Человек в высоком замке

           TheForeignOfficehadcalledanextraordinarysessionattheembassybuildingonSutterStreet,andeachTradeMissionwastosendahighlyplacedpersonagetoattend.Inthiscase,itmeantMr.Tagomihimself.

           Therewasnotimetochangeclothes.Mr.Tagomihurriedtotheexpresselevator,descendedtothegroundfloor,andamomentlaterwasonhiswaybyMissionlimousine,ablack1940CadillacdrivenbyanexperienceduniformedChinesechauffeur.

           Attheembassybuildinghefoundotherdignitaries’carsparkedroundabout,adozeninall.Highlyplacedworthies,someofwhomheknew,someofwhomwerestrangerstohim,couldbeseenascendingthewidestepsoftheembassybuilding,filingoninside.Mr.Tagomi’schauffeurheldthedooropen,andhesteppedoutquickly,grippinghisbriefcase,itwasempty,becausehehadnopaperstobring—butitwasessentialtoavoidappearanceofbeingmerespectator.Hestrodeupthestepsinamannersuggestingavitalroleinthehappenings,althoughactuallyhehadnotevenbeentoldwhatthismeetingwouldcover.

           Smallknotsofpersonageshadgathered;murmureddiscussionsinthelobby.Mr.Tagomijoinedseveralindividualswhomheknew,noddinghisheadandlooking—withthem—solemn.

           Anembassyemployeeappearedpresentlyanddirectedthemintoalargehall.Chairssetup,foldingtype.Allpersonsfiledin,seatedthemselvessilentlyexceptforcoughingandshuffling.Talkhadceased.

           Towardthefrontagentlemanwithhandfulofpapers,makingwayuptoslightlyraisedtable.