Человек в высоком замке

           "BeforewegoonuptoCheyenne?"

           Hedidnotanswer;hehadbecomeinvolvedinthecontentsofhissuitcase.

           "Onedayortwo?"sheaskedasshetookoffhernewcoat."Doyouthinkwecouldstaythree?"

           LiftinghisheadJoeanswered,"We’regoingontonight."

           Atfirstshedidnotunderstand;andwhenshedid,shecouldnotbelievehim.Shestaredathimandhestaredbackwithagrim,almosttauntingexpression,hisfaceconstrictedwithenormoustension,morethanshehadseeninanyhumaninherlifebefore.Hedidnotmove;heseemedparalyzedthere,withhishandsfullofhisownclothingfromthesuitcase,hisbodybent.

           "Afterweeat,"headded.

           Shecouldnotthinkofanythingtosay.

           "Sowearthatbluedressthatcostsomuch,"hesaid."Theoneyoulike;thereallygoodone—youunderstand?"Nowhebeganunbuttoninghisshirt."I’mgoingtoshaveandtakeagoodhotshower."Hisvoicehadamechanicalqualityasifhewerespeakingfrommilesawaythroughsomesortofinstrument;turning,hewalkedtowardthebathroomwithstiff,jerkysteps.

           Withdifficultyshemanagedtosay,"It’stoolatetonight."

           "No.We’llbethroughdinneraroundfive-thirty,sixatthelatest.WecangetuptoCheyenneintwo,twoandahalfhours.That’sonlyeight-thirty.Saynineatthelatest.Wecanphonefromhere,tellAbendsenwe’recoming;explainthesituation.That’llmakeanimpression,along-distancecall.Saythis—we’reflyingtotheWestCoast;we’reinDenveronlytonight.