`AndtheyareallboundupontheWheel，’saidthelama。`Boundfromlifeafterlife。TononeofthesehastheWaybeenshown。’Heshookhimselfbacktothisworld。
　　`Andnowwehavewalkedawearyway，’saidKim。`Surelyweshallsooncometoaparao[aresting-place]。Shallwestaythere？Look，thesunissloping。’
　　`Whowillreceiveusthisevening？’
　　`Thatisallone。Thiscountryisfullofgoodfolk。Besides’hesunkhisvoicebeneathawhisper-`wehavemoney。’
　　Thecrowdthickenedastheynearedtheresting-placewhichmarkedtheendoftheirday’sjourney。Alineofstallssellingverysimplefoodandtobacco，astackoffirewood，apolice-station，awell，ahorse-trough，afewtrees，and，underthem，sometrampledgrounddottedwiththeblackashesofoldfires，areallthatmarkaparaoontheGrandTrunk；
　　ifyouexceptthebeggarsandthecrows-bothhungry。
　　Bythistimethesunwasdrivingbroadgoldenspokesthroughthelowerbranchesofthemango-trees；theparakeetsanddoveswerecominghomeintheirhundreds；thechattering，grey-backedSevenSisters，talkingovertheday’sadventures，walkedbackandforthintwosandthreesalmostunderthefeetofthetravellers；andshufflingsandscufflingsinthebranchesshowedthatthebatswerereadytogooutonthenight-picket。Swiftlythelightgathereditselftogether，paintedforaninstantthefacesandthecart-wheelsandthebullocks’hornsasredasblood。Thenthenightfell，changingthetouchoftheair，drawingalow，evenhaze，likeagossamerveilofblue，acrossthefaceofthecountry，andbringingout，keenanddistinct，thesmellofwood-smokeandcattleandthegoodscentofwheatencakescookedonashes。Theeveningpatrolhurriedoutofthepolice-stationwithimportantcoughingsandreiteratedorders；andalivecharcoalballinthecupofawaysidecarter’shookahglowedredwhileKim’seyemechanicallywatchedthelastflickerofthesunonthebrasstweezers。
　　ThelifeoftheparaowasverylikethatoftheKashmirSeraionasmallscale。KimdivedintothehappyAsiaticdisorderwhich，ifyouonlyallowtime，willbringyoueverythingthatasimplemanneeds。
　　Hiswantswerefew，because，sincethelamahadnocastescruples，cookedfoodfromtheneareststallwouldserve；but，forluxury’ssake，Kimboughtahandfulofdung-cakestobuildafire。Allabout，comingandgoingroundthelittleflames，mencriedforoil，orgrain，orsweetmeats，ortobacco，jostlingoneanotherwhiletheywaitedtheirturnatthewell；andunderthemen’svoicesyouheardfromhalted，shutteredcartsthehighsquealsandgigglesofwomenwhosefacesshouldnotbeseeninpublic。
　　Nowadays，well-educatednativesareofopinionthatwhentheirwomenfolktravel-andtheyvisitagooddeal-itisbettertotakethemquicklybyrailinaproperlyscreenedcompartment；andthatcustomisspreading。
　　Buttherearealwaysthoseoftheoldrockwhoholdbytheuseoftheirforefathers；and，aboveall，therearealwaystheoldwomen-moreconservativethanthemen-whotowardtheendoftheirdaysgoonapilgrimage。They，beingwitheredandundesirable，donot，undercertaincircumstances，objecttounveiling。Aftertheirlongseclusion，duringwhichtheyhavealwaysbeeninbusinesstouchwithathousandoutsideinterests，theylovethebustleandstiroftheopenroad，thegatheringsattheshrines，andtheinfinitepossibilitiesofgossipwithlike-mindeddowagers。Veryoftenitsuitsalong-sufferingfamilythatastrong-tongued，iron-willedoldladyshoulddisportherselfaboutIndiainthisfashion；forcertainlypilgrimageisgratefultotheGods。SoallaboutIndia，inthemostremoteplaces，asinthemostpublic，youfindsomeknotofgrizzledservitorsinnominalchargeofanoldladywhoismoreorlesscurtainedandhidawayinabullock-cart。Suchmenarestaidanddiscreet，andwhenaEuropeanorahigh-castenativeisnearwillnettheirchargewithmostelaborateprecautions；butintheordinaryhaphazardchancesofpilgrimagetheprecautionsarenottaken。Theoldladyis，afterall，intenselyhuman，andlivestolookuponlife。
　　Kimmarkeddownagailyornamentedruthorfamilybullock-cart，withabroideredcanopyoftwodomes，likeadouble-humpedcamel，whichhadjustbeendrawnintotheparao。Eightmenmadeitsretinue，andtwooftheeightwerearmedwithrustysabres-suresignsthattheyfollowedapersonofdistinction，forthecommonfolkdonotbeararms。
　　Anincreasingcackleofcomplaints，orders，andjests，andwhattoaEuropeanwouldhavebeenbadlanguage，camefrombehindthecurtains。Herewasevidentlyawomanusedtocommand。
　　Kimlookedovertheretinuecritically。Halfofthemwerethin-legged，grey-beardedOoryasfromdowncountry。Theotherhalfwereduffle-clad，felt-hattedhillmenoftheNorth；andthatmixturetolditsowntale，evenifhehadnotoverheardtheincessantsparringbetweenthetwodivisions。
　　Theoldladywasgoingsouthonavisit-probablytoarichrelative，mostprobablytoason-in-law，whohadsentupanescortasamarkofrespect。
　　Thehillmenwouldbeofherownpeople-KuluorKangrafolk。Itwasquiteclearthatshewasnottakingherdaughterdowntobewedded，orthecurtainswouldhavebeenlacedhomeandtheguardwouldhaveallowednoonenearthecar。Amerryandahigh-spiriteddame，thoughtKim，balancingthedung-cakeinonehand，thecookedfoodintheother，andpilotingthelamawithanudgingshoulder。Somethingmightbemadeoutofthemeeting。Thelamawouldgivehimnohelp，but，asaconscientiouschela，Kimwasdelightedtobegfortwo。
　　Hebuilthisfireasclosetothecartashedared，waitingforoneoftheescorttoorderhimaway。Thelamadroppedwearilytotheground，muchasaheavyfruit-eatingbatcowers，andreturnedtohisrosary。
　　`Standfartheroff，beggar！’TheorderwasshoutedinbrokenHindustanibyoneofthehillmen。
　　`Huh！Itisonlyapahari[ahillman]’，saidKimoverhisshoulder。
　　`Sincewhenhavethehill-assesownedallHindustan？’
　　TheretortwasaswiftandbrilliantsketchofKim’spedigreeforthreegenerations。
　　`Ah！’Kim’svoicewassweeterthanever，ashebrokethedung-cakeintofitpieces。`Inmycountrywecallthatthebeginningoflove-talk。’
　　Aharsh，thincacklebehindthecurtainsputthehillmanonhismettleforasecondshot。
　　`Notsobad-notsobad，’saidKimwithcalm。`Buthaveacare，mybrother，lestwe-we，Isay-bemindedtogiveacurseorsoinreturn。Andourcurseshavetheknackofbitinghome。’
　　TheOoryaslaughed；thehillmansprangforwardthreateningly。Thelamasuddenlyraisedhishead，bringinghishugetam-o’-shanterhatintothefulllightofKim’snew-startedfire。
　　`Whatisit？’saidhe。
　　Themanhaltedasthoughstrucktostone。`I-I-amsavedfromagreatsin，’hestammered。
　　`Theforeignerhasfoundhimapriestatlast，’whisperedoneoftheOoryas。
　　`Hai！Whyisthatbeggar-bratnotwellbeaten？’theoldwomancried。
　　Thehillmandrewbacktothecartandwhisperedsomethingtothecurtain。
　　Therewasdeadsilence，thenamuttering。
　　`Thisgoeswell，’thoughtKim，pretendingneithertoseenorhear。
　　`When-when-hehaseaten’-thehillmanfawnedonKim-`it-itisrequestedthattheHolyOnewilldothehonourtotalktoonewhowouldspeaktohim。’
　　`Afterhehaseatenhewillsleep，’Kimreturnedloftily。Hecouldnotquiteseewhatnewturnthegamehadtaken，butstoodresolutetoprofitbyit。`NowIwillgethimhisfood。’Thelastsentence，spokenloudly，endedwithasighasoffaintness。
　　`I-Imyselfandtheothersofmypeoplewilllooktothat-if-itispermitted。’
　　`Itispermitted，’saidKim，moreloftilythanever。`HolyOne，thesepeoplewillbringusfood。’
　　`Thelandisgood。AllthecountryoftheSouthisgood-agreatandaterribleworld，’mumbledthelamadrowsily。
　　`Lethimsleep，’saidKim，`butlooktoitthatwearewellfedwhenhewakes。Heisaveryholyman。’
　　AgainoneoftheOoryassaidsomethingcontemptuously。
　　`Heisnotafakir。Heisnotadown-countrybeggar，’Kimwentonseverely，addressingthestars。`Heisthemostholyofholymen。Heisaboveallcastes。Iamhischela。’
　　`Comehere！’saidtheflatthinvoicebehindthecurtain；andKimcame，consciousthateyeshecouldnotseewerestaringathim。Oneskinnybrownfingerheavywithringslayontheedgeofthecart，andthetalkwentthisway：
　　`Whoisthatone？’
　　`Anexceedinglyholyone。Hecomesfromfaroff。HecomesfromTibet。’
　　`WhereinTibet？’
　　`Frombehindthesnows-fromaveryfarplace。Heknowsthestars；
　　hemakeshoroscopes；hereadsnativities。Buthedoesnotdothisformoney。
　　Hedoesitforkindnessandgreatcharity。Iamhisdisciple。IamcalledalsotheFriendoftheStars。’
　　`Thouartnohillman。’
　　`Askhim。HewilltelltheeIwassenttohimfromtheStarstoshowhimanendtohispilgrimage。’
　　`Humph！Consider，brat，thatIamanoldwomanandnotaltogetherafool。LamasIknow，andtotheseIgivereverence，butthouartnomorealawfulchelathanthismyfingeristhepoleofthiswagon。ThouartacastelessHindu-aboldandunblushingbeggar，attached，belike，totheHolyOneforthesakeofgain。’