`TheKeeperoftheImagesintheWonderHouseacquiredmeritbygivingmetheseayearsince，’hesaid，followingKim’seye。`Whenoneisfarfromone’sownlandsuchthingscarryremembrance；andwemustreverencetheLordforthatHeshowedtheWay。See！’Hepointedtoacuriously-builtmoundofcolouredricecrownedwithafantasticmetalornament。`WhenI
　　WasAbbotinmyownplace-beforeIcametobetterknowledge-Imadethatofferingdaily。ItistheSacrificeoftheUniversetotheLord。ThusdoweofBhotiyalofferalltheworlddailytotheExcellentLaw。AndI
　　doitevennow，thoughIknowthattheExcellentOneisbeyondallpinchingsandpattings。’Hesnuffedfromhisgourd。
　　`Itiswelldone，HolyOne，’Kimmurmured，sinkingateaseonthecushions，veryhappyandrathertired。
　　`Andalso，’theoldmanchuckled，`IwritepicturesoftheWheelofLife。Threedaystoapicture。Iwasbusiedonit-oritmaybeIshutmyeyesalittle-whentheybroughtwordofthee。Itisgoodtohavetheehere：Iwillshowtheemyart-notforpride’ssake，butbecausethoumustlearn。TheSahibshavenotallthisworld’swisdom。’
　　HedrewfromunderthetableasheetofstrangelyscentedyellowChinesepaper，thebrushes，andslabofIndianink。Incleanest，severestoutlinehehadtracedtheGreatWheelwithitssixspokes，whosecentreistheconjoinedHog，Snake，andDoveIgnorance，Anger，andLust，andwhosecompartmentsarealltheHeavensandHells，andallthechancesofhumanlife。MensaythattheBodhisatHimselffirstdrewitwithgrainsofriceupondust，toteachHisdisciplesthecauseofthings。Manyageshavecrystallizeditintoamostwonderfulconventioncrowdedwithhundredsoflittlefigureswhoseeverylinecarriesameaning。Fewcantranslatethepicture-parable；
　　therearenottwentyinalltheworldwhocandrawitsurelywithoutacopy：ofthosewhocanbothdrawandexpoundarebutthree。
　　`Ihavealittlelearnedtodraw，’saidKim。`Butthisisamarvelbeyondmarvels。’
　　`Ihavewrittenitformanyyears，’saidthelama。`TimewaswhenI
　　couldwriteitallbetweenonelamp-lightingandthenext。Iwillteachtheetheart-afterduepreparation；andIwillshowtheethemeaningoftheWheel。’
　　`WetaketheRoad，then？’
　　`TheRoadandourSearch。Iwasbutwaitingforthee。Itwasmadeplaintomeinahundreddreams-notablyonethatcameuponthenightofthedaythattheGatesofLearningfirstshut-thatwithouttheeIshouldneverfindmyRiver。Againandagain，asthouknowest，Iputthisfromme，fearinganillusion。ThereforeIwouldnottaketheewithmethatdayatLucknow，whenweatethecakes。Iwouldnottaketheetillthetimewasripeandauspicious。FromtheHillstotheSea，fromtheSeatotheHillshaveIgone，butitwasvain。ThenIrememberedtheJî；taka。’
　　HetoldKimthestoryoftheelephantwiththeleg-iron，ashehadtolditsooftentotheJainpriests。
　　`Furthertestimonyisnotneeded，’heendedserenely。`Thouwastsentforanaid。Thataidremoved，mySearchcametonaught。Thereforewewillgooutagaintogether，andourSearchissure。’
　　`Whithergowe？’
　　`Whatmatters，FriendofalltheWorld？TheSearch，Isay，issure。
　　Ifneedbe，theRiverwillbreakfromthegroundbeforeus。IacquiredmeritwhenIsenttheetotheGatesofLearning，andgavetheethejewelthatisWisdom。Thoudidstreturn，Isawevennow，afollowerofSakyamuni，thePhysician，’whosealtarsaremanyinBhotiyal。Itissufficient。Wearetogether，andallthingsareastheywere-FriendofalltheWorld-FriendoftheStars-mychela！’
　　Thentheytalkedofmatterssecular；butitwasnoticeablethatthelamaneverdemandedanydetailsoflifeatStXavier’s，norshowedthefaintestcuriosityastothemannersandcustomsofSahibs。Hismindmovedallinthepast，andherevivedeverystepoftheirwonderfulfirstjourneytogether，rubbinghishandsandchuckling，tillitpleasedhimtocurlhimselfupintothesuddensleepofoldage。
　　Kimwatchedthelastdustysunshinefadeoutofthecourt，andplayedwithhisghost-daggerandrosary。TheclamourofBenares，oldestofallearth’scitiesawakebeforetheGods，dayandnight，beatroundthewallsasthesea’sroarroundabreakwater。Nowandagain，aJainpriestcrossedthecourt，withsomesmallofferingtotheimages，andsweptthepathabouthimlestbychanceheshouldtakethelifeofalivingthing。Alamptwinkled，andtherefollowedthesoundofaprayer。Kimwatchedthestarsastheyroseoneafteranotherinthestill，stickydark，tillhefellasleepatthefootofthealtar。ThatnighthedreamedinHindustani，withneveranEnglishword……
　　`HolyOne，thereisthechildtowhomwegavethemedicine，’hesaid，aboutthreeo’clockinthemorning，whenthelama，alsowakingfromdreams，wouldhavefaredforthonpilgrimage。
　　`TheJatwillhehereatthelight。’
　　`Iamwellanswered。InmyhasteIwouldhavedoneawrong。’Hesatdownonthecushionsandreturnedtohisrosary。`Surelyoldfolkareaschildren，’hesaidpathetically。`Theydesireamatter-behold，itmustbedoneatonce，ortheyfretandweep！ManytimeswhenIwasupontheRoadIhavebeenreadytostampwithmyfeetatthehindranceofanox-cartintheway，oramerecloudofdust。ItwasnotsowhenIwasaman-alongtimeago。Nonethelessitiswrongful-’
　　`Butthouartindeedold，HolyOne。’
　　`Thethingwasdone。ACausewasputoutintotheworld，md，oldoryoung，sickorsound，knowingorunknowing，whocanreinintheeffectofthatCause？DoestheWheelhangstillifachildspinit-oradrunkard？Chela，thisisagreatandaterribleworld。’
　　`Ithinkitgood，’Kimyawned。`Whatistheretoeat？Ihavenoteatensinceyesterdayeven。’
　　`Ihadforgottenthyneed。YonderisgoodBhotiyalteaandcoldrice。’
　　`Wecannotwalkfaronsuchstuff。’KimfeltalltheEuropean’slustforflesh-meat，whichisnotaccessibleinaJaintemple。Yet，insteadofgoingoutatoncewiththebegging-bowl，hestayedhisstomachonslabsofcoldricetillthefulldawn。Itbroughtthefarmer，voluble，stutteringwithgratitude。
　　`Inthenightthefeverbrokeandthesweatcame，’hecried。`Feelhere-hisskinisfreshandnew！Heesteemedthesaltlozenges，andtookmilkwithgreed。’Hedrewtheclothfromthechild’sface，anditsmiledsleepilyatKim。AlittleknotofJainpriests，silentbutall-observant，gatheredbythetempledoor。Theyknew，andKimknewthattheyknew，howtheoldlamahadmethisdisciple。Beingcourteousfolk，theyhadnotobtrudedthemselvesovernightbypresence，word，orgesture。WhereforeKimrepaidthemasthesunrose。
　　`ThanktheGodsoftheJains，brother，’hesaid，notknowinghowthoseGodswerenamed。`Thefeverisindeedbroken。’
　　`Look！See！’Thelamabeamedinthebackgrounduponhishostsofthreeyears。`Wasthereeversuchachela？HefollowsourLordtheHealer。’
　　NowtheJainsofficiallyrecognizealltheGodsoftheHinducreed，aswellastheLingamandtheSnake。TheyweartheBrahminicalthread；
　　theyadheretoeveryclaimofHinducast-law。But，becausetheyknewandlovedthelama，becausehewasanoldman，becausehesoughttheWay，becausehewastheirguest，andbecausehecolloguedlongofnightswiththehead-priest-asfree-thinkingametaphysicianaseversplitonehairintoseventy-theymurmuredassent。
　　`Remember，’Kimbentoverthechild-`thistroublemaycomeagain。’
　　`Notifthouhasttheproperspell，’saidthefather。
　　`Butinalittlewhilewegoaway。’
　　`True，’saidthelamatoalltheJains。`WegonowtogetherupontheSearchwhereofIhaveoftenspoken。Iwaitedtillmychelawasripe。
　　Beholdhim！WegoNorth。NeveragainshallIlookuponthisplaceofmyrest，Opeopleofgoodwill。’
　　`ButIamnotabeggar。’Thecultivatorrosetohisfeet，clutchingthechild。
　　`Bestill。DonottroubletheHolyOne，’apriestcried。
　　`Go，’Kimwhispered。`Meetusagainunderthebigrailwaybridge，andforthesakeofalltheGodsofourPunjab，bringfood-curry，pulse，cakesfriedinfat，andsweetmeats。Speciallysweetmeats。Beswift！’
　　ThepallorofhungersuitedKimverywellashestood，tallandslim，inhissand-coloured，sweepingrobes，onehandonhisrosaryandtheotherintheattitudeofbenediction，faithfullycopiedfromthelama。AnEnglishobservermighthavesaidthathelookedratherliketheyoungsaintofastained-glasswindow，whereashewasbutagrowingladfaintwithemptiness。
　　Longandformalwerethefarewells，thriceendedandthricerenewed。
　　TheSeeker-hewhohadinvitedthelamatothathavenfromfar-awayTibet，asilver-faced，hairlessascetictooknopartinit，butmeditated，asalways，aloneamongtheimages。Theotherswereveryhuman；pressingsmallcomfortsupontheoldman-abetel-box，afinenewironpencase，afood-bag，andsuch-like-warninghimagainstthedangersoftheworldwithout，andprophesyingahappyendtotheSearch。MeantimeKim，lonelierthanever，squattedonthesteps，andsworetohimselfinthelanguageofStXavier’s。
　　`Butitismyownfault，’heconcluded。`WithMahbub，IateMahbub’sbread，orLurganSahib’s。AtStXavier’s，threemealsaday。HereImustjolly-welllookoutformyself。Besides，Iamnotingoodtraining。HowIcouldeataplateofbeefnow！……Isitfinished，HolyOne？’
　　Thelama，bothhandsraised，intonedafinalblessinginornateChinese。
　　`Imustleanonthyshoulder，’saidhe，asthetemplegatesclosed。`Wegrowstiff；Ithink。’
　　Theweightofasix-footmanisnotlighttosteadythroughmilesofcrowdedstreets，andKim，loadeddownwithbundlesandpackagesfortheway，wasgladtoreachtheshadowoftherailwaybridge。
　　`Hereweeat，’hesaidresolutely，astheKamboh，blue-robedandsmiling，hoveinsight，abasketinonehandandthechildintheother。
　　`Fallto，HolyOnes！’hecriedfromfiftyyards。Theywerebytheshoalunderthefirstbridge-span，outofsightofhungrypriests。`Riceandgoodcurry，cakesallwarmandwellscentedwithhing[asafoetida]，curdsandsugar。Kingofmyfields，’-thistothesmallson-`letusshowtheseholymenthatweJatsofJullundurcanpayaservice……IhadheardtheJainswouldeatnothingthattheyhadnotcooked，buttruly’-
　　helookedawaypolitelyoverthebroadriver-`wherethereisnoeyethereisnocaste。’
　　`Andwe，’saidKim，turninghisbackandheapingaleaf-platterforthelama，`arebeyondallcastes。’
　　Theygorgedthemselvesonthegoodfoodinsilence。NortillhehadlickedthelastofthestickysweetstufffromhislittlefingerdidKimnotethattheKambohtoowasgirtfortravel。
　　`Ifourroadslietogether，’hesaidroughly，`Igowiththee。Onedoesnotoftenfindaworkerofmiracles，andthechildisstillweak。ButIamnotaltogetherareed。’Hepickeduphislathi-afive-footmale-bambooringedwithbandsofpolishediron-andflourisheditintheair。`TheJatsarecalledquarrelsome，butthatisnottrue。Exceptwhenwearecrossed，wearelikeourownbuffaloes。’
　　`Sobeit，’saidKim。`Agoodstickisagoodreason。’
　　Thelamagazedplacidlyup-stream，whereinlong，smudgedperspectivetheceaselesscolumnsofsmokegoupfromtheburning-ghatsbytheriver。