speak to a woman? Never!'

'Pity my stupidity. I thought it was given as an order -'

'It was not. It was a petition. Does this make all clear?'

A silver coin clicked on the edge of the cart. Kim took it and
salaamed profoundly. The old lady recognized that, as the eyes and
the ears of the lama, he was to be propitiated.

'I am but the Holy One's disciple. When he has eaten perhaps he
will come.'

'Oh, villain and shameless rogue!' The jewelled forefinger shook
itself at him reprovingly; but he could hear the old lady's
chuckle.

'Nay, what is it?' he said, dropping into his most caressing and
confidential tone - the one, he well knew, that few could resist.
'Is - is there any need of a son in thy family? Speak freely, for
we priests -' That last was a direct plagiarism from a fakir by the
Taksali Gate.

'We priests! Thou art not yet old enough to -' She checked the joke
with another laugh. 'Believe me, now and again, we women, O priest,
think of other matters than sons. Moreover, my daughter has borne
her man-child.'

'Two arrows in the quiver are better than one; and three are better
still.' Kim quoted the proverb with a meditative cough, looking