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TheHinduchildplayedthisgameclumsily。Thatlittlemind，keenasaniciclewheretallyofjewelswasconcerned，couldnottemperitselftoenteranother’ssoul；butademoninKimwokeupandsangwithjoyasheputonthechangingdresses，andchangedspeechandgesturetherewith。
Carriedawaybyenthusiasm，hevolunteeredtoshowLurganSahiboneeveninghowthedisciplesofacertaincasteoffakir，oldLahoreacquaintances，beggeddolesbytheroadside；andwhatsortoflanguagehewouldusetoanEnglishman，toaPunjabifarmergoingtoafair，andtoawomanwithoutaveil。LurganSahiblaughedimmensely，andbeggedKimtostayashewas，immobileforhalfanhour-cross-legged，ash-smeared，andwild-eyed，inthebackroom。Attheendofthattimeenteredahulking，obeseBabuwhosestockingedlegsshookwithfat，andKimopenedonhimwithashowerofwaysidechaff。LurganSahib-thisannoyedKim-watchedtheBabuandnottheplay。
`Ithink，’saidtheBabuheavily，lightingacigarette，`Iamofopeenionthatitismostextraordinaryandeffeecientperformance。ExceptthatyouhadtoldmeIshouldhaveopinedthat-that-thatyouwerepullingmylegs。Howsooncanhebecomeapproximatelyeffeecientchain-man？BecausethenIshallindentforhim。’
`ThatiswhathemustlearnatLucknow。’
`Thenorderhimtobejolly-dam’quick。Good-night，Lurgan。’TheBabuswungoutwiththegaitofaboggedcow。
Whentheyweretellingovertheday’slistofvisitors，LurganSahibaskedKimwhohethoughtthemanmightbe。
`Godknows！’saidKimcheerily。ThetonemightalmosthavedeceivedMahbubAli，butitfailedentirelywiththehealerofsickpearls。
`Thatistrue。God，Heknows；butIwishtoknowwhatyouthink。’
Kimglancedsidewaysathiscompanion，whoseeyehadawayofcompellingtruth。
`I-IthinkhewillwantmewhenIcomefromtheschool，but’-confidentially，asLurganSahibnoddedapproval`Idonotunderstandhowhecanwearmanydressesandtalkmanytongues。’
`Thouwiltunderstandmanythingslater。HeisawriteroftalesforacertainColonel。HishonourisgreatonlyinSimla，anditisnoticeablethathehasnoname，butonlyanumberandaletter-thatisacustomamongus。’
`Andisthereapriceuponhisheadtoo-asuponMah-alltheothers？’
`Notyet；butifaboyroseupwhoisnowsittinghereandwent-look，thedoorisopen！-asfarasacertainhousewithared-paintedveranda，behindthatwhichwastheoldtheatreintheLowerBazar，andwhisperedthroughtheshutters：`HurreeChunderMookerjeeborethebadnewsoflastmonth’，thatboymighttakeawayabeltfullofrupees。’
`Howmany？’saidKimpromptly。
`Fivehundred-athousand-asmanyashemightaskfor。’
`Good。Andforhowlongmightsuchaboyliveafterthenewswastold？’
HesmiledmerrilyatLurgan’sSahib’sverybeard。
`Ah！Thatistobewellthoughtof。Perhapsifhewereveryclever，hemightliveouttheday-butnotthenight。Bynomeansthenight。’
`ThenwhatistheBabu’spayifsomuchisputuponhishead？’
`Eighty-perhapsahundred-perhapsahundredandfiftyrupees；butthepayistheleastpartofthework。Fromtimetotime，Godcausesmentobeborn-andthouartoneofthem-whohavealusttogoabroadattheriskoftheirlivesanddiscovernews-todayitmaybeoffar-offthings，tomorrowofsomehiddenmountain，andthenextdayofsomenear-bymenwhohavedoneafoolishnessagainsttheState。Thesesoulsareveryfew；andofthesefew，notmorethantenareofthebest。AmongthesetenIcounttheBabu，andthatiscurious。Howgreat，therefore，anddesirablemustbeabusinessthatbrazenstheheartofaBengali！’
`True。Butthedaysgoslowlyforme。Iamyetaboy，anditisonlywithintwomonthsIlearnedtowriteAngrezi。EvennowIcannotreaditwell。AndthereareyetyearsandyearsandlongyearsbeforeIcanbeevenachain-man。’
`Havepatience，FriendofalltheWorld’-Kimstartedatthetitle。
`WouldIhadafewoftheyearsthatsoirkthee。Ihaveprovedtheeinseveralsmallways。ThiswillnotbeforgottenwhenImakemyreporttotheColonelSahib。’Then，c
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