Rudyard Kipling : The Complete Novels and Stories. Редьярд Джозеф Киплинг

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СКАЧАТЬ the stars was not for thee. I know a little of the customs of white soldiers, and I always desire to see some new things.’

      ‘What dost thou not know of this world?’ The lama squatted obediently in a little hollow of the ground not a hundred yards from the hump of the mango trees dark against the star-powdered sky.

      ‘Stay till I call.’ Kim flitted into the dusk. He knew that in all probability there would be sentries round the camp, and smiled to himself as he heard the thick boots of one. A boy who can dodge over the roofs of Lahore city on a moonlight night, using every little patch and corner of darkness to discomfit his pursuer, is not likely to be checked by a line of well-trained soldiers. He paid them the compliment of crawling between a couple, and, running and halting, crouching and dropping flat, worked his way toward the lighted mess-tent where, close pressed behind the mango tree, he waited till some chance word should give him a returnable lead.

      The one thing now in his mind was further information as to the Red Bull. For aught he knew, and Kim’s limitations were as curious and sudden as his expansions, the men, the nine hundred thorough devils of his father’s prophecy, might pray to the beast after dark, as Hindus pray to the Holy Cow. That at least would be entirely right and logical, and the padre with the gold cross would be therefore the man to consult in the matter. On the other hand, remembering sober-faced padres whom he had avoided in Lahore city, the priest might be an inquisitive nuisance who would bid him learn. But had it not been proven at Umballa that his sign in the high heavens portended war and armed men? Was he not the Friend of the Stars as well as of all the world, crammed to the teeth with dreadful secrets? Lastly,—and firstly as the undercurrent of all his quick thoughts,—this adventure, though he did not know the English word, was a stupendous lark—a delightful continuation of his old flights across the housetops, as well as the fulfilment of sublime prophecy. He lay belly-flat and wriggled towards the mess-tent door, a hand on the amulet round his neck.

      It was as he suspected. The Sahibs prayed to their God; for in the centre of the mess-table—its sole ornament when they were on the line of march—stood a golden bull fashioned from old-time loot of the Summer Palace at Pekin—a red-gold bull with lowered head, ramping upon a field of Irish green. To him the Sahibs held out their glasses and cried aloud confusedly.

      Now the Reverend Arthur Bennett always left mess after that toast, and being rather tired by his march his movements were more abrupt than usual. Kim, with slightly raised head, was still staring at his totem on the table, when the chaplain stepped on his right shoulder-blade. Kim flinched under the leather, and, rolling sideways, brought down the chaplain, who, ever a man of action, caught him by the throat and nearly choked the life out of him. Kim then kicked him desperately in the stomach. Mr. Bennett gasped and doubled up but without relaxing his grip, rolled over again, and silently hauled Kim to his own tent. The Mavericks were incurable practical jokers; and it occurred to the Englishman that silence was best till he had made complete inquiry.

      ‘Why, it’s a boy!’ he said, as he drew his prize under the light of the tent-pole lantern, then shaking him severely cried: ‘What were you doing? You’re a thief. Choor? Mallum?’ His Hindustanee was very limited, and the ruffled and disgusted Kim intended to keep to the character laid down for him. As he recovered his breath he was inventing a beautifully plausible tale of his relations to some mess-scullion, and at the same time keeping a keen eye on and a little under the chaplain’s left arm-pit. The chance came; he ducked for the doorway, but a long arm shot out and clutched at his neck, snapping the amulet string and closing on the amulet.

      ‘Give it me. O give it me. Is it lost? Give me the papers.’

      The words were in English—the tinny, saw-cut English of the native-bred, and the chaplain jumped.

      ‘A scapular,’ said he, opening his hand. ‘No, some sort of heathen charm. Why—why, do you speak English? Little boys who steal are beaten. You know that?’ …

      ‘I do not—I did not steal.’ Kim danced in agony like a terrier at a lifted stick. ‘O give it me. It is my charm. Do not thieve it from me.’

      The chaplain took no heed, but, going to the tent door, called aloud. A fattish, clean-shaven man appeared.

      ‘I want your advice, Father Victor,’ said Bennett. ‘I found this boy in the dark outside the mess-tent. Ordinarily, I should have chastised him and let him go, because I believe him to be a thief. But it seems he talks English, and he attaches some sort of value to a charm round his neck. I thought perhaps you might help me.’

      Between himself and the Roman Catholic chaplain of the Irish contingent lay, as Bennett believed, an unbridgeable gulf, but it was noticeable that whenever the Church of England dealt with a human problem she was very likely to call in the Church of Rome. Bennett’s official abhorrence of the Scarlet Woman and all her ways was only equalled by his private respect for Father Victor.

      ‘A thief talking English is it? Let’s look at his charm. No, it is not a scapular, Bennett.’ He held out his hand.

      ‘But have we any right to open it? A sound whipping——’

      ‘I did not thieve,’ protested Kim. ‘You have hit me kicks all over my body. Now give me my charm and I will go away.’

      ‘Not quite so fast; we’ll look first,’ said Father Victor, leisurely rolling out poor Kimball O’Hara’s ‘ne varietur’ parchment, his clearance-certificate, and Kim’s baptismal certificate. On this last O’Hara—with some confused idea that he was doing wonders for his son—had scrawled scores of times: ‘Look after the boy. Please look after the boy,’—signing his name and regimental number in full.

      ‘Powers of Darkness below!’ said Father Victor, passing all over to Mr. Bennett. ‘Do you know what these things are?’

      ‘Yes,’ said Kim. ‘They are mine, and I want to go away.’

      ‘I do not quite understand,’ said Mr. Bennett. ‘He probably brought them on purpose. It may be a begging trick of some kind.’

      ‘I never saw a beggar less anxious to stay with his company, then. There’s the makings of a gay mystery here. Ye believe in Providence, Bennett?’

      ‘I hope so.’

      ‘Well, I believe in miracles, so it comes to the same thing. Powers of Darkness! Kimball O’Hara! And his son! But then he’s a native, and I saw Kimball married myself to Annie Shott. How long have you had these things, boy?’

      ‘Ever since I was a little baby.’ Father Victor stepped forward quickly and opened the front of Kim’s upper garment. ‘You see, Bennett, he’s not very black. What’s your name?’

      ‘Kim.’

      ‘Or Kimball?’

      ‘Perhaps. Will you let me go away?’

      ‘What else?’

      ‘They call me Kim Rishti ke. That is Kim of the Rishti.[’]

      ‘What is that—“Rishti”?’

      ‘Eye-rishti—that was the regiment—my father’s.’

      ‘Irish, oh I see.’

      ‘Yess. That was how my father told me. My father, he has lived.’

      ‘Has СКАЧАТЬ