下载辰思小说免费APP
Hehaltedatthestallnextbutonetohisown。Hismenlaythereheavywithsleep。TherewasnosignofKimorthelama。
`Up！’Hestirredasleeper。`Whitherwentthosewholayherelasteven-thelamaandtheboy？Isaughtmissing？’
`Nay，’gruntedtheman，`theoldmadmanroseatsecondcockcrowsayinghewouldgotoBenares，andtheyoungoneledhimaway。’
`ThecurseofAllahonallunbelievers！’saidMahbubheartily，andclimbedintohisownstall，growlinginhisbeard。
ButitwasKimwhohadwakenedthelama-Kimwithoneeyelaidagainstaknot-holeintheplanking，whohadseentheDelhiman’ssearchthroughtheboxes。Thiswasnocommonthiefthatturnedoverletters，bills，andsaddles-nomereburglarwhoranalittleknifesidewaysintothesolesofMahbub’sslippers，orpickedtheseamsofthesaddle-bagssodeftly。
AtfirstKimhadbeenmindedtogivethealarm-thelong-drawncho-or-choor！[thief！thief！]thatsetstheseraiablazeofnights；buthelookedmorecarefully，and，handonamulet，drewhisownconclusions。
`Itmustbethepedigreeofthatmade-uphorse-lie，’saidhe，`thethingthatIcarrytoUmballa。Betterthatwegonow。Thosewhosearchbagswithknivesmaypresentlysearchbellieswithknives。Surelythereisawomanbehindthis。Hai！Hai！’inawhispertothelight-sleepingoldman。`Come。
Itistime-timetogotoBenares。’
Thelamaroseobediently，andtheypassedoutoftheserailikeshadows。
Kipling：Kim，Chapter2Chapter2
Andwhosowill，fromPridereleased，Contemningneithercreednorpriest，MayfeeltheSoulofalltheEastAbouthimatKamakura。BuddhaatKamakura。Theyenteredthefort-likerailwaystation，blackintheendofnight；
theelectricssizzlingoverthegoods-yardwheretheyhandletheheavyNortherngrain-traffic。
`Thisistheworkofdevils！’saidthelama，recoilingfromthehollowechoingdarkness，theglimmerofrailsbetweenthemasonryplatforms，andthemazeofgirdersabove。Hestoodinagiganticstonehallpaved，itseemed，withthesheeteddead-third-classpassengerswhohadtakentheirticketsovernightandweresleepinginthewaiting-rooms。Allhoursofthetwenty-fourarealiketoOrientals，andtheirpassengertrafficisregulatedaccordingly。
`Thisiswherethefire-carriagescome。Onestandsbehindthathole’-
Kimpointedtotheticket-office-`whowillgivetheeapapertotaketheetoUmballa。’
`ButwegotoBenares，’herepliedpetulantly。
`Allone。Benaresthen。Quick：shecomes！’
`Takethouthepurse。’
Thelama，notsowellusedtotrainsashehadpretended，startedasthe3。25a。m。south-boundroaredin。Thesleeperssprangtolife，andthestationfilledwithclamourandshoutings，criesofwaterandsweetmeatvendors，shoutsofnativepolicemen，andshrillyellsofwomengatheringuptheirbaskets，theirfamilies，andtheirhusbands。
`Itisthetrain-onlythete-rain。Itwillnotcomehere。Wait！’
Amazedatthelama’simmensesimplicity(hehadhandedhimasmallbagfullofrupees)，KimaskedandpaidforatickettoUmballa。Asleepyclerkgruntedandflungoutatickettothenextstation，justsixmilesdistant。
`Nay，’saidKim，scanningitwithagrin。`Thismayserveforfarmers，butIliveinthecityofLahore。Itwascleverlydone，Babu。NowgivethetickettoUmballa。’
TheBabuscowledanddealttheproperticket。
`NowanothertoAmritzar，’saidKim，whohadnonotionofspendingMahbubAli’smoneyonanythingsocrudeasapaidridetoUmballa。`Thepriceissomuch。Thesmallmoneyinreturnisjustsomuch。Iknowthewaysofthete-rain……Neverdidyogineedchelaasthoudost，’hewentonmerrilytothebewilderedlama。`TheywouldhaveflungtheeoutatMianMirbutforme。Thisway！Come！’Hereturnedthemoney，keepingonlyoneannaineachrupeeofthepriceoftheUmballaticketashiscommission-theimmemorialcommissionofAsia。
Thelamajibbedattheopendoorofacrowdedthird-classcarriage。
`Wereitnotbettertowalk？’saidheweakly。
AburlySikhartisanthrustforthhisbeardedhead。`Isheafraid？Donotbeafraid。IrememberthetimewhenIwasafraidofthete-rain。
Enter！ThisthingistheworkoftheGovernment。’
`Idonotfear，’saidthelama。`Haveyeroomwithinfortwo？’
`Thereisnoroomevenforamouse，’shrilledthewifeofawell-to-docultivator-aHinduJatfromtherichJullundurdistrict。Ournighttrainsarenotaswelllookedafterasthedayones，wherethesexesareverystrictlykepttoseparatecarriages。
`Oh，motherofmyson，wecanmakespace，’saidtheblue-turbanedhusband。
`Pickupthechild。Itisaholyman，see’stthou？’
`Andmylapfullofseventytimessevenbundles！Whynotbidhimsitonmyknee，Shameless？Butmenareeverthus！’Shelookedroundforapproval。
AnAmritzarcourtesannearthewindowsniffedbehindherheaddrapery。
`Enter！Enter！’criedafatHindumoney-lender，hisfoldedaccount-bookinaclothunderhisarm。Withanoilysmirk：`Itiswelltobekindtothepoor。’
`Ay，atsevenpercentamonthwithamortgageontheunborncalf，’
saidayoungDograsoldiergoingsouthonleave；andtheyalllaughed。
`WillittraveltoBenares？’saidthelama。
`Assuredly。Elsewhyshouldwecome？Enter，orweareleft，’criedKim。
`See！’shrilledtheAmritzargirl。`Hehasneverenteredatrain。Oh，see！’
`Nay，help，’saidthecultivator，puttingoutalargebrownhandandhaulinghimin。`Thusisitdone，father。’
`But-but-Isitonthefloor。ItisagainsttheRuletositonabench，’saidthelama。`Moreover，itcrampsme。’
`Isay，’beganthemoney-lender，pursinghislips，`thatthereisnotoneruleofrightlivingwhichthesete-rainsdonotcauseustobreak。Wesit，forexample，sidebysidewithallcastesandpeoples。’
`Yea，andwithmostoutrageouslyshamelessones，’saidthewife，scowlingattheAmritzargirlmakingeyesattheyoungsepoy。
`Isaidwemighthavegonebycartalongtheroad，’saidthehusband，`andthushavesavedsomemoney。’
`Yes-andspenttwiceoverwhatwesavedonfoodbytheway。Thatwastalkedouttenthousandtimes。’
`Ay，bytenthousandtongues，’gruntedhe。
`TheGodshelpuspoorwomenifwemaynotspeak。Oho！Heisofthatsortwhichmaynotlookatorreplytoawoman。’Forthelama，constrainedbyhisRule，tooknotthefaintestnoticeofher。`Andhisdiscipleislikehim？’
`Nay，mother，’saidKimmostpromptly。`Notwhenthewomaniswell-lookingandaboveallcharitabletothehungry。’
`Abeggar’sanswer，’saidtheSikh，laughing。`Thouhastbroughtitonthyself，sister！’Kim’shandswerecrookedinsupplication。
`Andwhithergoestthou？’saidthewoman，handinghimthehalfofacakefromagreasypackage。
`EventoBenares。’
`Jugglersbelike？’theyoungsoldiersuggested。`Haveyeanytrickstopassthetime？Whydoesnotthatyellowmananswer？’
`Because，’saidKimstoutly，`heisholy，andthinksuponmattershiddenfromthee。’
`Thatmaybewell。WeoftheLudhianaSikhs’-herolleditoutsonorously-`donottroubleourheadswithdoctrine。Wefight。’
`Mysister’sbrother’ssonisnaik[corporal]inthatregiment，’
saidtheSikhcraftsmanquietly。`TherearealsosomeDogracompaniesthere。’
Thesoldierglared，foraDograisofothercastethanaSikh，andthebankertittered。
`Theyareallonetome，’saidtheAmritzargirl。
`Thatwebelieve，’snortedthecultivator’swifemalignantly。
`Nay，butallwhoservetheSirkarwithweaponsintheirhandsare，asitwere，onebrotherhood。Thereisonebrotherhoodofthecaste，butbeyondthatagain’-shelookedroundtimidly-`thebondofthePulton-theRegiment-eh？’
`MybrotherisinaJatregiment，’saidthecultivator。`Dograsbegoodmen。’
`ThySikhsatleastwereofthatopinion，’saidthesoldier，withascowlattheplacidoldmaninthecorner。`ThySikhsthoughtsowhenourtwocompaniescametohelpthematthePirzaiKotalinthefaceofeightAfridistandardsontheridgenotthreemonthsgone。’
HetoldthestoryofaBorderactioninwhichtheDogracompaniesoftheLudhianaSikhshadacquittedthemselveswell。TheAmritzargirlsmiled；
