Early morning Saharunpore-way is clean and well scented . He thought of the other mornings at St Xavier 's , and it topped his already thrice-heaped contentment . ` Where is this new haste born from ? Wise men do not run about like chickens in the sun . We have come hundreds upon hundreds of koss already , and , till now , I have scarcely been alone with thee an instant . How canst thou receive instruction all jostled of crowds ? How can I , whelmed by a flux of talk , meditate upon the Way ? ' ` Her tongue grows no shorter with the years , then ? ' the disciple smiled . ` Nor her desire for charms . I remember once when I spoke of the Wheel of Life ' -- the lama fumbled in his bosom for his latest copy -- ` she was only curious about the devils that besiege children . She shall acquire merit by entertaining us -- in a little while -- at an after-occasion -- softly , softly . Now we will wander loose-foot , waiting upon the Chain of Things . The Search is sure . ' So they travelled very easily across and among the broad bloomful fruit-gardens -- by way of Aminabad , Sahaigunge , Akrola of the Ford , and little Phulesa -- the line of the Siwaliks always to the north , and behind them again the snows . After long , sweet sleep under the dry stars came the lordly , leisurely passage through a waking village -- begging-bowl held forth in silence , but eyes roving in defiance of the Law from sky 's edge to sky 's edge . Then would Kim return soft-footed through the soft dust to his master under the shadow of a mango-tree or the thinner shade of a white Doon siris , to eat and drink at ease . At mid-day , after talk and a little wayfaring , they slept ; meeting the world refreshed when the air was cooler . Night found them adventuring into new territory -- some chosen village spied three hours before across the fat land , and much discussed upon the road . There they told their tale -- a new one each evening so far as Kim was concerned -- and there were they made welcome , either by priest or headman , after the custom of the kindly East .
When the shadows shortened and the lama leaned more heavily upon XXXXX , there was always the Wheel of Life to draw forth , to hold flat under wiped stones , and with a long straw to expound cycle by cycle .
Ford Kim Night Sahaigunge Siwaliks begging-bowl evening fruit-gardens mango-tree siris