Человек в высоком замке

           Whydidn’tI?AnytimeIcouldhaveasked,anyplacealongthetriporevenbeforeweleft.Shebegantomoaninvoluntarily;thenoise,ahowlingshehadneverheardissueoutofherbefore,horrifiedher,butshecouldnotsuppressiteventhoughsheclampedherteethtogether.Aghastlychanting,singing,wailing,risingupthroughhernose.

           Whenshehadparkedshesatwiththemotorrunning,shivering,handsinhercoatpockets.Christ,shesaidtoherselfmiserably.Well,Iguessthat’sthesortofthingthathappens.Shegotoutofthecaranddraggedhersuitcasefromthetrunk;inthebackseatsheopeneditanddugaroundamongtheclothesandshoesuntilshehadholdofthetwoblackvolumesoftheoracle.There,inthebackseatofthecar,withthemotorrunning,shebegantossingthreeRMSdimes,usingtheglareofadepartmentstorewindowtoseeby.What’llIdo?sheaskedit.Tellmewhattodo;please.

           HexagramForty-two,Increase,withmovinglinesinthesecond,third,fourthandtopplaces;thereforechangingtoHexagramForty-three,Breakthrough.Shescannedthetextravenously,catchingupthesuccessivestagesofmeaninginhermind,gatheringitandcomprehending;Jesus,itdepictedthesituationexactly—amiracleoncemore.Allthathadhappened,therebeforehereyes,blueprint,schematic:

           Itfurthersone

           Toundertakesomething.

           Itfurthersonetocrossthegreatwater.

           Trip,togoanddosomethingimportant,notstayhere.Nowthelines.Herlipsmoved,seeking…

           Tenpairsoftortoisescannotopposehim.