`Theboyhasheardbazar-talk，’saidthepriest。
　　`Buthewasalwaysbymyside，’saidthelama。`Howshouldheknow？Ididnotknow。’
　　`Hewillmakeacleverjugglerwhentheoldmanisdead，’mutteredthepriesttotheheadman。`Whatnewtrickisthis？’
　　`Asign。Givemeasign，’thunderedtheoldsoldiersuddenly。`Iftherewerewarmysonswouldhavetoldme。’
　　`Whenallisready，thysons，doubtnot，willbetold。Butitisalongroadfromthysonstothemaninwhosehandsthesethingslie。’Kimwarmedtothegame，foritremindedhimofexperiencesintheletter-carryingline，when，forthesakeofafewpice，hepretendedtoknowmorethanheknew。Butnowhewasplayingforlargerthings-thesheerexcitementandthesenseofpower。Hedrewanewbreathandwenton。
　　`Oldman，givemeasign。Dounderlingsorderthegoingsofeightthousandredcoats-withguns？’
　　`No。’StilltheoldmanansweredasthoughKimwereanequal。
　　`DostthouknowwhoHeis，then，thatgivestheorder？’
　　`IhaveseenHim。’
　　`Toknowagain？’
　　`IhaveknownHimsincehewasalieutenantinthetopkhana[theArtillery]。’
　　`Atallman。Atallmanwithblackhair，walkingthus？’Kimtookafewpacesinastiff，woodenstyle。
　　`Ay。Butthatanyonemayhaveseen。’Thecrowdwerebreathless-stillthroughallthistalk。
　　`Thatistrue，’saidKim。`ButIwillsaymore。Looknow。Firstthegreatmanwalksthus。ThenHethinksthus。’Kimdrewaforefingeroverhisforeheadanddownwardstillitcametorestbytheangleofthejaw。
　　`AnonHetwitcheshisfingersthus。AnonHethrustshishatunderhisleftarmpit。’Kimillustratedthemotionandstoodlikeastork。
　　Theoldmangroaned，inarticulatewithamazement；andthecrowdshivered。
　　`So-so-so。ButwhatdoesHewhenHeisabouttogiveanorder？’
　　`Herubstheskinatthebackofhisneck-thus。ThenfallsonefingeronthetableandHemakesasmallsniffingnoisethroughhisnose。ThenHespeaks，saying：`Loosesuchandsucharegiment。Calloutsuchguns。’’
　　Theoldmanrosestifflyandsaluted。
　　``For’’-Kimtranslatedintothevernaculartheclinchingsentenceshehadheardinthedressing-roomatUmballa-``For，’saysHe，`weshouldhavedonethislongago。Itisnotwar-itisachastisement。Snff！’’
　　`Enough。Ibelieve。IhaveseenHimthusinthesmokeofbattles。Seenandheard。ItisHe！’
　　`Isawnosmoke’-Kim’svoiceshiftedtotheraptsing-songofthewaysidefortune-teller。`Isawthisindarkness。Firstcameamantomakethingsclear。Thencamehorsemen。ThencameHe，standinginaringoflight。
　　TherestfollowedasIhavesaid。Oldman，haveIspokentruth？’
　　`ItisHe。PastalldoubtitisHe。’
　　Thecrowddrewalong，quaveringbreath，staringalternatelyattheoldman，stillatattention，andraggedKimagainstthepurpletwilight。
　　`SaidInot-saidInothewasfromtheotherworld？’criedthelamaproudly。`HeistheFriendofalltheWorld。HeistheFriendoftheStars！’
　　`Atleastitdoesnotconcernus，’amancried。`Othouyoungsoothsayer，ifthegiftabideswiththeeatallseasons，Ihaveared-spottedcow。
　　ShemaybesistertothyBullforaughtIknow-’
　　`OrIcare，’saidKim。`MyStarsdonotconcernthemselveswiththycattle。’
　　`Nay，butsheisverysick，’awomanstruckin。`Mymanisabuffalo，orhewouldhavechosenhiswordsbetter。Tellmeifsherecover？’
　　HadKimbeenatallanordinaryboy，hewouldhavecarriedontheplay；
　　butonedoesnotknowLahorecity，andleastofallthefakirsbytheTaksaliGate，forthirteenyearswithoutalsoknowinghumannature。
　　Thepriestlookedathimsideways，somethingbitterly-adryandblightingsmile。
　　`Istherenopriest，then，inthevillage？IthoughtIhadseenagreatoneevennow，’criedKim。
　　`Ay-but-’thewomanbegan。
　　`Butthouandthyhusbandhopedtogetthecowcuredforahandfulofthanks。’Theshottold：theywerenotoriouslytheclosest-fistedcoupleinthevillage。`Itisnotwelltocheatthetemples。Giveayoungcalftothineownpriest，and，unlessthyGodsareangrypastrecall，shewillgivemilkwithinamonth。’
　　`Amaster-beggarartthou，’purredthepriestapprovingly。`Notthecunningoffortyyearscouldhavedonebetter。Surelythouhastmadetheoldmanrich？’
　　`Alittleflour，alittlebutterandamouthfulofcardamoms，’Kimretorted，flushedwiththepraise，butstillcautious-`Doesonegrowrichonthat？
　　And，asthoucanstsee，heismad。ButitservesmewhileIlearntheroadatleast。’
　　HeknewwhatthefakirsoftheTaksaliGatewerelikewhentheytalkedamongthemselves，andcopiedtheveryinflectionoftheirlewddisciples。
　　`IshisSearch，then，truthoracloaktootherends？Itmaybetreasure。’
　　`Heismad-manytimesmad。Thereisnothingelse。’
　　HeretheoldsoldierhobbledupandaskedifKimwouldaccepthishospitalityforthenight。Thepriestrecommendedhimtodoso，butinsistedthatthehonourofentertainingthelamabelongedtothetemple-atwhichthelamasmiledguilelessly。Kimglancedfromonefacetotheother，anddrewhisownconclusions。
　　`Whereisthemoney？’hewhispered，beckoningtheoldmanoffintothedarkness。
　　`Inmybosom。Whereelse？’
　　`Giveitme。Quietlyandswiftlygiveitme。’
　　`Butwhy？Hereisnotickettobuy。’
　　`AmIthychela，oramInot？DoInotsafeguardthyoldfeetabouttheways？GivemethemoneyandatdawnIwillreturnit。’Heslippedhishandabovethelama’sgirdleandbroughtawaythepurse。
　　`Beitso-beitso。’Theoldmannoddedhishead。`Thisisagreatandterribleworld。Ineverknewthereweresomanymenaliveinit。’
　　Nextmorningthepriestwasinaverybadtemper，butthelamawasquitehappy；andKimhadenjoyedamostinterestingeveningwiththeoldman，whobroughtouthiscavalrysabreand，balancingitonhisdryknees，toldtalesoftheMutinyandyoungcaptainsthirtyyearsintheirgraves，tillKimdroppedofftosleep。
　　`Certainlytheairofthiscountryisgood，’saidthelama。`Isleeplightly，asdoalloldmen；butlastnightIsleptunwakingtillbroadday。EvennowIamheavy。’
　　`Drinkadraughtofhotmilk，’saidKim，whohadcarriednotafewsuchremediestoopium-smokersofhisacquaintance。`ItistimetotaketheRoadagain。’
　　`ThelongRoadthatoverpassesalltheriversofHind，’saidthelamagaily。`Letusgo。Buthowthinkestthou，chela，torecompensethesepeople，andespeciallythepriest，fortheirgreatkindness？Trulytheyareb&；umacron；t-parastNote，butinotherlives，maybe，theywillreceiveenlightenment。Arupeetothetemple？
　　Thethingwithinisnomorethanstoneandredpaint，buttheheartofmanwemustacknowledgewhenandwhereitisgood。’
　　`HolyOne，hastthouevertakentheRoadalone？’Kimlookedupsharply，liketheIndiancrowssobusyaboutthefields。
　　`Surely，child：fromKulutoPathî；nkot-fromKulu，wheremyfirstcheladied。Whenmenwerekindtouswemadeofferings，andallmenwerewell-disposedthroughoutalltheHills。’
　　`ItisotherwiseinHind，’saidKimdrily。`TheirGodsaremany-armedandmalignant。Letthemalone。’
　　`Iwouldsettheeonthyroadforalittle，FriendofalltheWorld-thouandthyyellowman。’Theoldsoldierambledupthevillagestreet，allshadowyinthedawn，onagaunt，scissor-hockedpony。`Lastnightbrokeupthefountainsofremembranceinmyso-driedheart，anditwasasablessingtome。Trulythereiswarabroadintheair。Ismellit。See！Ihavebroughtmysword。’
　　Hesatlong-leggedonthelittlebeast，withthebigswordathisside-handdroppedonthepommel-staringfiercelyovertheflatlandstowardstheNorth。`TellmeagainhowHeshowedinthyvision。Comeupandsitbehindme。Thebeastwillcarrytwo。’
　　`IamthisHolyOne’sdisciple，’saidKim，astheyclearedthevillage-gate。
　　Thevillagersseemedalmostsorrytoberidofthem，butthepriest’sfarewellwascoldanddistant。Hehadwastedsomeopiumonamanwhocarriednomoney。