But you are not
very clever, Migul."

"I am clever. I went beyond control once. No one can can control me."

"Except Tugh," Mary persisted. "You never went beyond his control,
Migul."

"No. His control--he is different: he holds such great power."

"But why is he different?"

The towering mechanism stood planted firmly upon the broad bases of
its metal feet. The weapon in its fingers still covered us. Its
metal-cast face held always the same expression.

"Why is he different?" Mary repeated gently. "Don't you hear me?"

* * * * *

The Robot started. "Yes, I hear you." Its toneless, mechanical voice
droned the words. Then the tempo quickened; the grid of wires in the
mouth aperture behind its parted lips vibrated with a faint jangle. "I
hear you. I cannot answer that question. He controls me. There is
chaos--here,"--one of the hands came up and struck its breastplate
with a clang--"chaos, disorder, here within me when I try to disobey
him."

"That is foolish, Migul. He is a tyrant. All the humans of this era
are tyrants. They have made slaves of the Robots. They have created
you so that you are really human in all except your power of
independent action. Don't you desire that, Migul?"

I held my breath. A curious quaking ran over the Robot's frame. The
joints twitched. Emotion was sweeping this thing so nearly human!

"Mary Atwood, you seem to understand me."

"Of course I do. I am from a Time when we had human slaves: black men,
Migul. I knew how they suffered. There is something in slavery that
outrages the instinct of manhood."

Migul said with a jangling vehemence:

"Perhaps, some time, I can go beyond Tugh's control. I am strong. My
cables pull these arms with a strength no human could have."

"You are so much stronger than Tugh. Forget his control, Migul. I am
ashamed of you--a big, powerful thing like you, yielding always to a
little cripple."

* * * * *

The Robot straightened and said, "I can resist him. I feel it. Some
day I will break loose."

"Do it now, Migul!"

I tensed. Would she prevail?

"Now, Migul!" she repeated.

"No! He would derange me! I am afraid!"

"Nonsense."

"But his vibrations--the vibrations of his thoughts--even now I can
feel them. They made my mechanism too sensitive. I cannot resist
Tugh."

"You can!"

There was a silence. I stared at the Robot's motionless frame. What
electrical, mechanical