The lama dropped wearily to the ground , much as a heavy fruit-eating bat cowers , and returned to his rosary . ` Stand farther off , beggar ! ' The order was shouted in broken Hindustani by one of the hillmen . ` Huh ! It is only a pahari -LSB- a hillman -RSB- ' , said Kim over his shoulder . ` Since when have the hill-asses owned all Hindustan ? ' The retort was a swift and brilliant sketch of Kim 's pedigree for three generations . ` Ah ! ' Kim 's voice was sweeter than ever , as he broke the dung-cake into fit pieces . ` In my country we call that the beginning of love-talk . ' A harsh , thin cackle behind the curtains put the hillman on his mettle for a second shot . ` Not so bad -- not so bad , ' said Kim with calm . ` But have a care , my brother , lest we -- we , I say -- be minded to give a curse or so in return . And our curses have the knack of biting home . ' The Ooryas laughed ; the hillman sprang forward threateningly . The lama suddenly raised his head , bringing his huge tam-o ' - shanter hat into the full light of Kim 's new-started fire . ` What is it ? ' said he . The man halted as though struck to stone . ` I -- I -- am saved from a great sin , ' he stammered .
` The foreigner has found him a priest at last , ' whispered one of the XXXXX .
Hindustan Hindustani Ooryas cackle cowers hill-asses hillmen second shanter tam-o