stranger whose face did not command respect at all. But unless I had an exit?
Though, as well as any novice, I passed self-defense lessons in the monastery, but without special diligence and to escape from a grip of steel of hands of the Pin, without drawing general attention, I had no slightest opportunity. Besides there were no strong reasons not to trust the stranger, it is not excluded to him my services are really necessary.
However the easiest way to bring me from the market was to hand me a copper coin that I could pay policemen. The pin of it did not make, and I begged to gods that it was not the bastard who wants to hand over me to guards for a reward.
But in a moment I straightened out myself. It is impossible to think badly of the person only because he lashit. All of them cannot be bastards?
The hairy finger of the policeman roughly stuck me into a stomach, the swelled-up physiognomy dokhnut the reek of alcohol.
– Hand!
I stretched forward the left brush on which certainly there was no trace of the allowing press also.
– Pay! – the chubby palm revealed before me.
I licked the dried-up lips and translated a look on the satellite which immediately peeped, taking the observer’s hand aside:
– This is my slave.
I shuddered and opened a mouth to be indignant, but the Pin hardly considerably winked at me, having squeezed a hand slightly stronger, and I kept silent. The cunning can do it?
The policeman raised eyebrows, slightly led the head and muttered:
– And where collar?
– Did not ushpet to put on. Just bought this freeloader.
– Pokazh bill of sale.
– So the document is just corrected.
The defender of law and order crookedly grinned and stretched to the Pin a dirty palm:
– Violation. Pay a penalty or you will go to cold, and your slave will ring out on galleys.
– So I speak, the bill of sale is shoshtryapat just about, – my employer became stubborn.
– Violation! – the policeman growled, lifting peak which tip rested against a breast of my satellite. Other policemen directed weapon to us too.
– Shkolko? – my satellite was given.
– Silver.
– Yes well, what the hell for! – the Pin moved. – Shovest have!
– Resistance to the authorities?! – the observer bellowed suddenly, splashing saliva.
Seeing that the situation is heated I outright strukhnut: suddenly yes my satellite has no money for a penalty?
The imagination obligingly painted a picture seen once: emaciated oarsmen, sitting up to ankles in own excrements, overstraining, pull very heavy oars, on the backs covered with blood whips the supervisor’s scourge. Cold tentacles of despair squeezed heart.
But here in a hand of the policeman there was a silver coin, and observers moved further, having splashed me on a hand the press and having strictly punished slaves without collar and the bill of sale on the city from now on not to drive.
– Thanks, – I blurted out, feeling sincere gratitude to the person who saved me from an unenviable fate.
Now on my hand the press which guaranteed one more day of free life flaunted, without need to run away and hide.
It turned out, I absolutely in vain doubted the employer and now was ready to fail with shame. It is impossible to think of the stranger badly only because he lashit. For certain among them there are many kind and decent people, and the bastards who were coming across to me still can be an exception. Also I faced them because of bad luck which pursues me since the beginning of a travel.
In response to my gratitude the Pin sighed and muttered:
– Yes what there. We are, izveshtno, the people generous yes sympathetic. In a trouble of the good person not broshy. – and, angrily having spitted out, added: – Do you Vit what bastards-lyagavye create? Wanted to shekonomit copper coin, so heated on sherebryany… Have you ever seen anything like it for a trifle to tear up such penalty? And to shalovatsya uselessly. You will go to a shotnik so also lashes you will receive.
– Maybe it was worth giving me a copper coin for otkupny? – I sounded a recent thought.
My satellite only hemmed:
– Look razmechtalshya! The pocket is wider than Dersha. We, lashita, from time immemorial, the people trustful and proshtodushny, and therefore vshyaky easy riders, oshobenno from voshtochny oshtrov, strive to obshulit ours eternally. But we such podlosht know long ago and therefore to anyone proshto so we do not trust. You dokash of a shperv that the person doshtoyny – then another story will be. And that I will give you a coin, and you to the lane and remember as called. Highway of what I to trust you dolshen?
– But I did not deceive in anything you, – I answered it is lost.
– How much to me the nobility, – the Pin blinked the eyes. – You shkazat that good pishar, I believed and even sherebryany on you did not play pranks. Also promised to feed, and did not see your work. Suddenly you shulik also write as a ram with a hoof?
– No, mister Shtyr, I really the calligrapher of the top skills what tells this medallion in the form of a bird’s feather about. Believe, you will not be disappointed with my work and I promise you that I will work everything the money spent for me to the last copper coin.
– Good of an eshla so, – my employer smiled. – Let’s go to a tavern. There you to me shvy ishkushtvo also pokasht and sing at the same time.
– You will not be disappointed, – I murmured, swallowing of saliva which filled a mouth at a mention of food.
Before eyes immediately there was a dish with the fried pig covered with a crisp in hot sweet-sour sauce. My nose felt a heavy scent of juicy pork, language and the sky taste of gentle fat meat.
The stomach responded painful spasms, and I strained all will driving away a persuasive image, but is alas ineffectual.
Aromas of food began to tease me for dozens of steps from a tavern. And, hardly I crossed a threshold, struck with such force that the head began to spin, the mouth was overflowed with saliva, in a stomach loudly zaburchat, and knees were turned in.
– You fix, Lansh, – the Pin hemmed, seating me at the next table and added: – You Sid, and I poyesht yes to drink a sprasha.
With these words my satellite went to a traktirny rack.
I did not begin to monitor its negotiations with the bearded fat man, and lowered a look and began to meditate on a mantra Chorus to distract from thoughts of food. And though, instead of the lowest rune shining
