A trio of geniuses -- Mama's boy -- Visual artist or writer? -- Civilized optimism swept away -- Not two sheaves, but rather thousands of stalks -- From tutor to editor -- The shy boy as robber -- Olga : love with a secret -- The first report on the end of civilization : R.U.R. -- The second report on the end of civilization : The absolute at large -- A morality play about insects and people -- To live briefly, but fully -- Personal crisis and flight to Italy -- Return of the robber -- A bad dream -- A protest against ideologies -- How to warn of destruction? -- Important for the nation -- Mary and Martha -- The stolen document and other tales -- The end of the robber -- The story of a man hurrying towards death -- Looking for love -- The failure of the intellectuals will make barbarians of us all -- The third report on the end of civilization : War with the newts -- Do you wish merry me? -- Artist v. newspaperman -- It could have been a book about soldiers or the crew of a ship -- Anyone can go to his death, but to lose someone -- We are all increasingly alone.