"Chris Lawson - Written in Blood" - читать интересную книгу автора (Lawson Chris)

Near Damascus, we heard about the bloodwriting. The pilgrims were
all speak-ing about it. Half thought it blasphemous, the other half thought it a
path to Heaven. Since Da was a biologist, the pilgrims in our troop asked
him what he thought. He said he would have to go to the bloodwriters
directly and find out.

On a dusty Monday, after morning prayer, my father and I visited the
blood-writerтАЩs stall. The canvas was a beautiful white, and the man at the
stall smiled as Da approached. He spoke some Arabic, which I could not
understand.

тАЬI speak English,тАЭ said my father.

The stall attendant switched to English with the ease of a juggler
changing hands. тАЬWonderful, sir! Many of our customers prefer English.тАЭ

тАЬI also speak biology. My pilgrim companions have asked me to
review your product.тАЭ I thought it very forward of my father, but the stall
attendant seemed unfazed. He exuded confidence about his product.

тАЬAn expert!тАЭ he exclaimed. тАЬEven better. Many pilgrims are distrustful
of West-ern science. I do what I can to reassure them, but they see me as
a salesman and not to be trusted. I welcome your endorsement.тАЭ

тАЬThen earn it.тАЭ

The stall attendant wiped his mustache, and began his spiel. тАЬSince
the Dawn of Time, the Word of Allah has been read by mullahs... .тАЭ

тАЬStop!тАЭ said Da. тАЬThe QurтАЩan was revealed to Mohammed fifteen
centuries ago; the Dawn of Time predates it by several billion years. I want
answers, not porten-tous falsehoods.тАЭ
 Now the man was nervous. тАЬPerhaps you should see my uncle. He
invented the bloodwriting. I will fetch him.тАЭ Soon he returned with an older,
infinitely more respectable man with grey whiskers in his mustache and hair.

тАЬPlease forgive my nephew,тАЭ said the old man. тАЬHe has watched too
much American television and thinks the best way to impress if to use
dramatic words, wild gestures, and where possible, a toll-free number.тАЭ The
nephew bowed his head and slunk to the back of the stall, chastened.

тАЬMay I answer your questions?тАЭ the old man asked.

тАЬIf you would be so kind,тАЭ said Da, gesturing for the man to continue.

тАЬBloodwriting is a good word, and I owe my nephew a debt of
gratitude for that. But the actual process is something altogether more
mundane. I offer a virus, nothing more. I have taken a hypo-immunogenic
strain of adeno-associated virus and added a special code to its DNA.тАЭ