`TheKeeperoftheImagesintheWonderHouseacquiredmeritbygivingmetheseayearsince，’hesaid，followingKim’seye。`Whenoneisfarfromone’sownlandsuchthingscarryremembrance；andwemustreverencetheLordforthatHeshowedtheWay。See！’Hepointedtoacuriously-builtmoundofcolouredricecrownedwithafantasticmetalornament。`WhenI
WasAbbotinmyownplace-beforeIcametobetterknowledge-Imadethatofferingdaily。ItistheSacrificeoftheUniversetotheLord。ThusdoweofBhotiyalofferalltheworlddailytotheExcellentLaw。AndI
doitevennow，thoughIknowthattheExcellentOneisbeyondallpinchingsandpattings。’Hesnuffedfromhisgourd。
`Itiswelldone，HolyOne，’Kimmurmured，sinkingateaseonthecushions，veryhappyandrathertired。
`Andalso，’theoldmanchuckled，`IwritepicturesoftheWheelofLife。Threedaystoapicture。Iwasbusiedonit-oritmaybeIshutmyeyesalittle-whentheybroughtwordofthee。Itisgoodtohavetheehere：Iwillshowtheemyart-notforpride’ssake，butbecausethoumustlearn。TheSahibshavenotallthisworld’swisdom。’
HedrewfromunderthetableasheetofstrangelyscentedyellowChinesepaper，thebrushes，andslabofIndianink。Incleanest，severestoutlinehehadtracedtheGreatWheelwithitssixspokes，whosecentreistheconjoinedHog，Snake，andDoveIgnorance，Anger，andLust，andwhosecompartmentsarealltheHeavensandHells，andallthechancesofhumanlife。MensaythattheBodhisatHimselffirstdrewitwithgrainsofriceupondust，toteachHisdisciplesthecauseofthings。Manyageshavecrystallizeditintoamostwonderfulconventioncrowdedwithhundredsoflittlefigureswhoseeverylinecarriesameaning。Fewcantranslatethepicture-parable；
therearenottwentyinalltheworldwhocandrawitsurelywithoutacopy：ofthosewhocanbothdrawandexpoundarebutthree。
`Ihavealittlelearnedtodraw，’saidKim。`Butthisisamarvelbeyondmarvels。’
`Ihavewrittenitformanyyears，’saidthelama。`TimewaswhenI
couldwriteitallbetweenonelamp-lightingandthenext。Iwillteachtheetheart-afterduepreparation；andIwillshowtheethemeaningoftheWheel。’
`WetaketheRoad，then？’
`TheRoadandourSearch。Iwasbutwaitingforthee。Itwasmadeplaintomeinahundreddreams-notablyonethatcameuponthenightofthedaythattheGatesofLearningfirstshut-thatwithouttheeIshouldneverfindmyRiver。Againandagain，asthouknowest，Iputthisfromme，fearinganillusion。ThereforeIwouldnottaketheewithmethatdayatLucknow，whenweatethecakes。Iwouldnottaketheetillthetimewasripeandauspicious。FromtheHillstotheSea，fromtheSeatotheHillshaveIgone，butitwasvain。ThenIrememberedtheJî；taka。’
HetoldKimthestoryoftheelephantwiththeleg-iron，ashehadtolditsooftentotheJainpriests。
`Furthertestimonyisnotneeded，’heendedserenely。`Thouwastsentforanaid。Thataidremoved，mySearchcametonaught。Thereforewewillgooutagaintogether，andourSearchissure。’
`Whithergowe？’
`Whatmatters，FriendofalltheWorld？TheSearch，Isay，issure。
Ifneedbe，theRiverwillbreakfromthegroundbeforeus。IacquiredmeritwhenIsenttheetotheGatesofLearning，andgavetheethejewelthatisWisdom。Thoudidstreturn，Isawevennow，afollowerofSakyamuni，thePhysician，’whosealtarsaremanyinBhotiyal。Itissufficient。Wearetogether，andallthingsareastheywere-FriendofalltheWorld-FriendoftheStars-mychela！’
Thentheytalkedofmatterssecular；butitwasnoticeablethatthelamaneverdemandedanydetailsoflifeatStXavier’s，norshowedthefaintestcuriosityastothemannersandcustomsofSahibs。Hismindmovedallinthepast，andherevivedeverystepoftheirwonderfulfirstjourneytogether，rubbinghishandsandchuckling，tillitpleasedhimtocurlhimselfupintothesuddensleepofoldage。
Kimwatchedthelastdustysunshinefadeoutofthecourt，andplayedwithhisghost-daggerandrosary。TheclamourofBenares，oldestofallearth’scitiesawakebeforetheGods，dayandnight，beatroundthewallsasthesea’sroarroundabreakwater。Nowandagain，aJainpriestcrossedthecourt，withsomesmallofferingtotheimages，andsweptthepathabouthimlestbychanceheshouldtakethelifeofalivingthing。Alamptwinkled，andtherefollowedthesoundofaprayer。Kimwatchedthestarsastheyroseoneafteranotherinthestill，stickydark，tillhefellasleepatthefootofthealtar。ThatnighthedreamedinHindustani，withneveranEnglishword……
`HolyOne，thereisthechildtowhomwegavethemedicine，’hesaid，aboutthreeo’clockinthemorning，whenthelama，alsowakingfromdreams，wouldhavefaredforthonpilgrimage。
`TheJatwillhehereatthelight。’
`Iamwellanswered。InmyhasteIwouldhavedoneawrong。’Hesatdownonthecushionsandreturnedtohisrosary。`Surelyoldfolkareaschildren，’hesaidpathetically。`Theydesireamatter-behold，itmustbedoneatonce，ortheyfretandweep！ManytimeswhenIwasupontheRoadIhavebeenreadytostampwithmyfeetatthehindranceofanox-cartintheway，oramerecloudofdust。ItwasnotsowhenIwasaman-alongtimeago。Nonethelessitiswrongful-’
`Butthouartindeedold，HolyOne。’
`Thethingwasdone。ACausewasputoutintotheworld，md，oldoryoung，sickorsound，knowingorunknowing，whocanreinintheeffectofthatCause？DoestheWheelhangstillifachildspinit-oradrunkard？Chela，thisisagreatandaterribleworld。’
`Ithinkitgood，’Kimyawned。`Whatistheretoeat？Ihavenoteatensinceyesterdayeven。’
`Ihadforgottenthyneed。YonderisgoodBhotiyalteaandcoldrice。’
`Wecannotwalkfaronsuchstuff。’KimfeltalltheEuropean’slustforflesh-meat，whichisnotaccessibleinaJaintemple。Yet，insteadofgoingoutatoncewiththebegging-bowl，hestayedhisstomachonslabsofcoldricetillthefulldawn。Itbroughtthefarmer，voluble，stutteringwithgratitude。
`Inthenightthefeverbrokeandthesweatcame，’hecried。`Feelhere-hisskinisfreshandnew！Heesteemedthesaltlozenges，andtookmilkwithgreed。’Hedrewtheclothfromthechild’sface，anditsmiledsleepilyatKim。AlittleknotofJainpriests，silentbutall-observant，gatheredbythetempledoor。Theyknew，andKimknewthattheyknew，howtheoldlamahadmethisdisciple。Beingcourteousfolk，theyhadnotobtrudedthemselvesovernightbypresence，word，orgesture。WhereforeKimrepaidthemasthesunrose。
`ThanktheGodsoftheJains，brother，’hesaid，notknowinghowthoseGodswerenamed。`Thefeverisindeedbroken。’
`Look！See！’Thelamabeamedinthebackgrounduponhishostsofthreeyears。`Wasthereeversuchachela？HefollowsourLordtheHealer。’
NowtheJainsofficiallyrecognizealltheGodsoftheHinducreed，aswellastheLingamandtheSnake。TheyweartheBrahminicalthread；
theyadheretoeveryclaimofHinducast-law。But，becausetheyknewandlovedthelama，becausehewasanoldman，becausehesoughttheWay，becausehewastheirguest，andbecausehecolloguedlongofnightswiththehead-priest-asfree-thinkingametaphysicianaseversplitonehairintoseventy-theymurmuredassent。
`Remember，’Kimbentoverthechild-`thistroublemaycomeagain。’
`Notifthouhasttheproperspell，’saidthefather。
`Butinalittlewhilewegoaway。’
`True，’saidthelamatoalltheJains。`WegonowtogetherupontheSearchwhereofIhaveoftenspoken。Iwaitedtillmychelawasripe。
Beholdhim！WegoNorth。NeveragainshallIlookuponthisplaceofmyrest，Opeopleofgoodwill。’
`ButIamnotabeggar。’Thecultivatorrosetohisfeet，clutchingthechild。
`Bestill。DonottroubletheHolyOne，’apriestcried。
`Go，’Kimwhispered。`Meetusagainunderthebigrailwaybridge，andforthesakeofalltheGodsofourPunjab，bringfood-curry，pulse，cakesfriedinfat，andsweetmeats。Speciallysweetmeats。Beswift！’
ThepallorofhungersuitedKimverywellashestood，tallandslim，inhissand-coloured，sweepingrobes，onehandonhisrosaryandtheotherintheattitudeofbenediction，faithfullycopiedfromthelama。AnEnglishobservermighthavesaidthathelookedratherliketheyoungsaintofastained-glasswindow，whereashewasbutagrowingladfaintwithemptiness。
Longandformalwerethefarewells，thriceendedandthricerenewed。
TheSeeker-hewhohadinvitedthelamatothathavenfromfar-awayTibet，asilver-faced，hairlessascetictooknopartinit，butmeditated，asalways，aloneamongtheimages。Theotherswereveryhuman；pressingsmallcomfortsupontheoldman-abetel-box，afinenewironpencase，afood-bag，andsuch-like-warninghimagainstthedangersoftheworldwithout，andprophesyingahappyendtotheSearch。MeantimeKim，lonelierthanever，squattedonthesteps，andsworetohimselfinthelanguageofStXavier’s。
`Butitismyownfault，’heconcluded。`WithMahbub，IateMahbub’sbread，orLurganSahib’s。AtStXavier’s，threemealsaday。HereImustjolly-welllookoutformyself。Besides，Iamnotingoodtraining。HowIcouldeataplateofbeefnow！……Isitfinished，HolyOne？’
Thelama，bothhandsraised，intonedafinalblessinginornateChinese。
`Imustleanonthyshoulder，’saidhe，asthetemplegatesclosed。`Wegrowstiff；Ithink。’
Theweightofasix-footmanisnotlighttosteadythroughmilesofcrowdedstreets，andKim，loadeddownwithbundlesandpackagesfortheway，wasgladtoreachtheshadowoftherailwaybridge。
`Hereweeat，’hesaidresolutely，astheKamboh，blue-robedandsmiling，hoveinsight，abasketinonehandandthechildintheother。
`Fallto，HolyOnes！’hecriedfromfiftyyards。Theywerebytheshoalunderthefirstbridge-span，outofsightofhungrypriests。`Riceandgoodcurry，cakesallwarmandwellscentedwithhing[asafoetida]，curdsandsugar。Kingofmyfields，’-thistothesmallson-`letusshowtheseholymenthatweJatsofJullundurcanpayaservice……IhadheardtheJainswouldeatnothingthattheyhadnotcooked，buttruly’-
helookedawaypolitelyoverthebroadriver-`wherethereisnoeyethereisnocaste。’
`Andwe，’saidKim，turninghisbackandheapingaleaf-platterforthelama，`arebeyondallcastes。’
Theygorgedthemselvesonthegoodfoodinsilence。NortillhehadlickedthelastofthestickysweetstufffromhislittlefingerdidKimnotethattheKambohtoowasgirtfortravel。
`Ifourroadslietogether，’hesaidroughly，`Igowiththee。Onedoesnotoftenfindaworkerofmiracles，andthechildisstillweak。ButIamnotaltogetherareed。’Hepickeduphislathi-afive-footmale-bambooringedwithbandsofpolishediron-andflourisheditintheair。`TheJatsarecalledquarrelsome，butthatisnottrue。Exceptwhenwearecrossed，wearelikeourownbuffaloes。’
`Sobeit，’saidKim。`Agoodstickisagoodreason。’
Thelamagazedplacidlyup-stream，whereinlong，smudgedperspectivetheceaselesscolumnsofsmokegoupfromtheburning-ghatsbytheriver。