Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts
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eng:
rus:
It
took
me
a
long
time
and
most
of
the
world
to
learn
what
I
know
about
love
and
fate
and
the
choices
we
make,
but
the
heart
of
it
came
to
me
in
an
instant,
while
I
was
chained
to
a
wall
and
being
tortured.
I
realised,
somehow,
through
the
screaming
in
my
mind,
that
even
in
that
shackled,
bloody
helplessness,
I
was
still
free:
free
to
hate
the
men
who
were
torturing
me,
or
to
forgive
them.
It
doesn’t
sound
like
much,
I
know.
But
in
the
flinch
and
bite
of
the
chain,
when
it’s
all
you’ve
got,
that
freedom
is
a
universe
of
possibility.
And
the
choice
you
make,
between
hating
and
forgiving,
can
become
the
story
of
your
life.
eng:
It
rus:
eng:
took
rus:
eng:
me
rus:
eng:
long
rus:
eng:
time
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
most
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
world
rus:
eng:
to
rus:
eng:
learn
rus:
eng:
what
rus:
eng:
I
rus:
eng:
know
rus:
eng:
about
rus:
eng:
love
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
fate
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
choices
rus:
eng:
we
rus:
eng:
make,
rus:
eng:
but
rus:
eng:
heart
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
it
rus:
eng:
came
rus:
eng:
to
rus:
eng:
me
rus:
eng:
in
rus:
eng:
instant,
rus:
eng:
while
rus:
eng:
I
rus:
eng:
was
rus:
eng:
chained
rus:
eng:
to
rus:
eng:
wall
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
being
rus:
eng:
tortured.
rus:
eng:
I
rus:
eng:
realised,
rus:
eng:
somehow,
rus:
eng:
through
rus:
eng:
screaming
rus:
eng:
in
rus:
eng:
my
rus:
eng:
mind,
rus:
eng:
that
rus:
eng:
even
rus:
eng:
in
rus:
eng:
that
rus:
eng:
shackled,
rus:
eng:
bloody
rus:
eng:
helplessness,
rus:
eng:
I
rus:
eng:
was
rus:
eng:
still
rus:
eng:
free:
rus:
eng:
free
rus:
eng:
to
rus:
eng:
hate
rus:
eng:
men
rus:
eng:
who
rus:
eng:
were
rus:
eng:
torturing
rus:
eng:
me,
rus:
eng:
or
rus:
eng:
to
rus:
eng:
forgive
rus:
eng:
them.
rus:
eng:
It
rus:
eng:
doesn’t
rus:
eng:
sound
rus:
eng:
like
rus:
eng:
much,
rus:
eng:
I
rus:
eng:
know.
rus:
eng:
But
rus:
eng:
in
rus:
eng:
flinch
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
bite
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
chain,
rus:
eng:
when
rus:
eng:
it’s
rus:
eng:
all
rus:
eng:
you’ve
rus:
eng:
got,
rus:
eng:
that
rus:
eng:
freedom
rus:
eng:
is
rus:
eng:
universe
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
possibility.
rus:
eng:
And
rus:
eng:
choice
rus:
eng:
you
rus:
eng:
make,
rus:
eng:
between
rus:
eng:
hating
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
forgiving,
rus:
eng:
can
rus:
eng:
become
rus:
eng:
story
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
your
rus:
eng:
life.
rus:
In
my
case,
it’s
a
long
story,
and
a
crowded
one.
I
was
a
revolutionary
who
lost
his
ideals
in
heroin,
a
philosopher
who
lost
his
integrity
in
crime,
and
a
poet
who
lost
his
soul
in
a
maximum-security
prison.
When
I
escaped
from
that
prison,
over
the
front
wall,
between
two
gun-towers,
I
became
my
country’s
most
wanted
man.
Luck
ran
with
me
and
flew
with
me
across
the
world
to
India,
where
I
joined
the
Bombay
mafia.
I
worked
as
a
gunrunner,
a
smuggler,
and
a
counterfeiter.
I
was
chained
on
three
continents,
beaten,
stabbed,
and
starved.
I
went
to
war.
I
ran
into
the
enemy
guns.
And
I
survived,
while
other
men
around
me
died.
They
were
better
men
than
I
am,
most
of
them:
better
men
whose
lives
were
crunched
up
in
mistakes,
and
thrown
away
by
the
wrong
second
of
someone
else’s
hate,
or
love,
or
indifference.
And
I
buried
them,
too
many
of
those
men,
and
grieved
their
stories
and
their
lives
into
my
own.
eng:
In
rus:
eng:
my
rus:
eng:
case,
rus:
eng:
it’s
rus:
eng:
long
rus:
eng:
story,
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
crowded
rus:
eng:
one.
rus:
eng:
I
rus:
eng:
was
rus:
eng:
revolutionary
rus:
eng:
who
rus:
eng:
lost
rus:
eng:
his
rus:
eng:
ideals
rus:
eng:
in
rus:
eng:
heroin,
rus:
eng:
philosopher
rus:
eng:
who
rus:
eng:
lost
rus:
eng:
his
rus:
eng:
integrity
rus:
eng:
in
rus:
eng:
crime,
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
poet
rus:
eng:
who
rus:
eng:
lost
rus:
eng:
his
rus:
eng:
soul
rus:
eng:
in
rus:
eng:
maximum-security
rus:
eng:
prison.
rus:
eng:
When
rus:
eng:
I
rus:
eng:
escaped
rus:
eng:
from
rus:
eng:
that
rus:
eng:
prison,
rus:
eng:
over
rus:
eng:
front
rus:
eng:
wall,
rus:
eng:
between
rus:
eng:
two
rus:
eng:
gun-towers,
rus:
eng:
I
rus:
eng:
became
rus:
eng:
my
rus:
eng:
country’s
rus:
eng:
most
rus:
eng:
wanted
rus:
eng:
man.
rus:
eng:
Luck
rus:
eng:
ran
rus:
eng:
with
rus:
eng:
me
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
flew
rus:
eng:
with
rus:
eng:
me
rus:
eng:
across
rus:
eng:
world
rus:
eng:
to
rus:
eng:
India,
rus:
eng:
where
rus:
eng:
I
rus:
eng:
joined
rus:
eng:
Bombay
rus:
eng:
mafia.
rus:
eng:
I
rus:
eng:
worked
rus:
eng:
as
rus:
eng:
gunrunner,
rus:
eng:
smuggler,
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
counterfeiter.
rus:
eng:
I
rus:
eng:
was
rus:
eng:
chained
rus:
eng:
on
rus:
eng:
three
rus:
eng:
continents,
rus:
eng:
beaten,
rus:
eng:
stabbed,
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
starved.
rus:
eng:
I
rus:
eng:
went
rus:
eng:
to
rus:
eng:
war.
rus:
eng:
I
rus:
eng:
ran
rus:
eng:
into
rus:
eng:
enemy
rus:
eng:
guns.
rus:
eng:
And
rus:
eng:
I
rus:
eng:
survived,
rus:
eng:
while
rus:
eng:
other
rus:
eng:
men
rus:
eng:
around
rus:
eng:
me
rus:
eng:
died.
rus:
eng:
They
rus:
eng:
were
rus:
eng:
better
rus:
eng:
men
rus:
eng:
than
rus:
eng:
I
rus:
eng:
am,
rus:
eng:
most
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
them:
rus:
eng:
better
rus:
eng:
men
rus:
eng:
whose
rus:
eng:
lives
rus:
eng:
were
rus:
eng:
crunched
rus:
eng:
up
rus:
eng:
in
rus:
eng:
mistakes,
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
thrown
rus:
eng:
away
rus:
eng:
by
rus:
eng:
wrong
rus:
eng:
second
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
someone
rus:
eng:
else’s
rus:
eng:
hate,
rus:
eng:
or
rus:
eng:
love,
rus:
eng:
or
rus:
eng:
indifference.
rus:
eng:
And
rus:
eng:
I
rus:
eng:
buried
rus:
eng:
them,
rus:
eng:
too
rus:
eng:
many
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
those
rus:
eng:
men,
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
grieved
rus:
eng:
their
rus:
eng:
stories
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
their
rus:
eng:
lives
rus:
eng:
into
rus:
eng:
my
rus:
eng:
own.
rus:
But
my
story
doesn’t
begin
with
them,
or
with
the
mafia:
it
goes
back
to
that
first
day
in
Bombay.
Fate
put
me
in
the
game
there.
Luck
dealt
the
cards
that
led
me
to
Karla
Saaranen.
And
I
started
to
play
it
out,
that
hand,
from
the
first
moment
I
looked
into
her
green
eyes.
So
it
begins,
this
story,
like
everything
else—with
a
woman,
and
a
city,
and
a
little
bit
of
luck.
eng:
But
rus:
eng:
my
rus:
eng:
story
rus:
eng:
doesn’t
rus:
eng:
begin
rus:
eng:
with
rus:
eng:
them,
rus:
eng:
or
rus:
eng:
with
rus:
eng:
mafia:
rus:
eng:
it
rus:
eng:
goes
rus:
eng:
back
rus:
eng:
to
rus:
eng:
that
rus:
eng:
first
rus:
eng:
day
rus:
eng:
in
rus:
eng:
Bombay.
rus:
eng:
Fate
rus:
eng:
put
rus:
eng:
me
rus:
eng:
in
rus:
eng:
game
rus:
eng:
there.
rus:
eng:
Luck
rus:
eng:
dealt
rus:
eng:
cards
rus:
eng:
that
rus:
eng:
led
rus:
eng:
me
rus:
eng:
to
rus:
eng:
Karla
rus:
eng:
Saaranen.
rus:
eng:
And
rus:
eng:
I
rus:
eng:
started
rus:
eng:
to
rus:
eng:
play
rus:
eng:
it
rus:
eng:
out,
rus:
eng:
that
rus:
eng:
hand,
rus:
eng:
from
rus:
eng:
first
rus:
eng:
moment
rus:
eng:
I
rus:
eng:
looked
rus:
eng:
into
rus:
eng:
her
rus:
eng:
green
rus:
eng:
eyes.
rus:
eng:
So
rus:
eng:
it
rus:
eng:
begins,
rus:
eng:
this
rus:
eng:
story,
rus:
eng:
like
rus:
eng:
everything
rus:
eng:
else—with
rus:
eng:
woman,
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
city,
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
little
rus:
eng:
bit
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
luck.
rus:
The
first
thing
I
noticed
about
Bombay,
on
that
first
day,
was
the
smell
of
the
different
air.
I
could
smell
it
before
I
saw
or
heard
anything
of
India,
even
as
I
walked
along
the
umbilical
corridor
that
connected
the
plane
to
the
airport.
I
was
excited
and
delighted
by
it,
in
that
first
Bombay
minute,
escaped
from
prison
and
new
to
the
wide
world,
but
I
didn’t
and
couldn’t
recognise
it.
I
know
now
that
it’s
the
sweet,
sweating
smell
of
hope,
which
is
the
opposite
of
hate;
and
it’s
the
sour,
stifled
smell
of
greed,
which
is
the
opposite
of
love.
It’s
the
smell
of
gods,
demons,
empires,
and
civilisations
in
resurrection
and
decay.
It’s
the
blue
skin-smell
of
the
sea,
no
matter
where
you
are
in
the
Island
City,
and
the
blood-metal
smell
of
machines.
It
smells
of
the
stir
and
sleep
and
waste
of
sixty
million
animals,
more
than
half
of
them
humans
and
rats.
It
smells
of
heartbreak,
and
the
struggle
to
live,
and
of
the
crucial
failures
and
loves
that
produce
our
courage.
It
smells
of
ten
thousand
restaurants,
five
thousand
temples,
shrines,
churches,
and
mosques,
and
of
a
hundred
bazaars
devoted
exclusively
to
perfumes,
spices,
incense,
and
freshly
cut
flowers.
Karla
once
called
it
the
worst
good
smell
in
the
world,
and
she
was
right,
of
course,
in
that
way
she
had
of
being
right
about
things.
But
whenever
I
return
to
Bombay,
now,
it’s
my
first
sense
of
the
city—that
smell,
above
all
things—that
welcomes
me
and
tells
me
I’ve
come
home.
eng:
The
rus:
eng:
first
rus:
eng:
thing
rus:
eng:
I
rus:
eng:
noticed
rus:
eng:
about
rus:
eng:
Bombay,
rus:
eng:
on
rus:
eng:
that
rus:
eng:
first
rus:
eng:
day,
rus:
eng:
was
rus:
eng:
smell
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
different
rus:
eng:
air.
rus:
eng:
I
rus:
eng:
could
rus:
eng:
smell
rus:
eng:
it
rus:
eng:
before
rus:
eng:
I
rus:
eng:
saw
rus:
eng:
or
rus:
eng:
heard
rus:
eng:
anything
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
India,
rus:
eng:
even
rus:
eng:
as
rus:
eng:
I
rus:
eng:
walked
rus:
eng:
along
rus:
eng:
umbilical
rus:
eng:
corridor
rus:
eng:
that
rus:
eng:
connected
rus:
eng:
plane
rus:
eng:
to
rus:
eng:
airport.
rus:
eng:
I
rus:
eng:
was
rus:
eng:
excited
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
delighted
rus:
eng:
by
rus:
eng:
it,
rus:
eng:
in
rus:
eng:
that
rus:
eng:
first
rus:
eng:
Bombay
rus:
eng:
minute,
rus:
eng:
escaped
rus:
eng:
from
rus:
eng:
prison
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
new
rus:
eng:
to
rus:
eng:
wide
rus:
eng:
world,
rus:
eng:
but
rus:
eng:
I
rus:
eng:
didn’t
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
couldn’t
rus:
eng:
recognise
rus:
eng:
it.
rus:
eng:
I
rus:
eng:
know
rus:
eng:
now
rus:
eng:
that
rus:
eng:
it’s
rus:
eng:
sweet,
rus:
eng:
sweating
rus:
eng:
smell
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
hope,
rus:
eng:
which
rus:
eng:
is
rus:
eng:
opposite
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
hate;
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
it’s
rus:
eng:
sour,
rus:
eng:
stifled
rus:
eng:
smell
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
greed,
rus:
eng:
which
rus:
eng:
is
rus:
eng:
opposite
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
love.
rus:
eng:
It’s
rus:
eng:
smell
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
gods,
rus:
eng:
demons,
rus:
eng:
empires,
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
civilisations
rus:
eng:
in
rus:
eng:
resurrection
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
decay.
rus:
eng:
It’s
rus:
eng:
blue
rus:
eng:
skin-smell
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
sea,
rus:
eng:
no
rus:
eng:
matter
rus:
eng:
where
rus:
eng:
you
rus:
eng:
are
rus:
eng:
in
rus:
eng:
Island
rus:
eng:
City,
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
blood-metal
rus:
eng:
smell
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
machines.
rus:
eng:
It
rus:
eng:
smells
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
stir
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
sleep
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
waste
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
sixty
rus:
eng:
million
rus:
eng:
animals,
rus:
eng:
more
rus:
eng:
than
rus:
eng:
half
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
them
rus:
eng:
humans
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
rats.
rus:
eng:
It
rus:
eng:
smells
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
heartbreak,
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
struggle
rus:
eng:
to
rus:
eng:
live,
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
crucial
rus:
eng:
failures
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
loves
rus:
eng:
that
rus:
eng:
produce
rus:
eng:
our
rus:
eng:
courage.
rus:
eng:
It
rus:
eng:
smells
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
ten
rus:
eng:
thousand
rus:
eng:
restaurants,
rus:
eng:
five
rus:
eng:
thousand
rus:
eng:
temples,
rus:
eng:
shrines,
rus:
eng:
churches,
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
mosques,
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
hundred
rus:
eng:
bazaars
rus:
eng:
devoted
rus:
eng:
exclusively
rus:
eng:
to
rus:
eng:
perfumes,
rus:
eng:
spices,
rus:
eng:
incense,
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
freshly
rus:
eng:
cut
rus:
eng:
flowers.
rus:
eng:
Karla
rus:
eng:
once
rus:
eng:
called
rus:
eng:
it
rus:
eng:
worst
rus:
eng:
good
rus:
eng:
smell
rus:
eng:
in
rus:
eng:
world,
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
she
rus:
eng:
was
rus:
eng:
right,
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
course,
rus:
eng:
in
rus:
eng:
that
rus:
eng:
way
rus:
eng:
she
rus:
eng:
had
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
being
rus:
eng:
right
rus:
eng:
about
rus:
eng:
things.
rus:
eng:
But
rus:
eng:
whenever
rus:
eng:
I
rus:
eng:
return
rus:
eng:
to
rus:
eng:
Bombay,
rus:
eng:
now,
rus:
eng:
it’s
rus:
eng:
my
rus:
eng:
first
rus:
eng:
sense
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
city—that
rus:
eng:
smell,
rus:
eng:
above
rus:
eng:
all
rus:
eng:
things—that
rus:
eng:
welcomes
rus:
eng:
me
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
tells
rus:
eng:
me
rus:
eng:
I’ve
rus:
eng:
come
rus:
eng:
home.
rus:
The
next
thing
I
noticed
was
the
heat.
I
stood
in
airport
queues,
not
five
minutes
from
the
conditioned
air
of
the
plane,
and
my
clothes
clung
to
sudden
sweat.
My
heart
thumped
under
the
command
of
the
new
climate.
Each
breath
was
an
angry
little
victory.
I
came
to
know
that
it
never
stops,
the
jungle
sweat,
because
the
heat
that
makes
it,
night
and
day,
is
a
wet
heat.
The
choking
humidity
makes
amphibians
of
us
all,
in
Bombay,
breathing
water
in
air;
you
learn
to
live
with
it,
and
you
learn
to
like
it,
or
you
leave.
eng:
The
rus:
eng:
next
rus:
eng:
thing
rus:
eng:
I
rus:
eng:
noticed
rus:
eng:
was
rus:
eng:
heat.
rus:
eng:
I
rus:
eng:
stood
rus:
eng:
in
rus:
eng:
airport
rus:
eng:
queues,
rus:
eng:
not
rus:
eng:
five
rus:
eng:
minutes
rus:
eng:
from
rus:
eng:
conditioned
rus:
eng:
air
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
plane,
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
my
rus:
eng:
clothes
rus:
eng:
clung
rus:
eng:
to
rus:
eng:
sudden
rus:
eng:
sweat.
rus:
eng:
My
rus:
eng:
heart
rus:
eng:
thumped
rus:
eng:
under
rus:
eng:
command
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
new
rus:
eng:
climate.
rus:
eng:
Each
rus:
eng:
breath
rus:
eng:
was
rus:
eng:
angry
rus:
eng:
little
rus:
eng:
victory.
rus:
eng:
I
rus:
eng:
came
rus:
eng:
to
rus:
eng:
know
rus:
eng:
that
rus:
eng:
it
rus:
eng:
never
rus:
eng:
stops,
rus:
eng:
jungle
rus:
eng:
sweat,
rus:
eng:
because
rus:
eng:
heat
rus:
eng:
that
rus:
eng:
makes
rus:
eng:
it,
rus:
eng:
night
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
day,
rus:
eng:
is
rus:
eng:
wet
rus:
eng:
heat.
rus:
eng:
The
rus:
eng:
choking
rus:
eng:
humidity
rus:
eng:
makes
rus:
eng:
amphibians
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
us
rus:
eng:
all,
rus:
eng:
in
rus:
eng:
Bombay,
rus:
eng:
breathing
rus:
eng:
water
rus:
eng:
in
rus:
eng:
air;
rus:
eng:
you
rus:
eng:
learn
rus:
eng:
to
rus:
eng:
live
rus:
eng:
with
rus:
eng:
it,
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
you
rus:
eng:
learn
rus:
eng:
to
rus:
eng:
like
rus:
eng:
it,
rus:
eng:
or
rus:
eng:
you
rus:
eng:
leave.
rus:
Then
there
were
the
people.
Assamese,
Jats,
and
Punjabis;
people
from
Rajasthan,
Bengal,
and
Tamil
Nadu;
from
Pushkar,
Cochin,
and
Konarak;
warrior
caste,
Brahmin,
and
untouchable;
Hindu,
Muslim,
Christian,
Buddhist,
Parsee,
Jain,
Animist;
fair
skin
and
dark,
green
eyes
and
golden
brown
and
black;
every
different
face
and
form
of
that
extravagant
variety,
that
incomparable
beauty,
India.
eng:
Then
rus:
eng:
there
rus:
eng:
were
rus:
eng:
people.
rus:
eng:
Assamese,
rus:
eng:
Jats,
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
Punjabis;
rus:
eng:
people
rus:
eng:
from
rus:
eng:
Rajasthan,
rus:
eng:
Bengal,
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
Tamil
rus:
eng:
Nadu;
rus:
eng:
from
rus:
eng:
Pushkar,
rus:
eng:
Cochin,
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
Konarak;
rus:
eng:
warrior
rus:
eng:
caste,
rus:
eng:
Brahmin,
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
untouchable;
rus:
eng:
Hindu,
rus:
eng:
Muslim,
rus:
eng:
Christian,
rus:
eng:
Buddhist,
rus:
eng:
Parsee,
rus:
eng:
Jain,
rus:
eng:
Animist;
rus:
eng:
fair
rus:
eng:
skin
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
dark,
rus:
eng:
green
rus:
eng:
eyes
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
golden
rus:
eng:
brown
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
black;
rus:
eng:
every
rus:
eng:
different
rus:
eng:
face
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
form
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
that
rus:
eng:
extravagant
rus:
eng:
variety,
rus:
eng:
that
rus:
eng:
incomparable
rus:
eng:
beauty,
rus:
eng:
India.
rus:
All
the
Bombay
millions,
and
then
one
more.
The
two
best
friends
of
the
smuggler
are
the
mule
and
the
camel.
Mules
carry
contraband
across
a
border
control
for
a
smuggler.
Camels
are
unsuspecting
tourists
who
help
the
smuggler
to
get
across
the
border.
To
camouflage
themselves,
when
using
false
passports
and
identification
papers,
smugglers
insinuate
themselves
into
the
company
of
fellow
travellers—camels,
who’ll
carry
them
safely
and
unobtrusively
through
airport
or
border
controls
without
realising
it.
eng:
All
rus:
eng:
Bombay
rus:
eng:
millions,
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
then
rus:
eng:
one
rus:
eng:
more.
rus:
eng:
The
rus:
eng:
two
rus:
eng:
best
rus:
eng:
friends
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
smuggler
rus:
eng:
are
rus:
eng:
mule
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
camel.
rus:
eng:
Mules
rus:
eng:
carry
rus:
eng:
contraband
rus:
eng:
across
rus:
eng:
border
rus:
eng:
control
rus:
eng:
for
rus:
eng:
smuggler.
rus:
eng:
Camels
rus:
eng:
are
rus:
eng:
unsuspecting
rus:
eng:
tourists
rus:
eng:
who
rus:
eng:
help
rus:
eng:
smuggler
rus:
eng:
to
rus:
eng:
get
rus:
eng:
across
rus:
eng:
border.
rus:
eng:
To
rus:
eng:
camouflage
rus:
eng:
themselves,
rus:
eng:
when
rus:
eng:
using
rus:
eng:
false
rus:
eng:
passports
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
identification
rus:
eng:
papers,
rus:
eng:
smugglers
rus:
eng:
insinuate
rus:
eng:
themselves
rus:
eng:
into
rus:
eng:
company
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
fellow
rus:
eng:
travellers—camels,
rus:
eng:
who’ll
rus:
eng:
carry
rus:
eng:
them
rus:
eng:
safely
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
unobtrusively
rus:
eng:
through
rus:
eng:
airport
rus:
eng:
or
rus:
eng:
border
rus:
eng:
controls
rus:
eng:
without
rus:
eng:
realising
rus:
eng:
it.
rus:
I
didn’t
know
all
that
then.
I
learned
the
smuggling
arts
much
later,
years
later.
On
that
first
trip
to
India
I
was
just
working
on
instinct,
and
the
only
commodity
I
was
smuggling
was
my
self,
my
fragile
and
hunted
freedom.
I
was
using
a
false
New
Zealand
passport,
with
my
photograph
substituted
in
it
for
the
original.
I’d
done
the
work
myself,
and
it
wasn’t
a
perfect
job.
I
was
sure
it
would
pass
a
routine
examination,
but
I
knew
that
if
suspicions
were
aroused,
and
someone
checked
with
the
New
Zealand
High
Commission,
it
would
be
exposed
as
a
forgery
fairly
quickly.
On
the
journey
to
India
from
Auckland,
I’d
roamed
the
plane
in
search
of
the
right
group
of
New
Zealanders.
I
found
a
small
party
of
students
who
were
making
their
second
trip
to
the
sub-continent.
Urging
them
to
share
their
experience
and
travellers’
tips
with
me,
I
fostered
a
slender
acquaintance
with
them
that
brought
us
to
the
airport
controls
together.
The
various
Indian
officials
assumed
that
I
was
travelling
with
that
relaxed
and
guileless
group,
and
gave
me
no
more
than
a
cursory
check.
eng:
I
rus:
eng:
didn’t
rus:
eng:
know
rus:
eng:
all
rus:
eng:
that
rus:
eng:
then.
rus:
eng:
I
rus:
eng:
learned
rus:
eng:
smuggling
rus:
eng:
arts
rus:
eng:
much
rus:
eng:
later,
rus:
eng:
years
rus:
eng:
later.
rus:
eng:
On
rus:
eng:
that
rus:
eng:
first
rus:
eng:
trip
rus:
eng:
to
rus:
eng:
India
rus:
eng:
I
rus:
eng:
was
rus:
eng:
just
rus:
eng:
working
rus:
eng:
on
rus:
eng:
instinct,
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
only
rus:
eng:
commodity
rus:
eng:
I
rus:
eng:
was
rus:
eng:
smuggling
rus:
eng:
was
rus:
eng:
my
rus:
eng:
self,
rus:
eng:
my
rus:
eng:
fragile
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
hunted
rus:
eng:
freedom.
rus:
eng:
I
rus:
eng:
was
rus:
eng:
using
rus:
eng:
false
rus:
eng:
New
rus:
eng:
Zealand
rus:
eng:
passport,
rus:
eng:
with
rus:
eng:
my
rus:
eng:
photograph
rus:
eng:
substituted
rus:
eng:
in
rus:
eng:
it
rus:
eng:
for
rus:
eng:
original.
rus:
eng:
I’d
rus:
eng:
done
rus:
eng:
work
rus:
eng:
myself,
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
it
rus:
eng:
wasn’t
rus:
eng:
perfect
rus:
eng:
job.
rus:
eng:
I
rus:
eng:
was
rus:
eng:
sure
rus:
eng:
it
rus:
eng:
would
rus:
eng:
pass
rus:
eng:
routine
rus:
eng:
examination,
rus:
eng:
but
rus:
eng:
I
rus:
eng:
knew
rus:
eng:
that
rus:
eng:
if
rus:
eng:
suspicions
rus:
eng:
were
rus:
eng:
aroused,
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
someone
rus:
eng:
checked
rus:
eng:
with
rus:
eng:
New
rus:
eng:
Zealand
rus:
eng:
High
rus:
eng:
Commission,
rus:
eng:
it
rus:
eng:
would
rus:
eng:
be
rus:
eng:
exposed
rus:
eng:
as
rus:
eng:
forgery
rus:
eng:
fairly
rus:
eng:
quickly.
rus:
eng:
On
rus:
eng:
journey
rus:
eng:
to
rus:
eng:
India
rus:
eng:
from
rus:
eng:
Auckland,
rus:
eng:
I’d
rus:
eng:
roamed
rus:
eng:
plane
rus:
eng:
in
rus:
eng:
search
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
right
rus:
eng:
group
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
New
rus:
eng:
Zealanders.
rus:
eng:
I
rus:
eng:
found
rus:
eng:
small
rus:
eng:
party
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
students
rus:
eng:
who
rus:
eng:
were
rus:
eng:
making
rus:
eng:
their
rus:
eng:
second
rus:
eng:
trip
rus:
eng:
to
rus:
eng:
sub-continent.
rus:
eng:
Urging
rus:
eng:
them
rus:
eng:
to
rus:
eng:
share
rus:
eng:
their
rus:
eng:
experience
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
travellers’
rus:
eng:
tips
rus:
eng:
with
rus:
eng:
me,
rus:
eng:
I
rus:
eng:
fostered
rus:
eng:
slender
rus:
eng:
acquaintance
rus:
eng:
with
rus:
eng:
them
rus:
eng:
that
rus:
eng:
brought
rus:
eng:
us
rus:
eng:
to
rus:
eng:
airport
rus:
eng:
controls
rus:
eng:
together.
rus:
eng:
The
rus:
eng:
various
rus:
eng:
Indian
rus:
eng:
officials
rus:
eng:
assumed
rus:
eng:
that
rus:
eng:
I
rus:
eng:
was
rus:
eng:
travelling
rus:
eng:
with
rus:
eng:
that
rus:
eng:
relaxed
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
guileless
rus:
eng:
group,
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
gave
rus:
eng:
me
rus:
eng:
no
rus:
eng:
more
rus:
eng:
than
rus:
eng:
cursory
rus:
eng:
check.
rus:
I
pushed
through
alone
to
the
slap
and
sting
of
sunlight
outside
the
airport,
intoxicated
with
the
exhilaration
of
escape:
another
wall
scaled,
another
border
crossed,
another
day
and
night
to
run
and
hide.
I’d
escaped
from
prison
almost
two
years
before,
but
the
fact
of
the
fugitive
life
is
that
you
have
to
keep
on
escaping,
every
day
and
every
night.
And
while
not
completely
free,
never
completely
free,
there
was
hope
and
fearful
excitement
in
the
new:
a
new
passport,
a
new
country,
and
new
lines
of
excited
dread
on
my
young
face,
under
the
grey
eyes.
I
stood
there
on
the
trample
street,
beneath
the
baked
blue
bowl
of
Bombay
sky,
and
my
heart
was
as
clean
and
hungry
for
promises
as
a
monsoon
morning
in
the
gardens
of
Malabar.
eng:
I
rus:
eng:
pushed
rus:
eng:
through
rus:
eng:
alone
rus:
eng:
to
rus:
eng:
slap
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
sting
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
sunlight
rus:
eng:
outside
rus:
eng:
airport,
rus:
eng:
intoxicated
rus:
eng:
with
rus:
eng:
exhilaration
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
escape:
rus:
eng:
another
rus:
eng:
wall
rus:
eng:
scaled,
rus:
eng:
another
rus:
eng:
border
rus:
eng:
crossed,
rus:
eng:
another
rus:
eng:
day
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
night
rus:
eng:
to
rus:
eng:
run
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
hide.
rus:
eng:
I’d
rus:
eng:
escaped
rus:
eng:
from
rus:
eng:
prison
rus:
eng:
almost
rus:
eng:
two
rus:
eng:
years
rus:
eng:
before,
rus:
eng:
but
rus:
eng:
fact
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
fugitive
rus:
eng:
life
rus:
eng:
is
rus:
eng:
that
rus:
eng:
you
rus:
eng:
have
rus:
eng:
to
rus:
eng:
keep
rus:
eng:
on
rus:
eng:
escaping,
rus:
eng:
every
rus:
eng:
day
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
every
rus:
eng:
night.
rus:
eng:
And
rus:
eng:
while
rus:
eng:
not
rus:
eng:
completely
rus:
eng:
free,
rus:
eng:
never
rus:
eng:
completely
rus:
eng:
free,
rus:
eng:
there
rus:
eng:
was
rus:
eng:
hope
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
fearful
rus:
eng:
excitement
rus:
eng:
in
rus:
eng:
new:
rus:
eng:
new
rus:
eng:
passport,
rus:
eng:
new
rus:
eng:
country,
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
new
rus:
eng:
lines
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
excited
rus:
eng:
dread
rus:
eng:
on
rus:
eng:
my
rus:
eng:
young
rus:
eng:
face,
rus:
eng:
under
rus:
eng:
grey
rus:
eng:
eyes.
rus:
eng:
I
rus:
eng:
stood
rus:
eng:
there
rus:
eng:
on
rus:
eng:
trample
rus:
eng:
street,
rus:
eng:
beneath
rus:
eng:
baked
rus:
eng:
blue
rus:
eng:
bowl
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
Bombay
rus:
eng:
sky,
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
my
rus:
eng:
heart
rus:
eng:
was
rus:
eng:
as
rus:
eng:
clean
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
hungry
rus:
eng:
for
rus:
eng:
promises
rus:
eng:
as
rus:
eng:
monsoon
rus:
eng:
morning
rus:
eng:
in
rus:
eng:
gardens
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
Malabar.
rus:
‘Sir!
Sir!’
a
voice
called
from
behind
me.
eng:
‘Sir!
rus:
eng:
Sir!’
rus:
eng:
voice
rus:
eng:
called
rus:
eng:
from
rus:
eng:
behind
rus:
eng:
me.
rus:
A
hand
grabbed
at
my
arm.
I
stopped.
I
tensed
every
fighting
muscle,
and
bit
down
on
the
fear.
Don’t
run.
Don’t
panic.
I
turned.
eng:
A
rus:
eng:
hand
rus:
eng:
grabbed
rus:
eng:
at
rus:
eng:
my
rus:
eng:
arm.
rus:
eng:
I
rus:
eng:
stopped.
rus:
eng:
I
rus:
eng:
tensed
rus:
eng:
every
rus:
eng:
fighting
rus:
eng:
muscle,
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
bit
rus:
eng:
down
rus:
eng:
on
rus:
eng:
fear.
rus:
eng:
Don’t
rus:
eng:
run.
rus:
eng:
Don’t
rus:
eng:
panic.
rus:
eng:
I
rus:
eng:
turned.
rus:
A
small
man
stood
before
me,
dressed
in
a
grimy
brown
uniform,
and
carrying
my
guitar.
More
than
small,
he
was
a
tiny
man,
a
dwarf,
with
a
large
head,
and
the
startled
innocence
of
Down
syndrome
in
his
features.
He
thrust
the
guitar
at
me.
eng:
A
rus:
eng:
small
rus:
eng:
man
rus:
eng:
stood
rus:
eng:
before
rus:
eng:
me,
rus:
eng:
dressed
rus:
eng:
in
rus:
eng:
grimy
rus:
eng:
brown
rus:
eng:
uniform,
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
carrying
rus:
eng:
my
rus:
eng:
guitar.
rus:
eng:
More
rus:
eng:
than
rus:
eng:
small,
rus:
eng:
he
rus:
eng:
was
rus:
eng:
tiny
rus:
eng:
man,
rus:
eng:
dwarf,
rus:
eng:
with
rus:
eng:
large
rus:
eng:
head,
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
startled
rus:
eng:
innocence
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
Down
rus:
eng:
syndrome
rus:
eng:
in
rus:
eng:
his
rus:
eng:
features.
rus:
eng:
He
rus:
eng:
thrust
rus:
eng:
guitar
rus:
eng:
at
rus:
eng:
me.
rus:
‘Your
music,
sir.
You
are
losing
your
music,
isn’t
it?’
eng:
‘Your
rus:
eng:
music,
rus:
eng:
sir.
rus:
eng:
You
rus:
eng:
are
rus:
eng:
losing
rus:
eng:
your
rus:
eng:
music,
rus:
eng:
isn’t
rus:
eng:
it?’
rus:
It
was
my
guitar.
I
realised
at
once
that
I
must’ve
forgotten
it
near
the
baggage
carousel.
I
couldn’t
guess
how
the
little
man
had
known
that
it
belonged
to
me.
When
I
smiled
my
relief
and
surprise,
the
man
grinned
back
at
me
with
that
perfect
sincerity
we
fear
and
call
simple-minded.
He
passed
the
guitar
to
me,
and
I
noticed
that
his
hands
were
webbed
like
the
feet
of
a
wading
bird.
I
pulled
a
few
notes
from
my
pocket
and
offered
them
to
him,
but
he
backed
away
awkwardly
on
his
thick
legs.
eng:
It
rus:
eng:
was
rus:
eng:
my
rus:
eng:
guitar.
rus:
eng:
I
rus:
eng:
realised
rus:
eng:
at
rus:
eng:
once
rus:
eng:
that
rus:
eng:
I
rus:
eng:
must’ve
rus:
eng:
forgotten
rus:
eng:
it
rus:
eng:
near
rus:
eng:
baggage
rus:
eng:
carousel.
rus:
eng:
I
rus:
eng:
couldn’t
rus:
eng:
guess
rus:
eng:
how
rus:
eng:
little
rus:
eng:
man
rus:
eng:
had
rus:
eng:
known
rus:
eng:
that
rus:
eng:
it
rus:
eng:
belonged
rus:
eng:
to
rus:
eng:
me.
rus:
eng:
When
rus:
eng:
I
rus:
eng:
smiled
rus:
eng:
my
rus:
eng:
relief
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
surprise,
rus:
eng:
man
rus:
eng:
grinned
rus:
eng:
back
rus:
eng:
at
rus:
eng:
me
rus:
eng:
with
rus:
eng:
that
rus:
eng:
perfect
rus:
eng:
sincerity
rus:
eng:
we
rus:
eng:
fear
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
call
rus:
eng:
simple-minded.
rus:
eng:
He
rus:
eng:
passed
rus:
eng:
guitar
rus:
eng:
to
rus:
eng:
me,
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
I
rus:
eng:
noticed
rus:
eng:
that
rus:
eng:
his
rus:
eng:
hands
rus:
eng:
were
rus:
eng:
webbed
rus:
eng:
like
rus:
eng:
feet
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
wading
rus:
eng:
bird.
rus:
eng:
I
rus:
eng:
pulled
rus:
eng:
few
rus:
eng:
notes
rus:
eng:
from
rus:
eng:
my
rus:
eng:
pocket
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
offered
rus:
eng:
them
rus:
eng:
to
rus:
eng:
him,
rus:
eng:
but
rus:
eng:
he
rus:
eng:
backed
rus:
eng:
away
rus:
eng:
awkwardly
rus:
eng:
on
rus:
eng:
his
rus:
eng:
thick
rus:
eng:
legs.
rus:
‘Not
money.
We
are
here
to
help
it,
sir.
Welcome
in
India,’
he
said,
and
trotted
away
into
the
forest
of
bodies
on
the
path.
eng:
‘Not
rus:
eng:
money.
rus:
eng:
We
rus:
eng:
are
rus:
eng:
here
rus:
eng:
to
rus:
eng:
help
rus:
eng:
it,
rus:
eng:
sir.
rus:
eng:
Welcome
rus:
eng:
in
rus:
eng:
India,’
rus:
eng:
he
rus:
eng:
said,
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
trotted
rus:
eng:
away
rus:
eng:
into
rus:
eng:
forest
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
bodies
rus:
eng:
on
rus:
eng:
path.
rus:
I
bought
a
ticket
to
the
city
with
the
Veterans’
Bus
Service,
manned
by
ex-servicemen
from
the
Indian
army.
I
watched
as
my
backpack
and
travel
bag
were
lifted
to
the
top
of
a
bus,
and
dumped
onto
a
pile
of
luggage
with
precise
and
nonchalant
violence,
and
decided
to
keep
the
guitar
in
my
hands.
I
took
a
place
on
the
bench
seat
at
the
back
of
the
bus,
and
was
joined
there
by
two
long-haired
travellers.
The
bus
filled
quickly
with
a
mix
of
Indians
and
foreigners,
most
of
them
young,
and
travelling
as
inexpensively
as
possible.
eng:
I
rus:
eng:
bought
rus:
eng:
ticket
rus:
eng:
to
rus:
eng:
city
rus:
eng:
with
rus:
eng:
Veterans’
rus:
eng:
Bus
rus:
eng:
Service,
rus:
eng:
manned
rus:
eng:
by
rus:
eng:
ex-servicemen
rus:
eng:
from
rus:
eng:
Indian
rus:
eng:
army.
rus:
eng:
I
rus:
eng:
watched
rus:
eng:
as
rus:
eng:
my
rus:
eng:
backpack
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
travel
rus:
eng:
bag
rus:
eng:
were
rus:
eng:
lifted
rus:
eng:
to
rus:
eng:
top
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
bus,
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
dumped
rus:
eng:
onto
rus:
eng:
pile
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
luggage
rus:
eng:
with
rus:
eng:
precise
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
nonchalant
rus:
eng:
violence,
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
decided
rus:
eng:
to
rus:
eng:
keep
rus:
eng:
guitar
rus:
eng:
in
rus:
eng:
my
rus:
eng:
hands.
rus:
eng:
I
rus:
eng:
took
rus:
eng:
place
rus:
eng:
on
rus:
eng:
bench
rus:
eng:
seat
rus:
eng:
at
rus:
eng:
back
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
bus,
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
was
rus:
eng:
joined
rus:
eng:
there
rus:
eng:
by
rus:
eng:
two
rus:
eng:
long-haired
rus:
eng:
travellers.
rus:
eng:
The
rus:
eng:
bus
rus:
eng:
filled
rus:
eng:
quickly
rus:
eng:
with
rus:
eng:
mix
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
Indians
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
foreigners,
rus:
eng:
most
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
them
rus:
eng:
young,
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
travelling
rus:
eng:
as
rus:
eng:
inexpensively
rus:
eng:
as
rus:
eng:
possible.
rus:
When
the
bus
was
close
to
full,
the
driver
turned
in
his
seat,
scowled
at
us
menacingly,
spat
a
jet
of
vivid
red
betel
juice
through
the
open
doorway,
and
announced
our
imminent
departure.
eng:
When
rus:
eng:
bus
rus:
eng:
was
rus:
eng:
close
rus:
eng:
to
rus:
eng:
full,
rus:
eng:
driver
rus:
eng:
turned
rus:
eng:
in
rus:
eng:
his
rus:
eng:
seat,
rus:
eng:
scowled
rus:
eng:
at
rus:
eng:
us
rus:
eng:
menacingly,
rus:
eng:
spat
rus:
eng:
jet
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
vivid
rus:
eng:
red
rus:
eng:
betel
rus:
eng:
juice
rus:
eng:
through
rus:
eng:
open
rus:
eng:
doorway,
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
announced
rus:
eng:
our
rus:
eng:
imminent
rus:
eng:
departure.
rus:
‘Thik
hain,
challo!’
eng:
‘Thik
rus:
eng:
hain,
rus:
eng:
challo!’
rus:
The
engine
roared,
gears
meshed
with
a
growl
and
thunk,
and
we
sped
off
at
alarming
speed
through
crowds
of
porters
and
pedestrians
who
limped,
sprang,
or
side-stepped
out
of
the
way
with
only
millimetres
to
spare.
Our
conductor,
riding
on
the
bottom
step
of
the
bus,
cursed
them
with
artful
animosity.
eng:
The
rus:
eng:
engine
rus:
eng:
roared,
rus:
eng:
gears
rus:
eng:
meshed
rus:
eng:
with
rus:
eng:
growl
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
thunk,
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
we
rus:
eng:
sped
rus:
eng:
off
rus:
eng:
at
rus:
eng:
alarming
rus:
eng:
speed
rus:
eng:
through
rus:
eng:
crowds
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
porters
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
pedestrians
rus:
eng:
who
rus:
eng:
limped,
rus:
eng:
sprang,
rus:
eng:
or
rus:
eng:
side-stepped
rus:
eng:
out
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
way
rus:
eng:
with
rus:
eng:
only
rus:
eng:
millimetres
rus:
eng:
to
rus:
eng:
spare.
rus:
eng:
Our
rus:
eng:
conductor,
rus:
eng:
riding
rus:
eng:
on
rus:
eng:
bottom
rus:
eng:
step
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
bus,
rus:
eng:
cursed
rus:
eng:
them
rus:
eng:
with
rus:
eng:
artful
rus:
eng:
animosity.
rus:
The
journey
from
the
airport
to
the
city
began
on
a
wide,
modern
motorway,
lined
with
shrubs
and
trees.
It
was
much
like
the
neat,
pragmatic
landscape
that
surrounded
the
international
airport
in
my
home
city,
Melbourne.
The
familiarity
lulled
me
into
a
complacency
that
was
so
profoundly
shattered,
at
the
first
narrowing
of
the
road,
that
the
contrast
and
its
effect
seemed
calculated.
For
the
first
sight
of
the
slums,
as
the
many
lanes
of
the
motorway
became
one,
and
the
trees
disappeared,
clutched
at
my
heart
with
talons
of
shame.
eng:
The
rus:
eng:
journey
rus:
eng:
from
rus:
eng:
airport
rus:
eng:
to
rus:
eng:
city
rus:
eng:
began
rus:
eng:
on
rus:
eng:
wide,
rus:
eng:
modern
rus:
eng:
motorway,
rus:
eng:
lined
rus:
eng:
with
rus:
eng:
shrubs
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
trees.
rus:
eng:
It
rus:
eng:
was
rus:
eng:
much
rus:
eng:
like
rus:
eng:
neat,
rus:
eng:
pragmatic
rus:
eng:
landscape
rus:
eng:
that
rus:
eng:
surrounded
rus:
eng:
international
rus:
eng:
airport
rus:
eng:
in
rus:
eng:
my
rus:
eng:
home
rus:
eng:
city,
rus:
eng:
Melbourne.
rus:
eng:
The
rus:
eng:
familiarity
rus:
eng:
lulled
rus:
eng:
me
rus:
eng:
into
rus:
eng:
complacency
rus:
eng:
that
rus:
eng:
was
rus:
eng:
so
rus:
eng:
profoundly
rus:
eng:
shattered,
rus:
eng:
at
rus:
eng:
first
rus:
eng:
narrowing
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
road,
rus:
eng:
that
rus:
eng:
contrast
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
its
rus:
eng:
effect
rus:
eng:
seemed
rus:
eng:
calculated.
rus:
eng:
For
rus:
eng:
first
rus:
eng:
sight
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
slums,
rus:
eng:
as
rus:
eng:
many
rus:
eng:
lanes
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
motorway
rus:
eng:
became
rus:
eng:
one,
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
trees
rus:
eng:
disappeared,
rus:
eng:
clutched
rus:
eng:
at
rus:
eng:
my
rus:
eng:
heart
rus:
eng:
with
rus:
eng:
talons
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
shame.
rus:
Like
brown
and
black
dunes,
the
acres
of
slums
rolled
away
from
the
roadside,
and
met
the
horizon
with
dirty
heat-haze
mirages.
The
miserable
shelters
were
patched
together
from
rags,
scraps
of
plastic
and
paper,
reed
mats,
and
bamboo
sticks.
They
slumped
together,
attached
one
to
another,
and
with
narrow
lanes
winding
between
them.
Nothing
in
the
enormous
sprawl
of
it
rose
much
above
the
height
of
a
man.
eng:
Like
rus:
eng:
brown
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
black
rus:
eng:
dunes,
rus:
eng:
acres
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
slums
rus:
eng:
rolled
rus:
eng:
away
rus:
eng:
from
rus:
eng:
roadside,
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
met
rus:
eng:
horizon
rus:
eng:
with
rus:
eng:
dirty
rus:
eng:
heat-haze
rus:
eng:
mirages.
rus:
eng:
The
rus:
eng:
miserable
rus:
eng:
shelters
rus:
eng:
were
rus:
eng:
patched
rus:
eng:
together
rus:
eng:
from
rus:
eng:
rags,
rus:
eng:
scraps
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
plastic
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
paper,
rus:
eng:
reed
rus:
eng:
mats,
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
bamboo
rus:
eng:
sticks.
rus:
eng:
They
rus:
eng:
slumped
rus:
eng:
together,
rus:
eng:
attached
rus:
eng:
one
rus:
eng:
to
rus:
eng:
another,
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
with
rus:
eng:
narrow
rus:
eng:
lanes
rus:
eng:
winding
rus:
eng:
between
rus:
eng:
them.
rus:
eng:
Nothing
rus:
eng:
in
rus:
eng:
enormous
rus:
eng:
sprawl
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
it
rus:
eng:
rose
rus:
eng:
much
rus:
eng:
above
rus:
eng:
height
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
man.
rus:
It
seemed
impossible
that
a
modern
airport,
full
of
prosperous
and
purposeful
travellers,
was
only
kilometres
away
from
those
crushed
and
cindered
dreams.
My
first
impression
was
that
some
catastrophe
had
taken
place,
and
that
the
slums
were
refugee
camps
for
the
shambling
survivors.
I
learned,
months
later,
that
they
were
survivors,
of
course,
those
slum-dwellers:
the
catastrophes
that
had
driven
them
to
the
slums
from
their
villages
were
poverty,
famine,
and
bloodshed.
And
five
thousand
new
survivors
arrived
in
the
city
every
week,
week
after
week,
year
after
year.
eng:
It
rus:
eng:
seemed
rus:
eng:
impossible
rus:
eng:
that
rus:
eng:
modern
rus:
eng:
airport,
rus:
eng:
full
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
prosperous
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
purposeful
rus:
eng:
travellers,
rus:
eng:
was
rus:
eng:
only
rus:
eng:
kilometres
rus:
eng:
away
rus:
eng:
from
rus:
eng:
those
rus:
eng:
crushed
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
cindered
rus:
eng:
dreams.
rus:
eng:
My
rus:
eng:
first
rus:
eng:
impression
rus:
eng:
was
rus:
eng:
that
rus:
eng:
some
rus:
eng:
catastrophe
rus:
eng:
had
rus:
eng:
taken
rus:
eng:
place,
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
that
rus:
eng:
slums
rus:
eng:
were
rus:
eng:
refugee
rus:
eng:
camps
rus:
eng:
for
rus:
eng:
shambling
rus:
eng:
survivors.
rus:
eng:
I
rus:
eng:
learned,
rus:
eng:
months
rus:
eng:
later,
rus:
eng:
that
rus:
eng:
they
rus:
eng:
were
rus:
eng:
survivors,
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
course,
rus:
eng:
those
rus:
eng:
slum-dwellers:
rus:
eng:
catastrophes
rus:
eng:
that
rus:
eng:
had
rus:
eng:
driven
rus:
eng:
them
rus:
eng:
to
rus:
eng:
slums
rus:
eng:
from
rus:
eng:
their
rus:
eng:
villages
rus:
eng:
were
rus:
eng:
poverty,
rus:
eng:
famine,
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
bloodshed.
rus:
eng:
And
rus:
eng:
five
rus:
eng:
thousand
rus:
eng:
new
rus:
eng:
survivors
rus:
eng:
arrived
rus:
eng:
in
rus:
eng:
city
rus:
eng:
every
rus:
eng:
week,
rus:
eng:
week
rus:
eng:
after
rus:
eng:
week,
rus:
eng:
year
rus:
eng:
after
rus:
eng:
year.
rus:
As
the
kilometres
wound
past,
as
the
hundreds
of
people
in
those
slums
became
thousands,
and
tens
of
thousands,
my
spirit
writhed.
I
felt
defiled
by
my
own
health
and
the
money
in
my
pockets.
If
you
feel
it
at
all,
it’s
a
lacerating
guilt,
that
first
confrontation
with
the
wretched
of
the
earth.
I’d
robbed
banks,
and
dealt
drugs,
and
I’d
been
beaten
by
prison
warders
until
my
bones
broke.
I’d
been
stabbed,
and
I’d
stabbed
men
in
return.
I’d
escaped
from
a
hard
prison
full
of
hard
men,
the
hard
way—over
the
front
wall.
Still,
that
first
encounter
with
the
ragged
misery
of
the
slum,
heartbreak
all
the
way
to
the
horizon,
cut
into
my
eyes.
For
a
time,
I
ran
onto
the
knives.
eng:
As
rus:
eng:
kilometres
rus:
eng:
wound
rus:
eng:
past,
rus:
eng:
as
rus:
eng:
hundreds
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
people
rus:
eng:
in
rus:
eng:
those
rus:
eng:
slums
rus:
eng:
became
rus:
eng:
thousands,
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
tens
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
thousands,
rus:
eng:
my
rus:
eng:
spirit
rus:
eng:
writhed.
rus:
eng:
I
rus:
eng:
felt
rus:
eng:
defiled
rus:
eng:
by
rus:
eng:
my
rus:
eng:
own
rus:
eng:
health
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
money
rus:
eng:
in
rus:
eng:
my
rus:
eng:
pockets.
rus:
eng:
If
rus:
eng:
you
rus:
eng:
feel
rus:
eng:
it
rus:
eng:
at
rus:
eng:
all,
rus:
eng:
it’s
rus:
eng:
lacerating
rus:
eng:
guilt,
rus:
eng:
that
rus:
eng:
first
rus:
eng:
confrontation
rus:
eng:
with
rus:
eng:
wretched
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
earth.
rus:
eng:
I’d
rus:
eng:
robbed
rus:
eng:
banks,
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
dealt
rus:
eng:
drugs,
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
I’d
rus:
eng:
been
rus:
eng:
beaten
rus:
eng:
by
rus:
eng:
prison
rus:
eng:
warders
rus:
eng:
until
rus:
eng:
my
rus:
eng:
bones
rus:
eng:
broke.
rus:
eng:
I’d
rus:
eng:
been
rus:
eng:
stabbed,
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
I’d
rus:
eng:
stabbed
rus:
eng:
men
rus:
eng:
in
rus:
eng:
return.
rus:
eng:
I’d
rus:
eng:
escaped
rus:
eng:
from
rus:
eng:
hard
rus:
eng:
prison
rus:
eng:
full
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
hard
rus:
eng:
men,
rus:
eng:
hard
rus:
eng:
way—over
rus:
eng:
front
rus:
eng:
wall.
rus:
eng:
Still,
rus:
eng:
that
rus:
eng:
first
rus:
eng:
encounter
rus:
eng:
with
rus:
eng:
ragged
rus:
eng:
misery
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
slum,
rus:
eng:
heartbreak
rus:
eng:
all
rus:
eng:
way
rus:
eng:
to
rus:
eng:
horizon,
rus:
eng:
cut
rus:
eng:
into
rus:
eng:
my
rus:
eng:
eyes.
rus:
eng:
For
rus:
eng:
time,
rus:
eng:
I
rus:
eng:
ran
rus:
eng:
onto
rus:
eng:
knives.
rus:
Then
the
smoulders
of
shame
and
guilt
flamed
into
anger,
became
fist-tightening
rage
at
the
unfairness
of
it:
What
kind
of
a
government,
I
thought,
what
kind
of
a
system
allows
suffering
like
this?
eng:
Then
rus:
eng:
smoulders
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
shame
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
guilt
rus:
eng:
flamed
rus:
eng:
into
rus:
eng:
anger,
rus:
eng:
became
rus:
eng:
fist-tightening
rus:
eng:
rage
rus:
eng:
at
rus:
eng:
unfairness
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
it:
rus:
eng:
What
rus:
eng:
kind
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
government,
rus:
eng:
I
rus:
eng:
thought,
rus:
eng:
what
rus:
eng:
kind
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
system
rus:
eng:
allows
rus:
eng:
suffering
rus:
eng:
like
rus:
eng:
this?
rus:
But
the
slums
went
on,
kilometre
after
kilometre,
relieved
only
by
the
awful
contrast
of
the
thriving
businesses
and
crumbling,
moss-covered
apartment
buildings
of
the
comparatively
affluent.
The
slums
went
on,
and
their
sheer
ubiquity
wore
down
my
foreigner’s
pieties.
A
kind
of
wonder
possessed
me.
I
began
to
look
beyond
the
immensity
of
the
slum
societies,
and
to
see
the
people
who
lived
within
eng:
But
rus:
eng:
slums
rus:
eng:
went
rus:
eng:
on,
rus:
eng:
kilometre
rus:
eng:
after
rus:
eng:
kilometre,
rus:
eng:
relieved
rus:
eng:
only
rus:
eng:
by
rus:
eng:
awful
rus:
eng:
contrast
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
thriving
rus:
eng:
businesses
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
crumbling,
rus:
eng:
moss-covered
rus:
eng:
apartment
rus:
eng:
buildings
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
comparatively
rus:
eng:
affluent.
rus:
eng:
The
rus:
eng:
slums
rus:
eng:
went
rus:
eng:
on,
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
their
rus:
eng:
sheer
rus:
eng:
ubiquity
rus:
eng:
wore
rus:
eng:
down
rus:
eng:
my
rus:
eng:
foreigner’s
rus:
eng:
pieties.
rus:
eng:
A
rus:
eng:
kind
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
wonder
rus:
eng:
possessed
rus:
eng:
me.
rus:
eng:
I
rus:
eng:
began
rus:
eng:
to
rus:
eng:
look
rus:
eng:
beyond
rus:
eng:
immensity
rus:
eng:
of
rus:
eng:
slum
rus:
eng:
societies,
rus:
eng:
and
rus:
eng:
to
rus:
eng:
see
rus:
eng:
people
rus:
eng:
who
rus:
eng:
lived
rus: