Человек в высоком замке

           Theoldgentlemanreceivesastipendforhisconsultationwithus,andhedoesnotreportittohisPensionBoard.Sowemustnotrevealhisvisit.Theyareonlyawarethathetakesavacation."

           "Youareasophisticate,"Mr.Baynessaid.

           Mr.Tagomisaid,"Thissituationhasoccurredbefore.Wehavenotinoursocietysolvedtheproblemoftheaged,moreofwhichpersonsoccurconstantlyasmedicalmeasuresimprove.Chinateachesusrightlytohonortheold.However,theGermanscauseourneglecttoseemclosetooutrightvirtue.Iunderstandtheymurdertheold."

           "TheGermans,"Baynesmurmured,againrubbinghisforehead.Hadthepillhadaneffect?Hefeltalittledrowsy.

           "BeingfromScandinavia,younodoubthavehadmuchcontactwiththeFestungEuropa.Forinstance,youembarkedatTempelhof.Canonetakeanattitudelikethis?Youareaneutral.Givemeyouropinion,ifyouwill."

           "Idon’tunderstandwhatattitudeyoumean,"Mr.Baynessaid.

           "Towardtheold,thesick,thefeeble,theinsane,theuselessinallvariations.‘Ofwhatuseisanewbornbaby?’someAnglo-Saxonphilosopherreputedlyasked.Ihavecommittedthatutterancetomemoryandcontemplateditmanytimes.Sir,thereisnouse.Ingeneral."

           Mr.Baynesmurmuredsomesoundorother;hemadeitthenoiseofnoncommittalpoliteness.

           "Isn’tittrue,"Mr.Tagomisaid,"thatnomanshouldbetheinstrumentforanother’sneeds?"Heleanedforwardurgently."PleasegivemeyourneutralScandinavianopinion."

           "Idon’tknow,"Mr.Baynessaid.