallemeier I should say so.
Busman Well I, for one, would certainly be happy to start all over again. Everything simple, a pastoral life just like the Old Testament. All that peace, all that fresh air...
Fabry Our farm would give birth to a new mankind. A little island where the human race would start again, where it would gather new strength, strength of body and of soul. And God knows, as I believe myself, that after a few years we could reclaim the world.
Alquist You’re a believer now, are you?
Fabry I’m a believer, now. And I believe man will reclaim the world and become, once again, the lord of the land and the sea; that He will give rise to countless numbers of heroes who will lead the way out into the world with a soul that blazes with light. I believe, Alquist, that He will once again dream of conquering the planets and the suns.
Busman Amen. So you see, Helena, the situation isn’t really all that bad.
(Domin throws open door and enters)
Domin (rasping) Where is old Rossum’s manuscript?!
Busman It’s in your safe. Where else would it be?
Domin What’s happened to old Rossum’s manuscript?! Who’s... stolen it?
Dr. Gall That’s not possible!
Hallemeier Hell no! That’s just....
Busman Dear Lord, that can’t be right!
Domin Who stole it?
Helena (standing) I did.
Domin Where did you put it?
Helena Harry, Harry, I’ll tell you everything! Oh God, please forgive me!
Domin Where did you put it? Quickly!
Helena I burned them. This morning. Both copies.
Domin You burned them? Here in this fireplace?
Helena (throws herself down on knees) Oh God, Harry!
Domin (runs to fireplace) Burned it! (kneels at fireplace and rakes it over with poker) Nothing, there’s nothing here but ashes! Ah, here’s something! (pulls out charred piece of paper, and reads) “... and add... “
Dr. Gall Let me see it. (takes paper and reads) “... and add the biogene to....”, and that’s all.
Domin (standing) Nothing else?
Dr. Gall Nothing.
Busman God almighty!
Domin We’ve had it, then.
Helena Oh, Harry
Domin Stand up, Helena!
Helena Forgive me first, please forgive me...
Domin Yes, just stand up, d’you hear me? I can’t stand it when...
Fabry (lifting her up) Please, don’t torture us.
Helena (standing) Harry, what have I done?!
Domin Yes, you’ll see.-Please sit down.
Hallemeier Your hands are really shaking!
Busman Haha, well Helena, maybe Gall and Hallemeier will know what the manuscript said by heart.
Hallemeier Course we do. Well, a few things at least.
Dr. Gall Yes, almost all of it, apart from the biogene and, er, and the omega enzyme. It was so infrequent that those things had to be made, they were only used in tiny quantities...
Busman Who was it who made them?
Dr. Gall That was me... once in a while... always following Rossum’s manuscript. You see, it was very complicated.
Busman Well, never mind, were those two materials really so important.
Hallemeier Well, somewhat... certainly they were.
Dr. Gall What he means is that it depended on them whether the robots lived at all. They were the actual secret.
Domin Gall, do you not think you could re-write Rossum’s formula from memory?
Dr. Gall Out of the question.
Domin Gall, try hard to remember! All our lives depend on it!
Dr. Gall I couldn’t do it. Without a lot of experimentation it just wouldn’t be possible.
Domin And what if you did some experiments?
Dr. Gall That could take years. And even then... I’m not old Rossum.
Domin (turning to fireplace) Down there, then, down there is the greatest triumph of the human spirit. That heap of ashes. (kicks it) So what do we do now?
Busman (in horror and despair) God almighty! God almighty!
Helena (standing) Harry! What... what have I done?!
Domin Calm down, Helena. Just tell me why! Why did you burn it?
Helena I’ve killed you all!
Busman God almighty, we’ve had it!
Domin Be quiet, Busman! Helena, tell me why you did it!
Helena I wanted.. I wanted us to get away from here, all of us! So that there wouldn’t be any more factory or anything else... so that everything would be... It was horrible!
Domin Helena, what was?
Helena Making... making people like sterile flowers!
Domin I don’t understand what you’re saying.
Helena
People have stopped having children... Harry, that was so vile! If we continued making robots then no-one would have any children any more... Nana said it was a punishment... all of them, all of them said they can’t have children because there were so many robots... And that’s why..., that’s why,... do you hear me?
Domin Helena, what were you thinking of?
Helena Yes, oh, Harry, I only meant it for the best!
Domin (wiping sweat) We all only meant it for the best, too much for the best, all of mankind.
Fabry You were quite right, Helena. Now the robots won’t be able to increase. They’ll die out. In twenty years...
Hallemeier... not a one of them will be good for anything at all
Dr. Gall And mankind will remain. In twenty years’ time the world will belong to them once more; even if there’s nothing more than a few savages on a tiny island...
Fabry... that will be a beginning. And any beginning is better than nothing. In a thousand years they’ll have caught up with us again, and then go on further than we ever did...
Domin... and fulfill the dreams we’ve only ever talked about.
Busman Wait-how silly of me! Dear me, why didn’t I think of this before?
Hallemeier What is it?
Busman Five hundred and twenty million in cash and in cheques! Half a billion in the till! For half a billion they’ll sell... they’ll sell...
Dr. Gall Have you gone mad, Busman?
Busman I’m not a gentleman. But for half a billion (blunders left)
Domin Where are you going?
Busman Leave it, leave it! Mother of God, for half a billion you can buy anything! (exit)
Helena What does Busman want? Why can’t he stay here with us?
(pause)
Hallemeier Oh, it’s hot. It’s starting, the...
Dr. Gall The agony.
Fabry (looking out of window) They’re standing there like statues. It’s as if they were waiting for something to descend on them, or as if they thought their very silence would give rise to something terrible...
Dr. Gall Crowd mentality.
Fabry Maybe. It’s like a cloud all around them, they seem to quiver with it.
Helena (goes to window) Oh God! Fabry, it’s horrible!
Fabry There’s nothing more terrible than the crowd. That one in front-he’s their leader.
Helena Which one?
Hallemeier (goes to window) Point him out to me.
Fabry The one that’s looking down. He was giving the orders at the harbour this morning.
Hallemeier Ah, the one with the big bonce, you mean. He’s looking up now, see?
Helena Gall, that’s Radius!
Dr. Gall (goes to window) Yes.
Hallemeier (opens window) I don’t like the look of him. Fabry, think you could hit a barn door at a hundred paces?
Fabry I should hope so.
Hallemeier Give it a try then!
Fabry Alright. (takes out revolver and takes aim)
Helena Oh God, no! Fabry, don’t shoot him...
Fabry He’s their leader.
Helena Stop it! He’s even looking at us!
Dr. Gall Shoot him!
Helena Fabry, please...
Fabry (lowers revolver) As you say.
Hallemeier (shaking fist) You bastard!
(pause)
Fabry (leaning out of window) There goes Busman. For God’s sake, what’s Busman doing there out in front of the house?
Dr. Gall (leaning out of window) He’s got some kind of bundles with him, paper or something.
Hallemeier That’s money! Bundles of banknotes! What is he up to? Hey, Busman!
Domin He’s not trying to buy them off is he, to save his own life? (calling) Busman, have you gone mad?
Dr., Gall He’s pretending he can’t hear you, running over to the fence.
Fabry Busman!
Hallemeier (yelling) Bus-ma-n! Come back!
Dr. Gall He’s talking to the robots, showing them the money, pointing up at us...
Helena He wants to buy them off to save our lives.
Fabry As long as he doesn’t touch the fence...
Dr. Gall Ha, look at him throwing his arms about!
Fabry (shouting) For Heaven’s sake, Busman, get away from the fence! Don’t touch it! (turning) Quick, turn it off!
Dr. Gall Ohhh!
Hallemeier Jesus Christ!
Helena Oh God, what’s happened to him?
Domin (pulling Helena away from window) Don’t look!
Helena Why is he dead?
Fabry He was killed by the current.
Dr. Gall Dead.
Alquist (standing) The first one.
(pause)
Fabry There he lies... with half a billion on his heart... our financial genius.
Domin He was... lads, in his own way he was a hero. A great... self-sacrificing... friend... Cry, Helena.
Dr. Gall (at the window) Look at him. No king ever had a costlier monument than you, Busman. Half a billion lying there on your heart... And now it’s no more than a pile of dried up leaves over a dead squirrel. Poor old Busman.
Hallemeier Well I say... all honour to him... he was trying to buy our lives for us!
Alquist (hands together) Amen.
(pause)
Dr. Gall Do you hear?
Domin Some kind of howling, like the wind.
Dr. Gall Like a storm in the distance.
Fabry (switches on light above fireplace) Shine, you light of man! The generator’s still working, there are still some people there. Hold on in there, generator men!
Hallemeier It was great, being human. Something boundless. There’s a million consciousnesses buzzing inside me like bees in a hive, millions of souls coming together inside me. My friends-Humanity was great!
Fabry Ingenious light, you’re still aglow, and still your shining brightness shows the thought that lasts forever! Give us science of the sciences, and beauty in the work of man, whose spark will give the spirit flame!
Alquist Eternal lamp of God, and fiery chariot of light, holy flame of faith and prayer for what is right! Altar of sacrifice...
Dr. Gall Primaeval flame, you branch that flares to light our cave! Campfire flame that sets the border where we safely come together!
Fabry You’re still on watch, you star of man, steady glow and perfect flame, bright clear sprite of man’s invention. Every beam brings thought and greatness...
Domin Torch that passes hand to hand, age to age, and ever onward.
Helena That evening lamp in the family home. Children, children now it’s time for sleep.
(lamp goes out)
Fabry That’s the end.
Hallemeier What’s happened?
Fabry The generator room’s gone down. We’re next.
(door opens, left, in it appears Nana)
Nana On your knees! The Day of Judgement’s here!
Hallemeier Hell, you’re still alive?
Nana Repent, you unbelievers! It’s the end of the world! Pray to God! (runs out) The Day of Judgement....
Helena Goodbye everyone, Gall, Alquist, Fabry...
Domin (opens door right) Helena, come here! Close the door behind her. Now, quickly! Who’ll be at the gate?
Dr. Gall I will. (noises off) Ah, now it’s getting started. Good luck, lads! (runs off, right, through wallpapered door)
Domin The stairs?
Fabry Me. You stay with Helena. (takes flower from the bunch and exits)
Domin Hallway?
Alquist Me.
Domin Have you got a gun?
Alquist No thanks, I won’t be doing any shooting.
Domin What are you going to do?
Alquist (exiting) Die.
Hallemeier I’ll stay in here.
(rapid gunfire from below)
Hallemeier Oho, Gall’s already started playing. Go on, Harry!
Domin I’ll be right there. (inspects two Browning guns)
Hallemeier For God’s sake,
go and join her!
Domin Goodbye. (exit right, following Helena)
Hallemeier (alone) Now, barricades, quick! (takes off coat and pulls settee, armchairs, tables to door, right)
(very loud explosion)
Hallemeier (leaving work) Damn them, they’ve got bombs, the swine!
(more gunfire)
Hallemeier (resuming work) We’ve got to defend ourselves, even if... even if... Don’t give up, Gall!
(explosion)
Hallemeier (stands erect and listens) What was that? (puts arms around heavy chest o’ drawers and heaves it to barricade)
(behind him, a robot appears on a ladder at the window. Gunshots right)
Hallemeier (struggles with chest o’ drawers) Just a bit more! Last defence.. We should... never... give up!
(Robot jumps in through the window and stabs Hallemeier behind the chest o’ drawers. Second, third, fourth robot jumps in through window. Then Radius and still more of them)
Radius Finished?
Robot (stands up from Hallemeier, lying on floor) Yes.
(enter more robots, right)
Radius Finished?
Other Robot Finished.
(more robots from left)
Radius Finished?
Other Robot Yes.
Two Robots (they drag in Alquist) He did not shoot. Do we kill him?
Radius Kill him. (looks at Alquist) Spare him.
Robot He is a human.
Radius He is a worker. He works with his hands like a robot. He builds houses. He can work.
Alquist Just kill me.
Radius You will work. You will build. Robots will need many buildings. Robots will need many houses for new robots. You will serve robots.
Alquist (quietly) Move aside, robot. (kneels at dead Hallemeier, raises his head) Killed him. He’s dead.
Radius (steps up onto barricades) Robots of the world! Many humans have fallen. We have taken the factory and we are masters of the world. The era of man has come to its end. A new epoch has arisen! Domination by robots!
Alquist All dead!
Radius The world belongs to the strongest. Who wishes to live must dominate. We are masters of the world! Masters on land and sea! Masters of the stars! Masters of the universe! More space, more space for robots!
