`WasIbornyesterday？’Kimsquattednative-fashiononthecushionsofthatupperroom。`Alittledyestuffandthreeyardsofclothtohelpoutajest。Isitmuchtoask？’
　　`Whoisshe？Thouartfullyoung，asSahibsgo，forthisdevilry。’
　　`Oh，she？Sheisthedaughterofacertainschoolmasterofaregimentinthecantonments。HehasbeatenmetwicebecauseIwentovertheirwallintheseclothes。NowIwouldgoasagardener’sboy。Oldmenareveryjealous。’
　　`Thatistrue。HoldthyfacestillwhileIdabonthejuice。’
　　`Nottooblack，Naikan。Iwouldnotappeartoherasahubshi[nigger]。’
　　`Oh，lovemakesnoughtofthesethings。Andhowoldisshe？’
　　`Twelveyears，Ithink，’saidtheshamelessKim。`Spreaditalsoonthebreast。Itmaybeherfatherwilltearmyclothesoffme，andifI
　　ampiebald-’helaughed。
　　Thegirlworkedbusily，dabbingatwistofclothintoalittlesaucerofbrowndyethatholdslongerthananywalnut-juice。
　　`Now-sendoutandgetmeaclothfortheturban。Woeisme，myheadisallunshaved！Andhewillsurelyknockoffmyturban。’
　　`Iamnotabarber，butIwillmakeshift。Thouwastborntobeabreakerofhearts！Allthisdisguiseforoneevening？Remember，thestuffdoesnotwashaway。’Sheshookwithlaughtertillherbraceletsandankletsjingled。`Butwhoistopaymeforthis？Huneefaherselfcouldnothavegiventheebetterstuff。’
　　`TrustintheGods，mysister，’saidKimgravely，screwinghisfaceroundasthestaindried。`Besides，hastthoueverhelpedtopaintaSahibthusbefore？’
　　`Neverindeed。Butajestisnotmoney。’
　　`Itisworthmuchmore。’
　　`Child，thouartbeyondalldisputethemostshamelesssonofShaitanthatIhaveeverknowntotakeupapoorgirl’stimewiththisplay，andthentosay：`Isnotthejestenough？’Thouwiltgoveryfarinthisworld。’
　　Shegavethedancing-girls’salutationinmockery。
　　`Allone。Makehasteandrough-cutmyhead。’Kimshiftedfromfoottofoot，hiseyesablazewithmirthashethoughtofthefatdaysbeforehim。
　　Hegavethegirlfourannas，andrandownthestairsinthelikenessofalow-casteHinduboy-perfectineverydetail。Acookshopwashisnextpointofcall，wherehefeastedinextravaganceandgreasyluxury。
　　OnLucknowstationplatformhewatchedyoungDeCastro，allcoveredwithprickly-heat，getintoasecond-classcompartment。Kimpatronizedathird，andwasthelifeandsoulofit。Heexplainedtothecompanythathewasassistanttoajugglerwhohadlefthimbehindsickwithfever，andthathewouldpickuphismasteratUmballa。Astheoccupantsofthecarriagechanged，hevariedthistale，oradorneditwithalltheshootsofabuddingfancy，themorerampantforbeingheldoffnativespeechsolong。InallIndiathatnightwasnohumanbeingsojoyfulasKim。AtUmballahegotoutandheadedeastward，plashingoverthesoddenfieldstothevillagewheretheoldsoldierlived。
　　AboutthistimeColonelCreightonatSimlawasadvisedfromLucknowbywirethatyoungO’Harahaddisappeared。MahbubAliwasintownsellinghorses，andtohimtheColonelconfidedtheaffaironemorningcanteringroundAnnandaleracecourse。
　　`Oh，thatisnothing，’saidthehorse-dealer。`Menarelikehorses。
　　Atcertaintimestheyneedsalt，andifthatsaltisnotinthemangerstheywilllickitupfromtheearth。HehasgonebacktotheRoadagainforawhile。Themadrissahweariedhim。Iknewitwould。Anothertime，IwilltakehimupontheRoadmyself。Donotbetroubled，CreightonSahib。Itisasthoughapolo-pony，breakingloose，ranouttolearnthegamealone。’
　　`Thenheisnotdead，thinkyou？’
　　`Fevermightkillhim。Idonotfearfortheboyotherwise。Amonkeydoesnotfallamongtrees。’
　　Nextmorning，onthesamecourse，Mahbub’sstallionrangedalongsidetheColonel。
　　`ItisasIhadthought，’saidthehorse-dealer。`HehascomethroughUmballaatleast，andtherehehaswrittenalettertome，havinglearnedinthebazarthatIwashere。’
　　`Read，’saidtheColonel，withasighofrelief。Itwasabsurdthatamanofhispositionshouldtakeaninterestinalittlecountry-bredvagabond；buttheColonelrememberedtheconversationinthetrain，andofteninthepastfewmonthshadcaughthimselfthinkingofthequeer，silent，self-possessedboy。Hisevasion，ofcourse，wastheheightofinsolence，butitarguedsomeresourceandnerve。
　　Mahbub’seyestwinkledashereinedoutintothecentreofthecrampedlittleplain，wherenonecouldcomenearunseen。
　　`“TheFriendoftheStars，whoistheFriendofalltheWorld-“’
　　`Whatisthis？’
　　`AnamewegivehiminLahorecity。“TheFriendofalltheWorldtakesleavetogotohisownplaces。
　　Hewillcomebackupontheappointedday。Lettheboxandthebedding-rollbesentfor；andiftherehasbeenafault，lettheHandofFriendshipturnasidetheWhipofCalamity。“Thereisyetalittlemore，but-’
　　`Nomatter，read。’
　　`“Certainthingsarenotknowntothosewhoeatwithforks。Itisbettertoeatwithbothhandsforawhile。Speaksoftwordstothosewhodonotunderstandthisthatthereturnmaybepropitious。“Nowthemannerinwhichthatwascastis，ofcourse，theworkoftheletter-writer，butseehowwiselytheboyhasdevisedthematterofitsothatnohintisgivenexcepttothosewhoknow！’
　　`IsthistheHandofFriendshiptoaverttheWhipofCalamity？’laughedtheColonel。
　　`Seehowwiseistheboy。HewouldgobacktotheRoadagain，asIsaid。
　　Notknowingyetthytrade-’
　　`Iamnotatallsureofthat，’theColonelmuttered。
　　`Heturnstometomakeapeacebetweenyou。Ishenotwise？Hesayshewillreturn。Heisbutperfectinghisknowledge。Think，Sahib！Hehasbeenthreemonthsattheschool。Andheisnotmouthedtothatbit。Formypart，Irejoice。Theponylearnsthegame。’
　　`Ay，butanothertimehemustnotgoalone。’
　　`Why？HewentalonebeforehecameundertheColonelSahib’sprotection。
　　WhenhecomestotheGreatGamehemustgoalone-alone，andatperilofhishead。Then，ifhespits，orsneezes，orsitsdownotherthanasthepeopledowhomhewatches，hemaybeslain。Whyhinderhimnow？
　　RememberhowthePersianssay：ThejackalthatlivesinthewildsofMazanderancanonlybecaughtbythehoundsofMazanderan。’
　　`True。Itistrue，MahbubAli。Andifhecomestonoharm，Idonotdesireanythingbetter。Butitisgreatinsolenceonhispart。’
　　`Hedoesnottellme，even，whitherhegoes，’saidMahbub。`Heisnofool。Whenhistimeisaccomplishedhewillcometome。Itistimethehealerofpearlstookhiminhand。Heripenstooquickly-asSahibsreckon。’
　　Thisprophecywasfulfilledtotheletteramonthlater。MahbubhadgonedowntoUmballatobringupafreshconsignmentofhorses，andKimmethimontheKalkaroadatduskridingalone，beggedanalmsofhim，wasswornat，andrepliedinEnglish。TherewasnobodywithinearshottohearMahbub’sgaspofamazement。
　　`Oho！Andwherehastthoubeen？’
　　`Upanddown-downandup。’
　　`Comeunderatree，outofthewet，andtell。’
　　`IstayedforawhilewithanoldmannearUmballa；anonwithahouseholdofmyacquaintanceinUmballa。WithoneoftheseIwentasfarasDelhitothesouthward。Thatisawondrouscity。ThenIdroveabullockforateli[anoilman]comingnorth；butIheardofagreatfeastforwardinPatiala，andthitherwentIinthecompanyofafirework-maker。Itwasagreatfeast’Kimrubbedhisstomach。`IsawRajahs，andelephantswithgoldandsilvertrappings；andtheylitallthefireworksatonce，wherebyelevenmenwerekilled，myfirework-makeramongthem，andIwasblownacrossatentbuttooknoharm。ThenIcamebacktother&；etilde；lwithaSikhhorseman，towhomIwasgroomformybread；andsohere。’
　　`Shabash！’saidMahbubAli。
　　`ButwhatdoestheColonelSahibsay？Idonotwishtobebeaten。’
　　`TheHandofFriendshiphasavertedtheWhipofCalamity；butanothertime，whenthoutakesttheRoaditwillbewithme。Thisistooearly。’
　　`Lateenoughforme。IhavelearnedtoreadandtowriteEnglishalittleatthemadrissah。IshallsoonbealtogetheraSahib。’
　　`Hearhim！’laughedMahbub，lookingatthelittledrenchedfiguredancinginthewet。`Salaam-Sahib，’andhesalutedironically。`Well，arttiredoftheRoad，orwiltthoucomeontoUmballawithmeandworkbackwiththehorses？’
　　`Icomewiththee，MahbubAli。’
　　Kipling：Kim，Chapter8Chapter8
　　SomethingIowetothesoilthatgrew——
　　Moretothelifethatfed——
　　ButmosttoAllahWhogavemetwoSeparatesidestomyhead。
　　Iwouldgowithoutshirtsorshoes，Friends，tobaccoorbreadSoonerthanforaninstantloseEithersideofmyhead。
　　TheTwo-SidedMan。`TheninGod’snametakeblueforred，’saidMahbub，alludingtotheHinducolourofKim’sdisreputableturban。
　　Kimcounteredwiththeoldproverb，`Iwillchangemyfaithandmybedding，butthoumustpayforit。’
　　Thedealerlaughedtillhenearlyfellfromhishorse。Atashopontheoutskirtsofthecitythechangewasmade，andKimstoodup，externallyatleast，aMohammedan。
　　Mahbubhiredaroomoveragainsttherailwaystation，sentforacookedmealofthefinestwiththealmond-curdsweet-meats[balushaiwecallit]andfine-choppedLucknowtobacco。
　　`ThisisbetterthansomeothermeatthatIatewiththeSikh，’saidKim，grinningashesquatted，`andassuredlytheygivenosuchvictualsatmymadrissah。’
　　`Ihaveadesiretohearofthatsamemadrissah。’Mahbubstuffedhimselfwithgreatbolusesofspicedmuttonfriedinfatwithcabbageandgolden-brownonIons。`Buttellmefirst，altogetherandtruthfully，themannerofthyescape。For，OFriendofalltheWorld，’-heloosedhiscrackingbelt-`IdonotthinkitisoftenthataSahibandthesonofaSahibrunsawayfromthere。’
　　`Howshouldthey？Theydonotknowtheland。Itwasnothing，’saidKim，andbeganhistale。Whenhecametothedisguisementandtheinterviewwiththegirlinthebazar，MahbubAli’sgravitywentfromhim。Helaughedaloudandbeathishandonhisthigh。