Человек в высоком замке

           "IfGermanyandJapanhadlostthewar,theJewswouldberunningtheworldtoday.ThroughMoscowandWallStreet."

           ThetwoJapanese,manandwife,seemedtoshrink.Theyseemedtofade,growcold,descendintothemselves.Theroomitselfgrewcold.RobertChildanfeltalone.Eatingbyhimself,nolongerintheircompany.Whathadhedonenow?Whathadtheymisunderstood?Stupidinabilityontheirparttograspalientongue,theWesternthought.Eludedthemandsotheytookumbrage.Whatatragedy,hethoughtashecontinuedeating.Andyet—whatcouldbedone?

           Formerclarity—thatofonlyamomentago—hadtobedrawnonforallitwasworth.Fullextentnotglimpseduntilnow.RobertChildandidnotfeelquiteasbadlyasbefore,becausethenonsensicaldreamhadbeguntoliftfromhismind.Ishowedupherewithsuchanticipation,herecalled.Near-adolescentromantichazebefuddlingmeasIascendedstairs.Butrealitycannotbeignored;wemustgrowup.

           Andthisisthestraightdope,righthere.Thesepeoplearenotexactlyhuman.Theydonthedressbutthey’relikemonkeysdolledupinthecircus.They’recleverandcanlearn,butthatisall.

           WhydoIcatertothem?Duesolelytotheirhavingwon?

           Bigflawinmycharacterrevealedthroughthisencounter.Butsuchisthewayitgoes.Ihavepathetictendencyto…well,shallwesay,unerringlychoosetheeasieroftwoevils.Likeacowcatchingsightofthetrough;Igallopwithoutpremeditation.