Человек в высоком замке

           Whatdoyoucallthat?Isaythat’stypical;justwhatyou’dexpectfromaracethatwhentoldtoduplicateaBritishdestroyermanagedeventocopythepatchesontheboileraswellas—

           Paulwaseyinghimintently.Fortunately,longhabithadcausedChildantosuppressanyshowofauthenticfeelingsautomatically.Heassumedabland,soberexpression,personathatcorrectlymatchedthenatureofthesituation.Hecouldsenseitthere,themask.

           Thisisdreadful,Childanrealized.Acatastrophe.BetterPaulhadthoughtIwastryingtoseducehiswife.

           Betty.Therewasnochancenowthatshewouldseethepiece,thathisoriginalplanwouldcomeoff.Wuwasincompatiblewithsexuality;itwas,asPaulsaid,solemnandholy,likearelic.

           "Igaveeachoftheseindividualsoneofyourcards,"Paulsaid.

           "Pardon?"Childansaid,preoccupied.

           "Yourbusinesscards.Sothattheycouldcomeinandinspectotherexamples."

           "Isee,"Childansaid.

           "Thereisonemorething,"Paulsaid."Oneoftheseindividualswishestodiscussthisentiresubjectwithyouathislocation.Ihavewrittenouthisnameandaddress."PaulhandedChildanafoldedsquareofpaper."Hewantshisbusinesscolleaguestohear."Pauladded,"Heisanimporter.Heimportsandexportsonamassbasis.EspeciallytoSouthAmerica.Radios,cameras,binoculars,taperecorders,thelike."

           Childangazeddownatthepaper.

           "Hedeals,ofcourse,inimmensequantity."Paulsaid."Perhapstensofthousandsofeachitem.