diff options
| -rw-r--r-- | .gitattributes | 4 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | LICENSE.txt | 11 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | README.md | 2 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/68373-0.txt | 897 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/68373-0.zip | bin | 16579 -> 0 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/68373-h.zip | bin | 480655 -> 0 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/68373-h/68373-h.htm | 1062 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/68373-h/images/cover.jpg | bin | 392229 -> 0 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/68373-h/images/illus.jpg | bin | 72484 -> 0 bytes |
9 files changed, 17 insertions, 1959 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..8a9167d --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #68373 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/68373) diff --git a/old/68373-0.txt b/old/68373-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index ddddfb1..0000000 --- a/old/68373-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,897 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Gently Orbiting Blonde, by John -Victor Peterson - -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: The Gently Orbiting Blonde - -Author: John Victor Peterson - -Release Date: June 22, 2022 [eBook #68373] - -Language: English - -Produced by: Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed - Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE GENTLY ORBITING -BLONDE *** - - - - - - The Gently Orbiting Blonde - - By JOHN VICTOR PETERSON - - Illustrated by ENGLE - - _Anti-gravity may be hard - to handle--but a woman - scorned is still harder!_ - - [Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from - Infinity, April 1957. - Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that - the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.] - - -Maybe Helene's right in saying that I shouldn't tell exactly how our -living room became the training station for Space Satellite One. If I -don't, though, I'm afraid she'll let it slip out as a deep dark secret -to one of her tri-dielectronic bridge friends and it'll be all over the -Project as quickly as a pile past critical mass. It certainly wouldn't -help my reputation at the labs, especially if in the retelling the -facts should become distorted about Gladys, the gently orbiting blonde. - -Some of it was accidental, certainly, but didn't Wilhelm Roentgen get -brushed by the breeze of chance? - -I must have been on the right track, anyhow! - -I'll leave it to you.... - -It's true, I _do_ get absorbed in things. So it happened on the night I -was married. But I did, after all, carry Helene across the threshold. -Can I help it that, as I was fetching her a toast, I just happened to -glance up at the sun-chandelier in our cathedral-ceilinged living room -and got reminded of the Project and decided I just had to go down into -my lab in the basement and change one little bit of circuitry? When -you're working on something as elusive as anti-gravity, you've got to -seize upon every minute of inspiration. - -I told her I'd be right back and dashed downstairs. I guess I should -have kissed her first. I forgot. I'm sorry now. In a way. If I had, -maybe--But, let's face it, I forgot. - -You could ask old Ruocco, my psych prof. He always says I've -supernormal powers of concentration. - -There I was in the basement. One thing led to another. I rearranged the -circuitry on the psionic machine and found then that changes in the -gyrorotors were indicated. - -Something intruded vaguely on my mind but I ignored it, enmeshed as I -was in magnetostriction lines. This just might work! - -It didn't. My concentration was disrupted. I glanced at my watch. _Oi_! -I thought, _Helene!_ - -And my subconscious told me with sickening certainty that the near -disturbance I had had, had been the slamming of a door--of the front -door by someone on the way out. - -I went upstairs. Helene was gone, complete with pocketbook. Her valises -had been in the car and I saw from the living room window that she'd -taken that. - -She'd gone home to Mom, I guessed. She'd have no trouble getting off -the reservation; she had a nonsensitive job on the Project. Not like -me; I couldn't get pried out of White Sands by less than Presidential -order. - -It'd be hours before I could try visioing her. Mom's way up in -Connecticut, quite a hop even by jetliner. - -I sat on the chitchat bench, felt sorry for myself for a second and -then got concentrating on the starchart on the ceiling above the -sun-chandelier and decided that if man was to start exploring upward -I'd better continue my exploring downstairs. - -But I couldn't concentrate. I fiddled around rewiring the psionic -machine just to have something to do. - -The front door banged again with the loveliest, most satisfying -solid bang--and I dropped my soldering iron on a printed circuit and -something went _whoosh_ which wasn't just me going up the stairs. -Simultaneously a feminine scream came to meet me. - - * * * * * - -I went up the stairs but when I got to the top I -didn't--couldn't--stop. I kept going up, making climbing motions and -touching nothing at all until my head ricocheted off the curving -ceiling and I bounced down upon my contour chair. I didn't stop there -but bounced right back up again, vaguely aware that the recoiling chair -was slowly following me. - -During this time I was seeing considerably more stars than you'd see -from Palomar on a good clear night. - -The stars began to blink out of focus, and me in. And then, in the -midst of marveling over the undeniable fact that I'd discovered--well, -what about Roentgen?--_discovered_ anti- or at least _null_-gravity, I -remembered (a) the door slamming and (b) the scream. - -I bounced off the ceiling, cartwheeled a bit, glanced off a picture of -a Viking rocket on the wall which took off on a trajectory of its own, -and then spun in my orbit and got a look at the blonde. - -Now, anyone under normal conditions would have taken a good look at the -blonde. I was, however, performing what is known in aeronautics as a -barrel-roll, and my viewing of the blonde was the sweeping scan of a -surveillance radar. - -Not that I hadn't seen the blonde before. I knew her well. Her name is -Gladys. She's the most gorgeously put-together creature at the Sands. -Most of the boys would ride bareback on a Nike if she gave them the -smile she was giving me then. - -Gladys was in a gentle orbit as nearly circular as that of Venus. Her -primary was the sun-chandelier. - -I thought then of another Venus. Only Gladys has arms. Her arms were -bare. In fact, a lot of Gladys was bare and there's a lot of Gladys, -all nicely proportioned, of course. The sunsuit's designer had -indubitably been inspired by a Bikini. - -I bounced off a sofa, which absorbed some of my inertia, and through -some frictional freak stopped my axial rotation. I went then into -an elliptical orbit grazing the chitchat bench at aphelion and the -chandelier at perihelion. - -The thought of Helene crossed my mind in a peculiarly guilty manner, -and I was rather glad at that moment that Gladys and I weren't on a -collision orbit. - -"Now that you've stopped pingponging," Gladys said, "you might tell -me how we're going to get out of this fix. And I don't mind behaving -like an electron but you might make like a positron and come a little -closer; it's getting cold in here! By the way, where's Helene?" - -I don't know why, but I told her. And maybe I did put on an aggrieved -husband act a bit, but who could blame me? - -"Oh, Bill, I'm sorry," she said throatily. "You're so attractive, so -fine. To think you've been snared by someone who doesn't appreciate -your worth, your handsomeness, your manly strength. Oh, why couldn't -you just have given poor little me a glance? After all, we've been -together in the Project Lab every day. I _know_ you, Bill, and I'm _so_ -sorry!" - -And she moved on, lovely, graceful in her gentle orbit, and my heart -swelled with recognition of her compassion. - -I started to make a self-effacing remark, stammered, and finally -changed my mind and asked, "But how did you happen to come here?" - -She sighed. "Business, I'm sorry to state. Jim O'Brien wants you at -the lab. Thinks he's on the track of anti-grav--and here you have it -already! Gee, Bill, it _is_ getting cold in here!" - -I hadn't noticed. - -Just then the thermostat did notice, and the air-conditioning unit cut -in. Warm air started to blow from the baseboard outlets. - -"Bill--" - -"Yeah," I answered, trajecting past the chitchat bench and wondering -if by stretching real hard I could reach it on the next trip round and -drag myself to it. Then, if it didn't come unplugged I could ground -(now _that_ was a silly thought!)--I could _stop_ myself and maybe work -out of the living room along the edge of the tacked-down carpet. - -"Bill, if Helene doesn't come back, do you think, maybe--" - -I thought, maybe. - - * * * * * - -Hey, was I imagining things or was my orbit changing? And was Gladys -smiling more warmly? - -Oh, oh! The air-vents were doing it, the air currents from them -pressing me into a more curving trajectory which would probably graze -Gladys' orbit. - -I was passing the chitchat bench. I flailed out for it, missed, and my -movement seemed to twist my trajectory even more. I looked at Gladys -and she was smiling warmly, welcomingly. I thought of Helene and felt -like a louse. An airborne louse. Without wings, like a louse should -be. You need wings to fly. If I'd had them I think I'd have flown. -Elsewhere. - -Sure, you can let your conscience be your guide but what can you do -when you're helplessly warped into a collision orbit with one of the -loveliest women in the world, a welcoming planet in a closed system of -your own peculiar manufacture? - -The visio started buzzing then and I wondered agonizingly if it were -Helene. On the other hand, it might be Jim O'Brien wondering why Gladys -hadn't come back. With no answer, he might come over, but I doubted it. -Jim's a bachelor and somewhat of a hermit. - -Ah, missed on this go-round, but it was close. Gladys' smile told me -she was paying no heed to the buzzing visio at all. - -The sun-chandelier--I could reach it! I caught at one of its sunburst's -rays. It promptly snapped off, but the action had changed my orbit. - -Changed it--and how! Now I was in precisely the same orbit as Gladys -and gaining! She smiled back over her nicely rounded shoulder. It -wasn't fair! - -I hadn't heard a sound outside, what with the visio buzzing away like -mad, but the front door was suddenly opened and there was Helene -starting to come in, a big package in her arms. - -"Stay out!" I cried. "Don't come in, Helene!" - -I was a split second too late; her foot hit the null-grav area and she -was suddenly orbiting, her package tumbling off on a trajectory of its -own, her pocketbook a satellite beside her. - -Helene was startled, certainly, but not beyond speech. "Bill Wright," -she cried, "you're a beast! You bring me home on our wedding night and -leave me for your silly machine and without a single solitary drop -to drink in the servomech and I go out for something and come back -to find you flying after that blonde hussy!" She swept up around the -chandelier, her orbit grazing it at perihelion but apparently destined -to be far remote at aphelion. - -"But, dear--" I started. - -"Don't dear me!" she cried, and went out of my range of vision just as -I overtook Gladys and her outflung arms caught me painfully by the -neck. - -Which is when Helene's orbit mercifully turned out to be a collision -orbit with Gladys'--and she took Gladys away from me like a super-Nike -taking out a stratojet-bomber. They bounced against the ceiling. Gladys -took the impact. Rearward. Fortunately Mother Nature had been kind. - -Helene bounced away from Gladys. Strands of blonde hair went with her. - -"Dark roots!" Helene cried triumphantly. - -Gladys said a bad word. - -I conjectured. - -"Say," I said, but the girls were shouting. I yelled, "Hey!" - -They quieted but kept glaring balefully at each other and circled like -a couple of female wrestlers waiting--but wholly unable--to pounce. - -"We're in a pickle," I started. - -"_You're_ in a pickle," Helene corrected me. - -"Oh, stop it!" I said. - -"I didn't start it," Helene said. - -Logic! - -"Now, look," I said, "we've got to get down. If one of us could only -manage to grasp something that's fastened--the carpet, a window, a -doorknob--" - -I didn't finish; it was too painfully obvious that none of our orbits -took us that close to the finite boundaries of my null-grav living -room. Helene's, I noticed, was the closest. A germ of an idea came into -my mind as I observed that Helene's handbag was still in a tight orbit -around her. - -"Honey," I said. - -She raged at that and made futile fluttering motions as though she -thought she just might be able to fly. - -Perhaps formality was indicated. - -"Mrs. Wright," I tried. - -Gladys laughed and the irate Mrs. Wright, sweeping close to Gladys' -orbit at perihelion, made a vicious swipe which neatly tore away a -considerable portion of the upper part of Gladys' sunsuit, which -portion went fluttering away on a bat-like trajectory of its own. I -forgot the portion; the point of departure was more absorbing. - -Helene gasped and told me to concentrate on getting us down; but my -powers of concentration were rather difficult to influence since I was -in a fixed orbit and, like Mercury or old Luna, my face was turned -inward and Gladys' orbit was now considerably tighter than mine. - -"Well, do something, will you!" Helene cried. "At least, stop leering!" - -Now I'm a reasonable man even when befuddled by null-grav, so I tried -to forget about orbiting hemispheres and to attack the problem of -reaching terra firma. - -I closed my eyes, but promptly became so unoriented that I almost -became ill; so I opened them again and concentrated on my primary, the -sun-chandelier. - -The visio had stopped buzzing. I hoped that meant that Jim O'Brien--if -it had been Jim--had figured that something was amiss and was now -hurrying over in his Caddicopter. He could throw us a line and haul us -out. Then I threw that hope away. Jim's severely practical; and this -_was_ to have been my wedding night. - -Oh, well.... - - * * * * * - -Could one of us somehow reach the sun-chandelier and short it, thereby -shorting the machine downstairs? Mentally reconstructing the house's -electrical circuitry, I concluded that my lab was on a separate circuit. - -_Hey! I am confused_, I thought. Helene's handbag! I'd thought of it -before. Of course! Women carry all sorts of things. - -"Helene," I said, "do you have a squeeze bottle in your bag? Perfume or -hair spray or deodorant, maybe?" - -"Bill Wright, if you think for one minute that I'm going to--" - -"Have you?" I cut in. - -She spluttered. "Perfume," she finally said grudgingly. "Though with -that eau-de-whatever Gladys is wearing, I should think--" - -"Oh, stop it! Now will you please get the perfume out!" - -She did; then she went wandering off to aphelion in her orbit and -momentarily out of my line of sight. When she came back toward -perihelion with the chandelier, I said, "Now, look, wriggle around a -little axially if you can--" - -That did it. Helene exploded into a verbal nova. "You lecherous beast!" -she cried. "It isn't enough for you to dally with this shameless blonde -hussy on our wedding night. Not enough for you to float along looking -like a blissful ogling ogre, making mental mockery of your wedding -vows. No, you--you BEM!--you have to ask your meek and retiring, your -quiet and unassuming, your defenseless and self-effacing wife to act -like a bumping and grinding burlesque queen!" - -And my meek, retiring, quiet, unassuming, etc., wife went on -etcetera-ing ad practically infinitum. - -When swiftly trajecting Helene's tirade paused for lack of words and/or -breath, I said meekly above the gently orbiting blonde's chuckles, "But -I was only trying to get us out of this mess. I wanted you to perform -a slight axial rotation so that you could aim your--er--posterior -at the cellar door when you next reach aphelion near it. Do you -understand?" - -"No," she said, but did manage by some completely feminine and to me -quite incomprehensible maneuvers (girdle girding procedure, maybe?) to -twist ninety degrees axially. - -"When I say 'go,' squeeze the spray bottle," I directed, "and keep -squeezing it hard and keep it pointing straight away from your -longitudinal axis." - -"My _what_? Now, look, what do you think you'll accom--" - -"Wait!" I cut her off. "For every action there's an equal and opposite -reaction, right? I hope you'll widen your orbit when the reaction sets -in." - -She was nearing aphelion. "Go!" I cried. - -She did squeeze the spray bottle, and kept squeezing it quickly and -strongly, but so far as I could judge her orbit wasn't effected one -whit. Something was accomplished, however, that made our situation more -desperate: those little droplets of potent perfume proceeded to bounce, -scatter, splatter and ricochet all over the place. The scent spread. -Overpoweringly. - -"And _you_ talked about _my_ perfume!" Gladys cried and began to giggle -again. - -My gaze wandered toward the lovely albeit space-happy blonde. - -"Bill!" Helene cried as she swept across my line of sight. She looked -like an avenging angel, a very lovely one. She made me feel humble and -contrite; I went dutifully back to the problem. - - * * * * * - -It seemed rather hopeless. Both Gladys and I were orbiting nearly -parallel to the floor in what I was calling the plane of the ecliptic. -My brief encounter with the chandelier had twisted me into the plane as -had Gladys' unfortunate but exhilarating encounter with my irate bride. - -Helene's orbit was still tilted from the plane, like Pluto's, and was -curiously elliptical like a comet's. Currents created by the allegedly -draftless air-conditioning system must have caused and must be -maintaining the ellipse. Being a newcomer to our tight little system, -Helene also still had considerable orbital speed whereas air resistance -would soon bring Gladys and me to a midair stop, probably in inferior -opposition. I knew what Helene would think of that. - -I decided we couldn't do anything individually or jointly unless an -outside agent were introduced or full advantage taken of something -already present. - -We had cosmic debris, for sure: the flipflopping chaise longue which -was in a tight orbit near the peak of the cathedral ceiling; the -framed picture of the Viking rocket (could I ever use a little of -_its_ thrust now!) fluttering close to the flapping torn part-away of -the sunsuit down below the plane of the ecliptic; and the big package -Helene had brought. The last suddenly proved to be on a collision orbit -with Gladys, curving in then to bump against her derriere. Reaching -back swiftly she caught it like an errant salesman's hand. I waited -expectantly. - -"Wonderful!" she commented. "Wonderful!" And pulled out a bottle of -Scotch. I watched in fascinated, gleeful anticipation as she unscrewed -the cap, and moved the bottle up toward celestial north to reach a -normal drinking position. Naturally the contents promptly departed; -then splashed against the arch of the ceiling and went into a thousand -odd orbits, of which many made moist contact with my own. The -perfume-Scotch combination--_yoicks!_ - -"Glad," I said. - -"Oh, it's _Glad_ now!" Helene burst. - -I ignored her. - -"Glad, get the package in your hands like a basketball--" - -"Yes, conceal your shame!" Helene cut in acidly. - -"Will you stop it?" I cried. "Now, Glad, listen, aim it toward my -orbit. Lead me a little--there, that ought to do it. Now when I count -down to zero give it a shove. Ready? Three, two, one--_zero_!" - -It was dead on! - -I looked in the bag, hoping to find a newly charged carbonation unit -for the servomech bar. I didn't, but I found something else! - -"Helene," I said, "I love you!"--and I drew forth the loveliest magnum -of champagne you'd ever hope to see. - -"But, Bill," Helene cried, "that's to celebrate our wedding night!" - -I appreciated the present tense but said nothing, working on the wire -which bound the cork. - -"Bill, remember what happened to the Scotch," Gladys warned me. - -I ignored them both, thinking furiously. It _had_ to be Helene! She -would sweep to the apogee of her cometlike orbit near the cellar door -again in seconds. I shook the magnum as violently as I could. Its cork -went whooshing off on a ricochet romance with the Scotch cap. The freed -and deeply disturbed champagne blasted off straight for the most remote -point in Helene's orbit--and Helene was there! On target! - -I went whirling backward with the reacting magnum against my chest, -bounced against a wall, smacked against the chandelier, flipflopped -a few times and found myself orbiting directly below Gladys. I -re-oriented myself with some effort and found by twisting my head -sharply that I could see the results of the improvised jet blast: -Helene, drenched with champagne, stood in gravity on the cellar stairs. - -"Dear," I ventured, "just go down and ease off on the rheostat; that'll -cancel this out gradually and let us down easily." - -She made a spluttering noise and went downstairs. - -I made a quick survey for a possible safe touchdown area just in case -Helene inadvertently cut the power too fast; chances were good that -we'd hit one of the several sofas. - -Gladys and I were celestially north of the chitchat bench when Helene -completely killed the null-grav. The bench, with visio, suffered -complete collapse; it wasn't meant for sitting down on from twelve feet -up. Especially with a blonde dropping immediately into one's lap. Lucky -for me both were nicely padded. - -"I'm sorry, Bill," Gladys said, _September Morn_-ing, and hurrying, -dishevelled and forlorn, out the front door. I heard her car start up -as Helene came up from the basement. - -I ruefully surveyed the shattered visio amid the other debris. - -"Null-grav," I said. "Real null-grav. Jim's got to know--but the -visio's ruined. I've got to go out and call him." - -"Oh, no, you don't!" Helene burst. "Null-grav _and_ Jim O'Brien can -wait until tomorrow!" - -She kissed me tenderly then. - -"How right you are," I said, getting re-oriented fast. - - * * * * * - -Now you must excuse me; I've got to degravitize the living room. -They're due here for training in a few minutes--the Satellite One -Cadets. I worked out a keyer that remotely controls the null-grav's -rheostat; it's calibrated to permit creating any sub-gravitational -effect from one G down to null-G. Those boys are really getting trained. - -Someday I'll duplicate the null-grav over at the Project--Jim O'Brien -and I have nearly got the circuitry licked--and we'll have the living -room all to ourselves. Jim and his blushing bride--Gladys--come over -almost every evening after the Cadets are through. We play null-grav -polo, orbital chess and some other games we've adapted. Our favorite, -though, is "Pick Your Planet" where we take turns imitating the orbit -of one of Sol's planets, planetoids, moons or visiting comets, and -pantomiming other clues. - -Funny, but most often Helene or Gladys chooses Venus. With them, poor -cold old Pluto's out. - -Women are funny that way. - -*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE GENTLY ORBITING -BLONDE *** - -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/68373-0.zip b/old/68373-0.zip Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index 193e845..0000000 --- a/old/68373-0.zip +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/68373-h.zip b/old/68373-h.zip Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index d509624..0000000 --- a/old/68373-h.zip +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/68373-h/68373-h.htm b/old/68373-h/68373-h.htm deleted file mode 100644 index 9592761..0000000 --- a/old/68373-h/68373-h.htm +++ /dev/null @@ -1,1062 +0,0 @@ -<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" - "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> -<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> - <head> - <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=us-ascii" /> - <meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> - <title> - The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Gently Orbiting Blonde, by John Victor Peterson. - </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> -<p style='text-align:center; font-size:1.2em; font-weight:bold'>The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Gently Orbiting Blonde, by John Victor Peterson</p> -<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: The Gently Orbiting Blonde</p> -<p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:0; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Author: John Victor Peterson</p> -<p style='display:block; text-indent:0; margin:1em 0'>Release Date: June 22, 2022 [eBook #68373]</p> -<p style='display:block; text-indent:0; margin:1em 0'>Language: English</p> - <p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:0; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em; text-align:left'>Produced by: Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net</p> -<div style='margin-top:2em; margin-bottom:4em'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE GENTLY ORBITING BLONDE ***</div> - -<div class="titlepage"> - -<div class="figcenter"> - <img src="images/illus.jpg" alt=""/> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<h1>The Gently Orbiting Blonde</h1> - -<h2>by JOHN VICTOR PETERSON</h2> - -<p>Illustrated by ENGLE</p> - -<p><i>Anti-gravity may be hard<br /> -to handle—but a woman<br /> -scorned is still harder!</i></p> - -<p>[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from<br /> -Infinity, April 1957.<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>Maybe Helene's right in saying that I shouldn't tell exactly how our -living room became the training station for Space Satellite One. If I -don't, though, I'm afraid she'll let it slip out as a deep dark secret -to one of her tri-dielectronic bridge friends and it'll be all over the -Project as quickly as a pile past critical mass. It certainly wouldn't -help my reputation at the labs, especially if in the retelling the -facts should become distorted about Gladys, the gently orbiting blonde.</p> - -<p>Some of it was accidental, certainly, but didn't Wilhelm Roentgen get -brushed by the breeze of chance?</p> - -<p>I must have been on the right track, anyhow!</p> - -<p>I'll leave it to you....</p> - -<p>It's true, I <i>do</i> get absorbed in things. So it happened on the night I -was married. But I did, after all, carry Helene across the threshold. -Can I help it that, as I was fetching her a toast, I just happened to -glance up at the sun-chandelier in our cathedral-ceilinged living room -and got reminded of the Project and decided I just had to go down into -my lab in the basement and change one little bit of circuitry? When -you're working on something as elusive as anti-gravity, you've got to -seize upon every minute of inspiration.</p> - -<p>I told her I'd be right back and dashed downstairs. I guess I should -have kissed her first. I forgot. I'm sorry now. In a way. If I had, -maybe—But, let's face it, I forgot.</p> - -<p>You could ask old Ruocco, my psych prof. He always says I've -supernormal powers of concentration.</p> - -<p>There I was in the basement. One thing led to another. I rearranged the -circuitry on the psionic machine and found then that changes in the -gyrorotors were indicated.</p> - -<p>Something intruded vaguely on my mind but I ignored it, enmeshed as I -was in magnetostriction lines. This just might work!</p> - -<p>It didn't. My concentration was disrupted. I glanced at my watch. <i>Oi</i>! -I thought, <i>Helene!</i></p> - -<p>And my subconscious told me with sickening certainty that the near -disturbance I had had, had been the slamming of a door—of the front -door by someone on the way out.</p> - -<p>I went upstairs. Helene was gone, complete with pocketbook. Her valises -had been in the car and I saw from the living room window that she'd -taken that.</p> - -<p>She'd gone home to Mom, I guessed. She'd have no trouble getting off -the reservation; she had a nonsensitive job on the Project. Not like -me; I couldn't get pried out of White Sands by less than Presidential -order.</p> - -<p>It'd be hours before I could try visioing her. Mom's way up in -Connecticut, quite a hop even by jetliner.</p> - -<p>I sat on the chitchat bench, felt sorry for myself for a second and -then got concentrating on the starchart on the ceiling above the -sun-chandelier and decided that if man was to start exploring upward -I'd better continue my exploring downstairs.</p> - -<p>But I couldn't concentrate. I fiddled around rewiring the psionic -machine just to have something to do.</p> - -<p>The front door banged again with the loveliest, most satisfying -solid bang—and I dropped my soldering iron on a printed circuit and -something went <i>whoosh</i> which wasn't just me going up the stairs. -Simultaneously a feminine scream came to meet me.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>I went up the stairs but when I got to the top I -didn't—couldn't—stop. I kept going up, making climbing motions and -touching nothing at all until my head ricocheted off the curving -ceiling and I bounced down upon my contour chair. I didn't stop there -but bounced right back up again, vaguely aware that the recoiling chair -was slowly following me.</p> - -<p>During this time I was seeing considerably more stars than you'd see -from Palomar on a good clear night.</p> - -<p>The stars began to blink out of focus, and me in. And then, in the -midst of marveling over the undeniable fact that I'd discovered—well, -what about Roentgen?—<i>discovered</i> anti- or at least <i>null</i>-gravity, I -remembered (a) the door slamming and (b) the scream.</p> - -<p>I bounced off the ceiling, cartwheeled a bit, glanced off a picture of -a Viking rocket on the wall which took off on a trajectory of its own, -and then spun in my orbit and got a look at the blonde.</p> - -<p>Now, anyone under normal conditions would have taken a good look at the -blonde. I was, however, performing what is known in aeronautics as a -barrel-roll, and my viewing of the blonde was the sweeping scan of a -surveillance radar.</p> - -<p>Not that I hadn't seen the blonde before. I knew her well. Her name is -Gladys. She's the most gorgeously put-together creature at the Sands. -Most of the boys would ride bareback on a Nike if she gave them the -smile she was giving me then.</p> - -<p>Gladys was in a gentle orbit as nearly circular as that of Venus. Her -primary was the sun-chandelier.</p> - -<p>I thought then of another Venus. Only Gladys has arms. Her arms were -bare. In fact, a lot of Gladys was bare and there's a lot of Gladys, -all nicely proportioned, of course. The sunsuit's designer had -indubitably been inspired by a Bikini.</p> - -<p>I bounced off a sofa, which absorbed some of my inertia, and through -some frictional freak stopped my axial rotation. I went then into -an elliptical orbit grazing the chitchat bench at aphelion and the -chandelier at perihelion.</p> - -<p>The thought of Helene crossed my mind in a peculiarly guilty manner, -and I was rather glad at that moment that Gladys and I weren't on a -collision orbit.</p> - -<p>"Now that you've stopped pingponging," Gladys said, "you might tell -me how we're going to get out of this fix. And I don't mind behaving -like an electron but you might make like a positron and come a little -closer; it's getting cold in here! By the way, where's Helene?"</p> - -<p>I don't know why, but I told her. And maybe I did put on an aggrieved -husband act a bit, but who could blame me?</p> - -<p>"Oh, Bill, I'm sorry," she said throatily. "You're so attractive, so -fine. To think you've been snared by someone who doesn't appreciate -your worth, your handsomeness, your manly strength. Oh, why couldn't -you just have given poor little me a glance? After all, we've been -together in the Project Lab every day. I <i>know</i> you, Bill, and I'm <i>so</i> -sorry!"</p> - -<p>And she moved on, lovely, graceful in her gentle orbit, and my heart -swelled with recognition of her compassion.</p> - -<p>I started to make a self-effacing remark, stammered, and finally -changed my mind and asked, "But how did you happen to come here?"</p> - -<p>She sighed. "Business, I'm sorry to state. Jim O'Brien wants you at -the lab. Thinks he's on the track of anti-grav—and here you have it -already! Gee, Bill, it <i>is</i> getting cold in here!"</p> - -<p>I hadn't noticed.</p> - -<p>Just then the thermostat did notice, and the air-conditioning unit cut -in. Warm air started to blow from the baseboard outlets.</p> - -<p>"Bill—"</p> - -<p>"Yeah," I answered, trajecting past the chitchat bench and wondering -if by stretching real hard I could reach it on the next trip round and -drag myself to it. Then, if it didn't come unplugged I could ground -(now <i>that</i> was a silly thought!)—I could <i>stop</i> myself and maybe work -out of the living room along the edge of the tacked-down carpet.</p> - -<p>"Bill, if Helene doesn't come back, do you think, maybe—"</p> - -<p>I thought, maybe.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Hey, was I imagining things or was my orbit changing? And was Gladys -smiling more warmly?</p> - -<p>Oh, oh! The air-vents were doing it, the air currents from them -pressing me into a more curving trajectory which would probably graze -Gladys' orbit.</p> - -<p>I was passing the chitchat bench. I flailed out for it, missed, and my -movement seemed to twist my trajectory even more. I looked at Gladys -and she was smiling warmly, welcomingly. I thought of Helene and felt -like a louse. An airborne louse. Without wings, like a louse should -be. You need wings to fly. If I'd had them I think I'd have flown. -Elsewhere.</p> - -<p>Sure, you can let your conscience be your guide but what can you do -when you're helplessly warped into a collision orbit with one of the -loveliest women in the world, a welcoming planet in a closed system of -your own peculiar manufacture?</p> - -<p>The visio started buzzing then and I wondered agonizingly if it were -Helene. On the other hand, it might be Jim O'Brien wondering why Gladys -hadn't come back. With no answer, he might come over, but I doubted it. -Jim's a bachelor and somewhat of a hermit.</p> - -<p>Ah, missed on this go-round, but it was close. Gladys' smile told me -she was paying no heed to the buzzing visio at all.</p> - -<p>The sun-chandelier—I could reach it! I caught at one of its sunburst's -rays. It promptly snapped off, but the action had changed my orbit.</p> - -<p>Changed it—and how! Now I was in precisely the same orbit as Gladys -and gaining! She smiled back over her nicely rounded shoulder. It -wasn't fair!</p> - -<p>I hadn't heard a sound outside, what with the visio buzzing away like -mad, but the front door was suddenly opened and there was Helene -starting to come in, a big package in her arms.</p> - -<p>"Stay out!" I cried. "Don't come in, Helene!"</p> - -<p>I was a split second too late; her foot hit the null-grav area and she -was suddenly orbiting, her package tumbling off on a trajectory of its -own, her pocketbook a satellite beside her.</p> - -<p>Helene was startled, certainly, but not beyond speech. "Bill Wright," -she cried, "you're a beast! You bring me home on our wedding night and -leave me for your silly machine and without a single solitary drop -to drink in the servomech and I go out for something and come back -to find you flying after that blonde hussy!" She swept up around the -chandelier, her orbit grazing it at perihelion but apparently destined -to be far remote at aphelion.</p> - -<p>"But, dear—" I started.</p> - -<p>"Don't dear me!" she cried, and went out of my range of vision just as -I overtook Gladys and her outflung arms caught me painfully by the -neck.</p> - -<p>Which is when Helene's orbit mercifully turned out to be a collision -orbit with Gladys'—and she took Gladys away from me like a super-Nike -taking out a stratojet-bomber. They bounced against the ceiling. Gladys -took the impact. Rearward. Fortunately Mother Nature had been kind.</p> - -<p>Helene bounced away from Gladys. Strands of blonde hair went with her.</p> - -<p>"Dark roots!" Helene cried triumphantly.</p> - -<p>Gladys said a bad word.</p> - -<p>I conjectured.</p> - -<p>"Say," I said, but the girls were shouting. I yelled, "Hey!"</p> - -<p>They quieted but kept glaring balefully at each other and circled like -a couple of female wrestlers waiting—but wholly unable—to pounce.</p> - -<p>"We're in a pickle," I started.</p> - -<p>"<i>You're</i> in a pickle," Helene corrected me.</p> - -<p>"Oh, stop it!" I said.</p> - -<p>"I didn't start it," Helene said.</p> - -<p>Logic!</p> - -<p>"Now, look," I said, "we've got to get down. If one of us could only -manage to grasp something that's fastened—the carpet, a window, a -doorknob—"</p> - -<p>I didn't finish; it was too painfully obvious that none of our orbits -took us that close to the finite boundaries of my null-grav living -room. Helene's, I noticed, was the closest. A germ of an idea came into -my mind as I observed that Helene's handbag was still in a tight orbit -around her.</p> - -<p>"Honey," I said.</p> - -<p>She raged at that and made futile fluttering motions as though she -thought she just might be able to fly.</p> - -<p>Perhaps formality was indicated.</p> - -<p>"Mrs. Wright," I tried.</p> - -<p>Gladys laughed and the irate Mrs. Wright, sweeping close to Gladys' -orbit at perihelion, made a vicious swipe which neatly tore away a -considerable portion of the upper part of Gladys' sunsuit, which -portion went fluttering away on a bat-like trajectory of its own. I -forgot the portion; the point of departure was more absorbing.</p> - -<p>Helene gasped and told me to concentrate on getting us down; but my -powers of concentration were rather difficult to influence since I was -in a fixed orbit and, like Mercury or old Luna, my face was turned -inward and Gladys' orbit was now considerably tighter than mine.</p> - -<p>"Well, do something, will you!" Helene cried. "At least, stop leering!"</p> - -<p>Now I'm a reasonable man even when befuddled by null-grav, so I tried -to forget about orbiting hemispheres and to attack the problem of -reaching terra firma.</p> - -<p>I closed my eyes, but promptly became so unoriented that I almost -became ill; so I opened them again and concentrated on my primary, the -sun-chandelier.</p> - -<p>The visio had stopped buzzing. I hoped that meant that Jim O'Brien—if -it had been Jim—had figured that something was amiss and was now -hurrying over in his Caddicopter. He could throw us a line and haul us -out. Then I threw that hope away. Jim's severely practical; and this -<i>was</i> to have been my wedding night.</p> - -<p>Oh, well....</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Could one of us somehow reach the sun-chandelier and short it, thereby -shorting the machine downstairs? Mentally reconstructing the house's -electrical circuitry, I concluded that my lab was on a separate circuit.</p> - -<p><i>Hey! I am confused</i>, I thought. Helene's handbag! I'd thought of it -before. Of course! Women carry all sorts of things.</p> - -<p>"Helene," I said, "do you have a squeeze bottle in your bag? Perfume or -hair spray or deodorant, maybe?"</p> - -<p>"Bill Wright, if you think for one minute that I'm going to—"</p> - -<p>"Have you?" I cut in.</p> - -<p>She spluttered. "Perfume," she finally said grudgingly. "Though with -that eau-de-whatever Gladys is wearing, I should think—"</p> - -<p>"Oh, stop it! Now will you please get the perfume out!"</p> - -<p>She did; then she went wandering off to aphelion in her orbit and -momentarily out of my line of sight. When she came back toward -perihelion with the chandelier, I said, "Now, look, wriggle around a -little axially if you can—"</p> - -<p>That did it. Helene exploded into a verbal nova. "You lecherous beast!" -she cried. "It isn't enough for you to dally with this shameless blonde -hussy on our wedding night. Not enough for you to float along looking -like a blissful ogling ogre, making mental mockery of your wedding -vows. No, you—you BEM!—you have to ask your meek and retiring, your -quiet and unassuming, your defenseless and self-effacing wife to act -like a bumping and grinding burlesque queen!"</p> - -<p>And my meek, retiring, quiet, unassuming, etc., wife went on -etcetera-ing ad practically infinitum.</p> - -<p>When swiftly trajecting Helene's tirade paused for lack of words and/or -breath, I said meekly above the gently orbiting blonde's chuckles, "But -I was only trying to get us out of this mess. I wanted you to perform -a slight axial rotation so that you could aim your—er—posterior -at the cellar door when you next reach aphelion near it. Do you -understand?"</p> - -<p>"No," she said, but did manage by some completely feminine and to me -quite incomprehensible maneuvers (girdle girding procedure, maybe?) to -twist ninety degrees axially.</p> - -<p>"When I say 'go,' squeeze the spray bottle," I directed, "and keep -squeezing it hard and keep it pointing straight away from your -longitudinal axis."</p> - -<p>"My <i>what</i>? Now, look, what do you think you'll accom—"</p> - -<p>"Wait!" I cut her off. "For every action there's an equal and opposite -reaction, right? I hope you'll widen your orbit when the reaction sets -in."</p> - -<p>She was nearing aphelion. "Go!" I cried.</p> - -<p>She did squeeze the spray bottle, and kept squeezing it quickly and -strongly, but so far as I could judge her orbit wasn't effected one -whit. Something was accomplished, however, that made our situation more -desperate: those little droplets of potent perfume proceeded to bounce, -scatter, splatter and ricochet all over the place. The scent spread. -Overpoweringly.</p> - -<p>"And <i>you</i> talked about <i>my</i> perfume!" Gladys cried and began to giggle -again.</p> - -<p>My gaze wandered toward the lovely albeit space-happy blonde.</p> - -<p>"Bill!" Helene cried as she swept across my line of sight. She looked -like an avenging angel, a very lovely one. She made me feel humble and -contrite; I went dutifully back to the problem.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>It seemed rather hopeless. Both Gladys and I were orbiting nearly -parallel to the floor in what I was calling the plane of the ecliptic. -My brief encounter with the chandelier had twisted me into the plane as -had Gladys' unfortunate but exhilarating encounter with my irate bride.</p> - -<p>Helene's orbit was still tilted from the plane, like Pluto's, and was -curiously elliptical like a comet's. Currents created by the allegedly -draftless air-conditioning system must have caused and must be -maintaining the ellipse. Being a newcomer to our tight little system, -Helene also still had considerable orbital speed whereas air resistance -would soon bring Gladys and me to a midair stop, probably in inferior -opposition. I knew what Helene would think of that.</p> - -<p>I decided we couldn't do anything individually or jointly unless an -outside agent were introduced or full advantage taken of something -already present.</p> - -<p>We had cosmic debris, for sure: the flipflopping chaise longue which -was in a tight orbit near the peak of the cathedral ceiling; the -framed picture of the Viking rocket (could I ever use a little of -<i>its</i> thrust now!) fluttering close to the flapping torn part-away of -the sunsuit down below the plane of the ecliptic; and the big package -Helene had brought. The last suddenly proved to be on a collision orbit -with Gladys, curving in then to bump against her derriere. Reaching -back swiftly she caught it like an errant salesman's hand. I waited -expectantly.</p> - -<p>"Wonderful!" she commented. "Wonderful!" And pulled out a bottle of -Scotch. I watched in fascinated, gleeful anticipation as she unscrewed -the cap, and moved the bottle up toward celestial north to reach a -normal drinking position. Naturally the contents promptly departed; -then splashed against the arch of the ceiling and went into a thousand -odd orbits, of which many made moist contact with my own. The -perfume-Scotch combination—<i>yoicks!</i></p> - -<p>"Glad," I said.</p> - -<p>"Oh, it's <i>Glad</i> now!" Helene burst.</p> - -<p>I ignored her.</p> - -<p>"Glad, get the package in your hands like a basketball—"</p> - -<p>"Yes, conceal your shame!" Helene cut in acidly.</p> - -<p>"Will you stop it?" I cried. "Now, Glad, listen, aim it toward my -orbit. Lead me a little—there, that ought to do it. Now when I count -down to zero give it a shove. Ready? Three, two, one—<i>zero</i>!"</p> - -<p>It was dead on!</p> - -<p>I looked in the bag, hoping to find a newly charged carbonation unit -for the servomech bar. I didn't, but I found something else!</p> - -<p>"Helene," I said, "I love you!"—and I drew forth the loveliest magnum -of champagne you'd ever hope to see.</p> - -<p>"But, Bill," Helene cried, "that's to celebrate our wedding night!"</p> - -<p>I appreciated the present tense but said nothing, working on the wire -which bound the cork.</p> - -<p>"Bill, remember what happened to the Scotch," Gladys warned me.</p> - -<p>I ignored them both, thinking furiously. It <i>had</i> to be Helene! She -would sweep to the apogee of her cometlike orbit near the cellar door -again in seconds. I shook the magnum as violently as I could. Its cork -went whooshing off on a ricochet romance with the Scotch cap. The freed -and deeply disturbed champagne blasted off straight for the most remote -point in Helene's orbit—and Helene was there! On target!</p> - -<p>I went whirling backward with the reacting magnum against my chest, -bounced against a wall, smacked against the chandelier, flipflopped -a few times and found myself orbiting directly below Gladys. I -re-oriented myself with some effort and found by twisting my head -sharply that I could see the results of the improvised jet blast: -Helene, drenched with champagne, stood in gravity on the cellar stairs.</p> - -<p>"Dear," I ventured, "just go down and ease off on the rheostat; that'll -cancel this out gradually and let us down easily."</p> - -<p>She made a spluttering noise and went downstairs.</p> - -<p>I made a quick survey for a possible safe touchdown area just in case -Helene inadvertently cut the power too fast; chances were good that -we'd hit one of the several sofas.</p> - -<p>Gladys and I were celestially north of the chitchat bench when Helene -completely killed the null-grav. The bench, with visio, suffered -complete collapse; it wasn't meant for sitting down on from twelve feet -up. Especially with a blonde dropping immediately into one's lap. Lucky -for me both were nicely padded.</p> - -<p>"I'm sorry, Bill," Gladys said, <i>September Morn</i>-ing, and hurrying, -dishevelled and forlorn, out the front door. I heard her car start up -as Helene came up from the basement.</p> - -<p>I ruefully surveyed the shattered visio amid the other debris.</p> - -<p>"Null-grav," I said. "Real null-grav. Jim's got to know—but the -visio's ruined. I've got to go out and call him."</p> - -<p>"Oh, no, you don't!" Helene burst. "Null-grav <i>and</i> Jim O'Brien can -wait until tomorrow!"</p> - -<p>She kissed me tenderly then.</p> - -<p>"How right you are," I said, getting re-oriented fast.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Now you must excuse me; I've got to degravitize the living room. -They're due here for training in a few minutes—the Satellite One -Cadets. I worked out a keyer that remotely controls the null-grav's -rheostat; it's calibrated to permit creating any sub-gravitational -effect from one G down to null-G. Those boys are really getting trained.</p> - -<p>Someday I'll duplicate the null-grav over at the Project—Jim O'Brien -and I have nearly got the circuitry licked—and we'll have the living -room all to ourselves. Jim and his blushing bride—Gladys—come over -almost every evening after the Cadets are through. We play null-grav -polo, orbital chess and some other games we've adapted. Our favorite, -though, is "Pick Your Planet" where we take turns imitating the orbit -of one of Sol's planets, planetoids, moons or visiting comets, and -pantomiming other clues.</p> - -<p>Funny, but most often Helene or Gladys chooses Venus. With them, poor -cold old Pluto's out.</p> - -<p>Women are funny that way.</p> - -<div style='display:block; margin-top:4em'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE GENTLY ORBITING BLONDE ***</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-top:1em; font-size:1.1em; text-align:center'>START: FULL LICENSE</div> -<div style='text-align:center;font-size:0.9em'>THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE</div> -<div style='text-align:center;font-size:0.9em'>PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK</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/68373-h/images/cover.jpg b/old/68373-h/images/cover.jpg Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index e0500df..0000000 --- a/old/68373-h/images/cover.jpg +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/68373-h/images/illus.jpg b/old/68373-h/images/illus.jpg Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index 4349af3..0000000 --- a/old/68373-h/images/illus.jpg +++ /dev/null |
