崩溃(Things Fall Apart) (英文版)作者:奇奴阿·阿切比-第10部分

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　　〃When　did　you　bee　a　shivering　old　woman；〃　Okonkwo　asked　himself；　〃you；　who　are　known　in　all　the　nine　villages　for　your　valor　in　war？　How　can　a　man　who　has　killed　five　men　in　battle　fall　to　pieces　because　he　has　added　a　boy　to　their　number？　Okonkwo；　you　have　bee　a　woman　indeed。〃
　　He　sprang　to　his　feet；　hung　his　goatskin　bag　on　his　shoulder　and　went　to　visit　his　friend；　Obierika。
　　Obierika　was　sitting　outside　under　the　shade　of　an　orange　tree　making　thatches　from　leaves　of　the　raffia…palm。　He　exchanged　greetings　with　Okonkwo　and　led　the　way　into　his　obi。
　　〃I　was　ing　over　to　see　you　as　soon　as　I　finished　that　thatch；〃　he　said；　rubbing　off　the　grains　of　sand　that　clung　to　his　thighs。
　　〃Is　it　well？〃　Okonkwo　asked。
　　〃Yes；〃　replied　Obierika。　〃My　daughter's　suitor　is　ing　today　and　I　hope　we　will　clinch　the　matter　of　the　bride…price。　I　want　you　to　be　there。〃
　　Just　then　Obierika's　son；　Maduka；　came　into　the　obi　from　outside；　greeted　Okonkwo　and　turned　towards　the　pound；
　　〃e　and　shake　hands　with　me；〃　Okonkwo　said　to　the　lad。　〃Your　wrestling　the　other　day　gave　me　much　happiness。〃　The　boy　smiled；　shook　hands　with　Okonkwo　and　went　into　the　pound。
　　〃He　will　do　great　things；〃　Okonkwo　said。　〃If　I　had　a　son　like　him　I　should　be　happy。　I　am　worried　about　Nwoye。　A　bowl　of　pounded　yams　can　throw　him　in　a　wrestling　match。　His　two　younger　brothers　are　more　promising。　But　I　can　tell　you；　Obierika；　that　my　children　do　not　resemble　me。　Where　are　the　young　suckers　that　will　grow　when　the　old　banana　tree　dies？　If　Ezinma　had　been　a　boy　I　would　have　been　happier。　She　has　the　right　spirit。〃
　　〃You　worry　yourself　for　nothing；〃　said　Obierika。　〃The　children　are　still　very　young。〃
　　〃Nwoye　is　old　enough　to　impregnate　a　woman。　At　his　age　I　was　already　fending　for　myself。　No；　my　friend；　he　is　not　too　young。　A　chick　that　will　grow　into　a　cock　can　be　spotted　the　very　day　it　hatches。　I　have　done　my　best　to　make　Nwoye　grow　into　a　man；　but　there　is　too　much　of　his　mother　in　him。〃
　　〃Too　much　of　his　grandfather；〃　Obierika　thought；　but　he　did　not　say　it。　The　same　thought　also　came　to　Okonkwo's　mind。　But　he　had　long　learned　how　to　lay　that　ghost。　Whenever　the　thought　of　his　father's　weakness　and　failure　troubled　him　he　expelled　it　by　thinking　about　his　own　strength　and　success。　And　so　he　did　now。　His　mind　went　to　his　latest　show　of　manliness。
　　〃I　cannot　understand　why　you　refused　to　e　with　us　to　kill　that　boy；〃　he　asked　Obierika。
　　〃Because　I　did　not　want　to；〃　Obierika　replied　sharply。　〃I　had　something　better　to　do。〃
　　〃You　sound　as　if　you　question　the　authority　and　the　decision　of　the　Oracle；　who　said　he　should　die。〃
　　〃I　do　not。　Why　should　I？　But　the　Oracle　did　not　ask　me　to　carry　out　its　decision。〃
　　〃But　someone　had　to　do　it。　If　we　were　all　afraid　of　blood；　it　would　not　be　done。　And　what　do　you　think　the　Oracle　would　do　then？〃
　　〃You　know　very　well；　Okonkwo；　that　I　am　not　afraid　of　blood　　and　if　anyone　tells　you　that　I　am；　he　is　telling　a　lie。　And　let　me　tell　you　one　thing；　my　friend。　If　I　were　you　I　would　have　stayed　at　home。　What　you　have　done　will　not　please　the　Earth。　It　is　the　kind　of　action　for　which　the　goddess　wipes　out　whole　families。〃
　　〃The　Earth　cannot　punish　me　for　obeying　her　messenger；〃　Okonkwo　said。　〃A　child's　fingers　are　not　scalded　by　a　piece　of　hot　yam　which　its　mother　puts　into　its　palm。〃
　　〃That　is　true；〃　Obierika　agreed。　〃But　if　the　Oracle　said　that　my　son　should　be　killed　I　would　neither　dispute　it　nor　be　the　one　to　do　it。〃
　　They　would　have　gone　on　arguing　had　Ofoedu　not　e　in　just　then。　It　was　clear　from　his　twinkling　eyes　that　he　had　important　news。　But　it　would　be　impolite　to　rush　him。　Obierika　offered　him　a　lobe　of　the　kola　nut　he　had　broken　with　Okonkwo。　Ofoedu　ate　slowly　and　talked　about　the　locusts。　When　he　finished　his　kola　nut　he　said：
　　〃The　things　that　happen　these　days　are　very　strange。〃
　　〃What　has　happened？〃　asked　Okonkwo。
　　〃Do　you　know　Ogbuefi　Ndulue？〃　Ofoedu　asked。
　　〃Ogbuefi　Ndulue　of　Ire　village；〃　Okonkwo　and　Obierika　said　together。
　　〃He　died　this　morning；〃　said　Ofoedu。
　　〃That　is　not　strange。　He　was　the　oldest　man　in　Ire；〃　said　Obierika。
　　〃You　are　right；〃　Ofoedu　agreed。　〃But　you　ought　to　ask　why　the　drum　has　not　beaten　to　tell　Umuofia　of　his　death。〃
　　〃Why？〃　asked　Obierika　and　Okonkwo　together。
　　〃That　is　the　strange　part　of　it。　You　know　his　first　wife　who　walks　with　a　stick？〃
　　〃Yes。　She　is　called　Ozoemena。〃
　　〃That　is　so；〃　said　Ofoedu。　〃Ozoemena　was；　as　you　know；　too　old　to　attend　Ndulue　during　his　illness。　His　younger　wives　did　that。　When　he　died　this　morning；　one　of　these　women　went　to　Ozoemena's　hut　and　told　her。　She　rose　from　her　mat；　took　her　stick　and　walked　over　to　the　obi。　She　knelt　on　her　knees　and　hands　at　the　threshold　and　called　her　husband；　who　was　laid　on　a　mat。　'Ogbuefi　Ndulue；'　she　called；　three　times；　and　went　back　to　her　hut。　When　the　youngest　wife　went　to　call　her　again　to　be　present　at　the　washing　of　the　body；　she　found　her　lying　on　the　mat；　dead。〃
　　〃That　is　very　strange；　indeed；〃　said　Okonkwo。　〃They　will　put　off　Ndulue's　funeral　until　his　wife　has　been　buried。〃
　　〃That　is　why　the　drum　has　not　been　beaten　to　tell　Umuofla。〃
　　〃It　was　always　said　that　Ndulue　and　Ozoemena　had　one　mind；〃　said　Obierika。　〃I　remember　when　I　was　a　young　boy　there　was　a　song　about　them。　He　could　not　do　anything　without　telling　her。〃
　　〃I　did　not　know　that；〃　said　Okonkwo。　〃I　thought　he　was　a　strong　man　in　his　youth。〃
　　〃He　was　indeed；〃　said　Ofoedu。
　　Okonkwo　shook　his　head　doubtfully。
　　〃He　led　Umuofia　to　war　in　those　days；〃　said　Obierika。
　　Okonkwo　was　beginning　to　feel　like　his　old　self　again。　All　that　he　required　was　something　to　occupy　his　mind。　If　he　had　killed　Ikemefuna　during　the　busy　planting　season　or　harvesting　it　would　not　have　been　so　bad；　his　mind　would　have　been　centered　on　his　work。　Okonkwo　was　not　a　man　of　thought　but　of　action。　But　in　absence　of　work；　talking　was　the　next　best。
　　Soon　after　Ofoedu　left；　Okonkwo　took　up　his　goatskin　bag　to　go。
　　〃I　must　go　home　to　tap　my　palm　trees　for　the　afternoon；〃　he　said。
　　〃Who　taps　your　tall　trees　for　you？〃　asked　Obierika。
　　〃Umezulike；〃　replied　Okonkwo。
　　〃Sometimes　I　wish　I　had　not　taken　the　ozo　title；〃　said　Obierika。　〃It　wounds　my　heart　to　see　these　young　men　killing　palm　trees　in　the　name　of　tapping。〃
　　〃It　is　so　indeed；〃　Okonkwo　agreed。　〃But　the　law　of　the　land　must　be　obeyed。〃
　　〃I　don't　know　how　we　got　that　law；〃　said　Obierika。　〃In　many　other　clans　a　man　of　title　is　not　forbidden　to　climb　the　palm　tree。　Here　we　say　he　cannot　climb　the　tall　tree　but　he　can　tap　the　short　ones　standing　on　the　ground。　It　is　like　Dimaragana；　who　would　not　lend　his　knife　for　cutting　up　dogmeat　because　the　dog　was　taboo　to　him；　but　offered　to　use　his　teeth。〃
　　〃I　think　it　is　good　that　our　clan　holds　the　ozo　title　in　high　esteem；〃　said　Okonkwo。　〃In　those　other　clans　you　speak　of；　ozo　is　so　low　that　every　beggar　takes　it。〃
　　〃I　was　only　speaking　in　jest；〃　said　Obierika。　〃In　Abame　and　Aninta　the　title　is　worth　less　than　two　cowries。　Every　man　wears　the　thread　of　title　on　his　ankle；　and　does　not　lose　it　even　if　he　steals。〃
　　〃They　have　indeed　soiled　the　name　of　ozo；〃　said　Okonkwo　as　he　rose　to　go。
　　〃It　will　not　be　very　long　now　before　my　in…laws　e；〃　said　Obierika。
　　〃I　shall　return　very　soon；〃　said　Okonkwo；　looking　at　the　position　of　the　sun。
　　There　were　seven　men　in　Obierika's　hut　when　Okonkwo　returned。　The　suitor　was　a　young　man　of　about　twenty…five；　and　with　him　were　his　father　and　uncle。　On　Obierika's　side　were　his　two　elder　brothers　and　Maduka；　his　sixteen…year…old　son。
　　〃Ask　Akueke's　mother　to　send　us　some　kola　nuts；〃　said　Obierika　to　his　son。　Maduka　vanished　into　the　pound　like　lightning。　The　conversation　at　once　centered　on　him；　and　everybody　agreed　that　he　was　as　sharp　as　a　razor。
　　〃I　sometimes　think　he　is　too　sharp；〃　said　Obierika；　somewhat　indulgently。　〃He　hardly　ever　walks。　He　is　always　in　a　hurry。　If　you　are　sending　him　on　an　errand　he　flies　away　before　he　has　heard　half　of　the　message。〃
　　〃You　were　very　much　like　that　yourself；〃　said　his　eldest　brother。　〃As　our　people　say；　'When　mother…cow　is　chewing　grass　its　young　ones　watch　its　mouth。'　Maduka　has　been　watching　your　mouth。〃
　　As　he　was　speaking　the　boy　returned；　followed　by　Akueke；　his　half…sister；　carrying　a　wooden　dish　with　three　kola　nuts　and　alligator　pepper。　She　gave　the　dish　to　her　father's　eldest　brother　and　then　shook　hands；　very　shyly；　with　her　suitor　and　his　relatives。　She　was　about　sixteen　and　just　ripe　for　marriage。　Her　suitor　and　his　relatives　surveyed　her　young　body　with　expert　eyes　as　if　to　assure　themselves　that　she　was　beautiful　and　ripe。
　　She　wore　a　coiffure　which　was　done　up　into　a　crest　in　the　middle　of　the　head。　Cam　wood　was　rubbed　lightly　into　her　skin；　and　all　over　her　body　were　black　patterns　drawn　with　uli。　She　wore　a　black　necklace　which　hung　down　in　three　coils　just　above　her　full；　succulent　breasts。　On　her　arms　were　red　and　yellow　bangles；　and　on　her　waist　four　or　five　rows　of　jigida；　or　waist　beads。
　　When　she　had　shaken　hands；　or　rather　held　out　her　hand　to　be　shaken；　she　returned　to　her　mother's　hut　to　help　with　the　cooking。
　　〃Remove　your　jigida　first；〃　her　mother　warned　as　she　moved　near　the　fireplace　to　bring　the　pestle　resting　against　the　wall。　〃Every　day　I　tell　you　that　jigida　and　fire　are　not　friends。　But　you　will　never　hear。　You　grew　your　ears　for　decoration；　not　for　hearing。　One　of　these　days　your　jigida　will　catch　fire　on　your　waist；　and　then　you　will　know。〃
　　Akueke　moved　to　the　other　end　of　the　hut　and　began　to　remove　the　waist…beads。　It　had　to　be　done　slowly　and　carefully；　taking　each　string　separately；　else　it　would　break　and　the　thousand　tiny　rings　would　have　to　be　strung　together　again。　She　rubbed　each　string　downwards　with　her　palms　until　it　passed　the　buttocks　and　slipped　down　to　the　floor　around　her　feet。
　　The　men　in　the　obi　had　already　begun　to　drink　the　palm…wine　which　Akueke's　suitor　had　brought。　It　was　a　very　good　wine　and　powerful；　for　in　spite　of　the　palm　fruit　hung　across　the　mouth　of　the　pot　to　restrain　the　lively　liquor；　white　foam　rose　and　spilled　over。
　　〃That　wine　is　the　work　of　a