Part 9 (1/2)

'There is no need to play on his credulity,' Bennett interrupted

'I' here -to his own Regiment - in search of his Red Bull is in the nature of a ainst it, Bennett This one boy in all India, and our Regiment of all others on the line o' march for him to meet with! It's predestined on the face of it Yes, tell him it's Kismet Kismet, mallum? [Do you understand?]'

He turned towards the laht as well have talked of Mesopotahted at Ki ofled back - though as thou knowest I went out of curiosity - to these people and their Red Bull I o to a madrissah and be turned into a Sahib Now I reement, for at the worst it will be but a few meals eaten away from thee Then I will slip away and follon the road to Saharunpore Therefore, Holy One, keep with that Kulu woain Past question, iven me wine to drink and set reat person So if they raise ain However it goes, I will run back to thee when I am tired But stay with the Rajputni, or I shall miss thy feetOah yess,' said the boy, 'I have told hi you tell me to say'

'And I cannot see any need why he should wait,' said Bennett, feeling in his trouser-pocket 'We can investigate the details later - and I will give him a ru -'

'Give him time Maybe he's fond of the lad,' said Father Victor, half arresting the clergyed forth his rosary and pulled his huge hat-brim over his eyes

'What can he want now?'

'He says' - Kim put up one hand 'He says: ”Be quiet” He wants to speak to me by himself You see, you do not know one little word of what he says, and I think if you talk he will perhaps give you very bad curses When he takes those beads like that, you see, he alants to be quiet'

The two Englishmen sat overwhelmed, but there was a look in Bennett's eye that proious arm

'A Sahib and the son of a Sahib -' The lama's voice was harsh with pain 'But no white man knows the land and the customs of the land as thou knowest How comes it this is true?'

'What ht or two Ree swiftly It will all be as it hen I first spoke to thee under Zaun -'

'As a boy in the dress of white men - when I first went to the Wonder House And a second time thou wast a Hindu What shall the third incarnation be?' He chuckled drearily 'Ah, chela, thou has done a wrong to an old man because my heart went out to thee'

'And mine to thee But how could I know that the Red Bull would bring me to this business?'

The lama covered his face afresh, and nervously rattled the rosary Kim squatted beside hi

'Now it is understood that the boy is a Sahib?' he went on in a es in the Wonder House' The lama's experience of whitea lesson 'So then it is not seeo back to his own people'

'For a day and a night and a day,' Ki towards the door, and interposed a strong leg

'I do not understand the custoes in the Wonder House in Lahore was more courteous than the thin one here This boy will be taken from me They will make a Sahib of my disciple? Woe to me! How shall I find my River? Have they no disciples? Ask'

'He says he is very sorree that he cannot find the River now anyhim? He wants to be washed of his sins'

Neither Bennett nor Father Victor found any answer ready

Said Kiony: 'I think if you will let o noalk away quietly and not steal We will look for that River like before I was caught I wish I did not co I do not want it'

'It's the very best day's work you ever did for yourself, young man,' said Bennett

'Good heavens, I don't kno to console hi the lama intently 'He can't take the boy aith hiood ive him that rupee he'll curse you root and branch!'

They listened to each other's breathing - three - five full minutes Then the lama raised his head, and looked forth across them into space and emptiness

'And I am a Follower of the Way,' he said bitterly 'The sin is mine and the punishment is mine I made believe to myself for now I see it was but make-belief - that thou wast sent to me to aid in the Search So my heart went out to thee for thy charity and thy courtesy and the wisdom of thy little years But those who follow the Way must permit not the fire of any desire or attachment, for that is all Illusion As says ' He quoted an old, old Chinese text, backed it with another, and reinforced these with a third 'I stepped aside frohted in the sight of life, the new people upon the roads, and in thy joy at seeing these things I was pleased with thee who should have considered my Search and my Search alone Now I am sorrowful because thou art taken away and my River is far from me It is the Lahich I have broken!'

'Powers of Darkness below!' said Father Victor, ise in the confessional, heard the pain in every sentence

'I see now that the sign of the Red Bull was a sign for me as well as for thee All Desire is red - and evil I will do penance and find o back to the Kulu woman,' said Kim, 'otherwise thou wilt be lost upon the roads She will feed thee till I run back to thee'

The lama waved a hand to show that the matter was finally settled in his mind

'Now,' - his tone altered as he turned to Ki merit, wipe out past ill'

'Make me a Sahib - so they think The day after torieve'

'Of what sort? Such an one as this or that man?' He pointed to Father Victor 'Such an one as those I saw this evening,heavily?'

'Maybe'

'That is not well These men follow desire and come to emptiness Thou must not be of their sort'

'The Umballa priest said that my Star was War,' Kim interjected 'I will ask these fools - but there is truly no need I will run away this night, for all I wanted to see the new things'

Kilish to Father Victor, translating the replies to the lama

Then: 'He says, ”You take him from me and you cannot say what you will o, for it is not a s to make a child”'

'You will be sent to a school Later on, we shall see Ki [white-folk] No-ah! No-ah!' Ki in his composition to which drill and routine appealed 'I will not be a soldier'

'You will be what you're told to be,' said Bennett; 'and you should be grateful that we're going to help you'

Kim smiled compassionately If thesethat he did not fancy, sosilence followed Bennett fidgeted with i a sentry to evict the fakir

'Do they give or sell learning a the Sahibs? Ask them,' said the lama, and Kim interpreted

'They say that iht'