R.U.R. - Karel Čapek (speld decodable readers TXT) 📗
- Author: Karel Čapek
Book online «R.U.R. - Karel Čapek (speld decodable readers TXT) 📗». Author Karel Čapek
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
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