Is it any lust of thine to be re-born as a rat , or a snake under the eaves -- a worm in the belly of the most mean beast ? Is it thy wish to -- ' The man from Ao-chung fell to his knees , for the voice boomed like a Tibetan devil-gong . ` Ai ! ai ! ' cried the Spiti men . ` Do not curse us -- do not curse him . It was but his zeal , Holy One ! ... Put down the rifle , fool ! ' ` Anger on anger ! Evil on evil ! There will be no killing . Let the priest-beaters go in bondage to their own acts . Just and sure is the Wheel , swerving not a hair ! They will be born many times -- in torment . ' His head drooped , and he leaned heavily on Kim 's shoulder . ' I have come near to great evil , chela , ' he whispered in that dead hush under the pines . ' I was tempted to loose the bullet ; and truly , in Tibet there would have been a heavy and a slow death for them ... He struck me across the face ... upon the flesh ... ' He slid to the ground , breathing heavily , and Kim could hear the over-driven heart bump and check . ` Have they hurt him to the death ? ' said the Ao-chung man , while the others stood mute . Kim knelt over the body in deadly fear .
` Nay , ' he XXXXX passionately , ` this is only a weakness . '
Is ai boomed cried fell go hurt said swerving whispered