Isaac Asimov - The Robots of Dawn

“Did she tell you that?”

“Yeh. Monogamy is the custom on Solaria. She wasn’t happily married, but it is still the custom she’s used to, so she never enjoyed the Auroran way when she tried it—and monogamy is what I want, too. Do you see?”

“I see. But how did you meet her in the first place?”

“I just met her. She was on the hyperwave when she arrived in Aurora, a romantic refugee from Solaria. And she played a part in that hyperwave drama—”

“Yes yes, but there was something else, wasn’t there?”

“I don’t know what else you want.”

“Well, let me guess. Didn’t there come a point when Dr. Vasilia said she was rejecting you forever—and didn’t she suggest an alternative to you?”

Gremionis, in sudden fury, shouted, “Did Dr. Vasilia tell you that?”

“Not in so many words, but I think I know what happened, even so. Did she not tell you that it might be advantageous if you looked up a new rival on the planet, a young lady from Solaria who was a ward or protegee of Dr. Fastolfe—who you know is Dr. Vasilia’s father? Did Dr. Vasilia perhaps not tell you that people thought this young lady, Gladia, rather resembled herself, but that she was younger and had a warmer personality? Did Dr. Vasilia not, in short, encourage you to transfer your attentions from herself to Gladia?”

Gremionis was visibly suffering. His eyes flicked to those of Baley and away again. It was the first time that Baley saw in the eyes of any Spacer a look of fright—or was it awe? (Baley shook his head slightly. He must not take too much satisfaction at having overawed a Spacer. It could damage his objectivity.)

He said, “Well? Am I right or wrong?”

And Gremionis said in a low voice. “That hyperwave show was no exaggeration, then.—Do you read minds?”

Baley said calmly, “I just ask questions.—And you haven’t answered directly. Am I right or wrong?”

Gremionis said, “It didn’t quite happen like that. Not just like that. She did talk about Gladia, but—” He bit at his lower lip and then said, “Well, it amounted to what you said. It was just about the way you described it.”

“And you were not disappointed? You found that Gladia did resemble Dr. Vasilia?”

“In a way, she did.” Gremionis’ eyes brightened. “But not really. Stand them side by side and you’ll see the difference. Gladia has much greater delicacy and grace. A greater spirit of—of fun.”

“Have you offered yourself to Vasilia since you met Gladia?”

“Are you mad? Of course not.”

“But you have offered yourself to Gladia?”

“Yes.”

“And she rejected you?”

“Well, yes, but you have to understand that she has to be sure, as I would have to be. Think what a mistake I would have made if I had moved Dr. Vasilia to accept me. Gladia doesn’t want to make that mistake and I don’t blame her.”

“But you don’t think it would be a mistake for her to accept you, so you have offered yourself again—and again and again.”

Gremionis stared vacantly, at Baley for a moment and then seemed to shudder. He thrust out his lower lip, as though he were a rebellious child. “You say it in an insulting way—”

“I’m sorry. I don’t mean it to be insulting. Please answer the question.”

“Well, I have.”

“How many times have you offered yourself?”

“I haven’t counted. Four times. Well, five. Or maybe more.”

“And she has always rejected you.”

“Yes. Or I wouldn’t have to offer again, would I?”

“Did she reject you angrily?”

“Oh no. That’s not Gladia. Very kindly.”

“Has it made you offer yourself to anyone else?”

“What?”

“Well, Gladia has rejected you. One way of responding would be to offer yourself to someone else. Why not? If Gladia doesn’t want you—”

“No. I don’t want anyone else.”

“Why is that, do you suppose?”

And, strenuously, Gremionis said, “How should I know why that is? I want Gladia. It’s a—it’s a kind of madness, except that I think it’s the best kind of insanity. I’d be mad not to have that kind of madness.—I don’t expect you to understand.”

“Have you tried to explain this to Gladia? She might understand.”

“Never. I’d distress her. I’d embarrass her. You don’t talk about such things. I should see a mentologist.”

“Have you?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

Gremionis frowned. “You have a way of asking the rudest questions, Earthman.”

“Perhaps because I’m an Earthman. I know no better. But I’m also an investigator and I must know these things. Why have you not seen a mentologist?”

Surprisingly, Gremionis laughed. “I told you. The cure would be greater madness than the disease. I would rather be with Gladia and be rejected than be with anyone else and be accepted.—Imagine having your mind out of whack and wanting it to stay out of whack. Any mentologist would put me in for major treatment.”

Baley thought awhile, then said, “Do you know whether Dr. Vasilia is a mentologist in any way?”

“She’s a roboticist. They say that’s the closest thing to it. If you know how a robot works, you’ve got a hint as to how a human brain works. Or so they say.”

“Does it occur to you that Vasilia knows these strange feelings you have in connection with Gladia?”

Gremionis stiffened. “I’ve never told her.—I mean in so many words.”

“Isn’t it possible that she understands your feelings without having to ask? Is she aware that you have repeatedly offered yourself to Gladia?”

“Well—She would ask how I was getting along—In the way of long-standing acquaintanceship, you know. I would say certain things. Nothing intimate.”

“Are you sure that it was never anything intimate? Surely she encouraged you to continue to offer.”

“You know—now that you mention it, I seem to see it all in a new way. I don’t see quite how you managed to put it into my head. It’s the questions you ask, I, suppose, but it seems to me now that she did continue to encourage my friendship with Gladia. She actively supported it.” He looked very uneasy. “This never occurred to me before. I never really thought about it.”

“Why do you think she encouraged you to make repeated offers to Gladia?”

Gremionis twitched his eyebrows niefully and his finger went to his mustache. “I suppose some might guess she was trying to get rid of me. Trying to make sure I wouldn’t want to bother her.” He made a small laughing sound. “That’s not very complimentary to me, is it?”

“Did Dr. Vasilia cease being friendly with you?”

“Not at all. She was more friendly—if anything.”

“Did she try to tell you how to be more successful with Gladia? To show a greater interest in Gladia’s work, for example?”

“She didn’t have to do that. Gladia’s work and mine are very similar. I work with human beings and she with robots, but we’re both designers—artists—That does make for closeness, you know. We even help each other at times. When I’m not offering and being neglected, we’re good friends.—That’s a lot, when you come to think of it.”

“Did Dr. Vasilia suggest you show a greater interest in Dr. Fastolfe’s work?”

“Why should she suggest that? I don’t know anything about Dr. Fastolfe’s work.”

“Gladia might be interested in her benefactor’s work and it might be a way for you to ingratiate yourself with her.”

Gremionis’ eyes narrowed. He rose with almost explosive force, walked to the other end of the room, came back, stood in front of Baley, and said, “Now—you—look—here! I’m not the biggest brain on the planet, not even the second-biggest, but I’m not a blithering idiot. I see what you’re getting at, you know.”