Человек в высоком замке

           "Theylooklikeviolinists.Niceasceticfaces.Soulful.Maybelikedivinitystudents.They’llgetin.TheJaps’llthinkthey’reastringquartet—"

           "Quintet,"Reisssaid.

           "Yes.They’llwalkrightuptothedoor—they’redressedjustright."Hesurveyedtheconsul."Prettymuchasyouare."

           Thankyou,Reissthought.

           "Rightinplainsight.Broaddaylight.UptothisWegener.Gatheraroundhim.Appeartobeconferring.Messageofimportance."KreuzvomMeeredronedon,whiletheconsulbeganopeninghismail."Noviolence.Just,‘HerrWegener.Comewithus,please.Youunderstand.’Andbetweenthevertebraeofhisspinealittleshaft.Pump.Uppergangliaparalyzed."

           Reissnodded.

           "Areyoulistening?"

           "Ganzbestimmt."

           "Thenoutagain.Tothecar.Backtomyoffice.Japsmakealotofracket.Butpolitetothelast."KreuzvomMeerelumberedfromthedesktopantomimeaJapanesebowing.

           "‘Mostvulgartodeceiveus,HerrKruezvomMeere.However,good-bye,HerrWegener—’"

           "Baynes,"Reisssaid."Isn’theusinghiscovername?"

           "Baynes.‘Sosorrytoseeyougo.Plentymoretalkmaybenexttime.’"ThephoneonReiss’deskrang,andKreuzvomMeereceasedhisprank."Thatmaybeforme."Hestartedtoanswerit;butReisssteppedtoitandtookithimself.

           "Reiss,here."

           Anunfamiliarvoicesaid,"Consul,thisistheAuslandFernsprechamtatNovaScotia.TransatlantictelephonecallforyoufromBerlin,urgent."

           "Allright,"Reisssaid.

           "Justamoment,Consul."