`Heiscome，’saidtheboy，inavoicelittlelouderthanasigh，andvanished。Kimfeltsurethattheboyhadbeenpostedtoguidehimfromthefirst，but，puttingaboldfaceonit，partedthecurtain。Ablack-beardedman，withagreenshadeoverhiseyes，satatatable，and，onebyone，withshort，whitehands，pickedupglobulesoflightfromatraybeforehim，threadedthemonaglancingsilkenstring，andhummedtohimselfthewhile。KimwasconsciousthatbeyondthecircleoflighttheroomwasfullofthingsthatsmeltlikeallthetemplesofalltheEast。Awhiffofmusk，apuffofsandal-wood，andabreathofsicklyjessamine-oilcaughthisopenednostrils。
　　`Iamhere，’saidKimatlast，speakinginthevernacular：thesmellsmadehimforgetthathewastobeaSahib。
　　`Seventy-nine，eighty，eighty-one，’themancountedtohimself；stringingpearlafterpearlsoquicklythatKimcouldscarcelyfollowhisfingers。
　　HeslidoffthegreenshadeandlookedfixedlyatKimforafullhalf-minute。
　　Thepupilsoftheeyedilatedandclosedtopin-pricks，asifatwill。
　　TherewasafakirbytheTaksaliGatewhohadjustthisgiftandmademoneybyit，especiallywhencursingsillywomen。Kimstaredwithinterest。Hisdisreputablefriendcouldfurthertwitchhisears，almostlikeagoat，andKimwasdisappointedthatthisnewmancouldnotimitatehim。
　　`Donotbeafraid，’saidLurganSahibsuddenly。
　　`WhyshouldIfear？’
　　`Thouwiltsleepheretonight，andstaywithmetillitistimetogoagaintoNucklao。Itisanorder。’
　　`Itisanorder，’Kimrepeated。`ButwhereshallIsleep？’
　　`Here，inthisroom。’LurganSahibwavedhishandtowardsthedarknessbehindhim。
　　`Sobeit，’saidKimcomposedly。`Now？’
　　Henoddedandheldthelampabovehishead。Asthelightsweptthem，thereleapedoutfromthewallsacollectionofTibetandevil-dancemasks，hangingabovethefiend-embroidereddraperiesofthoseghastlyfunctions-hornedmasks，scowlingmasks，andmasksofidioticterror。Inacorner，aJapanesewarrior，mailedandplumed，menacedhimwithahalberd，andascoreoflancesandkhandasandkuttarsgavebacktheunsteadygleam。ButwhatinterestedKimmorethanallthesethings-hehadseendevil-dancemasksattheLahoreMuseum-wasaglimpseofthesoft-eyedHinduchildwhohadlefthiminthedoorway，sittingcross-leggedunderthetableofpearlswithalittlesmileonhisscarletlips。
　　`IthinkthatLurganSahibwishestomakemeafraid。AndIamsurethatthatdevil’sbratbelowthetablewishestoseemeafraid。Thisplace，’
　　hesaidaloud，`islikeaWonderHouse。Whereismybed？’
　　LurganSahibpointedtoanativequiltinacornerbytheloathsomemasks，pickedupthelamp，andlefttheroomblack。
　　`WasthatLurganSahib？’Kimaskedashecuddleddown。Noanswer。HecouldheartheHinduboybreathing，however，and，guidedbythesound，crawledacrossthefloor，andcuffedintothedarkness，crying：`Giveanswer，devil！IsthisthewaytolietoaSahib？’
　　Fromthedarknesshefanciedhecouldheartheechoofachuckle。Itcouldnotbehissoft-fleshedcompanion，becausehewasweeping。SoKimlifteduphisvoiceandcalledaloud：`LurganSahib！OLurganSahib！Isitanorderthatthyservantdoesnotspeaktome？’
　　`Itisanorder。’Thevoicecamefrombehindhimandhestarted。
　　`Verygood。Butremember，’hemuttered，asheresoughtthequilt，`I
　　willbeattheeinthemorning。IdonotloveHindus。’
　　Thatwasnocheerfulnight；theroombeingoverfullofvoicesandmusic。
　　Kimwaswakedtwicebysomeonecallinghisname。Thesecondtimehesetoutinsearch，andendedbybruisinghisnoseagainstaboxthatcertainlyspokewithahumantongue，butinnosortofhumanaccent。Itseemedtoendinatintrumpetandtobejoinedbywirestoasmallerboxonthefloor-sofar，atleast，ashecouldjudgebytouch。Andthevoice，veryhardandwhirring，cameoutofthetrumpet。Kimrubbedhisnoseandgrewfurious，thinking，asusual，inHindi。
　　`Thiswithabeggarfromthebazarmightbegood，but-IamaSahibandthesonofaSahiband，whichistwiceasmuchmorebeside，astudentofNucklao。Yess’hereheturnedtoEnglish，`aboyofStXavier’s。DamnMrLurgan’seyes！-Itissomesortofmachinerylikeasewing-machine。
　　Oh，itisagreatcheekofhim-wearenotfrightenedthatwayatLucknow-No！’TheninHindi：`Butwhatdoeshegain？Heisonlyatrader-Iaminhisshop。ButCreightonSahibisaColonel-andIthinkCreightonSahibgaveordersthatitshouldbedone。HowIwillbeatthatHinduinthemorning！Whatisthis？’
　　Thetrumpet-boxwaspouringoutastringofthemostelaborateabusethatevenKimhadeverheard，inahighuninterestedvoice，thatforamomentliftedtheshorthairsofhisneck。Whenthevilethingdrewbreath，Kimwasreassuredbythesoft，sewing-machine-likewhirr。
　　`Chû；p！[Bestill]’hecried，andagainheheardachucklethatdecidedhim。`Chû；p-orIbreakyourhead。’
　　Theboxtooknoheed。Kimwrenchedatthetintrumpetandsomethingliftedwithaclick。Hehadevidentlyraisedalid。Iftherewereadevilinside，nowwasitstime，for-hesniffed-thusdidthesewing-machinesofthebazarsmell。Hewouldcleanthatshaitan。Heslippedoffhisjacket，andplungeditintothebox’smouth。Somethinglongandroundbentunderthepressure，therewasawhirrandthevoicestopped-asvoicesmustifyouramathrice-doubledcoatontothewaxcylinderandintotheworksofanexpensivephonograph。Kimfinishedhisslumberswithaserenemind。
　　InthemorninghewasawareofLurganSahiblookingdownonhim。
　　`Oah！’saidKim，firmlyresolvedtoclingtohisSahib-dom。`Therewasaboxinthenightthatgavemebadtalk。SoIstoppedit。Wasityourbox？’
　　Themanheldouthishand。
　　`Shakehands，O’Hara，’hesaid。`Yes，itwasmybox。IkeepsuchthingsbecausemyfriendstheRajahslikethem。Thatoneisbroken，butitwascheapattheprice。Yes，myfriends，theKings，areveryfondoftoys-
　　andsoamIsometimes。’
　　Kimlookedhimoveroutofthecornersofhiseyes。HewasaSahibinthatheworeSahib’sclothes；theaccentofhisUrdu，theintonationofhisEnglish，showedthathewasanythingbutaSahib。HeseemedtounderstandwhatmovedinKim’sminderetheboyopenedhismouth，andhetooknopainstoexplainhimselfasdidFatherVictorortheLucknowmasters。Sweetestofall-hetreatedKimasanequalontheAsiaticside。
　　`Iamsorryyoucannotbeatmyboythismorning。Hesayshewillkillyouwithaknifeorpoison。Heisjealous，soIhaveputhiminthecornerandIshallnotspeaktohimtoday。Hehasjusttriedtokillme。Youmusthelpmewiththebreakfast。Heisalmosttoojealoustotrust，justnow。’
　　NowagenuineimportedSahibfromEnglandwouldhavemadeagreatto-dooverthistale。LurganSahibstateditassimplyasMahbubAliwasusedtorecordhislittleaffairsintheNorth。
　　Thebackverandaoftheshopwasbuiltoutoverthesheerhillside，andtheylookeddownintotheirneighbours’chimney-pots，asisthecustomofSimla。ButevenmorethanthepurelyPersianmealcookedbyLurganSahibwithhisownhands，theshopfascinatedKim。TheLahoreMuseumwaslarger，buthereweremorewonders-ghost-daggersandprayer-wheelsfromTibet；
　　turquoiseandrawambernecklaces；greenjadebangles；curiouslypackedincense-sticksinjarscrustedoverwithrawgarnets；thedevil-masksofovernightandawallfullofpeacock-bluedraperies；giltfiguresofBuddha，andlittleportablelacqueraltars；Russiansamovarswithturquoisesonthelid；egg-shellchinasetsinquaintoctagonalcaneboxes；yellowivorycrucifixes-fromJapanofallplacesintheworld，soLurganSahibsaid；
　　carpetsindustybales，smellingatrociously，pushedbackbehindtornandrottenscreensofgeometricalwork；Persianwater-jugsforthehandsaftermeals；dullcopperincense-burnersneitherChinesenorPersian，withfriezesoffantasticdevilsrunningroundthem；tarnishedsilverbeltsthatknottedlikerawhide；hairpinsofjade，ivory，andplasma；armsofallsortsandkinds，andathousandotheroddmentswerecased，orpiled，ormerelythrownintotheroom，leavingaclearspaceonlyroundthericketydealtable，whereLurganSahibworked。
　　`Thosethingsarenothing，’saidhishost，followingKim’sglance。`I
　　buythembecausetheyarepretty，andsometimesIsell-ifIlikethebuyer’slook。Myworkisonthetable-someofit。’
　　Itblazedinthemorninglight-allredandblueandgreenflashes，pickedoutwiththeviciousblue-whitespurtofadiamondhereandthere。
　　Kimopenedhiseyes。
　　`Oh，theyarequitewell，thosestones。Itwillnothurtthemtotakethesun。Besides，theyarecheap。Butwithsickstonesitisverydifferent。’
　　HepiledKim’splateanew。`Thereisnoonebutmecandoctorasickpearlandre-blueturquoises。Igrantyouopals-anyfoolcancureanopal-
　　butforasickpearlthereisonlyme。SupposeIweretodie！Thentherewouldbenoone……Ohno！Youcannotdoanythingwithjewels。ItwillbequiteenoughifyouunderstandalittleabouttheTurquoise-someday。’
　　Hemovedtotheendoftheverandatorefilltheheavy，porousclaywater-jugfromthefilter。
　　`Doyouwantdrink？’
　　Kimnodded。LurganSahib，fifteenfeetoff；laidonehandonthejar。
　　Nextinstant，itstoodatKim’selbow，fulltowithinhalfaninchofthebrim-thewhiteclothonlyshowing，byasmallwrinkle，whereithadslidintoplace。
　　`Wah！’saidKiminmostutteramazement。`Thatismagic。’LurganSahib’ssmileshowedthatthecomplimenthadgonehome。
　　`Throwitback。’
　　`Itwillbreak。’
　　`Isay，throwitback。’
　　Kimpitcheditatrandom。Itfellshortandcrashedintofiftypieces，whilethewaterdrippedthroughtheroughverandaboarding。
　　`Isaiditwouldbreak。’
　　`Allone。Lookatit。Lookatthelargestpiece。’
　　Thatlaywithasparkleofwaterinitscurve，asitwereastaronthefloor。Kimlookedintently。LurganSahiblaidonehandgentlyonthenapeofhisneck，strokedittwiceorthrice，andwhispered：`Look！Itshallcometolifeagain，piecebypiece。Firstthebigpieceshalljoinitselftotwoothersontherightandtheleft-ontherightandtheleft。
　　Look！’
　　Tosavehislife，Kimcouldnothaveturnedhishead。Thelighttouchheldhimasinavice，andhisbloodtingledpleasantlythroughhim。Therewasonelargepieceofthejarwheretherehadbeenthree，andabovethemtheshadowyoutlineoftheentirevessel。Hecouldseetheverandathroughit，butitwasthickeninganddarkeningwitheachbeatofhispulse。Yetthejar-howslowlythethoughtscame！-thejarhadbeensmashedbeforehiseyes。Anotherwaveofpricklingfireraceddownhisneck，asLurganSahibmovedhishand。
　　`Look！Itiscomingintoshape，’saidLurganSahib。
　　SofarKimhadbeenthinkinginHindi，butatremorcameonhim，andwithaneffortlikethatofaswimmerbeforesharks，whohurlshimselfhalfoutofthewater，hismindleapedupfromadarknessthatwasswallowingitandtookrefugein-themultiplication-tableinEnglish！