`Maybe。’
　　`Thatisnotwell。Thesemenfollowdesireandcometoemptiness。Thoumustnotbeoftheirsort。’
　　`TheUmballapriestsaidthatmyStarwasWar，’Kiminterjected。`I
　　willaskthesefools-butthereistrulynoneed。Iwillrunawaythisnight，forallIwantedtoseethenewthings。’
　　KimputtwoorthreequestionsinEnglishtoFatherVictor，translatingtherepliestothelama。
　　Then：`Hesays，`Youtakehimfrommeandyoucannotsaywhatyouwillmakehim。’Hesays，`TellmebeforeIgo，foritisnotasmallthingtomakeachild。’’
　　`Youwillbesenttoaschool。Lateron，weshallsee。Kimball，Isupposeyou’dliketobeasoldier？’
　　`Gorah-log[white-folk]。No-ah！No-ah！’Kimshookhisheadviolently。
　　Therewasnothinginhiscompositiontowhichdrillandroutineappealed。
　　`Iwillnotbeasoldier。’
　　`Youwillbewhatyou’retoldtobe，’saidBennett；`andyoushouldbegratefulthatwe’regoingtohelpyou。’
　　Kimsmiledcompassionately。Ifthesemenlayunderthedelusionthathewoulddoanythingthathedidnotfancy，somuchthebetter。
　　Anotherlongsilencefollowed。Bennettfidgetedwithimpatience，andsuggestedcallingasentrytoevictthefakir。
　　`DotheygiveorselllearningamongtheSahibs？Askthem，’saidthelama，andKiminterpreted。
　　`Theysaythatmoneyispaidtotheteacher-butthatmoneytheRegimentwillgive……Whatneed？Itisonlyforanight。’
　　`And-themoremoneyispaidthebetterlearningisgiven？’ThelamadisregardedKim’splansforanearlyflight。`Itisnowrongtopayforlearning。Tohelptheignoranttowisdomisalwaysamerit。’Therosaryclickedfuriouslyasanabacus。Thenhefacedhisoppressors。
　　`Askthemforhowmuchmoneydotheygiveawiseandsuitableteaching？
　　Andinwhatcityisthatteachinggiven？’
　　`Well，’saidFatherVictorinEnglish，whenKimhadtranslated，`thatdepends。TheRegimentwouldpayforyouallthetimeyouareattheMilitaryOrphanage；oryoumightgoonthePunjabMasonicOrphanage’slistnotthatheoryou’udunderstandwhatthatmeans；butthebestschoolingaboycangetinIndiais，ofcourse，atStXavier’sinPartibusatLucknow。’
　　Thistooksometimetointerpret，forBennettwishedtocutitshort。
　　`Hewantstoknowhowmuch？’saidKimplacidly。
　　`Twoorthreehundredrupeesayear。’FatherVictorwaslongpastanysenseofamazement。Bennett，impatient，didnotunderstand。
　　`Hesays：`Writethatnameandthemoneyuponapaperandgiveithim。’
　　Andhesaysyoumustwriteyournamebelow，becauseheisgoingtowritealetterinsomedaystoyou。Hesaysyouareagoodman。Hesaystheothermanisafool。Heisgoingaway。’
　　Thelamarosesuddenly。`IfollowmySearch，’hecried，andwasgone。
　　`He’llrunslapintothesentries，’criedFatherVictor，jumpingupasthelamastalkedout；`butIcan’tleavetheboy。’Kimmadeswiftmotiontofollow，butcheckedhimself。Therewasnosoundofchallengeoutside。
　　Thelamahaddisappeared。
　　KimsettledhimselfcomposedlyontheChaplain’scot。AtleastthelamahadpromisedthathewouldstaywiththeRajputwomanfromKulu，andtherestwasofthesmallestimportance。Itpleasedhimthatthetwopadresweresoevidentlyexcited。Theytalkedlonginundertones，FatherVictorurgingsomeschemeonMrBennett，whoseemedincredulous。Allthiswasverynewandfascinating，butKimfeltsleepy。Theycalledmenintothetent-oneofthemcertainlywastheColonel，ashisfatherhadprophesied-andtheyaskedhimaninfinityofquestions，chieflyaboutthewomanwholookedafterhim，allofwhichKimansweredtruthfully。Theydidnotseemtothinkthewomanagoodguardian。
　　Afterall，thiswasthenewestofhisexperiences。Soonerorlater，ifhechose，hecouldescapeintogreat，grey，formlessIndia，beyondtentsandpadresandcolonels。Meantime，iftheSahibsweretobeimpressed，hewoulddohisbesttoimpressthem。Hetoowasawhiteman。
　　Aftermuchtalkthathecouldnotcomprehend，theyhandedhimovertoasergeant，whohadstrictinstructionsnottolethimescape。TheRegimentwouldgoontoUmballa，andKimwouldbesentup，partlyattheexpenseoftheLodgeandinpartbysubscription，toaplacecalledSanawar。
　　`It’smiraculouspastallwhooping，Colonel，’saidFatherVictor，whenhehadtalkedwithoutabreakfortenminutes。`HisBuddhistfriendhaslevantedaftertakingmynameandaddress。Ican’tquitemakeoutwhetherhe’llpayfortheboy’seducationorwhetherheispreparingsomesortofwitchcraftonhisownaccount。’ThentoKim：`You’lllivetobegratefultoyourfriendtheRedBullyet。We’llmakeamanofyouatSanawar-evenatthepriceo’makingyouaProtestant。’
　　`Certainly-mostcertainly，’saidBennett。
　　`ButyouwillnotgotoSanawar，’saidKim。
　　`ButwewillgotoSanawar，littleman。That’stheorderoftheCommander-in-Chief，who’satriflemoreimportantthanO’Hara’sson。’
　　`YouwillnotgotoSanawar。YouwillgototheeWar。’
　　Therewasashoutoflaughterfromthefulltent。
　　`WhenyouknowyourownRegimentatriflebetteryouwon’tconfusethelineofmarchwithlineofbattle，Kim。Wehopetogoto`theeWar’sometime。’
　　`Oah，Iknowallthatt。’Kimdrewhisbowagainataventure。Iftheywerenotgoingtothewar，atleasttheydidnotknowwhatheknewofthetalkintheverandaatUmballa。
　　`Iknowyouarenotattheewarnow；butItellyouthatassoonasyougettoUmballayouwillbesenttothewar-thenewwar。Itisawarofeightthousandmen，besidestheguns。’
　　`That’sexplicit。D’youaddprophecytoyourothergifts？Takehimalong，sergeant。TakeupasuitforhimfromtheDrums，an’takecarehedoesn’tslipthroughyourfingers。Whosaystheageofmiraclesisgoneby？IthinkI’llgotobed。Mypoormind’sweakening。’
　　Atthefarendofthecamp，silentasawildanimal，anhourlatersatKim，newlywashedallover，inahorriblestuffsuitthatraspedhisarmsandlegs。
　　`Amostamazin’youngbird，’saidthesergeant。`Heturnsupinchargeofayellow-headedbuck-Brahminpriest，withhisfather’sLodgecertificatesroundhisneck，talkin’Godknowswhatallofaredbull。Thebuck-Brahminevaporateswithoutexplanations，an’thebhoysetscross-leggedontheChaplain’sbedprophesyin’bloodywartothemenatlarge。Injia’sawildlandforaGod-fearin’man。I’lljusttiehislegtothetent-poleincasehe’llgothroughtheroof。Whatdidyesayaboutthewar？’
　　`Eightthousandmen，besidesguns，’saidKim。`Verysoonyouwillsee。’
　　`You’reaconsolin’littleimp。LiedownbetweentheDrumsan’gotobye-bye。Thosetwoboyswillwatchyourslumbers。’
　　Kipling：Kim，Chapter6Chapter6
　　NowIremembercomrades——
　　Oldplaymatesonnewseas——
　　WhenaswetradedorpimentAmongthesavages。
　　Tenthousandleaguestosouthward，Andthirtyyearsremoved——
　　TheyknewnotnobleValdez，Butmetheyknewandloved。
　　SongofDiegoValdez。VeryearlyinthemorningthewhitetentscamedownanddisappearedastheMaverickstookaside-roadtoUmballa。Itdidnotskirttheresting-place，andKim，trudgingbesideabaggage-cartunderfireofcommentsfromsoldiers’
　　wives，wasnotsoconfidentasovernight。Hediscoveredthathewascloselywatched-FatherVictorontheoneside，andMrBennettontheother。
　　Intheforenoonthecolumnchecked。Acamel-orderlyhandedtheColonelaletter。Hereadit，andspoketoaMajor。Halfamileintherear，Kimheardahoarseandjoyfulclamourrollingdownonhimthroughthethickdust。Thensomeonebeathimontheback，crying：`Tellushowyeknew，yelittlelimbofSatan？Fatherdear，seeifyecanmakehimtell。’
　　Aponyrangedalongside，andhewashauledontothepriest’ssaddle-bow。
　　`Now，myson，yourprophecyoflastnighthascometrue。OurordersaretoentrainatUmballafortheFronttomorrow。’
　　`Whatisthatt？’saidKim，forfrontandentrainwerenewishwordstohim。
　　`Wearegoingto`theeWar，’asyoucalledit。’
　　`OfcourseyouaregoingtotheeWar。Isaidlastnight。’
　　`Yedid；but，Powerso’Darkness，howdidyeknow？’