Человек в высоком замке

           "Who?ThatAbbotson?"

           "That’shistheory.IfJoeZangarahadmissedhim,hewouldhavepulledAmericaoutoftheDepressionandarmeditsothat—"Shebrokeoff.Theyhadarrivedattheelevator,andotherpeoplewerewaiting.

           Later,astheydrovethroughthenocturnaltrafficinWyndam-Matson’sMercedes-Benz,sheresumed.

           "Abendsen’stheoryisthatRooseveltwouldhavebeenaterriblystrongPresident.AsstrongasLincoln.HeshoweditintheyearhewasPresident,allthosemeasuresheintroduced.Thebookisfiction.Imean,it’sinnovelform.Rooseveltisn’tassassinatedinMiami;hegoesonandisreelectedin1936,sohe’sPresidentuntil1940,untilduringthewar.Don’tyousee?He’sstillPresidentwhenGermanyattacksEnglandandFranceandPoland.Andheseesallthat.HemakesAmericastrong.GarnerwasareallyawfulPresident.Alotofwhathappenedwashisfault.Andthenin1940,insteadofBricker,aDemocratwouldhavebeenelected—"

           "AccordingtothisAbelson,"Wyndam-Matsonbrokein.Heglancedatthegirlbesidehim.God,theyreadabook,hethought,andtheyspoutonforever.

           "HistheoryisthatinsteadofanIsolationistlikeBricker,in1940afterRoosevelt,RexfordTugwellwouldhavebeenPresident."Hersmoothface,reflectingthetrafficlights,glowedwithanimation;hereyeshadbecomelargeandshegesturedasshetalked."AndhewouldhavebeenveryactiveincontinuingtheRooseveltanti-Nazipolicies.SoGermanywouldhavebeenafraidtocometoJapan’shelpin1941.