diff options
| -rw-r--r-- | .gitattributes | 4 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | LICENSE.txt | 11 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | README.md | 2 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/65767-0.txt | 1003 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/65767-0.zip | bin | 17576 -> 0 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/65767-h.zip | bin | 5668646 -> 0 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/65767-h/65767-h.htm | 1181 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/65767-h/images/cover.jpg | bin | 5509539 -> 0 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/65767-h/images/illus.jpg | bin | 158274 -> 0 bytes |
9 files changed, 17 insertions, 2184 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..7fc7491 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #65767 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/65767) diff --git a/old/65767-0.txt b/old/65767-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 45b95b1..0000000 --- a/old/65767-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,1003 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook of Ride the Crepe Ring, by Milton Lesser - -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 -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this eBook. - -Title: Ride the Crepe Ring - -Author: Milton Lesser - -Release Date: July 5, 2021 [eBook #65767] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -Produced by: Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed - Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK RIDE THE CREPE RING *** - - - - - RIDE THE CREPE RING - - By Milton Lesser - - Norma thought it would be a great thrill - to dodge the meteors in Saturn's forbidden Ring. - A thrill yes--but would she live to enjoy it?... - - [Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from - Imagination Stories of Science and Fantasy - March 1952 - Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that - the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.] - - -Mimas was a cold little world where the sun's rays seldom reached. You -stayed under a big glassite dome on the four-hundred mile sphere if you -stayed there at all, and you hardly saw the sun anyway because Saturn -and its rings were so big and so bright. - -The temperature under the dome was kept in the forties because Mimas -was a summer resort, provided you wanted to travel three quarters of a -billion miles to leave the heat and the bustle of the inferior planets -behind you. - -It was cold, but Mr. S. Smith sweated. The S. was for Socrates, but -everyone called him Smitty. Now he looked at his visitor and the sweat -formed little glistening beads on his forehead. The man was short and -stout with a bald head and a florid face. He looked silly next to -Socrates Smith because Socrates stood six and a half feet tall without -his space-boots, and he could have been a Martian bone bird for all the -flesh on his body. - -"That's the size of it, Smith," the florid little man said. "We don't -care if you _are_ a billion miles from the sun--" - -"Eight-hundred eighty-five million nine-hundred and sixty-three -thousand seventy-two," Socrates said proudly. "The most distant -pleasure-spot in the Solar System. Want to get away from it all? Come -to Mimas, with Saturn's rings right in your backyard...." - -"That's it. We've had enough monkey business. Government was sued -because it sanctioned your artificial satellite above Jupiter's Red -Spot. The Red Spot Palace--bah! More people complained of asthma--" - -"I included spacesuits with each domette, Mr. Farquhart. How did I know -somebody sold me an inferior product?" - -Farquhart shook his head. "None of my business. All your customers went -to Mars to get rid of their asthma. Mars boomed, then over-produced. -We had deflation, and the whole tourist business went to pot for three -years. Why don't you try something simple like a spa on one of the -Venusian islands? I got a cousin--" - -"Too crowded, too much competition. No, Mr. Farquhart, I have something -different here. It'll make me a million. Then I can retire, buy me an -estate on Ganymede and be out of your hair." - -"It's not as simple as that, Smith. First I got to check this place. -Is it safe? How do I know it's safe? Will you give phony asthma to ten -thousand people again?" - - * * * * * - -Socrates still sweated, but he was all business now. "Of course it's -safe. All my ships are war-surplus two-man cruisers, all twenty of -them. You trust the Space Navy, don't you?" - -"Naturally, naturally." Farquhart lit a cigar. "But what do you do with -those ships?" - -"We ride the rings, that's what we do. Only A and B, of course. The -Saturnian Merrygoround, that's what we have here. Someone's a licensed -pilot, I let him take a ship up himself. Otherwise I provide pilots." - -"But is it safe?" - -"You bet it's safe! And fun--it's terrific. The whole ring system is -a hundred and seventy-one thousand miles across, a big merrygoround. -Ten thousand miles of outer ring, sixteen thousand miles of bright -ring--all to play in. Billions of meteors, and all the tourists have to -do is dodge 'em. Great fun." - -"I don't want to be a stick in the mud, Mr. Smith, but, ah, what -happens if someone doesn't dodge?" - -"Not a chance. How could anyone miss? The ring-particles shine by -reflected sunlight--you can see each one clear as hell, and you just -avoid 'em, that's all. We don't go near the third ring, the crepe -ring--not that dark baby. That could be dangerous. You know, the -innermost ring, only seven thousand miles from Saturn itself. That's -dark as the inside of a Plutonian catacomb. I thought of a resort there -at first, but it's too damned far--" - -Farquhart stood up. "Well, I don't want to take any more of your time. -Tell you what I'll do, Smith. I'll stick around three, four days, and -watch some of your tourists. I'll be fair about the whole thing--if -it's safe, excellent: if not--" He shrugged. "You got quarters for me, -Smith?" - -Socrates started to tell him of the wonderful accommodations, thought -better of it, checked on a domette vacancy, and gave Farquhart his key. -"I'll see you," the short fat man said. - -Socrates mopped his brow. - - * * * * * - -"Can I come out now?" - -Wearily, Socrates sat down. "Yes, come on. He's gone." - -She was as tall for a girl as Socrates was for a man, and the long -cascade of her golden hair didn't need sunlight to make it gleam. She -was the prettiest thing in Mimas, and that included Socrates' glossy -new domettes. But it was because of her that he perspired. - -"Please go away," he said. "Grow up in someone else's tourist haven, -Norma, like a good girl. If you hadn't decided to see what was in the -sponge grottoes of Callisto I'd still have my business there. If you -hadn't--" - -"Bygones are bygones, Smitty. That's a good boy. But not quite. I see -your good friend Percival Farquhart is back--" - -"Is that what the P. stands for? Percival, hah-hah." - -"I wouldn't talk, _Socrates_. I wouldn't talk at all." - -"Okay, okay. But look--there's a liner for Ceres tonight. I'll buy you -a ticket. The Interplanetary Fair--" - -"I already saw it. Stinks. Besides, I have a roundtrip ticket good for -two years, so you don't have to buy me anything. You just mind your -business, and I'll mind mine. All I want to do is ride the rings." - -"Well, I'll take you up tonight. Then will you leave?" - -"Hell, no. You're not taking me anywhere. Didn't you know I got my -pilot's license?" - -"Oh, no. Don't tell me it's come to that. They didn't give you a -license!" - -"Oh yes they did. Fifth try this year, and I finally made it. Nice -young inspector, took me out to dinner afterwards. First they set his -arm, but it wasn't my fault. Those damn asteroids can really pop up -out of nowhere. Well, Smitty, which is my domette?" - -Socrates sighed. He had no choice. If he didn't let her stay she'd make -it her business to talk to Farquhart before she left. Then Farquhart -would say the place was unsafe because she had a license. And yet -Socrates wouldn't let her ride the rings. As simple as that. - -He gave her a key. "Here. But do me a favor." - -"What's that?" - -"At least don't go up without letting me know. I want to be nearby. -Please--" - -She nodded and skipped out of the room, laughing. - -Socrates knew that if you stayed in the two bright rings, and if you -kept within the prescribed speed limit of three miles a second in the -rings, you'd be all right. But not Norma. She'd hop her rockets to -seven at the very least, and even though the sun blazed off each meteor -in the rings with the reflecting brilliance of a beacon, she'd be sure -to find some way to get into trouble-- - -Socrates wondered which would be better. If he murdered Norma her -social set would bring every detective in the System to Mimas, and if -he murdered Farquhart he'd have the government on his hands. - -He drank a glass of Martian _thlomot_ and looked in the mirror. His -face was haggard. "You musn't think those thoughts, friend," he said. -"This is the twenty-third century." - - * * * * * - -On Monday he took up five tourists, and his half dozen pilots were -equally busy. But everytime he came back he saw Farquhart at the port, -like an undertaker, looking to see if anyone had been injured. - -"You liked it?" he'd say. "Izatso? Really liked it eh? Amazing--" - -With dread, Socrates awaited the first space-sick tourist. That's all -it would take: one. Farquhart would be more than happy to brand Mimas -unsafe for tourists, Saturn's rings a hazard, and Mr. Socrates Smith a -nincompoop. Maybe it was because his brother owned a spa on Venus. Or -was it an exploratorium in the asteroid belt? His cousin? - -But space was calm and remarkably free of ether-drift, and Socrates -thought that maybe, just maybe, everything would turn out all right. -Farquhart might leave, grumbling but satisfied, any day now. It all -depended on Norma. If Farquhart left before Norma decided she was ready -to ride the ring.... - -On Wednesday he spent six hours with Norma, dinner of a particularly -succulent Venusian reptile, Martian white wine, Earth trimmings. They -danced the archaic Mambo, which Socrates had revived after three -hundred years, and which showed every indication of sweeping the System -by storm. Surprisingly, Socrates had to admit to himself that he -enjoyed the evening, if only because he knew he had kept Norma busy. -That meant one more day and one more night in which she had not visited -the rings. It brought them one day closer to the time when Farquhart -would leave. - -But the kiss was different. He kissed her goodnight outside her domette -and for a moment he forgot all about Farquhart. "I'll be damned," he -said. "I liked it." - -"Umm," she said, and they kissed again. - -Socrates released her, turned around, and began to walk down the path -through the artificial garden toward his own domette. She called after -him. - -"Thanks for a lovely evening, Smitty." - -"Don't mention it. - -"You know what?" - -"What?" - -"I think I'll ride the rings tomorrow. Well, goodnight." - -Socrates tried to say goodnight, but only gurgles came out. - - * * * * * - -He was at the spacefield early in the morning. Morning on Mimas was, -of course, a relative term. It was morning on Mimas when the sun set, -because then the great bulk of Saturn came up over the horizon and -filled one third of the heavens, lighting the sky almost like the -noonday sun on Earth, its great triple ring spanning the void almost -from horizon to horizon. - -The ring--and Norma wanted to ride it today! Socrates trembled a little -when he thought of this, but he knew that for a time at least he could -go about his business. He had checked Norma's domette and she had not -been there; but she had told him that she would not ride the rings -without letting him know. That much at least he could be sure of--Norma -would be as good as her word. - -At the Administration Building, the Entwhistles awaited him. "Good -morning," Socrates said, trying to sound cheerful. - -"Morning?" This was Mrs. Entwhistle, big and round and overbearing. -"How can it be morning? The sun just set." - -Socrates explained to her, and then Mr. Entwhistle declared: "You must -never argue with a man who knows, my dear. That's his business, and if -he says it is morning, why then, it is morning." - -"Well, who will it be?" Socrates said. - -"Well--" Mr. Entwhistle began. - -"Me," said Mrs. Entwhistle. "I want to go first because if it seems too -strenuous to me then I won't send Arnold. Is it strenuous, Mr. Smith?" - -"Uh-uh. You got a medical exam on the inner worlds which okayed you for -outworld tourist travel. If you passed that you'll be fine here. Ready -any time you are, Mrs. Entwhistle." - -Mrs. Entwhistle turned white under the sunburn which she evidently had -received on one of the Martian desert resorts. It was not uncommon: -many of the tourists seemed afraid at first--after all, you took a -flimsy little two-seater and jockeyed it among the tiny motes of -Saturn's rings. The word tiny, of course, could be confusing. Some of -those motes could make a two-man cruiser look like a small speck of -dust. If you didn't know how safe all that reflected sunlight was you'd -be afraid. But the light was sufficient, and an alert pilot simply had -to mind his business and you had nothing to worry about. - - * * * * * - -Socrates got into his vac suit rapidly and adjusted the glassite helmet -over his head. He had the attendants bring an oversized suit for Mrs. -Entwhistle, although he did not tell her that was the case at all. The -vac suits represented the final precautionary measure. Any good pilot -could avoid the larger chunks with ease, but once in a long long while -a smaller particle might somehow elude the force-field which was there -to protect against it, and the vac suit assured all tourists of a -personal supply of air. - -"All set, Mrs. Entwhistle?" - -"Yes. Yes--only, you're sure it's safe?" - -"I'd take my own wife--" - -Mr. Entwhistle smiled. "You married? I didn't know you were married, -Mr. Smith." - -"He's not. Can't you see that he's not married, Arnold?" - -"I'm not," Socrates admitted. "But I'd cheerfully take my own mother. -You'll be safe, Mrs. Entwhistle." - -Mrs. Entwhistle seemed a little taken aback by this remark, but -her husband said, "Be careful, Gertrude," and then they closed the -faceplate on her glassite helmet. - -Socrates switched on his radio. "Can you hear me, Mrs. Entwhistle?" - -"Yes. Yes, I can. Better be careful, that's all I can say." - -"Relax. We'll start now." - -Mrs. Entwhistle was bulky in her vac suit, and two attendants had to -help her through the narrow lock of the ship. After that Socrates saw -to it that she was strapped securely into her seat, and her face looked -peculiarly green under the lights of the instrument panel. - -Socrates jumped outside to tell something to one of the attendants and -he saw Farquhart there waiting for him. - -"Hello, Smith. Nice day." - -"Yeah. How's it coming? Your investigation, I mean." - -"Surprisingly, fine. I'd say that if everything checks through with a -clean bill of health today I'll be leaving on tomorrow morning's liner. -If." - -Perhaps Farquhart had not meant the if to sound so ominous, but it came -out that way because Socrates immediately associated it with what Norma -had said the night before. He smiled a bit weakly now and readjusted -his helmet. Then he mumbled, "I'll see you on Ganymede in a few years," -and he went back in through the lock. - - * * * * * - -They cruised at fifteen miles a second, and within an hour they were -passing under the outer ring. Automatically he lowered their speed. - -Mrs. Entwhistle craned her neck upward, and through the top of her -glassite helmet her face looked like a fish underwater. "I thought we -go _in_ the ring, Mr. Smith." - -He nodded. "Of course we do. We're a thousand miles out now. See? If -you look carefully, you probably can see some of the bigger particles -shining." - -"Um, yes." - -"But we don't go in here. This is the outer ring and we pass under it. -We also go under Cassini's Division--the dark band which separates this -from the inner ring. I'll take you there, through the brighter ring, up -to the border of the crepe one. But then we turn back. That would be -dangerous." - -"Why?" - -"Because the crepe ring receives no sunlight. It's dark, that's why, -and we'd have to rely on radar to keep the ship out of trouble. It's -tricky business and it's dangerous. A little light flashes on and off -and it tells you which way to steer, but unless you can see what you're -doing--like you can in the bright ring, it's dangerous." - -In another few minutes Socrates cut the ship sharply upward, and before -long the solid whiteness of the ring had been replaced by a chaos of -flying rock. That's what it looked like--huge boulders, ton piled upon -ton, and the closer they came, the faster the rocks seemed to move. In -another moment the rocks were below as well as above them, and Mrs. -Entwhistle screamed. - -"What's the matter?" - -"I'm afraid. Please, Mr. Smith--" - -"You have nothing to worry about--" - -"I can't help it if I'm afraid. Take me back!" - -Socrates turned sharply and the ship zoomed through an empty space. The -rear port showed only a massive rock; it had been that close.... "If -you don't keep quiet. Please--" - -"Take me back!" - -Socrates had had a few cases like this, and taking the customer back -was comparatively simple. Although this bright ring was the largest, -and although it did have a longitudinal width of sixteen thousand -miles, its latitudinal depth was no more than ten miles. Now he gunned -the ship up and in a moment they hung poised in deep space above the -ring. "We'll stay clear of the ring and go back to Mimas--" - -"Why?" - -"You were afraid. You said so, that's why." - -"Well, I changed my mind. What would all the girls on Earth say if they -knew I hadn't actually seen the ring? Take me back, Mr. Smith. I'll be -brave." - -Socrates smiled. "That's a good girl," he said, and they dove again for -the brightness of the ring. But he almost wished she hadn't changed -her mind. Then he could have returned to the spacefield and watched for -Norma. - - * * * * * - -He cut a zigzag course through the hurtling meteors. Someone, he knew, -had once bothered to chart all the tiny particles of the ring, but it -had taken a lifetime and it was far from accurate. Socrates preferred -the seat-of-the-pants method. - -In less than two hours they had cut through the width of the ring and -ahead was darkness--darker, it seemed, than space itself. - -"A thousand miles of void, and then the crepe ring," Socrates -explained. "We'll be turning back now. Fun, Mrs. Entwhistle?" - -"Great," she agreed, but she had taken off the fishbowl helmet, and -now she was mopping her brow. "I must try it again sometime. In a few -years, of course--" - -Socrates jammed down on the rocket pedal and the fore-tubes blasted -their fire against the blackness. The little ship shuddered and Mrs. -Entwhistle emitted a sound which could have been the shrill shriek of a -tea kettle. Then Socrates turned them slowly in a great arc so as not -to harm the delicate two-hundred pound creature sitting by his side -with too much acceleration. - -Something flashed by beneath them. It could have been a meteor, except -that this was a void area. Attraction of the planet Mimas, and the -other satellites were such that no meteoric material could exist in -this space--which explained the thousand mile separation of the crepe -ring. - -Yet something had passed them, something shining brilliantly with -reflected sunlight. - -A ship! It could have been nothing but a spaceship.... Socrates knew he -had the only ships in the area, but the crepe ring was out of bounds. -The strange ship had been gunning for it at ten per-- - -Socrates barked into his radio: - -"Hello, hello! Who's out here?" - -The voice mocked him. "Who do you think?" - -He didn't have to think at all, but he felt like crying. It was Norma. -"I thought you'd tell me when you went!" - -"I tried to, honest. But you weren't on Mimas, Smitty. So I took off. -But don't worry. I've already been through the bright ring. Pretty nice -setup, Smitty." - -"I'm glad you like it. But you're heading in the wrong direction now." -Ahead of them was the darkness which obscured part of Saturn's huge -bulk--the darkness of the uncharted and mysterious crepe ring. - -"What do you mean? Isn't this the way to the dark ring?" - -"That's just it. Mimas is the other way." - -"Oh, pooh. You go back to Mimas with your ship if you want. I'd rather -see the inside of that dark ring. I'll say hello tonight, Smitty. Have -a good trip back with Mrs. Entwhistle--I checked the tourist log." - -Socrates called "Wait" into his radio at least a dozen times, but there -was no answer. - -Mrs. Entwhistle said, "Why is that crazy woman going into the crepe -ring?" - -Socrates sighed. If Norma got hurt now, his entire venture out here -would be ruined. Farquhart would see to that. Besides, quite suddenly, -he did not want Norma to get hurt. Not at all. Not ever. Maybe he was -crazy--but he liked the girl. - -"What," he demanded of Mrs. Entwhistle, "is wrong with the crepe ring?" - -"Now, that's a silly question. You told me yourself it was dangerous. -No one can see anything or some such thing--" - -"Ha, ha, ha. I was joking. Good joke--but it's the best part of the -trip. In fact, the trip is incomplete without it. I've saved it for -last." - -"So why are you trembling, Mr. Smith?" - -"Nothing. It's nothing at all. Just get back into your helmet and I'll -show you what the inside of the crepe ring is like. Go ahead, Mrs. -Entwhistle. It isn't everyone who gets a chance to see the inside of -the crepe ring...." - - * * * * * - -The darkness of space was pleasant by comparison. Here there were vague -flitting shadows, the half-seen images of huge masses of rock and metal -hurtling through space in their eternal revolution around Saturn. One -would be more than enough to crush their little ship--and Norma's.... - -Socrates hardly had time to think of it, hardly had time to hear Mrs. -Entwhistle whimpering with each sudden burst of acceleration. On and -off overhead the red and the green lights winked, and Socrates played -on the firing pedals like an organist, trying to blast their way clear -of the unseen rocks all about them. Once a yellow light winked and he -knew that one of the meteoric pebbles had streaked through their ship: -it now was an airless place, and only their flimsy spacesuits stood -between them and the cold, beckoning void of space. - -Someone was shouting, and at first he thought it was Mrs. Entwhistle.... - -Norma! - -"Hey, Smitty!" - -"Yes. Yes, Norma." - -"I can see you back there. See me?" - -"Ahead a bit? Yeah, I see you." Her ship flashed once and then was -gone in the obscuring darkness, but it flashed again, and this time he -probed out with a beam of radar and he held it. - -"I'm glad you see me, Smitty, because I think you'll have to come and -get me. I'm scared. My ship's a mess, gutted with holes. This place -is--awful." - -Socrates muttered to himself and pushed the aft pedals to the floor. -Mrs. Entwhistle was slammed back in her seat and Socrates could see -that she was trying to scream, only she couldn't quite make it. - -Only the green light flashed now, because the red-warning signal -remained bright: it lit the way to Norma. A score of miles, but their -zigzag course would make it more like several hundred--if they got -there. Socrates' insides began to hurt from the acceleration. His feet -were numb from working the pedals. Green light, step down, right, left, -again, green, aft pedal, aft pedal!... Socrates soon realized that he -was talking to himself. - - * * * * * - -Joining air locks in space was at best a ticklish business, but with -the added hazard of the meteors, Socrates did not know if it could be -done. He only knew one thing. It _had_ to be done. Norma's ship could -have been a derelict for all the activity it showed, and while it had -been pelted thus far only with smaller stones, one big rock would be -more than enough to prove fatal. - -They crept forward slowly, it seemed, inches at a time--and three times -he had almost locked the two ships together, but at the last moment -he had to swing away. The action would force the other ship back as -well, and a massive chunk of cosmic debris would zoom through the void -between them. Close.... - -He locked them together finally, and then, vaguely, he remembered -running for the airlock. He found it, pulled the catch and opened -Norma's lock from the outside. He stood for a moment within her ship. - -She was slumped over the pilot chair in her spacesuit. He ran to her -and lifted her across his shoulder, heading back for the lock. Then -he was through it and Norma sat on the floor, partly conscious, in -his own ship. He ran forward to the controls, pushing aside Mrs. -Entwhistle--who had fallen across both chairs, breaking her strap in -the process. - -He fired all the aft rockets at once, blasting straight up towards the -top of the ring. - -In seconds they were clear, but not before he had seen a huge, almost -spherical meteor grind into and through Norma's ship.... - - * * * * * - -Both women were conscious when they reached the spaceport. Socrates -smiled at Mrs. Entwhistle. - -"Yes sir, you're a lucky young lady." - -"Lucky? I feel almost dead." - -"Ridiculous! You were the only tourist ever taken through that ring, -the crepe ring. You'll be famous. Wait until you tell all your friends. -I only took you because you seemed so obviously brave...." - -"Go ahead," Norma chided, "pile it on, pile it on--" - -Socrates told her, in his severest tones, that he'd get to her later. -After that, he was busy bringing the little ship down on Mimas' one -spacefield. - -Mr. Entwhistle and Farquhart met them when they landed. The smaller, -thinner man seemed worried, but now he took his wife's hand and asked -her, "How did you like it?" - -Socrates waited breathlessly. If Farquhart found out.... - -"I loved it!" Mrs. Entwhistle fairly shrieked. "Wait until you hear, -Arnold--and wait until we get back to Earth. We'll leave at once, on -tomorrow's liner. After I tell Aunt Sophie--" - -"See?" Socrates turned to Farquhart. - -"Um, I must admit it looks good this time, Smith. What about you, Miss?" - -Norma grinned. "I had quite a time, quite a time. _My_ ship--" - -Socrates kissed her soundly on the lips, and whatever else she might -have said was lost in the hurried smacking sound. - -Farquhart cleared his throat. "I never knew you took two passengers up -at once, Smith. And I didn't see her before--" - -"She's here, isn't she?" - -"Umm--" - -"You never know what we'll do here on Mimas...." - -"Umm, well--I guess you're in order this time, Smith. Good luck." - -Norma said, "My ship--" - -Socrates kissed her again. Then he said. "If you don't shut up I think -I'll have to marry you. That's exactly what I'll have to do...." - -Norma's eyes glowed at him. "As I was saying, darling, _our_ ship...." - -This time she was kissing him. - -*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK RIDE THE CREPE RING *** - -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 an eBook, except by following -the terms of the trademark license, including paying royalties for use -of the Project Gutenberg trademark. If you do not charge anything for -copies of this eBook, complying with the trademark license is very -easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose such as creation -of derivative works, reports, performances and research. Project -Gutenberg eBooks 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 other than 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 will 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 website -(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 the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the manager 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 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 website -and official page at www.gutenberg.org/contact - -Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg -Literary Archive Foundation - -Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without -widespread 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 website which has the main PG search -facility: www.gutenberg.org - -This website 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/65767-0.zip b/old/65767-0.zip Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index d5fa2ff..0000000 --- a/old/65767-0.zip +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/65767-h.zip b/old/65767-h.zip Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index cd9290f..0000000 --- a/old/65767-h.zip +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/65767-h/65767-h.htm b/old/65767-h/65767-h.htm deleted file mode 100644 index 2dd8625..0000000 --- a/old/65767-h/65767-h.htm +++ /dev/null @@ -1,1181 +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 Ride the Crepe Ring, by Milton Lesser. - </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; -} - -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> - -<div style='text-align:center; font-size:1.2em; font-weight:bold'>The Project Gutenberg eBook of Ride the Crepe Ring, by Milton Lesser</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -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 <a href="https://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a>. If you -are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the -country where you are located before using this eBook. -</div> - -<p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Title: Ride the Crepe Ring</p> - -<div style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Author: Milton Lesser</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>Release Date: July 5, 2021 [eBook #65767]</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>Language: English</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>Character set encoding: UTF-8</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Produced by: Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net</div> - -<div style='margin-top:2em; margin-bottom:4em'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK RIDE THE CREPE RING ***</div> - -<div class="titlepage"> - -<h1>RIDE THE CREPE RING</h1> - -<h2>By Milton Lesser</h2> - -<p>Norma thought it would be a great thrill<br /> -to dodge the meteors in Saturn's forbidden Ring.<br /> -A thrill yes—but would she live to enjoy it?...</p> - -<p>[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from<br /> -Imagination Stories of Science and Fantasy<br /> -March 1952<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>Mimas was a cold little world where the sun's rays seldom reached. You -stayed under a big glassite dome on the four-hundred mile sphere if you -stayed there at all, and you hardly saw the sun anyway because Saturn -and its rings were so big and so bright.</p> - -<p>The temperature under the dome was kept in the forties because Mimas -was a summer resort, provided you wanted to travel three quarters of a -billion miles to leave the heat and the bustle of the inferior planets -behind you.</p> - -<p>It was cold, but Mr. S. Smith sweated. The S. was for Socrates, but -everyone called him Smitty. Now he looked at his visitor and the sweat -formed little glistening beads on his forehead. The man was short and -stout with a bald head and a florid face. He looked silly next to -Socrates Smith because Socrates stood six and a half feet tall without -his space-boots, and he could have been a Martian bone bird for all the -flesh on his body.</p> - -<p>"That's the size of it, Smith," the florid little man said. "We don't -care if you <i>are</i> a billion miles from the sun—"</p> - -<p>"Eight-hundred eighty-five million nine-hundred and sixty-three -thousand seventy-two," Socrates said proudly. "The most distant -pleasure-spot in the Solar System. Want to get away from it all? Come -to Mimas, with Saturn's rings right in your backyard...."</p> - -<p>"That's it. We've had enough monkey business. Government was sued -because it sanctioned your artificial satellite above Jupiter's Red -Spot. The Red Spot Palace—bah! More people complained of asthma—"</p> - -<p>"I included spacesuits with each domette, Mr. Farquhart. How did I know -somebody sold me an inferior product?"</p> - -<p>Farquhart shook his head. "None of my business. All your customers went -to Mars to get rid of their asthma. Mars boomed, then over-produced. -We had deflation, and the whole tourist business went to pot for three -years. Why don't you try something simple like a spa on one of the -Venusian islands? I got a cousin—"</p> - -<p>"Too crowded, too much competition. No, Mr. Farquhart, I have something -different here. It'll make me a million. Then I can retire, buy me an -estate on Ganymede and be out of your hair."</p> - -<p>"It's not as simple as that, Smith. First I got to check this place. -Is it safe? How do I know it's safe? Will you give phony asthma to ten -thousand people again?"</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Socrates still sweated, but he was all business now. "Of course it's -safe. All my ships are war-surplus two-man cruisers, all twenty of -them. You trust the Space Navy, don't you?"</p> - -<p>"Naturally, naturally." Farquhart lit a cigar. "But what do you do with -those ships?"</p> - -<p>"We ride the rings, that's what we do. Only A and B, of course. The -Saturnian Merrygoround, that's what we have here. Someone's a licensed -pilot, I let him take a ship up himself. Otherwise I provide pilots."</p> - -<p>"But is it safe?"</p> - -<p>"You bet it's safe! And fun—it's terrific. The whole ring system is -a hundred and seventy-one thousand miles across, a big merrygoround. -Ten thousand miles of outer ring, sixteen thousand miles of bright -ring—all to play in. Billions of meteors, and all the tourists have to -do is dodge 'em. Great fun."</p> - -<p>"I don't want to be a stick in the mud, Mr. Smith, but, ah, what -happens if someone doesn't dodge?"</p> - -<p>"Not a chance. How could anyone miss? The ring-particles shine by -reflected sunlight—you can see each one clear as hell, and you just -avoid 'em, that's all. We don't go near the third ring, the crepe -ring—not that dark baby. That could be dangerous. You know, the -innermost ring, only seven thousand miles from Saturn itself. That's -dark as the inside of a Plutonian catacomb. I thought of a resort there -at first, but it's too damned far—"</p> - -<p>Farquhart stood up. "Well, I don't want to take any more of your time. -Tell you what I'll do, Smith. I'll stick around three, four days, and -watch some of your tourists. I'll be fair about the whole thing—if -it's safe, excellent: if not—" He shrugged. "You got quarters for me, -Smith?"</p> - -<p>Socrates started to tell him of the wonderful accommodations, thought -better of it, checked on a domette vacancy, and gave Farquhart his key. -"I'll see you," the short fat man said.</p> - -<p>Socrates mopped his brow.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>"Can I come out now?"</p> - -<p>Wearily, Socrates sat down. "Yes, come on. He's gone."</p> - -<p>She was as tall for a girl as Socrates was for a man, and the long -cascade of her golden hair didn't need sunlight to make it gleam. She -was the prettiest thing in Mimas, and that included Socrates' glossy -new domettes. But it was because of her that he perspired.</p> - -<p>"Please go away," he said. "Grow up in someone else's tourist haven, -Norma, like a good girl. If you hadn't decided to see what was in the -sponge grottoes of Callisto I'd still have my business there. If you -hadn't—"</p> - -<p>"Bygones are bygones, Smitty. That's a good boy. But not quite. I see -your good friend Percival Farquhart is back—"</p> - -<p>"Is that what the P. stands for? Percival, hah-hah."</p> - -<p>"I wouldn't talk, <i>Socrates</i>. I wouldn't talk at all."</p> - -<p>"Okay, okay. But look—there's a liner for Ceres tonight. I'll buy you -a ticket. The Interplanetary Fair—"</p> - -<p>"I already saw it. Stinks. Besides, I have a roundtrip ticket good for -two years, so you don't have to buy me anything. You just mind your -business, and I'll mind mine. All I want to do is ride the rings."</p> - -<p>"Well, I'll take you up tonight. Then will you leave?"</p> - -<p>"Hell, no. You're not taking me anywhere. Didn't you know I got my -pilot's license?"</p> - -<p>"Oh, no. Don't tell me it's come to that. They didn't give you a -license!"</p> - -<p>"Oh yes they did. Fifth try this year, and I finally made it. Nice -young inspector, took me out to dinner afterwards. First they set his -arm, but it wasn't my fault. Those damn asteroids can really pop up -out of nowhere. Well, Smitty, which is my domette?"</p> - -<p>Socrates sighed. He had no choice. If he didn't let her stay she'd make -it her business to talk to Farquhart before she left. Then Farquhart -would say the place was unsafe because she had a license. And yet -Socrates wouldn't let her ride the rings. As simple as that.</p> - -<p>He gave her a key. "Here. But do me a favor."</p> - -<p>"What's that?"</p> - -<p>"At least don't go up without letting me know. I want to be nearby. -Please—"</p> - -<p>She nodded and skipped out of the room, laughing.</p> - -<p>Socrates knew that if you stayed in the two bright rings, and if you -kept within the prescribed speed limit of three miles a second in the -rings, you'd be all right. But not Norma. She'd hop her rockets to -seven at the very least, and even though the sun blazed off each meteor -in the rings with the reflecting brilliance of a beacon, she'd be sure -to find some way to get into trouble—</p> - -<p>Socrates wondered which would be better. If he murdered Norma her -social set would bring every detective in the System to Mimas, and if -he murdered Farquhart he'd have the government on his hands.</p> - -<p>He drank a glass of Martian <i>thlomot</i> and looked in the mirror. His -face was haggard. "You musn't think those thoughts, friend," he said. -"This is the twenty-third century."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>On Monday he took up five tourists, and his half dozen pilots were -equally busy. But everytime he came back he saw Farquhart at the port, -like an undertaker, looking to see if anyone had been injured.</p> - -<p>"You liked it?" he'd say. "Izatso? Really liked it eh? Amazing—"</p> - -<p>With dread, Socrates awaited the first space-sick tourist. That's all -it would take: one. Farquhart would be more than happy to brand Mimas -unsafe for tourists, Saturn's rings a hazard, and Mr. Socrates Smith a -nincompoop. Maybe it was because his brother owned a spa on Venus. Or -was it an exploratorium in the asteroid belt? His cousin?</p> - -<p>But space was calm and remarkably free of ether-drift, and Socrates -thought that maybe, just maybe, everything would turn out all right. -Farquhart might leave, grumbling but satisfied, any day now. It all -depended on Norma. If Farquhart left before Norma decided she was ready -to ride the ring....</p> - -<p>On Wednesday he spent six hours with Norma, dinner of a particularly -succulent Venusian reptile, Martian white wine, Earth trimmings. They -danced the archaic Mambo, which Socrates had revived after three -hundred years, and which showed every indication of sweeping the System -by storm. Surprisingly, Socrates had to admit to himself that he -enjoyed the evening, if only because he knew he had kept Norma busy. -That meant one more day and one more night in which she had not visited -the rings. It brought them one day closer to the time when Farquhart -would leave.</p> - -<p>But the kiss was different. He kissed her goodnight outside her domette -and for a moment he forgot all about Farquhart. "I'll be damned," he -said. "I liked it."</p> - -<p>"Umm," she said, and they kissed again.</p> - -<p>Socrates released her, turned around, and began to walk down the path -through the artificial garden toward his own domette. She called after -him.</p> - -<p>"Thanks for a lovely evening, Smitty."</p> - -<p>"Don't mention it.</p> - -<p>"You know what?"</p> - -<p>"What?"</p> - -<p>"I think I'll ride the rings tomorrow. Well, goodnight."</p> - -<p>Socrates tried to say goodnight, but only gurgles came out.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>He was at the spacefield early in the morning. Morning on Mimas was, -of course, a relative term. It was morning on Mimas when the sun set, -because then the great bulk of Saturn came up over the horizon and -filled one third of the heavens, lighting the sky almost like the -noonday sun on Earth, its great triple ring spanning the void almost -from horizon to horizon.</p> - -<p>The ring—and Norma wanted to ride it today! Socrates trembled a little -when he thought of this, but he knew that for a time at least he could -go about his business. He had checked Norma's domette and she had not -been there; but she had told him that she would not ride the rings -without letting him know. That much at least he could be sure of—Norma -would be as good as her word.</p> - -<p>At the Administration Building, the Entwhistles awaited him. "Good -morning," Socrates said, trying to sound cheerful.</p> - -<p>"Morning?" This was Mrs. Entwhistle, big and round and overbearing. -"How can it be morning? The sun just set."</p> - -<p>Socrates explained to her, and then Mr. Entwhistle declared: "You must -never argue with a man who knows, my dear. That's his business, and if -he says it is morning, why then, it is morning."</p> - -<p>"Well, who will it be?" Socrates said.</p> - -<p>"Well—" Mr. Entwhistle began.</p> - -<p>"Me," said Mrs. Entwhistle. "I want to go first because if it seems too -strenuous to me then I won't send Arnold. Is it strenuous, Mr. Smith?"</p> - -<p>"Uh-uh. You got a medical exam on the inner worlds which okayed you for -outworld tourist travel. If you passed that you'll be fine here. Ready -any time you are, Mrs. Entwhistle."</p> - -<p>Mrs. Entwhistle turned white under the sunburn which she evidently had -received on one of the Martian desert resorts. It was not uncommon: -many of the tourists seemed afraid at first—after all, you took a -flimsy little two-seater and jockeyed it among the tiny motes of -Saturn's rings. The word tiny, of course, could be confusing. Some of -those motes could make a two-man cruiser look like a small speck of -dust. If you didn't know how safe all that reflected sunlight was you'd -be afraid. But the light was sufficient, and an alert pilot simply had -to mind his business and you had nothing to worry about.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Socrates got into his vac suit rapidly and adjusted the glassite helmet -over his head. He had the attendants bring an oversized suit for Mrs. -Entwhistle, although he did not tell her that was the case at all. The -vac suits represented the final precautionary measure. Any good pilot -could avoid the larger chunks with ease, but once in a long long while -a smaller particle might somehow elude the force-field which was there -to protect against it, and the vac suit assured all tourists of a -personal supply of air.</p> - -<p>"All set, Mrs. Entwhistle?"</p> - -<p>"Yes. Yes—only, you're sure it's safe?"</p> - -<p>"I'd take my own wife—"</p> - -<p>Mr. Entwhistle smiled. "You married? I didn't know you were married, -Mr. Smith."</p> - -<p>"He's not. Can't you see that he's not married, Arnold?"</p> - -<p>"I'm not," Socrates admitted. "But I'd cheerfully take my own mother. -You'll be safe, Mrs. Entwhistle."</p> - -<p>Mrs. Entwhistle seemed a little taken aback by this remark, but -her husband said, "Be careful, Gertrude," and then they closed the -faceplate on her glassite helmet.</p> - -<p>Socrates switched on his radio. "Can you hear me, Mrs. Entwhistle?"</p> - -<p>"Yes. Yes, I can. Better be careful, that's all I can say."</p> - -<p>"Relax. We'll start now."</p> - -<p>Mrs. Entwhistle was bulky in her vac suit, and two attendants had to -help her through the narrow lock of the ship. After that Socrates saw -to it that she was strapped securely into her seat, and her face looked -peculiarly green under the lights of the instrument panel.</p> - -<p>Socrates jumped outside to tell something to one of the attendants and -he saw Farquhart there waiting for him.</p> - -<p>"Hello, Smith. Nice day."</p> - -<p>"Yeah. How's it coming? Your investigation, I mean."</p> - -<p>"Surprisingly, fine. I'd say that if everything checks through with a -clean bill of health today I'll be leaving on tomorrow morning's liner. -If."</p> - -<p>Perhaps Farquhart had not meant the if to sound so ominous, but it came -out that way because Socrates immediately associated it with what Norma -had said the night before. He smiled a bit weakly now and readjusted -his helmet. Then he mumbled, "I'll see you on Ganymede in a few years," -and he went back in through the lock.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>They cruised at fifteen miles a second, and within an hour they were -passing under the outer ring. Automatically he lowered their speed.</p> - -<p>Mrs. Entwhistle craned her neck upward, and through the top of her -glassite helmet her face looked like a fish underwater. "I thought we -go <i>in</i> the ring, Mr. Smith."</p> - -<p>He nodded. "Of course we do. We're a thousand miles out now. See? If -you look carefully, you probably can see some of the bigger particles -shining."</p> - -<p>"Um, yes."</p> - -<p>"But we don't go in here. This is the outer ring and we pass under it. -We also go under Cassini's Division—the dark band which separates this -from the inner ring. I'll take you there, through the brighter ring, up -to the border of the crepe one. But then we turn back. That would be -dangerous."</p> - -<p>"Why?"</p> - -<p>"Because the crepe ring receives no sunlight. It's dark, that's why, -and we'd have to rely on radar to keep the ship out of trouble. It's -tricky business and it's dangerous. A little light flashes on and off -and it tells you which way to steer, but unless you can see what you're -doing—like you can in the bright ring, it's dangerous."</p> - -<p>In another few minutes Socrates cut the ship sharply upward, and before -long the solid whiteness of the ring had been replaced by a chaos of -flying rock. That's what it looked like—huge boulders, ton piled upon -ton, and the closer they came, the faster the rocks seemed to move. In -another moment the rocks were below as well as above them, and Mrs. -Entwhistle screamed.</p> - -<p>"What's the matter?"</p> - -<p>"I'm afraid. Please, Mr. Smith—"</p> - -<p>"You have nothing to worry about—"</p> - -<p>"I can't help it if I'm afraid. Take me back!"</p> - -<p>Socrates turned sharply and the ship zoomed through an empty space. The -rear port showed only a massive rock; it had been that close.... "If -you don't keep quiet. Please—"</p> - -<p>"Take me back!"</p> - -<p>Socrates had had a few cases like this, and taking the customer back -was comparatively simple. Although this bright ring was the largest, -and although it did have a longitudinal width of sixteen thousand -miles, its latitudinal depth was no more than ten miles. Now he gunned -the ship up and in a moment they hung poised in deep space above the -ring. "We'll stay clear of the ring and go back to Mimas—"</p> - -<p>"Why?"</p> - -<p>"You were afraid. You said so, that's why."</p> - -<p>"Well, I changed my mind. What would all the girls on Earth say if they -knew I hadn't actually seen the ring? Take me back, Mr. Smith. I'll be -brave."</p> - -<p>Socrates smiled. "That's a good girl," he said, and they dove again for -the brightness of the ring. But he almost wished she hadn't changed -her mind. Then he could have returned to the spacefield and watched for -Norma.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>He cut a zigzag course through the hurtling meteors. Someone, he knew, -had once bothered to chart all the tiny particles of the ring, but it -had taken a lifetime and it was far from accurate. Socrates preferred -the seat-of-the-pants method.</p> - -<p>In less than two hours they had cut through the width of the ring and -ahead was darkness—darker, it seemed, than space itself.</p> - -<p>"A thousand miles of void, and then the crepe ring," Socrates -explained. "We'll be turning back now. Fun, Mrs. Entwhistle?"</p> - -<p>"Great," she agreed, but she had taken off the fishbowl helmet, and -now she was mopping her brow. "I must try it again sometime. In a few -years, of course—"</p> - -<p>Socrates jammed down on the rocket pedal and the fore-tubes blasted -their fire against the blackness. The little ship shuddered and Mrs. -Entwhistle emitted a sound which could have been the shrill shriek of a -tea kettle. Then Socrates turned them slowly in a great arc so as not -to harm the delicate two-hundred pound creature sitting by his side -with too much acceleration.</p> - -<p>Something flashed by beneath them. It could have been a meteor, except -that this was a void area. Attraction of the planet Mimas, and the -other satellites were such that no meteoric material could exist in -this space—which explained the thousand mile separation of the crepe -ring.</p> - -<p>Yet something had passed them, something shining brilliantly with -reflected sunlight.</p> - -<p>A ship! It could have been nothing but a spaceship.... Socrates knew he -had the only ships in the area, but the crepe ring was out of bounds. -The strange ship had been gunning for it at ten per—</p> - -<p>Socrates barked into his radio:</p> - -<p>"Hello, hello! Who's out here?"</p> - -<p>The voice mocked him. "Who do you think?"</p> - -<p>He didn't have to think at all, but he felt like crying. It was Norma. -"I thought you'd tell me when you went!"</p> - -<p>"I tried to, honest. But you weren't on Mimas, Smitty. So I took off. -But don't worry. I've already been through the bright ring. Pretty nice -setup, Smitty."</p> - -<p>"I'm glad you like it. But you're heading in the wrong direction now." -Ahead of them was the darkness which obscured part of Saturn's huge -bulk—the darkness of the uncharted and mysterious crepe ring.</p> - -<p>"What do you mean? Isn't this the way to the dark ring?"</p> - -<p>"That's just it. Mimas is the other way."</p> - -<p>"Oh, pooh. You go back to Mimas with your ship if you want. I'd rather -see the inside of that dark ring. I'll say hello tonight, Smitty. Have -a good trip back with Mrs. Entwhistle—I checked the tourist log."</p> - -<p>Socrates called "Wait" into his radio at least a dozen times, but there -was no answer.</p> - -<p>Mrs. Entwhistle said, "Why is that crazy woman going into the crepe -ring?"</p> - -<p>Socrates sighed. If Norma got hurt now, his entire venture out here -would be ruined. Farquhart would see to that. Besides, quite suddenly, -he did not want Norma to get hurt. Not at all. Not ever. Maybe he was -crazy—but he liked the girl.</p> - -<p>"What," he demanded of Mrs. Entwhistle, "is wrong with the crepe ring?"</p> - -<p>"Now, that's a silly question. You told me yourself it was dangerous. -No one can see anything or some such thing—"</p> - -<p>"Ha, ha, ha. I was joking. Good joke—but it's the best part of the -trip. In fact, the trip is incomplete without it. I've saved it for -last."</p> - -<p>"So why are you trembling, Mr. Smith?"</p> - -<p>"Nothing. It's nothing at all. Just get back into your helmet and I'll -show you what the inside of the crepe ring is like. Go ahead, Mrs. -Entwhistle. It isn't everyone who gets a chance to see the inside of -the crepe ring...."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>The darkness of space was pleasant by comparison. Here there were vague -flitting shadows, the half-seen images of huge masses of rock and metal -hurtling through space in their eternal revolution around Saturn. One -would be more than enough to crush their little ship—and Norma's....</p> - -<p>Socrates hardly had time to think of it, hardly had time to hear Mrs. -Entwhistle whimpering with each sudden burst of acceleration. On and -off overhead the red and the green lights winked, and Socrates played -on the firing pedals like an organist, trying to blast their way clear -of the unseen rocks all about them. Once a yellow light winked and he -knew that one of the meteoric pebbles had streaked through their ship: -it now was an airless place, and only their flimsy spacesuits stood -between them and the cold, beckoning void of space.</p> - -<p>Someone was shouting, and at first he thought it was Mrs. Entwhistle....</p> - -<p>Norma!</p> - -<p>"Hey, Smitty!"</p> - -<p>"Yes. Yes, Norma."</p> - -<p>"I can see you back there. See me?"</p> - -<p>"Ahead a bit? Yeah, I see you." Her ship flashed once and then was -gone in the obscuring darkness, but it flashed again, and this time he -probed out with a beam of radar and he held it.</p> - -<p>"I'm glad you see me, Smitty, because I think you'll have to come and -get me. I'm scared. My ship's a mess, gutted with holes. This place -is—awful."</p> - -<p>Socrates muttered to himself and pushed the aft pedals to the floor. -Mrs. Entwhistle was slammed back in her seat and Socrates could see -that she was trying to scream, only she couldn't quite make it.</p> - -<p>Only the green light flashed now, because the red-warning signal -remained bright: it lit the way to Norma. A score of miles, but their -zigzag course would make it more like several hundred—if they got -there. Socrates' insides began to hurt from the acceleration. His feet -were numb from working the pedals. Green light, step down, right, left, -again, green, aft pedal, aft pedal!... Socrates soon realized that he -was talking to himself.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Joining air locks in space was at best a ticklish business, but with -the added hazard of the meteors, Socrates did not know if it could be -done. He only knew one thing. It <i>had</i> to be done. Norma's ship could -have been a derelict for all the activity it showed, and while it had -been pelted thus far only with smaller stones, one big rock would be -more than enough to prove fatal.</p> - -<p>They crept forward slowly, it seemed, inches at a time—and three times -he had almost locked the two ships together, but at the last moment -he had to swing away. The action would force the other ship back as -well, and a massive chunk of cosmic debris would zoom through the void -between them. Close....</p> - -<p>He locked them together finally, and then, vaguely, he remembered -running for the airlock. He found it, pulled the catch and opened -Norma's lock from the outside. He stood for a moment within her ship.</p> - -<p>She was slumped over the pilot chair in her spacesuit. He ran to her -and lifted her across his shoulder, heading back for the lock. Then -he was through it and Norma sat on the floor, partly conscious, in -his own ship. He ran forward to the controls, pushing aside Mrs. -Entwhistle—who had fallen across both chairs, breaking her strap in -the process.</p> - -<p>He fired all the aft rockets at once, blasting straight up towards the -top of the ring.</p> - -<p>In seconds they were clear, but not before he had seen a huge, almost -spherical meteor grind into and through Norma's ship....</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="figcenter"> - <img src="images/illus.jpg" alt=""/> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p>Both women were conscious when they reached the spaceport. Socrates -smiled at Mrs. Entwhistle.</p> - -<p>"Yes sir, you're a lucky young lady."</p> - -<p>"Lucky? I feel almost dead."</p> - -<p>"Ridiculous! You were the only tourist ever taken through that ring, -the crepe ring. You'll be famous. Wait until you tell all your friends. -I only took you because you seemed so obviously brave...."</p> - -<p>"Go ahead," Norma chided, "pile it on, pile it on—"</p> - -<p>Socrates told her, in his severest tones, that he'd get to her later. -After that, he was busy bringing the little ship down on Mimas' one -spacefield.</p> - -<p>Mr. Entwhistle and Farquhart met them when they landed. The smaller, -thinner man seemed worried, but now he took his wife's hand and asked -her, "How did you like it?"</p> - -<p>Socrates waited breathlessly. If Farquhart found out....</p> - -<p>"I loved it!" Mrs. Entwhistle fairly shrieked. "Wait until you hear, -Arnold—and wait until we get back to Earth. We'll leave at once, on -tomorrow's liner. After I tell Aunt Sophie—"</p> - -<p>"See?" Socrates turned to Farquhart.</p> - -<p>"Um, I must admit it looks good this time, Smith. What about you, Miss?"</p> - -<p>Norma grinned. "I had quite a time, quite a time. <i>My</i> ship—"</p> - -<p>Socrates kissed her soundly on the lips, and whatever else she might -have said was lost in the hurried smacking sound.</p> - -<p>Farquhart cleared his throat. "I never knew you took two passengers up -at once, Smith. And I didn't see her before—"</p> - -<p>"She's here, isn't she?"</p> - -<p>"Umm—"</p> - -<p>"You never know what we'll do here on Mimas...."</p> - -<p>"Umm, well—I guess you're in order this time, Smith. Good luck."</p> - -<p>Norma said, "My ship—"</p> - -<p>Socrates kissed her again. Then he said. "If you don't shut up I think -I'll have to marry you. That's exactly what I'll have to do...."</p> - -<p>Norma's eyes glowed at him. "As I was saying, darling, <i>our</i> ship...."</p> - -<p>This time she was kissing him.</p> - -<div style='display:block; margin-top:4em'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK RIDE THE CREPE RING ***</div> -<div style='text-align:left'> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -Updated editions will replace the previous one—the old editions will -be renamed. -</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -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™ electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG™ -concept and trademark. Project Gutenberg is a registered trademark, -and may not be used if you charge for an eBook, except by following -the terms of the trademark license, including paying royalties for use -of the Project Gutenberg trademark. If you do not charge anything for -copies of this eBook, complying with the trademark license is very -easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose such as creation -of derivative works, reports, performances and research. Project -Gutenberg eBooks 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. -</div> - -<div style='margin:0.83em 0; font-size:1.1em; text-align:center'>START: FULL LICENSE<br /> -<span style='font-size:smaller'>THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE<br /> -PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK</span> -</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -To protect the Project Gutenberg™ 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™ License available with this file or online at -www.gutenberg.org/license. -</div> - -<div style='display:block; font-size:1.1em; margin:1em 0; font-weight:bold'> -Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg™ electronic works -</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg™ -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™ electronic works in your -possession. If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a -Project Gutenberg™ 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. -</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -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™ 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™ electronic works if you follow the terms of this -agreement and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg™ -electronic works. See paragraph 1.E below. -</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation (“the -Foundation” or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection -of Project Gutenberg™ 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™ mission of promoting -free access to electronic works by freely sharing Project Gutenberg™ -works in compliance with the terms of this agreement for keeping the -Project Gutenberg™ 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™ License when -you share it without charge with others. -</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -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™ work. The Foundation makes no -representations concerning the copyright status of any work in any -country other than the United States. -</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: -</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other -immediate access to, the full Project Gutenberg™ License must appear -prominently whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg™ 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: -</div> - -<blockquote> - <div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> - 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 <a href="https://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a>. If you - are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws - of the country where you are located before using this eBook. - </div> -</blockquote> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg™ 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™ -trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. -</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg™ 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™ License for all works -posted with the permission of the copyright holder found at the -beginning of this work. -</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg™ -License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this -work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg™. -</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -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™ License. -</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -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™ work in a format -other than “Plain Vanilla ASCII” or other format used in the official -version posted on the official Project Gutenberg™ website -(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™ License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. -</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, -performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg™ works -unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. -</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing -access to or distributing Project Gutenberg™ electronic works -provided that: -</div> - -<div style='margin-left:0.7em;'> - <div style='text-indent:-0.7em'> - • You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from - the use of Project Gutenberg™ works calculated using the method - you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is owed - to the owner of the Project Gutenberg™ 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.” - </div> - - <div style='text-indent:-0.7em'> - • 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™ - 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™ - works. - </div> - - <div style='text-indent:-0.7em'> - • 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. - </div> - - <div style='text-indent:-0.7em'> - • You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free - distribution of Project Gutenberg™ works. - </div> -</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project -Gutenberg™ electronic work or group of works on different terms than -are set forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing -from the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the manager of -the Project Gutenberg™ trademark. Contact the Foundation as set -forth in Section 3 below. -</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -1.F. -</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -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™ collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg™ -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. -</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -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™ trademark, and any other party distributing a Project -Gutenberg™ 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. -</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -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. -</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -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. -</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -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. -</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -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™ electronic works in -accordance with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the -production, promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg™ -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™ work, (b) alteration, modification, or -additions or deletions to any Project Gutenberg™ work, and (c) any -Defect you cause. -</div> - -<div style='display:block; font-size:1.1em; margin:1em 0; font-weight:bold'> -Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg™ -</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -Project Gutenberg™ 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. -</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the -assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg™’s -goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg™ 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™ 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. -</div> - -<div style='display:block; font-size:1.1em; margin:1em 0; font-weight:bold'> -Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation -</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -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. -</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -The Foundation’s 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 website -and official page at www.gutenberg.org/contact -</div> - -<div style='display:block; font-size:1.1em; margin:1em 0; font-weight:bold'> -Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation -</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -Project Gutenberg™ depends upon and cannot survive without widespread -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. -</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -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 <a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/donate/">www.gutenberg.org/donate</a>. -</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -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. -</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -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. -</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -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 -</div> - -<div style='display:block; font-size:1.1em; margin:1em 0; font-weight:bold'> -Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg™ electronic works -</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project -Gutenberg™ concept of a library of electronic works that could be -freely shared with anyone. For forty years, he produced and -distributed Project Gutenberg™ eBooks with only a loose network of -volunteer support. -</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -Project Gutenberg™ 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. -</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -Most people start at our website which has the main PG search -facility: <a href="https://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a>. -</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -This website includes information about Project Gutenberg™, -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. -</div> - -</div> - -</body> -</html> diff --git a/old/65767-h/images/cover.jpg b/old/65767-h/images/cover.jpg Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index 72e28e9..0000000 --- a/old/65767-h/images/cover.jpg +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/65767-h/images/illus.jpg b/old/65767-h/images/illus.jpg Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index 0dec63f..0000000 --- a/old/65767-h/images/illus.jpg +++ /dev/null |
