`Heiscome，’saidtheboy，inavoicelittlelouderthanasigh，andvanished。Kimfeltsurethattheboyhadbeenpostedtoguidehimfromthefirst，but，puttingaboldfaceonit，partedthecurtain。Ablack-beardedman，withagreenshadeoverhiseyes，satatatable，and，onebyone，withshort，whitehands，pickedupglobulesoflightfromatraybeforehim，threadedthemonaglancingsilkenstring，andhummedtohimselfthewhile。KimwasconsciousthatbeyondthecircleoflighttheroomwasfullofthingsthatsmeltlikeallthetemplesofalltheEast。Awhiffofmusk，apuffofsandal-wood，andabreathofsicklyjessamine-oilcaughthisopenednostrils。
`Iamhere，’saidKimatlast，speakinginthevernacular：thesmellsmadehimforgetthathewastobeaSahib。
`Seventy-nine，eighty，eighty-one，’themancountedtohimself；stringingpearlafterpearlsoquicklythatKimcouldscarcelyfollowhisfingers。
HeslidoffthegreenshadeandlookedfixedlyatKimforafullhalf-minute。
Thepupilsoftheeyedilatedandclosedtopin-pricks，asifatwill。