Gall (inspects them ) Of course they are, they were never meant toreproduce.  They're cultured flowers, don't you see, artificially accelerated growth ...

Helena Oh, these poor, sterile flowers!

Dr. Gall They are very beautiful, though.

Helena (offers her hand ) Thank you, Gall; I've learned so much from you.

Dr. Gall (kisses her hand ) Am I to understand I'm dismissed?

Helena Yes.  I'll see you later.

(exit Gall )

Helena (alone ) Dead flowers, dead flowers (suddenly decisive ) Nana!  (opens door, left )  Nana, come here!  Light the fire.  Quickly!

(Nana's voice ) Alright, I'm comin, I'm comin! 

Helena (paces excitedly ) Unless it's already too late to go back ... No! Unless ... No, that's horrible!  God, what am I to do? ... (stops beside flowers )  What do you think Ishould do, sterile flowers? (pulls off petals and whispers ) My God yes!  I will do it! (runs off,left )

(pause )

Nana (enters through wallpapered door with armful of kindling )  What's shewant a fire for all of a sudden?  Middle of summer?  'E's gone now, has he, that maniac?  (kneels atfireplace and lights fire ) A fire in the middle of summer.  She doe'n'alf get some funny ideas!  Youwouldn't think she's been married for ten years now!  Come on now, fire  (looks into grate ) More like alittle girl, she is.  (pause )  Ain't got a bit of sense.  A fire in the middle of summer! (adds fuel )  Just like a little toddler!  (pause )

Helena (returns, left, with armfuls of old,  yellow paper with writing ) Is it burning yet, Nana?  Out of the way, I've just got to burn all this stuff.  (kneels at fireplace)

Nana (standing ) What's all that that, then?

Helena Some old papers, some very old papers.  Nana, should I burn them? 

Nana Aren't they any use, then?

Helena No good use.

Nana Burn 'em then.

Helena (throws first sheet on fire ) Nana, what would you say ... if this weremoney I'm burning.  Lots and lots of money?

Nana I'd say burn it!  Too much money is like a bad dog.

Helena (burns another sheet ) And what if it were some invention, the biggestinvention in the world ...

Nana I'd say burn it!  They're against the will of God, all these things they keepinventing.  Just a lot of blasphemy, it is, trying to make the world better than how He made it. 

Helena (burning sheet after sheet ) And what would you say, Nana, if I were burning...

Nana Mind out, don't burn yourself!

Helena Look at the way the sheets of paper curl up as they burn, as if they were alive, asif they'd come to life.  Oh, Nana, it's horrible!

Nana Out the way - I'll do it.

Helena No, no, I've got to do it myself.  (throws last sheet on fire ) It's all got to burn.  Look at those flames!  They're like hands, like tongues, like figures. (pokes fire) Burn, burn!

Nana That's that done, then.

Helena (stands up aghast ) Nana!

Nana Jesus Christ, what was that you burned?

Helena What have I done?

Nana God almighty, what was that?

Helena Go, go now, leave me alone.  Do you hear? 

Nana Oh, dear God, Helena, what have you done? (exit through wallpapered door )

Helena I wonder what they'll have to say about that!

Domin (opening door, left ) Come on in, lads.  Congratulations to all.

(enter Hallemeier, Gall, Alquist, all wearing frock coats and decorations, followed by Domin )

Hallemeier (laughing loudly ) Helena!  I would like, in the name of us all...

Dr. Gall .... in the name of Rossum's robot works ...

Hallemeier ....... would like to congratulate you on your great day.

Helena (offers hand ) Thank you very much!  Where are Fabry and Busman?

Domin They've gone down to the harbour, Helena, today is a very happy day.

Hallemeier A day like a flower bud, a day of celebration, a day as charming as a beautifulgirl.  Gentlemen, to a day like this we must drink a toast.

Helena Whisky?

Dr. Gall Or vitriol, perhaps.

Helena With soda?

Hallemeier Hell no, let's be sober, without soda.

Alquist No, thank you

Domin What's been burning in here?

Helena Some old papers.  (exit left )

Domin Lads, do you think we should tell her about it?

Dr. Gall But of course we should.  After all, it's all settled now.

Hallemeier (arms around necks of Domin and Gall ) Hahahaha! I'm so pleased aboutit, lads.  (spinning round with them and singing in bass voice ) All settled now!  All settled now!

Dr. Gall (baritone ) All settled now!

Domin (tenor ) All settled now!

Hallemeier They're never going to catch us now.

Helena (in doorway with bottle and glasses )  Who's not going to catchyou?  What's going on?

Hallemeier We have reason to celebrate.  We have you.  We have everything. Happy day, it's exactly ten years since you came here. 

Dr. Gall Ten years to the day.

Hallemeier There's another ship on its way to us.  And that's why ... (emptiesglass )   Brrr haha, that's as strong as happiness itself.

Dr. Gall Madame, to your health (drinks )

Helena Wait, what ship is this?

Domin It doesn't matter what ship it is as long as it arrives on time.  Gentlemen, tothe ship!  (empties glass )

Helena (insistent ) You were expecting a ship?

Hallemeier Haha, I should think so.  Like Robinson Crusoe.  (raises glass)  Helena; Long live ... whatever you like.  Helena; to your eyes, and that's that!  Domin, tell her,lad!

Helena (laughing ) What has happened?

Domin (throws himself into armchair and lights cigar )  Wait.  Sit down,Helena.  (raising finger)(pause )  It's all over.

Helena What's all over?

Domin The revolt.

Helena What revolt?

Domin The robots' revolt.  Do you see?

Helena No, I don't.

Domin Alquist, show her. (Alquist hands him newspaper.  Domin opens it andreads )  "The first union of robots was established in Le Havre ... and issued a call to all the robots of theworld"

Helena I read that myself.

Domin (draws voluptuously on cigar ) So Helena, do you see?  What that meantwas revolution.  Revolution by all the robots of the world.

Hallemeier Hell, I wish I knew ...

Domin (throws it down on table ) ... who it was who issued that call.  Therewas no-one in the world who could budge them, no agitator, no saviour of the world, and then all of a sudden thishappens!

Helena Has there been no more news?

Domin No.   This is all we know so far, but that's enough.  Just think, thisis what came in with the last boat, at the same time all the telegrams stopped, there were no more boats arriving when thereused to be twenty a day, and it was obvious.  We halted production and looked at each other wondering when things wouldturn nasty.  That's right, isn't it, lads. 

Dr. Gall Yes, we were very worried, Helena.

Helena And is that why you gave me that gunboat?

Domin Oh no, you are silly, I ordered that six months ago.  Just in case.  Buttoday I was beginning to think we'd have to make use of it.  That's how it all seemed, Helena.

Helena Six months ago?  Why then?

Domin Well, there were already some signs, you see.  Although that's notimportant.  But this week, Helena, it was a matter of human civilisation and I don't know what!  Cheers,lads!  Today I'm once again feeling good with the world. 

Hallemeier Hell yes, I should think so!  This is your day, Helena! (drinks )

Helena So it's all over now, is it?

Domin Everything is all over.

Dr. Gall You see, there's a ship on its way here now.  An ordinary mail boat and righton the time it says in the timetable.  It will be dropping anchor at exactly eleven-thirty.

Domin Punctuality is a wonderful thing, lads.  There's nothing that gladdens your soulmore than punctuality.  Punctuality means order in the world.  (raises glass )  To punctuality!

Helena So ... that means ... that everything's alright?

Domin Nearly everything.  I think they've cut the cable.  It's only if thetimetable is operating again. 

Hallemeier If the timetable is operating again, then human laws are operating again, andGod's laws are operating again and the laws of the universe are operating again and everything is operating that should beoperating.  The timetable means more than the Bible, more than Homer, more the anything ever written by Kant.  Thetimetable is the most perfect product of the human soul.  Helena, I'll have another little drink.

Helena Why didn't you tell me anything about all of this?

Dr. Gall God forbid!  We would rather have bitten off our own tongues. 

Domin Matters like this are not for you.

Helena But if there'd been a revolution ... and if it came here ...

Domin You still wouldn't have known anything about it.

Helena Why not?

Domin Because we would be sitting peacefully on the Ultimus and sailing over the sea. And after a month we'd dictate to the robots whatever we feel like dictating.   

Helena Oh, Harry, I don't understand.

Domin Because we'd have taken something with us which is very important for the robots.

Helena And what's that?

Domin Their beginning and their end.  (Helena stands )  What is that?

Domin (standing ) The secret of their production.  Old Rossum'smanuscript.  After a month of the factory being idle the robots would be on their knees to us.

Helena Why ... why didn't you tell me about this?

Domin We didn't want to worry you without good reason.

Dr.