seIndians.IwasrobbingahouseanditturtobelongtoanIndianfamily.Theywokefromtheirbedsandtheywerewearingthesecloths,sarongs,tosleepin,anditintriguedme.Wehadlotstotalkaboutandtheyeventuallypersuadedmetotryit.Iremovedmyclothesandsteppedintoone,andtheyimmediatelysetuponmeandchasedmehalfothenight.”“Isthatatruestory?”Shegrinned.

    “Oneofmany!”Sheknewenoughabouthimtoalmostbelieveit.Caravaggiowasstantlydivertedbythehumaduringburglar-ies.BreakingintoahouseduringChristmas,hewouldbeeannoyedifhenoticedtheAdventdarhadnotbeenopeothedatetowhichitshouldhavebeeenhadversationswiththevariouspetsleftaloneinhouses,rhetoricallydiscussingmealswiththem,feedingthemlargehelpings,andwasofteedbythemwithsiderablepleasureifhereturheseofacrime.

    Shewalksinfrontoftheshelvesinthelibrary,eyesclosed,andatrandompullsoutabook.Shefindsacleariweentwosesinabookofpoetryandbeginstowritethere.

    HesaysLahoreisanacity.LondonisarettownparedwithLahore.Isay,Well,efromanevennewertry.Hesaystheyhavealwaysknownaboutgunpowder.Asfarbackasthesevehtury,courtpaintingsrecordedfireworksdisplays.

    Heissmall,notmuchtallerthanIam.Anintimatesmileupclosethatcharmanythingwhenhedisplaysit.Atoughohisnaturehedoesn’tshow.TheEnglishmansayshe’sohosewarriorsaints.Buthehasapeculiarsenseofhumourthatismorerambunctiousthanhismannersuggests.Remember“I’llrewirehiminthem.”Oohlala!HesaysLahorehasthirteengates—namedforsaintsandemperorsorwheretheyleadto.

    ThewordbungalowesfromBengali.

    AtfouriernoontheyhadloweredKipintothepit