Человек в высоком замке

           Hisarms,theboynoticed,werecoveredwiththefilmofgray,theash,partlyinorganic,partlytheburnedsiftingfinalproduceoflife.Allmixednow,theboyknew,andwipeditfromhim.Hedidnotthinkmuchfurther;hehadanotherthoughtthatcapturedhismindiftherewasthinkingtobedoneoverthescreamsandthehumphumpoftheshells.Hunger.Forsixdayshehadeatennothingbutthenettles,andnowtheyweregone.Thepastureofweedshaddisappearedintoasinglevastcraterofearth.Otherdim,gauntfigureshadappearedattherim,liketheboy,hadstoodsilentandthendriftedaway.Anoldmotherwithababushkatiedabouthergrayhead,basket—empty—underherarm.Aone-armedman,hiseyesemptyasthebasket.Agirl.FadednowbackintothelitterofslashedtreesinwhichtheboyErichid.

           Andstillthesnakecameon.

           Woulditeverend?theboyasked,addressingnoone.Andifitdid,whatthen?Wouldtheyfilltheirbellies,these—

           "Freiherr,"Pferdehuf’svoicecame."Sorrytointerruptyou.Justoneword."

           Reissjumped,shuthisbook."Certainly."

           Howthatmancanwrite,hethought.Completelycarriedmeaway.Real.FallofBerlintotheBritish,asvividasifithadactuallytakenplace.Brrr.Heshivered.

           Amazing,thepoweroffiction,evencheappopularfiction,toevoke.Nowonderit’sbannedwithinReichterritory;I’dbanitmyself.SorryIstartedit.Buttoolate;mustfinish,now.

           Hissecretarysaid,"SomeseamenfromaGermanship.They’rerequiredtoreporttoyou."

           "Yes,"Reisssaid.