崩溃(Things Fall Apart) (英文版)作者:奇奴阿·阿切比-第21部分

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　It　was　also　the　dumping　ground　for　highly　potent　fetishes　of　great　medicine　men　when　they　died。　An　evil　forest　was；　therefore；　alive　with　sinister　forces　and　powers　of　darkness。　It　was　such　a　forest　that；　the　rulers　of　Mbanta　gave　to　the　missionaries。　They　did　not　really　want　them　near　to　the　clan；　and　so　they　made　them　that　offer　which　nobody　in　his　right　senses　would　accept。
　　〃They　want　a　piece　of　land　to　build　their　shrine；〃　said　Uchendu　to　his　peers　when　they　consulted　among　themselves。　〃We　shall　give　them　a　piece　of　land。〃　He　paused；　and　there　was　a　murmur　of　surprise　and　disagreement。　〃Let　us　give　them　a　portion　of　the　Evil　Forest。　They　boast　about　victory　over　death。　Let　us　give　them　a　real　battlefield　in　which　to　show　their　victory。〃　They　laughed　and　agreed；　and　sent　for　the　missionaries；　whom　they　had　asked　to　leave　them　for　a　while　so　that　they　might　〃whisper　together。〃　They　offered　them　as　much　of　the　Evil　Forest　as　they　cared　to　take。　And　to　their　greatest　amazement　the　missionaries　thanked　them　and　burst　into　song。
　　〃They　do　not　understand；〃　said　some　of　the　elders。　〃But　they　will　understand　when　they　go　to　their　plot　of　land　tomorrow　morning。〃　And　they　dispersed。
　　The　next　morning　the　crazy　men　actually　began　to　clear　a　part　of　the　forest　and　to　build　their　house。　The　inhabitants　of　Mbanta　expected　them　all　to　be　dead　within　four　days。　The　first　day　passed　and　the　second　and　third　and　fourth；　and　none　of　them　died。　Everyone　was　puzzled。　And　then　it　became　known　that　the　white　man's　fetish　had　unbelievable　power。　It　was　said　that　he　wore　glasses　on　his　eyes　so　that　he　could　see　and　talk　to　evil　spirits。　Not　long　after；　he　won　his　first　three　converts。
　　Although　Nwoye　had　been　attracted　to　the　new　faith　from　the　very　first　day；　he　kept　it　secret。　He　dared　not　go　too　near　the　missionaries　for　fear　of　his　father。　But　whenever　they　came　to　preach　in　the　open　marketplace　or　the　village　play
　　ground；　Nwoye　was　there。　And　he　was　already　beginning　to　know　some　of　the　simple　stories　they　told。
　　〃We　have　now　built　a　church；〃　said　Mr。　Kiaga；　the　interpreter；　who　was　now　in　charge　of　the　infant　congregation。　The　white　man　had　gone　back　to　Umuofia；　where　he　built　his　headquarters　and　from　where　he　paid　regular　visits　to　Mr。　Kiaga's　congregation　at　Mbanta。
　　〃We　have　now　built　a　church；〃　said　Mr。　Kiaga；　〃and　we　want　you　all　to　e　in　every　seventh　day　to　worship　the　true　God。〃
　　On　the　following　Sunday；　Nwoye　passed　and　repassed　the　little　red…earth　and　thatch　building　without　summoning　enough　courage　to　enter。　He　heard　the　voice　of　singing　and　although　it　came　from　a　handful　of　men　it　was　loud　and　confident。　Their　church　stood　on　a　circular　clearing　that　looked　like　the　open　mouth　of　the　Evil　Forest。　Was　it　waiting　to　snap　its　teeth　together？　After　passing　and　re…passing　by　the　church；　Nwoye　returned　home。
　　It　was　well　known　among　the　people　of　Mbanta　that　their　gods　and　ancestors　were　sometimes　long…suffering　and　would　deliberately　allow　a　man　to　go　on　defying　them。　But　even　in　such　cases　they　set　their　limit　at　seven　market　weeks　or　twenty…eight　days。　Beyond　that　limit　no　man　was　suffered　to　go。　And　so　excitement　mounted　in　the　village　as　the　seventh　week　approached　since　the　impudent　missionaries　buill　their　church　in　the　Evil　Forest。　The　villagers　were　so　certain　about　the　doom　that　awaited　these　men　that　one　or　two　converts　thought　it　wise　to　suspend　their　allegiance　to　the　new　faith。
　　At　last　the　day　came　by　which　all　the　missionaries　should　have　died。　But　they　were　still　alive；　building　a　new　red…earth　and　thatch　house　for　their　teacher；　Mr。　Kiaga。　That　week　they　won　a　handful　more　converts。　And　for　the　first　time　they　had　a　woman。　Her　name　was　Nneka；　the　wife　of　Amadi；　who　was　a　prosperous　farmer。　She　was　very　heavy　with　child。
　　Nneka　had　had　four　previous　pregnancies　and　child…births。　But　each　time　she　had　borne　twins；　and　they　had　been　immediately　thrown　away。　Her　husband　and　his　family　were　already　being　highly　critical　of　such　a　woman　and　were　not　unduly　perturbed　when　they　found　she　had　fled　to　join　the　Christians。　It　was　a　good　riddance。
　　One　morning　Okonkwo's　cousin；　Amikwu；　was　passing　by　the　church　on　his　way　from　the　neighboring　village；　when　he　saw　Nwoye　among　the　Christians。　He　was　greatly　surprised；　and　when　he　got　home　he　went　straight　to　Okonkwo's　hut　and　told　him　what　he　had　seen。　The　women　began　to　talk　excitedly；　but　Okonkwo　sat　unmoved。
　　It　was　late　afternoon　before　Nwoye　returned。　He　went　into　the　obi　and　saluted　his　father；　but　he　did　not　answer。　Nwoye　turned　round　to　walk　into　the　inner　pound　when　his　father；　suddenly　overe　with　fury；　sprang　to　his　feet　and　gripped　him　by　the　neck。
　　〃Where　have　you　been？〃　he　stammered。
　　Nwoye　struggled　to　free　himself　from　the　choking　grip。
　　〃Answer　me；〃　roared　Okonkwo；　〃before　I　kill　you！〃　He　seized　a　heavy　stick　that　lay　on　the　dwarf　wall　and　hit　him　two　or　three　savage　blows。
　　〃Answer　me！〃　he　roared　again。　Nwoye　stood　looking　at　him　and　did　not　say　a　word。　The　women　were　screaming　outside；　afraid　to　go　in。
　　〃Leave　that　boy　at　once！〃　said　a　voice　in　the　outer　pound。　It　was　Okonkwo's　uncle；　Uchendu。　〃Are　you　mad？〃
　　Okonkwo　did　not　answer。　But　he　left　hold　of　Nwoye；　who　walked　away　and　never　returned。
　　He　went　back　to　the　church　and　told　Mr。　Kiaga　that　he　had　decided　to　go　to　Umuofia　where　the　white　missionary　had　set　up　a　school　to　teach　young　Christians　to　read　and　write。
　　Mr。　Kiaga's　joy　was　very　great。　〃Blessed　is　he　who　forsakes　his　father　and　his　mother　for　my　sake；〃　he　intoned。　〃Those　that　hear　my　words　are　my　father　and　my　mother。〃
　　Nwoye　did　not　fully　understand。　But　he　was　happy　to　leave　his　father。　He　would　return　later　to　his　mother　and　his　brothers　and　sisters　and　convert　them　to　the　new　faith。
　　As　Okonkwo　sat　in　his　hut　that　night；　gazing　into　a　log　fire；　he　thought　over　the　matter。　A　sudden　fury　rose　within　him　and　he　felt　a　strong　desire　to　take　up　his　machete；　go　to　the　church　and　wipe　out　the　entire　vile　and　miscreant　gang。　But　on　further　thought　he　told　himself　that　Nwoye　was　not　worth　fighting　for。　Why；　he　cried　in　his　heart；　should　he；　Okonkwo；　of　all　people；　be　cursed　with　such　a　son？　He　saw　clearly　in　it　the　finger　of　his　personal　god　or　chi。　For　how　else　could　he　explain　his　great　misfortune　and　exile　and　now　his　despicable　son's　behavior？　Now　that　he　had　time　to　think　of　it；　his　son's　crime　stood　out　in　its　stark　enormity。　To　abandon　the　gods　of　one's　father　and　go　about　with　a　lot　of　effeminate　men　clucking　like　old　hens　was　the　very　depth　of　abomination。　Suppose　when　he　died　all　his　male　children　decided　to　follow　Nwoye's　steps　and　abandon　their　ancestors？　Okonkwo　felt　a　cold　shudder　run　through　him　at　the　terrible　prospect；　like　the　prospect　of　annihilation。　He　saw　himself　and　his　fathers　crowding　round　their　ancestral　shrine　waiting　in　vain　for　worship　and　sacrifice　and　finding　nothing　but　ashes　of　bygone　days；　and　his　children　the　while　praying　to　the　white　man's　god。　If　such　a　thing　were　ever　to　happen；　he；　Okonkwo；　would　wipe　them　off　the　face　of　the　earth。
　　Okonkwo　was　popularly　called　the　〃Roaring　Flame。〃　As　he　looked　into　the　log　fire　he　recalled　the　name。　He　was　a　flaming　fire。　How　then　could　he　have　begotten　a　son　like　Nwoye；　degenerate　and　effeminate？　Perhaps　he　was　not　his　son。　No！　he　could　not　be。　His　wife　had　played　him　false。　He　would　teach　her！　But　Nwoye　resembled　his　grandfather；　Unoka；　who　was　Okonkwo's　father。　He　pushed　the　thought　out　of　his　mind。　He；　Okonkwo；　was　called　a　flaming　fire。　How　could　he　have　begotten　a　woman　for　a　son？　At　Nwoye's　age　Okonkwo　had　already　bee　famous　throughout　Umuofia　for　his　wrestling　and　his　fearlessness。
　　He　sighed　heavily；　and　as　if　in　sympathy　the　smoldering　log　also　sighed。　And　immediately　Okonkwo's　eyes　were　opened　and　he　saw　the　whole　matter　clearly。　Living　fire　begets　cold；　impotent　ash。　He　sighed　again；　deeply。
　　CHAPTER　EIGHTEEN
　　The　young　church　in　Mbanta　had　a　few　crises　early　in　its　life。　At　first　the　clan　had　assumed　that　it　would　not　survive。　But　it　had　gone　on　living　and　gradually　being　stronger。　The　clan　was　worried；　but　not　overmuch。　If　a　gang　of　efulefu　decided　to　live　in　the　Evil　Forest　it　was　their　own　affair。　When　one　came　to　think　of　it；　the　Evil　Forest　was　a　fit　home　for　such　undesirable　people。　It　was　true　they　were　rescuing　twins　from　the　bush；　but　they　never　brought　them　into　the　village。　As　far　as　the　villagers　were　concerned；　the　twins　still　remained　where　they　had　been　thrown　away。　Surely　the　earth　goddess　would　not　visit　the　sins　of　the　missionaries　on　the　innocent　villagers？
　　But　on　one　occasion　the　missionaries　had　tried　to　over　step　the　bounds。　Three　converts　had　gone　into　the　village　and　boasted　openly　that　all　the　gods　were　dead　and　impotent　and　that　they　were　prepared　to　defy　them　by　burning　all　their　shrines。
　　〃Go　and　burn　your　mothers'　genitals；〃　said　one　of　the　priests。　The　men　were　seized　and　beaten　until　they　streamed　with　blood。　After　that　nothing　happened　for　a　long　time　between　the　church　and　the　clan。
　　But　stories　were　already　gaining　ground　that　the　white　man　had　not　only　brought　a　religion　but　also　a　government。　It　was　said　that　they　had　built　a　place　of　judgment　in　Umuofia　to　protect　the　followers　of　their　religion。　It　was　even　said　that　they　had　hanged　one　man　who　killed　a　missionary。
　　Although　such　stories　were　now　often　told　they　looked　like　fairy…tales　in　Mbanta　and　did　not　as　yet　affect　the　relationship　between　the　new　church　and　the　clan。　There　was　no　question　of　killing　a　missionary　here；　for　Mr。　Kiaga；　despite　his　madness；　was　quite　harmless。　As　for　his　converts；　no　one　could　kill　them　without　having　to　flee　from　the　clan；　for　in　spite　of　their　worthlessness　they　still　belonged　to　the　clan。　And　so　nobody　gave　serious　thought　to　the　stories　about　the　white　man's　government　or　the　consequences　of　killing　the　Christians。　If　they　became　more　troublesome　than　they　already　were　they　would　simply　be　driven　out　of　the　clan。
　　And　the　little　church　was　at　that　moment　too　deeply　absorbed　in　its　own　troubles　to　annoy　the　clan。　It　all　began　over　the　question　of　admitting　outcasts。
　　These　outcasts；　or　osu；　seeing　that　the　new　religion　we