Человек в высоком замке

           "Six!"oneofthemyelled."Icountedsix."

           "Icountedfive,"theotherboygasped.

           Mr.Tagomisaid,"You’resuretheywerepedecabs?Youdistinctlysawthedriverspeddling?"

           "Yessir,"theboyssaidtogether.

           Hegaveeachboyadime.Theythankedhimandranoff.

           Backtoofficeandjob,Mr.Tagomithought.Herosetohisfeet,grippingthehandleofhisbriefcase.Dutycalls.Customarydayonceagain.

           Oncemorehewalkeddownthepath,tothesidewalk.

           "Cab!"hecalled.

           Fromthetrafficapedecabappeared;thedrivercametoahaltatthecurb,hisdarkfaceglistening,chestheaving."Yessir."

           "TakemetotheNipponTimesBuilding,"Mr.Tagomiordered.Heascendedtotheseatandmadehimselfcomfortable.

           Peddlingfuriously,thepedecabdrivermovedoutamongtheothercabsandcars.

           ItwasslightlybeforenoonwhenMr.TagomireachedtheNipponTimesBuilding.FromthemainlobbyheinstructedaswitchboardoperatortoconnecthimwithMr.Ramseyupstairs.

           "Tagomi,here,"hesaid,whentheconnectionwascomplete.

           "Goodmorning,sir.Iamrelieved.Notseeingyou,Iapprehensivelytelephonedyourhomeatteno’clock,butyourwifesaidyouhadleftforunknownparts."

           Mr.Tagomisaid,"Hasthemessbeencleared?"

           "Nosignremains."

           "Beyonddispute?"

           "Myword,sir."

           Satisfied,Mr.Tagomihungupandwenttotaketheelevator.

           Upstairs,asheenteredhisoffice,hepermittedhimselfamomentarysearch.Rimofhisvision.Nosign,aswaspromised.Hefeltrelief.Noonewouldknowwhohadn’tseen.