Читаем Shantaram полностью

‘This matter is being handled in the most careful way,’ Khaderbhai explained. ‘The government and the police have asked for co-operation from the newspapers. They have been reported as unrelated things, as deaths that happened during simple, unconnected robberies. But we know that Sapna’s followers have committed them, because the blood of the victims was used to write the word Sapna on the walls and the floors. And despite the terrible violence of the attacks, not much of any real value was stolen from the victims. For now, this Sapna does not officially exist. But it is only a matter of time before everyone knows of him, and of what has been done in his name.’

‘And you… you don’t know who he is?’

‘We are very interested in him, Lin,’ Khaderbhai answered. ‘What do you think about this poster? It has been seen in many markets and hutments, and it is written in English, as you see. Your language.’

I sensed a vague hint of accusation in those last two words. Although I had nothing whatsoever to do with Sapna and knew almost nothing about him, my face reddened with that special guilty blush of the completely innocent man.

‘I don’t know. I don’t think I can help you with this.’

‘Come now, Lin,’ Abdul Ghani chided. ‘There must be some impressions, some thoughts, that occur to you. There is no commitment here. Don’t be shy. Just say the first things that come to your mind.’

‘Well,’ I began reluctantly, ‘the first thing is, I think that this Sapna-or whoever wrote this poster-may be a Christian.’

‘A Christian!’ Khaled laughed. He was a young man, perhaps thirty-five, with short dark hair and soft green eyes. A thick scar swept in a smooth curve from his left ear to the corner of his mouth, stiffening that side of his face. His dark hair was streaked with premature white and grey. It was an intelligent, sensitive face, more scarred by its anger and hatreds than it was by the knife-wound on his cheek. ‘They’re supposed to love their enemies, not disembowel them!’

‘Let him finish,’ Khaderbhai smiled. ‘Go on, Lin. What makes you think Sapna is a Christian fellow?’

‘I didn’t say Sapna is a Christian-just that whoever wrote this stuff is using Christian words and phrases. See, here, in the first part, where he says I am come… and … Do this in memory of me-those words can be found in the Bible. And here, in the third paragraph… I am the truth in their world of lies, I am the light in their darkness of greed, my way of blood is your freedom-he’s paraphrasing something… I am the Way and the Truth and the Light… and it’s also in the Bible. Then in the last lines, he says… Blessed are the killers, for they shall steal lives in my name-that’s from the Sermon on the Mount. It’s all been taken from the Bible, and there’s probably more in here that I don’t recognise. But it’s all been changed around, it’s as though this guy, whoever wrote this stuff, has taken bits of the Bible, and written it upside down.’

‘Upside down? Explain please?’ Madjid asked.

‘I mean, it’s against the ideas of the words in the Bible, but uses the same kind of language. He’s written it to have exactly the opposite meaning and intention of the original. He’s kind of turned the Bible on its head.’

I might’ve said more, but Abdul Ghani ended the discussion abruptly.

‘Thank you, Lin. You’ve been a big help. But let’s change the subject. I, for one, do sincerely dislike talking about such unpleasantness as this Sapna lunatic. I only brought it up because Khader asked me to-and Khader Khan’s wish is my command. But we really should move on now. If we don’t get started on our theme for tonight, we’ll miss out altogether. So, let’s have a smoke, and talk of other things. It’s our custom for the guest to start, so will you be so kind?’