Человек в высоком замке

           GöringshouldhavebeenFuhrerafterHitler,becauseitwashisLuftwaffethatknockedoutthoseEnglishradarstationsandthenfinishedofftheRAF.HitlerwouldhavehadthembombLondon,liketheydidRotterdam.

           ButprobablyGoebbelswillgetit,shedecided.Thatwaswhateveryonesaid.AslongasthatawfulHeydrichdoesn’t.He’dkillusall.He’sreallybats.

           TheoneIlike,shethought,isthatBaldurvonSchirach.He’stheonlyonewholooksnormal,anyhow.Buthehasn’tgotachance.

           Turning,sheascendedthestepstothefrontdooroftheoldwoodenbuildinginwhichshelived.

           WhensheunlockedthedoorofherapartmentshesawJoeCinnadellastilllyingwhereshehadlefthim,inthecenterofthebed,onhisstomach,hisarmsdangling.Hewasstillasleep.

           No,shethought.Hecan’tstillbehere;thetruck’sgone.Didhemissit?Obviously.

           Goingintothekitchen,shesethergrocerybagsonthetableamongthebreakfastdishes.

           Butdidheintendtomissit?sheaskedherself.That’swhatIwonder.

           Whatapeculiarman…hehadbeensoactivewithher,goingonalmostallnight.Andyetithadbeenasifhewerenotactuallythere,doingitbutneverbeingaware.Thoughtsonsomethingelse,maybe.

           Fromhabit,shebeganputtingfoodawayintheoldG.E.turret-toprefrigerator.Andthenshebeganclearingthebreakfasttable.

           Maybehe’sdoneitsomuch,shedecided,it’ssecondnature;hisbodymakesthemotions,likeminenowasIputtheseplatesandsilverinthesink.