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。’