Человек в высоком замке

           Tagomi,andChildan’sbitternessandanxietyalmostoverwhelmedhimashewatchedthebuildingspass.Andyet—triumph.Theseparateskill,apartfromtherestofhim:hehadfoundtherightthing,andMr.Tagomiwouldbemollifiedandhisclient,whoeverhewas,wouldbeoverjoyed.Ialwaysgivesatisfaction,Childanthought.Tomycustomers.

           Hehadbeenabletoprocure,miraculously,analmostmintcopyofVolumeOne,NumberOneofTipTopComics.Datingfromthe‘thirties,itwasachoicepieceofAmericana;oneofthefirstfunnybooks,aprizecollectorssearchedforconstantly.Ofcourse,hehadotheritemswithhim,toshowfirst.Hewouldleadupgraduallytothefunnybook,whichlaywell-protectedinaleathercasepackedintissuepaperatthecenterofthelargestbag.

           Theradioofthepedecabblaredoutpopulartunes,competingwiththeradiosofothercabs,carsandbuses.Childandidnothear;hewasusedtoit.Nordidhetakenoticeoftheenormousneonsignswiththeirpermanentadsobliteratingthefrontofvirtuallyeverylargebuilding.Afterall,hehadhisownsign;atnightitblazedonandoffincompanywithalltheothersofthecity.Whatotherwaydidoneadvertise?Onehadtoberealistic.

           Infact,theuproarofradios,trafficnoises,thesignsandpeoplelulledhim.Theyblottedouthisinnerworries.Anditwaspleasurabletobepeddledalongbyanotherhumanbeing,tofeelthestrainingmusclesofthechinktransmittedintheformofregularvibrations;asortofrelaxingmachine,Childanreflected.