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'How can I tell?'

'That's what I'm askin'. Now listen if you can make head or tail o'
this. We'll skip the first part ... It's written from Jagadhir
Road ... "Sitting on wayside in grave meditation, trusting to be
favoured with your Honour's applause of present step, which
recommend your Honour to execute for Almighty God's sake. Education
is greatest blessing if of best sorts. Otherwise no earthly use."
Faith, the old man's hit the bull's-eye that time! "If your Honour
condescending giving my boy best educations Xavier" (I suppose
that's St Xavier's in Partibus) "in terms of our conversation dated
in your tent 15th instant" (a business-like touch there!) "then
Almighty God blessing your Honour's succeedings to third an' fourth
generation and" - now listen! -"confide in your Honour's humble
servant for adequate remuneration per hoondi per annum three
hundred rupees a year to one expensive education St Xavier,
Lucknow, and allow small time to forward same per hoondi sent to
any part of India as your Honour shall address yourself. This
servant of your Honour has presently no place to lay crown of his
head, but going to Benares by train on account of persecution of
old woman talking so much and unanxious residing Saharunpore in any
domestic capacity." Now what in the world does that mean?'

'She has asked him to be her puro - her clergyman - at Saharunpore,
I think. He would not do that on account of his River. She did
talk.'

'It's clear to you, is it? It beats me altogether. "So going to
Benares, where will find address and forward rupees for boy who is
apple of eye, and for Almighty God's sake execute this education,
and your petitioner as in duty bound shall ever awfully pray.
Written by Sobrao Satai, Failed Entrance Allahabad University, for
Venerable Teshoo Lama the priest of Such-zen looking for a River,
address care of Tirthankars' Temple, Benares. P. M. -Please note
boy is apple of eye, and rupees shall be sent per hoondi three
hundred per annum. For God Almighty's sake." Now, is that ravin'
lunacy or a business proposition? I ask you, because I'm fairly at
my wits' end.'

'He says he will give me three hundred rupees a year? So he will
give me them.'

'Oh, that's the way you look at it, is it?'

'Of course. If he says so!'

The priest whistled; then he addressed Kim as an equal. 'I don't
believe it; but we'll see. You were goin' off today to the
Military Orphanage at Sanawar, where the Regiment would keep you
till you were old enough to enlist. Ye'd be brought up to the
Church of England. Bennett arranged for that. On the other hand, if
ye go to St Xavier's ye'll get a better education an - an can have
the religion. D'ye see my dilemma? Kim saw nothing save a vision
of the lama going south in a train with none to beg for him.

'Like most people, I'm going to temporize. If your friend sends the
money from Benares - Powers of Darkness below, where's a street-

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