Человек в высоком замке

           ButthentheflightfromStockholmtoSanFranciscoisonlyforty-fiveminutes.PerhapsthenawordaboutGermanmechanicalfailures?Isupposeyouheardtheradio.ThatcrashoverMadagascar.Imustsay,thereissomethingtobesaidfortheoldpistonplanes.

           Essentialtoavoidpolitics.ForhedidnotknowMr.Baynes’viewsonleadingissuesoftheday.Yettheymightarise.Mr.Baynes,beingSwedish,wouldbeaneutral.YethehadchosenLufthansaratherthanSAS.Acautiousploy…Mr.Baynes,sir,theysayHerrBormannisquiteill.ThatanewReichsChancellorwillbechosenbytheParteithisautumn.Rumoronly?Somuchsecrecy,alas,betweenPacificandReich.

           Inthefolderonhisdesk,clippingfromNewYorkTimesofarecentspeechbyMr.Baynes.Mr.Tagominowstudieditcritically,bendingduetoslightfailureofcorrectionbyhiscontactlenses.Thespeechhadtodowithneedofexploringoncemore—ninety-eighthtime?—forsourcesofwateronthemoon."Wemaystillsolvethisheartbreakingdilemma,"Mr.Bayneswasquoted."Ournearestneighbor,andsofarthemostunrewardingexceptformilitarypurposes."Sic!Mr.Tagomithought,usinghigh-placeLatinword.CluetoMr.Baynes.Looksaskanceatmerelymilitary.Mr.Tagomimadeamentalnote.

           TouchingtheintercombuttonMr.Tagomisaid,"MissEphreikian,Iwouldlikeyoutobringinyourtaperecorder,please."

           TheouterofficedoorslidtoonesideandMissEphreikian,todaypleasantlyadornedwithblueflowersinherhair,appeared.

           "Bitoflilac,"Mr.Tagomiobserved.