下载辰思小说免费APP
Thesontossedasilvercointhroughthesunlight，grumblingsomethingaboutbeggarsandjugglers。Itwasafour-annapiece，andwouldfeedthemwellfordays。Thelama，seeingtheflashofthemetal，dronedablessing。
`Gothyway，FriendofalltheWorld，’pipedtheoldsoldier，wheelinghisscrawnymount。`ForonceinallmydaysIhavemetatrueprophet-
whowasnotintheArmy。’
Fatherandsonswungroundtogether：theoldmansittingaserectastheyounger。
APunjabiconstableinyellowlinentrousersslouchedacrosstheroad。
Hehadseenthemoneypass。
`Halt！’hecriedinimpressiveEnglish。`Knowyenotthatthereisatakkusoftwoannasahead，whichisfourannas，onthosewhoentertheRoadfromthisside-road？ItistheorderoftheSirkar，andthemoneyisspentfortheplantingoftreesandthebeautificationoftheways。’
`Andthebelliesofthepolice，’saidKim，slippingoutofarm’sreach。
`Considerforawhile，manwithamudhead。Thinkyouwecamefromthenearestpondlikethefrog，thyfather-in-law？Hastthoueverheardthenameofthybrother？’
`Andwhowashe？Leavetheboyalone，’criedaseniorconstable，immenselydelighted，ashesquatteddowntosmokehispipeintheveranda。
`Hetookalabelfromabottleofbelaitee-pani[soda-water]，and，affixingittoabridge，collectedtaxesforamonthfromthosewhopassed，sayingthatitwastheSirkar’sorder。ThencameanEnglishmanandbrokehishead。Ah，brother，Iamatown-crow，notavillage-crow！’
Thepolicemandrewbackabashed，andKimhootedathimalldowntheroad。
`WasthereeversuchadiscipleasI？’hecriedmerrilytothelama。
`AllearthwouldhavepickedthyboneswithintenmileofLahorecityifIhadnotguardedthee。’
`Iconsiderinmyownmindwhetherthouartaspirit，sometimes，orsometimesanevilimp，’saidthelama，smilingslowly。
`Iamthychela。’Kimdroppedintostepathisside-thatindescribablegaitofthelong-distancetrampalltheworldover。
`Nowletuswalk，’mutteredthelama，andtotheclickofhisrosarytheywalkedinsilencemileuponmile。Thelamaasusual，wasdeepinmeditation，butKim’sbrighteyeswereopenwide。Thisbroad，smilingriveroflife，heconsidered，wasavastimprovementonthecrampedandcrowdedLahorestreets。Therewerenewpeopleandnewsightsateverystride-castesheknewandcastesthatwerealtogetheroutofhisexperience。
Theymetatroopoflong-haired，strong-scentedSansiswithbasketsoflizardsandotheruncleanfoodontheirbacks，theirleandogssniffingattheirheels。Thesepeoplekepttheirownsideoftheroad，movingataquick，furtivejog-trot，andallothercastesgavethemampleroom；fortheSansiisdeeppollution。Behindthem，walkingwideandstifflyacrossthestrongshadows，thememoryofhisleg-ironsstillonhim，strodeonenewlyreleasedfromthejail；hisfullstomachandshinyskintoprovethattheGovernmentfeditsprisonersbetterthanmosthonestmencouldfeedthemselves。Kimknewthatwalkwell，andmadebroadjestofitastheypassed。ThenanAkali，awild-eyed，wild-hairedSikhdevoteeintheblue-checkedclothesofhisfaith，withpolished-steelquoitsglisteningontheconeofhistallblueturban，stalkedpast，returningfromavisittooneoftheindependentSikhStates，wherehehadbeensingingtheancientgloriesoftheKhalsatoCollege-trainedprincelingsintop-bootsandwhite-cordbreeches。Kimwascarefulnottoirritatethatman；fortheAkali’stemperisshortandhisarmquick。Hereandtheretheymetorwereovertakenbythegailydressedcrowdsofwholevillagesturningouttosomelocalfair；
thewomen，withtheirbabesontheirhips，walkingbehindthemen，theolderboysprancingonsticksofsugar-cane，draggingrudebrassmodelsoflocomotivessuchastheysellforahalfpenny，orflashingthesunintotheeyesoftheirbettersfromcheaptoymirrors。Onecouldseeataglancewhateachhadbought；andiftherewereanydoubtitneededonlytowatchthethewivescomparing，brownarmagainstbrownarm，thenewlypurchaseddullglassbraceletsthatcomefromtheNorth-West。Thesemerry-makerssteppedslowly，callingonetotheotherandstoppingtohagglewithsweetmeat-sellers，ortomakeaprayerbeforeoneofthewaysideshrines-sometimesHindu，sometimesMussalman-whichthelow-casteofbothcreedssharewithbeautifulimpartiality。Asolidlineofblue，risingandfallinglikethebackofacaterpillarinhaste，wouldswingupthroughthequiveringdustandtrotpasttoachorusofquickcackling。Thatwasagangofchangars-thewomenwhohavetakenalltheembankmentsofalltheNorthernrailwaysundertheircharge-aflat-footed，big-bosomed，strong-limbed，blue-petticoatedclanofearth-carriers，hurryingnorthonnewsofajob，andwastingnotimebytheroad。Theybelongtothecastewhosemendonotcount，andtheywalkedwithsquaredelbows，swinginghips，andheadsonhigh，assuitswomenwhocarryheavyweights。AlittlelateramarriageprocessionwouldstrikeintotheGrandTrunkwithmusicandshoutings，andasmellofmarigoldandjasminestrongereventhanthereekofthedust。Onecouldseethebride’slitter，ablurofredandtinsel，staggeringthroughthehaze，whilethebridegroom’sbewreathedponyturnedasidetosnatchamouthfulfromapassingfodder-cart。ThenKimwouldjointheKentish-fireofgoodwishesandbadjokes，wishingthecoupleahundredsonsandnodaughters，asthesayingis。Stillmoreinterestingandmoretobeshoutedoveritwaswhenastrollingjugglerwithsomehalf-trainedmonkeys，orapanting，feeblebear，orawomanwhotiedgoats’hornstoherfeet，andwiththesedancedonaslack-rope，setthehorsestoshyingandthewomentoshrill，long-drawnquaversofamazement。
Thelamaneverraisedhiseyes。Hedidnotnotethemoneylenderonhisgoose-rumpedpony，hasteningalongtocollectthecruelinterest；orthelong-shouting，deep-voicedlittlemob-stillinmilitaryformation-ofnativesoldiersonleave，rejoicingtoberidoftheirbreechesandputtees，andsayingthemostoutrageousthingstothemostrespectablewomeninsight。EventhesellerofGanges-waterhedidnotsee，andKimexpectedthathewouldatleastbuyabottleofthatpreciousstuff。Helookedsteadilyattheground，andstrodeassteadilyhoarafterhour，hissoulbusiedelsewhere。ButKimwasintheseventhheavenofjoy。TheGrandTrunkatthispointwasbuiltonanembankmenttoguardagainstwinterfloodsfromthefoothills，sothatonewalked，asitwere，alittleabovethecountry，alongastatelycorridor，seeingallIndiaspreadouttoleftandright。Itwasbeautifultobeholdthemany-yokedgrainandcottonwagonscrawlingoverthecountryroads：onecouldheartheiraxles，complainingamileaway，comingnearer，tillwithshoutsandyellsandbadwordstheyclimbedupthesteepinclineandplungedontothehardmainroad，carterrevilingcarter。Itwasequallybeautifultowatchthepeople，littleclumpsofredandblueandpinkandwhiteandsaffron，turningasidetogototheirownvillages，dispersingandgrowingsmallbytwosandthreesacrossthelevelplain。Kimfeltthesethings，thoughhecouldnotgivetonguetohisfeelings，andsocontentedhimselfwithbuyingpeeledsugar-caneandspittingthepithgenerouslyabouthispath。Fromtimetotimethelamatooksnuff，andatlastKimcouldendurethesilencenolonger。
`Thisisagoodland-thelandoftheSouth！’saidhe。`Theairisgood；thewaterisgood。Eh？’
