Человек в высоком замке

           Later,hisbrothershadjoinedacrackartillerybattery,thatofMajorRicardoPardi,andwhenWorldWarTwobegan,Joehadbeenabletojointhem.TheyhadfoughtunderGraziani.Theirequipment,especiallytheirtanks,hadbeendreadful.TheBritishhadshotthemdown,evenseniorofficers,likerabbits.Doorsofthetankshadtobeheldshutwithsandbagsduringbattle,tokeepthemfromflyingopen.MajorPardi,however,hadreclaimeddiscardedartilleryshells,polishedandgreasedthem,andfiredthem;hisbatteryhadhaltedGeneralWavell’sgreatdesperatetankadvancedin‘43.

           "Areyourbrothersstillalive?"Julianaasked.

           Hisbrothershadbeenkilledin‘44,strangledwithwirebyBritishcommandos,theLongRangeDesertGroupwhichhadoperatedbehindAxislinesandwhichhadbecomeespeciallyfanaticduringthelastphasesofthewarwhenitwasclearthattheAlliescouldnotwin.

           "HowdoyoufeelabouttheBritishnow?"sheaskedhaltingly.

           Joesaid,"I’dliketoseethemdotoEnglandwhattheydidinAfrica."Histonewasflat.

           "Butit’sbeen—eighteenyears,"Julianasaid."IknowtheBritishespeciallydidterriblethings.But—"

           "TheytalkaboutthethingstheNazisdidtotheJews,"Joesaid."TheBritishhavedoneworse.IntheBattleofLondon."Hebecamesilent."Thosefireweapons,phosphorusandoil;IsawafewoftheGermantroops,afterward.Boatafterboatburnedtoacinder.Thosepipesunderthewater—turnedtheseatofire.