去年整个夏天的超级玩具 Brian Aldiss
Brian Aldiss著 顾备译
斯温顿太太的花园里永远都是夏季，可爱的杏树永远都枝繁叶茂。莫尼卡．斯温顿摘下一朵橘黄色的玫瑰递给大卫。
“可爱吗？”她问道。
大卫仰起头来看着她，一言不发，只是一味地笑着。他一把夺过鲜花穿过草坪跑开了，消失在排水沟后面。排水沟里正躺着一台割草机，随地准备听从主人的吩咐去剪草、除草，或是干脆将草连根卷起。于是，她独自一人站在那光洁无瑕的塑料石子路上。
她的确尝试过要爱他。
终于，她决定跟着男孩过去看看。她发现他正在院子里他的航模池中玩那朵玫瑰，全神贯注地让玫瑰在水上漂着，整个人就站在水里，脚上还穿着凉鞋。
“大卫，亲爱的，你非得干点什么让大家都不愉快的事吗？马上进屋把你的鞋袜换掉！”
他毫不反抗地跟着她进了屋，那满头黑色短发的小脑袋刚及她的腰。以他的年龄而言，他算是胆大的了，才三岁就不怕厨房里的超声波干洗机了。不过，没等他的母亲拿出拖鞋，他就扭身甩开了母亲的手，径直走入沉寂的大屋里。
他可能是在找泰迪。
莫尼卡．斯温顿，二十九岁，有着曼妙的身材和一双柔美的大眼睛。她走进起居室坐了下来，先是一边坐着一边思考着，但很快她就仅仅是坐在那里，脑中一片空白，时间似乎凝滞了，慢得几乎让人发狂。在这一刻，莫尼卡所体验到的痛苦正如无数孤独寂寞的儿童、精神病人，以及丈夫外出去创造世界的留守太太一样，那就是无边无际的孤独与寂寞。完全是出于习惯性动作，她一伸手改换了窗玻璃的波长，花园中的景致逐渐淡去、消失，在相同的位置，市中心的繁忙景象突现在她的左手边。屏幕上满是拥挤的人群、匆匆穿梭而过的喷气式飞船和林立的建筑物，一切都处于一片静默中，因为她并没有打开音量开关。她始终独自一人。有时，人多才更加寂寞。
对于追求孤独的人而言，一个过分拥挤的世界才是最理想的国度，因为，寂寞其实是一种心理状态。而非生理状态，过多的人口最终却会导致人与人之间心理上的隔绝。
辛坦克公司的同事们正享用着一顿极其丰盛的午餐以庆祝他们的新产品面市，他们中的一些人还戴着当前最流行的塑料面具。他们全都身材苗条举止优雅，一点也不担心吃下去的食品和饮料会使他们的身材走样；他们的妻子也同样是身材苗条举止优雅，一点也不担心吃下去的食品和饮料会影响她们的身材。早有一条不成文的规矩：所谓人以类聚，物以群分。小人物就理应尊他们为人上人，根本就不应出现在他们的面前，所以他们中间也就绝不会有任何身份低微、不合潮流的人出现。
此时，享利．温斯顿，辛坦克公司的常务董事，正准备上台发言。
“很遗憾，你太太不能和我们一起听你的发言。”坐在他旁边的一个人说道。
“莫尼卡宁愿待在家里想美事。”斯温顿回答着，一面尽量在脸上保持住一分微笑。
“多少人都希望能拥有一位心中充满美好愿望的美女做太太呢。”领座的人又说。
“别打我老婆的主意！你这混蛋！”斯温顿在心中暗骂着，脸上却仍挂着一丝微笑。
他站起身来准备发言，期望能赢得众人的喝彩。
在讲了几个笑话之后，他说道：“今天将标志着本公司一次真正的突破。我们的人造生命体投放世界市场差不多整整十年了，你们都知道这种产品赢得了多大的成功，尤其是袖珍恐龙，不过，所有这些产品都不具备智能。克罗斯威尔．雷普，是所有产品中卖得最好的，同样，也是所有产品中最愚蠢的。”听到这句话，大家都大笑起来。
“尽管在这个过分拥挤的世界上有四分之三的人在挨饿，但是我们今日与会的各位却都是丰衣足食。感谢计划生育，我们现在所面临的问题是过度肥胖，而不是营养不良。我相信在座各位没有任何人会缺了小肠里辛勤工作的克罗斯威尔，它绝对是一种完美而安全的仿生寄生绦虫，只有在它的帮助下，它的寄主才可以放心大胆地多吃50%的食物而不必担心自己的身材。是这样吧？”大多数人都点头表示同意。
“我们的袖珍恐龙也几乎同样是愚不可及。而今天，我们要推出的则是具有智能的人造生命形式——与真人一样大小的仿生机器侍从。
他不仅仅拥有智能，同时，他的智能程度是受到控制的。我们有理由相信，人们可能会担心仿生人所拥有的是人类的大脑。而事实上，我们的机器待从不过是在头部装了一个微型计算机。
市场上早就有许多机械装置在其核心部分使用了微型计算机——不过，那都是些没有生命的塑料产品、超级玩具什么的——而我们却最终找到了一种方法，可以把人造的仿生生命体与计算机电路联接起来。”
大卫坐在幼儿室长窗的旁边，手中握着纸和笔努力思索着。终于，他停笔不写了，开始在书桌边上把铅笔沿着斜面滚上滚下。
“泰迪！”他叫道。
泰迪本来躺在床上，背靠着墙，身上压着一本有活动画片的书和一个巨大的塑料玩具士兵。体内存储的声线模板标识着这是主人的声音，于是它被激活了，慢慢地坐了起来。
“泰迪，我想不出该说什么！”
小熊爬下床，摇摇晃晃地走到男孩面前紧紧抱住他的腿，大卫便把它拎起来放在书桌上。
“那你都说了些什么？”
“我说，”他捡起自己的信努力盯着它看着，“我说，‘亲爱的妈咪，我希望您现在觉得好些了。我爱您……’”
许久，谁也没说话，直到小熊打破沉默道：“听上去不错，下楼去告诉她吧。”
又是一段长时间的静默。
“有点不太对头，我就是说不出来，她不会明白的。”
小熊身体里，一个小型电脑把所有可能的程式都算了一遍，然后说道：“为什么不再用蜡笔把它写出来呢？”
大卫盯着窗外道：“泰迪，你知道我在想什么吗？怎么才能辨别什么是真实的，什么不是？”
小熊支吾着模棱两可地说：“真实的东西都是好东西。”
“我在想，时间是好东西吗？我可不认为妈咪很喜欢时间。有一天，很久以前的一天，她说时间从她身边溜走了。时间是真实的吗，泰迪？”
“钟能告诉你时间，钟是真实的，妈咪有钟，所以她一定喜欢它们。她手腕上就有一个钟，就在她的拨号盘旁边。”
大卫开始在信的背面画上一个巨大的喷气式飞机。“你和我是真实的吗？泰迪，对吗？”
小熊关切地望着男孩，目光坚定地说：“你和我都是真实的，大卫。”它可是安慰人的专家。
莫尼卡缓缓地向大屋走去。快到下午的在线收信时间了，她用手腕上的拨号盘拨通了邮政局的号码，可是什么信也没有。还得再过几分钟。
她可以着手开始画画，或者给朋友打几个电话，或者什么也不做就等着享利回家，或者，她可以上楼去陪大卫玩一会儿。
她走进大厅然后迈向楼梯底层。
“大卫！”
没有人回应。她又喊了一遍，接着又是第三遍。
“泰迪！”她尖声叫道。
“是的，妈咪。”停了一会儿，泰迪那毛茸茸的金色小脑袋出现在楼梯的最高一阶。
“泰迪，大卫在他房间里吗？”
“大卫去花园了，妈咪。”
“下来，泰迪！到这儿来！”
她冷漠地站着，看着那毛茸茸的小东西蹬着一双毛茸茸的小短腿一阶一阶地爬下来，当它终于踏下最后一级台阶时，她把它捡起来带进了起居室。它一动不动地躺在她的手臂直，盯着她看，她能感觉到从它身体里马达传出的极微弱的振动。
“就站在那儿，泰迪，我要跟你谈谈。”她把它放在桌面上，于是它按照她的要求站好，双臂向前伸出，摆出它那副永远不变的等待别人拥抱的姿势。
“泰迪，是不是大卫让你告诉我说他去了花园？”
小熊脑中的电路太简单了，所以它不会耍任何花样：“是的，妈咪。”
“所以你对我撒了谎。”
“是的，妈咪。”
“别再叫我妈咪！为什么大卫要躲着我？他不应该怕我的，难道不是吗？”
“是，他爱你。”
“那我们为什么就不能交流交流感情呢？”
“大卫在楼上。”
答案使她感到不再死气沉沉。干吗要浪费时间跟这个机器说话？为什么不简单点，直接上楼把大卫拥在怀里，跟他聊聊，就像一个心爱的母亲对她心爱的儿子所应该做的那样。她能感觉到屋子里沉甸甸的，一片死寂，而每个房间里又不断涌出不同分量的静默。头顶的那个房间里有人正静悄悄地挪动着，非常地静——那是大卫，他正企图从她身边躲开……
他的发言就要结束了，客人们都显得很用心，新闻界人士也显得同样专注，他们在宴会大厅的两面墙之间排成一条线，录下了享利的每一句话，还不时地冲他拍照。
“我们的仿生机器待从，从许多意义上讲，将归功于计算机。没有计算机，我们永远也不可能通过尖端生物化学技术创造出人工合成的血肉之躯。同时，我们的机器待从也是计算机的延伸——因为，在他的头部装有一台计算机，一台超小型的微机，它有能力处理大多数机器待从在家中可能碰到的情况。当然，关于这方面，还是有不少保留意见的。”听到这里，人群中传出了会以后笑声，与会的人士中有不少人早就知道这一热门话题了：在最终决定让机器待从以中性的形象穿上那套毫无瑕疵的制服之间，辛坦克的董事会上对它的性别问题可是有过激烈辩论的。
“身处我们人类文明所有的成就中——是的，同样也身处人口泛滥所造成的毁灭性允题中——我们很悲哀地意识到，不知有几百万人因为不断增加的孤独和隔绝感而痛苦万分。但是，我们所推出的机器待从将会成为他们的福音：他永远有问有答，即使最枯燥无味的话题也不会使他厌烦。
“今后，我们计划推出更多的型号，男人、女人——我担保！其中有些型号将完全没有现在所展出的这第一个型号的缺陷。我们将会拥有越来越先进的设计，那将是一个真正的仿生电子生命体。
“他们将不仅能使用自己的计算机、运行个人程序，还将与全球数据网相联接，也就是说，每个人都能够坐在家里享用可与爱因斯坦媲美的综合智能。与世隔绝这个词将永远地从字典中抹去！”
在一片热烈的掌声中他坐了下来，甚至连合成的仿生机器待从，那个坐在桌旁，身穿朴素制服的机器人，也以极大热枕为他鼓掌欢呼着。
大卫抱着他的小背包，蹑手蹑脚地绕到房了墙角边，爬到起居室窗户下面一个装饰用的椅子上，极小地向屋内窥视着。
他母亲站在房间正中，面无表情，而这毫无表情的脸吓着了他，于是他迷惑不解地看着。他纹丝不动，她也同样如雕塑般僵立着，时间仿佛凝固了，就好像刚才在花园里发生过的那样。
最好，她转身离开了房间。又等了一会儿，大卫开始轻轻地敲打起窗玻璃来。泰迪听到声音四处张望着，看见是他，便一个跟头从桌上翻了下来，跑到窗户跟前，用笨拙的爪子努力地抠着窗户。终于，窗户打开了。
他们彼此对视着。
“我总觉得我不够好，泰迪。我们出走吧！”
“你是个好孩子，你妈妈爱你。”
他慢慢地摇了摇头：“如果她真的爱我，为什么我没法跟她说话呢？”
“你又在犯傻了，大卫。妈咪很孤独，正因如此她才要你到这儿来。”
“她已经有爸爸陪她了，而我，除了你，什么都没有。我也很孤独。”
泰迪友善地拍了拍大卫的脑袋：“如果你感觉这么糟的话，最好再去看看心理医生。”
“我讨厌那个老心理医生——他让我觉得自己是不真实的。”他拔腿便跑，一路越过了草坪。小熊摇摇晃晃地从窗台跃下，尽可能快地跟着大卫，两条小短腿能跑多快就跑多快。
莫尼卡．斯温顿上楼进了幼儿室。她叫了一声儿子的名字，然后就立在原地，不知接下来该干些什么。一切都静悄悄的。
他的书桌上摊着几支蜡笔。出于一时的冲动，她走过去打开了书桌的抽屉，见里面堆着一大堆纸，许多纸上都用蜡笔写了字，一看便知是大卫那笨拙的笔迹。纸上每个字母的颜色都精心挑选过，与前一个字母不同，而且，所有的句了都不完整。
“我亲爱的妈咪，您好吗？您爱我吗？像爱——”
“亲爱的妈咪，我爱您和爸爸，太阳正照耀着——”
“亲爱的妈咪，泰迪正帮我给您写信，我爱您，还有泰迪——”
“亲亲妈咪，我是您的，也是您惟一的儿子，我是那么爱您，以至于——”
“亲爱的妈咪，您是我真正的妈咪，我恨泰迪——”
“亲亲妈咪，猜猜看我有多爱您——”
“亲爱的妈咪，我是您的小宝宝，我爱您，可是泰迪——”
“亲爱的妈咪，我写信给您只是想告诉您我有多爱您——”
莫尼卡松开手，任由那几页纸跌落在地，然后忍不住放声大哭起来。一阵风吹过，那些色彩斑谰的信便在地板上四散开来。
享利．斯温顿在极度兴奋中搭上了回家的快车，一路上不时跟身边那个正要带回家去的仿生机器待从聊上几句，而机器待从则礼貌而严格地回应着他的每一句话。尽管，以人类的角度而言，他的回答并不总是完全正确，甚至有时会发生答非所问的现象。
斯温顿夫妇所居住的楼宇是最豪华的城市高楼之一，楼高500米，由于四周被其它公寓所包围，他们的公寓连一扇向外的窗户都没有，不过，也不会有人想要“欣赏”外面那过分拥挤的世界。享利把眼睛对准屋门口的虹膜扫描仪，很快，门开了，享利健步向屋内走去，紧跟其后的是他的机器待从。
立刻，享利的四周呈现出一个美丽而温馨的花园幻象，在这个花园里，永远都是夏季，一片玫瑰和紫藤的后面屹立着他们的大屋。其实，这就是虚拟现实的奇妙之处了，它能在一个狭小的空间里制造出一个很大的幻象空间。只一瞬间，幻术便完成了：一栋佐治亚式的建筑出现在他面前以迎接他的到来。
“怎么样，喜欢吗？”他问他的待从。
“玫瑰偶尔会得黑斑病。”
“这些玫瑰都是有质量保证的，保证完美无瑕。”
“买东西最好是买有质量保证的，虽然价钱方面会偏高一些。”
“谢谢你的忠告。”享利干巴巴地说道。人造生命体问世还不到十年，而老式的机器人也不过区区十六年历史。年复一年，他们的系统缺陷正逐渐得到改善。
他打开门叫着莫尼卡的名字。
立刻，她从客厅里跑了出来，猛冲到他面前拥抱着他，极热切地吻着他的面颊和双唇。享利一下子惊呆了。
他把她拉开仔细地盯着她的脸，今天的她看上去去精神焕发，显得美极了。有好几个月没看到她这么兴奋了，他本能地紧紧抱住好。
“亲爱的，出什么事了？”
“享利，享利——噢，我亲爱的，我几乎都绝望了……可我刚刚去查了下午送来的信——你永远也想不到的！哦，真太棒了！”
“看在老天的份上，到底是什么太棒了？”
这时，他一眼瞥到她手中一份影印文件的标题，看样子刚从墙上的接收器中取出，墨迹未干：“人口管理部”。突如其来的冲击和希望使他的脸颊顿失血色。
“莫尼卡……哦……别告诉我说是轮到我们的号了！”
“正是这样，我最亲爱的，对极了，我们中了本周的父母彩票！我们可以马上行动生孩子了！”
他高兴地大叫一声：“耶！”两人忍不住在屋里翩翩起舞。地球上人口爆炸的压力太大了，以至不得不严格控制出生率，要生孩子必须得到政府的批准。为了这一刻，他们等了整整四年，这个好消息让他们语无伦次了，他们哭喊着，任由欢欣的泪水横流。
终于，他们停了下来，喘息着，站在房间正中为彼此的欢愉表现而放声大笑。当莫尼卡从幼儿室里出来的时候，她调暗了窗户，这样就能看到花园里的景致了。人造的太阳光投射出长长的金色光影，交错在整个草地上——大卫和泰迪就坐在那儿透过窗玻璃注视着这对夫妻。看到他们的脸，享利和他妻子的表情变得凝重起来。
“我们该把他们怎么办？”享利问。
“泰迪没问题，它工作正常。”
“难道大卫发生什么故障了吗？”
“他的语言处理中枢还是有问题。我觉得必须再把他送回工厂去。”
“OK，在孩子出生前先看看他的情况再说吧。正好，提醒了我一件事——我给你准备了一个惊喜，绝对是雪中送炭！来，跟我到大厅去，看看我给你准备的是什么。”
当两个成年人消失在房中时，男孩与玩具熊正坐在整齐划一的玫瑰丛中。
“泰迪——我在想，爸爸妈妈是真实的吗？是这样吗？”
泰迪说：“你问的问题可真傻，大卫，没人真正知道什么是‘真实’的。咱们进屋吧。”
“先等等，我要再接一朵玫瑰！”他摘下一朵浅粉色的花，带着它走进了大屋。睡觉时，可以把这朵花放在枕头上，这美丽而温柔的感觉会让他想到妈妈。
Super-Toys Last All Summer Long
by Brian Aldiss
Aldiss, in a January 1997 interview with Wired Magazine, says that in the early 90's he Stanley Kubrick made two collaborative attempts to turn his story "Supertoys..." into a script. "I can't tell you how many directions we went. My favorite was when David and Teddy got exiled to Tin City, a place where the old model robots, like old cars, were living out their days. Stanley definitely had the ambition to make another big science fiction movie, but in the end, we didn't get anywhere. Stanley called in Arthur Clarke and asked him to provide a scenario, but he didn't like that, either....
"I have a feeling, having worked with him, that he hasn't got the dashing confidence of youth," says Aldiss. "But of course, with age, you acquire a different sort of confidence." The director's creative vision, meanwhile, is clearer than ever. "Stanley embraces android technology," Aldiss notes, "and thinks it might eventually take over -- and be an improvement over the human race."
The original drafts made by Aldiss and Kubrick became the starting point for his as-yet unfinished project A.I. Following the departure of Aldiss, Kubrick subsequently worked with authors Ian Watson and Bob Shaw. The film is currently under pre-production in London; fewfurther details are currently known.
"Supertoys..." appeared first in Harper's Bazaar, and is (c)1969 Brian Aldiss, all rights reserved
In Mrs. Swinton's garden, it was always summer. The lovely almond trees stood about it in perpetual leaf. Monica Swinton plucked a saffron-colored rose and showed it to David.
"Isn't it lovely?" she said.
David looked up at her and grinned without replying. Seizing the flower, he ran with it across the lawn and disappeared behind the kennel where the mowervator crouched, ready to cut or sweep or roll when the moment dictated. She stood alone on her impeccable plastic gravel path.
She had tried to love him.
When she made up her mind to follow the boy, she found him in the courtyard floating the rose in his paddling pool. He stood in the pool engrossed, still wearing his sandals.
"David, darling, do you have to be so awful? Come in at once and change your shoes and socks."
He went with her without protest into the house, his dark head bobbing at the level of her waist. At the age of three, he showed no fear of the ultrasonic dryer in the kitchen. But before his mother could reach for a pair of slippers, he wriggled away and was gone into the silence of the house.
He would probably be looking for Teddy.
Monica Swinton, twenty-nine, of graceful shape andlambenteye, went and sat in her living room, arranging her limbs with taste. She began by sitting and thinking; soon she was just sitting. Time waited on her shoulder with the maniac slowth it reserves for children, the insane, and wives whose husbands are away improving the world. Almost by reflex, she reached out and changed the wavelength of her windows. The garden faded; in its place, the city center rose by her left hand, full of crowding people, blowboats, and buildings (but she kept the sound down). She remained alone. An overcrowded world is the ideal place in which to be lonely.
*
The directors of Synthank were eating an enormous luncheon to celebrate the launching of their new product. Some of them wore the plastic face-masks popular at the time. All were elegantly slender, despite the rich food and drink they were putting away. Their wives were elegantly slender, despite the food and drink they too were putting away. An earlier and less sophisticated generation would have regarded them as beautiful people, apart from their eyes.
Henry Swinton, Managing Director of Synthank, was about to make a speech.
"I'm sorry your wife couldn't be with us to hear you," his neighbor said.
"Monica prefers to stay at home thinking beautiful thoughts," said Swinton, maintaining a smile.
"One would expect such a beautiful woman to have beautiful thoughts," said the neighbor.
Take your mind off my wife, you bastard, thought Swinton, still smiling.
He rose to make his speech amid applause.
After a couple of jokes, he said, "Today marks a real breakthrough for the company. It is now almost ten years since we put our first synthetic life-forms on the world market. You all know what a success they have been, particularly the miniature dinosaurs. But none of them hadintelligence.
"It seems like a paradox that in this day and age we can create life but not intelligence. Our first selling line, the Crosswell Tape, sells best of all, and is the most stupid of all." Everyone laughed.
"Though three-quarters of the overcrowded world are starving, we are lucky here to have more than enough, thanks to population control. Obesity's our problem, not malnutrition. I guess there's nobody round this table who doesn't have a Crosswell working for him in the small intestine, a perfectly safe parasite tape-worm that enables its host to eat up to fifty percent more food and still keep his or her figure. Right?" General nods of agreement.
"Our miniature dinosaurs are almost equally stupid. Today, we launch an intelligent synthetic life-form -- a full-size serving-man.
"Not only does he have intelligence, he has a controlled amount of intelligence. We believe people would be afraid of a being with a human brain. Our serving-man has a small computer in his cranium.
"There have been mechanicals on the market with mini-computers for brains -- plastic things without life, super-toys -- but we have at last found a way to link computer circuitry with synthetic flesh."
*
David sat by the long window of his nursery, wrestling with paper and pencil. Finally, he stopped writing and began to roll the pencil up and down the slope of the desk-lid.
"Teddy!" he said.
Teddy lay on the bed against the wall, under a book withmoving picturesand a giant plastic soldier. The speech-pattern of his master's voice activated him and he sat up.
"Teddy, I can't think what to say!"
Climbing off the bed, the bear walked stiffly over to cling to the boy's leg. David lifted him and set him on the desk.
"What have you said so far?"
"I've said --" He picked up his letter and stared hard at it. "I've said, 'Dear Mummy, I hope you're well just now. I love you....'"
There was a long silence, until the bear said, "That sounds fine. Go downstairs and give it to her."
Another long silence.
"It isn't quite right. She won't understand."
Inside the bear, a small computer worked through its program of possibilities. "Why not do it again in crayon?"
When David did not answer, the bear repeated his suggestion. "Why not do it again in crayon?"
David was staring out of the window. "Teddy, you know what I was thinking? How do you tell what are real things from what aren't real things?"
The bear shuffled its alternatives. "Real things are good."
"I wonder if time is good. I don't think Mummy likes
time very much. The other day, lots of days ago, she said that time went by her. Is time real, Teddy?"
"Clocks tell the time. Clocks are real. Mummy has clocks so she must like them. She has a clock on her wrist next to her dial."
David started to draw a jumbo jet on the back of his letter. "You and I are real, Teddy, aren't we?"
The bear's eyes regarded the boy unflinchingly. "You and I are real David." It specialized in comfort.
*
Monica walked slowly about the house. It was almost time for the afternoon post to come over the wire. She punched the Post Office number on the dial on her wrist, but nothing came through. A few minutes more.
She could take up her painting. Or she could dial her friends. Or she could wait till Henry came home. Or she could go up and play with David....
She walked out into the hall and to the bottom of the stairs.
"David!"
No answer. She called again and a third time.
"Teddy!" she called, in sharper tones.
"Yes, Mummy!" After a moment's pause, Teddy's head of
golden fur appeared at the top of the stairs.
"Is David in his room,Teddy?"
"David went into the garden, Mummy."
"Come down here, Teddy!"
She stood impassively, watching the little furry figure as it climbed down fromstep to step on its stubby limbs. When it reached the bottom, she picked it up and carried it into the living room. It lay unmoving in her arms, staring up at her. She could feel just the slightest vibration from its motor.
"Stand there, Teddy. I want to talk to you." She set him down on a tabletop, and he stood as she requested, arms set forward and open in the eternal gesture of embrace.
"Teddy, did David tell you to tell me he had gone into the garden?"
The circuits of the bear's brain were too simple for artifice. "Yes, Mummy."
"So you lied to me."
"Yes. Mummy."
"Stop calling me Mummy! Why is David avoiding me? He's
not afraid of me, is he?"
"No. He loves you."
"Why can't we communicate?"
"David's upstairs."
The answer stopped her dead. Why waste time talking to this machine? Why not simply go upstairs and scoop David into her arms and talk to him, as a loving mother should
to a loving son? She heard the sheer weight of silence in the house, with a different quality of silence pouring out of every room. On the upper landing, something was moving very silently -- David, trying to hide away from her....
*
He was nearing the end of his speech now. The guests were attentive; so was the Press, lining two walls of the banqueting chamber, recording Henry's words and occasionally photographing him.
"Our serving-man will be, in many senses, a product of the computer. Without computers, we could never have worked through the sophisticated biochemics that go into synthetic flesh. The serving-man will also be an extension of the computer--for he will contain a computer in his own head, a microminiaturized computer capable of dealing with almost any situation he may encounter in the home. With reservations, of course." Laughter at this; many of those present knew the heated debate that had engulfed the Synthank boardroom before the decision had finally been taken to leave the serving-man neuter under his flawless uniform.
"Amid all the triumphs of our civilization -- yes, and amid the crushing problems of overpopulation too -- it is sad to reflect how many millions of people suffer from increasing loneliness and isolation. Our serving-man will be a boon to them: he will always answer, and the most vapid conversation cannot bore him.
"For the future, we plan more models, male and female--some of them without the limitations of this first one, I promise you! -- of more advanced design, true bio-electronic beings.
"Not only will they possess their own computer, capable of individual programming; they will be linked to the World Data Network. Thus everyone will be able to enjoy the equivalent of an Einstein in their own homes. Personal isolation will then be banished forever!"
He sat down to enthusiastic applause. Even the synthetic serving-man, sitting at the table dressed in an unostentatious suit, applauded with gusto.
*
Dragging his satchel, David crept round the side of the house. He climbed on to the ornamental seat under the living-room window and peeped cautiously in.
His mother stood in the middle of the room. Her face was blank, its lack of expression scared him. He watched fascinated. He did not move; she did not move. Time might have stopped, as it had stopped in the garden.
At last she turned and left the room. After waiting a moment, David tapped on the window. Teddy looked round, saw him, tumbled off the table, and came over to the window. Fumbling with his paws, he eventually got it open.
They looked at each other.
"I'm no good, Teddy. Let's run away!"
"You're a very good boy. Your Mummy loves you."
Slowly, he shook his head. "If she loved me, then why can't I talk to her?"
"You're being silly, David. Mummy's lonely. That's why she had you."
"She's got Daddy. I've got nobody 'cept you, and I'm lonely."
Teddy gave him a friendly cuff over the head. "If you feel so bad, you'd better go to the psychiatrist again."
"I hate that old psychiatrist -- he makes me feel I'm not real." He started to run across the lawn. The bear toppled out of the window and followed as fast as its stubby legs would allow.
Monica Swinton was up in the nursery. She called to her son once and then stood there, undecided. All was silent.
Crayons lay on his desk. Obeying a sudden impulse, she went over to the desk and opened it. Dozens of pieces of paper lay inside. Many of them were written in crayon in David's clumsy writing, with each letter picked out in a color different from the letter preceding it. None of the messages was finished.
"My dear Mummy, How are you really, do you love me as much --"
"Dear Mummy, I love you and Daddy and the sun is shining --"
"Dear dear Mummy, Teddy's helping me write to you. I love you and Teddy --"
"Darling Mummy, I'm your one and only son and I love you so much that some times --"
"Dear Mummy, you're really my Mummy and I hate Teddy --"
"Darling Mummy, guess how much I love --"
"Dear Mummy, I'm your little boy not Teddy and I love you but Teddy --"
"Dear Mummy, this is a letter to you just to say how much how ever so much --"
Monica dropped the pieces of paper and burst out crying. In their gay inaccurate colors, the letters fanned out and settled on the floor.
*
Henry Swinton caught the express home in high spirits, and occasionally said a word to the synthetic serving-man he was taking home with him. The serving-man answered politely and punctually, although his answers were not always entirely relevant by human standards.
The Swintons lived in one of the ritziest city-blocks, half a kilometer above the ground. Embedded in other apartments, their apartment had no windows to the outside; nobody wanted to see the overcrowded external world. Henry unlocked the door with his retina pattern-scanner and walked in, followed by the serving-man.
At once, Henry was surrounded by the friendly illusion of gardens set in eternal summer. It was amazing what Whologram could do to create huge mirages in small spaces. Behind its roses and wisteria stood their house; the deception was complete: a Georgian mansion appeared to welcome him.
"How do you like it?" he asked the serving-man.
"Roses occasionally suffer from black spot."
"These roses are guaranteed free from any imperfections."
"It is always advisable to purchase goods with guarantees, even if they cost slightly more."
"Thanks for the information," Henry said dryly. Synthetic lifeforms were less than ten years old, the old android mechanicals less than sixteen; the faults of their systems were still being ironed out, year by year.
He opened the door and called to Monica.
She came out of the sitting-room immediately and flung her arms round him, kissing him ardently on cheek and lips. Henry was amazed.
Pulling back to look at her face, he saw how she seemed to generate light and beauty. It was months since he had seen her so excited. Instinctively, he clasped her tighter.
"Darling, what's happened?"
"Henry, Henry -- oh, my darling, I was in despair ... but I've just dialed the afternoon post and -- you'll never believe it! Oh, it's wonderful!"
"For heaven's sake, woman, what's wonderful?"
He caught a glimpse of the heading on the photostat in her hand, still moist from the wall-receiver: Ministry of Population. He felt the color drain from his face in sudden shock and hope.
"Monica ... oh ... Don't tell me our number's come up!"
"Yes, my darling, yes, we've won this week's parenthood lottery! We can go ahead and conceive a child at once!"
He let out a yell of joy. They danced round the room. Pressure of population was such that reproduction had to be strict, controlled. Childbirth required government permission. For this moment, they had waited four years. Incoherently they cried their delight.
They paused at last, gasping and stood in the middle of the room to laugh at each other's happiness. When she had come down from the nursery, Monica had de-opaqued the windows so that they now revealed the vista of garden beyond. Artificial sunlight was growing long and golden across the lawn -- and David and Teddy were staring through the window at them.
Seeing their faces, Henry and his wife grew serious.
"What do we do about them?" Henry asked.
"Teddy's no trouble. He works well."
"Is David malfunctioning?"
"His verbal communication center is still giving trouble. I think he'll have to go back to the factory again."
"Okay. We'll see how he does before the baby's born. Which reminds me--I have a surprise for you: help just when help is needed! Come into the hall and see what I've got."
As the two adults disappeared from the room, boy and bear sat down beneath the standard roses.
"Teddy -- I suppose Mummy and Daddy are real, aren't they?"
Teddy said, "You ask such silly questions, David. Nobody knows what real really means. Let's go indoors."
"First I'm going to have another rose!" Plucking a bright pink flower, he carried it with him into the house. It could lie on the pillow as he went to sleep. Its beauty
and softness reminded him of Mummy.
斯温顿太太的花园里永远都是夏季，可爱的杏树永远都枝繁叶茂。莫尼卡．斯温顿摘下一朵橘黄色的玫瑰递给大卫。
“可爱吗？”她问道。
大卫仰起头来看着她，一言不发，只是一味地笑着。他一把夺过鲜花穿过草坪跑开了，消失在排水沟后面。排水沟里正躺着一台割草机，随地准备听从主人的吩咐去剪草、除草，或是干脆将草连根卷起。于是，她独自一人站在那光洁无瑕的塑料石子路上。
她的确尝试过要爱他。
终于，她决定跟着男孩过去看看。她发现他正在院子里他的航模池中玩那朵玫瑰，全神贯注地让玫瑰在水上漂着，整个人就站在水里，脚上还穿着凉鞋。
“大卫，亲爱的，你非得干点什么让大家都不愉快的事吗？马上进屋把你的鞋袜换掉！”
他毫不反抗地跟着她进了屋，那满头黑色短发的小脑袋刚及她的腰。以他的年龄而言，他算是胆大的了，才三岁就不怕厨房里的超声波干洗机了。不过，没等他的母亲拿出拖鞋，他就扭身甩开了母亲的手，径直走入沉寂的大屋里。
他可能是在找泰迪。
莫尼卡．斯温顿，二十九岁，有着曼妙的身材和一双柔美的大眼睛。她走进起居室坐了下来，先是一边坐着一边思考着，但很快她就仅仅是坐在那里，脑中一片空白，时间似乎凝滞了，慢得几乎让人发狂。在这一刻，莫尼卡所体验到的痛苦正如无数孤独寂寞的儿童、精神病人，以及丈夫外出去创造世界的留守太太一样，那就是无边无际的孤独与寂寞。完全是出于习惯性动作，她一伸手改换了窗玻璃的波长，花园中的景致逐渐淡去、消失，在相同的位置，市中心的繁忙景象突现在她的左手边。屏幕上满是拥挤的人群、匆匆穿梭而过的喷气式飞船和林立的建筑物，一切都处于一片静默中，因为她并没有打开音量开关。她始终独自一人。有时，人多才更加寂寞。
对于追求孤独的人而言，一个过分拥挤的世界才是最理想的国度，因为，寂寞其实是一种心理状态。而非生理状态，过多的人口最终却会导致人与人之间心理上的隔绝。
辛坦克公司的同事们正享用着一顿极其丰盛的午餐以庆祝他们的新产品面市，他们中的一些人还戴着当前最流行的塑料面具。他们全都身材苗条举止优雅，一点也不担心吃下去的食品和饮料会使他们的身材走样；他们的妻子也同样是身材苗条举止优雅，一点也不担心吃下去的食品和饮料会影响她们的身材。早有一条不成文的规矩：所谓人以类聚，物以群分。小人物就理应尊他们为人上人，根本就不应出现在他们的面前，所以他们中间也就绝不会有任何身份低微、不合潮流的人出现。
此时，享利．温斯顿，辛坦克公司的常务董事，正准备上台发言。
“很遗憾，你太太不能和我们一起听你的发言。”坐在他旁边的一个人说道。
“莫尼卡宁愿待在家里想美事。”斯温顿回答着，一面尽量在脸上保持住一分微笑。
“多少人都希望能拥有一位心中充满美好愿望的美女做太太呢。”领座的人又说。
“别打我老婆的主意！你这混蛋！”斯温顿在心中暗骂着，脸上却仍挂着一丝微笑。
他站起身来准备发言，期望能赢得众人的喝彩。
在讲了几个笑话之后，他说道：“今天将标志着本公司一次真正的突破。我们的人造生命体投放世界市场差不多整整十年了，你们都知道这种产品赢得了多大的成功，尤其是袖珍恐龙，不过，所有这些产品都不具备智能。克罗斯威尔．雷普，是所有产品中卖得最好的，同样，也是所有产品中最愚蠢的。”听到这句话，大家都大笑起来。
“尽管在这个过分拥挤的世界上有四分之三的人在挨饿，但是我们今日与会的各位却都是丰衣足食。感谢计划生育，我们现在所面临的问题是过度肥胖，而不是营养不良。我相信在座各位没有任何人会缺了小肠里辛勤工作的克罗斯威尔，它绝对是一种完美而安全的仿生寄生绦虫，只有在它的帮助下，它的寄主才可以放心大胆地多吃50%的食物而不必担心自己的身材。是这样吧？”大多数人都点头表示同意。
“我们的袖珍恐龙也几乎同样是愚不可及。而今天，我们要推出的则是具有智能的人造生命形式——与真人一样大小的仿生机器侍从。
他不仅仅拥有智能，同时，他的智能程度是受到控制的。我们有理由相信，人们可能会担心仿生人所拥有的是人类的大脑。而事实上，我们的机器待从不过是在头部装了一个微型计算机。
市场上早就有许多机械装置在其核心部分使用了微型计算机——不过，那都是些没有生命的塑料产品、超级玩具什么的——而我们却最终找到了一种方法，可以把人造的仿生生命体与计算机电路联接起来。”
大卫坐在幼儿室长窗的旁边，手中握着纸和笔努力思索着。终于，他停笔不写了，开始在书桌边上把铅笔沿着斜面滚上滚下。
“泰迪！”他叫道。
泰迪本来躺在床上，背靠着墙，身上压着一本有活动画片的书和一个巨大的塑料玩具士兵。体内存储的声线模板标识着这是主人的声音，于是它被激活了，慢慢地坐了起来。
“泰迪，我想不出该说什么！”
小熊爬下床，摇摇晃晃地走到男孩面前紧紧抱住他的腿，大卫便把它拎起来放在书桌上。
“那你都说了些什么？”
“我说，”他捡起自己的信努力盯着它看着，“我说，‘亲爱的妈咪，我希望您现在觉得好些了。我爱您……’”
许久，谁也没说话，直到小熊打破沉默道：“听上去不错，下楼去告诉她吧。”
又是一段长时间的静默。
“有点不太对头，我就是说不出来，她不会明白的。”
小熊身体里，一个小型电脑把所有可能的程式都算了一遍，然后说道：“为什么不再用蜡笔把它写出来呢？”
大卫盯着窗外道：“泰迪，你知道我在想什么吗？怎么才能辨别什么是真实的，什么不是？”
小熊支吾着模棱两可地说：“真实的东西都是好东西。”
“我在想，时间是好东西吗？我可不认为妈咪很喜欢时间。有一天，很久以前的一天，她说时间从她身边溜走了。时间是真实的吗，泰迪？”
“钟能告诉你时间，钟是真实的，妈咪有钟，所以她一定喜欢它们。她手腕上就有一个钟，就在她的拨号盘旁边。”
大卫开始在信的背面画上一个巨大的喷气式飞机。“你和我是真实的吗？泰迪，对吗？”
小熊关切地望着男孩，目光坚定地说：“你和我都是真实的，大卫。”它可是安慰人的专家。
莫尼卡缓缓地向大屋走去。快到下午的在线收信时间了，她用手腕上的拨号盘拨通了邮政局的号码，可是什么信也没有。还得再过几分钟。
她可以着手开始画画，或者给朋友打几个电话，或者什么也不做就等着享利回家，或者，她可以上楼去陪大卫玩一会儿。
她走进大厅然后迈向楼梯底层。
“大卫！”
没有人回应。她又喊了一遍，接着又是第三遍。
“泰迪！”她尖声叫道。
“是的，妈咪。”停了一会儿，泰迪那毛茸茸的金色小脑袋出现在楼梯的最高一阶。
“泰迪，大卫在他房间里吗？”
“大卫去花园了，妈咪。”
“下来，泰迪！到这儿来！”
她冷漠地站着，看着那毛茸茸的小东西蹬着一双毛茸茸的小短腿一阶一阶地爬下来，当它终于踏下最后一级台阶时，她把它捡起来带进了起居室。它一动不动地躺在她的手臂直，盯着她看，她能感觉到从它身体里马达传出的极微弱的振动。
“就站在那儿，泰迪，我要跟你谈谈。”她把它放在桌面上，于是它按照她的要求站好，双臂向前伸出，摆出它那副永远不变的等待别人拥抱的姿势。
“泰迪，是不是大卫让你告诉我说他去了花园？”
小熊脑中的电路太简单了，所以它不会耍任何花样：“是的，妈咪。”
“所以你对我撒了谎。”
“是的，妈咪。”
“别再叫我妈咪！为什么大卫要躲着我？他不应该怕我的，难道不是吗？”
“是，他爱你。”
“那我们为什么就不能交流交流感情呢？”
“大卫在楼上。”
答案使她感到不再死气沉沉。干吗要浪费时间跟这个机器说话？为什么不简单点，直接上楼把大卫拥在怀里，跟他聊聊，就像一个心爱的母亲对她心爱的儿子所应该做的那样。她能感觉到屋子里沉甸甸的，一片死寂，而每个房间里又不断涌出不同分量的静默。头顶的那个房间里有人正静悄悄地挪动着，非常地静——那是大卫，他正企图从她身边躲开……
他的发言就要结束了，客人们都显得很用心，新闻界人士也显得同样专注，他们在宴会大厅的两面墙之间排成一条线，录下了享利的每一句话，还不时地冲他拍照。
“我们的仿生机器待从，从许多意义上讲，将归功于计算机。没有计算机，我们永远也不可能通过尖端生物化学技术创造出人工合成的血肉之躯。同时，我们的机器待从也是计算机的延伸——因为，在他的头部装有一台计算机，一台超小型的微机，它有能力处理大多数机器待从在家中可能碰到的情况。当然，关于这方面，还是有不少保留意见的。”听到这里，人群中传出了会以后笑声，与会的人士中有不少人早就知道这一热门话题了：在最终决定让机器待从以中性的形象穿上那套毫无瑕疵的制服之间，辛坦克的董事会上对它的性别问题可是有过激烈辩论的。
“身处我们人类文明所有的成就中——是的，同样也身处人口泛滥所造成的毁灭性允题中——我们很悲哀地意识到，不知有几百万人因为不断增加的孤独和隔绝感而痛苦万分。但是，我们所推出的机器待从将会成为他们的福音：他永远有问有答，即使最枯燥无味的话题也不会使他厌烦。
“今后，我们计划推出更多的型号，男人、女人——我担保！其中有些型号将完全没有现在所展出的这第一个型号的缺陷。我们将会拥有越来越先进的设计，那将是一个真正的仿生电子生命体。
“他们将不仅能使用自己的计算机、运行个人程序，还将与全球数据网相联接，也就是说，每个人都能够坐在家里享用可与爱因斯坦媲美的综合智能。与世隔绝这个词将永远地从字典中抹去！”
在一片热烈的掌声中他坐了下来，甚至连合成的仿生机器待从，那个坐在桌旁，身穿朴素制服的机器人，也以极大热枕为他鼓掌欢呼着。
大卫抱着他的小背包，蹑手蹑脚地绕到房了墙角边，爬到起居室窗户下面一个装饰用的椅子上，极小地向屋内窥视着。
他母亲站在房间正中，面无表情，而这毫无表情的脸吓着了他，于是他迷惑不解地看着。他纹丝不动，她也同样如雕塑般僵立着，时间仿佛凝固了，就好像刚才在花园里发生过的那样。
最好，她转身离开了房间。又等了一会儿，大卫开始轻轻地敲打起窗玻璃来。泰迪听到声音四处张望着，看见是他，便一个跟头从桌上翻了下来，跑到窗户跟前，用笨拙的爪子努力地抠着窗户。终于，窗户打开了。
他们彼此对视着。
“我总觉得我不够好，泰迪。我们出走吧！”
“你是个好孩子，你妈妈爱你。”
他慢慢地摇了摇头：“如果她真的爱我，为什么我没法跟她说话呢？”
“你又在犯傻了，大卫。妈咪很孤独，正因如此她才要你到这儿来。”
“她已经有爸爸陪她了，而我，除了你，什么都没有。我也很孤独。”
泰迪友善地拍了拍大卫的脑袋：“如果你感觉这么糟的话，最好再去看看心理医生。”
“我讨厌那个老心理医生——他让我觉得自己是不真实的。”他拔腿便跑，一路越过了草坪。小熊摇摇晃晃地从窗台跃下，尽可能快地跟着大卫，两条小短腿能跑多快就跑多快。
莫尼卡．斯温顿上楼进了幼儿室。她叫了一声儿子的名字，然后就立在原地，不知接下来该干些什么。一切都静悄悄的。
他的书桌上摊着几支蜡笔。出于一时的冲动，她走过去打开了书桌的抽屉，见里面堆着一大堆纸，许多纸上都用蜡笔写了字，一看便知是大卫那笨拙的笔迹。纸上每个字母的颜色都精心挑选过，与前一个字母不同，而且，所有的句了都不完整。
“我亲爱的妈咪，您好吗？您爱我吗？像爱——”
“亲爱的妈咪，我爱您和爸爸，太阳正照耀着——”
“亲爱的妈咪，泰迪正帮我给您写信，我爱您，还有泰迪——”
“亲亲妈咪，我是您的，也是您惟一的儿子，我是那么爱您，以至于——”
“亲爱的妈咪，您是我真正的妈咪，我恨泰迪——”
“亲亲妈咪，猜猜看我有多爱您——”
“亲爱的妈咪，我是您的小宝宝，我爱您，可是泰迪——”
“亲爱的妈咪，我写信给您只是想告诉您我有多爱您——”
莫尼卡松开手，任由那几页纸跌落在地，然后忍不住放声大哭起来。一阵风吹过，那些色彩斑谰的信便在地板上四散开来。
享利．斯温顿在极度兴奋中搭上了回家的快车，一路上不时跟身边那个正要带回家去的仿生机器待从聊上几句，而机器待从则礼貌而严格地回应着他的每一句话。尽管，以人类的角度而言，他的回答并不总是完全正确，甚至有时会发生答非所问的现象。
斯温顿夫妇所居住的楼宇是最豪华的城市高楼之一，楼高500米，由于四周被其它公寓所包围，他们的公寓连一扇向外的窗户都没有，不过，也不会有人想要“欣赏”外面那过分拥挤的世界。享利把眼睛对准屋门口的虹膜扫描仪，很快，门开了，享利健步向屋内走去，紧跟其后的是他的机器待从。
立刻，享利的四周呈现出一个美丽而温馨的花园幻象，在这个花园里，永远都是夏季，一片玫瑰和紫藤的后面屹立着他们的大屋。其实，这就是虚拟现实的奇妙之处了，它能在一个狭小的空间里制造出一个很大的幻象空间。只一瞬间，幻术便完成了：一栋佐治亚式的建筑出现在他面前以迎接他的到来。
“怎么样，喜欢吗？”他问他的待从。
“玫瑰偶尔会得黑斑病。”
“这些玫瑰都是有质量保证的，保证完美无瑕。”
“买东西最好是买有质量保证的，虽然价钱方面会偏高一些。”
“谢谢你的忠告。”享利干巴巴地说道。人造生命体问世还不到十年，而老式的机器人也不过区区十六年历史。年复一年，他们的系统缺陷正逐渐得到改善。
他打开门叫着莫尼卡的名字。
立刻，她从客厅里跑了出来，猛冲到他面前拥抱着他，极热切地吻着他的面颊和双唇。享利一下子惊呆了。
他把她拉开仔细地盯着她的脸，今天的她看上去去精神焕发，显得美极了。有好几个月没看到她这么兴奋了，他本能地紧紧抱住好。
“亲爱的，出什么事了？”
“享利，享利——噢，我亲爱的，我几乎都绝望了……可我刚刚去查了下午送来的信——你永远也想不到的！哦，真太棒了！”
“看在老天的份上，到底是什么太棒了？”
这时，他一眼瞥到她手中一份影印文件的标题，看样子刚从墙上的接收器中取出，墨迹未干：“人口管理部”。突如其来的冲击和希望使他的脸颊顿失血色。
“莫尼卡……哦……别告诉我说是轮到我们的号了！”
“正是这样，我最亲爱的，对极了，我们中了本周的父母彩票！我们可以马上行动生孩子了！”
他高兴地大叫一声：“耶！”两人忍不住在屋里翩翩起舞。地球上人口爆炸的压力太大了，以至不得不严格控制出生率，要生孩子必须得到政府的批准。为了这一刻，他们等了整整四年，这个好消息让他们语无伦次了，他们哭喊着，任由欢欣的泪水横流。
终于，他们停了下来，喘息着，站在房间正中为彼此的欢愉表现而放声大笑。当莫尼卡从幼儿室里出来的时候，她调暗了窗户，这样就能看到花园里的景致了。人造的太阳光投射出长长的金色光影，交错在整个草地上——大卫和泰迪就坐在那儿透过窗玻璃注视着这对夫妻。看到他们的脸，享利和他妻子的表情变得凝重起来。
“我们该把他们怎么办？”享利问。
“泰迪没问题，它工作正常。”
“难道大卫发生什么故障了吗？”
“他的语言处理中枢还是有问题。我觉得必须再把他送回工厂去。”
“OK，在孩子出生前先看看他的情况再说吧。正好，提醒了我一件事——我给你准备了一个惊喜，绝对是雪中送炭！来，跟我到大厅去，看看我给你准备的是什么。”
当两个成年人消失在房中时，男孩与玩具熊正坐在整齐划一的玫瑰丛中。
“泰迪——我在想，爸爸妈妈是真实的吗？是这样吗？”
泰迪说：“你问的问题可真傻，大卫，没人真正知道什么是‘真实’的。咱们进屋吧。”
“先等等，我要再接一朵玫瑰！”他摘下一朵浅粉色的花，带着它走进了大屋。睡觉时，可以把这朵花放在枕头上，这美丽而温柔的感觉会让他想到妈妈。
Super-Toys Last All Summer Long
by Brian Aldiss
Aldiss, in a January 1997 interview with Wired Magazine, says that in the early 90's he Stanley Kubrick made two collaborative attempts to turn his story "Supertoys..." into a script. "I can't tell you how many directions we went. My favorite was when David and Teddy got exiled to Tin City, a place where the old model robots, like old cars, were living out their days. Stanley definitely had the ambition to make another big science fiction movie, but in the end, we didn't get anywhere. Stanley called in Arthur Clarke and asked him to provide a scenario, but he didn't like that, either....
"I have a feeling, having worked with him, that he hasn't got the dashing confidence of youth," says Aldiss. "But of course, with age, you acquire a different sort of confidence." The director's creative vision, meanwhile, is clearer than ever. "Stanley embraces android technology," Aldiss notes, "and thinks it might eventually take over -- and be an improvement over the human race."
The original drafts made by Aldiss and Kubrick became the starting point for his as-yet unfinished project A.I. Following the departure of Aldiss, Kubrick subsequently worked with authors Ian Watson and Bob Shaw. The film is currently under pre-production in London; fewfurther details are currently known.
"Supertoys..." appeared first in Harper's Bazaar, and is (c)1969 Brian Aldiss, all rights reserved
In Mrs. Swinton's garden, it was always summer. The lovely almond trees stood about it in perpetual leaf. Monica Swinton plucked a saffron-colored rose and showed it to David.
"Isn't it lovely?" she said.
David looked up at her and grinned without replying. Seizing the flower, he ran with it across the lawn and disappeared behind the kennel where the mowervator crouched, ready to cut or sweep or roll when the moment dictated. She stood alone on her impeccable plastic gravel path.
She had tried to love him.
When she made up her mind to follow the boy, she found him in the courtyard floating the rose in his paddling pool. He stood in the pool engrossed, still wearing his sandals.
"David, darling, do you have to be so awful? Come in at once and change your shoes and socks."
He went with her without protest into the house, his dark head bobbing at the level of her waist. At the age of three, he showed no fear of the ultrasonic dryer in the kitchen. But before his mother could reach for a pair of slippers, he wriggled away and was gone into the silence of the house.
He would probably be looking for Teddy.
Monica Swinton, twenty-nine, of graceful shape andlambenteye, went and sat in her living room, arranging her limbs with taste. She began by sitting and thinking; soon she was just sitting. Time waited on her shoulder with the maniac slowth it reserves for children, the insane, and wives whose husbands are away improving the world. Almost by reflex, she reached out and changed the wavelength of her windows. The garden faded; in its place, the city center rose by her left hand, full of crowding people, blowboats, and buildings (but she kept the sound down). She remained alone. An overcrowded world is the ideal place in which to be lonely.
*
The directors of Synthank were eating an enormous luncheon to celebrate the launching of their new product. Some of them wore the plastic face-masks popular at the time. All were elegantly slender, despite the rich food and drink they were putting away. Their wives were elegantly slender, despite the food and drink they too were putting away. An earlier and less sophisticated generation would have regarded them as beautiful people, apart from their eyes.
Henry Swinton, Managing Director of Synthank, was about to make a speech.
"I'm sorry your wife couldn't be with us to hear you," his neighbor said.
"Monica prefers to stay at home thinking beautiful thoughts," said Swinton, maintaining a smile.
"One would expect such a beautiful woman to have beautiful thoughts," said the neighbor.
Take your mind off my wife, you bastard, thought Swinton, still smiling.
He rose to make his speech amid applause.
After a couple of jokes, he said, "Today marks a real breakthrough for the company. It is now almost ten years since we put our first synthetic life-forms on the world market. You all know what a success they have been, particularly the miniature dinosaurs. But none of them hadintelligence.
"It seems like a paradox that in this day and age we can create life but not intelligence. Our first selling line, the Crosswell Tape, sells best of all, and is the most stupid of all." Everyone laughed.
"Though three-quarters of the overcrowded world are starving, we are lucky here to have more than enough, thanks to population control. Obesity's our problem, not malnutrition. I guess there's nobody round this table who doesn't have a Crosswell working for him in the small intestine, a perfectly safe parasite tape-worm that enables its host to eat up to fifty percent more food and still keep his or her figure. Right?" General nods of agreement.
"Our miniature dinosaurs are almost equally stupid. Today, we launch an intelligent synthetic life-form -- a full-size serving-man.
"Not only does he have intelligence, he has a controlled amount of intelligence. We believe people would be afraid of a being with a human brain. Our serving-man has a small computer in his cranium.
"There have been mechanicals on the market with mini-computers for brains -- plastic things without life, super-toys -- but we have at last found a way to link computer circuitry with synthetic flesh."
*
David sat by the long window of his nursery, wrestling with paper and pencil. Finally, he stopped writing and began to roll the pencil up and down the slope of the desk-lid.
"Teddy!" he said.
Teddy lay on the bed against the wall, under a book withmoving picturesand a giant plastic soldier. The speech-pattern of his master's voice activated him and he sat up.
"Teddy, I can't think what to say!"
Climbing off the bed, the bear walked stiffly over to cling to the boy's leg. David lifted him and set him on the desk.
"What have you said so far?"
"I've said --" He picked up his letter and stared hard at it. "I've said, 'Dear Mummy, I hope you're well just now. I love you....'"
There was a long silence, until the bear said, "That sounds fine. Go downstairs and give it to her."
Another long silence.
"It isn't quite right. She won't understand."
Inside the bear, a small computer worked through its program of possibilities. "Why not do it again in crayon?"
When David did not answer, the bear repeated his suggestion. "Why not do it again in crayon?"
David was staring out of the window. "Teddy, you know what I was thinking? How do you tell what are real things from what aren't real things?"
The bear shuffled its alternatives. "Real things are good."
"I wonder if time is good. I don't think Mummy likes
time very much. The other day, lots of days ago, she said that time went by her. Is time real, Teddy?"
"Clocks tell the time. Clocks are real. Mummy has clocks so she must like them. She has a clock on her wrist next to her dial."
David started to draw a jumbo jet on the back of his letter. "You and I are real, Teddy, aren't we?"
The bear's eyes regarded the boy unflinchingly. "You and I are real David." It specialized in comfort.
*
Monica walked slowly about the house. It was almost time for the afternoon post to come over the wire. She punched the Post Office number on the dial on her wrist, but nothing came through. A few minutes more.
She could take up her painting. Or she could dial her friends. Or she could wait till Henry came home. Or she could go up and play with David....
She walked out into the hall and to the bottom of the stairs.
"David!"
No answer. She called again and a third time.
"Teddy!" she called, in sharper tones.
"Yes, Mummy!" After a moment's pause, Teddy's head of
golden fur appeared at the top of the stairs.
"Is David in his room,Teddy?"
"David went into the garden, Mummy."
"Come down here, Teddy!"
She stood impassively, watching the little furry figure as it climbed down fromstep to step on its stubby limbs. When it reached the bottom, she picked it up and carried it into the living room. It lay unmoving in her arms, staring up at her. She could feel just the slightest vibration from its motor.
"Stand there, Teddy. I want to talk to you." She set him down on a tabletop, and he stood as she requested, arms set forward and open in the eternal gesture of embrace.
"Teddy, did David tell you to tell me he had gone into the garden?"
The circuits of the bear's brain were too simple for artifice. "Yes, Mummy."
"So you lied to me."
"Yes. Mummy."
"Stop calling me Mummy! Why is David avoiding me? He's
not afraid of me, is he?"
"No. He loves you."
"Why can't we communicate?"
"David's upstairs."
The answer stopped her dead. Why waste time talking to this machine? Why not simply go upstairs and scoop David into her arms and talk to him, as a loving mother should
to a loving son? She heard the sheer weight of silence in the house, with a different quality of silence pouring out of every room. On the upper landing, something was moving very silently -- David, trying to hide away from her....
*
He was nearing the end of his speech now. The guests were attentive; so was the Press, lining two walls of the banqueting chamber, recording Henry's words and occasionally photographing him.
"Our serving-man will be, in many senses, a product of the computer. Without computers, we could never have worked through the sophisticated biochemics that go into synthetic flesh. The serving-man will also be an extension of the computer--for he will contain a computer in his own head, a microminiaturized computer capable of dealing with almost any situation he may encounter in the home. With reservations, of course." Laughter at this; many of those present knew the heated debate that had engulfed the Synthank boardroom before the decision had finally been taken to leave the serving-man neuter under his flawless uniform.
"Amid all the triumphs of our civilization -- yes, and amid the crushing problems of overpopulation too -- it is sad to reflect how many millions of people suffer from increasing loneliness and isolation. Our serving-man will be a boon to them: he will always answer, and the most vapid conversation cannot bore him.
"For the future, we plan more models, male and female--some of them without the limitations of this first one, I promise you! -- of more advanced design, true bio-electronic beings.
"Not only will they possess their own computer, capable of individual programming; they will be linked to the World Data Network. Thus everyone will be able to enjoy the equivalent of an Einstein in their own homes. Personal isolation will then be banished forever!"
He sat down to enthusiastic applause. Even the synthetic serving-man, sitting at the table dressed in an unostentatious suit, applauded with gusto.
*
Dragging his satchel, David crept round the side of the house. He climbed on to the ornamental seat under the living-room window and peeped cautiously in.
His mother stood in the middle of the room. Her face was blank, its lack of expression scared him. He watched fascinated. He did not move; she did not move. Time might have stopped, as it had stopped in the garden.
At last she turned and left the room. After waiting a moment, David tapped on the window. Teddy looked round, saw him, tumbled off the table, and came over to the window. Fumbling with his paws, he eventually got it open.
They looked at each other.
"I'm no good, Teddy. Let's run away!"
"You're a very good boy. Your Mummy loves you."
Slowly, he shook his head. "If she loved me, then why can't I talk to her?"
"You're being silly, David. Mummy's lonely. That's why she had you."
"She's got Daddy. I've got nobody 'cept you, and I'm lonely."
Teddy gave him a friendly cuff over the head. "If you feel so bad, you'd better go to the psychiatrist again."
"I hate that old psychiatrist -- he makes me feel I'm not real." He started to run across the lawn. The bear toppled out of the window and followed as fast as its stubby legs would allow.
Monica Swinton was up in the nursery. She called to her son once and then stood there, undecided. All was silent.
Crayons lay on his desk. Obeying a sudden impulse, she went over to the desk and opened it. Dozens of pieces of paper lay inside. Many of them were written in crayon in David's clumsy writing, with each letter picked out in a color different from the letter preceding it. None of the messages was finished.
"My dear Mummy, How are you really, do you love me as much --"
"Dear Mummy, I love you and Daddy and the sun is shining --"
"Dear dear Mummy, Teddy's helping me write to you. I love you and Teddy --"
"Darling Mummy, I'm your one and only son and I love you so much that some times --"
"Dear Mummy, you're really my Mummy and I hate Teddy --"
"Darling Mummy, guess how much I love --"
"Dear Mummy, I'm your little boy not Teddy and I love you but Teddy --"
"Dear Mummy, this is a letter to you just to say how much how ever so much --"
Monica dropped the pieces of paper and burst out crying. In their gay inaccurate colors, the letters fanned out and settled on the floor.
*
Henry Swinton caught the express home in high spirits, and occasionally said a word to the synthetic serving-man he was taking home with him. The serving-man answered politely and punctually, although his answers were not always entirely relevant by human standards.
The Swintons lived in one of the ritziest city-blocks, half a kilometer above the ground. Embedded in other apartments, their apartment had no windows to the outside; nobody wanted to see the overcrowded external world. Henry unlocked the door with his retina pattern-scanner and walked in, followed by the serving-man.
At once, Henry was surrounded by the friendly illusion of gardens set in eternal summer. It was amazing what Whologram could do to create huge mirages in small spaces. Behind its roses and wisteria stood their house; the deception was complete: a Georgian mansion appeared to welcome him.
"How do you like it?" he asked the serving-man.
"Roses occasionally suffer from black spot."
"These roses are guaranteed free from any imperfections."
"It is always advisable to purchase goods with guarantees, even if they cost slightly more."
"Thanks for the information," Henry said dryly. Synthetic lifeforms were less than ten years old, the old android mechanicals less than sixteen; the faults of their systems were still being ironed out, year by year.
He opened the door and called to Monica.
She came out of the sitting-room immediately and flung her arms round him, kissing him ardently on cheek and lips. Henry was amazed.
Pulling back to look at her face, he saw how she seemed to generate light and beauty. It was months since he had seen her so excited. Instinctively, he clasped her tighter.
"Darling, what's happened?"
"Henry, Henry -- oh, my darling, I was in despair ... but I've just dialed the afternoon post and -- you'll never believe it! Oh, it's wonderful!"
"For heaven's sake, woman, what's wonderful?"
He caught a glimpse of the heading on the photostat in her hand, still moist from the wall-receiver: Ministry of Population. He felt the color drain from his face in sudden shock and hope.
"Monica ... oh ... Don't tell me our number's come up!"
"Yes, my darling, yes, we've won this week's parenthood lottery! We can go ahead and conceive a child at once!"
He let out a yell of joy. They danced round the room. Pressure of population was such that reproduction had to be strict, controlled. Childbirth required government permission. For this moment, they had waited four years. Incoherently they cried their delight.
They paused at last, gasping and stood in the middle of the room to laugh at each other's happiness. When she had come down from the nursery, Monica had de-opaqued the windows so that they now revealed the vista of garden beyond. Artificial sunlight was growing long and golden across the lawn -- and David and Teddy were staring through the window at them.
Seeing their faces, Henry and his wife grew serious.
"What do we do about them?" Henry asked.
"Teddy's no trouble. He works well."
"Is David malfunctioning?"
"His verbal communication center is still giving trouble. I think he'll have to go back to the factory again."
"Okay. We'll see how he does before the baby's born. Which reminds me--I have a surprise for you: help just when help is needed! Come into the hall and see what I've got."
As the two adults disappeared from the room, boy and bear sat down beneath the standard roses.
"Teddy -- I suppose Mummy and Daddy are real, aren't they?"
Teddy said, "You ask such silly questions, David. Nobody knows what real really means. Let's go indoors."
"First I'm going to have another rose!" Plucking a bright pink flower, he carried it with him into the house. It could lie on the pillow as he went to sleep. Its beauty
and softness reminded him of Mummy.
