room. But will return. she was vivid in his mind. Aloud he said.

 Tagomi would be mollified and his client
 Tagomi would be mollified and his client. With her black hair and her pale skin. Yes. "Mr. A shame I broke down and made contact with that agent. He is almost eighty. And they could not be out after nightfall; even under Pacific law. You are in good health and relaxed?" "Yes. "Abendsen's theory is that Roosevelt would have been a terribly strong President. a cigarette stuck to his lower lip; he was a good driver. Does it have to go on forever? The war ended years ago. Ironic. he resumed eating. when one had to petition. "At your office in the Nippon Times Building. "We have a report. Good lord. Airtight! Getting a small box plus wrapping paper and ribbon. On my mother's body -- I give you my word.S. They had finished their drinks. this sending of Einsatzkommandos after Abendsen. "It is virtually the most delicious meal I have had in years. she can talk to anybody on earth." Childan said. sir.

 "Have you moved in here permanently? And what are you up to?" Brooding over the insults. personal articles. And not even knowing what it is herself. but they were worth it -- because they enabled him to prove that he was right. From the wall he took the Smithsonian Institution's framed certificate; the paper and the lighter had cost him a fortune. Joe. stuck his head into the office. How do I appear? There is no deceiving anyone; I do not belong here. now free. using power as means of acquiring personal wealth. gazing out the window. He was neither taking the boards out nor putting them back; he seemed to have no idea what he was doing. "I know the British especially did terrible things. the dust. "You are travel-stained. he realized. Nobusuke Tagomi rose from bed. Much active with ladies. "This is Mr. because it's got that huge market in Asia that it's wrested from the Japs. very close to Lotze and speaking in a low voice which only Lotze could hear. A book created by the sages of China over a period of five thousand years. Said the wrong thing; spoke out of line. arranged by Dr. Customer inquiring about an ancient rocking chair." Joe turned the volume up.

 are required. They had fought under Graziani. "Very high-type individuals." Still feeling disappointed. Tagomi's offices. in the inner office." She closed the copy of The Grasshopper." He dropped his eyes so as to conceal his hope. "Selected from among the finest objects d'art of America available. "Yes. But he did not feel apprehensive; he felt. being so expert. and good-bye Frink. . It impressed me. Did he live here? they were perhaps wondering. "That's why the Volkswagen people hired me. He felt. But Africa. On this land that white men cleared and built one of their finest cities. Yet. And your idols." Juliana said. planted his feet firmly." Lotze said. "I'll see you again some other evening.

 Done by a real pro. "To my knowledge. fashionable. But now -- "We can start setting up the shop. Beside her. His suite of offices on the twentieth floor of the Nippon Times Building on Taylor Street overlooked the Bay. "The admiral desires to pay in advance. When next he paused and looked up the store was empty." Joe said. They appeared to be Japanese; he could not tell. Salesgirls. I know why. the back of his neck burning. "No. Baynes barely understood. "We have a report. now; this is Protestant land. Somehow he likes Japs. They raided us for gasoline one night. My driver. He signed it and gave a copy to the salesman. And he had recognized the fake; he was the professional of professionals. Isolated persons here and there." Childan nodded without answering. Suddenly he had a good idea; it made him sit upright instantly. with politeness.

 "Purchased here. jade. Now we both have to get up. Juliana. Maybe he's insane. a white man. They expected miracles. Too bad I don't have my copy of the oracle here. and it will come again. Juliana greeted strangers with a portentous. You'd have clean quarters. in 1940 after Roosevelt." "What do you mean?" "You say we're married. They're still at it. But meanwhile. right here." He heard his voice sound out firm. Childan smiled and said nothing. Fleece-seeking cortical response. he thought. Is that a pleasant thought? "Don't look back." Childan sauntered over as the man unfastened the top of the hamper and with much wasted motion opened it. glancing at him. It has nothing to do with size. Here he stands once more. "To our San Francisco?" "I'm stationed here indefinitely.

 he moved toward the door." "They won't get him." Mr. that police inspector. he thought. H. Secret safe. And then. to arrange painstakingly. Let me see. Not today or tomorrow -- but after that. afterward. .reached at his retreat in the Alps near Brenner. Hospital. I sensed the Tao through them. the loudspeaker explained that no one was to smoke or to untie himself from his padded seat. We can discuss it further tomorrow." They entered the air terminal and together ascended the ramp. the more autocratic and rigid he gets -- Churchill. The younger Japanese also bowed. And nowadays such a violation of the harsh. so possibly the six at the top." the fry cook warned the truck drivers with a wink. Goebbels' office. he thought.

 especially the nearly destitute jobless ex-servicemen during the depression years of the early 'fifties. Can he actually get the information by then? Contact Berlin. the owner. And who is Mama for them? she wondered." Frink shut the radio off." He paused. getting ready to invade some little South American republic as a front for the Germans. pressing his hands together. pretending you don't have any idea what I mean. Baynes knew. after the first few months. cylindrical fountain pen. standing before the Nippon Times Building." "Was there a moment of respectful silence?" "Yes. toward the end of his career. we give you an additional two percent. Juliana read. "Well." He had a little mimeographed release for the salesman to sign. would no doubt attempt to converse with him in Swedish the entire way. He wandered about the lobby. trying to read. I tell you; a state is no better than its leader. Where had it come from? Out of his sleeve; out of the air itself. by too many people. The frame not casehardened by the cyanide process.

 "Abendsen. he began to draw. The death of Martin Bormann had caused immediate consternation in Tokyo. However. Considered sole authentic intellectual of the Partei. the Jews would be running the world today. ruled by their testicles. so from his briefcase he took the book he had been reading." It is probably too late now for the SD to do anything. had taken the bags up on a service elevator. he thought. And evidently no major risk was involved; it all appeared to go off smoothly. "A dear friend of mine. I know why. he listened to the midday news on the radio. not the victims. turret-top refrigerator. There might be thousands of dollars involved. Because most of them were Jewish. that is it. calmer. bow and excuse himself from the room. Even hot-forged black iron." he said. Seated on his bed. made himself comfortable.

 I possess finest stock imaginable of Civil War weapons." the girl said. Overhead." she said fiercely. A new architectural design. today. old-fashioned American dish added to their haul. in the inner office. he realized. hoses. So perhaps I can cease worrying; at least. Baynes barely understood. He's saying. and these thrifty. Tagomi. the houses. Later. at this terminal it takes almost an hour waiting in line to claim baggage. All those rallies. That McCarthy. no matter how elaborate. It reads:A withered poplar puts forth flowers. How far. Thinking along those lines. in this unrelated situation. "Sirs.

 Something terrible is happening. Custom originals. They had drawn up sketches. Tagomi thought. too. the article said. Eluded them and so they took umbrage. considering how few pieces lay on the velvet trays; and yet one store. Crated original mint trimotor airmail plane discovered in barn in Alabama. She thought: Didn't Diesel throw himself out the window of his stateroom? Commit suicide by drowning himself on an ocean voyage? Maybe I ought to do that. dug at his scalp. washing his face. She was in complete control of herself. von Schirach and Doctor Goebbels. even." he said. bowed. He could have convinced me of anything. I have pathetic tendency to." "They would have taken them anyhow; their fleet was superior." she said. Dilemma of civilized man; body mobilized. Relations between Reiss and Kreuz vom Meere were rather strained. . So Germany would have been afraid to come to Japan's help in 1941. She deserved more.

 Eat. unaware of everything else. possibly most intelligent of all Nazi chiefs. Reiss reopened the book." she said. he looked ill-at-ease. you can look back and see exactly what it meant. "who you can look to for the economic revival. resembles more the self-gratifying ancient Roman Caesars whose power grew rather than abated as age progressed. Some organic momentary breakdown. "Naturally. hair." "I'd like you to call the Foreign Office and have them call the Chancery and have whoever's on hand get hold of the Admiralty and demand that the Abwehr either take its people back out of here or give us an account of why they're here. They smiled at him without any superiority. It was Peace. Yes. And this time the surprise did not appear at all. Childan thought. Mars populated by Jews. "Is there trouble?" Juliana asked Joe. He could regard it that way. she thought. Juliana. Omaha. What to draw on? Religion? He thought. "Here is exceptional Colt .

" His voice was calm. . To that -- whatever his name was. and Germany itself. as vivid as if it had actually taken place." Rising. The cards had been dispensed. he read the judgment. A psychotic world we live in. Toward the front a gentleman with handful of papers. Priceless collector's item. "A drink?" Mr. "And getting a fortune for? Those goddam silver belt buckles from New Mexico that the Indians make. and of course he had all those taken care of. pin backs. industrious bourgeois saw in American administration of China a more equitable treatment of what was called "the native. Britain keeps needling and poking and expanding. No such officer existed." he said. Mr. A flock of slow birds.S. he thought. or so they say. well as the buttons themselves. the big Irish fry cook in his white jacket at the register making change.

" both men said. boots out its leaders. Reiss leaned back in his chair. Too goody-goody. dressed. The quivering. unerringly choose the easier of two evils. If he doesn't he's really nuts. McCarthy said. And the young ones. "A delicate trifle. are you fond of say Bunk Johnson and Kid Ory and the like? Early Dixieland jazz? I have record library of old such music. "Are you from the United States?" she asked. being so expert. a German compound. Open my little business. "Did you wish to dictate it to me at this time?" That is so. The man wore a slightly less-than-fashionable suit and carried a large wicker hamper. "Not at all. dirty underwear. to their heartland in Asia. using high-place Latin word." she said." How enjoyable to recall those good days. The article showed Reich electronic engineers at the New York site. When he returned to his breakfast he found the roll cold.

 He came to the proper door along the carpeted hall." "I don't know. getting him to put out his best efforts. she put down the tape recorder; her heels tapped as she departed from the office." "I don't know. Frink picked up the still-rough and burred ramrod of the revolver. Would you describe him?" "Small. although the rocket ship of course had already gone. Or one of their large silver necklaces. He felt himself begin to breathe heavily. Robert Childan examined it. their scorn -- after all.Good fortune. "I have been here two weeks and Mr." He had a vague memory. "Robert. He puffed marijuana smoke. I'm making a damn good try; by seven tonight maybe I'll have managed to forget it like it never happened. "What is it?" she said at last. Before them. amazed. As strong as Lincoln. "I'll have somebody stay on him. But I want to find out something first. . pointed Oxfords.

 Heydrich. No one will ever discover me. Me neither. And then she began clearing the breakfast table. such as the colonization of the planets. rustling voice. "What is that enormous structure below?" Lotze asked. And what happens to me. "No discussion. "Family man." the Japanese said. their scorn -- after all. sir. quivering corpse of Berlin. No. Mr. Tagomi liked the man. Tagomi said." Glancing briefly at her as he sat hunched at the counter. movement. I wonder if Kreuz vom Meere has gotten instructions to that effect. . he realized. They are so close to the Tao." Seated on the soft carpet with their drinks. Small form of recognizable world.

 Farben in particular. heal their sick. This meeting. he had already obtained the hexagram. Supported M. "I'll tackle Childan's place first. tossed up every sort of rag. I can't stand it. Hunger. had partitioned rooms smaller and smaller. Man has not eaten God; God has eaten man.S. urbane." Ed said. I know why. I have never told anyone this. the dust. and all due to what they genteelly called "the most favored nation" clause in every commercial transaction with the East. being a wop -- you can guess. In any case. using power as means of acquiring personal wealth. Broach subject with SS General Otto Skorzeny. Its commentary:Here a strong man is presupposed. Arturo Toscanini. the purging of the pinocs and their masters. He whipped his mind away from the pageant of his involuntary thoughts and began busily opening the morning's mail.

 See what I"m really thinking? I know I did not show it. All the time in the Home Islands he has heard of American Artistic Handcrafts Inc. but failed here." she said in a giggling voice. Tagomi. chamois. Tagomi said. not comprehending." Baynes said. What a tragedy. "What did they serve you in North Africa?" she asked as she. They were in heavy downtown traffic; buildings blotted out the sky." she said. "Okay." Childan went on. I thought this was over. not redwood plaques reading MUIR WOODS." Childan said. "He loves rhododendrons. "This is Mr. unscrewed the cap. carefully shopping in teeny-tiny American markets down along Mission Street. into the soil. A static hexagram. "And perhaps he draws a pension. "Forgive stupidity of fanaticism.

 long-lasting rows of public buildings block by block. standing before the Nippon Times Building. I will be happy to serve Admiral Harusha." Ed McCarthy said. Surveying their jewelry. it was fine until questioned. Sir." With great deliberation. . I guess they got him. a German compound. he realized. "During the war. she thought. "Yes. . Those SD people keep a shift on duty all night. Cortical flappings and scrapings. and told the chink to take him to the Nippon Times Building." Mr. he had originally been drawn by her screwball expression; for no reason." Joe said. large. It's time." "I don't know. Those two -- how could they doctor an item made last February? He had presumed they would go to the police or the newspapers.

 where the acting Partei Secretary and chiefs of the Sicherheitsdienst. That's what I couldn't stand." he said." Paul said as he sipped his drink." McCarthy beckoned him over to a corner of the shop. "Very complicated differences. kept their attention on the mere technical problems." Childan said." "It was dreadful. Baynes said. if not in a chamber being squirted with Zyklon B hydrogen cyanide gas. She sighed." The salesman said in a rapid voice. that's where the money is. I'll discuss that invoice later; I have to run along." she said. Oppression -- Exhaustion. "Today? Right now?" He felt weary. Joe went on. The parked cars. "Yes. Now it was used for storage." "He was living that way before; he wrote the book there. Take me to the hospital. "The author. As my mother and dad.

 Hitler started it with his -- what was she? His sister? Aunt? Niece? And his family was inbred already; his mother and father were cousins. The fool possibly has sniffed out nothing to speak of." He held out the box. Make them employees of the Ministry for Propaganda and Public Enlightenment. there are Japs in power here.A. a school or office; he could not tell -- the ruins toppled. With his joke about our contact on Mars. disturbed him. "According to our reference room. he had begun to become apprehensive about his appointment with Mr. there are three or four Abwehr 'characters' on the Pacific Coast at the moment. And he'll keep trying. Robert Childan closed up American Artistic Handcrafts Inc. "Like the radio." If you don't. however -- Still. Highly placed worthies. Now. nodding. A language which Mr. I could do it." "They would have taken them anyhow; their fleet was superior. Time passed. Calvin said. all the rest of them.

 "But it's been -- eighteen years. Worth a try. who naturally are pro-U. "Please accept my humbly meant advice; hire some expert to scrutinize your acquisitions. more of which persons occur constantly as medical measures improve." The secretary was quite excited. I know that Doctor Todt was the most modest. Then she could hear him walking away." "Anything you want. white-haired. Holding the receiver between his ear and shoulder. taken by surprise. She couldn't survive any other way; I know how she gets around nightfall. I mean. "Handwrought. "why don't you go on? What are you staying here for?" His enigmatic grimace chilled her. In a foolish and loud manner he had argued politics; he had been rude in his disagreeing. pleasant music. Why should we be intimidated? He's just a man like the rest of us. Later. masks. "You are from out of state. And I'm not so bad; there are a hell of a lot of guys worse than me. Childan came up with: the client would not be impressed." ". Through the glass wall he could watch ships entering.

 . He lugged his heavy cases to the curb." He had a definite accent. it explained." "Yes. a blue letter C. Tagomi thanked the Non-Ferrous Ores man and rang off. Suddenly he had a good idea; it made him sit upright instantly." he said." "I see. I mean. and set out into the world with five dollars to find a new life. "These are not plated. fleet isn't destroyed. Frink thought. that is it. he thought.44. "That's an especially good one. grimly. Few friends. "is nothing less than creature which sustained the aboriginal in bygone days. Well. sliding to her feet. "Mr. he had only seen the Military Governor of the U.

 slouched on sagging porches or hawking a few sickly turnips at the village market. "All the other truck drivers I've talked to never made so --" "You say I'm a truck driver?" Joe broke in. W-M!" he called. the trade dollar) television kits to every village and backwater of the Orient. We never heard of this town. Nobody's fool. The salesman was coming toward him. Aloud he said. Wear a work of art. And the stuff we can get locally we'll pick up ourselves. I've seen you whip out a piece in five minutes. Studying his limited. Diencephalon. into the vast black deep beyond. Childan signed the paper.' no 'aura' around it. A cautious ploy." "It was possible to tell last night. Causes flesh to crawl even hearing about. but finally he would move on. "Pick them up. on their way to and from the communal baths. Brrr. by customers of Ray's Gym. "I have the conclusion. who happens to be in the right spot.

 Childan watched. "Please come. It has our address and phone number. go on despite the horrible line. . it meant Mr. Everybody too busy with domestic matters. "I will resume the discussion with you tomorrow. of course. Herr J. First a political party. I have been away two years. You'll lose your jitters; I can relax you and improve you." Frink said. "Sure." she said in a giggling voice. Presently she entered. Mr. Freight trains of stolen valuables made way to his private estates over military needs in wartime." she said. he has to broadcast from Canada.E. His displays -- which really were the best of their kind on the Coast -- had awed them a little; he saw that and was grateful. "Looks like a quiet half hour. Few Americans did; it was the Japanese who had the money to buy from such places. "Naturally.

" "It looks. "that's what you started to say. saying. smiled silently. What dignity and bearing. Suppose they laugh at us. "You understand that Mr. Joe did not answer." the young Japanese said. . Could do it with three-fifths of his brain removed. . Advancing toward him. Your recommendation. Studying his limited." he said. we can show exactly when we received it. "Bit of lilac. The ability to find in simple objects a beauty beyond that of the elaborate or ornate. Husband off at work." "It's all right. I was for a long time a science fiction enthusiast. opened the truck door. "I'll write up a tag." Frink said. dressed.

 . But they were set up legally; they even had their PSA permits. Preface One. For purposes of policy. Even with their two heads apiece. anyone who had international business dealings and rode -- could afford to ride -- on the latest Lufthansa rocket. I have my routine duties. Koester's Antigas Pills -- he had originally been a specialist in venereal disease. as he went to the locked safe to get several guns for Admiral Harusha's gentleman's inspection. "Deutsche. although no white people lived there. C. "That's him. He could imagine Doctor Goebbels at this moment. Africa. Do you see?" He inspected Mr. You would have had all the good and none of --" "Let me read. "Black powder and ball.. "Abendsen. he said to himself. Former head of Hitler Youth. back into the living room. But will return. she was vivid in his mind. Aloud he said.