Toory waited motionless nearby, and presently he knew from the unheeded blur of their words that they were talking of Model 2 RY.
"And I never once spoke to it, Miss Babs. Not all this time."
The girl smiled. "Did you want to, Higgins?"
"Well, I don't know. Gives you a sort of rummy feeling, a thing like that standin' around all the time. Shall I try speakin' to it now, Miss Babs?"
She laughed. "Of course, if you wish. Go ahead, and say, 'Hello' to him."
"Hello, Toory," Higgins said.
"Hello," Toory responded. It was just like Nerina's greeting, and easy to answer properly.
"Science is sure wonderful," Higgins said. "He remembers everything he ever knew, don't he? That's what Mr. Doret was saying—the thing's got a memory-tape that puts everything down, just like he was writin' it in a book. Does he learn new things easy, Miss Babs?"
"Yes, he's quite quick to learn," Miss Babs assured him.
"What I mean, if you tell him something new—not just something he's been taught—what would he do? Could I try him out, Miss Babs?"