diff options
Diffstat (limited to '1819-0.txt')
| -rw-r--r-- | 1819-0.txt | 887 |
1 files changed, 887 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/1819-0.txt b/1819-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2c17296 --- /dev/null +++ b/1819-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,887 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Messengers, by Richard Harding Davis + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Messengers + +Author: Richard Harding Davis + +Release Date: May 12, 2006 [EBook #1819] +Last Updated: September 26, 2016 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE MESSENGERS *** + + + + +Produced by Don Lainson + + + + + +THE MESSENGERS + +Richard Harding Davis + + + +When Ainsley first moved to Lone Lake Farm all of his friends asked him +the same question. They wanted to know, if the farmer who sold it to him +had abandoned it as worthless, how one of the idle rich, who could not +distinguish a plough from a harrow, hoped to make it pay? His answer +was that he had not purchased the farm as a means of getting richer +by honest toil, but as a retreat from the world and as a test of true +friendship. He argued that the people he knew accepted his hospitality +at Sherry’s because, in any event, they themselves would be dining +within a taxicab fare of the same place. But if to see him they +travelled all the way to Lone Lake Farm, he might feel assured that they +were friends indeed. + +Lone Lake Farm was spread over many acres of rocky ravine and forest, +at a point where Connecticut approaches New York, and between it and the +nearest railroad station stretched six miles of an execrable wood road. +In this wilderness, directly upon the lonely lake, and at a spot equally +distant from each of his boundary lines, Ainsley built himself a red +brick house. Here, in solitude, he exiled himself; ostensibly to become +a gentleman farmer; in reality to wait until Polly Kirkland had made up +her mind to marry him. + +Lone Lake, which gave the farm its name, was a pond hardly larger than +a city block. It was fed by hidden springs, and fringed about with reeds +and cat-tails, stunted willows and shivering birch. From its surface +jutted points of the same rock that had made farming unremunerative, and +to these miniature promontories and islands Ainsley, in keeping with +a fancied resemblance, gave such names as the Needles, St. Helena, the +Isle of Pines. From the edge of the pond that was farther from the house +rose a high hill, heavily wooded. At its base, oak and chestnut trees +spread their branches over the water, and when the air was still were so +clearly reflected in the pond that the leaves seemed to float upon the +surface. To the smiling expanse of the farm the lake was what the eye +is to the human countenance. The oaks were its eyebrows, the fringe of +reeds its lashes, and, in changing mood, it flashed with happiness or +brooded in sombre melancholy. For Ainsley it held a deep attraction. +Through the summer evenings, as the sun set, he would sit on the +brick terrace and watch the fish leaping, and listen to the venerable +bull-frogs croaking false alarms of rain. Indeed, after he met Polly +Kirkland, staring moodily at the lake became his favorite form of +exercise. With a number of other men, Ainsley was very much in love +with Miss Kirkland, and unprejudiced friends thought that if she were to +choose any of her devotees, Ainsley should be that one. Ainsley heartily +agreed in this opinion, but in persuading Miss Kirkland to share it +he had not been successful. This was partly his own fault; for when he +dared to compare what she meant to him with what he had to offer her +he became a mass of sodden humility. Could he have known how much Polly +Kirkland envied and admired his depth of feeling, entirely apart from +the fact that she herself inspired that feeling, how greatly she wished +to care for him in the way he cared for her, life, even alone in the +silences of Lone Lake, would have been a beautiful and blessed thing. +But he was so sure she was the most charming and most wonderful girl in +all the world, and he an unworthy and despicable being, that when the +lady demurred, he faltered, and his pleading, at least to his own ears, +carried no conviction. + +“When one thinks of being married,” said Polly Kirkland gently, “it +isn’t a question of the man you can live with, but the man you can’t +live without. And I am sorry, but I’ve not found that man.” + +“I suppose,” returned Ainsley gloomily, “that my not being able to live +without you doesn’t affect the question in the least?” + +“You HAVE lived without me,” Miss Kirkland pointed out reproachfully, +“for thirty years.” + +“Lived!” almost shouted Ainsley. “Do you call THAT living? What was I +before I met you? I was an ignorant beast of the field. I knew as much +about living as one of the cows on my farm. I could sleep twelve hours +at a stretch, or, if I was in New York, I NEVER slept. I was a Day and +Night Bank of health and happiness, a great, big, useless puppy. And now +I can’t sleep, can’t eat, can’t think--except of you. I dream about you +all night, think about you all day, go through the woods calling your +name, cutting your initials in tree trunks, doing all the fool things +a man does when he’s in love, and I am the most miserable man in the +world--and the happiest!” + +He finally succeeded in making Miss Kirkland so miserable also that she +decided to run away. Friends had planned to spend the early spring +on the Nile and were eager that she should accompany them. To her the +separation seemed to offer an excellent method of discovering whether or +not Ainsley was the man she could not “live without.” + +Ainsley saw in it only an act of torture, devised with devilish cruelty. + +“What will happen to me,” he announced firmly, “is that I will plain +DIE! As long as I can see you, as long as I have the chance to try and +make you understand that no one can possibly love you as I do, and as +long as I know I am worrying you to death, and no one else is, I still +hope. I’ve no right to hope, still I do. And that one little chance +keeps me alive. But Egypt! If you escape to Egypt, what hold will I have +on you? You might as well be in the moon. Can you imagine me writing +love-letters to a woman in the moon? Can I send American Beauty roses +to the ruins of Karnak? Here I can telephone you; not that I ever have +anything to say that you want to hear, but because I want to listen to +your voice, and to have you ask, ‘Oh! is that YOU?’ as though you were +glad it WAS me. But Egypt! Can I call up Egypt on the long-distance? If +you leave me now, you’ll leave me forever, for I’ll drown myself in Lone +Lake.” + +The day she sailed away he went to the steamer, and, separating her from +her friends and family, drew her to the side of the ship farther from +the wharf, and which for the moment, was deserted. Directly below a +pile-driver, with rattling of chains and shrieks from her donkey-engine, +was smashing great logs; on the deck above, the ship’s band was braying +forth fictitious gayety, and from every side they were assailed by the +raucous whistles of ferry-boats. The surroundings were not conducive +to sentiment, but for the first time Polly Kirkland seemed a little +uncertain, a little frightened; almost on the verge of tears, almost +persuaded to surrender. For the first time she laid her hand on +Ainsley’s arm, and the shock sent the blood to his heart and held him +breathless. When the girl looked at him there was something in her eyes +that neither he nor any other man had ever seen there. + +“The last thing I tell you,” she said, “the thing I want you to +remember, is this, that, though I do not care--I WANT to care.” + +Ainsley caught at her hand and, to the delight of the crew of a passing +tug-boat, kissed it rapturously. His face was radiant. The fact of +parting from her had caused him real suffering, had marked his face +with hard lines. Now, hope and happiness smoothed them away and his eyes +shone with his love for her. He was trembling, laughing, jubilant. + +“And if you should!” he begged. “How soon will I know? You will cable,” + he commanded. “You will cable ‘Come,’ and the same hour I’ll start +toward you. I’ll go home now,” he cried, “and pack!” + +The girl drew away. Already she regretted the admission she had made. In +fairness and in kindness to him she tried to regain the position she had +abandoned. + +“But a change like that,” she pleaded, “might not come for years, may +never come!” To recover herself, to make the words she had uttered seem +less serious, she spoke quickly and lightly. + +“And how could I CABLE such a thing!” she protested. “It would be far +too sacred, too precious. You should be able to FEEL that the change has +come.” + +“I suppose I should,” assented Ainsley, doubtfully; “but it’s a long way +across two oceans. It would be safer if you’d promise to use the cable. +Just one word: ‘Come.’” + +The girl shook her head and frowned. + +“If you can’t feel that the woman you love loves you, even across the +world, you cannot love her very deeply.” + +“I don’t have to answer that!” said Ainsley. + +“I will send you a sign,” continued the girl, hastily; “a secret +wireless message. It shall be a test. If you love me you will read it at +once. You will know the instant you see it that it comes from me. No one +else will be able to read it; but if you love me, you will know that I +love you.” + +Whether she spoke in metaphor or in fact, whether she was “playing for +time,” or whether in her heart she already intended to soon reward him +with a message of glad tidings, Ainsley could not decide. And even as +he begged her to enlighten him the last whistle blew, and a determined +officer ordered him to the ship’s side. + +“Just as in everything that is beautiful,” he whispered eagerly, “I +always see something of you, so now in everything wonderful I will read +your message. But,” he persisted, “how shall I be SURE?” + +The last bag of mail had shot into the hold, the most reluctant of the +visitors were being hustled down the last remaining gangplank. Ainsley’s +state was desperate. + +“Will it be in symbol, or in cipher?” he demanded. “Must I read it in +the sky, or will you hide it in a letter, or--where? Help me! Give me +just a hint!” + +The girl shook her head. + +“You will read it--in your heart,” she said. + +From the end of the wharf Ainsley watched the funnels of the ship +disappear in the haze of the lower bay. His heart was sore and heavy, +but in it there was still room for righteous indignation. “Read it in my +heart!” he protested. “How the devil can I read it in my heart? I want +to read it PRINTED in a cablegram.” + +Because he had always understood that young men in love found solace for +their misery in solitude and in communion with nature, he at once +drove his car to Lone Lake. But his misery was quite genuine, and the +emptiness of the brick house only served to increase his loneliness. He +had built the house for her, though she had never visited it, and was +associated with it only through the somewhat indefinite medium of the +telephone box. But in New York they had been much together. And Ainsley +quickly decided that in revisiting those places where he had been happy +in her company he would derive from the recollection some melancholy +consolation. He accordingly raced back through the night to the city; +nor did he halt until he was at the door of her house. She had left it +only that morning, and though it was locked in darkness, it still spoke +of her. At least it seemed to bring her nearer to him than when he was +listening to the frogs in the lake, and crushing his way through the +pines. + +He was not hungry, but he went to a restaurant where, when he was host, +she had often been the honored guest, and he pretended they were at +supper together and without a chaperon. Either the illusion, or the +supper cheered him, for he was encouraged to go on to his club. There +in the library, with the aid of an atlas, he worked out where, after +thirteen hours of moving at the rate of twenty-two knots an hour, +she should be at that moment. Having determined that fact to his own +satisfaction, he sent a wireless after the ship. It read: “It is now +midnight and you are in latitude 40 degrees north, longitude 68 degrees +west, and I have grown old and gray waiting for the sign.” + +The next morning, and for many days after, he was surprised to find +that the city went on as though she still were in it. With +unfeeling regularity the sun rose out of the East River. On Broadway +electric-light signs flashed, street-cars pursued each other, taxicabs +bumped and skidded, women, and even men, dared to look happy, and had +apparently taken some thought to their attire. They did not respect even +his widowerhood. They smiled upon him, and asked him jocularly about the +farm and his “crops,” and what he was doing in New York. He pitied them, +for obviously they were ignorant of the fact that in New York there were +art galleries, shops, restaurants of great interest, owing to the fact +that Polly Kirkland had visited them. They did not know that on upper +Fifth Avenue were houses of which she had deigned to approve, or which +she had destroyed with ridicule, and that to walk that avenue and halt +before each of these houses was an inestimable privilege. + +Each day, with pathetic vigilance, Ainsley examined his heart for the +promised sign. But so far from telling him that the change he longed +for had taken place, his heart grew heavier, and as weeks went by and +no sign appeared, what little confidence he had once enjoyed passed with +them. + +But before hope entirely died, several false alarms had thrilled him +with happiness. One was a cablegram from Gibraltar in which the only +words that were intelligible were “congratulate” and “engagement.” This +lifted him into an ecstasy of joy and excitement, until, on having the +cable company repeat the message, he learned it was a request from Miss +Kirkland to congratulate two mutual friends who had just announced +their engagement, and of whose address she was uncertain. He had hardly +recovered from this disappointment than he was again thrown into a +tumult by the receipt of a mysterious package from the custom-house +containing an intaglio ring. The ring came from Italy, and her ship +had touched at Genoa. The fact that it was addressed in an unknown +handwriting did not disconcert him, for he argued that to make the test +more difficult she might disguise the handwriting. He at once carried +the intaglio to an expert at the Metropolitan Museum, and when he was +told that it represented Cupid feeding a fire upon an altar, he reserved +a stateroom on the first steamer bound for the Mediterranean. But before +his ship sailed, a letter, also from Italy, from his aunt Maria, who was +spending the winter in Rome, informed him that the ring was a Christmas +gift from her. In his rage he unjustly condemned Aunt Maria as a +meddling old busybody, and gave her ring to the cook. + +After two months of pilgrimages to places sacred to the memory of Polly +Kirkland, Ainsley found that feeding his love on post-mortems was poor +fare, and, in surrender, determined to evacuate New York. Since her +departure he had received from Miss Kirkland several letters, but they +contained no hint of a change in her affections, and search them as +he might, he could find no cipher or hidden message. They were merely +frank, friendly notes of travel; at first filled with gossip of the +steamer, and later telling of excursions around Cairo. If they held any +touch of feeling they seemed to show that she was sorry for him, and +as she could not regard him in any way more calculated to increase his +discouragement, he, in utter hopelessness, retreated to the solitude +of the farm. In New York he left behind him two trunks filled with such +garments as a man would need on board a steamer and in the early spring +in Egypt. They had been packed and in readiness since the day she sailed +away, when she had told him of the possible sign. But there had been +no sign. Nor did he longer believe in one. So in the baggage-room of an +hotel the trunks were abandoned, accumulating layers of dust and charges +for storage. + +At the farm the snow still lay in the crevices of the rocks and beneath +the branches of the evergreens, but under the wet, dead leaves little +flowers had begun to show their faces. The “backbone of the winter was +broken” and spring was in the air. But as Ainsley was certain that his +heart also was broken, the signs of spring did not console him. At each +week-end he filled the house with people, but they found him gloomy and +he found them dull. He liked better the solitude of the midweek days. +Then for hours he would tramp through the woods, pretending she was at +his side, pretending he was helping her across the streams swollen with +winter rains and melted snow. On these excursions he cut down trees that +hid a view he thought she would have liked, he cut paths over which she +might have walked. Or he sat idly in a flat-bottomed scow in the lake +and made a pretence of fishing. The loneliness of the lake and the +isolation of the boat suited his humor. He did not find it true +that misery loves company. At least to human beings he preferred his +companions of Lone Lake--the beaver building his home among the reeds, +the kingfisher, the blue heron, the wild fowl that in their flight north +rested for an hour or a day upon the peaceful waters. He looked upon +them as his guests, and when they spread their wings and left him again +alone he felt he had been hardly used. + +It was while he was sunk in this state of melancholy, and some months +after Miss Kirkland had sailed to Egypt, that hope returned. + +For a week-end he had invited Holden and Lowell, two former classmates, +and Nelson Mortimer and his bride. They were all old friends of their +host and well acquainted with the cause of his discouragement. So they +did not ask to be entertained, but, disregarding him, amused themselves +after their own fashion. It was late Friday afternoon. The members of +the house-party had just returned from a tramp through the woods and had +joined Ainsley on the terrace, where he stood watching the last rays of +the sun leave the lake in darkness. All through the day there had been +sharp splashes of rain with the clouds dull and forbidding, but now the +sun was sinking in a sky of crimson, and for the morrow a faint moon +held out a promise of fair weather. + +Elsie Mortimer gave a sudden exclamation, and pointed to the east. +“Look!” she said. + +The men turned and followed the direction of her hand. In the fading +light, against a background of sombre clouds that the sun could not +reach, they saw, moving slowly toward them and descending as they moved, +six great white birds. When they were above the tops of the trees that +edged the lake, the birds halted and hovered uncertainly, their wings +lifting and falling, their bodies slanting and sweeping slowly, in short +circles. + +The suddenness of their approach, their presence so far inland, +something unfamiliar and foreign in the way they had winged their +progress, for a moment held the group upon the terrace silent. + +“They are gulls from the Sound,” said Lowell. + +“They are too large for gulls,” returned Mortimer. “They might be wild +geese, but,” he answered himself, in a puzzled voice, “it is too late; +and wild geese follow a leader.” + +As though they feared the birds might hear them and take alarm, the men, +unconsciously, had spoken in low tones. + +“They move as though they were very tired,” whispered Elsie Mortimer. + +“I think,” said Ainsley, “they have lost their way.” + +But even as he spoke, the birds, as though they had reached their goal, +spread their wings to the full length and sank to the shallow water at +the farthest margin of the lake. + +As they fell the sun struck full upon them, turning their great pinions +into flashing white and silver. + +“Oh!” cried the girl, “but they are beautiful!” + +Between the house and the lake there was a ridge of rock higher than +the head of a man, and to this Ainsley and his guests ran for cover. On +hands and knees, like hunters stalking game, they scrambled up the face +of the rock and peered cautiously into the pond. Below them, less than +one hundred yards away, on a tiny promontory, the six white birds stood +motionless. They showed no sign of fear. They could not but know that +beyond the lonely circle of the pond were the haunts of men. From +the farm came the tinkle of a cow-bell, the bark of a dog, and in the +valley, six miles distant, rose faintly upon the stillness of the sunset +hour the rumble of a passing train. But if these sounds carried, the +birds gave no heed. In each drooping head and dragging wing, in the +forward stoop of each white body, weighing heavily on the slim, black +legs, was written utter weariness, abject fatigue. To each even to lower +his bill and sip from the cool waters was a supreme effort. And in their +exhaustion so complete was something humanly helpless and pathetic. + +To Ainsley the mysterious visitors made a direct appeal. He felt as +though they had thrown themselves upon his hospitality. That they showed +such confidence that the sanctuary would be kept sacred touched him. +And while his friends spoke eagerly, he remained silent, watching the +drooping, ghost-like figures, his eyes filled with pity. + +“I have seen birds like those in Florida,” Mortimer was whispering, “but +they were not migratory birds.” + +“And I’ve seen white cranes in the Adirondacks,” said Lowell, “but never +six at one time.” + +“They’re like no bird I ever saw out of a zoo,” declared Elsie Mortimer. +“Maybe they ARE from the Zoo? Maybe they escaped from the Bronx?” + +“The Bronx is too near,” objected Lowell. “These birds have come a great +distance. They move as though they had been flying for many days.” + +As though the absurdity of his own thought amused him, Mortimer laughed +softly. + +“I’ll tell you what they DO look like,” he said. “They look like that +bird you see on the Nile, the sacred Ibis, they--” + +Something between a gasp and a cry startled him into silence. He found +his host staring wildly, his lips parted, his eyes open wide. + +“Where?” demanded Ainsley. “Where did you say?” His voice was so hoarse, +so strange, that they all turned and looked. + +“On the Nile,” repeated Mortimer. “All over Egypt. Why?” + +Ainsley made no answer. Unclasping his hold, he suddenly slid down the +face of the rock, and with a bump lit on his hands and knees. With one +bound he had cleared a flower-bed. In two more he had mounted the steps +to the terrace, and in another instant had disappeared into the house. + +“What happened to him?” demanded Elsie Mortimer. + +“He’s gone to get a gun!” exclaimed Mortimer. “But he mustn’t! How can +he think of shooting them?” he cried indignantly. “I’ll put a stop to +that!” + +In the hall he found Ainsley surrounded by a group of startled servants. + +“You get that car at the door in five minutes!” he was shouting, “and +YOU telephone the hotel to have my trunks out of the cellar and on board +the Kron Prinz Albert by midnight. Then you telephone Hoboken that I +want a cabin, and if they haven’t got a cabin I want the captain’s. And +tell them anyway I’m coming on board to-night, and I’m going with them +if I have to sleep on deck. And YOU,” he cried, turning to Mortimer, +“take a shotgun and guard that lake, and if anybody tries to molest +those birds--shoot him! They’ve come from Egypt! From Polly Kirkland! +She sent them! They’re a sign!” + +“Are you going mad?” cried Mortimer. + +“No!” roared Ainsley. “I’m going to Egypt, and I’m going NOW!” + +Polly Kirkland and her friends were travelling slowly up the Nile, and +had reached Luxor. A few hundred yards below the village their dahabiyeh +was moored to the bank, and, on the deck, Miss Kirkland was watching +a scarlet sun sink behind two palm-trees. By the grace of that special +Providence that cares for drunken men, citizens of the United States, +and lovers, her friends were on shore, and she was alone. For this she +was grateful, for her thoughts were of a melancholy and tender nature +and she had no wish for any companion save one. In consequence, when +a steam-launch, approaching at full speed with the rattle of a +quick-firing gun, broke upon her meditations, she was distinctly +annoyed. + +But when, with much ringing of bells and shouting of orders, the +steam-launch rammed the paint off her dahabiyeh, and a young man flung +himself over the rail and ran toward her, her annoyance passed, and with +a sigh she sank into his outstretched, eager arms. + +Half an hour later Ainsley laughed proudly and happily. + +“Well!” he exclaimed, “you can never say I kept YOU waiting. I didn’t +lose much time, did I? Ten minutes after I got your C. Q. D. signal I +was going down the Boston Post Road at seventy miles an hour.” + +“My what?” said the girl. + +“The sign!” explained Ainsley. “The sign you were to send me to tell +me”--he bent over her hands and added gently--“that you cared for me.” + +“Oh, I remember,” laughed Polly Kirkland. “I was to send you a sign, +wasn’t I? You were to ‘read it in your heart’,” she quoted. + +“And I did,” returned Ainsley complacently. “There were several false +alarms, and I’d almost lost hope, but when the messengers came I knew +them.” + +With puzzled eyes the girl frowned and raised her head. + +“Messengers?” she repeated. “I sent no message. Of course,” she went +on, “when I said you would ‘read it in your heart’ I meant that if you +REALLY loved me you would not wait for a sign, but you would just COME!” + She sighed proudly and contentedly. “And you came. You understood that, +didn’t you?” she asked anxiously. + +For an instant Ainsley stared blankly, and then to hide his guilty +countenance drew her toward him and kissed her. + +“Of course,” he stammered--“of course I understood. That was why I came. +I just couldn’t stand it any longer.” + +Breathing heavily at the thought of the blunder he had so narrowly +avoided, Ainsley turned his head toward the great red disk that was +disappearing into the sands of the desert. He was so long silent that +the girl lifted her eyes, and found that already he had forgotten +her presence and, transfixed, was staring at the sky. On his face +was bewilderment and wonder and a touch of awe. The girl followed the +direction of his eyes, and in the swiftly gathering darkness saw coming +slowly toward them, and descending as they came, six great white birds. + +They moved with the last effort of complete exhaustion. In the drooping +head and dragging wings of each was written utter weariness, abject +fatigue. For a moment they hovered over the dahabiyeh and above the +two young lovers, and then, like tired travellers who had reached their +journey’s end, they spread their wings and sank to the muddy waters of +the Nile and into the enveloping night. + +“Some day,” said Ainsley, “I have a confession to make to you.” + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Messengers, by Richard Harding Davis + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE MESSENGERS *** + +***** This file should be named 1819-0.txt or 1819-0.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/1/8/1/1819/ + +Produced by Don Lainson + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase “Project +Gutenberg”), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +http://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. “Project Gutenberg” is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation (“the Foundation” + or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase “Project Gutenberg” appears, or with which the phrase “Project +Gutenberg” is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase “Project Gutenberg” associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +“Plain Vanilla ASCII” or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original “Plain Vanilla ASCII” or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, “Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation.” + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +“Defects,” such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the “Right +of Replacement or Refund” described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you ‘AS-IS’ WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, is critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm’s +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at http://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation’s EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +http://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state’s laws. + +The Foundation’s principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation’s web site and official +page at http://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit http://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. +To donate, please visit: http://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart is the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + http://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. |