philip_k_dick_-_the_man_in_the_high_castle

As he returned to his store he said to himself, Perhaps new policy of not making calls. Do all
business within store.
Two hours showing. Much too long. Almost four hours in all; too late to reopen store. An entire
afternoon to sell one item, one Mickey Mouse watch; expensive treasure, but — he unlocked the
store door, propped it open, went to hang up his coat in the rear.
When he re-emerged he found that he had a customer. A white man. Well, he thought. Surprise.
'Good day, sir,' Childan said, bowing slightly. Probably a pinoc. Slender, rather dark man. Welldressed,
fashionable. But not at ease. Slight shine of perspiration.
'Good day,' the man murmured, moving around the store to inspect the displays. Then, all at
once, he approached the counter. He reached into his coat, produced a small shiny leather cardcase,
set down a multicolored, elaborately printed card.
On the card, the Imperial emblem. And military insignia. The Navy. Admiral Harusha. Robert
Childan examined it, impressed.
'The admiral's ship,' the customer explained, 'lies in San Francisco Bay at this moment. The
carrier Syokaku.'
'Ah,' Childan said.
'Admiral Harusha has never before visited the West Coast,' the customer explained. 'He has
many wishes while here, one of which is to pay personal visit to your famous store. All the time in
the Home Islands he has heard of American Artistic Handcrafts Inc.'
Childan bowed with delight.
'However,' the man continued, 'due to pressure of appointments, the admiral cannot pay personal
visit to your esteemed store. But he has sent me; I am his gentleman.'
'The admiral is a collector?' Childan said, his mind working at top speed.
'He is a lover of the arts. He is a connoisseur. But not a collector. What he desires is for gift
purposes; to wit: he wishes to present each officer of his ship a valuable historic artifact, a side arm
of the epic American Civil War.' The man paused. 'There are twelve officers in. all.'
To himself, Childan thought, Twelve Civil War side arms. Cost to buyer: almost ten thousand
dollars. He trembled.
'As is well known,' the man continued, 'your shop sells such priceless antique artifacts from the
pages of American history. Alas, all too rapidly vanishing into limbo of time.'
Taking enormous care in his words-he could not afford to lose this, to make one single slip —
Childan said, 'Yes, it is true. Of all the stores in PSA, I possess finest stock-imaginable of Civil
War weapons. I will be happy to serve Admiral Harusha. Shall I gather superb collection of such
and bring aboard the Syokaku? This afternoon, possibly?'
The man said, 'No, I shall inspect them here.'
Twelve. Childan computed. He did not possess twelve — in fact, he had only three. But he could
acquire twelve, if luck were with him, through various channels within the week. Air express from
the East, for instance. And local wholesale contacts.
'You, sir,' Childan said, 'are knowledgeable in such weapons?'
'Tolerably,' the man said. 'I have a small collection of hand weapons, including tiny secret pistol
made to look like domino, Circa 1840.'
'Exquisite item,' Childan said, as he went to the locked safe to get several guns for Admiral
Harusha's gentleman's inspection.
When he returned, he found the man writing out a bank check. The man paused and said, 'The
admiral desires to pay in advance. A deposit of fifteen thousand PSA dollars.'