下载辰思小说免费APP
`AndtheyareallboundupontheWheel，’saidthelama。`Boundfromlifeafterlife。TononeofthesehastheWaybeenshown。’Heshookhimselfbacktothisworld。
`Andnowwehavewalkedawearyway，’saidKim。`Surelyweshallsooncometoaparao[aresting-place]。Shallwestaythere？Look，thesunissloping。’
`Whowillreceiveusthisevening？’
`Thatisallone。Thiscountryisfullofgoodfolk。Besides’hesunkhisvoicebeneathawhisper-`wehavemoney。’
Thecrowdthickenedastheynearedtheresting-placewhichmarkedtheendoftheirday’sjourney。Alineofstallssellingverysimplefoodandtobacco，astackoffirewood，apolice-station，awell，ahorse-trough，afewtrees，and，underthem，sometrampledgrounddottedwiththeblackashesofoldfires，areallthatmarkaparaoontheGrandTrunk；
ifyouexceptthebeggarsandthecrows-bothhungry。
Bythistimethesunwasdrivingbroadgoldenspokesthroughthelowerbranchesofthemango-trees；theparakeetsanddoveswerecominghomeintheirhundreds；thechattering，grey-backedSevenSisters，talkingovertheday’sadventures，walkedbackandforthintwosandthreesalmostunderthefeetofthetravellers；andshufflingsandscufflingsinthebranchesshowedthatthebatswerereadytogooutonthenight-picket。Swiftlythelightgathereditselftogether，paintedforaninstantthefacesandthecart-wheelsandthebullocks’hornsasredasblood。Thenthenightfell，changingthetouchoftheair，drawingalow，evenhaze，likeagossamerveilofblue，acrossthefaceofthecountry，andbringingout，keenanddistinct，thesmellofwood-smokeandcattleandthegoodscentofwheatencakescookedonashes。Theeveningpatrolhurriedoutofthepolice-stationwithimportantcoughingsandreiteratedorders；andalivecharcoalballinthecupofawaysidecarter’shookahglowedredwhileKim’seyemechanicallywatchedthelastflickerofthesunonthebrasstweezers。
ThelifeoftheparaowasverylikethatoftheKashmirSeraionasmallscale。KimdivedintothehappyAsiaticdisorderwhich，ifyouonlyallowtime，willbringyoueverythingthatasimplemanneeds。
Hiswantswerefew，because，sincethelamahadnocastescruples，cookedfoodfromtheneareststallwouldserve；but，forluxury’ssake，Kimboughtahandfulofdung-cakestobuildafire。Allabout，comingandgoingroundthelittleflames，mencriedforoil，orgrain，orsweetmeats，ortobacco，jostlingoneanotherwhiletheywaitedtheirturnatthewell；andunderthemen’svoicesyouheardfromhalted，shutteredcartsthehighsquealsandgigglesofwomenwhosefacesshouldnotbeseeninpublic。
Nowadays，well-educatednativesareofopinionthatwhentheirwomenfolktravel-andtheyvisitagooddeal-itisbettertotakethemquicklybyrailinaproperlyscreenedcompartment；andthatcustomisspreading。
Buttherearealwaysthoseoftheoldrockwhoholdbytheuseoftheirforefathers；and，aboveall，therearealwaystheoldwomen-moreconservativethanthemen-whotowardtheendoftheirdaysgoonapilgrimage。They，beingwitheredandundesirable，donot，undercertaincircumstances，objecttounveiling。Aftertheirlongseclusion，duringwhichtheyhavealwaysbeeninbusinesstouchwithathousandoutsideinterests，theylovethebustleandstiroftheopenroad，thegatheringsattheshrines，andtheinfinitepossibilitiesofgossipwithlike-mindeddowagers。Veryoftenitsuitsalong-sufferingfamilythatastrong-tongued，iron-willedoldladyshoulddisportherselfaboutIndiainthisfashion；forcertainlypilgrimageisgratefultotheGods。SoallaboutIndia，inthemostremoteplaces，asinthemostpublic，youfindsomeknotofgrizzledservitorsinnominalchargeofanoldladywhoismoreorlesscurtainedandhidawayinabullock-cart。Suchmenarestaidanddiscreet，andwhenaEuropeanorahigh-castenativeisnearwillnettheirchargewithmostelaborateprecautions；butintheordinaryhaphazardchancesofpilgrimagetheprecautionsarenottaken。Theoldladyis，afterall，intenselyhuman，andlivestolookuponlife。
Kimmarkeddownagailyornamentedruthorfamilybullock-cart，withabroideredcanopyoftwodomes，likeadouble-humpedcamel，whichhadjustbeendrawnintotheparao。Eightmenmadeitsretinue，andtwooftheeightwerearmedwithrustysabres-suresignsthattheyfollowedapersonofdistinction，forthecommonfolkdonotbeararms。
Anincreasingcackleofcomplaints，orders，andjests，andwhattoaEuropeanwouldhavebeenbadlanguage，camefrombehindthecurtains。Herewasevidentlyawomanusedtocommand。
Kimlookedovertheretinuecritically。Halfofthemwerethin-legged，grey-beardedOoryasfromdowncountry。Theotherhalfwereduffle-clad，felt-hattedhillmenoftheNorth；andthatmixturetolditsowntale，evenifhehadnotoverheardtheincessantsparringbetweenthetwodivisions。
Theoldladywasgoingsouthonavisit-probablytoarichrelative，mostprobablytoason-in-law，whohadsentupanescortasamarkofrespect。
Thehillmenwouldbeofherownpeople-KuluorKangrafolk。Itwasquiteclearthatshewasnottakingherdaughterdowntobewedded，orthecurtainswouldhavebeenlacedhomeandtheguardwouldhaveallowednoonenearthecar。Amerryandahigh-spiriteddame，thoughtKim，balancingthedung-cakeinonehand，thecookedfoodintheother，andpilotingthelamawithanudgingshoulder。Somethingmightbemadeoutofthemeeting。Thelamawouldgivehimnohelp，but，asaconscientiouschela，Kimwasdelightedtobegfortwo。
Hebuilthisfireasclosetothecartashedared，waitingforoneoftheescorttoorderhimaway。Thelamadroppedwearilytotheground，muchasaheavyfruit-eatingbatcowers，andreturnedtohisrosary。
`Standfartheroff，beggar！’TheorderwasshoutedinbrokenHindustanibyoneofthehillmen。
`Huh！Itisonlyapahari[ahillman]’，saidKimoverhisshoulder。
`Sincewhenhavethehill-assesownedallHindustan？’
TheretortwasaswiftandbrilliantsketchofKim’spedigreeforthreegenerations。
`Ah！’Kim’svoicewassweeterthanever，ashebrokethedung-cakeintofitpieces。`Inmycountrywecallthatthebeginningoflove-talk。’
Aharsh，thincacklebehindthecurtainsputthehillmanonhismettleforasecondshot。
`Notsobad-notsobad，’saidKimwithcalm。`Buthaveacare，mybrother，lestwe-we，Isay-bemindedtogiveacurseorsoinreturn。Andourcurseshavetheknackofbitinghome。’
TheOoryaslaughed；thehillmansprangforwardthreateningly。Thelamasuddenlyraisedhishead，bringinghishugetam-o’-shanterhatintothefulllightofKim’snew-startedfire。
`Whatisit？’saidhe。
Themanhaltedasthoughstrucktostone。`I-I-amsavedfromagreatsin，’hestammered。
`Theforeignerhasfoundhimapriestatlast，’whisperedoneoftheOoryas。
`Hai！Whyisthatbeggar-bratnotwellbeaten？’theoldwomancried。
Thehillmandrewbacktothecartandwhisperedsomethingtothecurtain。
Therewasdeadsilence，thenamuttering。
`Thisgoeswell，’thoughtKim，pretendingneithertoseenorhear。
`When-when-hehaseaten’-thehillmanfawnedonKim-`it-itisrequestedthattheHolyOnewilldothehonourtotalktoonewhowouldspeaktohim。’
`Afterhehaseatenhewillsleep，’Kimreturnedloftily。Hecouldnotquiteseewhatnewturnthegamehadtaken，butstoodresolutetoprofitbyit。`NowIwillgethimhisfood。’Thelastsentence，spokenloudly，endedwithasighasoffaintness。
`I-Imyselfandtheothersofmypeoplewilllooktothat-if-itispermitted。’
`Itispermitted，’saidKim，moreloftilythanever。`HolyOne，thesepeoplewillbringusfood。’
`Thelandisgood。AllthecountryoftheSouthisgood-agreatandaterribleworld，’mumbledthelamadrowsily。
`Lethimsleep，’saidKim，`butlooktoitthatwearewellfedwhenhewakes。Heisaveryholyman。’
AgainoneoftheOoryassaidsomethingcontemptuously。
`Heisnotafakir。Heisnotadown-countrybeggar，’Kimwentonseverely，addressingthestars。`Heisthemostholyofholymen。Heisaboveallcastes。Iamhischela。’
`Comehere！’saidtheflatthinvoicebehindthecurtain；andKimcame，consciousthateyeshecouldnotseewerestaringathim。Oneskinnybrownfingerheavywithringslayontheedgeofthecart，andthetalkwentthisway：
`Whoisthatone？’
`Anexceedinglyholyone。Hecomesfromfaroff。HecomesfromTibet。’
`WhereinTibet？’
`Frombehindthesnows-fromaveryfarplace。Heknowsthestars；
hemakeshoroscopes；hereadsnativities。Buthedoesnotdothisformoney。
Hedoesitforkindnessandgreatcharity。Iamhisdisciple。IamcalledalsotheFriendoftheStars。’
`Thouartnohillman。’
`Askhim。HewilltelltheeIwassenttohimfromtheStarstoshowhimanendtohispilgrimage。’
`Humph！Consider，brat，thatIamanoldwomanandnotaltogetherafool。LamasIknow，andtotheseIgivereverence，butthouartnomorealawfulchelathanthismyfingeristhepoleofthiswagon。ThouartacastelessHindu-aboldandunblushingbeggar，attached，belike，totheHolyOneforthesakeofgain。’
