Человек в высоком замке

           Theoldertruckdriverpassedtheboxtohiscompanion,whopusheditwithhiselbowalongthecountertowardher.

           "Youhaveacar?"theyoungItalianaskedher,sippinghiscoffee.

           Fromthekitchen,Charleyappeared;hehadherplate.

           "Youcoulddrivemetothisplace."Thewild,strongeyesstillstudiedher,andshebecameincreasinglynervous,andyetincreasinglytransfixed."Thismotel,orwhereverI’msupposedtostaytonight.Isn’tthatso?"

           "Yes,"shesaid."Ihaveacar.AnoldStudebaker."

           Thefrycookglancedfromhertotheyoungtruckdriver,andthensetherplatebeforeheratthecounter.

           Theloudspeakerattheendoftheaislesaid,"Achtung,meineDamenundHerren."Inhisseat,Mr.Baynesstarted,openedhiseyes.Throughthewindowtohisrighthecouldsee,farbelow,thebrownandgreenofland,andthenblue.ThePacific.Therocket,herealized,hadbegunitslongslowdescent.

           InGermanfirst,thenJapanese,andatlastEnglish,theloudspeakerexplainedthatnoonewastosmokeortountiehimselffromhispaddedseat.Thedescent,itexplained,wouldtakeeightminutes.

           Theretro-jetsstartedthen,sosuddenlyandloudly,shakingtheshipsoviolently,thatanumberofpassengersgasped.Mr.Baynessmiled,andintheaisleseatacrossfromhim,anotherpassenger,ayoungermanwithclose-croppedblondhair,alsosmiled.

           "Siefurchtendass—"theyoungmanbegan,butMr.Baynessaidatonce,inEnglish:

           "I’msorry;Idon’tspeakGerman."