To save his life , Kim could not have turned his head . The light touch held him as in a vice , and his blood tingled pleasantly through him . There was one large piece of the jar where there had been three , and above them the shadowy outline of the entire vessel . He could see the veranda through it , but it was thickening and darkening with each beat of his pulse . Yet the jar -- how slowly the thoughts came ! -- the jar had been smashed before his eyes . Another wave of prickling fire raced down his neck , as Lurgan Sahib moved his hand . ` Look ! It is coming into shape , ' said Lurgan Sahib . So far Kim had been thinking in Hindi , but a tremor came on him , and with an effort like that of a swimmer before sharks , who hurls himself half out of the water , his mind leaped up from a darkness that was swallowing it and took refuge in -- the multiplication-table in English ! ` Look ! It is coming into shape , ' whispered Lurgan Sahib . The jar had been smashed -- yess , smashed -- not the native word , he would not think of that -- but smashed -- into fifty pieces , and twice three was six , and thrice three was nine , and four times three was twelve . He clung desperately to the repetition . The shadow-outline of the jar cleared like a mist after rubbing eyes . There were the broken shards ; there was the spilt water drying in the sun , and through the cracks of the veranda showed , all ribbed , the white house-wall below -- and thrice twelve was thirty-six ! ` Look ! Is it coming into shape ? ' asked Lurgan Sahib . ` But it is smashed -- smashed , ' he gasped -- Lurgan Sahib had been muttering softly for the last half-minute .
XXXXX wrenched his head aside .
English Hindi Kim Sahib fire half-minute house-wall shadow-outline swimmer yess