Человек в высоком замке

           "CaretoborrowGrasshopper?"Paulasked."Wewillsoonbethrough,nodoubtwithindayorso.Myofficebeingdowntownnotfarfromyouresteemedstore,Icouldhappilydropitoffatlunchtime."Hewassilent,andthen—possibly,Childanthought,duetoasignalfromBetty—continued,"YouandI,Robert,couldeatlunchtogether,onthatoccasion."

           "Thankyou,"Robertsaid.Itwasallhecouldsay.Lunch,inoneofthedowntownbusinessmen’sfashionablerestaurants.Heandthisstylishmodemhigh-placeyoungJapanese.Itwastoomuch;hefelthisgazeblur.Buthewentonexaminingthebookandnodding."Yes,"hesaid,"thisdoeslookinteresting.Iwouldverymuchliketoreadit.Itrytokeepupwithwhat’sbeingdiscussed."Wasthatpropertosay?Admissionthathisinterestlayinbook’smodishness.Perhapsthatwaslow-place.Hedidnotknow,andyethefeltthatitwas."Onecannotjudgebybookbeingbestseller,"hesaid."Weallknowthat.Manybestsellersareterribletrash.This,however—"Hefaltered.

           Bettysaid,"Mosttrue.Averagetastereallydeplorable."

           "Asinmusic,"Paulsaid."NointerestinauthenticAmericanfolkjazz,asexample.Robert,areyoufondofsayBunkJohnsonandKidOryandthelike?EarlyDixielandjazz?Ihaverecordlibraryofoldsuchmusic,originalGenetrecordings."

           Robertsaid,"AfraidIknowlittleaboutNegromusic."Theydidnotlookexactlypleasedathisremark."Ipreferclassical.BachandBeethoven."Surelythatwasacceptable.