Человек в высоком замке

           Whathadtheoraclelastsaid?Tohisqueryintheofficeasthosetwolaydyingordead.Sixty-one.InnerTruth.Pigsandfishesareleastintelligentofall;hardtoconvince.ItisI.Thebookmeansme.Iwillneverfullyunderstand;thatisthenatureofsuchcreatures.OristhisInnerTruthnow,thisthatishappeningtome?

           Iwillwait.Iwillsee.Whichitis.

           Perhapsitisboth.

           Thatevening,justafterthedinnermeal,apoliceofficercametoFrankFrink’scell,unlockedthedoor,andtoldhimtogopickuphispossessionsatthedesk.

           Shortly,hefoundhimselfoutonthesidewalkbeforetheKearnyStreetStation,amongthemanypassers-byhurryingalong,thebusesandhonkingcarsandyellingpedecabdrivers.Theairwascold.Longshadowslaybeforeeachbuilding.FrankFrinkstoodamomentandthenhefellautomaticallyinwithagroupofpeoplecrossingthestreetatthecrosswalkzone.

           Arrestedfornorealreason,hethought.Nopurpose.Andthentheyletmegothesameway.

           Theyhadnottoldhimanything,hadsimplygivenhimbackhissackofclothes,wallet,watch,glasses,personalarticles,andturnedtotheirnextbusiness,anelderlydrunkbroughtinoffthestreet.

           Miracle,hethought.Thattheyletmego.Flukeofsomekind.ByrightsIshouldbeonaplaneheadingforGermany,forextermination.

           Hecouldstillnotbelieveit.Eitherpart,thearrestandnowthis.Unreal.Hewanderedalongpasttheclosed-upshops,steppingoverdebrisblownbythewind.

           Newlife,hethought.Likebeingreborn.Like,hell.Is.