Человек в высоком замке

           Oyvey,hethought,settlingback.Soshewaswrongforme;Iknowthat.Ididn’taskthat.Whydoestheoraclehavetoremindme?Abadfateforme,tohavemetherandbeeninlove—beinlove—withher.

           Juliana—thebest-lookingwomanhehadevermarried.Soot-blackeyebrowsandhair;traceamountsofSpanishblooddistributedaspurecolor,eventoherlips.Herrubbery,soundlesswalk;shehadwornsaddleshoesleftoverfromhighschool.Infactallherclotheshadadilapidatedqualityandthedefinitesuggestionofbeingoldandoftenwashed.Heandshehadbeensobrokesolongthatdespiteherlooksshehadhadtowearacottonsweater,clothzipperedjacket,browntweedskirtandbobbysocks,andshehatedhimanditbecauseitmadeherlook,shehadsaid,likeawomanwhoplayedtennisor(evenworse)collectedmushroomsinthewoods.

           Butaboveandbeyondeverythingelse,hehadoriginallybeendrawnbyherscrewballexpression;fornoreason,Julianagreetedstrangerswithaportentous,nudnik,MonaLisasmilethathungthemupbetweenresponses,whethertosayhelloornot.Andshewassoattractivethatmoreoftenthannottheydidsayhello,whereuponJulianaglidedby.Atfirsthehadthoughtitwasjustplainbadeyesight,butfinallyhehaddecidedthatitrevealedadeep-dyedotherwiseconcealedstupidityathercore.Andsofinallyherborderlineflickerofgreetingtostrangershadannoyedhim,ashadherplantlike,silent,I’m-on-a-mysterious-errandwayofcomingandgoing