Человек в высоком замке

           Childantalkedaboutatwenty-thousand-dollarorder,butthat’sprobablyanexaggeration.Anyhow,whatdidhappen—Ihavenocausetodoubtthispart—isthattheJapanesecamein,wantedtobuy,tookonelookatoneofthoseColt.44itemsyoupeopleturnout,sawittobeafake,puthismoneybackinhispantspocket,andleft.Now.Whatdoyousay?"

           TherewasnothingthatWyndam-Matsoncouldthinkoftosay.Buthethoughttohimselfinstantly.It’sFrinkandMcCarthy.Theysaidthey’ddosomething,andthisisit.But—hecouldnotfigureoutwhattheyhaddone;hecouldnotmakesenseoutofCalvin’saccount.

           Akindofsuperstitiousfrightfilledhim.Thosetwo—howcouldtheydoctoranitemmadelastFebruary?Hehadpresumedtheywouldgotothepoliceorthenewspapers,oreventhepinocgovernmentatSac,andofcoursehehadallthosetakencareof.Eerie.HedidnotknowwhattotellCalvin;hemumbledonforwhatseemedanendlesstimeandatlastmanagedtowinduptheconversationandgetoffthephone.

           Whenhehungupherealized,withastart,thatRitahadcomeoutofthebedroomandhadlistenedtothewholeconversation;shehadbeenpacingirritablybackandforth,wearingonlyablacksilkslip,herblondhairfallinglooselyoverherbare,slightlyfreckledshoulders.

           "Tellthepolice,"shesaid.

           Well,hethought,itprobablywouldbecheapertoofferthemtwothousandorso.They’dacceptit;thatwasprobablyalltheywanted.Littlefellowslikethatthoughtsmall;tothemitwouldseemlikealot.