Человек в высоком замке

           Hospitalwatching,ifBerlinwantstokeeptheireyeonhim."

           Reissnodded.Ortheoldgeneralmightbeinvolvedincommercialspeculations,agooddealofwhichwentoninSanFrancisco.Connectionshehadmadewhileinservicewouldbeofusetohimnowthathewasretired.Orwasheretired?ThemessagecalledhimGeneral,notRetiredGeneral.

           "Assoonasyouhavethepicture."Reisssaid,"passcopiesrightontoourpeopleattheairportanddownattheharbor.Hemayhavealreadycomein.Youknowhowlongittakesthemtogetthissortofthingtous."AndofcourseifthegeneralhadalreadyreachedSanFrancisco,BerlinwouldbeangryatthePSAconsulate.Theconsulateshouldhavebeenabletointercepthim—beforetheorderfromBerlinhadevenbeensent.

           Pferdehufsaid,"I’llstamp-datethecodedradiogramfromBerlin,soifanyquestioncomesuplateron,wecanshowexactlywhenwereceivedit.Righttothehour."

           "Thankyou,"Reisssaid.ThepeopleinBerlinwerepastmastersattransferringresponsibility,andhewaswearyofbeingstuck.Ithadhappenedtoomanytimes."Justtobeonthesafeside,"hesaid,"IthinkI’dbetterhaveyouanswerthatmessage.Say,‘Yourinstructionsabysmallytardy.Personalreadyreportedinarea.Possibilityofsuccessfulinterceptremoteatthisstage.’Putsomethingalongthoselinesintoshapeandsendit.Keepitgoodandvague.Youunderstand."

           Pferdehufnodded."I’llsenditrightoff.Andkeeparecordoftheexactdateandmomentitwassent."Heshutthedoorafterhim.