philip_k_dick_-_the_man_in_the_high_castle

'Thank you,' Paul said.
Robert Childan bowed.
There was peace, then, for a moment, in his heart. This offering, this — as the I Ching put it —
libation. It had done what needed to be done. Some of the anxiety and oppression which he had felt
lately began to lift from him.
From Ray Calvin he had received restitution for the Colt .44, plus many written assurances of no
second recurrence. And yet it had not eased his heart. Only now, in this unrelated situation, had he
for a moment lost the sense that things were in the constant process of going askew. The wabi
around him, radiations of harmony . . . that is it, he decided. The proportion. Balance. They are so
close to the Tao, these two young Japanese. That is why I reacted to them before. I sensed the Tao
through them. Saw a glimpse of it myself.
What would it be like, he wondered, to really know the Tao? The Tao is that which first lets the
light, then the dark. Occasions the interplay of the two primal forces so that there is always
renewal. It is that which keeps it all from wearing down. The universe will never be extinguished
because just when the darkness seems to have smothered all, to be truly transcendent, the new seeds
of light are reborn in the very depths. That is the Way. When the seed falls, it falls into the earth,
into the soil. And beneath, out of sight, it comes to life.
'An hors d'oeuvre,' Betty said. She knelt to hold out a plate on which lay small crackers of
cheese, et cetera. He took two gratefully.
'International news much in notice these days.' Paul said as he sipped his drink. 'While I drove
home tonight I heard direct broadcast of great pageant-like State Funeral at Munich, including rally
of fifty thousand, flags and the like. Much 'Ich hatte einen Kamerad' singing. Body now lying in
state for all faithful to view.''
'Yes, it was distressing,' Robert Childan said. 'The sudden news earlier this week.'
'Nippon Times tonight saying reliable sources declare B. von Schirach under house arrest,' Betty
said. 'By SD instruction.'
'Bad,' Paul said, shaking his head.
'No doubt the authorities desire to keep order,' Childan said. 'Von Schirach noted for hasty,
headstrong, even halfbaked actions. Much similar to R. Hess in past. Recall mad flight to England.'
'What else reported by Nippon Times?' Paul asked his wife.
'Much confusion and intriguing. Army units moving from hither to yon. Leaves canceled. Border
stations closed. Reichstag in session. Speeches by all.'
'That recalls fine speech I heard by Doctor Geobbels,' Robert Childan said. 'On radio, year or so
ago. Much witty invective. Had audience in palm of hand, as usual. Ranged throughout gamut of
emotionality. No doubt; with original Adolf Hitler out of things, Doctor Goebbels A-one Nazi
speaker.'
'True,' both Paul and Betty agreed, nodding.
'Doctor Goebbels also has fine children and wife,' Childan went on. 'Very high-type individuals.'
'True,' Paul and Betty agreed. 'Family man, in contrast to number of other grand moguls there,'
Paul said. 'Of questionable sexual mores.'
'I wouldn't give rumors time of day.' Childan said. 'You refer to such as E. Roehm? Ancient
history. Long since obliterated.'
'Thinking more of H. Göring,' Paul said, slowly sipping his drink and scrutinizing it. 'Tales of
Rome-like orgies of assorted fantastic variety. Causes flesh to crawl even hearing about.'
'Lies,' Childan said.
'Well, subject not worth discussing,' Betty said tactfully, with a glance at the two of them.