Человек в высоком замке

           Didyoueverthinkofaskingitthat?AndwhyoneabouttheGermansandtheJapaneselosingthewar?Whythatparticularstoryandnootherone?Whatisthereitcan’ttellusdirectly,likeitalwayshasbefore?Thismustbedifferent,don’tyouthink?"

           NeitherHawthornenorCarolinesaidanything.

           "ItandI,"Hawthornesaidatlast,"longagoarrivedatanagreementregardingroyalties.IfIaskitwhyitwroteGrasshopper,I’llwindupturningmyshareovertoit.ThequestionimpliesIdidnothingbutthetyping,andthat’sneithertruenordecent."

           "I’llaskit,"Carolinesaid."Ifyouwon’t."

           "It’snotyourquestiontoask,"Hawthornesaid."Letherask."ToJulianahesaid,"Youhaveanunnaturalmind.Areyouawareofthat?"

           Julianasaid,"Where’syourcopy?Mine’sinmycar,backatthemotel.I’llgetit,ifyouwon’tletmeuseyours."

           Turning,Hawthornestartedoff.SheandCarolinefollowed,throughtheroomofpeople,towardacloseddoor.Atthedoorheleftthem.Whenhere-emerged,theyallsawtheblack-backedtwinvolumes.

           "Idon’tusetheyarrowstalks,"hesaidtoJuliana."Ican’tgetthehangofthem;Ikeepdroppingthem."

           Julianaseatedherselfatacoffeetableinthecorner."Ihavetohavepapertowriteonandapencil."

           Oneoftheguestsbroughtherpaperandpencil.ThepeopleintheroommovedintoformaringaroundherandtheAbendsens,listeningandwatching.

           "Youmaysaythequestionaloud,"Hawthornesaid."Wehavenosecretshere."