Человек в высоком замке

           But,despitehiseffortstoconceal,hisfeaturesshowedhurt,anger,afrustratedandmutereaction.

           "Now,"Mr.Tagomisaid."Ihavefurtherconsultedtheoracle.Forpurposesofpolicy,Icannotdivulgetoyou,Mr.Ramsey,thequestion."Inotherwords,histonemeant,youandyourpinockindarenotentitledtosharetheimportantmatterswhichwedealin."Itissufficienttosay,however,thatIreceivedamostprovocativeresponse.Ithascausedmetoponderatlength."

           BothMr.RamseyandMissEphreikianwatchedhimintently.

           "ItdealswithMr.Baynes,"Mr.Tagomisaid.

           Theynodded.

           "MyquestionregardingMr.BaynesproducedthroughtheoccultworkingsoftheTaotheHexagramSheng,Forty-six.Agoodjudgment.AndlinesSixatthebeginningandNineinthesecondplace."Hisquestionhadbeen,WillIbeabletodealwithMr.Baynessuccessfully?AndtheNineinthesecondplacehadassuredhimthathewould.Itread:

           Ifoneissincere,

           Itfurthersonetobringevenasmalloffering.

           Noblame.

           Obviously,Mr.BayneswouldbesatisfiedbywhatevergifttherankingTradeMissiongraftedtohimthroughthegoodofficesofMr.Tagomi.ButMr.Tagomi,inaskingthequestion,hadhadadeeperqueryinthebackofhismind,oneofwhichhewasbarelyconscious.Assooften,theoraclehadperceivedthatmorefundamentalqueryand;whileansweringtheother,hadtakenituponitselftoanswerthesubliminalone,too.

           "Asweknow,"Mr.Tagomisaid,"Mr.BaynesisbringingusdetailedaccountofnewinjectionmoldsdevelopedinSweden.