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 's 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 XXXXX -- with some confused idea that he was doing wonders for his son -- had scrawled scores of times : ` Look after the boy .
Bennett Chaplain England English Irish Kim O'Hara Victor abhorrence clearance-certificate