《基姆》英 吉卜林 著 第七章.docx
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《基姆》英 吉卜林 著 第七章.docx
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《基姆》英吉卜林著第七章
Chapter7
Untowhoseusethepregnantsunsarepoised
Withidiotmoonsandstarsretracingstars?
Creepthoubetweene—thycoming'sallunnoised.
Heavenhathherhigh,asEarthherbaser,wars.
Heirtothesetumults,thisaffright,thatfraye
(ByAdam's,fathers',own,sinboundalway);
Peerup,drawoutthyhoroscopeandsay
Whichplanetmendsthythreadbarefateormars?
SirJohnChristie.
Intheafternoonthered-facedschoolmastertoldKimthathehadbeen'struckoffthestrength',whichconveyednomeaningtohimtillhewasorderedtogoawayandplay.Thenherantothebazar,andfoundtheyoungletter-writertowhomheowedastamp.
'NowIpay,'saidKimroyally,'andnowIneedanotherlettertobewritten.'
'MahbubAliisinUmballa,'saidthewriterjauntily.Hewas,byvirtueofhisoffice,abureauofgeneralmisinformation.
'ThisisnottoMahbub,buttoapriest.Takethypenandwritequickly.ToTeshooLama,theHolyOnefromBhotiyalseekingforaRiver,whoisnowintheTempleoftheTirthankarsatBenares.Takemoreink!
InthreedaysIamtogodowntoNucklaototheschoolatNucklao.ThenameoftheschoolisXavier.Idonotknowwherethatschoolis,butitisatNucklao.'
'ButIknowNucklao,'thewriterinterrupted.'Iknowtheschool.'
'Tellhimwhereitis,andIgivehalfananna.'
Thereedpenscratchedbusily.'Hecannotmistake.'Themanliftedhishead.'Whowatchesusacrossthestreet?
'
KimlookeduphurriedlyandsawColonelCreightonintennis-flannels.
'Oh,thatissomeSahibwhoknowsthefatpriestinthebarracks.Heisbeckoningme.'
'Whatdostthou?
'saidtheColonel,whenKimtrottedup.
'I—Iamnotrunningaway.IsendalettertomyHolyOneatBenares.'
'Ihadnotthoughtofthat.HastthousaidthatItaketheetoLucknow?
'
'Nay,Ihavenot.Readtheletter,iftherebeadoubt.'
'ThenwhyhastthouleftoutmynameinwritingtothatHolyOne?
'TheColonelsmiledaqueersmile.Kimtookhiscourageinbothhands.
'Itwassaidoncetomethatitisinexpedienttowritethenamesofstrangersconcernedinanymatter,becausebythenamingofnamesmanygoodplansarebroughttoconfusion.'
'Thouhastbeenwelltaught,'theColonelreplied,andKimflushed.'Ihaveleftmycheroot-caseinthePadre'sveranda.Bringittomyhousethiseven.'
'Whereisthehouse?
'saidKim.Hisquickwittoldhimthathewasbeingtestedinsomefashionoranother,andhestoodonguard.
'Askanyoneinthebigbazar.'TheColonelwalkedon.
'Hehasforgottenhischeroot-case,'saidKim,returning.'Imustbringittohimthisevening.Thatisallmyletterexcept,thriceover,Cometome!
Cometome!
Cometome!
NowIwillpayforastampandputitinthepost.Herosetogo,andasanafterthoughtasked:
'Whoisthatangry-facedSahibwholostthecheroot-case?
'
'Oh,heisonlyCreightonSahib—averyfoolishSahib,whoisaColonelSahibwithoutaregiment.'
'Whatishisbusiness?
'
'Godknows.Heisalwaysbuyinghorseswhichhecannotride,andaskingriddlesabouttheworksofGod—suchasplantsandstonesandthecustomsofpeople.Thedealerscallhimthefatheroffools,becauseheissoeasilycheatedaboutahorse.MahbubAlisaysheismadderthanmostotherSahibs.'
'Oh!
'saidKim,anddeparted.Histraininghadgivenhimsomesmallknowledgeofcharacter,andhearguedthatfoolsarenotgiveninformationwhichleadstocallingouteightthousandmenbesidesguns.TheCommander-in-ChiefofallIndiadoesnottalk,asKimhadheardhimtalk,tofools.NorwouldMahbubAli'stonehavechanged,asitdideverytimehementionedtheColonel'sname,iftheColonelhadbeenafool.Consequently—andthissetKimtoskipping—therewasamysterysomewhere,andMahbubAliprobablyspiedfortheColonelmuchasKimhadspiedforMahbub.And,likethehorse-dealer,theColonelevidentlyrespectedpeoplewhodidnotshowthemselvestobetooclever.
HerejoicedthathehadnotbetrayedhisknowledgeoftheColonel'shouse;andwhen,onhisreturntobarracks,hediscoveredthatnocheroot-casehadbeenleftbehind,hebeamedwithdelight.Herewasamanafterhisownheart—atortuousandindirectpersonplayingahiddengame.Well,ifhecouldbeafool,socouldKim.
HeshowednothingofhismindwhenFatherVictor,forthreelongmornings,discoursedtohimofanentirelynewsetofGodsandGodlings—notablyofaGoddesscalledMary,who,hegathered,wasonewithBibiMiriamofMahbubAli'stheology.Hebetrayednoemotionwhen,afterthelecture,FatherVictordraggedhimfromshoptoshopbuyingarticlesofoutfit,norwhenenviousdrummer-boyskickedhimbecausehewasgoingtoasuperiorschooldidhecomplain,butawaitedtheplayofcircumstanceswithaninterestedsoul.FatherVictor,goodman,tookhimtothestation,puthimintoanemptysecond-classnexttoColonelCreighton'sfirst,andbadehimfarewellwithgenuinefeeling.
'They'llmakeamano'you,O'Hara,atStXavier's—awhiteman,an',Ihope,agoodman.Theyknowallaboutyourcomin',an'theColonelwillseethatye'renotlostormislaidanywhereontheroad.I'vegivenyouanotionofreligiousmatters,—atleastIhopeso,—andyou'llremember,whentheyaskyouyourreligion,thatyou'reaCath'lic.BettersayRomanCath'lic,tho'I'mnotfondoftheword.'
Kimlitarankcigarette—hehadbeencarefultobuyastockinthebazar—andlaydowntothink.Thissolitarypassagewasverydifferentfromthatjoyfuldown-journeyinthethird-classwiththelama.'Sahibsgetlittlepleasureoftravel,'hereflected.
'Haimai!
Igofromoneplacetoanotherasitmightbeakickball.ItismyKismet.NomancanescapehisKismet.ButIamtopraytoBibiMiriam,andIamaSahib.'Helookedathisbootsruefully.'No;IamKim.Thisisthegreatworld,andIamonlyKim.WhoisKim?
'Heconsideredhisownidentity,athinghehadneverdonebefore,tillhisheadswam.HewasoneinsignificantpersoninallthisroaringwhirlofIndia,goingsouthwardtoheknewnotwhatfate.
PresentlytheColonelsentforhim,andtalkedforalongtime.SofarasKimcouldgather,hewastobediligentandentertheSurveyofIndiaasachain-man.Ifhewereverygood,andpassedtheproperexaminations,hewouldbeearningthirtyrupeesamonthatseventeenyearsold,andColonelCreightonwouldseethathefoundsuitableemployment.
Kimpretendedatfirsttounderstandperhapsonewordinthreeofthistalk.ThentheColonel,seeinghismistake,turnedtofluentandpicturesqueUrduandKimwascontented.Nomancouldbeafoolwhoknewthelanguagesointimately,whomovedsogentlyandsilently,andwhoseeyesweresodifferentfromthedullfateyesofotherSahibs.
'Yes,andthoumustlearnhowtomakepicturesofroadsandmountainsandrivers,tocarrythesepicturesinthineeyetillasuitabletimecomestosetthemuponpaper.Perhapssomeday,whenthouartachain-man,Imaysaytotheewhenweareworkingtogether:
"Goacrossthosehillsandseewhatliesbeyond."Thenonewillsay:
"Therearebadpeoplelivinginthosehillswhowillslaythechain-manifhebeseentolooklikeaSahib."Whatthen?
'
Kimthought.WoulditbesafetoreturntheColonel'slead?
'Iwouldtellwhatthatothermanhadsaid.'
'ButifIanswered:
"Iwillgivetheeahundredrupeesforknowledgeofwhatisbehindthosehills—forapictureofariverandalittlenewsofwhatthepeoplesayinthevillagesthere"?
'
'HowcanItell?
Iamonlyaboy.WaittillIamaman.'Then,seeingtheColonel'sbrowclouded,hewenton:
'ButIthinkIshouldinafewdaysearnthehundredrupees.'
'Bywhatroad?
'
Kimshookhisheadresolutely.'IfIsaidhowIwouldearnthem,anothermanmighthearandforestallme.Itisnotgoodtosellknowledgefornothing.'
'Tellnow.'TheColonelhelduparupee.Kim'shandhalfreachedtowardsit,anddropped.
'Nay,Sahib;nay.Iknowthepricethatwillbepaidfortheanswer,butIdonotknowwhythequestionisasked.'
'Takeitforagift,then,'saidCreighton,tossingitover.'Thereisagoodspiritinthee.DonotletitbebluntedatStXavier's.Therearemanyboystherewhodespisetheblackmen.'
'Theirmotherswerebazar-women,'saidKim.Heknewwellthereisnohatredlikethatofthehalf-casteforhisbrother-in-law.
'True;butthouartaSahibandthesonofaSahib.Therefore,donotatanytimebeledtocontemntheblackmen.IhaveknownboysnewlyenteredintotheserviceoftheGovernmentwhofeignednottounderstandthetalkorthecustomsofblackmen.Theirpaywascutforignorance.Thereisnosinsogreatasignorance.Rememberthis.'
Severaltimesinthecourseofthelongtwenty-fourhours'runsouthdidtheColonelsendforKim,alwaysdevelopingthislattertext.
'Webeallononelead-rope,then,'saidKimatlast,'theColonel,MahbubAli,andI—whenIbecomeachain-man.HewillusemeasMahbubAliemployedme,Ithink.Thatisgood,ifitallowsmetoreturntotheRoadagain.Thisclothinggrowsnoeasierbywear.'
WhentheycametothecrowdedLucknowstationtherewasnosignofthelama.Heswallowedhisdisappointment,whiletheColonelbundledhimintoaticca-gharriwithhisneatbelongingsanddespatchedhimalonetoStXavier's.
'Idonotsayfarewell,becauseweshallmeetagain,'hecried.'Again,andmanytimes,ifthouartoneofgoodspirit.Butthouartnotyettried.'
'NotwhenIbroughtthee'—Kimactuallydaredtousetheturnofequals—'awhitestallion'spedigreethatnight?
'
'Muchisgainedbyforgetting,littlebrother,'saidtheColonel,withalookthatpiercedthroughKim'sshoulder-bladesashescuttledintothecarriage.
Ittookhimnearlyfiveminutestorecover.Thenhesniffedthenewairappreciatively.'Arichcity,
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