a river of healing. God's curse upon all' Mahbub checked himself. 'He beds down at the Temple of the Tirthankers and at Buddh-Gaya when he is in from the road. Then he goes to see the boy at the madrissah as we know, for the boy was punished for it twice or thrice. He is quite mad, but a peaceful man. I have met him. The Babu also has had dealings with him. We have watched him for three years. Red lamas are not so common in Hind that one loses track.'
'Babus are very curious,' said Lurgan meditatively. 'Do you know what Hurree Babu really wants? He wants to be made a member of the Royal Society by taking ethnological notes. I tell you, I tell him about the lama everything that Mahbub and the boy have told me. Hurree Babu goes down to Benares—at his own expense, I think.'
'I don't,' said Creighton briefly. He had paid Hurree's travelling expenses, but of a most lively necessity to learn what the lama might be.
'And he applies to the lama for information on lamaism, and devil dances, and spells and charms, several times in these few years. Holy Virgin! I could have told him all that yee-ars ago. I think Hurree Babu is getting too old for the road. He likes better to collect manners and customs information. Yes, he wants to be an F.R.S.'
'Hurree thinks well of the boy, doesn't he?'
'Oh, very indeed—we have had some pleasant evenings at my little place—but I think it would be waste to throw him away with Hurree on the ethnological side.'
'Not for a first experience. How does that strike you, Mahbub? Let the boy run with the lama for six months. He will get experience and knowledge—of a sort.'
