Человек в высоком замке
Chapter 2
Itwasoutofthequestiontoletaslaveseehimcarryingsomething;hehadtobequitecarefulofthat.Amistakeofthatkindwouldcosthimdearly;hewouldneverhaveplaceofanysortagain,amongthosewhosaw.
Inaway,Childanthought,IwouldalmostenjoycarryingmyownbagsintotheNipponTimesBuildinginbroaddaylight.Whatagrandgesture.Itisnotactuallyillegal;Iwouldnotgotojail.AndIwouldshowmyrealfeelings,thesideofamanwhichnevercomesoutinpubliclife.But…
Icoulddoit,hethought,ifthereweren’tthosedamnblackslaveslurkingaround;Icouldendurethoseabovemeseeingit,theirscorn—afterall,theyscornmeandhumiliatemeeveryday.Buttohavethosebeneathseeme,tofeeltheircontempt.Likethischinkpeddlingawayaheadofme.IfIhadn’ttakenapedecab,ifhehadseenmetryingtowalktoabusinessappointment…
OnehadtoblametheGermansforthesituation.Tendencytobiteoffmorethantheycouldchew.Afterall,theyhadbarelymanagedtowinthewar,andatoncetheyhadgoneofftoconquerthesolarsystem,whileathometheyhadpassededictswhich…well,atleasttheideawasgood.Andafterall,theyhadbeensuccessfulwiththeJewsandGypsiesandBibleStudents.AndtheSlavshadbeenrolledbacktwothousandyears’worth,totheirheartlandinAsia.OutofEuropeentirely,toeveryone’srelief.Backtoridingyaksandhuntingwithbowandarrow.
