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Teshoo Lama
Mahbub Ali is a Pathan horse-dealer, spy, and long-time friend and mentor of Kim. Working directly under Colonel Creighton, Mahbub is a trusted agent for the British government in the Great Game, using his business as a horse trader as a front for his intel-gathering operations. At the start of the novel, he employs an unknowing Kim to deliver a secret message about an upcoming war to Creighton. Based on Kim’s successful completion of the mission, Mahbub recommends him to Colonel Creighton, resulting in Kim’s attendance at Lucknow and training under Lurgan Sahib. Eventually, Kim also trains under Mahbub, gaining real-world experience through his missions abroad. This collaboration deepens the bond between Kim and Mahbub, and Mahbub, in recognition of Kim’s achievements, gives him his first pistol. Thus, despite his gruff, at times violent, demeanor, Mahbub proves to be a reliable ally, mentor, and friend to Kim.
Mahbub Ali Quotes in Kim
The Kim quotes below are all either spoken by Mahbub Ali or refer to Mahbub Ali. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Chapter 3
Quotes
Kim warmed to the game, for it reminded him of experiences in the letter-carrying line, when, for the sake of a few pice, he pretended to know more than he knew. But now he was playing for larger things — the sheer excitement and the sense of power.
Related Characters:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 6
Quotes
He gazed imploringly at the clear-cut face in which there was no glimmer of recognition; but even at this extremity it never occurred to him to throw himself on the white man’s mercy or to denounce the Afghan. And Mahbub stared deliberately at the Englishmen, who stared deliberately at Kim, quivering and tongue-tied.
1100
Chapter 7
Quotes
It was absurd that a man of his position should take an interest in a little country-bred vagabond; but the Colonel remembered the conversation in the train, and often in the past few months had caught himself thinking of the queer, silent, self-possessed boy. His evasion, of course, was the height of insolence, but it argued some resource and nerve.
1000
Chapter 8
Quotes
‘In the madrissah I will be a Sahib. But when the madrissah is shut, then must I be free and go among my people. Otherwise I die!’
‘And who are thy people, Friend of all the World?’
‘This great and beautiful land,’ said Kim, waving his paw around the little clay-walled room where the oil lamp in its niche burned heavily through the tobacco-smoke.
1100
‘I am very old,’ he thought sleepily. ‘Every month I become a year more old. I was very young, and a fool to boot, when I took Mahbub’s message to Umballa. Even when I was with that white regiment I was very young and had no wisdom. But now I learn every day and in three years the Colonel will take me out of the madrissah and let me go upon the road with Mahbub hunting for horses’ pedigrees, or maybe I shall go by myself; or maybe I shall find the lama and go with him. Yes; that is best. To walk again as a chela with my lama when he comes back to Benares.’
0110
‘Is he by chance’ – he lowered his voice – ‘one of us?’
‘What is this talk of us, Sahib?’ Mahbub Ali returned, in the tone he used towards Europeans. ‘I am a Pathan, thou art a Sahib and the son of a Sahib. Lurgan Sahib has a shop among the European shops. All Simla knows it. Ask there… and, Friend of all the World, he is one to be obeyed to the last wink of his eyelashes. Men say he does magic, but that should not touch thee. Go up the hill and ask. Here begins the Great Game.’
0100
Chapter 9
Quotes
If permission be refused to go and come as he chooses, he will make light of the refusal. Then who is to catch him? Colonel Sahib, only once in a thousand years is a horse born so well fitted for the game as this our colt. And we need men.
1100
Chapter 10
Quotes
Then he stooped towards Mahbub’s feet to make proper acknowledgement with fluttering quick-patting hands; his heart too full for words. Mahbub forestalled and embraced him.
‘My son,’ said he, ‘what need of words between us? But is not the gun a delight?’
1000
Get the entire Kim LitChart as a printable PDF.
Mahbub Ali Quotes in Kim
The Kim quotes below are all either spoken by Mahbub Ali or refer to Mahbub Ali. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Chapter 3
Quotes
Kim warmed to the game, for it reminded him of experiences in the letter-carrying line, when, for the sake of a few pice, he pretended to know more than he knew. But now he was playing for larger things — the sheer excitement and the sense of power.
Related Characters:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 6
Quotes
He gazed imploringly at the clear-cut face in which there was no glimmer of recognition; but even at this extremity it never occurred to him to throw himself on the white man’s mercy or to denounce the Afghan. And Mahbub stared deliberately at the Englishmen, who stared deliberately at Kim, quivering and tongue-tied.
1100
Chapter 7
Quotes
It was absurd that a man of his position should take an interest in a little country-bred vagabond; but the Colonel remembered the conversation in the train, and often in the past few months had caught himself thinking of the queer, silent, self-possessed boy. His evasion, of course, was the height of insolence, but it argued some resource and nerve.
1000
Chapter 8
Quotes
‘In the madrissah I will be a Sahib. But when the madrissah is shut, then must I be free and go among my people. Otherwise I die!’
‘And who are thy people, Friend of all the World?’
‘This great and beautiful land,’ said Kim, waving his paw around the little clay-walled room where the oil lamp in its niche burned heavily through the tobacco-smoke.
1100
‘I am very old,’ he thought sleepily. ‘Every month I become a year more old. I was very young, and a fool to boot, when I took Mahbub’s message to Umballa. Even when I was with that white regiment I was very young and had no wisdom. But now I learn every day and in three years the Colonel will take me out of the madrissah and let me go upon the road with Mahbub hunting for horses’ pedigrees, or maybe I shall go by myself; or maybe I shall find the lama and go with him. Yes; that is best. To walk again as a chela with my lama when he comes back to Benares.’
0110
‘Is he by chance’ – he lowered his voice – ‘one of us?’
‘What is this talk of us, Sahib?’ Mahbub Ali returned, in the tone he used towards Europeans. ‘I am a Pathan, thou art a Sahib and the son of a Sahib. Lurgan Sahib has a shop among the European shops. All Simla knows it. Ask there… and, Friend of all the World, he is one to be obeyed to the last wink of his eyelashes. Men say he does magic, but that should not touch thee. Go up the hill and ask. Here begins the Great Game.’
0100
Chapter 9
Quotes
If permission be refused to go and come as he chooses, he will make light of the refusal. Then who is to catch him? Colonel Sahib, only once in a thousand years is a horse born so well fitted for the game as this our colt. And we need men.
1100
Chapter 10
Quotes
Then he stooped towards Mahbub’s feet to make proper acknowledgement with fluttering quick-patting hands; his heart too full for words. Mahbub forestalled and embraced him.
‘My son,’ said he, ‘what need of words between us? But is not the gun a delight?’
1000
