Человек в высоком замке

           Pickinguphisclothesfromthechairhebegantodress.

           "Howoldareyou,Joe?"sheaskedasshecontemplatedhisnakedbody.

           "Thirty-four."

           Then,shethought,youmusthavebeeninthewar.Shesawnoobviousphysicaldefects;hehad,infact,quiteagood,leanbody,withlonglegs.Joe,seeingherscrutiny,scowledandturnedaway."Can’tIwatch?"sheasked,wonderingwhynot.Allnightwithhim,andthenthismodesty."Arewebugs?"shesaid."Wecan’tstandthesightofeachotherinthedaylight—wehavetosqueezeintothewalls?"

           Gruntingsourly,hestartedtowardthebathroominhisunderpantsandsocks,rubbinghischin.

           Thisismyhome,Julianathought.I’mlettingyoustayhere,andyetyouwon’tallowmetolookatyou.Whydoyouwanttostay,then?Shefollowedafterhim,intothebathroom;hehadbegunrunninghotwaterinthebowl,toshave.

           Onhisarm,shesawatattoo,ablueletterC.

           "What"sthat?"sheasked."Yourwife?Connie?Corinne?"

           Joe,washinghisface,said,"Cairo."

           Whatanexoticname,shethoughtwithenvy.Andthenshefeltherselfflush."I’mreallystupid,"shesaid.AnItalian,thirty-fouryearsold,fromtheNazipartoftheworld…hehadbeeninthewar,allright.ButontheAxisside.AndhehadfoughtatCairo;thetattoowastheirbond,theGermanandItalianveteransofthatcampaign—thedefeatoftheBritishandAustralianarmyunderGeneralGottatthehandsofRommelandhisAfrikaKorps.