Kim illustrated the motion and stood like a stork . The old man groaned , inarticulate with amazement ; and the crowd shivered . ` So -- so -- so . But what does He when He is about to give an order ? ' ` He rubs the skin at the back of his neck -- thus . Then falls one finger on the table and He makes a small sniffing noise through his nose . Then He speaks , saying : `` Loose such and such a regiment . Call out such guns . '' ' The old man rose stiffly and saluted . ' `` For '' ' -- Kim translated into the vernacular the clinching sentences he had heard in the dressing-room at Umballa -- ' `` For , '' says He , `` we should have done this long ago . It is not war -- it is a chastisement . Snff ! '' ' ` Enough . I believe . I have seen Him thus in the smoke of battles . Seen and heard . It is He ! ' ' I saw no smoke ' -- Kim 's voice shifted to the rapt sing-song of the wayside fortune-teller . ' I saw this in darkness . First came a man to make things clear .
Then XXXXX horsemen .
Call believe came groaned heard illustrated rose saw seen speaks