diff options
Diffstat (limited to '31980.txt')
| -rw-r--r-- | 31980.txt | 1186 |
1 files changed, 1186 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/31980.txt b/31980.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f253a49 --- /dev/null +++ b/31980.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1186 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Rough Translation, by Jean M. Janis + +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: Rough Translation + +Author: Jean M. Janis + +Illustrator: Hunter + +Release Date: April 14, 2010 [EBook #31980] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ROUGH TRANSLATION *** + + + + +Produced by Sankar Viswanathan, Greg Weeks, and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + Transcriber's Note: + + This etext was produced from Galaxy Science Fiction December 1954. + Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. + copyright on this publication was renewed. + + + Rough Translation + + + By JEAN M. JANIS + + + Illustrated by Hunter + + + Don't be ashamed if you can't blikkel any more. It's because + you couldn't help framishing. + + * * * * * + + + + +"Shurgub," said the tape recorder. "Just like I told you before, Dr. +Blair, it's krandoor, so don't expect to vrillipax, because they just +won't stand for any. They'd sooner framish." + +"Framish?" Jonathan heard his own voice played back by the recorder, +tinny and slightly nasal. "What is that, Mr. Easton?" + +"_You_ know. Like when you guttip. Carooms get awfully bevvergrit. +Why, I saw one actually--" + +"Let's go back a little, shall we?" Jonathan suggested. "What does +shurgub mean?" + +There was a pause while the machine hummed and the recorder tape +whirred. Jonathan remembered the look on Easton's face when he had +asked him that. Easton had pulled away slightly, mouth open, eyes +hurt. + +"Why--why, I _told_ you!" he had shouted. "Weeks ago! What's the +matter? Don't you blikkel English?" + +Jonathan Blair reached out and snapped the switch on the machine. +Putting his head in his hands, he stared down at the top of his desk. + +You learned Navajo in six months, he reminded himself fiercely. + +You are a highly skilled linguist. What's the matter? Don't you +blikkel English? + + * * * * * + +He groaned and started searching through his briefcase for the reports +from Psych. Easton must be insane. He must! Ramirez says it's no +language. Stoughton says it's no language. And _I_, Jonathan thought +savagely, say it's no language. + +But-- + +Margery tiptoed into the study with a tray. + +"But Psych," he continued aloud to her, "Psych says it _must_ be a +language because, they say, Easton is _not_ insane!" + +"Oh, dear," sighed Margery, blinking her pale blue eyes. "That again?" +She set his coffee on the desk in front of him. "Poor Jonathan. Why +doesn't the Institute give up?" + +"Because they can't." He reached for the cup and sat glaring at the +steaming coffee. + +"Well," said his wife, settling into the leather chair beside him, +"_I_ certainly would. My goodness, it's been over a month now since he +came back, and you haven't learned a thing from him!" + +"Oh, we've learned some. And this morning, for the first time, Easton +himself began to seem puzzled by a few of the things he was saying. +He's beginning to use terms we can understand. He's coming around. And +if I could only find some clue--some sort of--" + +Margery snorted. "It's just plain foolish! I knew the Institute was +asking for trouble when they sent the _Rhinestead_ off. How do they +know Easton ever got to Mars, anyway? Maybe he did away with those +other men, cruised around, and then came back to Earth with this +made-up story just so he could seem to be a hero and--" + +"That's nonsense!" + +"Why?" she demanded stubbornly. "Why is it?" + +"Because the _Rhinestead_ was tracked, for one thing, on both flights, +to and from Mars. Moonbase has an indisputable record of it. And +besides, the instruments on the ship itself show--" He found the +report he had been searching for. "Oh, never mind." + +"All right," she said defiantly. "Maybe he did get to Mars. Maybe he +did away with the crew after he got there. He knew the ship was built +so that one man could handle it in an emergency. Maybe he--" + +"Look," said Jonathan patiently. "He didn't do anything of the sort. +Easton has been checked so thoroughly that it's impossible to assume +anything except, (a) he is sane, (b) he reached Mars and made contact +with the Martians, (c) this linguistic barrier is a result of that +contact." + + * * * * * + +Margery shook her head, sucking in her breath. "When I think of all +those fine young men," she murmured. "Heaven only knows what happened +to them!" + +"You," Jonathan accused, "have been reading that +columnist--what's-his-name? The one that's been writing such claptrap +ever since Easton brought the _Rhinestead_ back alone." + +"Cuddlehorn," said his wife. "Roger Cuddlehorn, and it's not +claptrap." + +"The other members of the crew are all alive, all--" + +"I suppose Easton told you that?" she interrupted. + +"Yes, he did." + +"Using double-talk, of course," said his wife triumphantly. At the +look on Jonathan's face, she stood up in guilty haste. "All right, +I'll go!" She blew him a kiss from the door. "Richie and I are having +lunch at one. Okay? Or would you rather have a tray in here?" + +"Tray," he said, turning back to his desk and his coffee. "No, on +second thought, call me when lunch is ready. I'll need a break." + +He was barely conscious of the closing of the door as Margery left the +room. Naturally he didn't take her remarks seriously, but-- + +He opened the folder of pictures and studied them again, along with +the interpretations by Psych, Stoughton, Ramirez and himself. + +Easton had drawn the little stick figures on the first day of his +return. The interpretations all checked--and they had been done +independently, too. There it is, thought Jonathan. Easton lands the +_Rhinestead_. He and the others meet the Martians. They are impressed +by the Martians. The others stay on Mars. Easton returns to Earth, +bearing a message. + +Question: What is the message? + +Teeth set, Jonathan put away the pictures and went back to the tape on +the recorder. "Yes," said his own voice, in answer to Easton's +outburst. "I do--er--blikkel English. But tell me, Mr. Easton, do you +understand me?" + +"Under-stand?" The man seemed to have difficulty forming the word. +"You mean--" Pause. "Dr. Blair, I murv you. Is that it?" + +"Murv," repeated Jonathan. "All right, you murv me. Do you murv this? +I do not always murv what you say." + +A laugh. "Of course not. How could you?" Suppressed groan. "Carooms," +Easton had murmured, almost inaudibly. "Just when I almost murv, the +kwakut goes freeble." + +Jonathan flipped the switch on the machine. "Murv" he wrote on his +pad of paper. He added "Blikkel," "Carooms" and "Freeble." He stared +at the list. He should understand, he thought. At times it seemed as +if he did and then, in the next instant, he was lost again, and Easton +was angry, and they had to start all over again. + + * * * * * + +Sighing, he took out more papers, notes from previous sessions, both +with himself and with other linguists. The difficulty of reaching +Easton was unlike anything he had ever before tackled. The six months +of Navajo had been rough going, but he had done it, and done it well +enough to earn the praise of Old Comas, his informant. Surely, he +thought, after mastering a language like that, one in which the +student must not only learn to imitate difficult sounds, but also +learn a whole new pattern of thought-- + +Pattern of thought. Jonathan sat very still, as though movement would +send the fleeting clue back into the corner from which his mind had +glimpsed it. + +A whole new frame of reference. Suppose, he toyed with the thought, +suppose the Martian language, whatever it was, was structured along +the lines of Navajo, involving clearly defined categories which did +not exist in English. + +"Murv," he said aloud. "I murv a lesson, but I blikkel a language." + +Eagerly, Jonathan reached again for the switch. Categories clearly +defined, yes! But the categories of the Martian language were not +those of the concrete or the particular, like the Navajo. They were of +the abstract. Where one word "understand" would do in English, the +Martian used two-- + +Good Lord, he realized, they might use hundreds! They might-- + +Jonathan turned on the machine, sat back and made notes, letting the +recorder run uninterrupted. He made his notes, this time, on the +feelings he received from the words Easton used. When the first tape +was done, he put on the second. + +Margery tapped at the door just as the third tape was ending. "In a +minute," he called, scribbling furiously. He turned off the machine, +put out his cigarette and went to lunch, feeling better than he had in +weeks. + +Richie was at the kitchen sink, washing his hands. + +"And next time," Margery was saying, "you wash up before you sit +down." + +Richie blinked and watched Jonathan seat himself. "Daddy didn't wash +his hands," he said. + +Margery fixed the six-year-old with a stern eye. "Richard, don't be +rude." + +[Illustration] + +"Well, he didn't." Richie sat down and reached for his glass of milk. + +"Daddy probably washed before he came in," said Margery. She took the +cover off a tureen, ladled soup into bowls and passed sandwiches, +pretending not to see the ink-stained hand Jonathan was hiding in his +lap. + +Jonathan, elated by the promise of success, ate three or four +sandwiches, had two bowls of soup and finally sat back while Margery +went to get coffee. + +Richie slid part way off his chair, remembered, and slid back on +again. "Kin I go?" he asked. + +"Please may I be excused," corrected his father. + + * * * * * + +Richie repeated, received a nod and ran out of the dinette and through +the kitchen, grabbing a handful of cookies on the way. The screen door +banged behind him as he raced into the backyard. + +"Richie!" Margery started after him, eyes ablaze. Then she stopped and +came back to the table with the coffee. "That boy! How long does it +take before they get to be civilized?" Jonathan laughed. "Oh, sure," +she went on, sitting down opposite him. "It's funny to you. But if you +were here all day long--" She stirred sugar into her cup. "We should +have sent him to camp, even if it would have wrecked the budget!" + +"Oh? Is it that bad?" + +Margery shuddered. "Sometimes he's a perfect angel, and then--It's +unbelievable, the things that child can think of! Sometimes I'm +convinced children are another species altogether! Why, only this +morning--" + +"Well," Jonathan broke in, "next summer he goes to camp." He stood up +and stretched. + +Margery said wistfully, "I suppose you want to get back to work." + +"Ummmm." Jonathan leaned over and kissed her briefly. "I've got a new +line of attack," he said, picking up his coffee. He patted his wife's +shoulder. "If things work out well, we might get away on that vacation +sooner than we thought." + +"Really?" she asked, brightening. + +"Really." He left the table and went back to his den. + +Putting the next tape on the machine, he settled down to his job. Time +passed and finally there were no more tapes to listen to. + +He stacked his notes and began making lists, checking through the +sheets of paper for repetitions of words Easton had used, listing the +various connotations which had occurred to Jonathan while he had +listened to the tapes. + +As he worked, he was struck by the similarity of the words he was +recording to the occasional bits of double-talk he had heard used by +comedians in theaters and on the air, and he allowed his mind to +wander a bit, exploring the possibilities. + +Was Martian actually such a close relative to English? Or had the +Martians learned English from Easton, and had Easton then formed a +sort of pidgin-English-Martian of his own? + +Jonathan found it difficult to believe in the coincidence of the two +languages being alike, unless-- + +He laughed. Unless, of course, Earthmen were descended from Martians, +or vice versa. Oh, well, not my problem, he thought jauntily. + + * * * * * + +He stared at the list before him and then he started to swear, softly +at first, then louder. But no matter how loudly he swore, the list +remained undeniably and obstinately the same: + +Freeble--Displeasure (Tape 3) + +Freeble--Elation (Tape 4) + +Freeble--Grief (Tape 5) + +"How," he asked the empty room, "can a word mean grief and elation at +the same time?" + +Jonathan sat for a few moments in silence, thinking back to the start +of the sessions with Easton. Ramirez and Stoughton had both agreed +with him that Easton's speech was phonemically identical to English. +Jonathan's trained ear remembered the pronunciation of "Freeble" in +the three different connotations and he forced himself to admit it was +the same on all three tapes in question. + +Stuck again, he thought gloomily. + +Good-by, vacation! + +He lit a cigarette and stared at the ceiling. It was like saying the +word "die" meant something happy and something sad at one and the +same, like saying-- + +Jonathan pursed his lips. Yes, it could be. If someone were in +terrible pain, death, while a thing of sorrow, could also mean release +from suffering and so become a thing of joy. Or it could mean sorrow +to one person and relief to another. In that case, what he was dealing +with here was not only-- + +The crash of the ball, as it sailed through the window behind his +desk, lifted Jonathan right from his chair. Furious, his elusive clue +shattered as surely as the pane of glass, he strode to the window. + +"Richie!" + +His son, almost hidden behind the lilac bush, did not answer. + +"I see you!" Jonathan bellowed. "Come here!" + +The bush stirred slightly and Richie peeped through the leaves. "Did +you call me, Daddy?" he asked politely. + +Jonathan clamped his lips shut and pointed to the den. Richie tried a +smile as he sidled around the bush, around his father, and into the +house. + +"My," he marveled, looking at the broken glass on the floor inside. +"My goodness!" He sat down in the leather chair to which Jonathan +motioned. + +"Richie," said his father, when he could trust his voice again, "how +did it happen?" + +His son's thin legs, brown and wiry, stuck out straight from the +depths of the chair. There was a long scratch on one calf and numerous +black-and-blue spots around both knees. + +"I dunno," said Richie. He blinked his eyes, deeper blue than +Margery's, and reached up one hand to push away the mass of blond hair +tumbling over his forehead. He was obviously trying hard to pretend he +wasn't in the room at all. + + * * * * * + +Jonathan said, "Now, son, that is not a good answer. What were you +doing when the ball went through the window?" + +"Watching," said Richie truthfully. + +"How did it _go_ through the window?" + +"Real fast." + +Jonathan found his teeth were clamped. No wonder he couldn't decode +Easton's speech--he couldn't even talk with his own son! + +"I mean," he explained, his patience wavering, "you threw the ball so +that it broke the window, didn't you?" + +"I didn't mean it to," said Richie. + +"All right. That's what I wanted to know." He started on a lecture +about respect for other people's property, while Richie sat and looked +blankly respectful. "And so," he heard himself conclude, "I hope we'll +be more careful in the future." + +"Yes," said Richie. + +A vague memory came to Jonathan and he sat and studied his son, +remembering him when he was younger and first starting to talk. He +recalled the time Richie, age three, had come bustling up to him. +"Vransh!" the child had pleaded, tugging at his father's hand. +Jonathan had gone outside with him to see a baby bird which had fallen +from its nest. "Vransh!" Richie had crowed, exhibiting his find. +"Vransh!" + +"Do I get my spanking now?" asked Richie from the chair. His eyes +were wide and watchful. + +Jonathan tore his mind from still another recollection: the old joke +about the man and woman who adopted a day-old French infant and then +studied French so they would be able to understand their child when he +began to talk. Maybe, thought Jonathan, it's no joke. Maybe there _is_ +a language-- + +"Spanking?" he repeated absentmindedly. He took a fresh pencil and pad +of paper. "How would you like to help with something, Richie?" + +The blue eyes watched carefully. "Before you spank me or after?" + +"No spanking." Jonathan glanced at the Easton notes, vaguely aware +that Richie had suddenly relaxed. "What I'm going to do," he went on, +"is say some words. It'll be a kind of game. I'll say a word and then +you say a word. You say the first word you think after you hear my +word. Okay?" He cleared his throat. "Okay! The first word is--house." + +"_My_ house." + +"Bird," said Jonathan. + +"Uh--tree." Richie scratched his nose and stifled a yawn. + + * * * * * + +Disappointed, Jonathan reminded himself that Richie at six could not +be expected to remember something he had said when he was three. +"Dog." + +"Biffy." Richie sat up straight. "Daddy, did you know Biffy had +puppies? Steve's mother showed me. Biffy had four puppies, Daddy. +_Four_!" + +Jonathan nodded. He supposed Richie's next statement would be an +appeal to go next door and negotiate for one of the pups, and he +hurried on with, "Carooms." + +"Friends," said Richie, eyes still shining. "Daddy, do you suppose we +could have a pup--" He broke off at the look on Jonathan's face. +"Huh?" + +"Friends," repeated Jonathan, writing the word slowly and unsteadily. +"Uh--vacation." + +"Beach," said Richie cautiously, still looking scared. + +Jonathan went on with more familiar terms and Richie slowly relaxed +again in the big chair. From somewhere in the back of his mind, +Jonathan heard Margery say, "Sometimes I think they're a different +species altogether." He kept his voice low and casual, uncertain of +what he was thinking, but aware of the fact that Richie was hiding +something. The little mantel clock ticked drowsily, and Richie began +to look sleepy and bored as they went through things like "car" and +"school" and "book." Then-- + +"Friend," said Jonathan. + +"Allavarg," yawned Richie. "No!" He snapped to, alert and wary. "I +mean _Steve_." + +His father looked up sharply. "What's that?" + +"What?" asked Richie. + +"Richie," said Jonathan, "what's a Caroom?" + +The boy shrugged and muttered, "_I_ dunno." + +"Oh, yes, you do!" Jonathan lit a cigarette. "What's an Allavarg?" He +watched the boy bite his lips and stare out the window. "He's a +friend, isn't he?" coaxed Jonathan. "_Your_ friend? Does he play with +you?" + +The blond head nodded slowly and uncertainly. + +"Where does he live?" persisted Jonathan. "Does he come over here and +play in your yard? Does he, Richie?" + +The boy stared at his father, worried and unhappy. "Sometimes," he +whispered. "Sometimes he does, if I call him." + +"How do you call him?" asked Jonathan. He was beginning to feel +foolish. + +"Why," said Richie, "I just say 'Here, Allavarg!' and he comes, if +he's not too busy." + +"What keeps him busy?" Such nonsense! Allavarg was undoubtedly an +imaginary playmate. This whole hunch of his was utter nonsense. He +should be at work on Easton instead of-- + +"The nursery keeps him busy," said Richie. "Real busy." + + * * * * * + +Jonathan frowned. Did Richie mean the greenhouse down the road? Was +there a Mr. Allavarg who worked there? "Whose nursery?" + +"Ours." Richie wrinkled his face thoughtfully. "I think I better go +outside and play." + +"_Our_ nursery?" Jonathan stared at his son. "Where is it?" + +"I think I better go play," said Richie more firmly, sliding off the +chair. + +"Richard! _Where_ is the nursery?" + +The full lower lip began to tremble. "I can't tell you!" Richie +wailed. "I promised!" + +Jonathan slammed his fist on the desk. "Answer me!" He knew he +shouldn't speak this way to Richie; he knew he was frightening the +boy. But the ideas racing through his mind drove him to find out what +this was all about. It might be nothing, but it also might be--"Answer +me, Richard!" + +The child stifled a sob. "Here," he said weakly. + +"_Here_? Where?" + +"In my house," said Richie. "And Steve's house and Billy's and all +over." He rubbed his eyes, leaving a grimy smear. + +"All right," soothed Jonathan. "It's all right now, son. Daddy didn't +mean to scare you. Daddy has to learn these things, that's all. Just +like learning in school." + +The boy shook his head resentfully. "_You_ know," he accused. "You +just forgot." + +"What did I forget, Richie?" + +"You forgot all about Allavarg. He told me! It was a different +Allavarg when you were little, but it was almost the same. You used to +play with _your_ Allavarg when you were little like me!" + +Jonathan took a deep breath. "Where did Allavarg come from, Richie?" + +But Richie shook his head stubbornly, lips pressed tight. "I +promised!" + +"Richie, a promise like that isn't a good one," pleaded Jonathan. +"Allavarg wouldn't want you to disobey your father and mother, would +he?" + +The child sat and stared at him. + +This was a very disturbing thought and Jonathan could see Richie did +not know how to deal with it. + +He pressed his momentary advantage. "Allavarg takes care of little +boys and girls, doesn't he? He plays with them and he looks after +them, I'll bet." + +Richie nodded uncertainly. + +"And," continued Jonathan, smiling what he hoped was a winning, +comradely smile at his son, "I'll bet that Allavarg came from some +place far, far away, didn't he?" + +"Yes," said Richie softly. + +"And it's his job to be here and look after the--the nursery?" +Jonathan bit his lip. Nursery? Earth? Carooms--Martians? His head +began to ache. "Son, you've got to help me understand. Do you--do you +murv me?" + + * * * * * + +Richie shook his head. "No. But I _will_ after--" + +"After what?" + +"After I grow up." + +"Why not now?" asked Jonathan. + +The blond head sank lower. "Because you framish, Daddy." + +His father nodded, trying to look wise, wincing inwardly as he +pictured his colleagues listening in on this conversation. "Well--why +don't you help me so I _don't_ framish?" + +"I can't." Richie glanced up, his eyes stricken. "Some day, Allavarg +says, _I'm_ going to framish, too!" + +"Grow up, you mean?" hazarded Jonathan, and this time his smile was +real as he looked at the smudged eyes and soft round cheeks. "Why, +Richie," he went on, his voice suddenly husky, "it's fun to be a +little boy, but there'll be lots to do when you grow up. You--" + +"I wish I was Mr. Easton!" Richie said fiercely. + +Jonathan held his breath. "What about Mr. Easton?" + +Richie squirmed out of the chair and clutched Jonathan's arm. "Please, +Daddy! If you let Mr. Easton go back, can I go, too? Please? Can I?" + +Jonathan put his hands on his son's shoulders. "Richie! What do you +know about Mr. Easton?" + +"Please? Can I go with him?" The shining blue eyes pleaded up at him. +"If you don't let him go back pretty soon, he's going to framish +again! Please! Can I?" + +"He's going to framish," nodded Jonathan. "And what then?" he coaxed. +"What'll happen after he framishes? Will he be able to tell me about +his trip?" + +"_I_ dunno," said Richie. "I dunno how he _could_. After you framish, +you don't remember lots of things. I don't think he's even gonna +remember he _went_ on a trip." The boy's hands shook Jonathan's arm +eagerly. "Please, Daddy! Can I go with him?" + +"No!" Jonathan glared and released his hold on Richie. Didn't he have +troubles enough without Richie suggesting--"About the nursery," he +said briskly. "Why is there a nursery?" + +"To take care of us." Richie looked worried. "Why can't I go?" + +"Because you can't! Why don't they have the nursery back where +Allavarg came from?" + +"There isn't any room." The blue eyes studied the man, looking for a +way to get permission to go with Mr. Easton. + +"No room? What do you mean?" + +Richie sighed. Obviously he'd have to explain first and coax later. +"Well, you know my school? You know my teacher in school? You know +when my teacher was different?" He peered anxiously at Jonathan, and +suddenly the man caught on. + +"Of course! You mean when they split the kindergarten into two smaller +groups because there were too many--" + + * * * * * + +His voice trailed off. Too many. Too many what? Too many Martians on +Mars? Growing population? No way to cut down the birth rate? He +pictured the planet with too many people. What to do? Move out. Take +another planet. Why didn't they just do that? He put the question to +Richie. + +"Oh," said his son wisely, "they couldn't because of the framish. They +_did_ go other places, but everywhere they went, they framished. And +after you framish, you ain't--_aren't_ a Caroom any more. You're a +Gunderguck and of course--" + +"Huh?" + +"--and a Caroom doesn't like to framish and be a Gunderguck," +continued Richie happily, as though reciting a lesson learned in +school. "He wants to be a Caroom _all_ the time because it's better +and more fun and you know lots of things you don't remember after you +get to be a Gunderguck. Only--" he paused for a gulp of air--"only +there wasn't room for _all_ the Carooms back home and they couldn't +find any place where they could be Carooms all the time, because of +the framish. So after a long time, and after they looked all over all +around, they decided maybe it wouldn't be so bad if they sent some of +their little boys and girls--the ones they didn't have room for--to +some place where they could be Carooms longer than most other places. +And _that_ place," Richie said proudly, "was right here! 'Cause _here_ +there's almost as much gladdisl as back home and--" + +"Gladdisl?" Jonathan echoed hoarsely. "What's--" + +"--and after they start growing up--" + +"Gladdisl," Jonathan repeated, more firmly. "Richie, what is it?" + +The forehead puckered momentarily. "It's something you breathe, sort +of." The boy shied away from the difficult question, trying to +remember what Allavarg had said about gladdisl. "Anyway, after the +little boys and girls start to grow up and after they framish and be +Gundergucks, like you and Mommy, the Carooms back home send some +_more_ to take their places. And the Gundergucks who used to be +Carooms here in the nursery look after the new little--" + +"Wait a minute! Wait a minute!" Jonathan interrupted suspiciously. "I +thought you said Allavarg looks after them." + +"He does. But there's so many little Carooms and there aren't many +Allavargs and so the Gundergucks have to help. You help," Richie +assured his father. "You and Mommy help a little bit." + +Big of you to admit it, old man, thought Jonathan, suppressing a +smile. "But aren't you _our_ little boy?" he asked. He had a sudden +vision of himself addressing the scientists at the Institute: "And so, +gentlemen, our babies--who, incidentally, are really Martians--_are_ +brought by storks, after all. Except in those cases where--" + +"The doctor brought me in a little black bag," said Richie. + + * * * * * + +The boy stood silent and studied his father. He sort of remembered +what Allavarg had said, too. Things like You _mustn't ever tell_ and +_It's got to be a secret_ and _They'd only laugh at you, Richie, and +if they didn't laugh, they might believe you and try to go back home +and there just isn't any room._ + +"I think," said Richie, "I think I better--" He took a deep breath. +"Here, Allavarg," he called in a soft, piping voice. + +Jonathan raised his head. "Just what do you think you're doing--" + +There was a sound behind him, and Jonathan turned startledly. + +"Shame on you," said Allavarg, coming through the broken window. + +Jonathan's words dropped away in a faint gurgle. + +"I'm sorry," said Richie. "Don't be dipplefit." + +"It's a mess," Allavarg replied. "It's a krandoor mess!" He waved his +arm in the air over Jonathan's head. "And don't think I'm going to +forget it!" The insistent hiss of escaping gas hovered over the moving +pellet in his hand. "Jivis boy!" + +Jonathan coughed suddenly. He got as far as "Now look here" and then +found that he could neither speak nor move. The gas or whatever it was +stung his eyes and burned in his throat. + +"Why don't you just freeble him?" Richie asked unhappily. "You're +using up all your gladdisl! Why don't you freeble him and get me +another one?" + +"Freeble, breeble," grumbled Allavarg, shoving the capsule directly +under Jonathan's nose. "Just like you youngsters, always wanting to +take the easy way out! Gundergucks don't grow on blansercots, you +know." + +Jonathan felt tears start in his eyes, partly from the fumes and +partly from a growing realization that Allavarg was sacrificing +precious air for him. He tried to think. If this was gladdisl and if +this would keep a man in the state of being a Caroom, then-- + +"There," said Allavarg, looking unhappily at the emptied pellet. He +shook it, sniffed it and finally returned it to the container at his +side. + +"I'm sorry," Richie whispered. "But he kept askin' me and askin' me." + +"There, there," said Allavarg, going to the window. "Don't fret. I +know you won't do it again." He turned and looked thoughtfully at +Jonathan. He winked at Richie and then he was gone. + + * * * * * + +Jonathan rubbed his eyes. He could move now. He opened his mouth and +waggled his jaws. Now that the room was beginning to be cleared of the +gas, he realized that it had had a pleasant odor. He realized-- + +Why, it was all so simple! Remembering his sessions with Easton, +Jonathan laughed aloud. So simple! The message? _Stay away from Mars! +No room there! They said I could come back if I gave you the message, +but I have to come back alone because there's no room for more +people!_ + +No room? Nonsense! Jonathan reached for the phone, dialled the +Institute and asked for Dr. Stoughton. No room? On the paradise that +was Mars? Well, they'd just have to make room! They couldn't keep that +to themselves! + +"Hello, Fred?" He leaned back in his chair, feeling a surge of pride +and power. Wait till they heard about this! "Just wanted to tell you I +solved the Easton thing. Just a simple case of hapsodon. You see, +Allavarg came and gave me a tressimox of gladdisl and now that I'm a +Caroom again--What? What do you mean, what's the matter? I said I'm +not a Gunderguck any more." He stared at the phone. "Why, you +spebberset moron! What's the matter with you? Don't you blikkel +English?" + +From the depths of the big chair across the room, Richie giggled. + + --JEAN M. JANIS + + * * * * * + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Rough Translation, by Jean M. Janis + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ROUGH TRANSLATION *** + +***** This file should be named 31980.txt or 31980.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/1/9/8/31980/ + +Produced by Sankar Viswanathan, Greg Weeks, and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +http://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, 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 http://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +http://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at http://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit http://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. +To donate, please visit: http://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart is the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + http://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. |