Человек в высоком замке

           Andyet—Childansensedachange.

           "Yourwife,"Childansaid,"wasdisappointedbymycrudegift.Ipossiblyinsulted.However,withsomethingnewanduntried,asIexplainedtoyouwhenIgraftedittoyou,noproperorfinalevaluationcanbemade—atleastnotbysomeoneinthepurelybusinessend.Certainly,youandBettyareinabetterpositiontojudgethanI."

           Paulsaid,"Shewasnotdisappointed,Robert.Ididnotgivethepieceofjewelrytoher."Reachingintohisdesk,hebroughtoutthesmallwhitebox."Ithasnotleftthisoffice."

           Heknows,Childanthought.Smartman.Nevereventoldher.Sothat’sthat.Now,Childanrealized;let’shopehe’snotgoingtoraveatme.Somekindofaccusationaboutmytryingtoseducehiswife.

           Hecouldruinme,Childansaidtohimself.Carefullyhecontinuedsippinghistea,hisfaceimpassive.

           "Oh?"hesaidmildly."Interesting."

           Paulopenedthebox,broughtoutthepinandbeganinspectingit.Heheldittothelight,turneditoverandaround.

           "Itookthelibertyofshowingthistoanumberofbusinessacquaintances,"Paulsaid,"individualswhosharemytasteforAmericanhistoricobjectsorforartifactsofgeneralartistic,estheticmerit."HeeyedRobertChildan."Noneofcoursehadeverseensuchasthisbefore.Asyouexplained,nosuchcontemporaryworkhithertoforehasbeenknown.Ithink,too,youinformedthatyouaresolerepresentative."

           "Yes,thatisso,"Childansaid.

           "Youwishtoheartheirreaction?"

           Childanbowed.