Человек в высоком замке

           GloomilyKreuzvomMeeresaid,"Well,wehaven’tpickedhimup.Let’swaitforthat.Iwishthatcallwouldcome."

           "I’llhandletheJapanese,"Reisssaid."I’vehadagooddealofexperience,asyouknow.Theircomplaints—"

           "Don’trambleon,"KreuzvomMeereinterrupted."Ihavetothink."EvidentlythecallfromtheChanceryhadbotheredhim;he,too,feltunderpressurenow.

           Possiblythisfellowwillgetaway,anditwillcostyouyourjob,ConsulHugoReissthought.Myjob,yourjob—webothcouldfindourselvesoutonthestreetanytime.Nomoresecurityforyouthanforme.

           Infact,hethought,itmightbeworthseeinghowalittlefoot-dragginghereandtherecouldpossiblystallyouractivities,HerrPolizeifuhrer.Somethingnegativethatcouldneverbepinneddown.Forinstance,whentheJapanesecomeinheretocomplain,ImightmanagetodropahintastotheLufthansaflightonwhichthisfellowistobedraggedaway…orbarringthat,needlethemintoabitmoreoutrageby,say,justthetraceofacontemptuoussmirk—suggestingthattheReichisamusedbythem,doesn’ttakelittleyellowmenseriously.It’seasytostingthem.Andiftheygetangryenough,theymightcarryitdirectlytoGoebbels.

           Allsortsofpossibilities.TheSDcan’treallygetthisfellowoutofthePSAwithoutmyactivecooperation.IfIcanonlyhitonpreciselytherighttwist…

           Ihatepeoplewhogoovermyhead,FreiherrReisssaidtohimself.Itmakesmetoodamnuncomfortable.