第46章 Chapter 7(6)

'A name we give him in Lahore city."The Friend of all the World takes leave to go to his own places.

He will come back upon the appointed day.Let the box and the bedding-roll be sent for;and if there has been a fault,let the Hand of Friendship turn aside the Whip of Calamity."There is yet a little more,but -'

'No matter,read.'

'"Certain things are not known to those who eat with forks.It is better to eat with both hands for a while.Speak soft words to those who do not understand this that the return may be propitious."Now the manner in which that was cast is,of course,the work of the letter-writer,but see how wisely the boy has devised the matter of it so that no hint is given except to those who know!'

'Is this the Hand of Friendship to avert the Whip of Calamity?'laughed the Colonel.

'See how wise is the boy.He would go back to the Road again,as I said.

Not knowing yet thy trade -'

'I am not at all sure of that,'the Colonel muttered.

'He turns to me to make a peace between you.Is he not wise?He says he will return.He is but perfecting his knowledge.Think,Sahib!He has been three months at the school.And he is not mouthed to that bit.For my part,I rejoice.The pony learns the game.'

'Ay,but another time he must not go alone.'

'Why?He went alone before he came under the Colonel Sahib's protection.

When he comes to the Great Game he must go alone -alone,and at peril of his head.Then ,if he spits,or sneezes,or sits down other than as the people do whom he watches,he may be slain.Why hinder him now?

Remember how the Persians say:The jackal that lives in the wilds of Mazanderan can only be caught by the hounds of Mazanderan.'

'True.It is true,Mahbub Ali.And if he comes to no harm,I do not desire anything better.But it is great insolence on his part.'

'He does not tell me,even,whither he goes,'said Mahbub.'He is no fool.When his time is accomplished he will come to me.It is time the healer of pearls took him in hand.He ripens too quickly -as Sahibs reckon.'

This prophecy was fulfilled to the letter a month later.Mahbub had gone down to Umballa to bring up a fresh consignment of horses,and Kim met him on the Kalka road at dusk riding alone,begged an alms of him,was sworn at,and replied in English.There was nobody within earshot to hear Mahbub's gasp of amazement.

'Oho!And where hast thou been?'

'Up and down -down and up.'

'Come under a tree,out of the wet,and tell.'

'I stayed for a while with an old man near Umballa;anon with a household of my acquaintance in Umballa.With one of these I went as far as Delhi to the southward.That is a wondrous city.Then I drove a bullock for a teli [an oilman]coming north;but I heard of a great feast forward in Patiala,and thither went I in the company of a firework-maker.It was a great feast'(Kim rubbed his stomach).'I saw Rajahs,and elephants with gold and silver trappings;and they lit all the fireworks at once,whereby eleven men were killed,my firework-maker among them,and I was blown across a tent but took no harm.Then I came back to the r&etilde;l with a Sikh horseman,to whom I was groom for my bread;and so here.'

'Shabash !'said Mahbub Ali.

'But what does the Colonel Sahib say?I do not wish to be beaten.'

'The Hand of Friendship has averted the Whip of Calamity;but another time,when thou takest the Road it will be with me.This is too early.'

'Late enough for me.I have learned to read and to write English a little at the madrissah .I shall soon be altogether a Sahib.'

'Hear him!'laughed Mahbub,looking at the little drenched figure dancing in the wet.'Salaam -Sahib,'and he saluted ironically.'Well,art tired of the Road,or wilt thou come on to Umballa with me and work back with the horses?'

'I come with thee,Mahbub Ali.'