R.U.R. | Page 9

that, Miss Glory, that just can't be avoided, but
then man will stop being the servant of other men or the slave of material things. Nobody
will have to pay for a loaf of bread with his life and with hatred. You're not a labourer
any more, you don't have to sit at a typewriter all day, you don't have to go and dig coal
or stand minding somebody else's machines. You don't need to lose your soul doing work
that you hate.
Alquist: Domin, Domin! You're making all this sound too much like Paradise. Don't you
think there was something good about serving others, something great about humility?
Wasn't there some sort of dignity about working and getting tired after a day's labour?
Domin: Maybe there was. But we can't always be thinking about the things we lost by
changing the world as Adam knew it. Adam had to gain his bread by the sweat of his
brow, he had to suffer hunger and thirst, tiredness and humiliation; now is the time when
we can go back to the paradise where Adam was fed by the hand of God, when man was
free and supreme; man will once more be free of labour and anguish, and his only task
will once again be to make himself perfect, to become the lord of creation.
Helena: Now you're confusing me; I'm only a silly girl. But I wish, I really wish I could
believe in all that.
Dr. Gall: You're younger than we are, Miss Glory. Just you wait and see.
Hallemeier: It's all quite true. I think Miss Glory might like to have breakfast with us.
Dr. Gall: Well of course she can! Domin, make the invitation, on our behalf.
Domin: Miss Glory, please do us the honour.
Helena: But, how can I, now?

Fabry: On behalf of the League of Humanity.
Busman: In honour of the League of Humanity.
Helena: Ah well, in that case...
Fabry: That's good! Miss Glory, please excuse us for five minutes.
Dr. Gall: Pardon me...
Busman: Dear me, I must send that telegram...
Hallemeier: Hell, I nearly forgot...
(All hurry out, except Domin)
Helena: Why have they all gone?
Domin: To do the cooking.
Helena: What cooking.
Domin: The breakfast, Miss Glory. The robots do the cooking for us, only, er, as they've
got no sense of taste it's not always, er... but Hallemeier is excellent with meat. And Gall
does a sort of sauce, and Busman knows how to make omelettes...
Helena: This is going to be quite a feast! And what does Mr., er, the builder do?
Domin: Alquist? Nothing. He just lays the table and, er, Fabry gets some fruit. It's only a
very modest kitchen, really.
Helena: There's something I wanted to ask you...
Domin: I've been wanting to ask you something too. (puts his watch on the table) We've
got five minutes.
Helena: What did you want to ask?
Domin: No, please, you started to ask first.
Helena: Maybe it's stupid of me, but... Why do you make female robots when,... when...
Domin:... when they don't have, er, when gender has no meaning for them?
Helena: That's right.
Domin: It's a matter of supply and demand. You see, housemaids, shop staff, typists...
people are used to them being female.

Helena: And, tell me, towards each other, the male robots and the female robots, are they,
er...
Domin: Simply indifferent to each other. There's no sign of any attraction for each other
at all.
Helena: Oh, that's horrible!
Domin: Why?
Helena: It's just so... so unnatural! You don't even know whether you're supposed to
loathe them or... or to envy them... or...
Domin:... or feel sorry for them?
Helena: Most likely, yes! No, stop it! What was it you were going to ask?
Domin: I'd like to ask you, Miss Glory, if you would marry me?
Helena: What?
Domin: Marry me.
Helena: No! What are you thinking of?
Domin: (looks at watch) There are three minutes left. If you don't marry me you'll have to
marry one of the other five.
Helena: Oh for God's sake! Why would I marry any of you?
Domin: Because they'll all ask you one after the other.
Helena: How would they dare?
Domin: Well I'm afraid they all seem to have fallen in love with you.
Helena: Well I don't want them to do that! I'm leaving.
Domin: But surely you wouldn't do that, Helena, you'd make them so sad.
Helena: I can't marry all six of you, can I!
Domin: No, but you can marry one. If you won't have me maybe Fabry would do.
Helena: I don't want to.
Domin: Doctor Gall.
Helena: No, no, be quiet! I don't want any of you!

Domin: There are two minutes left.