Kim Rudyard Kipling (web ebook reader .TXT) 📖

True talk,” said Kim solemnly. “Fools speak of a cat when a woman is brought to bed, for instance. I have heard them.”

“Therefore, in one situate as thou art, it particularly behoves thee to remember this with both kinds of faces. Among Sahibs, never forgetting thou art a Sahib; among the folk of Hind, always remembering thou art⁠—” He paused, with a puzzled smile.

“What am I? Mussalman, Hindu, Jain, or Buddhist? That is a hard knot.”

“Thou art beyond question an unbeliever, and therefore thou wilt be damned. So says my Law⁠—or I think it does. But thou art also my Little Friend of all the World, and I love thee. So says my heart. This matter of creeds is like horseflesh. The wise man knows horses are good⁠—that there is a profit to be made from all; and for myself⁠—but that I am a good Sunni and hate the men of Tirah⁠—I could believe the same of all the Faiths. Now manifestly a Kathiawar mare taken from the sands of her birthplace and removed to the west of Bengal founders⁠—nor is even a Balkh stallion (and there are no better horses than those of Balkh, were they not so heavy in the shoulder) of any account in the great Northern deserts beside the snow-camels I have seen. Therefore I say in my heart the Faiths are like the horses. Each has merit in its own country.”

“But my lama said altogether a different thing.”

“Oh, he is an old dreamer of dreams from Bhotiyal. My heart is a little angry, Friend of all the World, that thou shouldst see such worth in a man so little known.”

“It is true, Hajji; but that worth do I see, and to him my heart is drawn.”

“And his to thine, I hear. Hearts are like horses. They come and they go against bit or spur. Shout Gul Sher Khan yonder to drive in that bay stallion’s pickets more firmly. We do not want a horse-fight at every resting-stage, and the dun and the black will be locked in a little⁠ ⁠… Now hear me. Is it necessary to the comfort of thy heart to see that lama?”

“It is one part of my bond,” said Kim. “If I do not see him, and if he is taken from me, I will go out of that madrissah in Nucklao and, and⁠—once gone, who is to find me again?”

“It is true. Never was colt held on a lighter heel-rope than thou.” Mahbub nodded his head.

“Do not be afraid.” Kim spoke as though he could have vanished on the moment. “My lama has said that he will come to see me at the madrissah⁠—”

“A beggar and his bowl in the presence of those young Sa⁠—”

“Not all!” Kim cut in with a snort. “Their eyes are blued and their nails are blackened with low-caste blood, many of them. Sons of metheeranees⁠—brothers-in-law to the bhungi.”39

We need not follow the rest of the pedigree; but Kim made his little point clearly and without heat, chewing a piece of sugarcane the while.

“Friend of all the World,” said Mahbub, pushing over the pipe for the boy to clean, “I have met many men, women, and boys, and not a few Sahibs. I have never in all my days met such an imp as thou art.”

“And why? When I always tell thee the truth.”

“Perhaps the very reason, for this is a world of danger to honest men.” Mahbub Ali hauled himself off the ground, girt in his belt, and went over to the horses.

“Or sell it?”

There was that in the tone that made Mahbub halt and turn. “What new devilry?”

“Eight annas, and I will tell,” said Kim, grinning. “It touches thy peace.”

“O Shaitan!” Mahbub gave the money.

“Rememberest thou the little business of the thieves in the dark, down yonder at Umballa?”

“Seeing they sought my life, I have not altogether forgotten. Why?”

“Rememberest thou the Kashmir Serai?”

“I will twist thy ears in a moment⁠—Sahib.”

“No need⁠—Pathan. Only, the second fakir, whom the Sahibs beat senseless, was the man who came to search thy bulkhead at Lahore. I saw his face as they helped him on the engine. The very same man.”

“Why didst thou not tell before?”

“Oh, he will go to jail, and be safe for some years. There is no need to tell more than is necessary at any one time. Besides, I did not then need money for sweetmeats.”

“Allah kerim!” said Mahbub Ah. “Wilt thou some day sell my head for a few sweetmeats if the fit takes thee?”

Kim will remember till he dies that long, lazy journey from Umballa, through Kalka and the Pinjore Gardens near by, up to Simla. A sudden spate in the Gugger River swept down one horse (the most valuable, be sure), and nearly drowned Kim among the dancing boulders. Farther up the road the horses were stampeded by a Government elephant, and being in high condition of grass food, it cost a day and a half to get them together again. Then they met Sikandar Khan coming down with a few unsaleable screws⁠—remnants of his string⁠—and Mahbub, who has more of horse-coping in his little fingernail than Sikandar Khan in all his tents, must needs buy two of the worst, and that meant eight hours’ laborious diplomacy and untold tobacco. But it was all pure delight⁠—the wandering road, climbing, dipping, and sweeping about the growing spurs; the flush of the morning laid along the distant snows; the branched cacti, tier upon tier on the stony hillsides; the voices of a thousand water-channels; the chatter of the monkeys; the solemn deodars, climbing one after another with down-drooped branches; the vista of the Plains rolled out far beneath them; the incessant twanging of the tonga-horns and the wild rush of the led horses when a tonga swung round a curve; the halts for prayers (Mahbub was very religious in dry-washings and bellowings when time did not press); the evening conferences by the