`WasIbornyesterday？’Kimsquattednative-fashiononthecushionsofthatupperroom。`Alittledyestuffandthreeyardsofclothtohelpoutajest。Isitmuchtoask？’
`Whoisshe？Thouartfullyoung，asSahibsgo，forthisdevilry。’
`Oh，she？Sheisthedaughterofacertainschoolmasterofaregimentinthecantonments。HehasbeatenmetwicebecauseIwentovertheirwallintheseclothes。NowIwouldgoasagardener’sboy。Oldmenareveryjealous。’
`Thatistrue。HoldthyfacestillwhileIdabonthejuice。’
`Nottooblack，Naikan。Iwouldnotappeartoherasahubshi[nigger]。’
`Oh，lovemakesnoughtofthesethings。Andhowoldisshe？’
`Twelveyears，Ithink，’saidtheshamelessKim。`Spreaditalsoonthebreast。Itmaybeherfatherwilltearmyclothesoffme，andifI
ampiebald-’helaughed。
Thegirlworkedbusily，dabbingatwistofclothintoalittlesaucerofbrowndyethatholdslongerthananywalnut-juice。
`Now-sendoutandgetmeaclothfortheturban。Woeisme，myheadisallunshaved！Andhewillsurelyknockoffmyturban。’
`Iamnotabarber，butIwillmakeshift。Thouwastborntobeabreakerofhearts！Allthisdisguiseforoneevening？Remember，thestuffdoesnotwashaway。’Sheshookwithlaughtertillherbraceletsandankletsjingled。`Butwhoistopaymeforthis？Huneefaherselfcouldnothavegiventheebetterstuff。’
`TrustintheGods，mysister，’saidKimgravely，screwinghisfaceroundasthestaindried。`Besides，hastthoueverhelpedtopaintaSahibthusbefore？’
`Neverindeed。Butajestisnotmoney。’
`Itisworthmuchmore。’
`Child，thouartbeyondalldisputethemostshamelesssonofShaitanthatIhaveeverknowntotakeupapoorgirl’stimewiththisplay，andthentosay：`Isnotthejestenough？’Thouwiltgoveryfarinthisworld。’
Shegavethedancing-girls’salutationinmockery。
`Allone。Makehasteandrough-cutmyhead。’Kimshiftedfromfoottofoot，hiseyesablazewithmirthashethoughtofthefatdaysbeforehim。
Hegavethegirlfourannas，andrandownthestairsinthelikenessofalow-casteHinduboy-perfectineverydetail。Acookshopwashisnextpointofcall，wherehefeastedinextravaganceandgreasyluxury。
OnLucknowstationplatformhewatchedyoungDeCastro，allcoveredwithprickly-heat，getintoasecond-classcompartment。Kimpatronizedathird，andwasthelifeandsoulofit。Heexplainedtothecompanythathewasassistanttoajugglerwhohadlefthimbehindsickwithfever，andthathewouldpickuphismasteratUmballa。Astheoccupantsofthecarriagechanged，hevariedthistale，oradorneditwithalltheshootsofabuddingfancy，themorerampantforbeingheldoffnativespeechsolong。InallIndiathatnightwasnohumanbeingsojoyfulasKim。AtUmballahegotoutandheadedeastward，plashingoverthesoddenfieldstothevillagewheretheoldsoldierlived。
AboutthistimeColonelCreightonatSimlawasadvisedfromLucknowbywirethatyoungO’Harahaddisappeared。MahbubAliwasintownsellinghorses，andtohimtheColonelconfidedtheaffaironemorningcanteringroundAnnandaleracecourse。
`Oh，thatisnothing，’saidthehorse-dealer。`Menarelikehorses。
Atcertaintimestheyneedsalt，andifthatsaltisnotinthemangerstheywilllickitupfromtheearth。HehasgonebacktotheRoadagainforawhile。Themadrissahweariedhim。Iknewitwould。Anothertime，IwilltakehimupontheRoadmyself。Donotbetroubled，CreightonSahib。Itisasthoughapolo-pony，breakingloose，ranouttolearnthegamealone。’
`Thenheisnotdead，thinkyou？’
`Fevermightkillhim。Idonotfearfortheboyotherwise。Amonkeydoesnotfallamongtrees。’
Nextmorning，onthesamecourse，Mahbub’sstallionrangedalongsidetheColonel。
`ItisasIhadthought，’saidthehorse-dealer。`HehascomethroughUmballaatleast，andtherehehaswrittenalettertome，havinglearnedinthebazarthatIwashere。’
`Read，’saidtheColonel，withasighofrelief。Itwasabsurdthatamanofhispositionshouldtakeaninterestinalittlecountry-bredvagabond；buttheColonelrememberedtheconversationinthetrain，andofteninthepastfewmonthshadcaughthimselfthinkingofthequeer，silent，self-possessedboy。Hisevasion，ofcourse，wastheheightofinsolence，butitarguedsomeresourceandnerve。
Mahbub’seyestwinkledashereinedoutintothecentreofthecrampedlittleplain，wherenonecouldcomenearunseen。
`“TheFriendoftheStars，whoistheFriendofalltheWorld-“’
`Whatisthis？’
`AnamewegivehiminLahorecity。“TheFriendofalltheWorldtakesleavetogotohisownplaces。
Hewillcomebackupontheappointedday。Lettheboxandthebedding-rollbesentfor；andiftherehasbeenafault，lettheHandofFriendshipturnasidetheWhipofCalamity。“Thereisyetalittlemore，but-’
`Nomatter，read。’
`“Certainthingsarenotknowntothosewhoeatwithforks。Itisbettertoeatwithbothhandsforawhile。Speaksoftwordstothosewhodonotunderstandthisthatthereturnmaybepropitious。“Nowthemannerinwhichthatwascastis，ofcourse，theworkoftheletter-writer，butseehowwiselytheboyhasdevisedthematterofitsothatnohintisgivenexcepttothosewhoknow！’
`IsthistheHandofFriendshiptoaverttheWhipofCalamity？’laughedtheColonel。
`Seehowwiseistheboy。HewouldgobacktotheRoadagain，asIsaid。
Notknowingyetthytrade-’
`Iamnotatallsureofthat，’theColonelmuttered。
`Heturnstometomakeapeacebetweenyou。Ishenotwise？Hesayshewillreturn。Heisbutperfectinghisknowledge。Think，Sahib！Hehasbeenthreemonthsattheschool。Andheisnotmouthedtothatbit。Formypart，Irejoice。Theponylearnsthegame。’
`Ay，butanothertimehemustnotgoalone。’
`Why？HewentalonebeforehecameundertheColonelSahib’sprotection。
WhenhecomestotheGreatGamehemustgoalone-alone，andatperilofhishead。Then，ifhespits，orsneezes，orsitsdownotherthanasthepeopledowhomhewatches，hemaybeslain。Whyhinderhimnow？
RememberhowthePersianssay：ThejackalthatlivesinthewildsofMazanderancanonlybecaughtbythehoundsofMazanderan。’
`True。Itistrue，MahbubAli。Andifhecomestonoharm，Idonotdesireanythingbetter。Butitisgreatinsolenceonhispart。’
`Hedoesnottellme，even，whitherhegoes，’saidMahbub。`Heisnofool。Whenhistimeisaccomplishedhewillcometome。Itistimethehealerofpearlstookhiminhand。Heripenstooquickly-asSahibsreckon。’
Thisprophecywasfulfilledtotheletteramonthlater。MahbubhadgonedowntoUmballatobringupafreshconsignmentofhorses，andKimmethimontheKalkaroadatduskridingalone，beggedanalmsofhim，wasswornat，andrepliedinEnglish。TherewasnobodywithinearshottohearMahbub’sgaspofamazement。
`Oho！Andwherehastthoubeen？’
`Upanddown-downandup。’
`Comeunderatree，outofthewet，andtell。’
`IstayedforawhilewithanoldmannearUmballa；anonwithahouseholdofmyacquaintanceinUmballa。WithoneoftheseIwentasfarasDelhitothesouthward。Thatisawondrouscity。ThenIdroveabullockforateli[anoilman]comingnorth；butIheardofagreatfeastforwardinPatiala，andthitherwentIinthecompanyofafirework-maker。Itwasagreatfeast’Kimrubbedhisstomach。`IsawRajahs，andelephantswithgoldandsilvertrappings；andtheylitallthefireworksatonce，wherebyelevenmenwerekilled，myfirework-makeramongthem，andIwasblownacrossatentbuttooknoharm。ThenIcamebacktother&；etilde；lwithaSikhhorseman，towhomIwasgroomformybread；andsohere。’
`Shabash！’saidMahbubAli。
`ButwhatdoestheColonelSahibsay？Idonotwishtobebeaten。’
`TheHandofFriendshiphasavertedtheWhipofCalamity；butanothertime，whenthoutakesttheRoaditwillbewithme。Thisistooearly。’
`Lateenoughforme。IhavelearnedtoreadandtowriteEnglishalittleatthemadrissah。IshallsoonbealtogetheraSahib。’
`Hearhim！’laughedMahbub，lookingatthelittledrenchedfiguredancinginthewet。`Salaam-Sahib，’andhesalutedironically。`Well，arttiredoftheRoad，orwiltthoucomeontoUmballawithmeandworkbackwiththehorses？’
`Icomewiththee，MahbubAli。’
Kipling：Kim，Chapter8Chapter8
SomethingIowetothesoilthatgrew——
Moretothelifethatfed——
ButmosttoAllahWhogavemetwoSeparatesidestomyhead。
Iwouldgowithoutshirtsorshoes，Friends，tobaccoorbreadSoonerthanforaninstantloseEithersideofmyhead。
TheTwo-SidedMan。`TheninGod’snametakeblueforred，’saidMahbub，alludingtotheHinducolourofKim’sdisreputableturban。
Kimcounteredwiththeoldproverb，`Iwillchangemyfaithandmybedding，butthoumustpayforit。’
Thedealerlaughedtillhenearlyfellfromhishorse。Atashopontheoutskirtsofthecitythechangewasmade，andKimstoodup，externallyatleast，aMohammedan。
Mahbubhiredaroomoveragainsttherailwaystation，sentforacookedmealofthefinestwiththealmond-curdsweet-meats[balushaiwecallit]andfine-choppedLucknowtobacco。
`ThisisbetterthansomeothermeatthatIatewiththeSikh，’saidKim，grinningashesquatted，`andassuredlytheygivenosuchvictualsatmymadrissah。’
`Ihaveadesiretohearofthatsamemadrissah。’Mahbubstuffedhimselfwithgreatbolusesofspicedmuttonfriedinfatwithcabbageandgolden-brownonIons。`Buttellmefirst，altogetherandtruthfully，themannerofthyescape。For，OFriendofalltheWorld，’-heloosedhiscrackingbelt-`IdonotthinkitisoftenthataSahibandthesonofaSahibrunsawayfromthere。’
`Howshouldthey？Theydonotknowtheland。Itwasnothing，’saidKim，andbeganhistale。Whenhecametothedisguisementandtheinterviewwiththegirlinthebazar，MahbubAli’sgravitywentfromhim。Helaughedaloudandbeathishandonhisthigh。