Человек в высоком замке

           Anexpertcouldhavetoldthedifference…buttheJapanesecollectorsweren’tauthoritiesinthepropersense,hadnostandardsortestsbywhichtojudge.

           Infact,asfarasheknew,ithadneveroccurredtothemtoaskthemselvesiftheso-calledhistoricartobjectsforsaleinWestCoastshopsweregenuine.Perhapssomedaytheywould…andthenthebubblewouldburst,themarketwouldcollapseevenfortheauthenticpieces.AGresham’sLaw:thefakeswouldunderminethevalueofthereal.Andthatnodoubtwasthemotiveforthefailuretoinvestigate;afterall,everyonewashappy.Thefactories,hereandthereinthevariouscities,whichturnedoutthepieces,theymadetheirprofits.Thewholesalerspassedthemon,andthedealersdisplayedandadvertisedthem.Thecollectorsshelledouttheirmoneyandcarriedtheirpurchaseshappilyhome,toimpresstheirassociates,friends,andmistresses.

           Likepostwarboodlepapermoney,itwasfineuntilquestioned.Nobodywashurt—untilthedayofreckoning.Andtheneveryone,equally,wouldberuined.Butmeanwhile,nobodytalkedaboutit,eventhemenwhoearnedtheirlivingturningouttheforgeries;theyshuttheirownmindstowhattheymade,kepttheirattentiononthemeretechnicalproblems.

           "Howlongsinceyoutriedtodooriginaldesigning?"McCarthyasked.

           Frinkshrugged."Years.Icancopyaccuratelyashell.But—"

           "YouknowwhatIthink?Ithinkyou’vepickeduptheNaziideathatJewscan’tcreate.Thattheycanonlyimitateandsell.Middlemen."