Человек в высоком замке

           NowoneappreciatesSaintPaul’sincisivewordchoiceseenthroughglassdarklynotametaphor,butastutereferencetoopticaldistortion.Wereallydoseeastigmatically,infundamentalsense:ourspaceandourtimecreationsofourownpsyche,andwhenthesemomentarilyfalter—likeacutedisturbanceofmiddleear.

           Occasionallywelisteccentrically,allsenseofbalancegone.

           Hereseatedhimself,putthesilversquiggleawayinhiscoatpocket,satholdinghisbriefcaseonhislap.WhatImustdonow,hetoldhimself,isgoandseeifthatmalignantconstruction—whatdidthemancallit?EmbarcaderoFreeway.Ifitisstillpalpable.

           Buthefeltafraidto.

           Andyet,hethought,Ican’tmerelysithere.Ihaveloadstolift,asoldU.S.folkexpressionhasit.Jobstobedone.

           Dilemma.

           TwosmallChineseboyscamescamperingnoisilyalongthepath.Aflockofpigeonsflutteredup;theboyspaused.

           Mr.Tagomicalled,"You,youngfellows."Hedugintohispocket."Comehere."

           Thetwoboysguardedlyapproached.

           "Here’sadime."Mr.Tagomitossedthemadime;theboysscrambledforit."GodowntoKearnyStreetandseeifthereareanypedecabs.Comebackandtellme."

           "Willyougiveusanotherdime?"oneoftheboyssaid."Whenwegetback?"

           "Yes,"Mr.Tagomisaid."Buttellmethetruth."

           Theboysracedoffalongthepath.

           Iftherearenot,Mr.Tagomithought,Iwouldbewelladvisedtoretiretosecludedplaceandkillmyself.Heclutchedhisbriefcase.Stillhavetheweapon;nodifficulty,there.

           Theboyscametearingback.