Человек в высоком замке

           Thedeliverymanarrived;Childangavehimthenoteandparcel,theaddress,andtoldhimtogobyhelicopter.Themandeparted,andChildanbeganpacingabouthisstore,waiting…waiting.

           Atthreeo’clocktheUniversitycalled.

           "Mr.Childan,"thevoicesaid,"youwantedthisweapontestedforauthenticity,this1860ArmyModelColt.44."Apause,whileChildangrippedthephonewithapprehension."Here’sthelabreport.It’sareproductioncastfromplasticmoldsexceptforthewalnut.Serialnumbersallwrong.Theframenotcasehardenedbythecyanideprocess.Bothbrownandbluesurfacesachievedbyamodernquick-actingtechnique,thewholegunartificiallyaged,givenatreatmenttomakeitappearoldandworn."

           Childansaidthickly,"Themanwhobroughtittomeforappraisal—"

           "Tellhimhe’sbeentaken,"theUniversitytechniciansaid."Andverytaken.It’sagoodjob.Donebyarealpro.See,theauthenticgunwasgivenits—youknowthebluemetalparts?Thosewereputinaboxofleatherstrips,sealed,withcyanidegas,andheated.Toocumbersome,nowadays.Butthiswasdoneinafairlywell-equippedshop.Wedetectedparticlesofseveralpolishingandfinishingcompounds,somequiteunusual.Nowwecan’tprovethis,butweknowthere’saregularindustryturningoutthesefakes.Theremustbe.We’veseensomany."

           "No,"Childansaid."Thatisonlyarumor.Icanstatethattoyouasabsolutefact,sir."Hisvoiceroseandbrokescreechingly."AndIaminapositiontoknow.