下载辰思小说免费APP
`Why，it’saboy！’hesaid，ashedrewhisprizeunderthelightofthetent-polelantern，thenshakinghimseverelycried：`Whatwereyoudoing？You’reathief。Choor？Mallum？’HisHindustaniwasverylimited，andtheruffledanddisgustedKimintendedtokeeptothecharacterlaiddownforhim。Asherecoveredhisbreathhewasinventingabeautifullyplausibletaleofhisrelationstosomescullion，andatthesametimekeepingakeeneyeonandalittleundertheChaplain’sleftarm-pit。Thechancecame；heduckedforthedoorway，butalongarmshotoutandclutchedathisneck，snappingtheamulet-stringandclosingontheamulet。
`Giveitme。O，giveitme。Isitlost？Givemethepapers。’
ThewordswereinEnglish-thetinny，saw-cutEnglishofthenative-bred，andtheChaplainjumped。
`Ascapular，’saidhe，openinghishand。`No，somesortofheathencharm。
Why-why，doyouspeakEnglish？Littleboyswhostealarebeaten。Youknowthat？’
`Idonot-Ididnotsteal。’Kimdancedinagonylikeaterrierataliftedstick。`Oh，giveitme。Itismycharm。Donotthieveitfromme。’
TheChaplaintooknoheed，but，goingtothetentdoor，calledaloud。
Afattish，clean-shavenmanappeared。
`Iwantyouradvice，FatherVictor，’saidBennett。`IfoundthisboyinthedarkoutsidetheMess-tent。Ordinarily，Ishouldhavechastisedhimandlethimgo，becauseIbelievehimtobeathief。ButitseemshetalksEnglish，andheattachessomesortofvaluetoacharmroundhisneck。Ithoughtperhapsyoumighthelpme。’
BetweenhimselfandtheRomanCatholicChaplainoftheIrishcontingentlay，asBennettbelieved，anunbridgeablegulf，butitwasnoticeablethatwhenevertheChurchofEnglanddealtwithahumanproblemshewasverylikelytocallintheChurchofRome。Bennett’sofficialabhorrenceoftheScarletWomanandallherwayswasonlyequalledbyhisprivaterespectforFatherVictor。
`AthieftalkingEnglish，isit？Let’slookathischarm。No，it’snotascapular，Bennett。’Heheldouthishand。
`Buthaveweanyrighttoopenit？Asoundwhipping-’
`Ididnotthieve，’protestedKim。`Youhavehitmekicksallovermybody。NowgivememycharmandIwillgoaway。’
`Notquitesofast。We’lllookfirst，’saidFatherVictor，leisurelyrollingoutpoorKimballO’Hara’snevarieturparchment，hisclearance-certificate，andKim’sbaptismalcertificate。OnthislastO’Hara-withsomeconfusedideathathewasdoingwondersforhisson-hadscrawledscoresoftimes：
`Lookaftertheboy。Pleaselookaftertheboy’-signinghisnameandregimentalnumberinfull。
`PowersofDarknessbelow！’saidFatherVictor，passingallovertoMrBennett。`Doyouknowwhatthesethingsare？’
`Yes，’saidKim。`Theyaremine，andIwanttogoaway。’
`Idonotquiteunderstand，’saidMrBennett。`Heprobablybroughtthemonpurpose。Itmaybeabeggingtrickofsomekind。’
`Ineversawabeggarlessanxioustostaywithhiscompany，then。There’sthemakingsofagaymysteryhere。YebelieveinProvidence，Bennett？’
`Ihopeso。’
`Well，Ibelieveinmiracles，soitcomestothesamething。PowersofDarkness！KimballO’Hara！Andhisson！Butthenhe’sanative，andI
sawKimballmarriedmyselftoAnnieShott。Howlonghaveyouhadthesethings，boy？’
`EversinceIwasalittlebaby。’
FatherVictorsteppedforwardquicklyandopenedthefrontofKim’suppergarment。`Yousee，Bennett，he’snotveryblack。What’syourname？’
`Kim。’
`OrKimball？’
`Perhaps。Willyouletmegoaway？’
`Whatelse？’
`TheycallmeKimRishtike。ThatisKimoftheRishti。’
`Whatisthat-`Rishti’？’
`Eye-rishti-thatwastheRegiment-myfather’s。’
`Irish-oh，Isee。’
`Yess。Thatwashowmyfathertoldme。Myfather，hehaslived。’
`Haslivedwhere？’
`Haslived。Ofcourseheisdead-gone-out。’
`Oh！That’syourabruptwayofputtingit，isit？’
Bennettinterrupted。`ItispossibleIhavedonetheboyaninjustice。
Heiscertainlywhite，thoughevidentlyneglected。IamsureImusthavebruisedhim。Idonotthinkspirits-’
`Gethimaglassofsherry，then，andlethimsquatonthecot。Now，Kim，’continuedFatherVictor，`nooneisgoingtohurtyou。Drinkthatdownandtellusaboutyourself。Thetruth，ifyou’venoobjection。’
Kimcoughedalittleasheputdowntheemptyglass，andconsidered。
Thisseemedatimeforcautionandfancy。Smallboyswhoprowlaboutcampsaregenerallyturnedoutafterawhipping。Buthehadreceivednostripes；
theamuletwasevidentlyworkinginhisfavour，anditlookedasthoughtheUmballahoroscopeandthefewwordsthathecouldrememberofhisfather’smaunderingsfittedinmostmiraculously。Elsewhydidthefatpadreseemsoimpressed，andwhytheglassofhotyellowdrinkfromtheleanone？
`Myfather，heisdeadinLahorecitysinceIwasverylittle。Thewoman，shekeptkabarrishopnearwherethehirecarriagesare。’Kimbeganwithaplunge，notquitesurehowfarthetruthwouldservehim。
`Yourmother？’
`No！’-withagestureofdisgust。`ShewentoutwhenIwasborn。
Myfather，hegotthesepapersfromtheJadoo-Gher-whatdoyoucallthat？’
(Bennettnodded)`becausehewasin-good-standing。Whatdoyoucallthat？’
(againBennettnodded)。`Myfathertoldmethat。Hesaid，too，andalsotheBrahminwhomadethedrawinginthedustatUmballatwodaysago，hesaid，thatIshallfindaRedBullonagreenfieldandthattheBullshallhelpme。’
`Aphenomenallittleliar，’mutteredBennett。
`PowersofDarknessbelow，whatacountry！’murmuredFatherVictor。
`Goon，Kim。’
`Ididnotthieve。Besides，Iamjustnowdiscipleofaveryholyman。Heissittingoutside。Wesawtwomencomewithflags，makingtheplaceready。Thatisalwayssoinadream，oronaccountofa-a-prophecy。SoIknewitwascometrue。IsawtheRedBullonthegreenfield，andmyfatherhesaid：`NinehundredpukkadevilsandtheColonelridingonahorsewilllookafteryouwhenyoufindtheRedBull！’IdidnotknowwhattodowhenIsawtheBull，butIwentawayandIcameagainwhenitwasdark。IwantedtoseetheBullagain，andIsawtheBullagainwiththe-theSahibsprayingtoit。IthinktheBullshallhelpme。Theholymansaidsotoo。Heissittingoutside。Willyouhurthim，ifIcallhimashoutnow？Heisveryholy。HecanwitnesstoallthethingsIsay，andheknowsIamnotathief。’
``Sahibsprayingtoabull！’Whatintheworlddoyoumakeofthat？’
saidBennett。``Discipleofaholyman！’Istheboymad？’
`It’sO’Hara’sboy，sureenough。O’Hara’sboyleaguedwithallthePowersofDarkness。It’sverymuchwhathisfatherwouldhavedone-ifhewasdrunk。We’dbetterinvitetheholyman。Hemayknowsomething。’
`Hedoesnotknowanything，’saidKim。`Iwillshowyouhimifyoucome。
Heismymaster。Thenafterwardswecango。’
`PowersofDarkness！’wasallthatFatherVictorcouldsay，asBennettmarchedoff，withafirmhandonKim’sshoulder。
Theyfoundthelamawherehehaddropped。
`TheSearchisatanendforme，’shoutedKiminthevernacular。`I
havefoundtheBull，butGodknowswhatcomesnext。Theywillnothurtyou。Cometothefatpriest’stentwiththisthinmanandseetheend。
Itisallnew，andtheycannottalkHindi。Theyareonlyuncurrieddonkeys。’
`Thenitisnotwelltomakeajestoftheirignorance，’thelamareturned。
`Iamgladifthouartrejoiced，chela。’
Dignifiedandunsuspicious，hestrodeintothelittletent，salutedtheChurchesasaChurchman，andsatdownbytheopencharcoalbrazier。
Theyellowliningofthetentreflectedinthelamplightmadehisfacered-gold。
Bennettlookedathimwiththetriple-ringeduninterestofthecreedthatlumpsnine-tenthsoftheworldunderthetitleofheathen。
`AndwhatwastheendoftheSearch？WhatgifthastheRedBullbrought？’
ThelamaaddressedhimselftoKim。
`Hesays，`Whatareyougoingtodo？’’BennettwasstaringuneasilyatFatherVictor，andKim，forhisownends，tookuponhimselftheofficeofinterpreter。
`Idonotseewhatconcernthisfakirhaswiththeboy，whoisprobablyhisdupeorhisconfederate，’Bennettbegan。`WecannotallowanEnglishboy-AssumingthatheisthesonofaMason，thesoonerhegoestotheMasonicOrphanagethebetter。’
`Ah！That’syouropinionasSecretarytotheRegimentalLodge，’saidFatherVictor；`butwemightaswelltelltheoldmanwhatwearegoingtodo。Hedoesn’tlooklikeavillain。’
`MyexperienceisthatonecanneverfathomtheOrientalmind。Now，Kimball，IwishyoutotellthismanwhatIsay-wordforword。’
Kimgatheredtheimportofthenextfewsentencesandbeganthus：
`HolyOne，thethinfoolwholookslikeacamelsaysthatIamthesonofaSahib。’
`Buthow？’
`Oh，itistrue。Iknewitsincemybirth，buthecouldonlyfinditoutbyrendingtheamuletfrommyneckandreadingallthepapers。
HethinksthatonceaSahibisalwaysaSahib，andbetweenthetwoofthemtheypurposetokeepmeinthisRegimentortosendmetoamadrissah[aschool]。Ithashappenedbefore。Ihavealwaysavoidedit。Thefatfoolisofonemindandthecamel-likeoneofanother。Butthatisnoodds。
