Authentic Science Fiction Monthly No. 43 — page 97: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

AUTHENTIC SCIENCE FICTION “Well, just go and stow yourself away for the night,” said Walter, vindictively, “‘and I'll switch you off again.” He watched the robot walk gracefully across the room and out into the hall. There was a gentle click as the door of the storage closet snapped shut. Walter switched off. } “Well?” said Barbara, quietly. She was still waiting. “I think you owe me an explanation.” ‘It was a matter of business, Ghar 3." ‘Funny business,” said Barbara. “Please don’t be crude about it, darling. It was just that I had to go to this con- ference, and after what you’d said about us never having an evening at home together nowadays, I felt you wouldn’t be too. pleased.” “But the whole point of having those robots made,” protested Barbara, “was to enable us to stay at home. It’s him,” she went on, with un- grammatical fervour, “who 96 ought to have gone to your precious conference. That’s what he’s for.” “But this was rather a specia] one. I needed to make decisions—important ones concerning future policy on robot construction for the Government. I simply had to be there. It wasn’t just a routine matter that I could leave to Wally.” Barbara pouted. She was not going to be soothed. She said: “‘But even if it’s true— and I’m not sure it is—even if it’s true, how could you leave Wally with me like that? To leave a robot to entertain your wife... that’s too much, Walter.”” “TI didn’t want you to be upset.” ! ‘““You didn’t want me to be upset? Suppose you hadn’t . come home—suppose you’d left it with me all night, would it... that is, how far were you prepared for it to... | ae a ‘Barbara!’ Walter was in- dignant. ‘Nothing like that could have happened. In any comicloooks.corn