Человек в высоком замке

           ItmakesmesonervousthatIcan’tsleep,andwhenIcan’tsleepIcan’tdomyjob.SoIoweittoGermanytocorrectthisproblem.I’dbealotmorecomfortableatnightandinthedaytime,too,forthatmatter,ifthislow-classBavarianthugwerebackhomewritingupreportsinsomeobscureGaupolicestation.

           Thetroubleis,there’snotthetime.WhileI’mtryingtodecidehowto—

           Thephonerang.

           ThistimeKreuzvomMeerereachedouttotakeitandConsulReissdidnotbartheway."Hello,"KreuzvomMeeresaidintothereceiver.Amomentofsilenceashelistened.

           Already?Reissthought.

           ButtheSDchiefwasholdingoutthephone."Foryou."

           Secretlyrelaxingwithrelief,Reisstookthephone.

           "It’ssomeschoolteacher,"KreuzvomMeeresaid."WantstoknowifyoucangivethemscenicpostersofAustriafortheirclass."

           Towardeleveno’clockinthemorning,RobertChildanshutuphisstoreandsetoff,onfoot,forMr.PaulKasoura’sbusinessoffice.

           Fortunately,Paulwasnotbusy.HegreetedChildanpolitelyandofferedhimtea.

           "Iwillnotbotheryoulong,"Childansaidaftertheyhadbothbegunsipping.Paul’soffice,althoughsmall,wasmodernandsimplyfurnished.Onthewallonesinglesuperbprint:Mokkei’sTiger,alate-thirteenth-centurymasterpiece.

           "I’malwayshappytoseeyou,Robert,"Paulsaid,inatonethatheld—Childanthought—perhapsatraceofaloofness.

           Orperhapsitwashisimagination.Childanglancedcautiouslyoverhisteacup.Themancertainlylookedfriendly.