diff options
| author | nfenwick <nfenwick@pglaf.org> | 2025-01-23 17:25:08 -0800 |
|---|---|---|
| committer | nfenwick <nfenwick@pglaf.org> | 2025-01-23 17:25:08 -0800 |
| commit | 72f351db737db828a12ec17795536142c45f7ae9 (patch) | |
| tree | 8407f90d6f6488e436ae6d3274f981784d411ba3 | |
| parent | 4125dd311198830ab69c42f217bb9db15440960a (diff) | |
| -rw-r--r-- | .gitattributes | 4 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | LICENSE.txt | 11 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | README.md | 2 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/64063-h.zip | bin | 491270 -> 0 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/64063-h/64063-h.htm | 1107 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/64063-h/images/cover.jpg | bin | 250741 -> 0 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/64063-h/images/illus.jpg | bin | 222201 -> 0 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/64063.txt | 1000 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/64063.zip | bin | 18327 -> 0 bytes |
9 files changed, 17 insertions, 2107 deletions
diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d7b82bc --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,4 @@ +*.txt text eol=lf +*.htm text eol=lf +*.html text eol=lf +*.md text eol=lf diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..3b4dc29 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #64063 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/64063) diff --git a/old/64063-h.zip b/old/64063-h.zip Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index 4e4e99f..0000000 --- a/old/64063-h.zip +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/64063-h/64063-h.htm b/old/64063-h/64063-h.htm deleted file mode 100644 index 56cd51a..0000000 --- a/old/64063-h/64063-h.htm +++ /dev/null @@ -1,1107 +0,0 @@ -<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" - "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> -<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> - <head> - <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=us-ascii" /> - <meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> - <title> - The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Bryd, by Noel Loomis. - </title> - <link rel="coverpage" href="images/cover.jpg" /> - - <style type="text/css"> - -body { - margin-left: 10%; - margin-right: 10%; -} - - h1,h2 { - text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ - clear: both; -} - -p { - margin-top: .51em; - text-align: justify; - margin-bottom: .49em; -} - -hr { - width: 33%; - margin-top: 2em; - margin-bottom: 2em; - margin-left: 33.5%; - margin-right: 33.5%; - clear: both; -} - -hr.chap {width: 65%; margin-left: 17.5%; margin-right: 17.5%;} -hr.tb {width: 45%; margin-left: 27.5%; margin-right: 27.5%;} - -.center {text-align: center;} - -.right {text-align: right;} - -/* Images */ -.figcenter { - margin: auto; - text-align: center; -} - -.caption p -{ - text-align: center; - text-indent: 0; - margin: 0.25em 0; -} - -div.titlepage { - text-align: center; - page-break-before: always; - page-break-after: always; -} - -div.titlepage p { - text-align: center; - text-indent: 0em; - font-weight: bold; - line-height: 1.5; - margin-top: 3em; -} - - </style> - </head> -<body> - - -<pre> - -The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Bryd, by Noel Loomis - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world 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. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: The Bryd - -Author: Noel Loomis - -Release Date: December 17, 2020 [EBook #64063] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ASCII - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BRYD *** - - - - -Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - -</pre> - - -<div class="titlepage"> - -<h1>The BRYD</h1> - -<h2>By NOEL LOOMIS</h2> - -<p>Being immortal, the Bryd was a very wise and<br /> -resourceful Thing—but even so, the problem of<br /> -saving Dale Stevenson was a dilly. So <i>much</i><br /> -had to be done in one-fourth of a second!</p> - -<p>[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from<br /> -Planet Stories May 1951.<br /> -Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that<br /> -the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]</p> - -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p>The Bryd was awakened with a rude jolt. It didn't even have time for -a mental yawn. Something terrible was going on in Dale Stevenson's -mind, and the turmoil there made the Bryd most uncomfortable. It shook -off the lethargy of its long sleep. It knew instinctively that Dale -Stevenson was about to get in trouble and make his mind unsuitable for -the Bryd's occupancy.</p> - -<p>The Bryd sighed. These humans were so unstable, so impulsive. The Bryd -took a look around.</p> - -<p>They—Dale Stevenson and he—were not on Earth. They seemed to be in -space somewhere, 5,100 miles from Earth. Well, well, so men finally -were breaking the shackles of gravitation. The Bryd became a little -more interested.</p> - -<p>But Dale Stevenson was reaching for a button that would fire a rocket -to position the mirror and burn a path across the biggest city in -Europe. Hey! what was going on here, anyway?</p> - -<p>The Bryd had about a quarter of a second to do a lot of research. What -was Dale Stevenson doing up here? What had he done with himself in -the twenty-four years since the Bryd had curled up in the boy's cozy -four-year-old mind and settled down for a long nap?</p> - -<p>The Bryd could have stayed Dale's hand for a while, but the Bryd very -much believed in minding its own business. It didn't like to interfere -with humans; that was policy. So it decided to get busy. It had a -quarter of a second to find out things and decide what, if anything, to -do about them. Certainly it couldn't expect to stay comfortably in a -mind as upset as Dale Stevenson's ... so it got busy.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>The first thing to do was get oriented. The Bryd took a quick look -around. Dale Stevenson, doctor of physics, was in charge of this -sun-station, which was a man-made island in space, some three miles -in diameter. The rim of the island was composed mainly of a steel -framework like the rim of a wheel, with little cabins at various -intervals to house a power plant, various controls, rocket berths, -repair shops, and living quarters for the sun-station's crew.</p> - -<p>The center area of the sun-station was a giant mirror, three miles -across, made up of thin sheets of metallic sodium fastened to a -skeleton of wire nets. The sodium was very light in weight, and being -in airless and heatless space, was inert. Also it was highly reflective.</p> - -<p>The whole business was kept at a point approximately 5,100 miles from -Earth, where Earth's gravitational attraction approached neutrality and -where the entire space-station could be maintained in a given position -or moved at will with a minimum expenditure of energy.</p> - -<p>Technically the station was owned by Night Sun, Inc., along with nearly -a hundred others around Earth, and this particular station, No. 18, was -under contract to furnish illumination at night over Paris, France, by -staying out of Earth's shadow and reflecting sunlight on Paris during -the night.</p> - -<p>Management of such a station involved many mathematical factors in -distance, triangulation with Paris, velocity and angulation, and -control of the curve of the mirror. Normally this was a parabolic -curve, but it was constantly varied with other factors to produce the -desired degree of illumination.</p> - -<p>No. 18 was under the sole control of Dale Stevenson, who had been -psych-tested and certified by the United Nations licensing board.</p> - -<p>That made the Bryd feel a little better. It looked as if he had made a -mistake twenty-four years ago, but it also looked as if the licensing -board had been fooled within the last year, for Dale certainly was -getting ready to cause a lot of trouble in Paris. He could actuate the -controls to expand or contract the rim of the station and thus vary the -focal length of the sodium lens, and if he should actually concentrate -the sun's rays in a small area, he could draw a flaming path of ruin -through the center of Paris.</p> - -<p>Reluctantly the Bryd checked again, and found that that was exactly -what Dale Stevenson was about to do. The Bryd wondered why. It groaned. -Humans were always up to something. Why couldn't they relax so the Bryd -could rest?</p> - -<p>The Bryd had been so happy back in 2250—or let's see, was it <i>up</i> in -2250? (This was 2045.) That was when Bob What's-his-name and that cute -girl had landed on Pluto and given him a chance to get away. The long, -lonely eons in Pluto's absolute zero had been quite monotonous to the -Bryd, which was nothing but pure energy but which certainly had its -feelings. After almost a third of a billion years marooned on Pluto it -had sometimes almost wished it had not been so adventurous in its youth -and hopped that stray comet as it had swept by its home on Arcturus.</p> - -<p>For it had tired of the comet and jumped off on Pluto, and then had -discovered it didn't have enough range of its own to get from Pluto to -another planet. Then it was that Bob and Alys had come along on their -'round-the-system honeymoon, and the Bryd had hitched a ride to Earth -(unknown to them), for it was pretty darned lonesome by that time.</p> - -<p>It lived very happily with them until they got old, and then it decided -to go back in time to 1950. There it found a nice friendly mind in Joe -Talbott, and after it saved Joe from blowing up the Lithium Mountain -and half the earth with it, it had settled down to snooze in Joe's mind -and hadn't awakened until Joe died of old age. Then the Bryd had hunted -a nice, stable mind and had finally picked Dale Stevenson, who was four -years old, and had curled up for another long, quiet snooze. But now it -was only twenty-four years later and Dale was in a bother.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>The Bryd went deeper into Dale's mind to see what was going on. Dale -was worried about something. In fact, he had worried so much it had -upset his normal mental balance. It seemed to have started back about -twenty years ago, a few years after the Bryd had entered Dale's mind.</p> - -<p>It seemed that Dale's parents had been killed in an atomic blowup, and -Dale, eight years old, had been taken care of by his older sister.</p> - -<p>"Don't you worry, Dale," she had told him stoutly. "I'll take good care -of you. And I'll buy your clothes and your school-books and everything. -You won't have to go to a home. I won't let them take you."</p> - -<p>That's what Dale had been scared of—going to a home. He was happy -with Marillyn. She took good care of him, and somehow managed to keep -the authorities from finding out that a thirteen-year-old girl was -supporting a small boy.</p> - -<p>Dale had understood all those things later, when he started to the -university and they became curious about his background. He realized -then what she had done.</p> - -<p>"I'll remember all those things," he told her in the first fullness -of young maturity and his sudden realization of her loyalty. "You've -practically devoted your life to me. I appreciate it. You'll see," he -said, embarrassed in this new knowledge, but humbly grateful.</p> - -<p>He got a chance to show her; for six months after his graduation, while -he was being trained at Station No. 18, he insisted that she should -come to visit his new post. Marillyn never had ridden a rocket because -she was afraid of them, but she recognized the honor he was conferring -on her, for very few persons but employees had ever set foot on a -sun-station. She agreed to go. Dale arranged passage. Then she was -severely injured in the take-off.</p> - -<p>Dale was devastated. He called in specialists, consultants, -diagnosticians.</p> - -<p>"Don't worry about it," he said. "I'll take care of everything. You'll -be all right in no time."</p> - -<p>But she wasn't. She was badly crippled, paralyzed from the waist down, -and she became pitifully thin.</p> - -<p>Dale spent most of his salary on her. Doctors told him it was useless, -nothing could help, that a part of her brain cells had been destroyed -and could not be rebuilt, that she might live fifty years but she would -always be helpless.</p> - -<p>Dale refused to believe it. "She's got to get well," he said. "It isn't -right—after all the things she did for me. When she was just a kid -and should have been skating and dancing and going with boys, she was -working to keep me from going to a home. She's entitled to some fun -now."</p> - -<p>But she didn't have a chance. Her recovery would have been contrary to -all medical experience.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Dale's salary grew until he was getting twenty-five hundred a month, -but most of it he spent on Marillyn—largely against her wishes.</p> - -<p>"Dale, I wish you wouldn't insist on trying every new-fangled cure -that comes along. I know what the situation is. I can read. I know I -won't get well. I can't. When that brain-tissue is destroyed, it's gone -forever. You go out and have some fun. Please."</p> - -<p>But Dale, worried but stubborn, said, "Do you remember that winter you -sold papers on the street so I could have skates and a sled? Do you -think I can forget that?"</p> - -<p>"I didn't mean it to become a burden to you," she said softly.</p> - -<p>He smiled. "It isn't a burden. I'm doing these things because I want -to—because I want to see you active and pretty again. I'll do it, too. -You'll see. Next month you're going to the spa at Carlsbad."</p> - -<p>She tried to dissuade him, but next month she was bundled up and -carried to the train to go to Prague.</p> - -<p>It was in Prague that Dale met Ann Wondra, last daughter of a long line -of Polish nobility. Ann was dark-haired, quick-eyed, and she could -laugh in a way that warmed a man's blood. At any rate, she warmed Dale -Stevenson's.</p> - -<p>They went hunting together. They ate dinner together. They rode -together. They visited Marillyn together, and after they came away -from Marillyn in her wheelchair, Ann said, when he stopped the car on -the top of a high hill in the moonlight from where they could see her -ancestral castle, "You're determined that she shall get well, aren't -you, Dale?"</p> - -<p>"Of course," he said.</p> - -<p>"What will you do if she doesn't?"</p> - -<p>He refused to consider that. "She will," he said confidently.</p> - -<p>By that time Dale's arms were tightly around her. So, for that matter, -were Ann's around Dale.</p> - -<p>"You are quite sure," Ann said cautiously.</p> - -<p>"I suppose," he said, in an abrupt humbleness, "it's a fixation by now. -It's something I recognize as a problem, and the best way to cure it is -to cure Marillyn. When I go out on a party, or when I am extravagant, -it nicks my conscience, because Marillyn made all these things possible -for me in the first place."</p> - -<p>"It isn't your fault that she's an invalid, is it?"</p> - -<p>"Not directly, no, although she didn't want to take that trip. However, -I don't think it's that as much as it is the feeling that if I get too -much interested in other things I might neglect her—that is, I might -be somewhere else doing something for fun just at the time when the -opportunity would come to get her cured. Do you see what I mean?"</p> - -<p>"I think so," she said gently.</p> - -<p>"For instance," he went on, very much concerned with making her -understand, "if I should spend a lot of money on other things—say, for -instance, that I should marry you and we'd build a home and all—that -would take a lot of money and it would make me unconsciously less eager -to find a cure for Marillyn because deep down I'd know I might not be -able to pay for it."</p> - -<p>Ann drew back in her arms. Her black eyes reflected the starlight. -"Dale, what did you say? Did you say 'if I should marry you'?"</p> - -<p>He looked back at her. "Uh-huh."</p> - -<p>"You've never even said you loved me."</p> - -<p>He kissed her very tenderly on the lips. "I do," he said.</p> - -<p>Then they kissed so fiercely that the Bryd, listening in solely to get -an angle on this whole business, got excited and very nearly got stuck -crosswise in the time-stream.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>But two weeks later Dale went to his post on sun-station No. 18, and -started making Paris days last all night. Six months later he was back -for a visit, and Marillyn said, "I'd like to go home, Dale. After all, -you've done your part and much more. And this isn't helping me. It's -pleasant and all that, but it won't make me walk. I could go to the -sanatorium in Florida and it would be just as pleasant and much less -expensive. Then you could pursue a normal course of life."</p> - -<p>Dale pretended to bristle. "What do you mean by that?"</p> - -<p>Marillyn smiled. "Ann is in love with you, Dale. She visits me often, -and you should see her eyes sparkle when we mention you. Dale, will you -see her tonight?"</p> - -<p>"Maybe I will," he said, "but there won't be any marriage until you are -well."</p> - -<p>"You've been apart six months now," Marillyn said softly. "Maybe if you -see her you will change your mind."</p> - -<p>Ann would be a wonderful wife. She was much like Marillyn—dark-haired, -quick-moving, dignified but warm, affectionate, and loyal. His wife -would have to be loyal, of course, like Marillyn. That was essential.</p> - -<p>He hired a car that afternoon and drove out to the castle to surprise -Ann. He reached the grounds just before dark, so he parked the car on -the hill where Ann and he had been that last night. Maybe she and he -would walk back there later.</p> - -<p>He started to walk through the grounds, and when he reached the flower -garden it was almost dark. He walked along the cinder-path by the -roses, then cut across the grass. He heard murmuring voices, and a -moment later he saw Ann walking in the garden. With her was a man, and -his arm was around her. The man stopped to snap off a rose. He turned -to Ann with a graceful, almost feminine gesture, and she smiled. Then -with elaborate and intimate motions he pinned the rose in her hair.</p> - -<p>Dale was hurt. He went back quietly to the car. Of course he had not -asked her to marry him, but then he had mentioned it—and couldn't she -be loyal to his memory? Dale was filled with unexpected jealousy.</p> - -<p>After a restless night he had just about rationalized the entire -situation. He knew the scene in the garden did not necessarily mean -anything. He would phone Ann, mention last night, and of course she -would explain. Then he picked up the morning telepaper from London and -read in the gossip column that Ann Wondra, the Polish beauty, might -soon announce her engagement to Georges Raoul Dumont, son of the French -ambassador. Dale was stricken—</p> - -<p>And was still in that state of mind, the Bryd saw, when a man came to -his hotel room that afternoon. "You are in charge of sun-station No. -18, over Paris, I believe."</p> - -<p>This was very interesting to the Bryd, because it saw that the man was -cleverly masked with a plastiform shell that did not at all appear to -be a mask.</p> - -<p>"Yes," Dale said glumly.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>The man's eyes looked speculative. He glanced at the telepaper on -Dale's bed, and the Bryd, figuratively speaking—for of course the Bryd -was nothing but pure energy—opened its eyes. For the Bryd knew the -man's thought, and was astonished to learn that Dale had been closely -watched for some time. Following the scene in the flower garden, the -item in the telepaper had been especially arranged to produce a certain -reaction in Dale Stevenson without Ann Wondra's knowledge.</p> - -<p>"You know, of course," the man said, "that France is about to disturb -world peace by invading Spain."</p> - -<p>Dale sat up and frowned. "No, I didn't know it."</p> - -<p>"It is true," the man said, watching him intently.</p> - -<p>"Why are you telling me?"</p> - -<p>The man cleared his throat significantly. "You might be in a position -to save the world from an atomic war."</p> - -<p>Dale stiffened. "You must know," he said coldly, "what my position is. -I am in the employ of the United Nations, and any attempt to control my -actions is coercion and the penalty is death."</p> - -<p>The man did not back away. He moved closer, and his eyes became black -points of force. The Bryd saw that the man had mental powers unusual -for that period of Earth's history.</p> - -<p>"Look at me, Dale Stevenson."</p> - -<p>Dale fought against it, but the man's will was powerful. Dale's -resistance weakened. The man's eyes never wavered from Dale's. He moved -still closer and spoke in a low tone. "Our information is that France -will drop atomic bombs on Spain's principal cities at three a.m. one -week from today. Suppose—just suppose—that some other nation—some -nation powerful enough to do so—should be in a position to warn France -at two-thirty that France would not be permitted to attack. Suppose -this warning were backed up with a show of force to prove the warning -meant business."</p> - -<p>"Isn't that the job of the U.N.?"</p> - -<p>The man's face was only inches now from Dale's. The Bryd shivered -in its figurative boots. This man was a master hypnotist. Only -they wouldn't call him a hypnotist in these days. They'd call him -a psyche-man. Psyche-control was much more powerful than hypnosis. -Psyche-control touched the moral inhibitions, which hypnosis never had -been able to do.</p> - -<p>Dale was lost. In the end he agreed, for a cash-on-delivery fee of -one hundred thousand dollars, to concentrate his sodium mirror beam -on Paris at two-thirty of the morning designated, and thereby, with a -smoking path of fire and ruin, help the other nation to warn France -that she must keep hands off Spain.</p> - -<p>Perhaps Dale's jealousy of Georges Raoul Dumont had a bearing on the -agreement.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Dale had been so much under the foreign agent's influence that he had -not considered the ethics of the idea at all until time to press the -button that would concentrate the sun-energy into a consuming column of -fire. The time was now ... and it was only now, with the hypnosis just -beginning to wear off at the edges, that he found himself wondering -vaguely about angles of the situation that previously had not occurred -to him.</p> - -<p>Who was the man who had talked to him? Whom did he represent? Why -hadn't he gone to the U. N. if he knew so much?</p> - -<p>But then it was true, as the man had said—if France planned to start -dropping atomic bombs at three o'clock, it would be too late to appeal -to the U.N. Dale didn't like Frenchmen anyway.</p> - -<p>Altogether, the Bryd concluded, Dale Stevenson was pretty muddled up in -his mind. The man needed a rest, but that could be worked out later. -Right now his finger was on the firing-button, and the psyche-control, -though weakened, was pushing him to finish the job.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="figcenter"> - <img src="images/illus.jpg" alt=""/> - <div class="caption"> - <p>Dale Stevenson's finger was just starting to move the button....</p> - </div> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p>Oh dear, these humans certainly could muddle things.</p> - -<p>The Bryd decided to have a look at Ann Wondra's mind. And there it got -somewhat startled, for Ann's, which previously had been all warm and -cozy as toast, was very low indeed. She was looking at a snapshot of -Dale, and it wasn't even a very good picture, but it exhilarated her -and at the same time it depressed her, because she wanted Dale but -couldn't have him.</p> - -<p>Ann was sitting cross-legged on a thick rug, drinking Darjeeling tea, -and talking to her mother.</p> - -<p>"I'm glad M. Dumont has gone back home," she said, and the Bryd noted -that there wasn't any jump in her blood-pressure when she mentioned -Georges' name—well, not much, anyway.</p> - -<p>"He's very handsome," said her mother, knitting busily. The old lady's -blood-pressure jumped more than Ann's.</p> - -<p>"But he isn't as nice as Dale Stevenson."</p> - -<p>"My sakes, Ann, I hope you don't grow to be an old maid, mooning over -that tongue-tied—"</p> - -<p>"Mother!" Ann got to her feet. She was long-legged and clean-limbed. -The Bryd approved of her. It could imagine by now what she had done to -Dale's mind. It didn't see how it had slept through it.</p> - -<p>So the Bryd took a quick transition back to America and had a look -at the mind of the doctor who took care of Marillyn Stevenson. The -physician was having lunch with a consultation expert.</p> - -<p>"You know," the doctor said, fingering a Manhattan—"I don't know what -to do about young Dale Stevenson. He's still trying to cure his sister."</p> - -<p>"Maybe there's a reason."</p> - -<p>"Sure there's a reason. He has this feeling of gratitude and loyalty -and all. That's all there is to it, but he's butting his head against -the infinite inertia. He's spending two thousand a month on that -girl—and the worst of it is, she doesn't want him to. She knows what -the score is and she's resigned to it."</p> - -<p>"Well, loyalty is a wonderful thing, but I suppose it can go too far, -and over-shadow reason, especially in the young. Is there any chance at -all for the girl?"</p> - -<p>"No possibility. Progressive degeneration of the brain-tissue." He -tossed off the Manhattan and the Bryd shuddered—it preferred Martinis, -itself. "The only thing would be a miracle, and you know how scarce -they are in the medical world." He smiled. They both smiled. The Bryd -mentally snorted. Who were they, to laugh at miracles? They thought -they were pretty damn' smart, didn't they?</p> - -<p>The Bryd decided it had better look in on Marillyn.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>It found her in a glassed-in porch of the sanatorium, with her -reclining chair facing south, and the sun pouring down through the -magnolias. The Bryd liked this. Everything was restful and peaceful -and pleasant—</p> - -<p>But something was wrong as hell in Marillyn's mind.</p> - -<p>She had a small bottle of something in one hand under the light -blanket, and she was lying back running over everything in her mind. -Dale loved Ann and Ann loved Dale. But they couldn't get married -because of Dale's exaggerated sense of duty.</p> - -<p>Marillyn didn't want to keep them apart. She could adjust herself to a -very pleasant life in a place like this, but Dale wouldn't let her. As -fast as he could save some money, he'd dream up some new scheme to get -her cured.</p> - -<p>Well, Marillyn reasoned, she wasn't of any use to anybody. Why should -she stay in Dale's way? The Bryd was puzzled. What did she think she -could do?</p> - -<p>She had the little bottle under the blanket, she was thinking. A few -drops of that and—the Bryd was positively flabbergasted. The girl -was getting ready to kill herself. The Bryd probed into her mind for -an instant and discovered that she wasn't being a martyr and had no -complexes; she was just trying to straighten things out for Dale and -Ann.</p> - -<p>Oh, beans, thought the Bryd. If humans weren't the dumbest beings ever! -It watched Marillyn raise the bottle to her lips. It simultaneously -took the form of a nurse, standing there at Marillyn's side, and -Marillyn gasped and said, "Oh, nurse, I didn't know you were there."</p> - -<p>"I am," said the Bryd in its best contralto voice. "Did you wish -something, Miss?"</p> - -<p>The hand with the bottle of poison fell back under the blanket. "No, I -didn't call."</p> - -<p>"May I move your chair out of the sun, Miss?"</p> - -<p>"It isn't in the sun," Marillyn said.</p> - -<p>The Bryd raised its eyebrows. It did some quick work on the wind, and -there was the sun, shining steadily through an opening in the magnolia -trees.</p> - -<p>"Perhaps it <i>is</i> too bright," said Marillyn. "If you'd just move it -over there—"</p> - -<p>The Bryd was delighted. In the process of moving the chair, it got its -figurative hands on the bottle and disintegrated it. Then it said, -"Miss, don't you think you will get well?"</p> - -<p>Marillyn said calmly, resignedly, "There's no chance. None whatever. -When brain-tissue is gone, there is nothing medical science can do. -They can't build tissue, you know."</p> - -<p>"Oh?" said the Bryd.</p> - -<p>"Only a miracle," said Marillyn. "And miracles don't happen in medical -science."</p> - -<p>The Bryd almost snorted aloud. Oh, they didn't, hey? It—</p> - -<p>The head nurse came striding up, her leather heels clacking on the -tile floor. "Miss—" She looked puzzled. "Who are you, anyway?" she -demanded. "I've never seen you before."</p> - -<p>These women! Maybe the Bryd was getting peevish in its old age, but why -couldn't people mind their own business for a change?</p> - -<p>It resolved itself into a doctor, and it was gratified to watch the -head nurse's eyes shoot open.</p> - -<p>"Madam," the Bryd said in its best baritone, "were you addressing me?"</p> - -<p>"I—" The head nurse swallowed. "No, sir, I—I beg your pardon, sir." -She recovered slightly. "Have I seen you before, sir?"</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Oh, bother! Details, details! Humans wouldn't be happy if they weren't -tied up in details all the time. The Bryd dematerialized and went -inside the sanatorium by the simple process of flowing through the -spaces around the nuclei of the atoms in the wall. Then, on second -thought, it went back and erased some memories from the mind of the -head nurse; then it took Marillyn through the wall into the sanatorium. -It went into her mind and did some repair work that would have amazed -the finest brain surgeons on Earth. In a few months Marillyn's -paralysis would be gone and she would be well and happy. Miracles, did -they say? Well, they'd asked for it.</p> - -<p>The Bryd was somewhat irked with itself for having interfered—but it -had been for the best.</p> - -<p>It got on a tight beam and went back to sun-station No. 18. Dale -Stevenson's finger was just starting to move the button. There was -maybe a fiftieth of a second left.</p> - -<p>The Bryd carefully implanted the knowledge of Marillyn's cure in a -corner of Dale's brain and sat back to await results. But in the next -hundredth of a second there was no response. Dale still was about to -turn the sun on Paris.</p> - -<p>So the Bryd, now thoroughly disgusted, implanted the knowledge of Ann's -love in another corner of Dale's mind and then to its astonishment had -to jump fast to get out of the way.</p> - -<p>Did that ever get results! Dale held his finger. He got up and rubbed -his forehead a moment. Then he went to the radio-phone. "Get me the -U.N. police headquarters in London," he said.</p> - -<p>He stood there beating his brains to figure out what had gotten into -him, so the Bryd just felt around and erased a few memories, and -everything was all right. Then the Bryd climbed into its favorite cozy -spot in Dale's mind. The spot was still warm and snuggly. It began to -settle down—but then it remembered something.</p> - -<p>It got up. It went back to Earth and hunted up the minds of the men who -were flying atom-bombs over France. The Bryd knew by now, of course, -that France herself had never had any atom-bombs.</p> - -<p>The Bryd went into the minds of the foreign fliers and sent them back -to drop the atom-bombs on their own cities. After all, they had those -bombs and they apparently were the kind who wouldn't be satisfied until -they could drop them. The Bryd dusted off its hands and headed wearily -for sun-station No. 18. It hoped for many restful years ahead with Dale -and Ann.</p> - -<p>If it didn't get them, the Bryd thought disgustedly, it had better try -to hitch a ride back to Pluto. At least it had had rest and quiet there.</p> - - - - - - - - -<pre> - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Bryd, by Noel Loomis - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BRYD *** - -***** This file should be named 64063-h.htm or 64063-h.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/6/4/0/6/64063/ - -Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law 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 in the United States with eBooks -not protected by U.S. copyright law. 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 -www.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 unprotected by copyright law 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 in the United States and - most other parts of the world 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. If you are not located in the - United States, you'll have to check the laws of the country where you - are located before using this ebook. - -1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is -derived from texts not protected by U.S. copyright law (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 The -Project Gutenberg Trademark LLC, 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 -works not protected by U.S. copyright law 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 1.F.3. 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 MERCHANTABILITY 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 are 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 information page at -www.gutenberg.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. 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 in Fairbanks, Alaska, with the -mailing address: PO Box 750175, Fairbanks, AK 99775, 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 contact links and up to -date contact information can be found at the Foundation's web site and -official page at www.gutenberg.org/contact - -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 www.gutenberg.org/donate - -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: www.gutenberg.org/donate - -Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works. - -Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project -Gutenberg-tm concept of a library of electronic works that could be -freely shared with anyone. For forty 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 not protected by copyright 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: 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. - - - -</pre> - -</body> -</html> diff --git a/old/64063-h/images/cover.jpg b/old/64063-h/images/cover.jpg Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index 578417e..0000000 --- a/old/64063-h/images/cover.jpg +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/64063-h/images/illus.jpg b/old/64063-h/images/illus.jpg Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index 4cdc628..0000000 --- a/old/64063-h/images/illus.jpg +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/64063.txt b/old/64063.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 5a37438..0000000 --- a/old/64063.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,1000 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Bryd, by Noel Loomis - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world 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. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: The Bryd - -Author: Noel Loomis - -Release Date: December 17, 2020 [EBook #64063] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ASCII - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BRYD *** - - - - -Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - - - - - The BRYD - - By NOEL LOOMIS - - Being immortal, the Bryd was a very wise and - resourceful Thing--but even so, the problem of - saving Dale Stevenson was a dilly. So _much_ - had to be done in one-fourth of a second! - - [Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from - Planet Stories May 1951. - Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that - the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.] - - -The Bryd was awakened with a rude jolt. It didn't even have time for -a mental yawn. Something terrible was going on in Dale Stevenson's -mind, and the turmoil there made the Bryd most uncomfortable. It shook -off the lethargy of its long sleep. It knew instinctively that Dale -Stevenson was about to get in trouble and make his mind unsuitable for -the Bryd's occupancy. - -The Bryd sighed. These humans were so unstable, so impulsive. The Bryd -took a look around. - -They--Dale Stevenson and he--were not on Earth. They seemed to be in -space somewhere, 5,100 miles from Earth. Well, well, so men finally -were breaking the shackles of gravitation. The Bryd became a little -more interested. - -But Dale Stevenson was reaching for a button that would fire a rocket -to position the mirror and burn a path across the biggest city in -Europe. Hey! what was going on here, anyway? - -The Bryd had about a quarter of a second to do a lot of research. What -was Dale Stevenson doing up here? What had he done with himself in -the twenty-four years since the Bryd had curled up in the boy's cozy -four-year-old mind and settled down for a long nap? - -The Bryd could have stayed Dale's hand for a while, but the Bryd very -much believed in minding its own business. It didn't like to interfere -with humans; that was policy. So it decided to get busy. It had a -quarter of a second to find out things and decide what, if anything, to -do about them. Certainly it couldn't expect to stay comfortably in a -mind as upset as Dale Stevenson's ... so it got busy. - - * * * * * - -The first thing to do was get oriented. The Bryd took a quick look -around. Dale Stevenson, doctor of physics, was in charge of this -sun-station, which was a man-made island in space, some three miles -in diameter. The rim of the island was composed mainly of a steel -framework like the rim of a wheel, with little cabins at various -intervals to house a power plant, various controls, rocket berths, -repair shops, and living quarters for the sun-station's crew. - -The center area of the sun-station was a giant mirror, three miles -across, made up of thin sheets of metallic sodium fastened to a -skeleton of wire nets. The sodium was very light in weight, and being -in airless and heatless space, was inert. Also it was highly reflective. - -The whole business was kept at a point approximately 5,100 miles from -Earth, where Earth's gravitational attraction approached neutrality and -where the entire space-station could be maintained in a given position -or moved at will with a minimum expenditure of energy. - -Technically the station was owned by Night Sun, Inc., along with nearly -a hundred others around Earth, and this particular station, No. 18, was -under contract to furnish illumination at night over Paris, France, by -staying out of Earth's shadow and reflecting sunlight on Paris during -the night. - -Management of such a station involved many mathematical factors in -distance, triangulation with Paris, velocity and angulation, and -control of the curve of the mirror. Normally this was a parabolic -curve, but it was constantly varied with other factors to produce the -desired degree of illumination. - -No. 18 was under the sole control of Dale Stevenson, who had been -psych-tested and certified by the United Nations licensing board. - -That made the Bryd feel a little better. It looked as if he had made a -mistake twenty-four years ago, but it also looked as if the licensing -board had been fooled within the last year, for Dale certainly was -getting ready to cause a lot of trouble in Paris. He could actuate the -controls to expand or contract the rim of the station and thus vary the -focal length of the sodium lens, and if he should actually concentrate -the sun's rays in a small area, he could draw a flaming path of ruin -through the center of Paris. - -Reluctantly the Bryd checked again, and found that that was exactly -what Dale Stevenson was about to do. The Bryd wondered why. It groaned. -Humans were always up to something. Why couldn't they relax so the Bryd -could rest? - -The Bryd had been so happy back in 2250--or let's see, was it _up_ in -2250? (This was 2045.) That was when Bob What's-his-name and that cute -girl had landed on Pluto and given him a chance to get away. The long, -lonely eons in Pluto's absolute zero had been quite monotonous to the -Bryd, which was nothing but pure energy but which certainly had its -feelings. After almost a third of a billion years marooned on Pluto it -had sometimes almost wished it had not been so adventurous in its youth -and hopped that stray comet as it had swept by its home on Arcturus. - -For it had tired of the comet and jumped off on Pluto, and then had -discovered it didn't have enough range of its own to get from Pluto to -another planet. Then it was that Bob and Alys had come along on their -'round-the-system honeymoon, and the Bryd had hitched a ride to Earth -(unknown to them), for it was pretty darned lonesome by that time. - -It lived very happily with them until they got old, and then it decided -to go back in time to 1950. There it found a nice friendly mind in Joe -Talbott, and after it saved Joe from blowing up the Lithium Mountain -and half the earth with it, it had settled down to snooze in Joe's mind -and hadn't awakened until Joe died of old age. Then the Bryd had hunted -a nice, stable mind and had finally picked Dale Stevenson, who was four -years old, and had curled up for another long, quiet snooze. But now it -was only twenty-four years later and Dale was in a bother. - - * * * * * - -The Bryd went deeper into Dale's mind to see what was going on. Dale -was worried about something. In fact, he had worried so much it had -upset his normal mental balance. It seemed to have started back about -twenty years ago, a few years after the Bryd had entered Dale's mind. - -It seemed that Dale's parents had been killed in an atomic blowup, and -Dale, eight years old, had been taken care of by his older sister. - -"Don't you worry, Dale," she had told him stoutly. "I'll take good care -of you. And I'll buy your clothes and your school-books and everything. -You won't have to go to a home. I won't let them take you." - -That's what Dale had been scared of--going to a home. He was happy -with Marillyn. She took good care of him, and somehow managed to keep -the authorities from finding out that a thirteen-year-old girl was -supporting a small boy. - -Dale had understood all those things later, when he started to the -university and they became curious about his background. He realized -then what she had done. - -"I'll remember all those things," he told her in the first fullness -of young maturity and his sudden realization of her loyalty. "You've -practically devoted your life to me. I appreciate it. You'll see," he -said, embarrassed in this new knowledge, but humbly grateful. - -He got a chance to show her; for six months after his graduation, while -he was being trained at Station No. 18, he insisted that she should -come to visit his new post. Marillyn never had ridden a rocket because -she was afraid of them, but she recognized the honor he was conferring -on her, for very few persons but employees had ever set foot on a -sun-station. She agreed to go. Dale arranged passage. Then she was -severely injured in the take-off. - -Dale was devastated. He called in specialists, consultants, -diagnosticians. - -"Don't worry about it," he said. "I'll take care of everything. You'll -be all right in no time." - -But she wasn't. She was badly crippled, paralyzed from the waist down, -and she became pitifully thin. - -Dale spent most of his salary on her. Doctors told him it was useless, -nothing could help, that a part of her brain cells had been destroyed -and could not be rebuilt, that she might live fifty years but she would -always be helpless. - -Dale refused to believe it. "She's got to get well," he said. "It isn't -right--after all the things she did for me. When she was just a kid -and should have been skating and dancing and going with boys, she was -working to keep me from going to a home. She's entitled to some fun -now." - -But she didn't have a chance. Her recovery would have been contrary to -all medical experience. - - * * * * * - -Dale's salary grew until he was getting twenty-five hundred a month, -but most of it he spent on Marillyn--largely against her wishes. - -"Dale, I wish you wouldn't insist on trying every new-fangled cure -that comes along. I know what the situation is. I can read. I know I -won't get well. I can't. When that brain-tissue is destroyed, it's gone -forever. You go out and have some fun. Please." - -But Dale, worried but stubborn, said, "Do you remember that winter you -sold papers on the street so I could have skates and a sled? Do you -think I can forget that?" - -"I didn't mean it to become a burden to you," she said softly. - -He smiled. "It isn't a burden. I'm doing these things because I want -to--because I want to see you active and pretty again. I'll do it, too. -You'll see. Next month you're going to the spa at Carlsbad." - -She tried to dissuade him, but next month she was bundled up and -carried to the train to go to Prague. - -It was in Prague that Dale met Ann Wondra, last daughter of a long line -of Polish nobility. Ann was dark-haired, quick-eyed, and she could -laugh in a way that warmed a man's blood. At any rate, she warmed Dale -Stevenson's. - -They went hunting together. They ate dinner together. They rode -together. They visited Marillyn together, and after they came away -from Marillyn in her wheelchair, Ann said, when he stopped the car on -the top of a high hill in the moonlight from where they could see her -ancestral castle, "You're determined that she shall get well, aren't -you, Dale?" - -"Of course," he said. - -"What will you do if she doesn't?" - -He refused to consider that. "She will," he said confidently. - -By that time Dale's arms were tightly around her. So, for that matter, -were Ann's around Dale. - -"You are quite sure," Ann said cautiously. - -"I suppose," he said, in an abrupt humbleness, "it's a fixation by now. -It's something I recognize as a problem, and the best way to cure it is -to cure Marillyn. When I go out on a party, or when I am extravagant, -it nicks my conscience, because Marillyn made all these things possible -for me in the first place." - -"It isn't your fault that she's an invalid, is it?" - -"Not directly, no, although she didn't want to take that trip. However, -I don't think it's that as much as it is the feeling that if I get too -much interested in other things I might neglect her--that is, I might -be somewhere else doing something for fun just at the time when the -opportunity would come to get her cured. Do you see what I mean?" - -"I think so," she said gently. - -"For instance," he went on, very much concerned with making her -understand, "if I should spend a lot of money on other things--say, for -instance, that I should marry you and we'd build a home and all--that -would take a lot of money and it would make me unconsciously less eager -to find a cure for Marillyn because deep down I'd know I might not be -able to pay for it." - -Ann drew back in her arms. Her black eyes reflected the starlight. -"Dale, what did you say? Did you say 'if I should marry you'?" - -He looked back at her. "Uh-huh." - -"You've never even said you loved me." - -He kissed her very tenderly on the lips. "I do," he said. - -Then they kissed so fiercely that the Bryd, listening in solely to get -an angle on this whole business, got excited and very nearly got stuck -crosswise in the time-stream. - - * * * * * - -But two weeks later Dale went to his post on sun-station No. 18, and -started making Paris days last all night. Six months later he was back -for a visit, and Marillyn said, "I'd like to go home, Dale. After all, -you've done your part and much more. And this isn't helping me. It's -pleasant and all that, but it won't make me walk. I could go to the -sanatorium in Florida and it would be just as pleasant and much less -expensive. Then you could pursue a normal course of life." - -Dale pretended to bristle. "What do you mean by that?" - -Marillyn smiled. "Ann is in love with you, Dale. She visits me often, -and you should see her eyes sparkle when we mention you. Dale, will you -see her tonight?" - -"Maybe I will," he said, "but there won't be any marriage until you are -well." - -"You've been apart six months now," Marillyn said softly. "Maybe if you -see her you will change your mind." - -Ann would be a wonderful wife. She was much like Marillyn--dark-haired, -quick-moving, dignified but warm, affectionate, and loyal. His wife -would have to be loyal, of course, like Marillyn. That was essential. - -He hired a car that afternoon and drove out to the castle to surprise -Ann. He reached the grounds just before dark, so he parked the car on -the hill where Ann and he had been that last night. Maybe she and he -would walk back there later. - -He started to walk through the grounds, and when he reached the flower -garden it was almost dark. He walked along the cinder-path by the -roses, then cut across the grass. He heard murmuring voices, and a -moment later he saw Ann walking in the garden. With her was a man, and -his arm was around her. The man stopped to snap off a rose. He turned -to Ann with a graceful, almost feminine gesture, and she smiled. Then -with elaborate and intimate motions he pinned the rose in her hair. - -Dale was hurt. He went back quietly to the car. Of course he had not -asked her to marry him, but then he had mentioned it--and couldn't she -be loyal to his memory? Dale was filled with unexpected jealousy. - -After a restless night he had just about rationalized the entire -situation. He knew the scene in the garden did not necessarily mean -anything. He would phone Ann, mention last night, and of course she -would explain. Then he picked up the morning telepaper from London and -read in the gossip column that Ann Wondra, the Polish beauty, might -soon announce her engagement to Georges Raoul Dumont, son of the French -ambassador. Dale was stricken-- - -And was still in that state of mind, the Bryd saw, when a man came to -his hotel room that afternoon. "You are in charge of sun-station No. -18, over Paris, I believe." - -This was very interesting to the Bryd, because it saw that the man was -cleverly masked with a plastiform shell that did not at all appear to -be a mask. - -"Yes," Dale said glumly. - - * * * * * - -The man's eyes looked speculative. He glanced at the telepaper on -Dale's bed, and the Bryd, figuratively speaking--for of course the Bryd -was nothing but pure energy--opened its eyes. For the Bryd knew the -man's thought, and was astonished to learn that Dale had been closely -watched for some time. Following the scene in the flower garden, the -item in the telepaper had been especially arranged to produce a certain -reaction in Dale Stevenson without Ann Wondra's knowledge. - -"You know, of course," the man said, "that France is about to disturb -world peace by invading Spain." - -Dale sat up and frowned. "No, I didn't know it." - -"It is true," the man said, watching him intently. - -"Why are you telling me?" - -The man cleared his throat significantly. "You might be in a position -to save the world from an atomic war." - -Dale stiffened. "You must know," he said coldly, "what my position is. -I am in the employ of the United Nations, and any attempt to control my -actions is coercion and the penalty is death." - -The man did not back away. He moved closer, and his eyes became black -points of force. The Bryd saw that the man had mental powers unusual -for that period of Earth's history. - -"Look at me, Dale Stevenson." - -Dale fought against it, but the man's will was powerful. Dale's -resistance weakened. The man's eyes never wavered from Dale's. He moved -still closer and spoke in a low tone. "Our information is that France -will drop atomic bombs on Spain's principal cities at three a.m. one -week from today. Suppose--just suppose--that some other nation--some -nation powerful enough to do so--should be in a position to warn France -at two-thirty that France would not be permitted to attack. Suppose -this warning were backed up with a show of force to prove the warning -meant business." - -"Isn't that the job of the U.N.?" - -The man's face was only inches now from Dale's. The Bryd shivered -in its figurative boots. This man was a master hypnotist. Only -they wouldn't call him a hypnotist in these days. They'd call him -a psyche-man. Psyche-control was much more powerful than hypnosis. -Psyche-control touched the moral inhibitions, which hypnosis never had -been able to do. - -Dale was lost. In the end he agreed, for a cash-on-delivery fee of -one hundred thousand dollars, to concentrate his sodium mirror beam -on Paris at two-thirty of the morning designated, and thereby, with a -smoking path of fire and ruin, help the other nation to warn France -that she must keep hands off Spain. - -Perhaps Dale's jealousy of Georges Raoul Dumont had a bearing on the -agreement. - - * * * * * - -Dale had been so much under the foreign agent's influence that he had -not considered the ethics of the idea at all until time to press the -button that would concentrate the sun-energy into a consuming column of -fire. The time was now ... and it was only now, with the hypnosis just -beginning to wear off at the edges, that he found himself wondering -vaguely about angles of the situation that previously had not occurred -to him. - -Who was the man who had talked to him? Whom did he represent? Why -hadn't he gone to the U. N. if he knew so much? - -But then it was true, as the man had said--if France planned to start -dropping atomic bombs at three o'clock, it would be too late to appeal -to the U.N. Dale didn't like Frenchmen anyway. - -Altogether, the Bryd concluded, Dale Stevenson was pretty muddled up in -his mind. The man needed a rest, but that could be worked out later. -Right now his finger was on the firing-button, and the psyche-control, -though weakened, was pushing him to finish the job. - -[Illustration: Dale Stevenson's finger was just starting to move the -button....] - -Oh dear, these humans certainly could muddle things. - -The Bryd decided to have a look at Ann Wondra's mind. And there it got -somewhat startled, for Ann's, which previously had been all warm and -cozy as toast, was very low indeed. She was looking at a snapshot of -Dale, and it wasn't even a very good picture, but it exhilarated her -and at the same time it depressed her, because she wanted Dale but -couldn't have him. - -Ann was sitting cross-legged on a thick rug, drinking Darjeeling tea, -and talking to her mother. - -"I'm glad M. Dumont has gone back home," she said, and the Bryd noted -that there wasn't any jump in her blood-pressure when she mentioned -Georges' name--well, not much, anyway. - -"He's very handsome," said her mother, knitting busily. The old lady's -blood-pressure jumped more than Ann's. - -"But he isn't as nice as Dale Stevenson." - -"My sakes, Ann, I hope you don't grow to be an old maid, mooning over -that tongue-tied--" - -"Mother!" Ann got to her feet. She was long-legged and clean-limbed. -The Bryd approved of her. It could imagine by now what she had done to -Dale's mind. It didn't see how it had slept through it. - -So the Bryd took a quick transition back to America and had a look -at the mind of the doctor who took care of Marillyn Stevenson. The -physician was having lunch with a consultation expert. - -"You know," the doctor said, fingering a Manhattan--"I don't know what -to do about young Dale Stevenson. He's still trying to cure his sister." - -"Maybe there's a reason." - -"Sure there's a reason. He has this feeling of gratitude and loyalty -and all. That's all there is to it, but he's butting his head against -the infinite inertia. He's spending two thousand a month on that -girl--and the worst of it is, she doesn't want him to. She knows what -the score is and she's resigned to it." - -"Well, loyalty is a wonderful thing, but I suppose it can go too far, -and over-shadow reason, especially in the young. Is there any chance at -all for the girl?" - -"No possibility. Progressive degeneration of the brain-tissue." He -tossed off the Manhattan and the Bryd shuddered--it preferred Martinis, -itself. "The only thing would be a miracle, and you know how scarce -they are in the medical world." He smiled. They both smiled. The Bryd -mentally snorted. Who were they, to laugh at miracles? They thought -they were pretty damn' smart, didn't they? - -The Bryd decided it had better look in on Marillyn. - - * * * * * - -It found her in a glassed-in porch of the sanatorium, with her -reclining chair facing south, and the sun pouring down through the -magnolias. The Bryd liked this. Everything was restful and peaceful -and pleasant-- - -But something was wrong as hell in Marillyn's mind. - -She had a small bottle of something in one hand under the light -blanket, and she was lying back running over everything in her mind. -Dale loved Ann and Ann loved Dale. But they couldn't get married -because of Dale's exaggerated sense of duty. - -Marillyn didn't want to keep them apart. She could adjust herself to a -very pleasant life in a place like this, but Dale wouldn't let her. As -fast as he could save some money, he'd dream up some new scheme to get -her cured. - -Well, Marillyn reasoned, she wasn't of any use to anybody. Why should -she stay in Dale's way? The Bryd was puzzled. What did she think she -could do? - -She had the little bottle under the blanket, she was thinking. A few -drops of that and--the Bryd was positively flabbergasted. The girl -was getting ready to kill herself. The Bryd probed into her mind for -an instant and discovered that she wasn't being a martyr and had no -complexes; she was just trying to straighten things out for Dale and -Ann. - -Oh, beans, thought the Bryd. If humans weren't the dumbest beings ever! -It watched Marillyn raise the bottle to her lips. It simultaneously -took the form of a nurse, standing there at Marillyn's side, and -Marillyn gasped and said, "Oh, nurse, I didn't know you were there." - -"I am," said the Bryd in its best contralto voice. "Did you wish -something, Miss?" - -The hand with the bottle of poison fell back under the blanket. "No, I -didn't call." - -"May I move your chair out of the sun, Miss?" - -"It isn't in the sun," Marillyn said. - -The Bryd raised its eyebrows. It did some quick work on the wind, and -there was the sun, shining steadily through an opening in the magnolia -trees. - -"Perhaps it _is_ too bright," said Marillyn. "If you'd just move it -over there--" - -The Bryd was delighted. In the process of moving the chair, it got its -figurative hands on the bottle and disintegrated it. Then it said, -"Miss, don't you think you will get well?" - -Marillyn said calmly, resignedly, "There's no chance. None whatever. -When brain-tissue is gone, there is nothing medical science can do. -They can't build tissue, you know." - -"Oh?" said the Bryd. - -"Only a miracle," said Marillyn. "And miracles don't happen in medical -science." - -The Bryd almost snorted aloud. Oh, they didn't, hey? It-- - -The head nurse came striding up, her leather heels clacking on the -tile floor. "Miss--" She looked puzzled. "Who are you, anyway?" she -demanded. "I've never seen you before." - -These women! Maybe the Bryd was getting peevish in its old age, but why -couldn't people mind their own business for a change? - -It resolved itself into a doctor, and it was gratified to watch the -head nurse's eyes shoot open. - -"Madam," the Bryd said in its best baritone, "were you addressing me?" - -"I--" The head nurse swallowed. "No, sir, I--I beg your pardon, sir." -She recovered slightly. "Have I seen you before, sir?" - - * * * * * - -Oh, bother! Details, details! Humans wouldn't be happy if they weren't -tied up in details all the time. The Bryd dematerialized and went -inside the sanatorium by the simple process of flowing through the -spaces around the nuclei of the atoms in the wall. Then, on second -thought, it went back and erased some memories from the mind of the -head nurse; then it took Marillyn through the wall into the sanatorium. -It went into her mind and did some repair work that would have amazed -the finest brain surgeons on Earth. In a few months Marillyn's -paralysis would be gone and she would be well and happy. Miracles, did -they say? Well, they'd asked for it. - -The Bryd was somewhat irked with itself for having interfered--but it -had been for the best. - -It got on a tight beam and went back to sun-station No. 18. Dale -Stevenson's finger was just starting to move the button. There was -maybe a fiftieth of a second left. - -The Bryd carefully implanted the knowledge of Marillyn's cure in a -corner of Dale's brain and sat back to await results. But in the next -hundredth of a second there was no response. Dale still was about to -turn the sun on Paris. - -So the Bryd, now thoroughly disgusted, implanted the knowledge of Ann's -love in another corner of Dale's mind and then to its astonishment had -to jump fast to get out of the way. - -Did that ever get results! Dale held his finger. He got up and rubbed -his forehead a moment. Then he went to the radio-phone. "Get me the -U.N. police headquarters in London," he said. - -He stood there beating his brains to figure out what had gotten into -him, so the Bryd just felt around and erased a few memories, and -everything was all right. Then the Bryd climbed into its favorite cozy -spot in Dale's mind. The spot was still warm and snuggly. It began to -settle down--but then it remembered something. - -It got up. It went back to Earth and hunted up the minds of the men who -were flying atom-bombs over France. The Bryd knew by now, of course, -that France herself had never had any atom-bombs. - -The Bryd went into the minds of the foreign fliers and sent them back -to drop the atom-bombs on their own cities. After all, they had those -bombs and they apparently were the kind who wouldn't be satisfied until -they could drop them. The Bryd dusted off its hands and headed wearily -for sun-station No. 18. It hoped for many restful years ahead with Dale -and Ann. - -If it didn't get them, the Bryd thought disgustedly, it had better try -to hitch a ride back to Pluto. At least it had had rest and quiet there. - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Bryd, by Noel Loomis - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BRYD *** - -***** This file should be named 64063.txt or 64063.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/6/4/0/6/64063/ - -Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law 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 in the United States with eBooks -not protected by U.S. copyright law. 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 -www.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 unprotected by copyright law 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 in the United States and - most other parts of the world 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. If you are not located in the - United States, you'll have to check the laws of the country where you - are located before using this ebook. - -1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is -derived from texts not protected by U.S. copyright law (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 The -Project Gutenberg Trademark LLC, 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 -works not protected by U.S. copyright law 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 1.F.3. 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 MERCHANTABILITY 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 are 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 information page at -www.gutenberg.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. 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 in Fairbanks, Alaska, with the -mailing address: PO Box 750175, Fairbanks, AK 99775, 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 contact links and up to -date contact information can be found at the Foundation's web site and -official page at www.gutenberg.org/contact - -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 www.gutenberg.org/donate - -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: www.gutenberg.org/donate - -Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works. - -Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project -Gutenberg-tm concept of a library of electronic works that could be -freely shared with anyone. For forty 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 not protected by copyright 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: 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. - diff --git a/old/64063.zip b/old/64063.zip Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index 11ff359..0000000 --- a/old/64063.zip +++ /dev/null |
