forsheknewthetalewastowinherapproval。
　　`Alas！’saidthecultivator’swifeattheend。`Sotheirvillageswereburntandtheirlittlechildrenmadehomeless？’
　　`Theyhadmarkedourdead。TheypaidagreatpaymentafterweoftheSikhshadschooledthem。Soitwas。IsthisAmritzar？’
　　`Ay，andheretheycutourtickets，’saidthebanker，fumblingathisbelt。
　　Thelampswerepalinginthedawnwhenthehalf-casteguardcameround。
　　Ticket-collectingisaslowbusinessintheEast，wherepeoplesecretetheirticketsinallsortsofcuriousplaces。Kimproducedhisandwastoldtogetout。
　　`ButIgotoUmballa，’heprotested。`Igowiththisholyman。’
　　`ThoucanstgotoJehannumforaughtIcare。ThisticketisonlytoAmritzar。Out！’
　　Kimburstintoafloodoftears，protestingthatthelamawashisfatherandhismother，thathewasthepropofthelama’sdecliningyears，andthatthelamawoulddiewithouthiscare。Allthecarriagebadetheguardbemerciful-thebankerwasspeciallyeloquenthere-buttheguardhauledKimontotheplatform。Thelamablinked-hecouldnotovertakethesituation-andKimlifteduphisvoiceandweptoutsidethecarriagewindow。
　　`Iamverypoor。Myfatherisdead-mymotherisdead。Ocharitableones，ifIamlefthere，whoshalltendthatoldman？’
　　`What-whatisthis？’thelamarepeated。`HemustgotoBenares。Hemustcomewithme。Heismychela。Ifthereismoneytobepaid-’
　　`Oh，besilent，’whisperedKim；`areweRajahstothrowawaygoodsilverwhentheworldissocharitable？’
　　TheAmritzargirlsteppedoutwithherbundles，anditwasonherthatKimkepthiswatchfuleye。Ladiesofthatpersuasion，heknew，weregenerous。
　　`Aticket-alittletikkuttoUmballa-OBreakerofHearts！’
　　Shelaughed。`Hastthounocharity？’
　　`DoestheholymancomefromtheNorth’
　　`FromfarandfarintheNorthhecomes，’criedKim。`Fromamongthehills。’
　　`Thereissnowamongthepine-treesintheNorth-inthehillsthereissnow。MymotherwasfromKulu。Gettheeaticket。Askhimforablessing。’
　　`Tenthousandblessings，’shrilledKim。`OHolyOne，awomanhasgivenusincharitysothatIcancomewiththee-awomanwithagoldenheart。
　　Irunforthetikkut。’
　　Thegirllookedupatthelama，whohadmechanicallyfollowedKimtotheplatform。Hebowedhisheadthathemightnotseeher，andmutteredinTibetanasshepassedonwiththecrowd。
　　`Lightcome-lightgo，’saidthecultivator’swifeviciously。
　　`Shehasacquiredmerit，’returnedthelama。`Beyonddoubtitwasanun。’
　　`TherebetenthousandsuchnunsinAmritzaralone。Return，oldman，orthete-rainmaydepartwithoutthee，’criedthebanker。
　　`Notonlywasitsufficientfortheticket，butforalittlefoodalso，’
　　saidKim，leapingtohisplace。`Noweat，HolyOne。Look。Daycomes！’
　　Golden，rose，saffron，andpink，themorningmistssmokedawayacrosstheflatgreenlevels。AlltherichPunjablayoutinthesplendourofthekeensun。Thelamaflinchedalittleasthetelegraph-postsswungby。
　　`Greatisthespeedofthete-rain，’saidthebanker，withapatronizinggrin。`WehavegonefarthersinceLahorethanthoucouldstwalkintwodays：ateven，weshallenterUmballa。’
　　`AndthatisstillfarfromBenares，’saidthelamawearily，mumblingoverthecakesthatKimoffered。Theyallunloosedtheirbundlesandmadetheirmorningmeal。Thenthebanker，thecultivator，andthesoldierpreparedtheirpipesandwrappedthecompartmentinchoking，acridsmoke，spittingandcoughingandenjoyingthemselves。TheSikhandthecultivator’swifechewedpan；thelamatooksnuffandtoldhisbeads，whileKim，cross-legged，smiledoverthecomfortofafullstomach。
　　`WhatrivershaveyebyBenares？’saidthelamaofasuddentothecarriageatlarge。
　　`WehaveGunga，’returnedthebanker，whenthelittletitterhadsubsided。
　　`Whatothers？’
　　`WhatotherthanGunga？’
　　`Nay，butinmymindwasthethoughtofacertainRiverofhealing。’
　　`ThatisGunga。WhobathesinherismadecleanandgoestotheGods。
　　ThricehaveImadepilgrimagetoGunga。’Helookedroundproudly。
　　`Therewasneed，’saidtheyoungsepoydrily，andthetravellers’laughturnedagainstthebanker。
　　`Clean-toreturnagaintotheGods，’thelamamuttered。`Andtogoforthontheroundoflivesanew-stilltiedtotheWheel。’Heshookhisheadtestily。`Butmaybethereisamistake。Who，then，madeGungainthebeginning？’
　　`TheGods。Ofwhatknownfaithartthou？’thebankersaid，appalled。
　　`IfollowtheLaw-theMostExcellentLaw。SoitwastheGodsthatmadeGunga。WhatlikeofGodswerethey？’
　　Thecarriagelookedathiminamazement。ItwasinconceivablethatanyoneshouldbeignorantofGunga。
　　`What-whatisthyGod？’saidthemoney-lenderatlast。
　　`Hear！’saidthelama，shiftingtherosarytohishand。`Hear：forI
　　speakofHimnow！OpeopleofHind，listen！’
　　HebeganinUrduthetaleoftheLordBuddha，but，bornebyhisownthoughts，slidintoTibetanandlong-dronedtextsfromaChinesebookoftheBuddha’slife。Thegentle，tolerantfolklookedonreverently。AllIndiaisfullofholymenstammeringgospelsinstrangetongues；shakenandconsumedinthefiresoftheirownzeal；dreamers，babblers，andvisionaries：
　　asithasbeenfromthebeginningandwillcontinuetotheend。
　　`Um！’saidthesoldieroftheLudhianaSikhs。`TherewasaMohammedanregimentlaynexttousatthePirzaiKotal，andapriestoftheirs-hewas，asIremember，anaik-whenthefitwasonhim，spakeprophecies。
　　ButthemadallareinGod’skeeping。Hisofficersoverlookedmuchinthatman。’
　　ThelamafellbackonUrdu，rememberingthathewasinastrangeland。
　　`HearthetaleoftheArrowwhichourLordloosedfromthebow，’hesaid。
　　Thiswasmuchmoretotheirtaste，andtheylistenedcuriouslywhilehetoldit。`Now，OpeopleofHind，IgotoseekthatRiver。Knowyeaughtthatmayguideme，forwebeallmenandwomeninevilcase。’
　　`ThereisGunga-andGungaalone-whowashesawaysin，’ranthemurmurroundthecarriage。
　　`ThoughpastquestionwehavegoodGodsJullundur-way，’saidthecultivator’swife，lookingoutofthewindow。`Seehowtheyhaveblessedthecrops。’
　　`TosearcheveryriverinthePunjabisnosmallmatter，’saidherhusband。
　　`Forme，astreamthatleavesgoodsiltonmylandsuffices，andIthankBhumia，theGodoftheHome-stead。’Heshruggedoneknotted，bronzedshoulder。
　　`ThinkyouourLordcamesofarNorth？’saidthelama，turningtoKim。
　　`Itmaybe，’Kimrepliedsoothingly，ashespatredpan-juiceonthefloor。
　　`ThelastoftheGreatOnes，’saidtheSikhwithauthority，`wasSikanderJulkarn[AlexandertheGreat]。HepavedthestreetsofJullundurandbuiltagreattanknearUmballa。Thatpavementholdstothisday；andthetankistherealso。IneverheardofthyGod。’
　　`LetthyhairgrowlongandtalkPunjabi，’saidtheyoungsoldierjestinglytoKim，quotingaNorthernproverb。`ThatisallthatmakesaSikh。’Buthedidnotsaythisveryloud。
　　Thelamasighedandshrankintohimself，adingy，shapelessmass。Inthepausesoftheirtalktheycouldhearthelowdroning-`Ommanepudmehum！Ommanepudmehum！’-andthethickclickofthewoodenrosarybeads。
　　`Itirksme，’hesaidatlast。`Thespeedandtheclatterirkme。Moreover，mychela，Ithinkthatmaybewehaveover-passedthatRiver。’
　　`Peace，peace，’saidKim。`WasnottheRivernearBenares？Weareyetfarfromtheplace。’
　　`But-ifourLordcameNorth，itmaybeanyoneoftheselittleonesthatwehaverunacross。’
　　`Idonotknow。’
　　`Butthouwastsenttome-wastthousenttome？-forthemeritI
　　hadacquiredoveryonderatSuch-zen。Frombesidethecannondidstthoucome-bearingtwofaces-andtwogarbs。’
　　`Peace。Onemustnotspeakofthesethingshere，’whisperedKim。`Therewasbutoneofme。Thinkagainandthouwiltremember。Aboy-aHinduboy-bythegreatgreencannon。’