崩溃(Things Fall Apart) (英文版)作者:奇奴阿·阿切比-第17部分

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　　〃The　only　other　person　is　Udenkwo；〃　said　another　woman；　〃and　her　child　is　not　twenty…eight　days　yet。〃
　　Those　women　whom　Obierika's　wife　had　not　asked　to　help　her　with　the　cooking　returned　to　their　homes；　and　the　rest　went　back；　in　a　body；　to　Obierika's　pound。
　　〃Whose　cow　was　it？〃　asked　the　women　who　had　been　allowed　to　stay　behind。
　　〃It　was　my　husband's；〃　said　Ezelagbo。　〃One　of　the　young　children　had　opened　the　gate　of　the　cow…shed。〃
　　Early　in　the　afternoon　the　first　two　pots　of　palm…wine　arrived　from　Obierika's　in…laws。　They　were　duly　presented　to　the　women；　who　drank　a　cup　or　two　each；　to　help　them　in　their　cooking。　Some　of　it　also　went　to　the　bride　and　her　attendant　maidens；　who　were　putting　the　last　delicate　touches　of　razor　to　her　coiffure　and　cam　wood　on　her　smooth　skin。
　　When　the　heat　of　the　sun　began　to　soften；　Obierika's　son；　Maduka；　took　a　long　broom　and　swept　the　ground　in　front　of　his　father's　obi。　And　as　if　they　had　been　waiting　for　that；　Obierika's　relatives　and　friends　began　to　arrive；　every　man　with　his　goatskin　bag　hung　on　one　shoulder　and　a　rolled　goatskin　mat　under　his　arm。　Some　of　them　were　acpanied　by　their　sons　bearing　carved　wooden　stools。　Okonkwo　was　one　of　them。　They　sat　in　a　half…circle　and　began　to　talk　of　many　things。　It　would　not　be　long　before　the　suitors　came。
　　Okonkwo　brought　out　his　snuff…bottle　and　offered　it　to　Ogbuefi　Ezenwa；　who　sat　next　to　him。　Ezenwa　took　it；　tapped　it　on　his　kneecap；　rubbed　his　left　palm　on　his　body　to　dry　it　before　tipping　a　little　snuff　into　it。　His　actions　were　deliberate；　and　he　spoke　as　he　performed　them：
　　〃1　hope　our　in…laws　will　bring　many　pots　of　wine。　Although　they　e　from　a　village　that　is　known　for　being　closefisted；　they　ought　to　know　that　Akueke　is　the　bride　for　a　king。〃
　　〃They　dare　not　bring　fewer　than　thirty　pots；〃　said　Okonkwo。　〃I　shall　tell　them　my　mind　if　they　do。〃
　　At　that　moment　Obierika's　son；　Maduka；　led　out　the　giant　goat　from　the　inner　pound；　for　his　father's　relatives　to　see。　They　all　admired　it　and　said　that　that　was　the　way　things　should　be　done。　The　goat　was　then　led　back　to　the　inner　pound。
　　Very　soon　after；　the　in…laws　began　to　arrive。　Young　men　and　boys　in　single　file；　each　carrying　a　pot　of　wine；　came　first。　Obierika's　relatives　counted　the　pots　as　they　came。　Twenty；　twenty…five。　There　was　a　long　break；　and　the　hosts　looked　at　each　other　as　if　to　say；　〃1　told　you。〃　Then　more　pots　came。　Thirty；　thirty…five；　forty；　forty…five。　The　hosts　nodded　in　approval　and　seemed　to　say；　〃Now　they　are　behaving　like　men。〃　Altogether　there　were　fifty　pots　of　wine。　After　the　pot…bearers　came　Ibe；　the　suitor；　and　the　elders　of　his　family。　They　sat　in　a　half…moon；　thus　pleting　a　circle　with　their　hosts。　The　pots　of　wine　stood　in　their　midst。　Then　the　bride；　her　mother　and　half　a　dozen　other　women　and　girls　emerged　from　the　inner　pound；　and　went　round　the　circle　shaking　hands　with　all。　The　bride's　mother　led　the　way；　followed　by　the　bride　and　the　other　women。　The　married　women　wore　their　best　cloths　and　the　girls　wore　red　and　black　waist…beads　and　anklets　of　brass。
　　When　the　women　retired；　Obierika　presented　kola　nuts　to　his　in…laws。　His　eldest　brother　broke　the　first　one。　〃Life　to　all　of　us；〃　he　said　as　he　broke　it。　〃And　let　there　be　friendship　between　your　family　and　ours。〃
　　The　crowd　answered…。　〃Ee…e…e！〃
　　〃We　are　giving　you　our　daughter　today。　She　will　be　a　good　wife　to　you。　She　will　bear　you　nine　sons　like　the　mother　of　our　town。〃
　　〃Ee…e…e！〃
　　The　oldest　man　in　the　camp　of　the　visitors　replied：　〃It　will　be　good　for　you　and　it　will　be　good　for　us。〃
　　〃Ee…e…e！〃
　　〃This　is　not　the　first　time　my　people　have　e　to　marry　your　daughter。　My　mother　was　one　of　you。〃
　　〃Ee…e…e！〃
　　〃And　this　will　not　be　the　last；　because　you　understand　us　and　we　understand　you。　You　are　a　great　family。〃
　　〃Ee…e…e！〃
　　〃Prosperous　men　and　great　warriors。〃　He　looked　in　the　direction　of　Okonkwo。　〃Your　daughter　will　bear　us　sons　like　you。
　　〃Ee…e…e！〃
　　The　kola　was　eaten　and　the　drinking　of　palm…wine　began。　Groups　of　four　or　five　men　sat　round　with　a　pot　in　their　midst。　As　the　evening　wore　on；　food　was　presented　to　the　guests。　There　were　huge　bowls　of　foo…foo　and　steaming　pots　of　soup。　There　were　also　pots　of　yam　pottage。　It　was　a　great　feast。
　　As　night　fell；　burning　torches　were　set　on　wooden　tripods　and　the　young　men　raised　a　song。　The　elders　sat　in　a　big　circle　and　the　singers　went　round　singing　each　man's　praise　as　they　came　before　him。　They　had　something　to　say　for　every　man。　Some　were　great　farmers；　some　were　orators　who　spoke　for　the　clan。　Okonkwo　was　the　greatest　wrestler　and　warrior　alive。　When　they　had　gone　round　the　circle　they　settled　down　in　the　center；　and　girls　came　from　the　inner　pound　to　dance。　At　first　the　bride　was　not　among　them。　But　when　she　finally　appeared　holding　a　cock　in　her　right　hand；　a　loud　cheer　rose　from　the　crowd。　All　the　other　dancers　made　way　for　her。　She　presented　the　cock　to　the　musicians　and　began　to　dance。　Her　brass　anklets　rattled　as　she　danced　and　her　body　gleamed　with　cam　wood　in　the　soft　yellow　light。　The　musicians　with　their　wood；　clay　and　metal　instruments　went　from　song　to　song。　And　they　were　all　gay。　They　sang　the　latest　song　in　the　village：
　　〃　If　I　hold　her　hand
　　She　says；　'Don't　touch！'　　If　i　hold　her　foot
　　She　says；　'Don't　touch！'
　　But　when　I　hold　her　waist…beads　she　pretends　not　to　know。〃
　　The　night　was　already　far　spent　when　the　guests　rose　to　go；　taking　their　bride　home　to　spend　seven　market　weeks　with　her　suitor's　family。　They　sang　songs　as　they　went；　and　on　their　way　they　paid　short　courtesy　visits　to　prominent　men　like　Okonkwo；　before　they　finally　left　for　their　village。　Okonkwo　made　a　present　of　two　cocks　to　them。
　　CHAPTER　THIRTEEN
　　Go…di…di…go…go…di…go。　Di…go…go…di…go。　It　was　the　ekwe　talking　to　the　clan。　One　of　the　things　every　man　learned　was　the　language　of　the　hollowed…out　wooden　instrument。　Dum！　Dum！　Dum！　boomed　the　cannon　at　intervals。
　　The　first　cock　had　not　crowed；　and　Umuofia　was　still　swallowed　up　in　sleep　and　silence　when　the　ekwe　began　to　talk；　and　the　cannon　shattered　the　silence。　Men　stirred　on　their　bamboo　beds　and　listened　anxiously。　Somebody　was　dead。　The　cannon　seemed　to　rend　the　sky。　Di…go…go…di…go…di…di…go…go　floated　in　the　message…laden　night　air。　The　faint　and　distant　wailing　of　women　settled　like　a　sediment　of　sorrow　on　the　earth。　Now　and　again　a　full…chested　lamentation　rose　above　the　wailing　whenever　a　man　came　into　the　place　of　death。　He　raised　his　voice　once　or　twice　in　manly　sorrow　and　then　sat　down　with　the　other　men　listening　to　the　endless　wailing　of　the　women　and　the　esoteric　language　of　the　ekwe。　Now　and　again　the　cannon　boomed。　The　wailing　of　the　women　would　not　be　heard　beyond　the　village；　but　the　ekwe　carried　the　news　to　all　the　nine　villages　and　even　beyond。　It　began　by　naming　the　clan：　Umuofia　obodo　dike！　〃the　land　of　the　brave。〃　Umuofia　obodo　dike！　Umuofia　obodo　dike！　It　said　this　over　and　over　again；　and　as　it　dwelt　on　it；　anxiety　mounted　in　every　heart　that　heaved　on　a　bamboo　bed　that　night。　Then　it　went　nearer　and　named　the　village：　〃　Iguedo　of　the　yellow　grinding…stone！〃　It　was　Okonkwo's　village。　Again　and　again　Iguedo　was　called　and　men　waited　breathlessly　in　all　the　nine　villages。　At　last　the　man　was　named　and　people　sighed　〃E…u…u；　Ezeudu　is　dead。〃　A　cold　shiver　ran　down　Okonkwo's　back　as　he　remembered　the　last　time　the　old　man　had　visited　him。　〃That　boy　calls　you　father；〃　he　had　said。　〃Bear　no　hand　in　his　death。〃
　　Ezeudu　was　a　great　man；　and　so　all　the　clan　was　at　his　funeral。　The　ancient　drums　of　death　beat；　guns　and　cannon　were　fired；　and　men　dashed　about　in　frenzy；　cutting　down　every　tree　or　animal　they　saw；　jumping　over　walls　and　dancing　on　the　roof。　It　was　a　warrior's　funeral；　and　from　morning　till　night　warriors　came　and　went　in　their　age　groups。　They　all　wore　smoked　raffia　skirts　and　their　bodies　were　painted　with　chalk　and　charcoal。　Now　and　again　an　ancestral　spirit　or　egwugwu　appeared　from　the　underworld；　speaking　in　a　tremulous；　unearthly　voice　and　pletely　covered　in　raffia。　Some　of　them　were　very　violent；　and　there　had　been　a　mad　rush　for　shelter　earlier　in　the　day　when　one　appeared　with　a　sharp　machete　and　was　only　prevented　from　doing　serious　harm　by　　two　men　who　restrained　him　with　the　help　of　a　strong　rope　tied　round　his　waist。　Sometimes　he　turned　round　and　chased　after　those　men；　and　they　ran　for　their　lives。　But　they　always　returned　to　the　long　rope　he　trailed　behind。　He　sang；　in　a　terrifying　voice；　that　Ekwensu；　or　Evil　Spirit；　had　entered　his　eye。
　　But　the　most　dreaded　of　all　was　yet　to　e。　He　was　always　alone　and　was　shaped　like　a　coffin。　A　sickly　odor　hung　in　the　air　wherever　he　went；　and　flies　went　with　him。　Even　the　greatest　medicine　men　took　shelter　when　he　was　near。　Many　years　ago　another　egwugwu　　had　dared　to　stand　his　ground　before　him　and　had　been　transfixed　to　the　spot　for　two　days。　This　one　had　only　one　hand　and　it　carried　a　basket　full　of　water。
　　But　some　of　the　egwugwu　were　quite　harmless。　One　of　them　was　so　old　and　infirm　that　he　leaned　heavily　on　a　stick。　He　walked　unsteadily　to　the　place　where　the　corpse　was　laid；　gazed　at　it　a　while　and　went　away　again—to　the　underworld。
　　The　land　of　the　living　was　not　far　removed　from　the　domain　of　the　ancestors。　There　was　ing　and　going　between　them；　especially　at　festivals　and　also　when　an　old　man　died；　because　an　old　man　was　very　close　to　the　ancestors。　A　man's　life　from　birth　to　death　was　a　series　of　transition　rites　which　brought　him　nearer　and　nearer　to　his　ancestors。
　　Ezeudu　had　been　the　oldest　man　in　his　village；　and　at　his　death　there　were　only　three　men　in　the　whole　clan　who　were　older；　and　four　or　five　others　in　his　own　age　group。　Whenever　one　of　these　ancient　men　appeared　in　the　crowd　to　dance　unsteadily　the　funeral　steps　of　the　tribe；　younger　men　gave　way　and　the　tumult　subsided。
　　It　was　a　great　funeral；　such　as　befitted　a　noble　warrior。　As　the　evening　drew　near；　the　shouting　and　the　firing　of　guns；　the　beating　of　drums　and　the　brandishing　and　clanging　of　machetes　increased。
　　Ezeudu　had　taken　three　titles　in　his　life。　It　was　a　rare　achievement。　There　were　only　four　titles　in　the