Page:Kim - Rudyard Kipling (1912).djvu/136

114, for that is all illusion. As says. . .' He quoted an old, old Chinese text, backed it with another, and reinforced these with a third. 'I stepped aside from the Way, my chela. It was no fault of thine. I delighted in the sight of life, the new people upon the roads, and in thy joy at seeing these things. I was pleased with thee who should have considered my Search and my Search alone. Now I am sorrowful because thou art taken away and my river is far from me. It is the Law which I have broken.'

'Powers of Darkness below!' said Father Victor, who heard the pain in every sentence, but understood no word.

'I see now that the sign of the Red Bull was a sign for me as well as for thee. All desire is red—and evil. I will do penance and find my river alone.'

'At least go back to the Kulu woman,' said Kim, 'otherwise thou wilt be lost upon the roads. She will feed thee till I run back to thee.'

The lama waved a hand to show that the matter was finally settled in his mind.

'Now,'—his tone altered as he turned to Kim,—'what will they do with thee? At least I can acquire merit for past ill.'

'Make me a Sahib—so they think. The day after to-morrow I return. No. Do not grieve.'

'Of what sort? Such an one as thyself or that man?' He pointed to Father Victor. 'Such an one as those I saw this evening—men wearing swords and stamping heavily?'

'May be.'

'That is not well. These men only follow desire and come to emptiness. Thou must not be of this sort.'

'The Umballa priest said that my Star was War,' Kim