第34章 Chapter 5(7)

Kim settled himself composedly on the Chaplain's cot.At least the lama had promised that he would stay with the Rajput woman from Kulu,and the rest was of the smallest importance.It pleased him that the two padres were so evidently excited.They talked long in undertones,Father Victor urging some scheme on Mr Bennett,who seemed incredulous.All this was very new and fascinating,but Kim felt sleepy.They called men into the tent -one of them certainly was the Colonel,as his father had prophesied -and they asked him an infinity of questions,chiefly about the woman who looked after him,all of which Kim answered truthfully.They did not seem to think the woman a good guardian.

After all,this was the newest of his experiences.Sooner or later,if he chose,he could escape into great,grey,formless India,beyond tents and padres and colonels.Meantime,if the Sahibs were to be impressed,he would do his best to impress them.He too was a white man.

After much talk that he could not comprehend,they handed him over to a sergeant,who had strict instructions not to let him escape.The Regiment would go on to Umballa,and Kim would be sent up,partly at the expense of the Lodge and in part by subion,to a place called Sanawar.

'It's miraculous past all whooping,Colonel,'said Father Victor,when he had talked without a break for ten minutes.'His Buddhist friend has levanted after taking my name and address.I can't quite make out whether he'll pay for the boy's education or whether he is preparing some sort of witchcraft on his own account.'Then to Kim:'You'll live to be grateful to your friend the Red Bull yet.We'll make a man of you at Sanawar -even at the price o'making you a Protestant.'

'Certainly -most certainly,'said Bennett.

'But you will not go to Sanawar,'said Kim.

'But we will go to Sanawar,little man.That's the order of the Commander-in-Chief,who's a trifle more important than O'Hara's son.'

'You will not go to Sanawar.You will go to thee War.'

There was a shout of laughter from the full tent.

'When you know your own Regiment a trifle better you won't confuse the line of march with line of battle,Kim.We hope to go to 'thee War'sometime.'

'Oah,I know all thatt.'Kim drew his bow again at a venture.If they were not going to the war,at least they did not know what he knew of the talk in the veranda at Umballa.

'I know you are not at thee war now;but I tell you that as soon as you get to Umballa you will be sent to the war -the new war.It is a war of eight thousand men,besides the guns.'

'That's explicit.D'you add prophecy to your other gifts?Take him along,sergeant.Take up a suit for him from the Drums,an'take care he doesn't slip through your fingers.Who says the age of miracles is gone by?I think I'll go to bed.My poor mind's weakening.'

At the far end of the camp,silent as a wild animal,an hour later sat Kim,newly washed all over,in a horrible stuff suit that rasped his arms and legs.

'A most amazin'young bird,'said the sergeant.'He turns up in charge of a yellow-headed buck-Brahmin priest,with his father's Lodge certificates round his neck,talkin'God knows what all of a red bull.The buck-Brahmin evaporates without explanations,an'the bhoy sets cross-legged on the Chaplain's bed prophesyin'bloody war to the men at large.Injia's a wild land for a God-fearin'man.I'll just tie his leg to the tent-pole in case he'll go through the roof.What did ye say about the war?'

'Eight thousand men,besides guns,'said Kim.'Very soon you will see.'

'You're a consolin'little imp.Lie down between the Drums an'go to bye-bye.Those two boys will watch your slumbers.'