Hewasnearlyasleepwhenthelamasuddenlyquotedaproverb：`Thehusbandsofthetalkativehaveagreatrewardhereafter。’ThenKimheardhimsnuffthrice，anddozedoff，stilllaughing。
　　Thediamond-brightdawnwokemenandcrowsandbullockstogether。Kimsatupandyawned，shookhimself，andthrilledwithdelight。Thiswasseeingtheworldinrealtruth；thiswaslifeashewouldhaveit-bustlingandshouting，thebucklingofbelts，andbeatingofbullocksandcreakingofwheels，lightingoffiresandcookingoffood，andnewsightsateveryturnoftheapprovingeye。Themorningmistsweptoffinawhorlofsilver，theparrotsshotawaytosomedistantriverinshriekinggreenhosts：allthewell-wheelswithinear-shotwenttowork。Indiawasawake，andKimwasinthemiddleofit，moreawakeandmoreexcitedthananyone，chewingonatwigthathewouldpresentlyuseasatoothbrush；forheborrowedright-andleft-handedlyfromallthecustomsofthecountryheknewandloved。Therewasnoneedtoworryaboutfood-noneedtospendacowrieatthecrowdedstalls。Hewasthediscipleofaholymanannexedbyastrong-willedoldlady。Allthingswouldbepreparedforthem，andwhentheywererespectfullyinvitedsotodotheywouldsitandeat。Fortherest-Kimgiggledhereashecleanedhisteeth-hishostesswouldratherheightentheenjoymentoftheroad。Heinspectedherbullockscritically，astheycameupgruntingandblowingundertheyokes。Iftheywenttoofast-itwasnotlikely-therewouldbeapleasantseatforhimselfalongthepole；thelamawouldsitbesidethedriver。Theescort，ofcourse，wouldwalk。Theoldlady，equallyofcourse，wouldtalkagreatdeal，andbywhathehadheardthatconversationwouldnotlacksalt。Shewasalreadyordering，haranguing，rebuking，and，itmustbesaid，cursingherservantsfordelays。
　　`Getherherpipe。InthenameoftheGods，getherherpipeandstopherill-omenedmouth，’criedanOorya，tyinguphisshapelessbundlesofbedding。`Sheandtheparrotsarealike。Theyscreechinthedawn。’
　　`Thelead-bullocks！Hai！Looktothelead-bullocks！’Theywerebackingandwheelingasagrain-cart’saxlecaughtthembythehorns。`Sonofanowl，wheredostthougo？’Thistothegrinningcarter。
　　`Ai！Yai！Yai！ThatwithinthereistheQueenofDelhigoingtoprayforason，’themancalledbackoverhishighload。`RoomfortheQueenofDelhiandherPrimeMinisterthegreymonkeyclimbinguphisownsword！’Anothercartloadedwithbarkforadown-countrytanneryfollowedclosebehind，anditsdriveraddedafewcomplimentsastheruth-bullocksbackedandbackedagain。
　　Frombehindtheshakingcurtainscameonevolleyofinvective。Itdidnotlastlong，butinkindandquality，inblistering，bitingappropriateness，itwasbeyondanythingthatevenKimhadheard。Hecouldseethecarter’sbarechestcollapsewithamazement，asthemansalaamedreverentlytothevoice，leapedfromthepole，andhelpedtheescorthaultheirvolcanoontothemainroad。Herethevoicetoldhimtruthfullywhatsortofwifehehadwedded，andwhatshewasdoinginhisabsence。
　　`Oh，shabash！’murmuredKim，unabletocontainhimself，asthemanslunkaway。
　　`Welldone，indeed？ItisashameandascandalthatapoorwomanmaynotgotomakeprayertoherGodsexceptshebejostledandinsultedbyalltherefuseofHindustan-thatshemusteatgî；li[abuse]
　　asmeneatghi。ButIhaveyetawaglefttomytongue-awordortwowellspokenthatservestheoccasIon。AndstillamIwithoutmytobacco！Whoistheone-eyedandlucklesssonofshamethathasnotyetpreparedmypipe？’
　　Itwashastilythrustinbyahillman，andatrickleofthicksmokefromeachcornerofthecurtainsshowedthatpeacewasrestored。
　　IfKimhadwalkedproudlythedaybefore，discipleofaholyman，todayhepacedwithtenfoldprideinthetrainofasemi-royalprocession，witharecognizedplaceunderthepatronageofanoldladyofcharmingmannersandinfiniteresource。Theescort，theirheadstiedupnative-fashion，fellinoneithersidethecart，shufflingenormouscloudsofdust。
　　ThelamaandKimwalkedalittletooneside；Kimchewinghisstickofsugar-cane，andmakingwayfornooneunderthestatusofapriest。
　　Theycouldheartheoldlady’stongueclackassteadilyasarice-husker。
　　Shebadetheescorttellherwhatwasgoingonontheroad；andsosoonastheywereclearoftheparaosheflungbackthecurtainsandpeeredout，herveilathirdacrossherface。Hermendidnoteyeherdirectlywhensheaddressedthem，andthustheproprietiesweremoreorlessobserved。
　　Adark，sallowishDistrictSuperintendentofPolice，faultlesslyuniformed，anEnglishman，trottedbyonatiredhorse，and，seeingfromherretinuewhatmannerofpersonshewas，chaffedher。
　　`Omother，’hecried，`dotheydothisinthezenanas？SupposeanEnglishmancamebyandsawthatthouhadstnonose？’
　　`What？’sheshrilledback。`Thineownmotherhasnonose？Whysayso，then，ontheopenroad？’
　　Itwasafaircounter。TheEnglishmanthrewuphishandwiththegestureofamanhitatsword-play。Shelaughedandnodded。
　　`Isthisafacetotemptvirtueaside？’Shewithdrewallherveilandstaredathim。
　　Itwasbynomeanslovely，butasthemangathereduphisreinshecalleditaMoonofParadise，aDisturberofIntegrity，andafewotherfantasticepithetswhichdoubledherupwithmirth。
　　`Thatisanut-cut[rogue]，’shesaid。`Allpolice-constablesarenut-cuts；butthepolice-wallahsaretheworst。Hai，myson，thouhastneverlearnedallthatsincethoucamestfromBelait[Europe]。Whosuckledthee？’
　　`Apahareen-ahillwomanofDalhousie，mymother。Keepthybeautyunderashade-ODispenserofDelights，’andhewasgone。
　　`Thesebethesort’-shetookafinejudicialtone，andstuffedhermouthwithpan-`Thesebethesorttooverseejustice。Theyknowthelandandthecustomsoftheland。Theothers，allnewfromEurope，suckledbywhitewomenandlearningourtonguesfrombooks，areworsethanthepestilence。TheydoharmtoKings。’Thenshetoldalong，longtaletotheworldatlarge，ofanignorantyoungpolicemanwhohaddisturbedsomesmallHillRajah，aninthcousinofherown，inthematterofatrivialland-case，windingupwithaquotationfromaworkbynomeansdevotional。
　　Thenhermoodchanged，andshebadeoneoftheescortaskwhetherthelamawouldwalkalongsideanddiscussmattersofreligion。SoKimdroppedbackintothedustandreturnedtohissugar-cane。Foranhourormorethelama’stam-o’-shantershowedlikeamoonthroughthehaze；and，fromallheheard，Kimgatheredthattheoldwomanwept。OneoftheOoryashalfapologizedforhisrudenessovernight，sayingthathehadneverknownhismistressofsoblandatemper，andheascribedittothepresenceofthestrangepriest。Personally，hebelievedinBrahmins，though，likeallnatives，hewasacutelyawareoftheircunningandtheirgreed。Still，whenBrahminsbutirritatedwithbeggingdemandsthemotherofhismaster’swife，andwhenshesentthemawaysoangrythattheycursedthewholeretinuewhichwastherealreasonofthesecondoff-sidebullockgoinglame，andofthepolebreakingthenightbefore，hewaspreparedtoacceptanypriestofanyotherdenominationinoroutofIndia。TothisKimassentedwithwisenods，andbadetheOoryaobservethatthelamatooknomoney，andthatthecostofhisandKim’sfoodwouldberepaidahundredtimesinthegoodluckthatwouldattendthecaravanhenceforward。HealsotoldstoriesofLahorecity，andsangasongortwowhichmadetheescortlaugh。Asatown-mousewellacquaintedwiththelatestsongsbythemostfashionablecomposers-theyarewomenforthemostpart-Kimhadadistinctadvantageovermenfromalittlefruit-villagebehindSaharunpore，butheletthatadvantagebeinferred。
　　Atnoontheyturnedasidetoeat，andthemealwasgood，plentiful，andwell-servedonplatesofcleanleaves，indecency，outofdriftofthedust。Theygavethescrapstocertainbeggars，thatallrequirementsmightbefulfilled，andsatdowntoalong，luxurioussmoke。Theoldladyhadretreatedbehindhercurtains，butmixedmostfreelyinthetalk，herservantsarguingwithandcontradictingherasservantsdothroughouttheEast。ShecomparedthecoolandthepinesoftheKangraandKuluhillswiththedustandthemangoesoftheSouth；shetoldataleofsomeoldlocalGodsattheedgeofherhusband’sterritory；sheroundlyabusedthetobaccowhichshewasthensmoking，reviledallBrahmins，andspeculatedwithoutreserveonthecomingofmanygrandsons。
　　Kipling：Kim，Chapter5Chapter5
　　HerecomeItomyownagainFed，forgiven，andknownagain——
　　Claimedbyboneofmyboneagain，Andsibtofleshofmyflesh！
　　Thefattedcalfisdressedforme，Butthehuskshavegreaterzestforme……
　　Ithinkmypigswillbebestforme，SoI’mofftothestyesafresh。
　　TheProdigalSon。Oncemorethelazy，string-tied，shufflingprocessiongotunderway，andsheslepttilltheyreachedthenexthalting-stage。Itwasaveryshortmarch，andtimelackedanhourtosundown，soKimcastaboutformeansofamusement。
　　`Butwhynotsitandrest？’saidoneoftheescort。`OnlythedevilsandtheEnglishwalktoandfrowithoutreason。’
　　`NevermakefriendswiththeDevil，aMonkey，oraBoy。Nomanknowswhattheywilldonext，’saidhisfellow。
　　Kimturnedascornfulback-hedidnotwanttoheartheoldstoryhowtheDevilplayedwiththeboysandrepentedofit-andwalkedidlyacrosscountry。
　　Thelamastrodeafterhim。Allthatday，whenevertheypassedastream，hehadturnedasidetolookatit，butinnocasehadhereceivedanywarningthathehadfoundhisRiver。Insensibly，too，thecomfortofspeakingtosomeoneinareasonabletongue，andofbeingproperlyconsideredandrespectedasherspiritualadviserbyawell-bornwoman，hadweanedhisthoughtsalittlefromtheSearch。Andfurther，hewaspreparedtospendsereneyearsinhisquest；havingnothingofthewhiteman’simpatience，butagreatfaith。
　　`Wheregoestthou？’hecalledafterKim。
　　`Nowhither-itwasasmallmarch，andallthis’-Kimwavedhishandsabroad-`isnewtome。’
　　`Sheisbeyondquestionawiseandadiscerningwoman。Butitishardtomeditatewhen-’
　　`Allwomenarethus。’KimspokeasmighthaveSolomon。
　　`Beforethelamasserywasabroadplatform，’thelamamuttered，loopingupthewell-wornrosary，`ofstone。OnthatIhaveleftthemarksofmyfeet-pacingtoandfrowiththese。’
　　Heclickedthebeads，andbeganthe`Ommanepudmehum’sofhisdevotion；gratefulforthecool，thequiet，andtheabsenceofdust。
　　OnethingafteranotherdrewKim’sidleeyeacrosstheplain。Therewasnopurposeinhiswanderings，exceptthatthebuildofthehutsnearbyseemednew，andhewishedtoinvestigate。
　　Theycameoutonabroadtractofgrazing-ground，brownandpurpleintheafternoonlight，withaheavyclumpofmangoesinthecentre。ItstruckKimascuriousthatnoshrinestoodinsoeligibleaspot：theboywasobservingasanypriestforthesethings。Faracrosstheplainwalkedsidebysidefourmen，madesmallbythedistance。Helookedintentlyunderhiscurvedpalmsandcaughtthesheenofbrass。
　　`Soldiers。Whitesoldiers！’saidhe。`Letussee。’
　　`ItisalwayssoldierswhenthouandIgooutalonetogether。ButI
　　haveneverseenthewhitesoldiers。’
　　`Theydonoharmexceptwhentheyaredrunk。Keepbehindthistree。’
　　Theysteppedbehindthethicktrunksinthecooldarkofthemango-tope。
　　Twolittlefigureshalted；theothertwocameforwarduncertainly。Theyweretheadvance-partyofaregimentonthemarch，sentout，asusual，tomarkthecamp。Theyborefive-footstickswithflutteringflags，andcalledtoeachotherastheyspreadovertheflatearth。
　　Atlasttheyenteredthemango-grove，walkingheavily。