崩溃(Things Fall Apart) (英文版)作者:奇奴阿·阿切比-第14部分

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　　〃That　is　true；〃　replied　Uzowulu。
　　〃Go　to　your　in…laws　with　a　pot　of　wine　and　beg　your　wife　to　return　to　you。　It　is　not　bravery　when　a　man　fights　with　a　woman。〃　He　turned　to　Odukwe；　and　allowed　a　brief　pause。
　　〃Odukwe's　body；　I　greet　you；〃　he　said。
　　〃My　hand　is　on　the　ground；〃　replied　Okukwe。
　　〃Do　you　know　me？〃
　　〃No　man　can　know　you；〃　replied　Odukwe。
　　〃I　am　Evil　Forest；　I　am　Dry…meat…that…fills…the…mouth；　I　am　Fire…that…burns…without…faggots。　If　your　in…law　brings　wine　to　you；　let　your　sister　go　with　him。　I　salute　you。〃　He　pulled　his　staff　from　the　hard　earth　and　thrust　it　back。
　　〃Umuofia　kwenu！〃　he　roared；　and　the　crowd　answered。
　　〃I　don't　know　why　such　a　trifle　should　e　before　the　said　one　elder　to　another。
　　〃Don't　you　know　what　kind　of　man　Uzowulu　is？　He　will　not　listen　to　any　other　decision；〃　replied　the　other。
　　As　they　spoke　two　other　groups　of　people　had　replaced　the　first　before　the　egwugwu；　and　a　great　land　case　began。
　　CHAPTER　ELEVEN
　　The　night　was　impenetrably　dark。　The　moon　had　been　rising　later　and　later　every　night　until　now　it　was　seen　only　at　dawn。　And　whenever　the　moon　forsook　evening　and　rose　at　cock…crow　the　nights　were　as　black　as　charcoal。
　　Ezinma　and　her　mother　sat　on　a　mat　on　the　floor　after　their　supper　of　yam　foo…foo　and　bitter…leaf　soup。　A　palm…oil　lamp　gave　out　yellowish　light。　Without　it；　it　would　have　been　impossible　to　eat；…　one　could　not　have　known　where　one's　mouth　was　in　the　darkness　of　that　night。　There　was　an　oil　lamp　in　all　the　four　huts　on　Okonkwo's　pound；　and　each　hut　seen　from　the　others　looked　like　a　soft　eye　of　yellow　half…light　set　in　the　solid　massiveness　of　night。
　　The　world　was　silent　except　for　the　shrill　cry　of　insects；　which　was　part　of　the　night；　and　the　sound　of　wooden　mortar　and　pestle　as　Nwayieke　pounded　her　foo…foo。　Nwayieke　lived　four　pounds　away；　and　she　was　notorious　for　her　late　cooking。　Every　woman　in　the　neighborhood　knew　the　sound　of　Nwayieke's　mortar　and　pestle。　It　was　also　part　of　the　night。
　　Okonkwo　had　eaten　from　his　wives'　dishes　and　was　now
　　reclining　with　his　back　against　the　wall。　He　searched　his　bag　and　brought　out　his　snuff…bottle。　He　turned　it　on　to　his　left　palm；　but　nothing　came　out。　He　hit　the　bottle　against　his　knee　to　shake　up　the　tobacco。　That　was　always　the　trouble　with　Okeke's　snuff。　It　very　quickly　went　damp；　and　there　was　too　much　saltpeter　in　it。　Okonkwo　had　not　bought　snuff　from　him　for　a　long　time。　Idigo　was　the　man　who　knew　how　to　grind　good　snuff。　But　he　had　recently　fallen　ill。
　　Low　voices；　broken　now　and　again　by　singing；　reached　Okonkwo　from　his　wives'　huts　as　each　woman　and　her　children　told　folk　stories。　Ekwefi　and　her　daughter；　Ezinma；　sat　on　a　mat　on　the　floor。　It　was　Ekwefl's　turn　to　tell　a　story。
　　〃Once　upon　a　time；〃　she　began；　〃all　the　birds　were　invited　to　a　feast　in　the　sky。　They　were　very　happy　and　began　to　prepare　themselves　for　the　great　day。　They　painted　their　bodies　with　red　cam　wood　and　drew　beautiful　patterns　on　them　with　uli。
　　〃Tortoise　saw　all　these　preparations　and　soon　discovered　what　it　all　meant。　Nothing　that　happened　in　the　world　of　the　animals　ever　escaped　his　notice；…　he　was　full　of　cunning。　As　soon　as　he　heard　of　the　great　feast　in　the　sky　his　throat　began　to　itch　at　the　very　thought。　There　was　a　famine　in　those　days　and　Tortoise　had　not　eaten　a　good　meal　for　two　moons。　His　body　rattled　like　a　piece　of　dry　stick　in　his　empty　shell。　So　he　began　to　plan　how　he　would　go　to　the　sky。〃
　　〃But　he　had　no　wings；〃　said　Ezinma。
　　〃Be　patient；〃　replied　her　mother。　〃That　is　the　story。　Tortoise　had　no　wings；　but　he　went　to　the　birds　and　asked　to　be　allowed　to　go　with　them。
　　〃'We　know　you　too　well；'　said　the　birds　when　they　had　heard　him。　'You　are　full　of　cunning　and　you　are　ungrateful。　If　we　allow　you　to　e　with　us　you　will　soon　begin　your　mischief。'
　　〃'You　do　not　know　me；'　said　Tortoise。　'1　am　a　changed　man。　I　have　learned　that　a　man　who　makes　trouble　for　others　is　also　making　it　for　himself。'
　　〃Tortoise　had　a　sweet　tongue；　and　within　a　short　time　all　the　birds　agreed　that　he　was　a　changed　man；　and　they　each　gave　him　a　feather；　with　which　he　made　two　wings。
　　〃At　last　the　great　day　came　and　Tortoise　was　the　first　to　arrive　at　the　meeting　place。　When　all　the　birds　had　gathered　together；　they　set　off　in　a　body。　Tortoise　was　very　happy　and　voluble　as　he　flew　among　the　birds；　and　he　was　soon　chosen　as　the　man　to　speak　for　the　party　because　he　was　a　great　orator。
　　〃There　is　one　important　thing　which　we　must　not　forget；'　he　said　as　they　flew　on　their　way。　'When　people　are　invited　to　a　great　feast　like　this；　they　take　new　names　for　the　occasion。　Our　hosts　in　the　sky　will　expect　us　to　honor　this　age…old　custom。'
　　〃None　of　the　birds　had　heard　of　this　custom　but　they　knew　that　Tortoise；　in　spite　of　his　failings　in　other　directions；　was　a　widely…traveled　man　who　knew　the　customs　of　different　peoples。　And　so　they　each　took　a　new　name。　When　they　had　all　taken；　Tortoise　also　took　one。　He　was　to　be　called　All　oj　you。
　　〃At　last　the　party　arrived　in　the　sky　and　their　hosts　were　very　happy　to　see　them。　Tortoise　stood　up　in　his　many…colored　plumage　and　thanked　them　for　their　invitation。　His
　　speech　was　so　eloquent　that　all　the　birds　were　glad　they　had　brought　him；　and　nodded　their　heads　in　approval　of　all　he　said。　Their　hosts　took　him　as　the　king　of　the　birds；　especially　as　he　looked　somewhat　different　from　the　others。
　　〃After　kola　nuts　had　been　presented　and　eaten；　the　people　of　the　sky　set　before　their　guests　the　most　delectable　dishes　Tortoise　had　even　seen　or　dreamed　of。　The　soup　was　brought　out　hot　from　the　fire　and　in　the　very　pot　in　which　it　had　been　cooked。　It　was　full　of　meat　and　fish。　Tortoise　began　to　sniff　aloud。　There　was　pounded　yam　and　also　yam　pottage　cooked　with　palm…oil　and　fresh　fish。　There　were　also　pots　of　palm…wine。　When　everything　had　been　set　before　the　guests；　one　of　the　people　of　the　sky　came　forward　and　tasted　a　little　from　each　pot。　He　then　invited　the　birds　to　eat。　But　Tortoise　jumped　to　his　feet　and　asked：　Tor　whom　have　you　prepared　this　feast？'
　　〃'For　all　of　you；'　replied　the　man。
　　〃Tortoise　turned　to　the　birds　and　said：　'You　remember　that　my　name　is　All　of　you。　The　custom　here　is　to　serve　the　spokesman　first　and　the　others　later。　They　will　serve　you　when　I　have　eaten。'
　　〃He　began　to　eat　and　the　birds　grumbled　angrily。　The　people　of　the　sky　thought　it　must　be　their　custom　to　leave　all　the　food　for　their　king。　And　so　Tortoise　ate　the　best　part　of　the　food　and　then　drank　two　pots　of　palm…wine；　so　that　he　was　full　of　food　and　drink　and　his　body　filled　out　in　his　shell。
　　〃The　birds　gathered　round　to　eat　what　was　left　and　to　peck　at　the　bones　he　had　thrown　all　about　the　floor。　Some　of　them　were　too　angry　to　eat。　They　chose　to　fly　home　on　an　empty　stomach。　But　before　they　left　each　took　back　the　feather　he　had　lent　to　Tortoise。　And　there　he　stood　in　his　hard　shell　full　of　food　and　wine　but　without　any　wings　to　fly　home。　He　asked　the　birds　to　take　a　message　for　his　wife；　but　they　all　refused。　In　the　end　Parrot；　who　had　felt　more　angry　than　the　others；　suddenly　changed　his　mind　and　agreed　to　take　the　message。
　　〃Tell　my　wife；'　said　Tortoise；'to　bring　out　all　the　soft　things　in　my　house　and　cover　the　pound　with　them　so　that　I　can　jump　down　from　the　sky　without　very　great　danger。'
　　〃Parrot　promised　to　deliver　the　message；　and　then　flew　away。　But　　when　he　reached　Tortoise's　house　he　told　his　wife　to　bring　out　all　the　hard　things　in　the　house。　And　so　she　brought　out　her　husband's　hoes；　machetes；　spears；　guns　and　even　his　cannon。　Tortoise　looked　down　from　the　sky　and　saw　his　wife　bringing　things　out；　but　it　was　too　far　to　see　what　they　were。　When　all　seemed　ready　he　let　himself　go。　He　fell　and　fell　and　fell　until　he　began　to　fear　that　he　would　never　stop　falling。　And　then　like　the　sound　of　his　cannon　he　crashed　on　the　pound。〃　'；；；　〃Did　he　die？〃　asked　Ezinma。
　　〃No；〃　replied　Ekwefi。　〃His　shell　broke　into　pieces。　But　there　was　a　great　medicine　man　in　the　neighborhood。　Tortoise's　wife　sent　for　him　and　he　gathered　all　the　bits　of　shell　and　stuck　them　together。　That　is　why　Tortoise's　shell　is　not　smooth。〃
　　〃There　is　no　song　in　the　story；〃　Ezinma　pointed　out。
　　〃No；〃　said　Ekwefi。　〃1　shall　think　of　another　one　with　a　song。　But　it　is　your　turn　now。〃
　　〃Once　upon　a　time；〃　Ezinma　began；　〃Tortoise　and　Cat　went　to　wrestle　against　Yams—no；　that　is　not　the　beginning。　Once　upon　a　time　there　was　a　great　famine　in　the　land　of　animals。　Everybody　was　lean　except　Cat；　who　was　fat　and　whose　body　shone　as　if　oil　was　rubbed　on　it…〃
　　She　broke　off　because　at　that　very　moment　a　loud　and　high…pitched　voice　broke　the　outer　silence　of　the　night。　It　was　Chielo；　the　priestess　of　Agbala；　prophesying。　There　was　nothing　new　in　that。　Once　in　a　while　Chielo　was　possessed　by　the　spirit　of　her　god　and　she　began　to　prophesy。　But　tonight　she　was　addressing　her　prophecy　and　greetings　to　Okonkwo；　and　so　everyone　in　his　family　listened。　The　folk　stories　stopped。
　　〃Agbala　do…o…o…o！　Agbala　ekeneo…o…o…o…o；〃　came　the　voice　like　a　sharp　knife　cutting　through　the　night。　〃Okonkwo！　Agbala　ekme　gio…o…o…o！　Agbala　cholu　ifu　ada　ya　Ezinmao…o…o…oi〃
　　At　the　mention　of　Ezinma's　name　Ekwefi　jerked　her　head　sharply　like　an　animal　that　had　sniffed　death　in　the　air。　Her　heart　jumped　painfully　within　her。
　　The　priestess　had　now　reached　Okonkwo's　pound　and　was　talking　with　him　outside　his　hut。　She　was　saying　again　and　again　that　Agbala　wanted　to　see　his　daughter；　Ezinma。　Okonkwo　pleaded　with　her　to　e　back　in　the　morning　because　Ezinma　was　now　asleep。　But　Chielo　ignored　what　he　was　trying　to　say　and　went　on　shouting　that　Agbala　wanted　to　see　his　daughter。　Her　voice　was　as　clear　as　metal；　and　Okonkwo's　women　and　children　heard　from　their　huts　all　that　she　said。　Okonkwo　was　still　pleading　that　the　girl　had　been　ill　of　late　and　was　asleep。　Ekwefi　quickly　took　her　to　their　bedroom　and　placed　her　on　their　high　bamboo　bed。
　　The　priestess　screamed。　〃Beware；　Okonkwo！〃　she　warned。　〃Beware　of　exchanging　words　with　Agbala。　Does　a　man　speak　when　a　god　speaks？　Beware！〃
　　She　walked　through　Okonkwo's　hut　into　the　circular　pound　and　went　straigh