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。’