diff options
Diffstat (limited to '32287.txt')
| -rw-r--r-- | 32287.txt | 870 |
1 files changed, 870 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/32287.txt b/32287.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f605009 --- /dev/null +++ b/32287.txt @@ -0,0 +1,870 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Know Thy Neighbor, by Elisabeth R. Lewis + +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: Know Thy Neighbor + +Author: Elisabeth R. Lewis + +Illustrator: Tom Beecham + +Release Date: May 7, 2010 [EBook #32287] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK KNOW THY NEIGHBOR *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + + Know Thy Neighbor + + By ELISABETH R. LEWIS + + Illustrated by Tom Beecham + +[Transcriber Note: This etext was produced from Galaxy Science Fiction +February 1953. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the +U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.] + +[Sidenote: _The terrors that inhabit the night may be even more awful in +deceitful broad daylight!_] + +[Illustration] + +It began with the dead cat on the fire escape and ended with the green +monster in the incinerator chute, but still, it wouldn't be quite fair +to blame it all on the neighborhood.... + +The apartment house was in the heart of the district that is known as +"The Tenderloin"--that section of San Francisco from Ellis to Market and +east from Leavenworth to Mason Street. Not the best section. + +To Ellen's mind, it was an unsavory neighborhood, but with apartments so +hard to get and this one only $38.00 a month and in a regular apartment +building with an elevator and all--well, as she often told the girls at +the office, you can't be too particular these days. + +Nevertheless, it was an ordeal to walk up the two blocks from Market +Street, particularly at night when the noise of juke boxes dinned from +the garish bars, when the sidewalks spilled over with soldiers and +sailors, with peroxided, blowsy-looking women and the furtive gamblers +who haunted the back rooms of the innocent-appearing cigar stores that +lined the street. She walked very fast then, never looking to left or +right, and her heart would pound when a passing male whistled. + +[Illustration] + +But once inside the apartment house lobby, she relaxed. In spite of its +location, the place seemed very respectable. She seldom met anyone in +the lobby or the elevator and, except on rare occasions like last night, +the halls were as silent as those in the swanky apartment houses on Nob +Hill. + +She knew by sight only two of her neighbors--the short, stocky young man +who lived in 410, and Mrs. Moffatt, in 404. Mrs. Moffatt was the essence +of lavender and old lace, and the young man--he was all right, really; +you couldn't honestly say he was shady-looking. + + * * * * * + +On this particular morning, the man from 410 was waiting for the +elevator when Ellen came out to get her paper. He glanced up at the +sound of the door and stared. Quickly, she shut the door again. She +didn't like the way he looked at her. She was wearing a housecoat over +her nightgown, and a scarf wrapped around her head to cover the +bobbypins--a costume as unrevealing as a nun's--but she felt as though +he had invaded her privacy with his stare, like surprising her in the +bathtub. + +She waited until she heard the elevator start down before opening her +door again. The boy must have aimed from the stairs; her paper was +several yards down the hall, almost in front of 404. She went down to +get it. + +Mrs. Moffatt must have heard Ellen's footsteps in the hall. An old lady +with a small income (from her late husband, as she had explained to +Ellen) and little to do, she was intensely interested in her neighbors. +She opened the door of her apartment and peered out. Her thin white hair +was done up in tight kid curlers. With her round faded-blue eyes and +round wrinkled-apple cheeks, she looked like an inquisitive aged baby. + +"Good morning," said Ellen pleasantly. + +"Good morning, my dear," the old lady answered. "You're up early for a +Saturday." + +"Well, I thought I might as well get up and start my house-cleaning. I +didn't sleep a wink after four o'clock this morning anyway. Did you hear +all that racket in the hall?" + +"Why, no, I didn't." The old lady sounded disappointed. "I don't see how +I missed it. I guess because I went to bed so late. My nephews--you've +seen them, haven't you?--They're such nice boys. They took me to a movie +last night." + +"Well, I'm surprised you didn't hear it," said Ellen. "Thumping and +scratching, like somebody was dragging a rake along the floor. I just +couldn't get back to sleep." + +The old lady clicked her tongue. "I'll bet somebody came home drunk. +Isn't that terrible? I wonder who it was." + +"I don't know," said Ellen, "but it was certainly a disgrace. I was +going to call Mrs. Anderson." + +With the door open, the hall seemed filled with the very odd odor of +Mrs. Moffatt's apartment--not really unpleasant, but musty, with the +smell of antiques. The apartment itself was like a museum. Ellen had +been inside once when the old lady invited her in for a cup of tea. Its +two rooms were crammed with a bizarre assortment of furniture, +bric-a-brac and souvenirs. + +"Oh, how's your bird this morning?" Ellen asked. + +In addition to being a collector, Mrs. Moffatt was an animal fancier. +She owned three cats, a pair of love-birds, goldfish, and even a cage of +white mice. One of the love-birds, she had informed Ellen yesterday, was +ailing. + +"Oh, Buzzy's much better today," she beamed. "The doctor told me to feed +him whisky every three hours--with an eyedropper, you know--and you'd be +surprised how it helped the little fellow. He even ate some bird-seed +this morning." + +"I'm so glad," said Ellen. She picked up her paper and smiled at Mrs. +Moffatt. "I'll see you later." + +The old woman closed her door, shutting off the musty smell, and Ellen +walked back to her own apartment. She filled the coffee pot with water +and four tablespoons of coffee, then dressed herself while the coffee +percolated. Standing in front of the medicine cabinet mirror, she took +the bobbypins out of her hair. Her reflection looked back at her from +the mirror, and she felt that unaccountable depression again. I'm not +bad-looking, she thought, and young, and not too dumb. What have other +women got that I haven't? She thought of the days and years passing, the +meals all alone, and nothing ever happening. + +That kind of thinking gets you nowhere; forget it. She combed her hair +back, pinned it securely behind her ears, ran a lipstick over her mouth. +Then she went into the kitchenette, turned off the gas flame under the +coffee pot, and raised the window shade to let in the sun that was just +beginning to show through morning fog. + +A dead cat lay on the fire escape under the window. + + * * * * * + +She stared at it, feeling sick to her stomach. It was an ordinary gray +cat, the kind you see in every alley, but its head was twisted back so +that its open eyes and open mouth leered at her. + +She pulled the blind down, fast. + +Sit down, light a cigarette. It's nothing, just a dead cat, that's all. +But how did it get on the fire escape? Fell, maybe, from the roof? And +how did it get on the roof? Besides, I thought cats never got hurt +falling. Isn't there something about landing on your feet like a cat? +Maybe that's just a legend, like the nonsense about nine lives. + +Well, what do I do, she thought. I can't sit here and drink coffee with +_that_ under the window. And God knows I can't take it away myself. She +shuddered at the thought. Call the manager. + +She got up and went to the telephone in the foyer. She found the number +scribbled on the back of the phone book. Her hand was shaking when she +dialed. + +"This is Ellen Tighe in 402. Mrs. Anderson, there's a dead cat on the +fire escape outside my window. You'll have to do something about it." + +Mrs. Anderson sounded half-asleep. "What do you mean, a dead cat? Are +you sure it's dead? Maybe it's sleeping." + +"Of course I'm sure it's dead! Can't you send Pete up to take it away? +It's a horrible thing to have under my window." + +"All right, I'll tell Pete to go up. He's washing down the lobby now. As +soon as he's finished, I'll send him up." + +Ellen set the phone back on its stand. She felt a little silly. What a +fuss to make over a dead cat. But really, outside one's window--and +before breakfast--who could blame me? + +She went back into the kitchenette, carefully not looking toward the +window, even though the shade was drawn, and poured herself a cup of +coffee. Then she sat at the table in the little nook, drinking coffee, +smoking a cigarette and leafing through the paper. + +The front page was all about a flying saucer scare in Marin County. She +read the headline, then thumbed on through the paper, stopping to read +the movie reviews and the comic page. + + * * * * * + +At the back section, she was attracted by a headline that read: "Liquor +Strong These Days--Customer Turns Green, Says Bartender." It was a brief +item, consciously cute. "John Martin, 38, a bartender of 152 Mason +Street, was arrested early this morning, charged with drunkenness and +disturbing the peace, after firing several shots from a .38 revolver on +the sidewalk in front of his address. No one was injured. Martin's +defense, according to police records, was that he was attempting to +apprehend a 'pale-green, claw-handed' customer who fled after eating a +live mouse and threatening Martin. + +"Upon questioning, Martin admitted that the unidentified customer had +been in the bar for several hours and appeared perfectly normal. But he +insisted, 'When I refused to serve him after he ate the mouse, he turned +green and threatened to claw me to death.' Martin has a permit to carry +the gun and was dismissed with a fifty dollar fine and a warning by +Judge Greely against sampling his own stock too freely." + +Drunken fool, thought Ellen. With fresh indignation, she remembered the +disturbance in her own hall this morning. Nothing but drunks and +gangsters in this neighborhood. She thought vaguely of looking at the +"For Rent" section of the want ads. + +There was a noise on the fire escape. Ellen reached over and lifted up +the shade. The janitor was standing there with a big paper sack in his +hand. + +Ellen opened the window and asked, "How do you think it got there, +Pete?" + +"I dunno. Maybe fall offa the roof. Musta been in a fight." + +"What makes you think so?" + +"Neck's all torn. Big teeth marks. Maybe dog get him." + +"Up here?" + +"Somebody find, maybe throw here--I dunno." Pete scratched his head. +"You don't worry any more, though. I take away now. No smell, even." + +He grinned at her and scuttled to the other end of the fire escape where +he climbed through the window to the fourth floor corridor. + +Ellen poured herself a second cup of coffee and lighted another +cigarette, then turned to the woman's page in the paper. She read the +Advice Column and the Psychology and glanced through the "Help +Wanted--Women" in the classifieds. That finished the morning's reading. +She looked at her watch. Almost ten. + +She carried her coffee cup to the sink, rinsed it out and set it on the +drainboard. There was still a cup or more coffee left in the pot. That +could be warmed over later, but she took out the filler and dumped the +grounds into the paper bag that held garbage. The bag was almost full. + +I'll throw it in the incinerator now, she thought, before I straighten +the apartment. + +She emptied the ashtrays--the one beside her bed and the other on the +breakfast table--then started down the hall with the garbage bag in her +hand. + + * * * * * + +The incinerator chute was at the rear of the hall, next to the service +stairs. Ellen could see the door standing slightly open. She hesitated. +410 might be there. It was bad enough to ride in the elevator with him, +feeling his eyes on her, but there was something unbearably intimate +about standing beside him, emptying garbage. + +The door seemed to move a little, but nobody came out. She waited +another minute. Oh, well, maybe the last person out there just forgot to +shut the door tight. She opened it wider, stepped out on the stair +landing. No one was there. + +The chute was wide, almost three feet around. Ellen opened the top and +started to throw the bag down. Something was stuck in there. Her eyes +saw it, but her brain refused to believe. + +What was there, blocking the chute, looked like--looked like--a +chicken's foot, gnarled, clawed, but as large as a human foot--and an +ugly, sickly green! + +Automatically, she reached in and clutched it. Her stomach turned at the +cold feel of the thing, but still she tugged at it, trying to work it +loose. It was heavy. She pulled with all her strength, felt it start to +slide back up the chute. Then it was free! + +She gaped in sick horror at the thing she held. Her hand opened weakly +and she sat down on the floor, her head swimming and her throat muscles +retching. Dimly, she heard the thing rattle and bump down to the +incinerator in the basement. + +The full horror of it gradually hit home. Ellen stood up, swaying, and +ran blindly down the hall. Her feet thudded on the carpeted floor. As +she passed 404, she was vaguely conscious of Mrs. Moffatt's concerned +face poking around the door. + +"Is there something wrong, Miss Tighe?" + +"No," Ellen managed to gasp "It's all right--really--all right." + +She kept on running, burst through the apartment door, slammed it behind +her, fell on her knees in the bathroom and became thoroughly, violently +ill. + +She continued to kneel, unable to think, her head against the cool +porcelain bowl. Finally, she stood up weakly, ran cold water, washed her +face and streaming eyes. Thank God the wall bed was still down! She fell +on it, shaking. + + * * * * * + +What was that unbelievable ghastly, impossible thing? It was the size of +a man, but thin, skeleton thin, and the color of brackish water. It had +two legs, two arms, like a man ... but ending with those huge, birdlike +claws. Heaven alone knew what its face was like. She had let go before +it was that far clear of the chute. + +She thought of the story in the paper. So that was what the bartender +saw! He wasn't drunk at all, and what happened when he told the police? +They laughed at him. They'd laugh at me, too, she thought. The proof is +gone, burned up in the incinerator. Why did this happen to me? Dead cats +on the fire escape, dead monsters in the incinerator chute ... it's this +terrible neighborhood! + +She tried to think coherently. Maybe the cat had something to do with +it. The bartender said the thing ate a mouse--maybe it had tried to eat +the cat, too. A monster like that might eat anything. Her stomach +started churning again at the thought. + +But what was it doing in the incinerator chute? Someone in the building +must have put it there, thinking it would slide all the way down and be +burned up. Who? One of _them_, probably. But there couldn't be any more +green monsters around. They can't live in an apartment house, walk the +streets like anyone else, not even in this neighborhood. + +She remembered something else in the bartender's story. He said it +looked perfectly normal at first. That meant they could look like humans +if they wanted to. Hypnotism? Then any man could be.... + +Suddenly another thought struck her. Supposing they find out I saw--what +will they do to me? + +She jumped up from the bed, white with fear, her faintness forgotten in +the urge to escape. She snatched her bag from the dresser, threw on her +brown coat. + +At the door, she hesitated, afraid to venture into the hall, yet afraid +to stay inside. Finally, she eased open the door, peered out into the +corridor. It was deserted. She ran to the elevator, punched the bell, +heard the car begin its creaky, protesting ascent. + +The elevator door had an automatic spring closing. The first time she +tried it, her hands shook and the door sprang closed before she got in. +She tried it again. This time she managed to hold it open long enough to +get inside. She pushed the button, felt the elevator shake and grind and +move slowly down. + +Out into the lobby. + +Out into the street. + + * * * * * + +The fog was completely gone now. The sun shone on the still-damp street. +There were very few people around--The Tenderloin sleeps late. She went +into the restaurant next door, sat down at the white-tiled counter. She +was the only customer. A sleepy-eyed waitress, her black hair untidily +caught into a net, waited, pad in hand. + +"Just coffee," Ellen mumbled. + +She drank it black and it scalded her throat going down. The waitress +put a nickel in the juke box and then Bing Crosby was singing "Easter +Parade." Everything was so normal. Listening to Bing Crosby, how could +you believe in things like green monsters? In this sane, prosaic +atmosphere, Ellen thought, I must be batty. + +She said to herself, "I'm Ellen Tighe, bookkeeper, and I just saw the +body of a green man with claws on his feet...." No, that didn't help a +bit. Put it this way: "I'm Ellen Tighe and I'm 27 years old and I'm not +married. Let's face it, any psychiatrist will tell you that's enough +cause for neurosis. So I'm having delusions." + +It made more sense that way. I read that story in the paper, Ellen +thought, and it must have registered way down in my subconscious. That +had to be it. Any other way, it was too horrible, too impossible to be +borne. + +I'll go back to the apartment and call Dr. Clive, thought Ellen. She had +the feeling, no doubt held over from the days of measles and mumps, that +a doctor could cure anything, even green monsters on the brain. + +She drank the last of the coffee and fished in her coin purse for +change. Picking up the check, she walked over to the cash register at +the end of the counter, facing the street. The untidy waitress came from +the back of the restaurant to take the money. + +Ellen looked out at the street through the glass front. The man from 410 +was standing out there, smoking a cigarette, watching her. When their +eyes met, he abruptly threw away the cigarette and started walking +toward the apartment house. Again she felt that faint dread she had +experienced in the hall earlier. + +The waitress picked up her quarter, gave her back a nickel and a dime. +Ellen put the change into her purse, got out her key chain and held it +in her hand while she walked quickly next door. 410 was just ahead of +her in the lobby; he held the front door open for her. + +She kept her head down, not looking at his face, and they walked, Indian +file, across the lobby to the elevator. He opened the elevator doors, +too, and she stepped in ahead of him. + + * * * * * + +When the doors clanged shut, she had a feeling of panic. Alone with him +... cut off from help. He didn't pretend not to know her floor, but +silently pressed the proper button. While the car moved slowly upward, +her heart was beating wildly. + +I'm not convinced, she thought, I'm not convinced. I saw it so plainly +... I felt it, cold in my hands. + +The elevator stopped. The man held the door open and for a moment she +thought he was going to say something. His free hand made a swift, +involuntary movement as though he were going to catch her arm. She +shrank away, but he stepped back and let her through. + +Ellen almost ran down the hall. Behind her, she heard his footsteps +going in the opposite direction toward his apartment. She was panting +when she reached her door. She fumbled for the right key--front door, +office--and then she froze. There was a scratching sound in the +apartment. + +She put her ear close to the door, listened. There was a rasping noise, +like somebody dragging a rake ... or like claws, great heavy claws, +moving over the hardwood floors! + +Ellen backed away from the door. It was true, then. She retreated, inch +by inch, silently. Get away, leave before it catches you! She turned, +ready to make a dash for the elevator ... and faced the man from 410. + +Down at the end of the hall, in front of his apartment, he was watching +her. The way he lingered outside the restaurant, the way he looked at +her. One of _them_ ... maybe underneath that homely, ordinary face, his +skin was green and clammy. Maybe there were long, sharp claws on his +feet. + +She was breathing unevenly now. Trapped! The thing in the apartment, the +man in the hall. Her eyes darted to the elevator, then back, down the +hall, past the door marked 404 ... the door marked 404! She covered the +few yards in a mad dash, flung herself at the door, pounding wildly. + +"Please, please!" she sobbed. "Mrs. Moffatt, open, please!" + +The door opened at once. Mrs. Moffatt's round, wrinkled face beamed at +her. + +"Come in, my dear, come in." + +She almost fell over the landing. The door closed behind her. + +She stumbled to the davenport, sank down, gasping. Two cats rubbed +against her legs, purring. Two cats? + +She heard herself say stupidly, "Mrs. Moffatt, where's the other cat?" +and wondered why she said it. + +Then she understood. + +The old lady's face quivered, altered, melted into something ... +something green. + + * * * * * + +Outside in the hall, the man from 410 slowly returned to his apartment. +Pushing open the door, he thought, I'll never get the nerve to ask her +out. + +Well, probably wasn't a chance, anyhow. What would a girl like her have +to do with a lousy cop like me? + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Know Thy Neighbor, by Elisabeth R. Lewis + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK KNOW THY NEIGHBOR *** + +***** This file should be named 32287.txt or 32287.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/2/2/8/32287/ + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from 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. |