Человек в высоком замке

           Ambiguity,asonetripsoverintheoracle…quality,astheysay,oftheOrientalmind.

           Childanthought,He’sactuallysaying:WhichareyouRobert?Hewhomtheoraclecalls"theinferiorman,"orthatotherforwhomallthegoodadviceismeant?Mustdecide,here.Youmaytrotononewayortheother,butnotboth.Momentofchoicenow.

           Andwhichwaywillthesuperiormango?RobertChildaninquiredofhimself.AtleastaccordingtoPaulKasoura.Andwhatwehavebeforeushereisn’tamany-thousand-year-oldcompilationofdivinelyinspiredwisdom;thisismerelytheopinionofonemortal—oneyoungJapanesebusinessman.

           Yet,there’sakerneltoit.Wu,asPaulwouldsay.Thewuofthissituationisthis:whateverourpersonaldislikes,therecanbenodoubt,therealityliesintheimporter’sdirection.Toobadforwhatwehadintended;wemustadapt,astheoraclestates.

           Andafterall,theoriginalscanstillbesoldinmyshop.Toconnoisseurs,asforexamplePaul’sfriends.

           "Youwrestlewithyourself,"Paulobserved."Nodoubtitisinsuchasituationthatonepreferstobealone."Hehadstartedtowardtheofficedoor.

           "Ihavealreadydecided."

           Paul’seyesflickered.

           Bowing,Childansaid,"Iwillfollowyouradvice.NowIwillleavetovisittheimporter."Heheldupthefoldedslipofpaper.

           Oddly,Pauldidnotseempleased;hemerelygruntedandreturnedtohisdesk.Theycontaintheiremotionstothelast,Childanreflected.

           "Manythanksforyourbusinesshelp,"Childansaidashemadereadytodepart.