Hecockedhisnoseintheairloftilyandsteppedacrossthenarrowfield-borderswithgreatdignity。
　　`Thereisnopride，’saidthelama，afterapause，`thereisnoprideamongsuchasfollowtheMiddleWay。’
　　`Butthouhastsaidhewaslow-casteanddiscourteous。’
　　`Low-casteIdidnotsay，forhowcanthatbewhichisnot？Afterwardsheamendedhisdiscourtesy，andIforgottheoffence。Moreover，heisasweare，boundupontheWheelofThings；buthedoesnottreadthewayofdeliverance。’Hehaltedatalittlerunletamongthefields，andconsideredthehoof-pittedbank。
　　`Now，howwiltthouknowthyRiver？’saidKim，squattingintheshadeofsometallsugar-cane。
　　`WhenIfindit，anenlightenmentwillsurelybegiven。This，Ifeel，isnottheplace。Olittlestamongthewaters，ifonlythoucouldsttellmewhererunsmyRiver！Butbethoublessedtomakethefieldsbear！’
　　`Look！Look！’Kimsprangtohissideanddraggedhimback。Ayellow-and-brownstreakglidedfromthepurplerustlingstemstothebank，stretcheditsnecktothewater，drank，andlaystill-abigcobrawithfixed，lidlesseyes。
　　`Ihavenostick-Ihavenostick，’saidKim。`Iwillgetmeoneandbreakhisback。’
　　`Why？HeisupontheWheelasweare-alifeascendingordescending-veryfarfromdeliverance。Greatevilmustthesoulhavedonethatiscastintothisshape。’
　　`Ihateallsnakes，’saidKim。Nonativetrainingcanquenchthewhiteman’shorroroftheSerpent。
　　`Lethimliveouthislife。’Thecoiledthinghissedandhalfopeneditshood。`Maythyreleasecomesoon，brother！’thelamacontinuedplacidly。
　　`Hastthouknowledge，bychance，ofmyRiver？’
　　`NeverhaveIseensuchamanasthouart，’Kimwhispered，overwhelmed。
　　`Dotheverysnakesunderstandthytalk？’
　　`Whoknows？’Hepassedwithinafootofthecobra’spoisedhead。Itflatteneditselfamongthedustycoils。
　　`Come，thou！’hecalledoverhisshoulder。
　　`NotI，’saidKim。`Igoround。’
　　`Come。Hedoesnohurt。’
　　Kimhesitatedforamoment。ThelamabackedhisorderbysomedronedChinesequotationwhichKimtookforacharm。Heobeyedandboundedacrosstherivulet，andthesnake，indeed，madenosign。
　　`NeverhaveIseensuchaman。’Kimwipedthesweatfromhisforehead。
　　`Andnow，whithergowe？’
　　`Thatisfortheetosay。Iamold，andastranger-farfrommyownplace。Butthatther&；ccirc；l-carriagefillsmyheadwithnoisesofdevil-drumsIwouldgoinittoBenaresnow……YetbysogoingwemaymisstheRiver。Letusfindanotherriver。’
　　Wherethehard-workedsoilgivesthreeandevenfourcropsayear-
　　throughpatchesofsugar-cane，tobacco，longwhiteradishes，andnol-kol，allthatdaytheystrolledon，turningasidetoeveryglimpseofwater；
　　rousingvillagedogsandsleepingvillagesatnoonday；thelamareplyingtothevolleyedquestionswithanunswervingsimplicity。TheysoughtaRiver-aRiverofmiraculoushealing。Hadanyoneknowledgeofsuchastream？Sometimesmenlaughed，butmoreoftenheardthestoryouttotheendandofferedthemaplaceintheshade，adrinkofmilk，andameal。
　　Thewomenwerealwayskind，andthelittlechildrenaschildrenaretheworldover，alternatelyshyandventuresome。Eveningfoundthematrestunderthevillagetreeofamud-walled，mud-roofedhamlet，talkingtotheheadmanasthecattlecameinfromthegrazing-groundsandthewomenpreparedtheday’slastmeal。Theyhadpassedbeyondthebeltofmarket-gardensroundhungryUmballa，andwereamongthemile-widegreenofthestaplecrops。
　　Hewasawhite-beardedandaffableelder，usedtoentertainingstrangers。
　　Hedraggedoutastringbedsteadforthelama，setwarmcookedfoodbeforehim，preparedhimapipe，and，theeveningceremoniesbeingfinishedinthevillagetemple，sentforthevillagepriest。
　　KimtoldtheolderchildrentalesofthesizeandbeautyofLahore，ofrailwaytravel，andsuch-likecitythings，whilethementalked，slowlyastheircattlechewthecud。
　　`Icannotfathomit，’saidtheheadmanatlasttothepriest。`Howreadestthouthistalk？’Thelama，histaletold，wassilentlytellinghisbeads。
　　`HeisaSeeker，’thepriestanswered。`Thelandisfullofsuch。Rememberhimwhocameonlylastmonth-thefakirwiththetortoise？’
　　`Ay，butthatmanhadrightandreason，forKrishnaHimselfappearedinavisionpromisinghimParadisewithouttheburning-pyreifhejourneyedtoPrayag。ThismanseeksnoGodwhoiswithinmyknowledge。’
　　`Peace，heisold：hecomesfromfaroff，andheismad，’thesmooth-shavenpriestreplied。`Hearme。’Heturnedtothelama。`Threekoss[sixmiles]tothewestwardrunsthegreatroadtoCalcutta。’
　　`ButIwouldgotoBenares-toBenares。’
　　`AndtoBenaresalso。ItcrossesallstreamsonthissideofHind。Nowmywordtothee，HolyOne，isrestheretilltomorrow。Thentaketheroad’
　　itwastheGrandTrunkRoadhemeant`andtesteachstreamthatitoverpasses；
　　for，asIunderstand，thevirtueofthyRiverliesneitherinonepoolnorplace，butthroughoutitslength。Then，ifthyGodswill，beassuredthatthouwiltcomeuponthyfreedom。’
　　`Thatiswellsaid。’Thelamawasmuchimpressedbytheplan。`Wewillbegintomorrow，andablessingontheeforshowingoldfeetsuchanearroad。’Adeep，sing-songChinesehalf-chantdosedthesentence。Eventhepriestwasimpressed，andtheheadmanfearedanevilspell：butnonecouldlookatthelama’ssimple，eagerfaceanddoubthimlong。
　　`Seestthoumychela？’hesaid，divingintohissnuff-gourdwithanimportantsniff。Itwashisdutytorepaycourtesywithcourtesy。
　　`Isee-andhear。’TheheadmanrolledhiseyewhereKimwaschattingtoagirlinblueasshelaidcracklingthornsonafire。
　　`HealsohasaSearchofhisown。Noriver，butaBull。Yea，aRedBullonagreenfieldwillsomedayraisehimtohonour。He，Ithink，notaltogetherofthisworld。Hewassentofasuddentoaidmeinthissearch，andhisnameisFriendofalltheWorld。’
　　Thepriestsmiled。`Ho，there，FriendofalltheWorld，’hecriedacrossthesharp-smellingsmoke，`whatartthou？’
　　`ThisHolyOne’sdisciple，’saidKim。
　　`Hesaysthouareab&；umacron；tNote[aspirit]。’
　　`Canb&；umacron；tsNoteeat？’saidKim，withatwinkle。`ForIamhungry。’
　　`Itisnojest，’criedthelama。`AcertainastrologerofthatcitywhosenameIhaveforgotten-’
　　`ThatisnomorethanthecityofUmballawherewesleptlastnight，’
　　Kimwhisperedtothepriest。
　　`Ay，Umballawasit？Hecastahoroscopeanddeclaredthatmychelashouldfindhisdesirewithintwodays。Butwhatsaidheofthemeaningofthestars，FriendofalltheWorld？’
　　Kimclearedhisthroatandlookedaroundatthevillagegreybeards。
　　`ThemeaningofmyStarisWar，’herepliedpompously。
　　Somebodylaughedatthelittletatteredfigurestruttingonthebrickworkplinthunderthegreattree。Whereanativewouldhavelaindown，Kim’swhitebloodsethimuponhisfeet。
　　`Ay，War，’heanswered。
　　`Thatisasureprophecy，’rumbledadeepvoice。`ForthereisalwayswaralongtheBorder-asIknow。’
　　Itwasanold，witheredman，whohadservedtheGovernmentinthedaysoftheMutinyasanativeofficerinanewlyraisedcavalryregiment。TheGovernmenthadgivenhimagoodholdinginthevillage，andthoughthedemandsofhissons，nowgrey-beardedofficersontheirownaccount，hadimpoverishedhim，hewasstillapersonofconsequence。Englishofficials-DeputyCommissionerseven-turnedasidefromthemainroadtovisithim，andonthoseoccasionshedressedhimselfintheuniformofancientdays，andstooduplikearamrod。
　　`Butthisshallbeagreatwar-awarofeightthousand。’Kim’svoiceshrilledacrossthequick-gatheringcrowd，astonishinghimself。
　　`Redcoatsorourownregiments？’theoldmansnapped，asthoughhewereaskinganequal。HistonemademenrespectKim。
　　`Redcoats，’saidKimataventure。`Redcoatsandguns。’
　　`But-buttheastrologersaidnowordofthis，’criedthelama，snuffingprodigiouslyinhisexcitement。
　　`ButIknow。Thewordhascometome，whoamthisHolyOne’sdisciple。
　　Therewillriseawar-awarofeightthousandredcoats。FromPindiandPeshawurtheywillbedrawn。Thisissure。’