diff options
| author | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-14 19:56:47 -0700 |
|---|---|---|
| committer | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-14 19:56:47 -0700 |
| commit | 5a854b8a9b1ced89fea250144fdd4ffc96f1a805 (patch) | |
| tree | ccd3e066f2a118e0fc74732edc12fd2ce3f8513b | |
| -rw-r--r-- | .gitattributes | 3 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 31975-h.zip | bin | 0 -> 153967 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 31975-h/31975-h.htm | 1446 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 31975-h/images/cover.jpg | bin | 0 -> 32935 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 31975-h/images/illus.jpg | bin | 0 -> 52558 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 31975-h/images/title.jpg | bin | 0 -> 46834 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 31975.txt | 1231 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 31975.zip | bin | 0 -> 21838 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | LICENSE.txt | 11 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | README.md | 2 |
10 files changed, 2693 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/31975-h.zip b/31975-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..c686324 --- /dev/null +++ b/31975-h.zip diff --git a/31975-h/31975-h.htm b/31975-h/31975-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..044bd00 --- /dev/null +++ b/31975-h/31975-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,1446 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<!-- $Id: header.txt 236 2009-12-07 18:57:00Z vlsimpson $ --> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of What Rough Beast?, by JEFFERSON HIGHE. + </title> + <style type="text/css"> + +body { + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; +} + +p { + margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; +} + +hr { + width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; +} + +table { + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; +} + +.pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + /* visibility: hidden; */ + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: smaller; + text-align: right; +} /* page numbers */ + +.linenum { + position: absolute; + top: auto; + left: 4%; +} /* poetry number */ + +.blockquot { + margin-left: 5%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + +.sidenote { + width: 20%; + padding-bottom: .5em; + padding-top: .5em; + padding-left: .5em; + padding-right: .5em; + margin-left: 1em; + float: right; + clear: right; + margin-top: 1em; + font-size: smaller; + color: black; + background: #eeeeee; + border: dashed 1px; +} + +.bb {border-bottom: solid 2px;} + +.bl {border-left: solid 2px;} + +.bt {border-top: solid 2px;} + +.br {border-right: solid 2px;} + +.bbox {border: solid 2px;} + +.center {text-align: center;} + +.smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + +.u {text-decoration: underline;} + +.caption {font-weight: bold;} + +/* Images */ +.figcenter { + margin: auto; + text-align: center; +} + +.figleft { + float: left; + clear: left; + margin-left: 0; + margin-bottom: 1em; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-right: 1em; + padding: 0; + text-align: center; +} + +.figright { + float: right; + clear: right; + margin-left: 1em; + margin-bottom: + 1em; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-right: 0; + padding: 0; + text-align: center; +} + +/* Footnotes */ +.footnotes {border: dashed 1px;} + +.footnote {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-size: 0.9em;} + +.footnote .label {position: absolute; right: 84%; text-align: right;} + +.fnanchor { + vertical-align: super; + font-size: .8em; + text-decoration: + none; +} + +/* Poetry */ +.poem { + margin-left:10%; + margin-right:10%; + text-align: left; +} + +.poem br {display: none;} + +.poem .stanza {margin: 1em 0em 1em 0em;} + +.poem span.i0 { + display: block; + margin-left: 0em; + padding-left: 3em; + text-indent: -3em; +} + +.poem span.i2 { + display: block; + margin-left: 2em; + padding-left: 3em; + text-indent: -3em; +} + +.poem span.i4 { + display: block; + margin-left: 4em; + padding-left: 3em; + text-indent: -3em; +} + + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of What Rough Beast?, by Jefferson Highe + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: What Rough Beast? + +Author: Jefferson Highe + +Illustrator: Dick Francis + +Release Date: April 13, 2010 [EBook #31975] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WHAT ROUGH BEAST? *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/cover.jpg" alt=""/> +</div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + + +<h1>What Rough Beast?</h1> + +<h2>By JEFFERSON HIGHE</h2> + +<h3>Illustrated by DICK FRANCIS</h3> + + +<p>[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from Galaxy Science Fiction +July 1954. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. +copyright on this publication was renewed.]</p> + + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/title.jpg" alt=""/> +</div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<div class="sidenote"><i>When you are a teacher, you expect kids to play pranks. But +with tigers—and worse?</i></div> + + +<p>Standing braced—or, as it seemed to him, crucified—against the length +of the blackboard, John Ward tried to calculate his chances of heading +off the impending riot. It didn't seem likely that anything he could do +would stop it.</p> + +<p>"Say something," he told himself. "Continue the lecture, <i>talk</i>!" But +against the background of hysterical voices from the school yard, +against the brass fear in his mouth, he was dumb. He looked at the bank +of boys' faces in front of him. They seemed to him now as identical as +metal stampings, each one completely deadpan, each pair of jaws moving +in a single rhythm, like a mechanical herd. He could feel the tension in +them, and he knew that, in a moment, they would begin to move. He felt +shame and humiliation that he had failed.</p> + +<p>"Shakespeare," he said clearly, holding his voice steady, "for those of +you who have never heard of him, was the greatest of all dramatists. +Greater even," he went on doggedly, knowing that they might take it as a +provocation, "than the writers for the Spellcasts." He stopped talking +abruptly.</p> + +<p>Three tigers stepped out of the ceiling. Their eyes were glassy, +absolutely rigid, as if, like the last of the hairy mammoths, they had +been frozen a long age in some glacial crevasse. They hung there a +moment and then fell into the room like a furry waterfall. They landed +snarling.</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/illus.jpg" alt=""/> +</div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p>Something smashed viciously into the wall beside Ward's head. From the +back of the room, someone's hand flashed a glitter of light. Ward leaped +away and cut across the end of the room toward the escape chute. Holding +his ring with its identifying light beam before him, he leaped into the +slot like a racing driver. Behind him, the room exploded in shouts and +snarls. The gate on the chute slammed shut after him, and he heard them +scratching and banging at it. Without the identifying light, they would +be unable to get through. He took a long breath of relief as he shot +down the polished groove of the slide into the Mob Quad. The boys he'd +left behind knew how to protect themselves.</p> + +<p>They were all there—Dr. Allenby, McCarthy the psych man, Laura Ames the +pretty gym teacher, Foster, Jensen—all of them. So it had been general +then, not just his group which had rioted. He knew it was all the more +serious now, because it had not been limited to one outbreak.</p> + +<p>"You, too, Ward?" Dr. Allenby said sadly. He was a short, slender man +with white hair and a white mustache. He helped Ward up from where he +had fallen at the foot of the escape slide. "What was it in your +classroom this time?"</p> + +<p>"Tigers," Ward said. Standing beside Allenby, he felt very tall, +although he was only of average height. He smoothed down his wiry dark +hair and began energetically brushing the dust from his clothing.</p> + +<p>"Well, it's always something," Allenby said tiredly.</p> + +<p>He seemed more sad than upset, Ward thought, a spent old man clinging to +the straw of a dream. He saw where the metaphor was leading and pushed +it aside. If Allenby were a drowning man, then Ward himself was one. He +looked at the others.</p> + +<p>They were all edgy or simply frightened, but they were taking it very +well. Some of them were stationed at the gates of the Quad, but none of +them, as far as he could see, was armed. Except for McCarthy. The psych +man was wearing his Star Watcher helmet and had a B-gun strapped at his +side. Probably had a small force-field in his pocket, Ward thought, +<i>and</i> a pair of brass knuckles.</p> + +<p>"So—the philosophy king got it too," McCarthy said, coming over to +them. He was a big man, young but already florid with what Ward had +always thought of as a roan complexion. "Love, understanding, +sympathy—wasn't that what was supposed to work wonders? All they need +is a copy of Robinson Crusoe and a chance to follow their natural +instincts, eh?"</p> + +<p>"One failure doesn't prove anything," Ward said, trying not to be angry.</p> + +<p>"<i>One</i> failure? How often do they have to make us hit the slides for the +safety of the Mob Quad before you adopt a sensible theory?"</p> + +<p>"Let's not go through all that again. Restraint, Rubber hoses and +Radiological shock—I've heard all about the 3 Rs."</p> + +<p>"At least they work!"</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes, they work fine. Except that they never learn to read and they +can't sign their names with anything but an X."</p> + +<p>"It was progressive education that destroyed reading," McCarthy said +heatedly. "And they don't <i>need</i> to sign their names—that's what +universal fingerprinting is for."</p> + +<p>"Please, gentlemen," Dr. Allenby interrupted gently. "This kind of +squabbling is unbecoming to members of the faculty. Besides," he smiled +with faded irony, "considering the circumstances, it's hardly a proper +time."</p> + +<p>He pointed to the windows over the Quad where an occasional figure could +be seen behind the glass. Lucky it was unbreakable, Ward thought, +hearing the wild hysterical yelling from inside.</p> + +<p>"Mob Quad," Allenby said bitterly. "I thought I was naming it as a joke. +The original Mob Quad was at Merton College, Oxford. One of the old +defunct universities. <i>They</i> had a Mob Quad to shelter students and +professors from the town mobs. Professors <i>and</i> students, +gentlemen—they were a united front in those days. I suppose no one +could have predicted our present circumstances."</p> + +<p>"That's all history," McCarthy said impatiently. "Bunk. This is <i>now</i>, +and I say the thing to do—"</p> + +<p>"We know." Allenby waved him to silence. "But your way has been tried +long enough. How long is it since Los Angeles Day, when the U.N. +buildings were bombed and burned by the original 3R Party in order to +get rid of Unesco? Two hundred forty-three years next June, isn't it? +And your Party had had all that time to get education back on what it +calls a sane program. Now <i>nobody</i> is educated."</p> + +<p>"It takes time to undo the damage of progressive education," McCarthy +said. "Besides, a lot of that junk—reading, writing—as I've often told +Ward—"</p> + +<p>"All right," Ward broke in. "But two and a half centuries is long +enough. Someone must try a new tack or the country is doomed. There +isn't much time. The Outspace invaders—"</p> + +<p>"The Outspace invaders are simply Russians," McCarthy said flatly.</p> + +<p>"That's a convenient view if you're an ostrich. Or, if you want to keep +the Pretend War going, until the Outspacers take us over."</p> + +<p>McCarthy snorted contemptuously. "Ward, you damned fool—"</p> + +<p>"That will be all, gentlemen," Allenby said. He did not raise his voice, +but McCarthy was silent and Ward marveled, as he had on other occasions, +at the authority the old man carried.</p> + +<p>"Well," McCarthy said after a moment, "what are you going to do about +<i>this</i>?" He gestured toward the windows from which shouts still rang.</p> + +<p>"Nothing. Let it run its course."</p> + +<p>"But you can't do <i>that</i>, man!"</p> + +<p>"I can and I will. What do you think, John?"</p> + +<p>"I agree," Ward said. "They won't hurt each other—they never have yet. +It'll wear itself out and then, tomorrow, we'll try again." He did not +feel optimistic about how things would be the next day, but he didn't +want to voice his fears. "The thing that worries me," he said, "are +those tigers. Where'd they come from?"</p> + +<p>"What tigers?" McCarthy wanted to know.</p> + +<p>Ward told him.</p> + +<p>"First it was cats," McCarthy said, "then birds ... now tigers. Either +you're seeing things or someone's using a concealed projector."</p> + +<p>"I thought of the projector, but these seemed real. Stunned at first—as +if they were as surprised as I was."</p> + +<p>"You have a teleport in your class," Allenby said.</p> + +<p>"Yes—maybe that's the way it was done. I don't know quite what to make +of it," Ward said. If he voiced his real suspicion now, he knew it would +sound silly. "I know some of them can teleport. I've seen them. Small +things, of course...."</p> + +<p>"Not in <i>my</i> classes," McCarthy said indignantly. "I absolutely forbid +that sort of thing."</p> + +<p>"You do wrong, then," Allenby said.</p> + +<p>"It's unscientific!"</p> + +<p>"Perhaps. But we want to encourage whatever wild talents they possess."</p> + +<p>"So that they can materialize tigers in—in our bedrooms, I suppose. +Well, I've had enough. Stay here and stew if you like, but I'm going +back to my class. I turned the hypno-gas on them before I took my dive. +They should be nice and gentle for me by this time." He turned away +defiantly.</p> + +<p>"I know how you feel," Allenby said when McCarthy was gone. "He's a holy +terror, John. Shouldn't be around here. But I have to keep him, since he +was recommended by the 3Rs and the Educational League. He gives the +school a bit of protective coloration. Perhaps he's why they haven't +closed us down yet."</p> + +<p>"I know—I'm not blaming you. Do you suppose we can go back to our jobs? +It sounds as if it's wearing itself out." He gestured up at the windows.</p> + +<p>"Can't do anything more today."</p> + +<p>"No, you're probably right."</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p>For a moment Allenby was silent as they went toward the gate of the +Quad. Then he said, "John, you're a good man. I don't want you to +despair. What we're attempting—to bring education back into our +culture—is a good and noble cause. And you can't really blame the +kids." He nodded up at the walls. "They've just had too many Spellcasts, +too many scares in the Pretend War—they can't believe in any future and +they don't know anything about their past. Don't blame them."</p> + +<p>"No, sir—I don't."</p> + +<p>"Just do our best," Allenby said. "Try to teach them the forgotten +things. Then, in their turn, in the next generation...."</p> + +<p>"Yes, we have to believe that. But, Dr. Allenby, we could go a lot +faster if we were to screen them. If they were all like young Tomkins, +we'd be doing very well. But as long as we have people like young Cress +or Hodge or Rottke—well, it's hard to do anything with them. They go +straight from school into their fathers' firms—after all, if you're +guaranteed a business success in life, you don't struggle to learn. And, +anyway, you don't need much education to be a dope salesman or a numbers +consultant."</p> + +<p>"I'd like to have the place run only for the deserving and the +interested," Allenby said. "But we haven't much choice. We must have +some of these boys who are from the best families. More protective +coloration—like McCarthy. If we were only to run the place for the +brilliant ones, you know we'd be closed down in a week."</p> + +<p>"I suppose so," Ward agreed. He wondered whether he should tell his +suspicions to Allenby. Better not, he decided. Allenby had enough to +think about.</p> + +<p>The last of the shouting had died. As Ward went out the gate of the +Quad, he felt his heart lift a little the way it always did when he +started for home. Out here, miles from the city, the air was clean and +the Sun was bright on the hills, quilted now with the colors of autumn. +There was a tang of wood smoke in the air and, in the leaves beside the +path, he saw an apple. It was very cold and damp and there was a wild +taste to it as he bit into the fruit. He was a tired teacher, glad to be +going home after a hard day in the school. He hoped that no one had been +hurt by the tigers.</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p>John Ward pushed the papers across his desk, reached for his pipe and +sighed. "Well, that does it, Bobby," he said.</p> + +<p>He looked at the red-headed six-year-old boy sitting in the too-big +chair across from him. Bobby was a small boy with a freckled face and +skinned knees. He sat in the big chair with his feet sticking straight +out in front of him and played with a slide rule.</p> + +<p>"I've taught you all the math I know," Ward said. "Differential, +integral, topology, Maddow's Theory of Transfinite Domains—that's as +far as I go. What's next?"</p> + +<p>"I don't know, John. I was thinking of going in for nuclear physics, +but...."</p> + +<p>"Go on, but what?" Ward prompted.</p> + +<p>"Well...." Bobby gave him an embarrassed look. "I'm kind of tired of +that stuff. It's easy and not very interesting. What I'd really like—" +He broke off and began fiddling with the slide rule again.</p> + +<p>"Yes, Bobby, what would you like?"</p> + +<p>"You won't be mad?"</p> + +<p>"No." Ward smiled.</p> + +<p>"Well, I'd really like to try to write a poem—a real poem, I mean, not +advertiverse—a real poem, with rhymes and everything." He paused and +looked to see how Ward was taking it and then went on with a rush. "I +know it's almost illegal, but I want to try. I really want to."</p> + +<p>"But why?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, I dunno—I just want to. I remember that an old poet named Yeats +said something about writing poems—the fascination with what's +difficult. Maybe that's it."</p> + +<p>"Well," Ward said, "it's a dangerous occupation." He looked at the boy +with wonder and pride. "Sure, Bobby, give it a try if you want to."</p> + +<p>"Gee, thanks!" the boy said. He jumped out of the chair and started +toward the door of the study.</p> + +<p>"Bobby," Ward called. "Tell me—can you teleport?"</p> + +<p>"Not exactly," Bobby said. The papers on the desk in front of Ward +suddenly fluttered into the air. They did a lazy circle of the room, +swung into an echelon and performed a slow chandelle, before dropping +into Bobby's hand. "I can do that stuff. But I didn't do the tigers."</p> + +<p>"I'm sure you didn't."</p> + +<p>"It was a good stunt, but I wouldn't do that to you, John."</p> + +<p>"I know. Do you know who did?"</p> + +<p>"I'm not sure." Bobby didn't look at him now. "Anyway, it'd be +snitching."</p> + +<p>"I'm not asking you to tell."</p> + +<p>"Gee, I'm sorry," Bobby said. "I wanted to tell you in the yard. I knew +there was going to be a rumble, but I couldn't snitch."</p> + +<p>"No, of course not." Ward shooed him off. "Go write your poem."</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p>"But tigers!" Ann said. "Why tigers, John?"</p> + +<p>"I suppose they were convenient."</p> + +<p>"Tigers are never convenient."</p> + +<p>He crossed the room, picked up the phone and dialed. After a brief +conversation, he turned back to her. "Well, now we know where they came +from," he said. "The zoo. Disappeared for about half an hour. Then +reappeared again."</p> + +<p>"I don't care where they came from," his wife said. Her dark head was +bent over some work in her lap. "What difference does it make whether +they came from the zoo or from Burma? The point is, bringing them in is +dangerous—it's hooliganism, and don't tell me that boys will be boys."</p> + +<p>"It doesn't show very mature judgment," he admitted. "But Bobby and his +pals aren't very old."</p> + +<p>"Only about four hundred and eighty-five years old, according to his +I.Q. Do you think it was Bobby?"</p> + +<p>"Bobby isn't the only genius we've got. There's Danny, remember, and +William Tender—and Bobby said he couldn't teleport big stuff."</p> + +<p>"Well?"</p> + +<p>John Ward had to confide his theory. He felt that he had to tell Ann +everything, all the speculation and suspicion he'd carried around with +him for so long.</p> + +<p>"I think we're being invaded," he said.</p> + +<p>Ann looked at him steadily for a moment. "You mean the Outspacers?"</p> + +<p>"Yes—but not in the way you're thinking. It's been reported that the +Saucers are Russian or Argentine or Brazilian or Chinese—that's what +we're told. But that's simply Pretend War propaganda and almost no one +believes it any longer. Most of us think of them as Outspacers."</p> + +<p>"And you think they're moving in?"</p> + +<p>"I think they're watching—sort of—well, sort of monitoring."</p> + +<p>"Monitoring us? What for?"</p> + +<p>"No, not us. I think they've planted children among us. I think the +Outspacers are <i>school-teachers</i>."</p> + +<p>Ann got briskly to her feet. "I think," she said, "that we'll take your +temperature and see if perhaps you shouldn't be in bed."</p> + +<p>"Wait, Ann, I'm serious. I know it sounds crazy, but it isn't. Think of +it this way—here's a race, obviously humanoid, on another star system. +For some reason, overpopulation or whatever, they have to find room on +another planet. Let's assume they're a highly civilized race—they'd +have to be to have interstellar travel—so, of course, they can't simply +take over Earth in an act of aggression. That would be repugnant to +them.</p> + +<p>"So they <i>seed</i> our planet with their children. These children are +geniuses. When they grow up, they are naturally the leaders of the +world's governments and they're in a position to allow the Outspacers to +live with us on Earth. To live peacefully with us, whereas now, if the +Outspacers were to try to live here, it would mean war."</p> + +<p>"And you think Bobby is one of these—these seedlings?"</p> + +<p>"Maybe. He's unbelievingly intelligent. <i>And</i> he's a foundling."</p> + +<p>"What has that to do with it?"</p> + +<p>"I've looked up the statistics on foundlings. When the Saucers first +began to appear, back in the 20th Century, the number of foundlings +began to increase. Not a lot, but some. Then the Saucers disappeared for +almost two and a half centuries and the number decreased. Now, since the +Outspacers are once more evident, the number of foundlings has increased +very greatly."</p> + +<p>"And your other geniuses? All foundlings?"</p> + +<p>"Not all. But that doesn't mean anything—plenty of foundlings are +adopted. And who knows which child is an adopted one?"</p> + +<p>Ann Ward sat down again. "You're quite serious about this, John?"</p> + +<p>"There's no way of being sure, but I am convinced."</p> + +<p>"It's frightening."</p> + +<p>"Is Bobby frightening? In all the time I've been tutoring him, has he +ever been out of line?"</p> + +<p>"Bobby's no alien!"</p> + +<p>"He may be."</p> + +<p>"Well, anyway, of course Bobby isn't frightening. But that business of +the tigers—<i>that</i> is!"</p> + +<p>"They didn't hurt anyone."</p> + +<p>"No, but don't you see, John? It's—irresponsible. How do you fit it in +with your super-intelligent super-beings?"</p> + +<p>"Ann," he said impatiently, "we're dealing with fantastically +intelligent beings, but beings who are still <i>children</i>—can't you +understand that? They're just finding out their powers—one is a +telepath, another levitates, a third is a teleport. A riot is started by +Alec Cress or Jacky Hodge or one of those 3R hoodlums. And our child +genius can't resist making a kind of joke of his own."</p> + +<p>"Joke? With <i>tigers</i>? John, I tell you I'm frightened." Her husband said +nothing and she looked at him sharply. "You <i>hope</i> it's this way, don't +you?"</p> + +<p>For a moment he didn't answer. Then he sighed. "Yes. Yes, I do both +believe and hope I'm right, Ann. I never thought that I'd be willing to +give up the struggle—that's what it amounts to. But I don't think the +human race can manage itself any more. So, I'm willing and glad to have +some other race teach us how to live. I know we've always looked on the +idea of domination by some race from the stars with both terror and +revulsion. But we've made such a mess of things on Earth that I, at +least, would be glad to see them come."</p> + +<p>After a while, Ann said, "I've got to do some shopping for supper."</p> + +<p>She began mechanically putting her work away.</p> + +<p>"You're shocked?"</p> + +<p>"Yes. And relieved, too, a little. And, at the same time, still a bit +frightened."</p> + +<p>"It's probably for the best."</p> + +<p>"Yes. It's sad, though. Have you told this to anyone else?"</p> + +<p>"No. After all, it's still only a theory. I've got to find some kind of +proof. Except that I don't know how."</p> + +<p>"You've convinced me." She stood in the doorway, then turned to him and +he could see that she was crying. She dashed the tears from her eyes. "I +suppose we have to go on doing the same things. We have to have dinner +tonight. I must shop...."</p> + +<p>He took her in his arms. "It'll be all right," he said.</p> + +<p>"I feel so helpless! What are you going to <i>do</i>?"</p> + +<p>"Right now," he said, "I think I'll go fishing."</p> + +<p>Ann began to laugh, a little hysterically. "You <i>are</i> relaxed about it," +she said.</p> + +<p>"Might as well relax and give it more thought."</p> + +<p>Ann kissed him and went into the kitchen. She was gone when he came out +with his rod and creel. Going down the walk under the trees, he was +aware again of what a fine autumn afternoon it was. He began to whistle +as he went down the hill toward the stream.</p> + +<p>He didn't catch anything, of course. He had fished the pool at least a +hundred times without luck, but that did not matter. He knew there was a +fighting old bass in its depths and, probably, he would have been sorry +to catch him. Now, his line gently agitated the dark water as he sat +under a big tree on the stream bank and smoked. Idly he opened the copy +of Yeats' poems and began reading: <i>Turning and turning in the widening +gyre....</i></p> + +<p>In mounting excitement, he read the coldly beautiful, the terrible and +revelatory poem through to the end. <i>And what rough beast, its hour come +round at last, slouches toward Bethlehem to be born?</i></p> + +<p>Ward became aware that his pipe was out. He put it away, feeling the +goose pimples, generated by the poem, leave his flesh. Then he shook +himself and sighed. We're lucky, he thought, it might have been the way +the old boy predicted it in the poem. It might have been terrible.</p> + +<p>He sighed again, watching his line in the dark water, and thought of +Bobby. You could hardly call Bobby a rough beast. The line flickered in +the water and then was still. He would have a lot of time for this kind +of life, he thought, if his theory were correct. He watched a flight of +leaves dapple the pool with the insignia of autumn. He was not sure he +wanted to spend a lifetime fishing.</p> + +<p>Suddenly the pool exploded into motion, the water frothed and flashed +white and the line in his hand sang like a piano wire. Automatically, he +jerked his line and began to reel in, at the same time his mind was +telling him no line of its weight could long hold what he had hooked. As +suddenly as the action had begun, it was ended and he was pulling +something heavy against the stream bank. He gaped at it, his eyes +popping. Then he heard the rustle of leaves and the snap of a stick +behind him.</p> + +<p>"Catch somep'n, teach'?" a voice asked.</p> + +<p>"Yes, I caught something." He got his tobacco pouch from his pocket and +filled his pipe, trying to keep his hands from trembling.</p> + +<p>"Gee, he's a <i>big</i> one, teach'," the voice said.</p> + +<p>Ward stood up. The boy, Jacky Hodge, leaning over the bank looking down +at the fish. Behind him, Ward saw Bobby, Alec Cress, Danny and several +others. <i>Now which of you is laughing?</i> he wondered. But there was no +way to tell. Jacky, a boy of twelve or thirteen, had his usual look of +stupid good nature. Bobby, under the flambeau of red hair, dreamed at +the fish. The others wore the open poker faces of children.</p> + +<p>"That's a <i>funny</i> fish," one of them said and then they were all +laughing as they raced away.</p> + +<p>With some difficulty, Ward got the fish out of the water and began to +drag it up the hill toward his house.</p> + +<p>"Outspace fish," Ward said as he dumped the thing on the work table +where Ann had deposited the bag of groceries.</p> + +<p>"Where did you get <i>that</i>?"</p> + +<p>"I just caught it. Down in the stream."</p> + +<p>"<i>That?</i> In our stream?"</p> + +<p>"Yeah."</p> + +<p>He looked at it. The fish resembled a small marlin in shape, but it +looked as if its sides had been painted by an abstract artist.</p> + +<p>"They planted it on my hook," he told her. "Teleported it from somewhere +and planted it on me. Like the tigers."</p> + +<p>"Who?"</p> + +<p>"I don't know—one of the kids. There were a bunch of them down by the +river."</p> + +<p>"Is it the proof you wanted?"</p> + +<p>"Almost. I'd like to make them—whoever they are—admit it, though. But +you can't pry anything out of them. They stick together like—like kids, +I guess. Tell me, why is it that the smart ones don't discriminate? +They'd as soon play with morons like Hodge or Cress as with the brainy +ones."</p> + +<p>"Democratic, I guess," Ann said. She looked at the fish without +enthusiasm and turned it over on its other side. "Weren't you the same +way, when you were a boy?"</p> + +<p>"Guess so. Leader of my group was almost an idiot. Head of the 3Rs now." +He started to put his fishing tackle away. "Got to get ready for Star +Watch," he said. "I'm on the early trick tonight." He halted in the +kitchen doorway, still holding the rod and creel. He looked back at the +fish. "That kind of thing is likely to take all the fun out of fishing," +he told her.</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p>Usually, he found Star Watch a bore. There were often Saucer sightings, +it was true. He had had many himself, some of them very close in, but +all that had become routine. At first, the government had tried shooting +them down, but the attempts had ended in total failure and the Saucers +still came, aloof and unreasonable, as if they did not even know that +they were being shot at. Later, communication had been tried—but with +no better results.</p> + +<p>Now, when the Saucers were sighted, the Watcher phoned in a report, some +bored plotter in Saucer Control took bearings and speed, or replied that +they had the thing on radar. The next day, the score of sightings would +be Spellcast—it was less exciting than watching for grunnion.</p> + +<p>Tonight, however, Ward was excited. As he left his house, he set out at +a fast pace for the school. He found Bobby in front of the boys' +dormitory.</p> + +<p>"What is it, John?" the boy called as he trotted over to the teacher.</p> + +<p>"How'd you like to come on Star Watch with me?"</p> + +<p>"All right." They went down the street together.</p> + +<p>"I want to try something," Ward told the boy. "I think I know how we can +get in touch with the Saucer people."</p> + +<p>"But they <i>have</i> tried."</p> + +<p>"Yes, I know—with radio and blinker lights and all that. But maybe +that's the wrong way. Bobby, you're a telepath, aren't you?"</p> + +<p>"I'm not very good at it and anyway I don't think it'll work."</p> + +<p>"Why not?"</p> + +<p>"I tried once, but I couldn't seem to get anywhere. They seemed—I +dunno—funny."</p> + +<p>"In what way?" Ward asked the boy.</p> + +<p>"Just sort of funny."</p> + +<p>"Well, if we're lucky, maybe we can try again tonight."</p> + +<p>"Yeah," Bobby said, "it's probably a good night for it. Full moon. Why +do you suppose they seem to like the full moon, John?"</p> + +<p>"I wish I knew."</p> + +<p>It didn't look as if they were going to have any luck. They had waited +for two hours and Bobby was asleep on a bench in the small "duck blind" +the Watchers used. Then John heard it.</p> + +<p>It was a high shimmer of sound and it gave him gooseflesh, as it always +did. He couldn't see anything yet. Then it appeared to the north, very +low, like a coagulation of the moonlight itself, and he shook the boy.</p> + +<p>Bobby was awake immediately and, together, they watched its approach. It +was moving slowly, turned on an edge. It looked like a knife of light. +Then it rolled over, or shifted its form, and the familiar shape +appeared. The humming stopped and the Saucer floated in the moonlight +like a giant metallic lily-pad, perhaps a half mile away.</p> + +<p>"Try now, Bobby," he said, attempting to keep calm.</p> + +<p>The boy stood in the moonlight in front of the blind, very still, as if +collecting the silence out of the night. Once he shook his head as +though to clear it and started to say something. Then, for a long +minute, he held his face toward the moon as if he were listening.</p> + +<p>Suddenly, he giggled.</p> + +<p>"What is it?" Ward snapped, unable to repress his impatience.</p> + +<p>"I'm not sure. I thought it seemed something like a joke."</p> + +<p>"Try to ask where they're from."</p> + +<p>A moment later, the boy shook his head. "I guess I can't get anything," +he said. "All I seem to get is that they're saying, '<i>We're here</i>.' As +if they didn't understand me."</p> + +<p>"All right. Try to get <i>anything</i>."</p> + +<p>A moment later, the ship turned on edge, or shifted its shape, and slid +back into the sky. Ward picked up the phone and called Saucer Control.</p> + +<p>"Got it," the bored voice said.</p> + +<p>He put down the phone and sat in silence, feeling sick with frustration.</p> + +<p>"Might as well knock off, Bobby," he said gently to the boy. "I guess +that's all for the night. You run along and hit the sack."</p> + +<p>The boy started to leave and then turned back. "I'm sorry, John," he +said. "I guess I'm not very good at it. There's one thing though...." He +hesitated.</p> + +<p>"Yes?"</p> + +<p>"I don't think they know any poetry. In fact, I'm pretty sure of that."</p> + +<p>"All right," Ward said, laughing. "I guess that's the most important +thing in <i>your</i> life right now. Run along, Bobby."</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p>An hour later, his watch ended and he started for home, still feeling +depressed at having failed. He was passing the dormitory when he saw it. +It hung in the air, almost overhead. The color of the moonlight itself, +it was hard to spot. But it was not the Saucer that held him rigid with +attention.</p> + +<p>Over the roof of the dormitory, small and growing smaller as it went +straight toward the Saucer, he saw a figure, then another and then a +third. While he watched, there was a jet of blue light from the object +in the sky—the opening of an airlock, he thought—and the figures +disappeared, one by one, into the interior of the ship. Ward began to +run.</p> + +<p>It was strictly forbidden for a teacher to enter the dormitory—that +part of the boys' world was completely their own. But he ignored that +ruling now as he raced up the stairs. All he could think of was that +this was the chance to identify the invaders. The boys who had levitated +themselves up to the Saucer would be missing.</p> + +<p>He was still exultantly certain of this as he jerked open the doors of +the first three rooms. Each one was empty. And the fourth and fifth, as +well. Frantically, he pulled open door after door, going through the +motions, although his mind told him that it was useless, that all of the +boys, with a Saucer so close, would be out looking at it.</p> + +<p>Wait until they returned? He couldn't remain in the dormitory and, even +if he did, when they all came back, how could he find out which boys had +gone up to the ship? They wouldn't be likely to tell, nor would the +others, even if they knew. Aimlessly, he went on opening doors, flashing +his Watcher's light.</p> + +<p>Perhaps there would be a clue in one of the rooms. Excited again, he +rapidly checked them, rummaging in closets, picking up their sports +things and their toys. Nothing there. Until he found the book.</p> + +<p>It was an odd-looking book, in a language he couldn't read. He looked at +it doubtfully. Was the script simply Cyrillic? Or Hebrew? He stuffed it +into his pocket and glanced around at the walls of the room. Pictures of +athletes, mostly, and a couple of pin-ups. In a drawer, under some +clothing, a French post card. He examined some of the objects on the +dresser.</p> + +<p>Then he was looking stupidly at his hand. He was holding a piece of +string with a ring attached to it. And, just as certainly, there was +something attached to the other end. Or it had been. But there was +nothing he could see now. He pulled on the string and it tightened. Yes, +there was a drag on the other end, <i>but there was nothing he could see +... or feel</i>.</p> + +<p>He tried to reconstruct his actions. He had been pawing among the +things. He had taken hold of the string and had pulled something +attached to the end of it off the table. The thing had fallen and +disappeared—but <i>where</i>? It was <i>still</i> tied to the string, but where +was it?</p> + +<p>Another dimension, he thought, feeling the hair stand up on his neck, +the sudden riot of his blood as he knew he had found the evidence he +wanted.</p> + +<p>He snapped off the light and groped his way rapidly down the stairs. +Once on the street, he began to run. It did not occur to him to feel +ridiculous at dragging along behind him, on the end of a string, some +object which he could not see.</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p>"Okay," Ann said. "But what <i>is</i> it?" She sat on the divan looking at +the book.</p> + +<p>"I don't know, but I think it's alien."</p> + +<p>"<i>I</i> think it's a comic book. In some foreign language—or maybe in +classical Greek for all we know." She pointed to an illustration. "Isn't +this like the fish you caught? Of course it is. And look at the +fisherman—his clothes are funny looking, but I'll bet he's telling +about the one that got away."</p> + +<p>"Damn it, don't joke! What about <i>this</i>?" He waved the string.</p> + +<p>"Well, what about it?"</p> + +<p>"It's extra-dimensional. It's...." He jerked the string with nervous +repetition and, suddenly, something was in his hand. Surprised, he +dropped it. It disappeared and he felt the tug on the end of the string.</p> + +<p>"There <i>is</i> something!" He began jerking the string and it was there +again. This time he held it, looking at it with awe.</p> + +<p>It was neither very big nor very heavy. It was probably made out of some +kind of glass or plastic. The color was dazzling, but that was not what +made him turn his head away—it was the shape of the thing. Something +was wrong with its surfaces. Plane melted into plane, the surface curved +and rejoined itself. He felt dizzy.</p> + +<p>"What is it, John?"</p> + +<p>"Something—something like a Klein Bottle—or a tesseract—or maybe both +of them together." He looked at it for a moment and then turned away +again. It was impossible to look at it very long. "It's something built +to cut through our three-dimensional space," he said. He dropped it, +then tugged. The thing dropped out of sight and reappeared again, +rolling up the string toward his hand.</p> + +<p>That was when he lost control. He lay down on the floor and howled in a +seizure of laughter that was like crying.</p> + +<p>"<i>John!</i>" Ann said primly. "John Ward, you <i>stop</i>!" She went out of the +room and returned with a glass half full of whisky.</p> + +<p>Ward got up from the floor and weakly slouched in a chair. He took a +long drink from the glass, lit his pipe with great deliberation, and +spoke very softly. "Well," he said, "I think we've got the answer."</p> + +<p>"Have we?"</p> + +<p>"Sure. It was there all the time and I couldn't see it. I always thought +it was strange we couldn't get in touch with the Outspacers. I had Bobby +try tonight—<i>he</i> couldn't do anything either. I thought maybe he wasn't +trying—or that he was one of them and didn't want to let me in on it. +He said they sounded—funny. By that, he meant strange or alien, I +thought."</p> + +<p>"Well, I'm sure they must be," Ann said, relaxed now that John's +outburst was over.</p> + +<p>"Yes. But that's <i>not</i> what he meant—he's just a normal human genius. +He <i>meant</i> funny." He lifted his hand. "Know what this is?" He held up +the strange object on the string. "It's a <i>yo-yo</i>. An <i>extra-dimensional +yo-yo</i>. And you were right—that thing <i>is</i> a comic book. Look," he +said. He held the odd object toward her. "See this? J.H.—Jacky Hodge, +one of the stupidest ones. It's <i>his</i> yo-yo. But I was right about one +thing. We <i>are</i> being invaded. It's probably been going on for +centuries. Invaded by <i>morons</i>, morons with interstellar drives, +super-science—super-<i>yo-yos</i>! Morons from the stars!"</p> + +<p>He began to laugh again. Ann went out to the kitchen for another glass. +Then, after a while, she went back for the bottle.</p> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of What Rough Beast?, by Jefferson Highe + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WHAT ROUGH BEAST? *** + +***** This file should be named 31975-h.htm or 31975-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/1/9/7/31975/ + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +https://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need 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 web page at https://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +https://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at https://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit https://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including including checks, online payments and credit card +donations. To donate, please visit: https://pglaf.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 thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + https://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. + + +</pre> + +</body> +</html> diff --git a/31975-h/images/cover.jpg b/31975-h/images/cover.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..921040b --- /dev/null +++ b/31975-h/images/cover.jpg diff --git a/31975-h/images/illus.jpg b/31975-h/images/illus.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..bf9c0d0 --- /dev/null +++ b/31975-h/images/illus.jpg diff --git a/31975-h/images/title.jpg b/31975-h/images/title.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..aece7a1 --- /dev/null +++ b/31975-h/images/title.jpg diff --git a/31975.txt b/31975.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b848f36 --- /dev/null +++ b/31975.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1231 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of What Rough Beast?, by Jefferson Highe + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: What Rough Beast? + +Author: Jefferson Highe + +Illustrator: Dick Francis + +Release Date: April 13, 2010 [EBook #31975] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WHAT ROUGH BEAST? *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + + What Rough Beast? + + By JEFFERSON HIGHE + + Illustrated by DICK FRANCIS + + +[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from Galaxy Science Fiction +July 1954. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. +copyright on this publication was renewed.] + + +[Sidenote: _When you are a teacher, you expect kids to play pranks. But +with tigers--and worse?_] + +Standing braced--or, as it seemed to him, crucified--against the length +of the blackboard, John Ward tried to calculate his chances of heading +off the impending riot. It didn't seem likely that anything he could do +would stop it. + +"Say something," he told himself. "Continue the lecture, _talk_!" But +against the background of hysterical voices from the school yard, +against the brass fear in his mouth, he was dumb. He looked at the bank +of boys' faces in front of him. They seemed to him now as identical as +metal stampings, each one completely deadpan, each pair of jaws moving +in a single rhythm, like a mechanical herd. He could feel the tension in +them, and he knew that, in a moment, they would begin to move. He felt +shame and humiliation that he had failed. + +"Shakespeare," he said clearly, holding his voice steady, "for those of +you who have never heard of him, was the greatest of all dramatists. +Greater even," he went on doggedly, knowing that they might take it as a +provocation, "than the writers for the Spellcasts." He stopped talking +abruptly. + +Three tigers stepped out of the ceiling. Their eyes were glassy, +absolutely rigid, as if, like the last of the hairy mammoths, they had +been frozen a long age in some glacial crevasse. They hung there a +moment and then fell into the room like a furry waterfall. They landed +snarling. + +Something smashed viciously into the wall beside Ward's head. From the +back of the room, someone's hand flashed a glitter of light. Ward leaped +away and cut across the end of the room toward the escape chute. Holding +his ring with its identifying light beam before him, he leaped into the +slot like a racing driver. Behind him, the room exploded in shouts and +snarls. The gate on the chute slammed shut after him, and he heard them +scratching and banging at it. Without the identifying light, they would +be unable to get through. He took a long breath of relief as he shot +down the polished groove of the slide into the Mob Quad. The boys he'd +left behind knew how to protect themselves. + +They were all there--Dr. Allenby, McCarthy the psych man, Laura Ames the +pretty gym teacher, Foster, Jensen--all of them. So it had been general +then, not just his group which had rioted. He knew it was all the more +serious now, because it had not been limited to one outbreak. + +"You, too, Ward?" Dr. Allenby said sadly. He was a short, slender man +with white hair and a white mustache. He helped Ward up from where he +had fallen at the foot of the escape slide. "What was it in your +classroom this time?" + +"Tigers," Ward said. Standing beside Allenby, he felt very tall, +although he was only of average height. He smoothed down his wiry dark +hair and began energetically brushing the dust from his clothing. + +"Well, it's always something," Allenby said tiredly. + +He seemed more sad than upset, Ward thought, a spent old man clinging to +the straw of a dream. He saw where the metaphor was leading and pushed +it aside. If Allenby were a drowning man, then Ward himself was one. He +looked at the others. + +They were all edgy or simply frightened, but they were taking it very +well. Some of them were stationed at the gates of the Quad, but none of +them, as far as he could see, was armed. Except for McCarthy. The psych +man was wearing his Star Watcher helmet and had a B-gun strapped at his +side. Probably had a small force-field in his pocket, Ward thought, +_and_ a pair of brass knuckles. + +"So--the philosophy king got it too," McCarthy said, coming over to +them. He was a big man, young but already florid with what Ward had +always thought of as a roan complexion. "Love, understanding, +sympathy--wasn't that what was supposed to work wonders? All they need +is a copy of Robinson Crusoe and a chance to follow their natural +instincts, eh?" + +"One failure doesn't prove anything," Ward said, trying not to be angry. + +"_One_ failure? How often do they have to make us hit the slides for the +safety of the Mob Quad before you adopt a sensible theory?" + +"Let's not go through all that again. Restraint, Rubber hoses and +Radiological shock--I've heard all about the 3 Rs." + +"At least they work!" + +"Oh, yes, they work fine. Except that they never learn to read and they +can't sign their names with anything but an X." + +"It was progressive education that destroyed reading," McCarthy said +heatedly. "And they don't _need_ to sign their names--that's what +universal fingerprinting is for." + +"Please, gentlemen," Dr. Allenby interrupted gently. "This kind of +squabbling is unbecoming to members of the faculty. Besides," he smiled +with faded irony, "considering the circumstances, it's hardly a proper +time." + +He pointed to the windows over the Quad where an occasional figure could +be seen behind the glass. Lucky it was unbreakable, Ward thought, +hearing the wild hysterical yelling from inside. + +"Mob Quad," Allenby said bitterly. "I thought I was naming it as a joke. +The original Mob Quad was at Merton College, Oxford. One of the old +defunct universities. _They_ had a Mob Quad to shelter students and +professors from the town mobs. Professors _and_ students, +gentlemen--they were a united front in those days. I suppose no one +could have predicted our present circumstances." + +"That's all history," McCarthy said impatiently. "Bunk. This is _now_, +and I say the thing to do--" + +"We know." Allenby waved him to silence. "But your way has been tried +long enough. How long is it since Los Angeles Day, when the U.N. +buildings were bombed and burned by the original 3R Party in order to +get rid of Unesco? Two hundred forty-three years next June, isn't it? +And your Party had had all that time to get education back on what it +calls a sane program. Now _nobody_ is educated." + +"It takes time to undo the damage of progressive education," McCarthy +said. "Besides, a lot of that junk--reading, writing--as I've often told +Ward--" + +"All right," Ward broke in. "But two and a half centuries is long +enough. Someone must try a new tack or the country is doomed. There +isn't much time. The Outspace invaders--" + +"The Outspace invaders are simply Russians," McCarthy said flatly. + +"That's a convenient view if you're an ostrich. Or, if you want to keep +the Pretend War going, until the Outspacers take us over." + +McCarthy snorted contemptuously. "Ward, you damned fool--" + +"That will be all, gentlemen," Allenby said. He did not raise his voice, +but McCarthy was silent and Ward marveled, as he had on other occasions, +at the authority the old man carried. + +"Well," McCarthy said after a moment, "what are you going to do about +_this_?" He gestured toward the windows from which shouts still rang. + +"Nothing. Let it run its course." + +"But you can't do _that_, man!" + +"I can and I will. What do you think, John?" + +"I agree," Ward said. "They won't hurt each other--they never have yet. +It'll wear itself out and then, tomorrow, we'll try again." He did not +feel optimistic about how things would be the next day, but he didn't +want to voice his fears. "The thing that worries me," he said, "are +those tigers. Where'd they come from?" + +"What tigers?" McCarthy wanted to know. + +Ward told him. + +"First it was cats," McCarthy said, "then birds ... now tigers. Either +you're seeing things or someone's using a concealed projector." + +"I thought of the projector, but these seemed real. Stunned at first--as +if they were as surprised as I was." + +"You have a teleport in your class," Allenby said. + +"Yes--maybe that's the way it was done. I don't know quite what to make +of it," Ward said. If he voiced his real suspicion now, he knew it would +sound silly. "I know some of them can teleport. I've seen them. Small +things, of course...." + +"Not in _my_ classes," McCarthy said indignantly. "I absolutely forbid +that sort of thing." + +"You do wrong, then," Allenby said. + +"It's unscientific!" + +"Perhaps. But we want to encourage whatever wild talents they possess." + +"So that they can materialize tigers in--in our bedrooms, I suppose. +Well, I've had enough. Stay here and stew if you like, but I'm going +back to my class. I turned the hypno-gas on them before I took my dive. +They should be nice and gentle for me by this time." He turned away +defiantly. + +"I know how you feel," Allenby said when McCarthy was gone. "He's a holy +terror, John. Shouldn't be around here. But I have to keep him, since he +was recommended by the 3Rs and the Educational League. He gives the +school a bit of protective coloration. Perhaps he's why they haven't +closed us down yet." + +"I know--I'm not blaming you. Do you suppose we can go back to our jobs? +It sounds as if it's wearing itself out." He gestured up at the windows. + +"Can't do anything more today." + +"No, you're probably right." + + * * * * * + +For a moment Allenby was silent as they went toward the gate of the +Quad. Then he said, "John, you're a good man. I don't want you to +despair. What we're attempting--to bring education back into our +culture--is a good and noble cause. And you can't really blame the +kids." He nodded up at the walls. "They've just had too many Spellcasts, +too many scares in the Pretend War--they can't believe in any future and +they don't know anything about their past. Don't blame them." + +"No, sir--I don't." + +"Just do our best," Allenby said. "Try to teach them the forgotten +things. Then, in their turn, in the next generation...." + +"Yes, we have to believe that. But, Dr. Allenby, we could go a lot +faster if we were to screen them. If they were all like young Tomkins, +we'd be doing very well. But as long as we have people like young Cress +or Hodge or Rottke--well, it's hard to do anything with them. They go +straight from school into their fathers' firms--after all, if you're +guaranteed a business success in life, you don't struggle to learn. And, +anyway, you don't need much education to be a dope salesman or a numbers +consultant." + +"I'd like to have the place run only for the deserving and the +interested," Allenby said. "But we haven't much choice. We must have +some of these boys who are from the best families. More protective +coloration--like McCarthy. If we were only to run the place for the +brilliant ones, you know we'd be closed down in a week." + +"I suppose so," Ward agreed. He wondered whether he should tell his +suspicions to Allenby. Better not, he decided. Allenby had enough to +think about. + +The last of the shouting had died. As Ward went out the gate of the +Quad, he felt his heart lift a little the way it always did when he +started for home. Out here, miles from the city, the air was clean and +the Sun was bright on the hills, quilted now with the colors of autumn. +There was a tang of wood smoke in the air and, in the leaves beside the +path, he saw an apple. It was very cold and damp and there was a wild +taste to it as he bit into the fruit. He was a tired teacher, glad to be +going home after a hard day in the school. He hoped that no one had been +hurt by the tigers. + + * * * * * + +John Ward pushed the papers across his desk, reached for his pipe and +sighed. "Well, that does it, Bobby," he said. + +He looked at the red-headed six-year-old boy sitting in the too-big +chair across from him. Bobby was a small boy with a freckled face and +skinned knees. He sat in the big chair with his feet sticking straight +out in front of him and played with a slide rule. + +"I've taught you all the math I know," Ward said. "Differential, +integral, topology, Maddow's Theory of Transfinite Domains--that's as +far as I go. What's next?" + +"I don't know, John. I was thinking of going in for nuclear physics, +but...." + +"Go on, but what?" Ward prompted. + +"Well...." Bobby gave him an embarrassed look. "I'm kind of tired of +that stuff. It's easy and not very interesting. What I'd really like--" +He broke off and began fiddling with the slide rule again. + +"Yes, Bobby, what would you like?" + +"You won't be mad?" + +"No." Ward smiled. + +"Well, I'd really like to try to write a poem--a real poem, I mean, not +advertiverse--a real poem, with rhymes and everything." He paused and +looked to see how Ward was taking it and then went on with a rush. "I +know it's almost illegal, but I want to try. I really want to." + +"But why?" + +"Oh, I dunno--I just want to. I remember that an old poet named Yeats +said something about writing poems--the fascination with what's +difficult. Maybe that's it." + +"Well," Ward said, "it's a dangerous occupation." He looked at the boy +with wonder and pride. "Sure, Bobby, give it a try if you want to." + +"Gee, thanks!" the boy said. He jumped out of the chair and started +toward the door of the study. + +"Bobby," Ward called. "Tell me--can you teleport?" + +"Not exactly," Bobby said. The papers on the desk in front of Ward +suddenly fluttered into the air. They did a lazy circle of the room, +swung into an echelon and performed a slow chandelle, before dropping +into Bobby's hand. "I can do that stuff. But I didn't do the tigers." + +"I'm sure you didn't." + +"It was a good stunt, but I wouldn't do that to you, John." + +"I know. Do you know who did?" + +"I'm not sure." Bobby didn't look at him now. "Anyway, it'd be +snitching." + +"I'm not asking you to tell." + +"Gee, I'm sorry," Bobby said. "I wanted to tell you in the yard. I knew +there was going to be a rumble, but I couldn't snitch." + +"No, of course not." Ward shooed him off. "Go write your poem." + + * * * * * + +"But tigers!" Ann said. "Why tigers, John?" + +"I suppose they were convenient." + +"Tigers are never convenient." + +He crossed the room, picked up the phone and dialed. After a brief +conversation, he turned back to her. "Well, now we know where they came +from," he said. "The zoo. Disappeared for about half an hour. Then +reappeared again." + +"I don't care where they came from," his wife said. Her dark head was +bent over some work in her lap. "What difference does it make whether +they came from the zoo or from Burma? The point is, bringing them in is +dangerous--it's hooliganism, and don't tell me that boys will be boys." + +"It doesn't show very mature judgment," he admitted. "But Bobby and his +pals aren't very old." + +"Only about four hundred and eighty-five years old, according to his +I.Q. Do you think it was Bobby?" + +"Bobby isn't the only genius we've got. There's Danny, remember, and +William Tender--and Bobby said he couldn't teleport big stuff." + +"Well?" + +John Ward had to confide his theory. He felt that he had to tell Ann +everything, all the speculation and suspicion he'd carried around with +him for so long. + +"I think we're being invaded," he said. + +Ann looked at him steadily for a moment. "You mean the Outspacers?" + +"Yes--but not in the way you're thinking. It's been reported that the +Saucers are Russian or Argentine or Brazilian or Chinese--that's what +we're told. But that's simply Pretend War propaganda and almost no one +believes it any longer. Most of us think of them as Outspacers." + +"And you think they're moving in?" + +"I think they're watching--sort of--well, sort of monitoring." + +"Monitoring us? What for?" + +"No, not us. I think they've planted children among us. I think the +Outspacers are _school-teachers_." + +Ann got briskly to her feet. "I think," she said, "that we'll take your +temperature and see if perhaps you shouldn't be in bed." + +"Wait, Ann, I'm serious. I know it sounds crazy, but it isn't. Think of +it this way--here's a race, obviously humanoid, on another star system. +For some reason, overpopulation or whatever, they have to find room on +another planet. Let's assume they're a highly civilized race--they'd +have to be to have interstellar travel--so, of course, they can't simply +take over Earth in an act of aggression. That would be repugnant to +them. + +"So they _seed_ our planet with their children. These children are +geniuses. When they grow up, they are naturally the leaders of the +world's governments and they're in a position to allow the Outspacers to +live with us on Earth. To live peacefully with us, whereas now, if the +Outspacers were to try to live here, it would mean war." + +"And you think Bobby is one of these--these seedlings?" + +"Maybe. He's unbelievingly intelligent. _And_ he's a foundling." + +"What has that to do with it?" + +"I've looked up the statistics on foundlings. When the Saucers first +began to appear, back in the 20th Century, the number of foundlings +began to increase. Not a lot, but some. Then the Saucers disappeared for +almost two and a half centuries and the number decreased. Now, since the +Outspacers are once more evident, the number of foundlings has increased +very greatly." + +"And your other geniuses? All foundlings?" + +"Not all. But that doesn't mean anything--plenty of foundlings are +adopted. And who knows which child is an adopted one?" + +Ann Ward sat down again. "You're quite serious about this, John?" + +"There's no way of being sure, but I am convinced." + +"It's frightening." + +"Is Bobby frightening? In all the time I've been tutoring him, has he +ever been out of line?" + +"Bobby's no alien!" + +"He may be." + +"Well, anyway, of course Bobby isn't frightening. But that business of +the tigers--_that_ is!" + +"They didn't hurt anyone." + +"No, but don't you see, John? It's--irresponsible. How do you fit it in +with your super-intelligent super-beings?" + +"Ann," he said impatiently, "we're dealing with fantastically +intelligent beings, but beings who are still _children_--can't you +understand that? They're just finding out their powers--one is a +telepath, another levitates, a third is a teleport. A riot is started by +Alec Cress or Jacky Hodge or one of those 3R hoodlums. And our child +genius can't resist making a kind of joke of his own." + +"Joke? With _tigers_? John, I tell you I'm frightened." Her husband said +nothing and she looked at him sharply. "You _hope_ it's this way, don't +you?" + +For a moment he didn't answer. Then he sighed. "Yes. Yes, I do both +believe and hope I'm right, Ann. I never thought that I'd be willing to +give up the struggle--that's what it amounts to. But I don't think the +human race can manage itself any more. So, I'm willing and glad to have +some other race teach us how to live. I know we've always looked on the +idea of domination by some race from the stars with both terror and +revulsion. But we've made such a mess of things on Earth that I, at +least, would be glad to see them come." + +After a while, Ann said, "I've got to do some shopping for supper." + +She began mechanically putting her work away. + +"You're shocked?" + +"Yes. And relieved, too, a little. And, at the same time, still a bit +frightened." + +"It's probably for the best." + +"Yes. It's sad, though. Have you told this to anyone else?" + +"No. After all, it's still only a theory. I've got to find some kind of +proof. Except that I don't know how." + +"You've convinced me." She stood in the doorway, then turned to him and +he could see that she was crying. She dashed the tears from her eyes. "I +suppose we have to go on doing the same things. We have to have dinner +tonight. I must shop...." + +He took her in his arms. "It'll be all right," he said. + +"I feel so helpless! What are you going to _do_?" + +"Right now," he said, "I think I'll go fishing." + +Ann began to laugh, a little hysterically. "You _are_ relaxed about it," +she said. + +"Might as well relax and give it more thought." + +Ann kissed him and went into the kitchen. She was gone when he came out +with his rod and creel. Going down the walk under the trees, he was +aware again of what a fine autumn afternoon it was. He began to whistle +as he went down the hill toward the stream. + +He didn't catch anything, of course. He had fished the pool at least a +hundred times without luck, but that did not matter. He knew there was a +fighting old bass in its depths and, probably, he would have been sorry +to catch him. Now, his line gently agitated the dark water as he sat +under a big tree on the stream bank and smoked. Idly he opened the copy +of Yeats' poems and began reading: _Turning and turning in the widening +gyre...._ + +In mounting excitement, he read the coldly beautiful, the terrible and +revelatory poem through to the end. _And what rough beast, its hour come +round at last, slouches toward Bethlehem to be born?_ + +Ward became aware that his pipe was out. He put it away, feeling the +goose pimples, generated by the poem, leave his flesh. Then he shook +himself and sighed. We're lucky, he thought, it might have been the way +the old boy predicted it in the poem. It might have been terrible. + +He sighed again, watching his line in the dark water, and thought of +Bobby. You could hardly call Bobby a rough beast. The line flickered in +the water and then was still. He would have a lot of time for this kind +of life, he thought, if his theory were correct. He watched a flight of +leaves dapple the pool with the insignia of autumn. He was not sure he +wanted to spend a lifetime fishing. + +Suddenly the pool exploded into motion, the water frothed and flashed +white and the line in his hand sang like a piano wire. Automatically, he +jerked his line and began to reel in, at the same time his mind was +telling him no line of its weight could long hold what he had hooked. As +suddenly as the action had begun, it was ended and he was pulling +something heavy against the stream bank. He gaped at it, his eyes +popping. Then he heard the rustle of leaves and the snap of a stick +behind him. + +"Catch somep'n, teach'?" a voice asked. + +"Yes, I caught something." He got his tobacco pouch from his pocket and +filled his pipe, trying to keep his hands from trembling. + +"Gee, he's a _big_ one, teach'," the voice said. + +Ward stood up. The boy, Jacky Hodge, leaning over the bank looking down +at the fish. Behind him, Ward saw Bobby, Alec Cress, Danny and several +others. _Now which of you is laughing?_ he wondered. But there was no +way to tell. Jacky, a boy of twelve or thirteen, had his usual look of +stupid good nature. Bobby, under the flambeau of red hair, dreamed at +the fish. The others wore the open poker faces of children. + +"That's a _funny_ fish," one of them said and then they were all +laughing as they raced away. + +With some difficulty, Ward got the fish out of the water and began to +drag it up the hill toward his house. + +"Outspace fish," Ward said as he dumped the thing on the work table +where Ann had deposited the bag of groceries. + +"Where did you get _that_?" + +"I just caught it. Down in the stream." + +"_That?_ In our stream?" + +"Yeah." + +He looked at it. The fish resembled a small marlin in shape, but it +looked as if its sides had been painted by an abstract artist. + +"They planted it on my hook," he told her. "Teleported it from somewhere +and planted it on me. Like the tigers." + +"Who?" + +"I don't know--one of the kids. There were a bunch of them down by the +river." + +"Is it the proof you wanted?" + +"Almost. I'd like to make them--whoever they are--admit it, though. But +you can't pry anything out of them. They stick together like--like kids, +I guess. Tell me, why is it that the smart ones don't discriminate? +They'd as soon play with morons like Hodge or Cress as with the brainy +ones." + +"Democratic, I guess," Ann said. She looked at the fish without +enthusiasm and turned it over on its other side. "Weren't you the same +way, when you were a boy?" + +"Guess so. Leader of my group was almost an idiot. Head of the 3Rs now." +He started to put his fishing tackle away. "Got to get ready for Star +Watch," he said. "I'm on the early trick tonight." He halted in the +kitchen doorway, still holding the rod and creel. He looked back at the +fish. "That kind of thing is likely to take all the fun out of fishing," +he told her. + + * * * * * + +Usually, he found Star Watch a bore. There were often Saucer sightings, +it was true. He had had many himself, some of them very close in, but +all that had become routine. At first, the government had tried shooting +them down, but the attempts had ended in total failure and the Saucers +still came, aloof and unreasonable, as if they did not even know that +they were being shot at. Later, communication had been tried--but with +no better results. + +Now, when the Saucers were sighted, the Watcher phoned in a report, some +bored plotter in Saucer Control took bearings and speed, or replied that +they had the thing on radar. The next day, the score of sightings would +be Spellcast--it was less exciting than watching for grunnion. + +Tonight, however, Ward was excited. As he left his house, he set out at +a fast pace for the school. He found Bobby in front of the boys' +dormitory. + +"What is it, John?" the boy called as he trotted over to the teacher. + +"How'd you like to come on Star Watch with me?" + +"All right." They went down the street together. + +"I want to try something," Ward told the boy. "I think I know how we can +get in touch with the Saucer people." + +"But they _have_ tried." + +"Yes, I know--with radio and blinker lights and all that. But maybe +that's the wrong way. Bobby, you're a telepath, aren't you?" + +"I'm not very good at it and anyway I don't think it'll work." + +"Why not?" + +"I tried once, but I couldn't seem to get anywhere. They seemed--I +dunno--funny." + +"In what way?" Ward asked the boy. + +"Just sort of funny." + +"Well, if we're lucky, maybe we can try again tonight." + +"Yeah," Bobby said, "it's probably a good night for it. Full moon. Why +do you suppose they seem to like the full moon, John?" + +"I wish I knew." + +It didn't look as if they were going to have any luck. They had waited +for two hours and Bobby was asleep on a bench in the small "duck blind" +the Watchers used. Then John heard it. + +It was a high shimmer of sound and it gave him gooseflesh, as it always +did. He couldn't see anything yet. Then it appeared to the north, very +low, like a coagulation of the moonlight itself, and he shook the boy. + +Bobby was awake immediately and, together, they watched its approach. It +was moving slowly, turned on an edge. It looked like a knife of light. +Then it rolled over, or shifted its form, and the familiar shape +appeared. The humming stopped and the Saucer floated in the moonlight +like a giant metallic lily-pad, perhaps a half mile away. + +"Try now, Bobby," he said, attempting to keep calm. + +The boy stood in the moonlight in front of the blind, very still, as if +collecting the silence out of the night. Once he shook his head as +though to clear it and started to say something. Then, for a long +minute, he held his face toward the moon as if he were listening. + +Suddenly, he giggled. + +"What is it?" Ward snapped, unable to repress his impatience. + +"I'm not sure. I thought it seemed something like a joke." + +"Try to ask where they're from." + +A moment later, the boy shook his head. "I guess I can't get anything," +he said. "All I seem to get is that they're saying, '_We're here_.' As +if they didn't understand me." + +"All right. Try to get _anything_." + +A moment later, the ship turned on edge, or shifted its shape, and slid +back into the sky. Ward picked up the phone and called Saucer Control. + +"Got it," the bored voice said. + +He put down the phone and sat in silence, feeling sick with frustration. + +"Might as well knock off, Bobby," he said gently to the boy. "I guess +that's all for the night. You run along and hit the sack." + +The boy started to leave and then turned back. "I'm sorry, John," he +said. "I guess I'm not very good at it. There's one thing though...." He +hesitated. + +"Yes?" + +"I don't think they know any poetry. In fact, I'm pretty sure of that." + +"All right," Ward said, laughing. "I guess that's the most important +thing in _your_ life right now. Run along, Bobby." + + * * * * * + +An hour later, his watch ended and he started for home, still feeling +depressed at having failed. He was passing the dormitory when he saw it. +It hung in the air, almost overhead. The color of the moonlight itself, +it was hard to spot. But it was not the Saucer that held him rigid with +attention. + +Over the roof of the dormitory, small and growing smaller as it went +straight toward the Saucer, he saw a figure, then another and then a +third. While he watched, there was a jet of blue light from the object +in the sky--the opening of an airlock, he thought--and the figures +disappeared, one by one, into the interior of the ship. Ward began to +run. + +It was strictly forbidden for a teacher to enter the dormitory--that +part of the boys' world was completely their own. But he ignored that +ruling now as he raced up the stairs. All he could think of was that +this was the chance to identify the invaders. The boys who had levitated +themselves up to the Saucer would be missing. + +He was still exultantly certain of this as he jerked open the doors of +the first three rooms. Each one was empty. And the fourth and fifth, as +well. Frantically, he pulled open door after door, going through the +motions, although his mind told him that it was useless, that all of the +boys, with a Saucer so close, would be out looking at it. + +Wait until they returned? He couldn't remain in the dormitory and, even +if he did, when they all came back, how could he find out which boys had +gone up to the ship? They wouldn't be likely to tell, nor would the +others, even if they knew. Aimlessly, he went on opening doors, flashing +his Watcher's light. + +Perhaps there would be a clue in one of the rooms. Excited again, he +rapidly checked them, rummaging in closets, picking up their sports +things and their toys. Nothing there. Until he found the book. + +It was an odd-looking book, in a language he couldn't read. He looked at +it doubtfully. Was the script simply Cyrillic? Or Hebrew? He stuffed it +into his pocket and glanced around at the walls of the room. Pictures of +athletes, mostly, and a couple of pin-ups. In a drawer, under some +clothing, a French post card. He examined some of the objects on the +dresser. + +Then he was looking stupidly at his hand. He was holding a piece of +string with a ring attached to it. And, just as certainly, there was +something attached to the other end. Or it had been. But there was +nothing he could see now. He pulled on the string and it tightened. Yes, +there was a drag on the other end, _but there was nothing he could see +... or feel_. + +He tried to reconstruct his actions. He had been pawing among the +things. He had taken hold of the string and had pulled something +attached to the end of it off the table. The thing had fallen and +disappeared--but _where_? It was _still_ tied to the string, but where +was it? + +Another dimension, he thought, feeling the hair stand up on his neck, +the sudden riot of his blood as he knew he had found the evidence he +wanted. + +He snapped off the light and groped his way rapidly down the stairs. +Once on the street, he began to run. It did not occur to him to feel +ridiculous at dragging along behind him, on the end of a string, some +object which he could not see. + + * * * * * + +"Okay," Ann said. "But what _is_ it?" She sat on the divan looking at +the book. + +"I don't know, but I think it's alien." + +"_I_ think it's a comic book. In some foreign language--or maybe in +classical Greek for all we know." She pointed to an illustration. "Isn't +this like the fish you caught? Of course it is. And look at the +fisherman--his clothes are funny looking, but I'll bet he's telling +about the one that got away." + +"Damn it, don't joke! What about _this_?" He waved the string. + +"Well, what about it?" + +"It's extra-dimensional. It's...." He jerked the string with nervous +repetition and, suddenly, something was in his hand. Surprised, he +dropped it. It disappeared and he felt the tug on the end of the string. + +"There _is_ something!" He began jerking the string and it was there +again. This time he held it, looking at it with awe. + +It was neither very big nor very heavy. It was probably made out of some +kind of glass or plastic. The color was dazzling, but that was not what +made him turn his head away--it was the shape of the thing. Something +was wrong with its surfaces. Plane melted into plane, the surface curved +and rejoined itself. He felt dizzy. + +"What is it, John?" + +"Something--something like a Klein Bottle--or a tesseract--or maybe both +of them together." He looked at it for a moment and then turned away +again. It was impossible to look at it very long. "It's something built +to cut through our three-dimensional space," he said. He dropped it, +then tugged. The thing dropped out of sight and reappeared again, +rolling up the string toward his hand. + +That was when he lost control. He lay down on the floor and howled in a +seizure of laughter that was like crying. + +"_John!_" Ann said primly. "John Ward, you _stop_!" She went out of the +room and returned with a glass half full of whisky. + +Ward got up from the floor and weakly slouched in a chair. He took a +long drink from the glass, lit his pipe with great deliberation, and +spoke very softly. "Well," he said, "I think we've got the answer." + +"Have we?" + +"Sure. It was there all the time and I couldn't see it. I always thought +it was strange we couldn't get in touch with the Outspacers. I had Bobby +try tonight--_he_ couldn't do anything either. I thought maybe he wasn't +trying--or that he was one of them and didn't want to let me in on it. +He said they sounded--funny. By that, he meant strange or alien, I +thought." + +"Well, I'm sure they must be," Ann said, relaxed now that John's +outburst was over. + +"Yes. But that's _not_ what he meant--he's just a normal human genius. +He _meant_ funny." He lifted his hand. "Know what this is?" He held up +the strange object on the string. "It's a _yo-yo_. An _extra-dimensional +yo-yo_. And you were right--that thing _is_ a comic book. Look," he +said. He held the odd object toward her. "See this? J.H.--Jacky Hodge, +one of the stupidest ones. It's _his_ yo-yo. But I was right about one +thing. We _are_ being invaded. It's probably been going on for +centuries. Invaded by _morons_, morons with interstellar drives, +super-science--super-_yo-yos_! Morons from the stars!" + +He began to laugh again. Ann went out to the kitchen for another glass. +Then, after a while, she went back for the bottle. + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of What Rough Beast?, by Jefferson Highe + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WHAT ROUGH BEAST? *** + +***** This file should be named 31975.txt or 31975.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/1/9/7/31975/ + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +https://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need 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 web page at https://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +https://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at https://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit https://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including including checks, online payments and credit card +donations. To donate, please visit: https://pglaf.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 thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + https://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. diff --git a/31975.zip b/31975.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..e162571 --- /dev/null +++ b/31975.zip 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..c09ce38 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #31975 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/31975) |
