Hecockedhisnoseintheairloftilyandsteppedacrossthenarrowfield-borderswithgreatdignity。
`Thereisnopride，’saidthelama，afterapause，`thereisnoprideamongsuchasfollowtheMiddleWay。’
`Butthouhastsaidhewaslow-casteanddiscourteous。’
`Low-casteIdidnotsay，forhowcanthatbewhichisnot？Afterwardsheamendedhisdiscourtesy，andIforgottheoffence。Moreover，heisasweare，boundupontheWheelofThings；buthedoesnottreadthewayofdeliverance。’Hehaltedatalittlerunletamongthefields，andconsideredthehoof-pittedbank。
`Now，howwiltthouknowthyRiver？’saidKim，squattingintheshadeofsometallsugar-cane。
`WhenIfindit，anenlightenmentwillsurelybegiven。This，Ifeel，isnottheplace。Olittlestamongthewaters，ifonlythoucouldsttellmewhererunsmyRiver！Butbethoublessedtomakethefieldsbear！’
`Look！Look！’Kimsprangtohissideanddraggedhimback。Ayellow-and-brownstreakglidedfromthepurplerustlingstemstothebank，stretcheditsnecktothewater，drank，andlaystill-abigcobrawithfixed，lidlesseyes。
`Ihavenostick-Ihavenostick，’saidKim。`Iwillgetmeoneandbreakhisback。’
`Why？HeisupontheWheelasweare-alifeascendingordescending-veryfarfromdeliverance。Greatevilmustthesoulhavedonethatiscastintothisshape。’
`Ihateallsnakes，’saidKim。Nonativetrainingcanquenchthewhiteman’shorroroftheSerpent。
`Lethimliveouthislife。’Thecoiledthinghissedandhalfopeneditshood。`Maythyreleasecomesoon，brother！’thelamacontinuedplacidly。
`Hastthouknowledge，bychance，ofmyRiver？’
`NeverhaveIseensuchamanasthouart，’Kimwhispered，overwhelmed。
`Dotheverysnakesunderstandthytalk？’
`Whoknows？’Hepassedwithinafootofthecobra’spoisedhead。Itflatteneditselfamongthedustycoils。
`Come，thou！’hecalledoverhisshoulder。
`NotI，’saidKim。`Igoround。’
`Come。Hedoesnohurt。’
Kimhesitatedforamoment。ThelamabackedhisorderbysomedronedChinesequotationwhichKimtookforacharm。Heobeyedandboundedacrosstherivulet，andthesnake，indeed，madenosign。
`NeverhaveIseensuchaman。’Kimwipedthesweatfromhisforehead。
`Andnow，whithergowe？’
`Thatisfortheetosay。Iamold，andastranger-farfrommyownplace。Butthatther&；ccirc；l-carriagefillsmyheadwithnoisesofdevil-drumsIwouldgoinittoBenaresnow……YetbysogoingwemaymisstheRiver。Letusfindanotherriver。’
Wherethehard-workedsoilgivesthreeandevenfourcropsayear-
throughpatchesofsugar-cane，tobacco，longwhiteradishes，andnol-kol，allthatdaytheystrolledon，turningasidetoeveryglimpseofwater；
rousingvillagedogsandsleepingvillagesatnoonday；thelamareplyingtothevolleyedquestionswithanunswervingsimplicity。TheysoughtaRiver-aRiverofmiraculoushealing。Hadanyoneknowledgeofsuchastream？Sometimesmenlaughed，butmoreoftenheardthestoryouttotheendandofferedthemaplaceintheshade，adrinkofmilk，andameal。
Thewomenwerealwayskind，andthelittlechildrenaschildrenaretheworldover，alternatelyshyandventuresome。Eveningfoundthematrestunderthevillagetreeofamud-walled，mud-roofedhamlet，talkingtotheheadmanasthecattlecameinfromthegrazing-groundsandthewomenpreparedtheday’slastmeal。Theyhadpassedbeyondthebeltofmarket-gardensroundhungryUmballa，andwereamongthemile-widegreenofthestaplecrops。
Hewasawhite-beardedandaffableelder，usedtoentertainingstrangers。
Hedraggedoutastringbedsteadforthelama，setwarmcookedfoodbeforehim，preparedhimapipe，and，theeveningceremoniesbeingfinishedinthevillagetemple，sentforthevillagepriest。
KimtoldtheolderchildrentalesofthesizeandbeautyofLahore，ofrailwaytravel，andsuch-likecitythings，whilethementalked，slowlyastheircattlechewthecud。
`Icannotfathomit，’saidtheheadmanatlasttothepriest。`Howreadestthouthistalk？’Thelama，histaletold，wassilentlytellinghisbeads。
`HeisaSeeker，’thepriestanswered。`Thelandisfullofsuch。Rememberhimwhocameonlylastmonth-thefakirwiththetortoise？’
`Ay，butthatmanhadrightandreason，forKrishnaHimselfappearedinavisionpromisinghimParadisewithouttheburning-pyreifhejourneyedtoPrayag。ThismanseeksnoGodwhoiswithinmyknowledge。’
`Peace，heisold：hecomesfromfaroff，andheismad，’thesmooth-shavenpriestreplied。`Hearme。’Heturnedtothelama。`Threekoss[sixmiles]tothewestwardrunsthegreatroadtoCalcutta。’
`ButIwouldgotoBenares-toBenares。’
`AndtoBenaresalso。ItcrossesallstreamsonthissideofHind。Nowmywordtothee，HolyOne，isrestheretilltomorrow。Thentaketheroad’
itwastheGrandTrunkRoadhemeant`andtesteachstreamthatitoverpasses；
for，asIunderstand，thevirtueofthyRiverliesneitherinonepoolnorplace，butthroughoutitslength。Then，ifthyGodswill，beassuredthatthouwiltcomeuponthyfreedom。’
`Thatiswellsaid。’Thelamawasmuchimpressedbytheplan。`Wewillbegintomorrow，andablessingontheeforshowingoldfeetsuchanearroad。’Adeep，sing-songChinesehalf-chantdosedthesentence。Eventhepriestwasimpressed，andtheheadmanfearedanevilspell：butnonecouldlookatthelama’ssimple，eagerfaceanddoubthimlong。
`Seestthoumychela？’hesaid，divingintohissnuff-gourdwithanimportantsniff。Itwashisdutytorepaycourtesywithcourtesy。
`Isee-andhear。’TheheadmanrolledhiseyewhereKimwaschattingtoagirlinblueasshelaidcracklingthornsonafire。
`HealsohasaSearchofhisown。Noriver，butaBull。Yea，aRedBullonagreenfieldwillsomedayraisehimtohonour。He，Ithink，notaltogetherofthisworld。Hewassentofasuddentoaidmeinthissearch，andhisnameisFriendofalltheWorld。’
Thepriestsmiled。`Ho，there，FriendofalltheWorld，’hecriedacrossthesharp-smellingsmoke，`whatartthou？’
`ThisHolyOne’sdisciple，’saidKim。
`Hesaysthouareab&；umacron；tNote[aspirit]。’
`Canb&；umacron；tsNoteeat？’saidKim，withatwinkle。`ForIamhungry。’
`Itisnojest，’criedthelama。`AcertainastrologerofthatcitywhosenameIhaveforgotten-’
`ThatisnomorethanthecityofUmballawherewesleptlastnight，’
Kimwhisperedtothepriest。
`Ay，Umballawasit？Hecastahoroscopeanddeclaredthatmychelashouldfindhisdesirewithintwodays。Butwhatsaidheofthemeaningofthestars，FriendofalltheWorld？’
Kimclearedhisthroatandlookedaroundatthevillagegreybeards。
`ThemeaningofmyStarisWar，’herepliedpompously。
Somebodylaughedatthelittletatteredfigurestruttingonthebrickworkplinthunderthegreattree。Whereanativewouldhavelaindown，Kim’swhitebloodsethimuponhisfeet。
`Ay，War，’heanswered。
`Thatisasureprophecy，’rumbledadeepvoice。`ForthereisalwayswaralongtheBorder-asIknow。’
Itwasanold，witheredman，whohadservedtheGovernmentinthedaysoftheMutinyasanativeofficerinanewlyraisedcavalryregiment。TheGovernmenthadgivenhimagoodholdinginthevillage，andthoughthedemandsofhissons，nowgrey-beardedofficersontheirownaccount，hadimpoverishedhim，hewasstillapersonofconsequence。Englishofficials-DeputyCommissionerseven-turnedasidefromthemainroadtovisithim，andonthoseoccasionshedressedhimselfintheuniformofancientdays，andstooduplikearamrod。
`Butthisshallbeagreatwar-awarofeightthousand。’Kim’svoiceshrilledacrossthequick-gatheringcrowd，astonishinghimself。
`Redcoatsorourownregiments？’theoldmansnapped，asthoughhewereaskinganequal。HistonemademenrespectKim。
`Redcoats，’saidKimataventure。`Redcoatsandguns。’
`But-buttheastrologersaidnowordofthis，’criedthelama，snuffingprodigiouslyinhisexcitement。
`ButIknow。Thewordhascometome，whoamthisHolyOne’sdisciple。
Therewillriseawar-awarofeightthousandredcoats。FromPindiandPeshawurtheywillbedrawn。Thisissure。’