Человек в высоком замке

           "He’sanex-serviceman.HewasintheU.S.MarineCorpsinWorldWarTwo,woundedinEnglandbyaNaziTigertank.Asergeant.Itsayshe’sgotpracticallyafortressthathewritesin,gunsallovertheplace."Settingthebookdown,shesaid,"Anditdoesn’tsaysohere,butIheardsomeonesaythathe’salmostasortofparanoid;chargedbarbedwirearoundtheplace,andit’ssetinthemountains.Hardtogetto."

           "Maybehe’sright,"Joesaid,"tolivelikethat,afterwritingthatbook.TheGermanbigwigshittheroofwhentheyreadit."

           "Hewaslivingthatwaybefore;hewrotethebookthere.Hisplaceiscalled—"Sheglancedatthebookjacket."TheHighCastle.That’shispetnameforit."

           "Theywon’tgethim,"Joesaid,chewingrapidly."He’sonthelookout.Smart."

           Shesaid,"Ibelievehe’sgotalotofcouragetowritethatbook.IftheAxishadlostthewar,we’dbeabletosayandwriteanythingwewanted,likeweusedto;we’dbeonecountryandwe’dhaveafairlegalsystem,thesameoneforallofus."

           Tohersurprise,henoddedreasonablytothat.

           "Idon’tunderstandyou,"shesaid."Whatdoyoubelieve?Whatisityouwant?Youdefendthosemonsters,thosefreakswhoslaughteredtheJews,andthenyou—"Despairing,shecaughtholdofhimbytheears;heblinkedinsurpriseandpainassherosetoherfeet,tugginghimupwithher.

           Theyfacedeachother,wheezing,neitherabletospeak.

           "Letmefinishthismealyoufixedforme,"Joesaidatlast.