thelamawasbusyoverhisbeads；andKim，fumblingdoctor-fashionattheman’sneck，thoughtouthisplanbetweeninvocations。
`Hastthouacharmtochangemyshape？ElseIamdead。Five-tenminutesalone，ifIhadnotbeensopressed，andImight-’
`Ishecuredyet，miracle-worker？’saidtheKambohjealously。`Thouhastchantedlongenough。’
`Nay。Thereisnocureforhishurts，asIsee，excepthesitforthreedaysinthehabitofabairagi。’Thisisacommonpenance，oftenimposedonafattraderbyhisspiritualteacher。
`Onepriestalwaysgoesabouttomakeanotherpriest，’wastheretort。
Likemostgrosslysuperstitiousfolk，theKambohcouldnotkeephistonguefromderidinghisChurch。
`Willthysonbeapriest，then？Itistimehetookmoreofmyquinine。’
`WeJatsareallbuffaloes，’saidtheKamboh，softeninganew。
Kimrubbedafinger-tipofbitternessonthechild’strustinglittlelips。`Ihaveaskedfornothing，’hesaidsternlytothefather，`exceptfood。Dostthougrudgemethat？Igotohealanotherman。HaveIthyleave-Prince？’
Upflewtheman’shugepawsinsupplication。`Nay-nay。Donotmockmethus。’
`Itpleasesmetocurethissickone。Thoushaltacquiremeritbyaiding。
Whatcolourashisthereinthypipe-bowl？White。Thatisauspicious。Wasthererawturmericamongthyfoodstuffs？’
`I-I-’
`Openthybundle！’
Itwastheusualcollectionofsmalloddments：bitsofcloth，quackmedicines，cheapfairings，aclothfulofatta-greyish，rough-groundnativeflour-twistsofdown-countrytobacco，tawdrypipe-stems，andapacketofcurry-stuff；allwrappedinaquilt。Kimturneditoverwiththeairofawisewarlock，mutteringaMohammedaninvocation。
`ThisiswisdomIlearnedfromtheSahibs，’hewhisperedtothelama；
andhere，whenonethinksofhistrainingatLurgan’s，hespokenomorethanthetruth。`Thereisagreatevilinthisman’sfortune，asshownbytheStars，which-whichtroubleshim。ShallItakeitaway？’
`FriendoftheStars，thouhastdonewellinallthings。Letitbeatthypleasure。Isitanotherhealing？’
`Quick！Bequick！’gaspedtheMahratta。`Thetrainmaystop。’
`Ahealingagainsttheshadowofdeath，’saidKim，mixingtheKamboh’sflourwiththemingledcharcoalandtobaccoashinthered-earthbowlofthepipe。E23，withoutaword，slippedoffhisturbanandshookdownhislongblackhair。
`Thatismyfood-priest，’theJatgrowled。
`Abuffalointhetemple！Hastthoudaredtolookeventhusmefar？’
saidKim。`Imustdomysteriesbeforefools；buthaveacareforthineeyes。Isthereafilmbeforethemalready？Isavethebabe，andforreturnthou-oh，shameless！’Themanflinchedatthedirectgaze，forKimwaswhollyinearnest。`ShallIcursethee，orshallI-’Hepickeduptheouterclothofthebundleandthrewitoverthebowedhead。`Daresomuchastothinkawishtosee，and-and-evenIcannotsavethee。Sit！Bedumb！’
`Iamblind-dumb。Forbeartocurse！Co-come，child；wewillplayagameofhiding。Donot，formysake，lookfromunderthecloth。’
`Iseehope，’saidE23。`Whatisthyscheme？’
`Thiscomesnext，’saidKim，pluckingthethinbody-shirt。E23hesitated，withallaNorth-Westman’sdislikeofbaringhisbody。
`Whatiscastetoacutthroat？’saidKim，rendingittothewaist。
`WemustmaketheeayellowSaddhuallover。Strip-stripswiftly，andshakethyhairoverthineeyeswhileIscattertheash。Now，acaste-markonthyforehead。’HedrewfromhisbosomthelittleSurveypaint-boxandacakeofcrimsonlake。
`Artthouonlyabeginner？’saidE23，labouringliterallyforthedearlife，asheslidoutofhisbody-wrappingsandstoodclearintheloin-clothwhileKimsplashedinanoblecaste-markontheash-smearedbrow。
`ButtwodaysenteredtotheGame，brother，’Kimreplied。`Smearmoreashonthebosom。’
`Hastthoumetaphysicianofsickpearls？’Heswitchedouthislong，tight-rolledturban-clothand，withswiftesthands，rolleditoverandunderabouthisloinsintotheintricatedevicesofaSaddhu’scincture。
`Hah！Dostthouknowhistouch，then？Hewasmyteacherforawhile。
Wemustbarthylegs。Ashcureswounds。Smearitagain。’
`Iwashisprideonce，butthouartalmostbetter。TheGodsarekindtous！Givemethat。’
ItwasatinboxofopiumpillsamongtherubbishoftheJat’sbundle。
E23gulpeddownahalfhandful。`Theyaregoodagainsthunger，fear，andchill。Andtheymaketheeyesredtoo，’heexplained。`NowIshallhavehearttoplaytheGame。WelackonlyaSaddhu’stongs。Whatoftheoldclothes？’
Kimrolledthemsmall，andstuffedthemintotheslackfoldsofhistunic。Withayellow-ochrepaintcakehesmearedthelegsandthebreast，greatstreaksagainstthebackgroundofflour，ash，andturmeric。
`Thebloodonthemisenoughtohangthee，brother。’
`Maybe；butnoneedtothrowthemoutofthewindow……Itisfinished。’
Hisvoicethrilledwithaboy’spuredelightintheGame。`Turnandlook，OJat！’
`TheGodsprotectus，’saidthehoodedKamboh，emerginglikeabuffalofromthereeds。`But-whitherwenttheMahratta？Whathastthoudone？’
KimhadbeentrainedbyLurganSahib；E23，byvirtueofhisbusiness，wasnobadactor。Inplaceofthetremulous，shrinkingtradertherelolledagainstthecorneranallbutnaked，ash-smeared，ochre-barred，dusty-hairedSaddhu，hisswolleneyes-opiumtakesquickeffectonanemptystomach-luminouswithinsolenceandbestiallust，hislegscrossedunderhim，Kim’sbrownrosaryroundhisneck，andascantyardofworn，floweredchintzonhisshoulders。Thechildburiedhisfaceinhisamazedfather’sarms。
`Lookup，Princeling！Wetravelwithwarlocks，buttheywillnothurtthee。Oh，donotcry……Whatisthesenseofcuringachildonedayandkillinghimwithfrightthenext？’
`Thechildwillbefortunateallhislife。Hehasseenagreathealing。
WhenIwasachildImadeclaymenandhorses。’
`Ihavemadethemtoo。Sí；rBaná；s，hecomesinthenightandmakesthemallaliveatthebackofourkitchen-midden，’pipedthechild。
`Andsothouartnotfrightenedatanything。Eh，Prince？’
`Iwasfrightenedbecausemyfatherwasfrightened。Ifelthisarmsshake。’
`Oh，chicken-man！’saidKim，andeventheabashedJatlaughed。`Ihavedoneahealingonthispoortrader。Hemustforsakehisgainsandhisaccount-books，andsitbythewaysidethreenightstoovercomethemalignityofhisenemies。
TheStarsareagainsthim。’
`Thefewermoney-lendersthebetter，sayI；but，SaddhuornoSaddhu，heshouldpayformystuffonhisshoulders。’
`So？Butthatisthychildonthyshoulder-givenovertotheburning-ghatnottwodaysago。Thereremainsonethingmore。Ididthischarminthypresencebecauseneedwasgreat。Ichangedhisshapeandhissoul。Nonetheless，if；byanychance，OmanfromJullundur，thourememberestwhatthouhastseen，eitheramongtheelderssittingunderthevillagetree，orinthineownhouse，orincompanyofthypriestwhenheblessesthycattle，amurrainwillcomeamongthebuffaloes，andafireinthythatch，andratsinthecorn-bins，andthecurseofourGodsuponthyfieldsthattheymaybebarrenbeforethyfeetandafterthyploughshare。’ThiswaspartofanoldcursepickedupfromafakirbytheTaksaliGateinthedaysofKim’sinnocence。Itlostnothingbyrepetition。
`Cease，HolyOne！Inmercy，cease！’criedtheJat。`Donotcursethehousehold。Isawnothing！Iheardnothing！Iamthycow！’andhemadetograbatKim’sbarefootbeatingrhythmicallyonthecarriagefloor。
`ButsincethouhastbeenpermittedtoaidmeinthematterofapinchofflourandalittleopiumandsuchtriflesasIhavehonouredbyusinginmyart，sowilltheGodsreturnablessing，’andhegaveitatlength，totheman’simmenserelief。ItwasonethathehadlearnedfromLurganSahib。
Thelamastaredthroughhisspectaclesashehadnotstaredatthebusinessofdisguisement。
`FriendoftheStars，’hesaidatlast，`thouhastacquiredgreatwisdom。
Bewarethatitdonotgivebirthtopride。NomanhavingtheLawbeforehiseyesspeakshastilyofanymatterwhichhehasseenorencountered。’
`No-no-no，indeed，’criedthefarmer，fearfullestthemastershouldbemindedtoimproveonthepupil。E23，withrelaxedmouth，gavehimselfuptotheopiumthatismeat，tobacco，andmedicinetothespentAsiatic。
So，inasilenceofaweandgreatmiscomprehension，theyslidintoDelhiaboutlamp-lightingtime。