Человек в высоком замке

           "Whatisyourquestion,sir?IfI’mnotoffendingyoutoask."

           "IinquiredastotheMoment,"Mr.Tagomisaid."TheMomentforusall.Nomovinglines.Astatichexagram."Heshutthebook.

           Atthreeo’clockthatafternoon,FrankFrink,stillwaitingwithhisbusinesspartnerforWyndam-Matson’sdecisionaboutthemoney,decidedtoconsulttheoracle.Howarethingsgoingtoturnout?heasked,andthrewthecoins.

           ThehexagramwasForty-seven.Heobtainedonemovingline,Nineinthefifthplace.

           Hisnoseandfeetarecutoff.

           Oppressionatthehandsofthemanwiththepurplekneebands.

           Joycomessoftly.

           Itfurthersonetomakeofferingsandlibations.

           Foralongtime—atleasthalfanhour—hestudiedthelineandthematerialconnectedwithit,tryingtofigureoutwhatitmightmean.Thehexagram,andespeciallythemovingline,disturbedhim.Atlastheconcludedreluctantlythatthemoneywouldnotbeforthcoming.

           "Yourelyonthatthingtoomuch,"EdMcCarthysaid.

           Atfouro’clock,amessengerfromW-MCorporationappearedandhandedFrinkandMcCarthyamanilaenvelope.Whentheyopenedittheyfoundinsideacertifiedcheckfortwothousanddollars.

           "Soyouwerewrong,"McCarthysaid.

           Frinkthought,Thentheoraclemustrefertosomefutureconsequenceofthis.Thatisthetrouble;lateron,whenithashappened,youcanlookbackandseeexactlywhatitmeant.Butnow–

           "Wecanstartsettinguptheshop,"McCarthysaid."Today?Rightnow?"Hefeltweary