崩溃(Things Fall Apart) (英文版)作者:奇奴阿·阿切比-第7部分

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d　into　one　of　the　rafters。　As　soon　as　she　got　up；　the　troublesome　nanny　goat；　which　had　been　dutifully　eating　yam　peelings；　dug　her　teeth　into　the　real　thing；　scooped　out　two　mouthfuls　and　fled　from　the　hut　to　chew　the　cud　in　the　goats'　shed。　Nwoye's　mother　swore　at　her　and　settled　down　again　to　her　peeling。　Ezinma's　fire　was　now　sending　up　thick　clouds　of　smoke。　She　went　on　fanning　it　until　it　burst　into　flames。　Nwoye's　mother　thanked　her　and　she　went　back　to　her　mother's　hut。
　　Just　then　the　distant　beating　of　drums　began　to　reach　them。　It　came　from　the　direction　of　the　ilo；　the　village　playground。　Every　village　had　its　own　ilo　which　was　as　old　as　the　village　itself　and　where　all　the　great　ceremonies　and　dances　took　place。　The　drums　beat　the　unmistakable　wrestling　dance　…　quick；　light　and　gay；　and　it　came　floating　on　the　wind。
　　Okonkwo　cleared　his　throat　and　moved　his　feet　to　the　beat　of　the　drums。　It　filled　him　with　fire　as　it　had　always　done　from　his　youth。　He　trembled　with　the　desire　to　conquer　and　subdue。　It　was　like　the　desire　for　woman。
　　〃We　shall　be　late　for　the　wrestling；〃　said　Ezinma　to　her　mother。
　　〃They　will　not　begin　until　the　sun　goes　down。〃
　　〃But　they　are　beating　the　drums。〃
　　〃Yes。　The　drums　begin　at　noon　but　the　wrestling　waits　until　the　sun　begins　to　sink。　Go　and　see　if　your　father　has　brought　out　yams　for　the　afternoon。〃
　　〃He　has。　Nwoye's　mother　is　already　cooking。〃
　　〃Go　and　bring　our　own；　then。　We　must　cook　quickly　or　we　shall　be　late　for　the　wrestling。〃
　　Ezinma　ran　in　the　direction　of　the　barn　and　brought　back　two　yams　from　the　dwarf　wall。
　　Ekwefi　peeled　the　yams　quickly。　The　troublesome　nanny…goat　sniffed　about；　eating　the　peelings。　She　cut　the　yams　into　small　pieces　and　began　to　prepare　a　pottage；　using　some　of　the　chicken。
　　At　that　moment　they　heard　someone　crying　just　outside　their　pound。　It　was　very　much　like　Obiageli；　Nwoye's　sister。
　　〃Is　that　not　Obiageli　weeping？〃　Ekwefi　called　across　the　yard　to　Nwoye's　mother。
　　〃Yes；〃　she　replied。　〃She　must　have　broken　her　waterpot。〃
　　The　weeping　was　now　quite　close　and　soon　the　children　filed　in；　carrying　on　their　heads　various　sizes　of　pots　suitable　to　their　years。　Ikemefuna　came　first　with　the　biggest　pot；　closely　followed　by　Nwoye　and　his　two　younger　brothers。　Obiageli　brought　up　the　rear；　her　face　streaming　with　tears。　In　her　hand　was　the　cloth　pad　on　which　the　pot　should　have　rested　on　her　head。
　　〃What　happened？〃　her　mother　asked；　and　Obiageli　told　her　mournful　story。　Her　mother　consoled　her　and　promised　to　buy　her　her　another　pot。
　　Nwoye's　younger　brothers　were　about　to　tell　their　mother　the　true　story　of　the　accident　when　Ikemefuna　looked　at　them　sternly　and　they　held　their　peace。　The　fact　was　that　Obiageli　had　been　making　inyanga　with　her　pot。　She　had　balanced　it　on　her　head；　folded　her　arms　in　front　of　her　and　began　to　sway　her　waist　like　a　grown…up　young　lady。　When　the　pot　fell　down　and　broke　she　burst　out　laughing。　She　only　began　to　weep　when　they　got　near　the　iroko　tree　outside　their　pound。
　　The　drums　were　still　beating；　persistent　and　unchanging。　Their　sound　was　no　longer　a　separate　thing　from　the　living　village。　It　was　like　the　pulsation　of　its　heart。　It　throbbed　in　the　air；　in　the　sunshine；　and　even　in　the　trees；　and　filled　the　village　with　excitement。
　　Ekwefi　ladled　her　husband's　share　of　the　pottage　into　a　bowl　and　covered　it。　Ezinma　took　it　to　him　in　his　obi。
　　Okonkwo　was　sitting　on　a　goatskin　already　eating　his　first　wife's　meal。　Obiageli；　who　had　brought　it　from　her　mother's　hut；　sat　on　the　floor　waiting　for　him　to　finish。　Ezinma　placed　her　mother's　dish　before　him　and　sat　with　Obiageli。
　　〃Sit　like　a　woman！〃　Okonkwo　shouted　at　her。　Ezinma　brought　her　two　legs　together　and　stretched　them　in　front　of　her。
　　〃Father；　will　you　go　to　see　the　wrestling？〃　Ezinma　asked　after　a　suitable　interval。
　　〃Yes；〃　he　answered。　〃Will　you　go？〃
　　〃Yes。〃　And　after　a　pause　she　said：　〃Can　I　bring　your　chair　for　you？〃
　　〃No；　that　is　a　boy's　job。〃　Okonkwo　was　specially　fond　of　Ezinma。　She　looked　very　much　like　her　mother；　who　was　once　the　village　beauty。　But　his　fondness　only　showed　on　very　rare　occasions。
　　〃Obiageli　broke　her　pot　today；〃　Ezinma　said。
　　〃Yes；　she　has　told　me　about　it；〃　Okonkwo　said　between　mouthfuls。
　　〃Father；〃　said　Obiageli；　〃people　should　not　talk　when　they　are　eating　or　pepper　may　go　down　the　wrong　way。〃
　　〃That　is　very　true。　Do　you　hear　that；　Ezinma？　You　are　older　than　Obiageli　but　she　has　more　sense。〃
　　He　uncovered　his　second　wife's　dish　and　began　to　eat　from　it。　Obiageli　took　the　first　dish　and　returned　to　her　mother's　hut。　And　then　Nkechi　came　in；　bringing　the　third　dish。　Nkechi　was　the　daughter　of　Okonkwo's　third　wife。
　　In　the　distance　the　drums　continued　to　beat。
　　CHAPTER　Six
　　The　whole　village　turned　out　on　the　ilo；　men；　women　and　children。　They　stood　round　in　a　huge　circle　leaving　the　center　of　the　playground　free。　The　elders　and　grandees　of　the　village　sat　on　their　own　stools　brought　there　by　their　young　sons　or　slaves。　Okonkwo　was　among　them。　All　others　stood　except　those　who　came　early　enough　to　secure　places　on　the　few　stands　which　had　been　built　by　placing　smooth　logs　on　forked　pillars。
　　The　wrestlers　were　not　there　yet　and　the　drummers　held　the　field。　They　too　sat　just　in　front　of　the　huge　circle　of　spectators；　facing　the　elders。　Behind　them　was　the　big　and　ancient　silk…cotton　tree　which　was　sacred。　Spirits　of　good　children　lived　in　that　tree　waiting　to　be　born。　On　ordinary　days　young　women　who　desired　children　came　to　sit　under　its　shade。
　　There　were　seven　drums　and　they　were　arranged　according　to　their　sizes　in　a　long　wooden　basket。　Three　men　beat　them　with　sticks；　working　feverishly　from　one　drum　to　another。　They　were　possessed　by　the　spirit　of　the　drums。
　　The　young　men　who　kept　order　on　these　occasions　dashed　about；　consulting　among　themselves　and　with　the　leaders　of　the　two　wrestling　teams；　who　were　still　outside　the　circle；　behind　the　crowd。　Once　in　a　while　two　young　men　carrying　palm　fronds　ran　round　the　circle　and　kept　the　crowd　back　by　beating　the　ground　in　front　of　them　or；　if　they　were　stubborn；　their　legs　and　feet。
　　At　last　the　two　teams　danced　into　the　circle　and　the　crowd　roared　and　clapped。　The　drums　rose　to　a　frenzy。　The　people　surged　forward。　The　young　men　who　kept　order　flew　around；　waving　their　palm　fronds。　Old　men　nodded　to　the　beat　of　the　drums　and　remembered　the　days　when　they　wrestled　to　its　intoxicating　rhythm。
　　The　contest　began　with　boys　of　fifteen　or　sixteen。　There　were　only　three　such　boys　in　each　team。　They　were　not　the　real　wrestlers；…　they　merely　set　the　scene。　Within　a　short　time　the　first　two　bouts　were　over。　But　the　third　created　a　big　sensation　even　among　the　elders　who　did　not　usually　show　their　excitement　so　openly。　It　was　as　quick　as　the　other　two；　perhaps　even　quicker。　But　very　few　people　had　ever　seen　that　kind　of　wrestling　before。　As　soon　as　the　two　boys　closed　in；　one　of　them　did　something　which　no　one　could　describe　because　it　had　been　as　quick　as　a　flash。　And　the　other　boy　was　flat　on　his　back。　The　crowd　roared　and　clapped　and　for　a　while　drowned　the　frenzied　drums。　Okonkwo　sprang　to　his　feet　and　quickly　sat　down　again。　Three　young　men　from　the　victorious　boy's　team　ran　forward；　carried　him　shoulder　high　and　danced　through　the　cheering　crowd。　Everybody　soon　knew　who　the　boy　was。　His　name　was　Maduka；　the　son　of　Obierika。
　　The　drummers　stopped　for　a　brief　rest　before　the　real　matches。　Their　bodies　shone　with　sweat；　and　they　took　up　fans　and　began　to　fan　themselves。　They　also　drank　water　from　small　pots　and　ate　kola　nuts。　They　became　ordinary　human　beings　again；　talking　and　laughing　among　themselves　and　with　others　who　stood　near　them。　The　air；　which　had　been　stretched　taut　with　excitement；　relaxed　again。　It　was　as　if　water　had　been　poured　on　the　tightened　skin　of　a　drum。　Many　people　looked　around；　perhaps　for　the　first　time；　and　saw　those　who　stood　or　sat　next　to　them。
　　〃I　did　not　know　it　was　you；〃　Ekwefi　said　to　the　woman　who　had　stood　shoulder　to　shoulder　with　her　since　the　beginning　of　the　matches。
　　〃I　do　not　blame　you；〃　said　the　woman。　〃I　have　never　seen　such　a　large　crowd　of　people。　Is　it　true　that　Okonkwo　nearly　killed　you　with　his　gun？〃
　　〃It　is　true　indeed；　my　dear　friend。　I　cannot　yet　find　a　mouth　with　which　to　tell　the　story。〃
　　〃Your　chi　is　very　much　awake；　my　friend。　And　how　is　my　daughter；　Ezinma？〃
　　〃She　has　been　very　well　for　some　time　now。　Perhaps　she　has　e　to　stay。〃
　　〃I　think　she　has。　How　old　is　she　now？〃
　　〃She　is　about　ten　years　old。〃
　　〃I　think　she　will　stay。　They　usually　stay　if　they　do　not　die　before　the　age　of　six。〃
　　〃I　pray　she　stays；〃　said　Ekwefi　with　a　heavy　sigh。
　　The　woman　with　whom　she　talked　was　called　Chielo。　She　was　the　priestess　of　Agbala；　the　Oracle　of　the　Hills　and　the　Caves。　In　ordinary　life　Chielo　was　a　widow　with　two　children。　She　was　very　friendly　with　Ekwefi　and　they　shared　a　mon　shed　in　the　market。　She　was　particularly　fond　of　Ekwefi's　only　daughter；　Ezinma；　whom　she　called　〃my　daughter。〃　Quite　often　she　bought　beancakes　and　gave　Ekwefi　some　to　take　home　to　Ezinma。　Anyone　seeing　Chielo　in　ordinary　life　would　hardly　believe　she　was　the　same　person　who　prophesied　when　the　spirit　of　Agbala　was　upon　her。
　　The　drummers　took　up　their　sticks　and　the　air　shivered　and　grew　tense　like　a　tightened　bow。
　　The　two　teams　were　ranged　facing　each　other　across　the　clear　space。　A　young　man　from　one　team　danced　across　the　center　to　the　other　side　and　pointed　at　whomever　he　wanted　to　fight。　They　danced　back　to　the　center　together　and　then　closed　in。
　　There　were　twelve　men　on　each　side　and　the　challenge　went　from　one　side　to　the　other。　Two　judges　walked　around　the　wrestlers　and　when　they　thought　they　were　equally　matched；　stopped　them。　Five　matches　ended　in　this　way。　But　the　really　exciting　moments　were　when　a　man　was　thrown。　The　huge　voice　of　the　crowd　then　rose　to　the　sky　and　in　every　direction。　It　was　even　heard　in　the　surrounding　villages。
　　The　last　match　was　between　the　leaders　of　the　teams。　They　were　among　the　best　wrestlers　in　all　the　nine　villages。　The　crowd　wondered　who　would　throw　the　oth