HALLEMEIER. (_Fondles flowers_) These are my primroses. And this is my new jasmine. I’ve discovered a wonderful way of developing flowers quickly. Splendid varieties, too. Next year I’ll be developing marvelous ones. DOMIN. What next year? FABRY. I’d give a good deal to know what’s happening at Havre with-- HELENA. (_Off R._) Nana. DOMIN. Keep quiet. She’s awake. Out you go. (_ALL go out on tiptoe through L.2 door. Enter NANA L.1_) HELENA. (_Calling from R._) Nana? NANA. Horrid mess! Pack of heathens. If I had _my_ say, I’d-- HELENA. (_Backwards in the doorway from R._) Nana, come and do up my dress. NANA. I’m coming. So you’re up at last. (_Fastening HELENA’S dress_) My gracious, what brutes! HELENA. Who? (_Turning._) NANA. If you want to turn _around_, then turn around, but I shan’t fasten you up. HELENA. (_Turns back_) What are you grumbling about now? NANA. These dreadful creatures, these heathens-- HELENA. (_Turning toward NANA again_) The Robots? NANA. I wouldn’t even call them by name. HELENA. What’s happened? NANA. Another of them here has caught it. He began to smash up the statues and pictures in the drawing room; gnashed his teeth; foamed at the mouth. Worse than an animal. HELENA. Which of them caught it? NANA. The one--well, he hasn’t got any _Christian_ name. The one in charge of the library. HELENA. Radius? NANA. That’s him. My goodness, I’m scared of them. A spider doesn’t scare me as much as them. HELENA. But Nana, I’m surprised you’re not sorry for them. NANA. Why, you’re scared of them too. You know you are. Why else did you bring _me_ here? HELENA. I’m not scared, really I’m not, Nana. I’m only sorry for them. NANA. You’re scared. Nobody could _help_ being scared. Why, the dog’s scared of them. He won’t take a scrap of meat out of their hands. He draws in his tail and howls when he knows they’re about. HELENA. The dog has no sense. NANA. He’s better than _them_, and he knows it. Even the _horse_ shies when he meets them. They don’t have any young, and a _dog_ has young, _everyone_ has young-- HELENA. (_Turning back_) Please fasten up my dress, Nana. NANA. I say it’s against God’s will to-- HELENA. What is it that smells so nice? NANA. Flowers. HELENA. What for? NANA. Now you can turn around. HELENA. (_Turns; crosses to C._) Oh, aren’t they lovely? Look, Nana. What’s happening today? NANA. It ought to be the end of the world. (_Enter DOMIN L.2. He crosses down front of table L.C._) HELENA. (_Crosses to him_) Oh, hello, Harry. (_NANA turns upstage to L._) Harry, why all these flowers? DOMIN. Guess. (_This scene is played down in front of L.C. table._) HELENA. Well, it’s not my _birthday_! DOMIN. Better than that. HELENA. I don’t know. Tell me. DOMIN. It’s ten years ago _today_ since you _came_ here. HELENA. Ten years? Today? Why-- (_They embrace._) NANA. (_Muttering_) I’m off. (_She exits L.1._) HELENA. Fancy you remembering. DOMIN. I’m really ashamed, Helena. I didn’t.