Человек в высоком замке

           Whatisthespacewhichthisspeaksof?Verticalascent.Toheaven.Oftime?Intothelight-worldofthemutable.Yes,thisthinghasdisgorgeditsspirit:light.Andmyattentionisfixed;Ican’tlookaway.SpellboundbymesmerizingshimmeringsurfacewhichIcannolongercontrol.Nolongerfreetodismiss.

           Nowtalktome,hetoldit.Nowthatyouhavesnaredme.Iwanttohearyourvoiceissuingfromtheblindingclearwhitelight,suchasweexpecttoseeonlyintheBardoThodolafterlifeexistence.ButIdonothavetowaitfordeath,forthedecompositionofmyanimusasitwandersinsearchofanewwomb.Alltheterrifyingandbeneficentdeities;wewillbypassthem,andthesmokylightsaswell.Andthecouplesincoitus.Everythingexceptthislight.Iamreadytofacewithoutterror.NoticeIdonotblench.

           Ifeelthehotwindsofkarmadrivingme.NeverthelessIremainhere.Mytrainingwascorrect:Imustnotshrinkfromtheclearwhitelight,forifIdo,Iwilloncemorereenterthecycleofbirthanddeath,neverknowingfreedom,neverobtainingrelease.TheveilofmayawillfalloncemoreifI—

           Thelightdisappeared.

           Heheldthedullsilvertriangleonly.Shadowhadcutoffthesun;Mr.Tagomiglancedup.

           Tall,blue-suitedpolicemanstandingbyhisbench,smiling.

           "Eh?"Mr.Tagomisaid,startled.

           "Iwasjustwatchingyouworkthatpuzzle."Thepolicemanstartedonalongthepath.

           "Puzzle,"Mr.Tagomiechoed."Notapuzzle."

           "Isn’tthatoneofthoselittlepuzzlesyouhavetotakeapart?Mykidhasawholelotofthem.