崩溃(Things Fall Apart) (英文版)作者:奇奴阿·阿切比-第23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！


ot　be。　So　he　waited　impatiently　for　the　dry　season　to　e。
　　It　came　slowly。　The　rain　became　lighter　and　lighter　until　it　fell　in　slanting　showers。　Sometimes　the　sun　shone　through　the　rain　and　a　light　breeze　blew。　It　was　a　gay　and　airy　kind　of　rain。　The　rainbow　began　to　appear；　and　sometimes　two　rainbows；　like　a　mother　and　her　daughter；　the　one　young　and　beautiful；　and　the　other　an　old　and　faint　shadow。　The　rainbow　was　called　the　python　of　the　sky。
　　Okonkwo　called　his　three　wives　and　told　them　to　get　things　together　for　a　great　feast。　〃I　must　thank　my　mother's　kinsmen　before　I　go；〃　he　said。
　　Ekwefi　still　had　some　cassava　left　on　her　farm　from　the　previous　year。　Neither　of　the　other　wives　had。　It　was　not　that　they　had　been　lazy；　but　that　they　had　many　children　to　feed。　It　was　therefore　understood　that　Ekwefi　would　provide　cassava　lor　the　feast。　Nwoye's　mother　and　Ojiugo　would　provide　the　　other　things　like　smoked　fish；　palm…oil　and　pepper　for　the　soup。　Okonkwo　would　take　care　of　meat　and　yams。
　　Ekwefi　rose　early　on　the　following　morning　and　went　to　her　farm　with　her　daughter；　Ezinma；　and　Ojiugo's　daughter；　Obiageli；　to　harvest　cassava　tubers。　Each　of　them　carried　a　long　cane　basket；　a　machete　for　cutting　down　the　soft　cassava　stem；　and　a　little　hoe　for　digging　out　the　tuber。　Fortunately；　a　light　rain　had　fallen　during　the　night　and　the　soil　would　not　be　very　hard。
　　〃It　will　not　take　us　long　to　harvest　as　much　as　we　like；〃　said　Ekwefi。
　　〃But　the　leaves　will　be　wet；〃　said　Ezinma。　Her　basket　was　balanced　on　her　head；　and　her　arms　folded　across　her　breasts。　She　felt　cold。　〃I　dislike　cold　water　dropping　on　my　back。　We　should　have　waited　for　the　sun　to　rise　and　dry　the　leaves。〃
　　Obiageli　called　her　〃Salt〃　because　she　said　that　she　disliked　water。　〃Are　you　afraid　you　may　dissolve？〃
　　The　harvesting　was　easy；　as　Ekwefi　had　said。　Ezinma　shook　every　tree　violently　with　a　long　stick　before　she　bent　down　to　cut　the　stem　and　dig　out　the　tuber。　Sometimes　it　was　not　necessary　to　dig。　They　just　pulled　the　stump；　and　earth　rose；　roots　snapped　below；　and　the　tuber　was　pulled　out。
　　When　they　had　harvested　a　sizable　heap　they　carried　it　down　in　two　trips　to　the　stream；　where　every　woman　had　a　shallow　well　for　fermenting　her　cassava。
　　〃It　should　be　ready　in　four　days　or　even　three；〃　said　Obiageli。　〃They　are　young　tubers。〃
　　〃They　are　not　all　that　young；〃　said　Ekwefi。　〃I　planted　the　farm　nearly　two　years　ago。　It　is　a　poor　soil　and　that　is　why　the　tubers　are　so　small。〃
　　Okonkwo　never　did　things　by　halves。　When　his　wife　Ekwefi　protested　that　two　goats　were　sufficient　for　the　feast　he　told　her　that　it　was　not　her　affair。
　　〃I　am　calling　a　feast　because　I　have　the　wherewithal。　I　cannot　live　on　the　bank　of　a　river　and　wash　my　hands　with　spittle。　My　mother's　people　have　been　good　to　me　and　1　must　show　my　gratitude。〃
　　And　so　three　goats　were　slaughtered　and　a　number　of　fowls。　It　was　like　a　wedding　feast。　There　was　foo…foo　and　yam　pottage；　egusi　soup　and　bitter…leaf　soup　and　pots　and　pots　of　palm…wine。
　　All　the　umunna　were　invited　to　the　feast；　all　the　descendants　of　Okolo；　who　had　lived　about　two　hundred　years　before。　The　oldest　member　of　this　extensive　family　was　Okonkwo's　uncle；　Uchendu。　The　kola　nut　was　given　him　to　break；　and　he　prayed　to　the　ancestors。　He　asked　them　for　health　and　children。　〃We　do　not　ask　for　wealth　because　he　that　has　health　and　children　will　also　have　wealth。　We　do　not　pray　to　have　more　money　but　to　have　more　kinsmen。　We　are　better　than　animals　because　we　have　kinsmen。　An　animal　rubs　its　itching　flank　against　a　tree；　a　man　asks　his　kinsman　to　scratch　him。〃　He　prayed　especially　for　Okonkwo　and　his　family。　He　then　broke　the　kola　nut　and　threw　one　of　the　lobes　on　the　ground　for　the　ancestors。
　　As　the　broken　kola　nuts　were　passed　round；　Okonkwo's　wives　and　children　and　those　who　came　to　help　them　with　the　cooking　began　to　bring　out　the　food。　His　sons　brought　out　the　pots　of　palm…wine。　There　was　so　much　food　and　drink　that　many　kinsmen　whistled　in　surprise。　When　all　was　laid　out；　Okonkwo　rose　to　speak。
　　〃I　beg　you　to　accept　this　little　kola；〃　he　said。　〃It　is　not　to　pay　you　back　for　all　you　did　for　me　in　these　seven　years。　A　child　cannot　pay　for　its　mother's　milk。　I　have　only　called　you　together　because　it　is　good　for　kinsmen　to　meet。〃
　　Yam　pottage　was　served　first　because　it　was　lighter　than　foo…foo　and　because　yam　always　came　first。　Then　the　foo…foo　was　served。　Some　kinsmen　ate　it　with　egusi　soup　and　others　with　bitter…leaf　soup。　The　meat　was　then　shared　so　that　every　member　of　the　umunna　had　a　portion。　Every　man　rose　in　order　of　years　and　took　a　share。　Even　the　few　kinsmen　who　had　not　been　able　to　e　had　their　shares　taken　out　for　them　in　due　term。
　　As　the　palm…wine　was　drunk　one　of　the　oldest　members　of　the　umunna　rose　to　thank　Okonkwo：
　　〃If　I　say　that　we　did　not　expect　such　a　big　feast　I　will　be　suggesting　that　we　did　not　know　how　openhanded　our　son；　Okonkwo；　is。　We　all　know　him；　and　we　expected　a　big　feast。　But　it　turned　out　to　be　even　bigger　than　we　expected。　Thank　you。　May　all　you　took　out　return　again　tenfold。　It　is　good　in　these　days　when　the　younger　generation　consider　themselves　wiser　than　their　sires　to　see　a　man　doing　things　in　the　grand；　old　way。　A　man　who　calls　his　kinsmen　to　a　feast　does　not　do　so　to　save　them　from　starving。　They　all　have　food　in　their　own　homes。　When　we　gather　together　in　the　moonlit　village　ground　it　is　not　because　of　the　moon。　Every　man　can　see　it　in　his　own　pound。　We　e　together　because　it　is　good　for　kinsmen　to　do　so。　You　may　ask　why　I　am　saying　all　this。　I　say　it　because　I　fear　for　the　younger　generation；　for　you　people。〃　He　waved　his　arm　where　most　of　the　young　men　sat。　〃As　for　me；　i　have　only　a　short　while　to　live；　and　so　have　Uchendu　and　Unachukwu　and　Emefo。　But　I　fear　for　you　young　people　because　you　do　not　understand　how　strong　is　the　bond　of　kinship。　You　do　not　know　what　it　is　to　speak　with　one　voice。　And　what　is　the　result？　An　abominable　religion　has　settled　among　you。　A　man　can　now　leave　his　father　and　his　brothers。　He　can　curse　the　gods　of　his　fathers　and　his　ancestors；　like　a　hunter's　dog　that　suddenly　goes　mad　and　turns　on　his　master。　I　fear　for　you；　i　fear　for　the　clan。〃　He　turned　again　to　Okonkwo　and　said；　〃Thank　you　for　calling　us　together。〃
　　CHAPTER　TWENTY
　　Seven　years　was　a　long　time　to　be　away　from　one's　clan。　A　man's　place　was　not　always　there；　waiting　for　him。　As　soon　as　he　left；　someone　else　rose　and　filled　it。　The　clan　was　like　a　lizard；　if　it　lost　its　tail　it　soon　grew　another。
　　Okonkwo　knew　these　things。　He　knew　that　he　had　lost　his　place　among　the　nine　masked　spirits　who　administered　justice　in　the　clan。　He　had　lost　the　chance　to　lead　his　warlike　clan　against　the　new　religion；　which；　he　was　told；　had　gained　ground。　He　had　lost　the　years　in　which　he　might　have　taken　the　highest　titles　in　the　clan。　But　some　of　these　losses　were　not　irreparable。　He　was　determined　that　his　return　should　be　marked　by　his　people。　He　would　return　with　a　flourish；　and　regain　the　seven　wasted　years。
　　Even　in　his　first　year　in　exile　he　had　begun　to　plan　for　his　return。　The　first　thing　he　would　do　would　be　to　rebuild　his　pound　on　a　more　magnificent　scale。　He　would　build　a　bigger　barn　than　he　had　had　before　and　he　would　build　huts　for　two　new　wives。　Then　he　would　show　his　wealth　by　initiating　his　sons　into　the　ozo　society。　Only　the　really　great　men　in　the　clan　were　able　to　do　this。　Okonkwo　saw　clearly　the　high　esteem　in　which　he　would　be　held；　and　he　saw　himself　taking　the　highest　title　in　the　land。
　　As　the　years　of　exile　passed　one　by　one　it　seemed　to　him　that　his　chi　might　now　be　making　amends　for　the　past　disaster。　His　yams　grew　abundantly；　not　only　in　his　motherland　but　also　in　Umuofia；　where　his　friend　gave　them　out　year　by　year　to　sharecroppers。
　　Then　the　tragedy　of　his　first　son　had　occurred。　At　first　it　appeared　as　if　it　might　prove　too　great　for　his　spirit。　But　it　was　a　resilient　spirit；　and　in　the　end　Okonkwo　overcame　his　sorrow。　He　had　five　other　sons　and　he　would　bring　them　up　in　the　way　of　the　clan。
　　He　sent　for　the　five　sons　and　they　came　and　sat　in　his　obi。　The　youngest　of　them　was　four　years　old。
　　〃You　have　all　seen　the　great　abomination　of　your　brother。　Now　he　is　no　longer　my　son　or　your　brother。　I　will　only　have　a　son　who　is　a　man；　who　will　hold　his　head　up　among　my　people。　If　any　one　of　you　prefers　to　be　a　woman；　let　him　follow　Nwoye　now　while　I　am　alive　so　that　I　can　curse　him。　If　you　turn　against　me　when　I　am　dead　I　will　visit　you　and　break　your　neck。〃
　　Okonkwo　was　very　lucky　in　his　daughters。　He　never　stopped　regretting　that　Ezinma　was　a　girl。　Of　all　his　children　she　alone　understood　his　every　mood。　A　bond　of　sympathy　had　grown　between　them　as　the　years　had　passed。
　　Ezinma　grew　up　in　her　father's　exile　and　became　one　of　the　most　beautiful　girls　in　Mbanta。　She　was　called　Crystal　of　Beauty；　as　her　mother　had　been　called　in　her　youth。　The　young　ailing　girl　who　had　caused　her　mother　so　much　heartache　had　been　transformed；　almost　overnight；　into　a　healthy；　buoyant　maiden。　She　had；　it　was　true；　her　moments　of　depression　when　she　would　snap　at　everybody　like　an　angry　dog。　These　moods　descended　on　her　suddenly　and　for　no　apparent　reason。　But　they　were　very　rare　and　short…lived。　As　long　as　they　lasted；　she　could　bear　no　other　person　but　her　father。
　　Many　young　men　and　prosperous　middle…aged　men　of　Mbanta　came　to　marry　her。　But　she　refused　them　all；　because　her　father　had　called　her　one　evening　and　said　to　her：　〃There　are　many　good　and　prosperous　people　here；　but　I　shall　be　happy　if　you　marry　in　Umuofia　when　we　return　home。〃
　　That　was　all　he　had　said。　But　Ezinma　had　seen　clearly　all　the　thought　and　hidden　meaning　behind　the　few　words。　And　she　had　agreed。
　　〃Your　half…sister；　Obiageli；　will　not　understand　me；〃　Okonkwo　said。　〃But　you　can　explain　to　her。〃
　　Although　they　were　almost　the　same　age；　Ezinma　wielded　a　strong　influence　over　her　half…sister。　She　explained　to　her　why　they　should　not　marry　yet；　and　she　agreed　also。　And　so　the　two　of　them　refused　every　offer　of　marriage　in　Mbanta。
　　〃I　wish　she　were　a　boy；〃　Okonkwo　thought　within　himself。　She　understood　things　so　perfectly。　Who