Человек в высоком замке

           "SoI’llbeallfreshand—"

           "No."Heshookhishead."Forgetit.Lookforaplacetoeat."

           Julianasaidinasteadyvoice,"We’llgoandregisteratthehotelfirst.Sowecanchange.Thenwe’lleat."Anditbetterbeareallyfinehotel,shethought,orit’salloff.Eventhislate.Andwe’llaskthematthehotelwhat’sthebestplaceinDenvertoeat.Andthenameofagoodnightclubwherewecanseeaonce-in-a-lifetimeact,notsomelocaltalentbutsomebignamesfromEurope,likeEleanorPerezorWillieBeck.IknowgreatUFAstarslikethatcomeouttoDenver,becauseI’veseentheads.AndIwon’tsettleforanythingless.

           Astheysearchedforagoodhotel,Julianakeptglancingatthemanbesideher.Withhishairshortandblond,andinhisnewclothes,hedoesn’tlooklikethesameperson,shethought.DoIlikehimbetterthisway?Itwashardtotell.Andme—whenI’vebeenabletoarrangeformyhairbeingdone,we’llbetwodifferentpersons,almost.Createdoutofnothingor,rather,outofmoney.ButIjustmustgetmyhairdone,shetoldherself.

           TheyfoundalargestatelyhotelindowntownDenverwithauniformeddoormanwhoarrangedforthecartobeparked.Thatwaswhatshewanted.Andabellboy—actuallyagrownman,butwearingthemaroonuniform—camequicklyandcarriedalltheirparcelsandluggage,leavingthemwithnothingtodobutclimbthewidecarpetedsteps,undertheawning,passthroughtheglassandmahoganydoorsandintothelobby.