Source code in the plain programming language

To run:
Start up.
Clear the screen.
Imagine a box with the screen's left and the screen's top and the screen's right and the screen's bottom divided by 4.
Make a gradient with the box and 8 and "left-to-right".
Draw the gradient.
Draw the next gradient given the gradient.
Draw the next gradient given the gradient.
Draw the next gradient given the gradient.
Refresh the screen.
Wait for the escape key.
Shut down.

A gradient is a record with
A box,
A partitions number,
And a direction string. \"left-to-right" or "right-to-left"

To make a gradient with a box and a number and a string:
Put the box into the gradient's box.
Put the number into the gradient's partitions.
Put the string into the gradient's direction.

To draw a gradient:
Put the white color into a color.
Put 1000 [the maximum lightness] divided by the gradient's partitions into an amount.
If the gradient's direction is "left-to-right", put the black color into the color.
Put the gradient's box into a box.
Put the gradient's box's width divided by the gradient's partitions into a width number.
Put the width plus the box's left into the box's right.
Loop.
If a counter is past the gradient's partitions, exit.
Draw and fill the box with the color.
Move the box right the width.
If the gradient's direction is "left-to-right", lighten the color by the amount; repeat.
Darken the color by the amount.
Repeat.

To draw the next gradient given a gradient:
Move the gradient's box down the gradient's box's height.
Double the gradient's partitions.
If the gradient's direction is "left-to-right", set a flag.
If the flag is set, put "right-to-left" into the gradient's direction.
If the flag is not set, put "left-to-right" into the gradient's direction.
Draw the gradient.