崩溃(Things Fall Apart) (英文版)作者:奇奴阿·阿切比-第15部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


　　She　walked　through　Okonkwo's　hut　into　the　circular　pound　and　went　straight　toward　Ekwefi's　hut。　Okonkwo　came　after　her。
　　〃Ekwefi；〃　she　called；　〃Agbala　greets　you。　Where　is　my　daughter；　Ezinma？　Agbala　wants　to　see　her。〃
　　Ekwefi　came　out　from　her　hut　carrying　her　oil　lamp　in　her　left　hand。　There　was　a　light　wind　blowing；　so　she　cupped　her　right　hand　to　shelter　the　flame。　Nwoye's　mother；　also　carrying　an　oil　lamp；　emerged　from　her　hut。　The　children　stood　in　the　darkness　outside　their　hut　watching　the　strange　event。　Okonkwo's　youngest　wife　also　came　out　and　joined　the　others。
　　〃Where　does　Agbala　want　to　see　her？〃　Ekwefi　asked。
　　〃Where　else　but　in　his　house　in　the　hills　and　the　caves？〃　replied　the　priestess。
　　〃I　will　e　with　you；　too；〃　Ekwefi　said　firmly。
　　〃Tufia…al〃　the　priestess　cursed；　her　voice　cracking　like　the　angry　bark　of　thunder　in　the　dry　season。　〃How　dare　you；　woman；　to　go　before　the　mighty　Agbala　of　your　own　accord？　Beware；　woman；　lest　he　strike　you　in　his　anger。　Bring　me　my　daughter。〃
　　Ekwefi　went　into　her　hut　and　came　out　again　with　Ezinma。
　　〃e；　my　daughter；〃　said　the　priestess。　〃I　shall　carry　you　on　my　back。　A　baby　on　its　mother's　back　does　not　know　that　the　way　is　long。〃
　　Ezinma　began　to　cry。　She　was　used　to　Chielo　calling　her　〃my　daughter。〃　But　it　was　a　different　Chielo　she　now　saw　in　the　yellow　half…light。
　　〃Don't　cry；　my　daughter；〃　said　the　priestess；　〃lest　Agbala　be　angry　with　you。〃
　　〃Don't　cry；〃　said　Ekwefi；　〃she　will　bring　you　back　very　soon。　I　shall　give　you　some　fish　to　eat。〃　She　went　into　the　hut　again　and　brought　down　the　smoke…black　basket　in　which　she　kept　her　dried　fish　and　other　ingredients　for　cooking　soup。　She　broke　a　piece　in　two　and　gave　it　to　Ezinma；　who　clung　to　her。
　　〃Don't　be　afraid；〃　said　Ekwefi；　stroking　her　head；　which　was　shaved　in　places；　leaving　a　regular　pattern　of　hair。　They　went　outside　again。　The　priestess　bent　down　on　one　knee　and　Ezinma　climbed　on　her　back；　her　left　palm　closed　on　her　fish　and　her　eyes　gleaming　with　tears。
　　〃Agbala　do…o…o…o！　Agbala　ekeneo…o…o…o！　…〃　Chielo　began　once　again　to　chant　greetings　to　her　god。　She　turned　round　sharply　and　walked　through　Okonkwo's　hut；　bending　very　low　at　the　eaves。　Ezinma　was　crying　loudly　now；　calling　on　her　mother。　The　two　voices　disappeared　into　the　thick　darkness。
　　A　strange　and　sudden　weakness　descended　on　Ekwefi　as　she　stood　gazing　in　the　direction　of　the　voices　like　a　hen　whose　only　chick　has　been　carried　away　by　a　kite。　Ezinma's　voice　soon　faded　away　and　only　Chielo　was　heard　moving　farther　and　farther　into　the　distance。
　　〃Why　do　you　stand　there　as　though　she　had　been　kidnapped？〃　asked　Okonkwo　as　he　went　back　to　his　hut。
　　〃She　will　bring　her　back　soon；〃　Nwoye's　mother　said。
　　But　Ekwefi　did　not　hear　these　consolations。　She　stood　for　a　while；　and　then；　all　of　a　sudden；　made　up　her　mind。　She　hurried　through　Okonkwo's　hut　and　went　outside。　〃Where　are　you　going？〃　he　asked。
　　〃I　am　following　Chielo；〃　she　replied　and　disappeared　in　the　darkness。　Okonkwo　cleared　his　throat；　and　brought　out　his　snuff…bottle　from　the　goatskin　bag　by　his　side。
　　The　priestess'　voice　was　already　growing　faint　in　the　distance。　Ekwefi　hurried　to　the　main　footpath　and　turned　left　in　the　direction　of　the　voice。　Her　eyes　were　useless　to　her　in　the　darkness。　But　she　picked　her　way　easily　on　the　sandy　footpath　hedged　on　either　side　by　branches　and　damp　leaves。　She　began　to　run；　holding　her　breasts　with　her　hands　to　stop　them　flapping　noisily　against　her　body。　She　hit　her　left　foot　against　an　outcropped　root；　and　terror　seized　her。　It　was　an　ill　omen。　She　ran　faster。　But　Chielo's　voice　was　still　a　long　way　away。　Had　she　been　running　too？　How　could　she　go　so　fast　with　Ezinma　on　her　back？　Although　the　night　was　cool；　Ekwefi　was　beginning　to　feel　hot　from　her　running。　She　continually　ran　into　the　luxuriant　weeds　and　creepers　that　walled　in　the　path。　Once　she　tripped　up　and　fell。　Only　then　did　she　realize；　with　a　start；　that　Chielo　had　stopped　her　chanting。　Her　heart　beat　violently　and　she　stood　still。　Then　Chielo's　renewed　outburst　came　from　only　a　few　paces　ahead。　But　Ekwefi　could　not　see　her。　She　shut　her　eyes　for　a　while　and　opened　them　again　in　an　effort　to　see。　But　it　was　useless。　She　could　not　see　beyond　her　nose。
　　There　were　no　stars　in　the　sky　because　there　was　a　rain…cloud。　Fireflies　went　about　with　their　tiny　green　lamps；　which　only　made　the　darkness　more　profound。　Between　Chielo's　outbursts　the　night　was　alive　with　the　shrill　tremor　of　forest　insects　woven　into　the　darkness。
　　〃Agbala　do…o…o…o！…　Agbala　ekeneo…o…o…o！　…〃　Ekwefi　trudged　behind；　neither　getting　too　near　nor　keeping　too　far　back。　She　thought　they　must　be　going　towards　the　sacred　cave。　Now　that　she　walked　slowly　she　had　time　to　think。　What　would　she　do　when　they　got　to　the　cave？　She　would　not　dare　to　enter。　She　would　wait　at　the　mouth；　all　alone　in　that　fearful　place。　She　thought　of　all　the　terrors　of　the　night。　She　remembered　that　night；　long　ago；　when　she　had　seen　Ogbu…agali…odu；　one　of　those　evil　essences　loosed　upon　the　world　by　the　potent　〃medicines〃　which　the　tribe　had　made　in　the　distant　past　against　its　enemies　but　had　now　forgotten　how　to　control。　Ekwefi　had　been　returning　from　the　stream　with　her　mother　on　a　dark　night　like　this　when　they　saw　its　glow　as　it　flew　in　their　direction。　They　had　thrown　down　their　water…pots　and　lain　by　the　roadside　expecting　the　sinister　light　to　descend　on　them　and　kill　them。　That　was　the　only　time　Ekwefi　ever　saw　Ogbu…agali…odu。　But　although　it　had　happened　so　long　ago；　her　blood　still　ran　cold　whenever　she　remembered　that　night。
　　The　priestess'　voice　came　at　longer　intervals　now；　but　its　vigor　was　undiminished。　The　air　was　cool　and　damp　with　dew。　Ezinma　sneezed。　Ekwefi　muttered；　〃Life　to　you。〃　At　the　same　time　the　priestess　also　said；　〃Life　to　you；　my　daughter。〃
　　Ezinma's　voice　from　the　darkness　warmed　her　mother's　heart。　She　trudged　slowly　along。
　　And　then　the　priestess　screamed。　〃Somebody　is　walking　behind　me！〃　she　said。　〃Whether　you　are　spirit　or　man；　may　Agbala　shave　your　head　with　a　blunt　razor！　May　he　twist　your　neck　until　you　see　your　heels！〃
　　Ekwefi　stood　rooted　to　the　spot。　One　mind　said　to　her：　〃Woman；　go　home　before　Agbala　does　you　harm。〃　But　she　could　not。　She　stood　until　Chielo　had　increased　the　distance　between　them　and　she　began　to　follow　again。　She　had　already　walked　so　long　that　she　began　to　feel　a　slight　numbness　in　the　limbs　and　in　the　head。　Then　it　occurred　to　her　that　they　could　not　have　been　heading　for　the　cave。　They　must　have　bypassed　it　long　ago；…　they　must　be　going　towards　Umuachi；　the　farthest　village　in　the　clan。　Chielo's　voice　now　came　after　long　intervals。
　　It　seemed　to　Ekwefi　that　the　night　had　bee　a　little　lighter。　The　cloud　had　lifted　and　a　few　stars　were　out。　The　moon　must　be　preparing　to　rise；　its　sullenness　over。　When　the　moon　rose　late　in　the　night；　people　said　it　was　refusing　food；　as　a　sullen　husband　refuses　his　wife's　food　when　they　have　quarrelled。
　　〃Agbala　do…o…o…o！　Umuachi！　Agbala　ekene　unuo…o…ol〃　It　was　just　as　Ekwefi　had　thought。　The　priestess　was　now　saluting　the　village　of　Umuachi。　It　was　unbelievable；　the　distance　they　had　covered。　As　they　emerged　into　the　open　village　from　the　narrow　forest　track　the　darkness　was　softened　and　it　became　possible　to　see　the　vague　shape　of　trees。　Ekwefi　screwed　her　eyes　up　in　an　effort　to　see　her　daughter　and　the　priestess；　but
　　whenever　she　thought　she　saw　their　shape　it　immediately　dissolved　like　a　melting　lump　of　darkness。　She　walked　numbly　along。
　　Chielo's　voice　was　now　rising　continuously；　as　when　she　first　set　out。　Ekwefi　had　a　feeling　of　spacious　openness；　and　she　guessed　they　must　be　on　the　village　ilo；　or　playground。　And　she　realized　too　with　something　like　a　jerk　that　Chielo　was　no　longer　moving　forward。　She　was；　in　fact；　returning。　Ekwefi　quickly　moved　away　from　her　line　of　retreat。　Chielo　passed　by；　and　they　began　to　go　back　the　way　they　had　e。
　　It　was　a　long　and　weary　journey　and　Ekwefi　felt　like　a　sleepwalker　most　of　the　way。　The　moon　was　definitely　rising；　and　although　it　had　not　yet　appeared　on　the　sky　its　light　had　already　melted　down　the　darkness。　Ekwefi　could　now　discern　the　figure　of　the　priestess　and　her　burden。　She　slowed　down　her　pace　so　as　to　increase　the　distance　between　them。　She　was　afraid　of　what　might　happen　if　Chielo　suddenly　turned　round　and　saw　her。
　　She　had　prayed　for　the　moon　to　rise。　But　now　she　found　the　half…light　of　the　incipient　moon　more　terrifying　than　darkness。　The　world　was　now　peopled　with　vague；　fantastic　figures　that　dissolved　under　her　steady　gaze　and　then　formed　again　in　new　shapes。　At　one　stage　Ekwefi　was　so　afraid　that　she　nearly　called　out　to　Chielo　for　panionship　and　human　sympathy。　What　she　had　seen　was　the　shape　of　a　man　climbing　a　palm　tree；　his　head　pointing　to　the　earth　and　his　legs　skywards。　But　at　that　very　moment　Chielo's　voice　rose　again　in　her　possessed　chanting；　and　Ekwefi　recoiled；　because　there　was　no　humanity　there。　It　was　not　the　same　Chielo　who　sat　with　her　in　the　market　and　sometimes　bought　beancakes　for　Ezinma；　whom　she　called　her　daughter。　It　was　a　different　woman—the　priestess　of　Agbala；　the　Oracle　of　the　Hills　and　Caves。　Ekwefi　trudged　along　between　two　fears。　The　sound　of　her　benumbed　steps　seemed　to　e　from　some　other　person　walking　behind　her。　Her　arms　were　folded　across　her　bare　breasts。　Dew　fell　heavily　and　the　air　was　cold。　She　could　no　longer　think；　not　even　about　the　terrors　of　night。　She　just　jogged　along　in　a　half…sleep；　only　waking　to　full　life　when　Chielo　sang。
　　At　last　they　took　a　turning　and　began　to　head　for　the　caves。　From　then　on；　Chielo　never　ceased　in　her　chanting。　She　greeted　her　god　in　a　multitude　of　names—the　owner　of　the　future；　the　messenger　of　earth；　the　god　who　cut　a　man　down　when　his　life　was　sweetest　to　him。　Ekwefi　was　also　awakened　and　her　benumbed　fears　revived。
　　The　moon　was　now　up　and　she　could　see　Chielo　and　Ezinma　clearly。　How　a　woman　could　carry　a　child　of　that　size　so　easily　and　for　so　long　was　a　miracle。　But　Ekwefi　was　not　thinking　about　that。　Chielo　was　not　a　woman　that　night。
　　〃Agbala　do…o…o…o！　Agbala　ekeneo…o…o…o！　Chi　negbu　madu　ubosi　ndu　ya　nato　y