Asthetroopercanteredoff，Kimcrawledroundtothebackofthehouse，where，goingonhisLahoreexperiences，hejudgedtherewouldbefood-
　　andinformation。Thekitchenwascrowdedwithexcitedscullions，oneofwhomkickedhim。
　　`Aie，’saidKim，feigningtears。`Icameonlytowashdishesinreturnforabellyful。’
　　`AllUmballaisonthesameerrand。Gethence。Theygoinnowwiththesoup。ThinkyouthatwewhoserveCreightonSahibneedstrangescullionstohelpusthroughabigdinner？’
　　`Itisaverybigdinner，’saidKim，lookingattheplates。
　　`Smallwonder。TheguestofhonourisnoneotherthantheJang-i-LatSahib[theCommander-in-Chief]。’
　　`Ho！’saidKim，withthecorrectgutturalnoteofwonder。Hehadlearnedwhathewanted，andwhenthescullionturnedhewasgone。
　　`Andallthattrouble，’saidhetohimself，thinkingasusualinHindustani，`forahorse’spedigree！MahbubAlishouldhavecometometolearnalittlelying。EverytimebeforethatIhaveborneamessageitconcernedawoman。
　　Nowitismen。Better。Thetallmansaidthattheywilllooseagreatarmytopunishsomeone-somewhere-thenewsgoestoPindiandPeshawur。Therearealsoguns。WouldIhadcreptnearer。Itisbignews！’
　　Hereturnedtofindthecultivator’scousin’syoungerbrotherdiscussingthefamilylaw-suitinallitsbearingswiththecultivatorandhiswifeandafewfriends，whilethelamadozed。Aftertheeveningmealsomeonepassedhimawater-pipe；andKimfeltverymuchofamanashepulledatthesmoothcoconut-shell，hislegsspreadabroadinthemoonlight，histongueclickinginremarksfromtimetotime。Hishostsweremostpolite；
　　forthecultivator’swifehadtoldthemofhisvisionoftheRedBull，andofhisprobabledescentfromanotherworld。Moreover，thelamawasagreatandvenerablecuriosity。Thefamilypriest，anold，tolerantSarsutBrahmin，droppedinlater，andnaturallystartedatheologicalargumenttoimpressthefamily。Bycreed，ofcourse，theywereallontheirpriest’sside，butthelamawastheguestandthenovelty。Hisgentlekindliness，andhisimpressiveChinesequotations，thatsoundedlikespells，delightedthemhugely；andinthissympathetic，simpleair，heexpandedliketheBodhisat’sownlotus，speakingofhislifeinthegreathillsofSuch-zen，before，ashesaid，`Iroseuptoseekenlightenment。’
　　Thenitcameoutthatinthoseworldlydayshehadbeenamaster-handatcastinghoroscopesandnativities；andthefamilypriestledhimontodescribehismethods；eachgivingtheplanetsnamesthattheothercouldnotunderstand，andpointingupwardsasthebigstarssailedacrossthedark。Thechildrenofthehousetuggedunrebukedathisrosary；andhecleanforgottheRulewhichforbidslookingatwomenashetalkedofenduringsnows，landslips，blockedpasses，theremotecliffswheremenfindsapphiresandturquoise，andthatwonderfuluplandroadthatleadsatlastintoGreatChinaitself。
　　`Howthinkestthouofthisone？’saidthecultivatorasidetothepriest。
　　`Aholyman-aholymanindeed。HisGodsarenottheGods，buthisfeetareupontheWay，’wastheanswer。`Andhismethodsofnativities，thoughthatisbeyondthee，arewiseandsure。’
　　`Tellme，’saidKimlazily，`whetherIfindmyRedBullonagreenfield，aswaspromisedme。’
　　`Whatknowledgehastthouofthybirth-hour？’thepriestasked，swellingwithimportance。
　　`BetweenfirstandsecondcockcrowofthefirstnightinMay。’
　　`Ofwhatyear？’
　　`Idonotknow；butuponthehourthatIcriedfirstfellthegreatearthquakeinSrinagarwhichisinKashmir。’ThisKimhadfromthewomanwhotookcareofhim，andsheagainfromKimballO’Hara。TheearthquakehadbeenfeltinIndia，andforlongstoodaleadingdateinthePunjab。
　　`Ai！’saidawomanexcitedly。ThisseemedtomakeKim’ssupernaturaloriginmorecertain。`Wasnotsuchanone’sdaughterbornthen-’
　　`Andhermotherboreherhusbandfoursonsinfouryears-alllikelyboys，’criedthecultivator’swife，sittingoutsidethecircleintheshadow。
　　`Nonerearedintheknowledge，’saidthefamilypriest，`forgethowtheplanetsstoodintheirHousesuponthatnight。’Hebegantodrawinthedustofthecourtyard。`AtleastthouhastgoodclaimtoahalfoftheHouseoftheBull。Howrunsthyprophecy？’
　　`Uponaday，’saidKim，delightedatthesensationhewascreating，`IshallbemadegreatbymeansofaRedBullonagreenfield，butfirsttherewillentertwomenmakingallthingsready。’
　　`Yes：thuseverattheopeningofavision。Athickdarknessthatclearsslowly；anononeenterswithabroommakingreadytheplace。ThenbeginstheSight。Twomen-thousayest？Ay，ay。TheSun，leavingtheHouseoftheBull，entersthatoftheTwins。Hencethetwomenoftheprophecy。
　　Letusnowconsider。Fetchmeatwig，littleone。’
　　Heknittedhisbrows，scratched，smoothedout，andscratchedagaininthedustmysterioussigns-tothewonderofallsavethelama，who，withfineinstinct，forboretointerfere。
　　Attheendofhalfanhour，hetossedthetwigfromhimwithagrunt。
　　`Hm！Thussaythestars。Withinthreedayscomethetwomentomakeallthingsready。AfterthemfollowstheBull；butthesignoveragainsthimisthesignofWarandarmedmen。’
　　`TherewasindeedamanoftheLudhianaSikhsinthecarriagefromLahore，’
　　saidthecultivator’swifehopefully。
　　`Tck！Armedmen-manyhundreds。Whatconcernhastthouwithwar？’saidthepriesttoKim。`ThineisaredandanangrysignofWartobeloosedverysoon。’
　　`None-none，’saidthelamaearnestly。`WeseekonlypeaceandourRiver。’
　　Kimsmiled，rememberingwhathehadoverheardinthedressing-room。
　　Decidedlyhewasafavouriteofthestars。
　　Thepriestbrushedhisfootovertherudehoroscope。`MorethanthisIcannotsee。InthreedayscomestheBulltothee，boy。’
　　`AndmyRiver，myRiver，’pleadedthelama。`IhadhopedhisBullwouldleadusbothtotheRiver。’
　　`Alas，forthatwondrousRiver，mybrother，’thepriestreplied。`Suchthingsarenotcommon。’
　　Nextmorning，thoughtheywerepressedtostay，thelamainsistedondeparture。TheygaveKimalargebundleofgoodfoodandnearlythreeannasincoppermoneyfortheneedsoftheroad，andwithmanyblessingswatchedthetwogosouthwardinthedawn。
　　`PityitisthattheseandsuchasthesecouldnotbefreedfromtheWheelofThings，’saidthelama。
　　`Nay，thenwouldonlyevilpeoplebeleftontheearth，andwhowouldgiveusmeatandshelter？’quothKim，steppingmerrilyunderhisburden。
　　`Yonderisasmallstream。Letuslook，’saidthelama，andheledfromthewhiteroadacrossthefields；walkingintoaveryhornets’nestofpariahdogs。
　　Kipling：Kim，Chapter3Chapter3
　　Yea，voiceofeverySoulthatclungTolifethatstrovefromrungtorungWhenDevadatta’srulewasyoung，ThewarmwindbringsKamakura。
　　BuddhaatKamakura。Behindthemanangryfarmerbrandishedabamboopole。Hewasamarket-gardener，Arainbycaste，growingvegetablesandflowersforUmballacity，andwellKimknewthebreed。
　　`Suchanone，’saidthelama，disregardingthedogs，`isimpolitetostrangers，intemperateofspeechanduncharitable。Bewarnedbyhisdemeanour，mydisciple。’
　　`Ho，shamelessbeggars！’shoutedthefarmer。`Begone！Gethence！’
　　`Wego，’thelamareturned，withquietdignity。`Wegofromtheseunblessedfields。’
　　`Ah，’saidKim，suckinginhisbreath。`Ifthenextcropsfail，thoucanstonlyblamethineowntongue。’
　　Themanshuffleduneasilyinhisslippers。`Thelandisfullofbeggars，’
　　hebegan，halfapologetically。
　　`Andbywhatsigndidstthouknowthatwewouldbegfromthee，OMali？’
　　saidKimtartly，usingthenamethatamarket-gardenerleastlikes。`Allwesoughtwastolookatthatriverbeyondthefieldthere。’
　　`River，forsooth！’themansnorted。`Whatcitydoyehailfromnottoknowacanal-cut？Itrunsasstraightasanarrow，andIpayforthewaterasthoughitweremoltensilver。Thereisabranchofariverbeyond。ButifyeneedwaterIcangivethat-andmilk。’
　　`Nay，wewillgototheriver，’saidthelama，stridingout。
　　`Milkandameal，’themanstammered，ashelookedatthestrangetallfigure。`I-Iwouldnotdraweviluponmyself-ormycrops。Butbeggarsaresomanyintheseharddays。’
　　`Takenotice。’ThelamaturnedtoKim。`HewasledtospeakharshlybytheRedMistofanger。Thatclearingfromhiseyes，hebecomescourteousandofanaffableheart。Mayhisfieldsbeblessed！Bewarenottojudgementoohastily，Ofarmer。’
　　`Ihavemetholyoneswhowouldhavecursedtheefromhearthstonetobyre，’saidKimtotheabashedman。`Ishenotwiseandholy？Iamhisdisciple。’