Человек в высоком замке

           Sheleftthebathroom,returnedtothelivingroomandbeganmakingthebed;herhandsflew.

           InaneatstackonthechairlayJoe’spossessions,clothesandsmallsuitcase,personalarticles.Amongthemshenoticedavelvet-coveredbox,alittlelikeaglasses’case;pickingitup,sheopeneditandpeekedinside.

           YoucertainlydidfightatCairo,shethoughtasshegazeddownattheIronCrossSecondClasswiththewordandthedate—June10,1945—engravedatitstop.Theydidn’tallgetthis;onlythevaliantones.Iwonderwhatyoudid…youwereonlyseventeenyearsold,then.

           Joeappearedatthedoorofthebathroomjustassheliftedthemedalfromitsvelvetbox;shebecameawareofhimandjumpedguiltily.Buthedidnotseemangry.

           "Iwasjustlookingatit,"Julianasaid."I’veneverseenonebefore.DidRommelpinitonyouhimself?"

           "GeneralBayerlaingavethemout.RommelhadalreadybeentransferredtoEngland,tofinishupthere."Hisvoicewascalm.Buthishandoncemorehadbegunthemonotonouspawingathisforehead,fingersdiggingintohisscalpinthatcombingmotionwhichseemedtobeachronicnervoustic.

           "Wouldyoutellmeaboutit?"Julianaasked,ashereturnedtothebathroomandhisshaving.

           Asheshavedand,afterthat,tookalonghotshower,JoeCinnadellatoldheralittle;nothinglikethesortofaccountshewouldhavelikedtohear.HistwoolderbrothershadservedintheEthiopiancampaign,whilehe,atthirteenhadbeeninaFascistyouthorganizationinMilan,hishometown.