Человек в высоком замке

           Iwouldappreciatethisinformationfromyourestimablenewspaper."

           Anagonizingwait.Thenthegirlwasback.

           "Accordingtoourreferenceroom,sir,"shesaidinagigglingvoice,"thecarrierSyokakuisatthebottomofthePhilippineSea.ItwassunkbyanAmericansubmarinein1945.Anymorequestionswecanhelpyouwith,sir?"Obviouslythey,atthenewspaperoffice,appreciatedthewild-goosevarietyofprankthathadbeenplayedonhim.

           Hehungup.NocarrierSyokakuforseventeenyears.ProbablynoAdmiralHarusha.Themanhadbeenanimposter.Andyet—

           Themanhadbeenright.TheColt.44wasafake.

           Itdidnotmakesense.

           Perhapsthemanwasaspeculator;hehadbeentryingtocornerthemarketinCivilWarperiodsidearms.Anexpert.Andhehadrecognizedthefake;hewastheprofessionalofprofessionals.

           Itwouldtakeaprofessionaltoknow.Someoneinthebusiness.Notamerecollector.

           Childanfeltatinymeasureofrelief.Thenfewotherswoulddetect.Perhapsnooneelse.Secretsafe.

           Letmatterdrop?

           Heconsidered.No.Mustinvestigate.Firstofall,getbackinvestment;getreimbursementfromRayCalvin.And—musthaveallotherartifactsinstockexaminedbyUniversitylab.

           But—supposemanyofthemarenon-authentic?

           Difficultmatter.

           Onlywayisthis,hedecided.Hefeltgrim,evendesperate.GotoRayCalvin.Confronthim.Insistthathepursuematterbacktosource.Maybeheisinnocent,too.Maybenot.Inanycase,tellhimnomorefakesorIwillnotbuythroughhimeveragain.

           Hewillhavetoabsorbtheloss,Childandecided