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`Andwhendostthougo？’TheCuratorsmiledatthemixtureofold-worldpietyandmodernprogressthatisthenoteofIndiatoday。
`Assoonasmaybe。IfollowtheplacesofHislifetillIcometotheRiveroftheArrow。Thereis，moreover，awrittenpaperofthehoursofthetrainsthatgosouth。’
`Andforfood？’Lamas，asarule，havegoodstoreofmoneysomewhereaboutthem，buttheCuratorwishedtomakesure。
`Forthejourney，ItakeuptheMaster’sbegging-bowl。Yes。EvenasHewentsogoI，forsakingtheeaseofmymonastery。TherewaswithmewhenIleftthehillsachela[disciple]whobeggedformeastheRuledemands，buthaltinginKuluawhileafevertookhimandhedied。
Ihavenownochela，butIwilltakethealms-bowlandthusenablethecharitabletoacquiremerit。’Henoddedhisheadvaliantly。Learneddoctorsofalamasserydonotbeg，butthelamawasanenthusiastinthisquest。
`Beitso，’saidtheCurator，smiling。`Suffermenowtoacquiremerit。
Webecraftsmentogether，thouandI。HereisanewbookofwhiteEnglishpaper：herebesharpenedpencilstwoandthree-thickandthin，allgoodforascribe。Nowlendmethyspectacles。’
TheCuratorlookedthroughthem。Theywereheavilyscratched，butthepowerwasalmostexactlythatofhisownpair，whichheslidintothelama’shand，saying：`Trythese。’
`Afeather！Averyfeatherupontheface！’Theoldmanturnedhisheaddelightedlyandwrinkleduphisnose。`HowscarcelydoIfeelthem！HowclearlydoIsee！’
`Theybebilaur-crystal-andwillneverscratch。MaytheyhelptheetothyRiver，fortheyarethine。’
`Iwilltakethemandthepencilsandthewhitenote-book，’saidthelama，`asasignoffriendshipbetweenpriestandpriest-andnow-’
Hefumbledathisbelt，detachedtheopen-workironpencase，andlaiditontheCurator’stable。`Thatisforamemorybetweentheeandme-mypencase。Itissomethingold-evenasIam。’
Itwasapieceofancientdesign，Chinese，ofanironthatisnotsmeltedthesedays；andthecollector’sheartintheCurator’sbosomhadgoneouttoitfromthefirst。Fornopersuasionwouldthelamaresumehisgift。
`WhenIreturn，havingfoundtheRiver，IwillbringtheeawrittenpictureofthePadmaSamthorasuchasIusedtomakeonsilkatthelamassery。
Yes-andoftheWheelofLife，’hechuckled，`forwebecraftsmentogether，thouandI。’
TheCuratorwouldhavedetainedhim：theyarefewintheworldwhostillhavethesecretoftheconventionalbrush-penBuddhistpictureswhichare，asitwere，halfwrittenandhalfdrawn。Butthelamastrodeout，headhighinair，andpausinganinstantbeforethegreatstatueofaBodhisatinmeditation，brushedthroughtheturnstiles。
Kimfollowedlikeashadow。Whathehadoverheardexcitedhimwildly。
Thismanwasentirelynewtoallhisexperience，andhemeanttoinvestigatefurther，preciselyashewouldhaveinvestigatedanewbuildingorastrangefestivalinLahorecity。Thelamawashistrove，andhepurposedtotakepossession。Kim’smotherhadbeenIrishtoo。
TheoldmanhaltedbyZam-ZammahandlookedroundtillhiseyefellonKim。Theinspirationofhispilgrimagehadlefthimforawhile，andhefeltold，forlorn，andveryempty。
`Donotsitunderthatgun，’saidthepolicemanloftily。
`Huh！Owl！’wasKim’sretortonthelama’sbehalf。`Situnderthatgunifitpleasethee。Whendidstthoustealthemilk-woman’sslippers，Dunnoo？’
Thatwasanutterlyunfoundedchargesprungonthespurofthemoment，butitsilencedDunnoo，whoknewthatKim’sclearyellcouldcalluplegionsofbadbazarboysifneedarose。
`Andwhomdidstthouworshipwithin？’saidKimaffably，squattingintheshadebesidethelama。
`Iworshippednone，child。IbowedbeforetheExcellentLaw。’
KimacceptedthisnewGodwithoutemotion。Heknewalreadyafewscore。
`Andwhatdostthoudo？’
`Ibeg。IremembernowitislongsinceIhaveeatenordrunk。Whatisthecustomofcharityinthistown？Insilence，aswedoofTibet，orspeakingaloud？’
`Thosewhobeginsilencestarveinsilence，’saidKim，quotinganativeproverb。Thelamatriedtorise，butsankbackagain，sighingforhisdisciple，deadinfar-awayKulu。Kimwatched-headtooneside，consideringandinterested。
`Givemethebowl。Iknowthepeopleofthiscity-allwhoarecharitable。
Give，andIwillbringitbackfilled。’
Simplyasachildtheoldmanhandedhimthebowl。
`Rest，thou。Iknowthepeople。’
Hetrottedofftotheopenshopofakunjri，alow-castevegetable-seller，whichlayoppositethebelt-tramwaylinedowntheMoteeBazar。SheknewKimofold。
`Oho，hastthouturnedyogiwiththybegging-bowl？’shecried。
`Nay，’saidKimproudly。`ThereisanewpriestinthecityamansuchasIhaveneverseen。’
`Oldpriest-youngtiger，’saidthewomanangrily。`Iamtiredofnewpriests！Theysettleonourwareslikeflies。Isthefatherofmysonawellofcharitytogivetoallwhoask？’
`No，’saidKim。`Thymanisratheryagi[bad-tempered]thanyogi[aholyman]。Butthispriestisnew。TheSahibintheWonderHousehastalkedtohimlikeabrother。Omymother，fillmethisbowl。Hewaits。’
`Thatbowlindeed！Thatcow-belliedbasket！ThouhastasmuchgraceastheholybullofShiv。Hehastakenthebestofabasketofonionsalready，thismorn；andforsooth，Imustfillthybowl。Hecomeshereagain。’
Thehuge，mouse-colouredBrahminibullofthewardwasshoulderinghiswaythroughthemany-colouredcrowd，astolenplantainhangingoutofhismouth。Heheadedstraightfortheshop，wellknowinghisprivilegesasasacredbeast，loweredhishead，andpuffedheavilyalongthelineofbasketseremakinghischoice。UpflewKim’shardlittleheelandcaughthimonhismoistbluenose。Hesnortedindignantly，andwalkedawayacrossthetram-rails，hishumpquiveringwithrage。
`See！Ihavesavedmorethanthebowlwillcostthriceover。Now，mother，alittlericeandsomedriedfishatop-yes，andsomevegetablecurry。’
Agrowlcameoutofthebackoftheshop，whereamanlay。
`Hedroveawaythebull，’saidthewomaninanundertone。`Itisgoodtogivetothepoor。’Shetookthebowlandreturneditfullofhotrice。
`Butmyyogiisnotacow，’saidKimgravely，makingaholewithhisfingersinthetopofthemound。`Alittlecurryisgood，andafriedcake，andamorselofconservewouldpleasehim，Ithink。’
`Itisaholeasbigasthyhead，’saidthewomanfretfully。Butshefilledit，nonetheless，withgood，steamingvegetablecurry，clappedafriedcakeatop，andamorselofclarifiedbutteronthecake，dabbedalumpofsourtamarindconserveattheside；andKimlookedattheloadlovingly。
`Thatisgood。WhenIaminthebazarthebullshallnotcometothishouse。Heisaboldbeggar-man。’
`Andthou？’laughedthewoman。`Butspeakwellofbulls。HastthounottoldmethatsomedayaRedBullwillcomeoutofafieldtohelpthee？
Nowholdallstraightandaskfortheholyman’sblessinguponme。Perhaps，too，heknowsacureformydaughter’ssoreeyes。Askhimthatalso，O
thouLittleFriendofalltheWorld。’
ButKimhaddancedofferetheendofthesentence，dodgingpariahdogsandhungryacquaintances。
`Thusdowebegwhoknowthewayofit，’saidheproudlytothelama，whoopenedhiseyesatthecontentsofthebowl。`Eatnowand-Iwilleatwiththee。Ohé；，bhisti！’hecalledtothewater-carrier，sluicingthecrotonsbytheMuseum。`Givewaterhere。Wemenarethirsty。’
`Wemen！’saidthebhisti，laughing。`Isoneskinfulenoughforsuchapair？Drink，then，inthenameoftheCompassionate。’
HeloosedathinstreamintoKim’shands，whodranknative-fashion；
butthelamamustneedspulloutacupfromhisinexhaustibleupperdraperiesanddrinkceremonially。
`Pardesi[aforeigner]，’Kimexplained，astheoldmandeliveredinanunknowntonguewhatwasevidentlyablessing。
Theyatetogetheringreatcontent，clearingthebegging-bowl。Thenthelamatooksnufffromaportentouswoodensnuff-gourd，fingeredhisrosaryawhile，andsodroppedintotheeasysleepofage，astheshadowofZam-Zammahgrewlong。
Kimloafedovertothenearesttobacco-seller，aratherlivelyyoungMohammedanwoman，andbeggedarankcigarofthebrandthattheyselltostudentsofthePunjabUniversitywhocopyEnglishcustoms。Thenhesmokedandthought，kneestochin，underthebellyofthegun，andtheoutcomeofhisthoughtswasasuddenandstealthydepartureinthedirectionofNilaRam’stimber-yard。
