Человек в высоком замке

           Heconsidered,untilhehadhisthoughtsproperlycontrolledandhisquestionsworkedout.

           Aloudhesaid,"HowshouldIapproachWyndam-Matsoninordertocometodecenttermswithhim?"Hewrotethequestiondownonthetablet,thenbeganwhippingtheyarrowstalksfromhandtohanduntilhehadthefirstline,thebeginning.Aneight.Halfthesixty-fourhexagramseliminatedalready.Hedividedthestalksandobtainedthesecondline.Soon,beingsoexpert,hehadallsixlines;thehexagramlaybeforehim,andhedidnotneedtoidentifyitbythechart.HecouldrecognizeitasHexagramFifteen.Ch’ien.Modesty.Ah.Thelowwillberaisedup,thehighbroughtdown,powerfulfamilieshumbled;hedidnothavetorefertothetext—heknewitbyheart.Agoodomen.Theoraclewasgivinghimfavorablecouncil.

           Andyethewasabitdisappointed.TherewassomethingfatuousaboutHexagramFifteen.Toogoody-goody.Naturallyheshouldbemodest.Perhapstherewasanideainit,however.Afterall,hehadnopoweroveroldW-M.Hecouldnotcompelhimtotakehimback.AllhecoulddowasadoptthepointofviewofHexagramFifteen;thiswasthatsortofmoment,whenonehadtopetition,tohope,toawaitwithfaith.Heaveninitstimewouldraisehimuptohisoldjoborperhapseventosomethingbetter.

           Hehadnolinestoread,noninesorsixes;itwasstatic.Sohewasthrough.Itdidnotmoveintoasecondhexagram.

           Anewquestion,then.Settinghimself,hesaidaloud,"WillIeverseeJulianaagain?"

           Thatwashiswife.Orratherhisex-wife.