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time it would be quite profitable. Mind you, that was nine years ago, when
people were still reading books.
We thought it might reinvigorate the classics, added Wirthlass.
And your interest in the classics?
It was John Henry who answered. We feel that publishing in general and books
in par tic ular are well worth hanging on to.
You ll excuse me if I m not convinced by your supposed altruism.
No altruism, Ms. Next. The fall in revenue of our publishing arm has been
dramatic, and since we own little in the way of computer games or consoles,
the low ReadRate is something that affects us financially. I think you ll find
that we re together on this one. What we want is whatyou want. Even though our
past associations have not been happy and I understand your distrust, Goliath
in its reborn shape is not quite the all-devouring corporation that you think
it is.
I haven t been in the BookWorld since the days ofThe Eyre Affair.
John Henry coughed politely. You knew about the probes, Ms. Next.
Damn.
I have& contacts over there.
I could tell they didn t believe me, but that was tough. I d seen enough.
Looks like you ve wasted a lot of money, I said.
With or without you, we re going to test it on Friday evening, announced
Wirthlass. I and two others have decided to risk all and take her out for a
spin. We may not return, but if we do, then the data gained would be
priceless!
I admired her courage, but it didn t matter I wasn t going to tell them what
I knew.
Just explain one thing, said Wirthlass. Is the force of gravity entirely
normal in the BookWorld?
What about the universality of physical laws? piped up a second technician,
who d been watching us.
And communication between books is such a thing possible?
Before long there were eight people, all asking questions about the BookWorld
that I could have answered with ease had I any inclination to do so.
I m sorry, I said as the questions reached a crescendo. I can t help you!
They were all quiet and stared at me. To them this project was everything,
and to see its cancellation without fruition was clearly a matter of supreme
frustration especially as they suspected I had the answers.
I made my way toward the exit and was joined by John Henry, who had not yet
given up trying to charm me.
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Will you stay for lunch? We have the finest chefs available to make what
ever you want.
I run a carpet shop, Mr. Goliath, and I m late for work.
A carpet shop? he echoed with incredulity. That sells carpets?
All sorts of floor coverings, actually.
I would offer you discounted carpets for life in order for you to help us,
he said, but from what I know of you, such a course would be unthinkable. My
private Dakota is at Douglas Graviport if you want to use it to fly straight
home. I ask for nothing but say only this: We are doing this for the
preservation and promotion of books and reading. Try to find it in your heart
to consider what we are doing here in an objective light.
We had by now walked outside the building, and John Henry s Bentley pulled up
in front of us.
My car is yours. Good day, Ms. Next.
Good day, Mr. Goliath.
He shook my hand and then departed. I looked at the Bentley and then at the
ranks of cabs a little way down the road. I shrugged and climbed in the back
of the Bentley.
Where to, madam? asked the driver.
I thought quickly. I had my TravelBook on me and could jump to the Great
Library from here as long as I could find a quiet spot conducive to
bookjumping.
The nearest library, I told him. I m late for work.
You re a librarian? he inquired politely.
Let s just say I m really into books.
21.
Holmes
I don t know what it was about traveling to and from the BookWorld that
dehydrated me so much. It had gotten progressively worse, almost without my
noticing, a bit like a mildly increased girth and skin that isn t as elastic
as it used to be. On the upside, however, the textual environment kept all the
aches and pains at bay. I hardly noticed my bad back in the BookWorld and was
never troubled by headaches.
Afew minutes and several pints of rehydrating water later, I walked into the
Jurisfiction offices at Norland Park. Thursday5 was waiting for me by my desk,
looking decidedly pleased with herself.
Guess what! she enthused.
I have no idea.
Go on, guess!
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ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
I don t want to guess, I told her, hoping the tedium in my voice would send
out a few warning bells. It didn t.
No, youmust guess!
Okay, I sighed. You ve got some new beads or something.
Wrong, she said, producing a paper bag with a flourish. I got you the
bacon roll you wanted!
I never would have guessedthat, I replied, sitting before a desk that
seemed to be flooded with new memos and reports, adding, in an unthinking
moment, How are things with you?
I didn t sleep very well last night.
I rubbed my forehead as she sat down and stared at me intently, hands clasped
nervously in front of her. I didn t have the heart to tell her that my inquiry
over her health was merely politeness. I didn t actually want to know. Quite
the reverse, in fact.
Really? I said, trying to find a memo that might be vaguely relevant to
something.
No. I was thinking about the Minotaur incident yesterday, and I want to
apologize again.
It s past history. Any messages?
So I m sorry.
Apology accepted. Now: Any messages?
I wrote you a letter outlining my apology.
I won t read it. The matter is closed.
Yes& well& right, she began, flustered that we weren t going to analyze the
previous day at length and trying to remember everything she d been told that
morning. Mr. Buñuel called to say that he d completed the refit ofPride and
Prejudice and it was online again this morning. He s gotNorthanger Abbey in
the maintenance bay at the moment, and it should be ready on time as long as
Catherine stops attempting to have the book Gothicized.
Good. What else?
The Council of Genres, she announced, barely able to control her
excitement. Senator Jobsworth s secretaryherself called to ask you to appear
in the debating chamber for a policy-directive meeting at three this
afternoon!
I wonder what the old bore wants now? Anything else?
No, replied Thursday5, disappointed that I didn t share her unbridled
enthusiasm over an appearance at the CofG. I couldn t. I d been there so many
times I just saw it as part of my duties, nothing more.
I opened my desk drawer to take out a sheet of letterhead and noticed
Thursday5 s assessment letter where I d put it the night before. I thought for
a moment and decided to give her one more chance. I left it where it was,
Page 108
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zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl karpacz24.htw.pl
Page 105
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
time it would be quite profitable. Mind you, that was nine years ago, when
people were still reading books.
We thought it might reinvigorate the classics, added Wirthlass.
And your interest in the classics?
It was John Henry who answered. We feel that publishing in general and books
in par tic ular are well worth hanging on to.
You ll excuse me if I m not convinced by your supposed altruism.
No altruism, Ms. Next. The fall in revenue of our publishing arm has been
dramatic, and since we own little in the way of computer games or consoles,
the low ReadRate is something that affects us financially. I think you ll find
that we re together on this one. What we want is whatyou want. Even though our
past associations have not been happy and I understand your distrust, Goliath
in its reborn shape is not quite the all-devouring corporation that you think
it is.
I haven t been in the BookWorld since the days ofThe Eyre Affair.
John Henry coughed politely. You knew about the probes, Ms. Next.
Damn.
I have& contacts over there.
I could tell they didn t believe me, but that was tough. I d seen enough.
Looks like you ve wasted a lot of money, I said.
With or without you, we re going to test it on Friday evening, announced
Wirthlass. I and two others have decided to risk all and take her out for a
spin. We may not return, but if we do, then the data gained would be
priceless!
I admired her courage, but it didn t matter I wasn t going to tell them what
I knew.
Just explain one thing, said Wirthlass. Is the force of gravity entirely
normal in the BookWorld?
What about the universality of physical laws? piped up a second technician,
who d been watching us.
And communication between books is such a thing possible?
Before long there were eight people, all asking questions about the BookWorld
that I could have answered with ease had I any inclination to do so.
I m sorry, I said as the questions reached a crescendo. I can t help you!
They were all quiet and stared at me. To them this project was everything,
and to see its cancellation without fruition was clearly a matter of supreme
frustration especially as they suspected I had the answers.
I made my way toward the exit and was joined by John Henry, who had not yet
given up trying to charm me.
Page 106
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
Will you stay for lunch? We have the finest chefs available to make what
ever you want.
I run a carpet shop, Mr. Goliath, and I m late for work.
A carpet shop? he echoed with incredulity. That sells carpets?
All sorts of floor coverings, actually.
I would offer you discounted carpets for life in order for you to help us,
he said, but from what I know of you, such a course would be unthinkable. My
private Dakota is at Douglas Graviport if you want to use it to fly straight
home. I ask for nothing but say only this: We are doing this for the
preservation and promotion of books and reading. Try to find it in your heart
to consider what we are doing here in an objective light.
We had by now walked outside the building, and John Henry s Bentley pulled up
in front of us.
My car is yours. Good day, Ms. Next.
Good day, Mr. Goliath.
He shook my hand and then departed. I looked at the Bentley and then at the
ranks of cabs a little way down the road. I shrugged and climbed in the back
of the Bentley.
Where to, madam? asked the driver.
I thought quickly. I had my TravelBook on me and could jump to the Great
Library from here as long as I could find a quiet spot conducive to
bookjumping.
The nearest library, I told him. I m late for work.
You re a librarian? he inquired politely.
Let s just say I m really into books.
21.
Holmes
I don t know what it was about traveling to and from the BookWorld that
dehydrated me so much. It had gotten progressively worse, almost without my
noticing, a bit like a mildly increased girth and skin that isn t as elastic
as it used to be. On the upside, however, the textual environment kept all the
aches and pains at bay. I hardly noticed my bad back in the BookWorld and was
never troubled by headaches.
Afew minutes and several pints of rehydrating water later, I walked into the
Jurisfiction offices at Norland Park. Thursday5 was waiting for me by my desk,
looking decidedly pleased with herself.
Guess what! she enthused.
I have no idea.
Go on, guess!
Page 107
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
I don t want to guess, I told her, hoping the tedium in my voice would send
out a few warning bells. It didn t.
No, youmust guess!
Okay, I sighed. You ve got some new beads or something.
Wrong, she said, producing a paper bag with a flourish. I got you the
bacon roll you wanted!
I never would have guessedthat, I replied, sitting before a desk that
seemed to be flooded with new memos and reports, adding, in an unthinking
moment, How are things with you?
I didn t sleep very well last night.
I rubbed my forehead as she sat down and stared at me intently, hands clasped
nervously in front of her. I didn t have the heart to tell her that my inquiry
over her health was merely politeness. I didn t actually want to know. Quite
the reverse, in fact.
Really? I said, trying to find a memo that might be vaguely relevant to
something.
No. I was thinking about the Minotaur incident yesterday, and I want to
apologize again.
It s past history. Any messages?
So I m sorry.
Apology accepted. Now: Any messages?
I wrote you a letter outlining my apology.
I won t read it. The matter is closed.
Yes& well& right, she began, flustered that we weren t going to analyze the
previous day at length and trying to remember everything she d been told that
morning. Mr. Buñuel called to say that he d completed the refit ofPride and
Prejudice and it was online again this morning. He s gotNorthanger Abbey in
the maintenance bay at the moment, and it should be ready on time as long as
Catherine stops attempting to have the book Gothicized.
Good. What else?
The Council of Genres, she announced, barely able to control her
excitement. Senator Jobsworth s secretaryherself called to ask you to appear
in the debating chamber for a policy-directive meeting at three this
afternoon!
I wonder what the old bore wants now? Anything else?
No, replied Thursday5, disappointed that I didn t share her unbridled
enthusiasm over an appearance at the CofG. I couldn t. I d been there so many
times I just saw it as part of my duties, nothing more.
I opened my desk drawer to take out a sheet of letterhead and noticed
Thursday5 s assessment letter where I d put it the night before. I thought for
a moment and decided to give her one more chance. I left it where it was,
Page 108
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]