A Djinni Named Conscience читать онлайн

you know...”“Do you remember – last time I’ve asked you: ‘Have you conscience?!’ ”“I do. You asked, and I answered then and I answer now: yes, I have conscience! Just that it’s different, the conscience – everyone has his own one...”Radonya ran up to them, angry. “Vuk! What are you – with this! This!..” He didn’t finish. Having stepped towards his blood brother, the chieftain smashed his huge fist into Radonya’s teeth. Blood spurted, Radonya swayed, fell down. Crawled aside on all fours, cursing in a low voice, began wiping himself with a wisp of withered grass.“Forgive him, Kerim-aga. He doesn’t know you.”“Allah forgives. All right, Vuk. You must not rob us, by no means. There are fledglings in my caravan, merchants’ sons. They’re just boys. Their fathers have sent them for the first time. If you scare them to death – they’ll never have luck in trade afterwards. Then again, we have no profit, we’re just going from Vlera to Dragash... Let’s make it honestly: you let us go, and I’ll leave for you in Dragash a ‘mountain share’ after we sell out. Just tell me whom to give it to...”“Vuk! He’s lying! He’ll leave the share for himself, Vuk!...” beaten Radonya halted when he caught the promising glance of the chieftain. Spat rusty saliva. The junaks on the slope waited, shifting from one leg to the other; the caravaneers wavered dejectedly on the road. Peter saw – indeed, most of them were young, not older than Peter himself, and maybe even younger.“Deal. Leave it to Nasty Khalil. I’ll take it afterwards.”“And who’s this?” the moist, very dark eyes of the caravan-bashi rested on Peter.“A vagrant. He’s good in singing. We keep him for fame.”Before he continued, Kerim-aga glanced once again over his left shoulder. Waited, ponder