崩溃(Things Fall Apart) (英文版)作者:奇奴阿·阿切比-第9部分

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　　〃Yes；　Umuofia　has　decided　to　kill　him。　The　Oracle　of　the　Hills　and　the　Caves　has　pronounced　it。　They　will　take　him　outside　Umuofia　as　is　the　custom；　and　kill　him　there。　But　I　want　you　to　have　nothing　to　do　with　it。　He　calls　you　his　father。〃
　　The　next　day　a　group　of　elders　from　all　the　nine　villages　of　Umuofia　came　to　Okonkwo's　house　early　in　the　morning；　and　before　they　began　to　speak　in　low　tones　Nwoye　and　Ikemefuna　were　sent　out。　They　did　not　stay　very　long；　but　when　they　went　away　Okonkwo　sat　still　for　a　very　long　time　supporting　his　chin　in　his　palms。　Later　in　the　day　he　called　Ikemefuna　and　told　him　that　he　was　to　be　taken　home　the　next　day。　Nwoye　overheard　it　and　burst　into　tears；　whereupon　his　father　beat　him　heavily。　As　for　Ikemefuna；　he　was　at　a　loss。　His　own　home　had　gradually　bee　very　faint　and　distant。　He　still　missed　his　mother　and　his　sister　and　would　be　very　glad　to　see　them。　But　somehow　he　knew　he　was　not　going　to　see　them。　He　remembered　once　when　men　had　talked　in　low　tones　with　his　father；　and　it　seemed　now　as　if　it　was　happening　all　over　again。
　　Later；　Nwoye　went　to　his　mother's　hut　and　told　her　that　Ikemefuna　was　going　home。　She　immediately　dropped　her　pestle　with　which　she　was　grinding　pepper；　folded　her　arms　across　her　breast　and　sighed；　〃Poor　child。〃
　　The　next　day；　the　men　returned　with　a　pot　of　wine。　They　were　all　fully　dressed　as　if　they　were　going　to　a　big　clan　meeting　or　to　pay　a　visit　to　a　neighboring　village。　They　passed　their　cloths　under　the　right　arm…pit；　and　hung　their　goatskin　bags　and　sheathed　machetes　over　their　left　shoulders。　Okonkwo　got　ready　quickly　and　the　party　set　out　with　Ikemefuna　carrying　the　pot　of　wine。　A　deathly　silence　descended　on　Okonkwo's　pound。　Even　the　very　little　children　seemed　to　know。　Throughout　that　day　Nwoye　sat　in　his　mother's　hut　and　tears　stood　in　his　eyes。
　　At　the　beginning　of　their　journey　the　men　of　Umuofia　talked　and　laughed　about　the　locusts；　about　their　women；　and　about　some　effeminate　men　who　had　refused　to　e　with　them。　But　as　they　drew　near　to　the　outskirts　of　Umuofia　silence　fell　upon　them　too。
　　The　sun　rose　slowly　to　the　center　of　the　sky；　and　the　dry；　sandy　footway　began　to　throw　up　the　heat　that　lay　buried　in　it。　Some　birds　chirruped　in　the　forests　around。　The　men　trod　dry　leaves　on　the　sand。　All　else　was　silent。　Then　from　the　distance　came　the　faint　beating　of　the　ekwe。　It　rose　and　faded　with　the　wind—a　peaceful　dance　from　a　distant　clan。
　　〃It　is　an　ozo　dance；〃　the　men　said　among　themselves。　But　no　one　was　sure　where　it　was　ing　from。　Some　said　Ezimili；　others　Abame　or　Aninta。　They　argued　for　a　short　while　and　fell　into　silence　again；　and　the　elusive　dance　rose　and　fell　with　the　wind。　Somewhere　a　man　was　taking　one　of　the　titles　of　his　clan；　with　music　and　dancing　and　a　great　feast。
　　The　footway　had　now　bee　a　narrow　line　in　the　heart　of　the　forest。　The　short　trees　and　sparse　undergrowth　which　surrounded　the　men's　village　began　to　give　way　to　giant　trees　and　climbers　which　perhaps　had　stood　from　the　beginning　of　things；　untouched　by　the　ax　and　the　bush…fire。　The　sun　breaking　through　their　leaves　and　branches　threw　a　pattern　of　light　and　shade　on　the　sandy　footway。
　　Ikemefuna　heard　a　whisper　close　behind　him　and　turned　round　sharply。　The　man　who　had　whispered　now　called　out　aloud；　urging　the　others　to　hurry　up。
　　〃We　still　have　a　long　way　to　go；〃　he　said。　Then　he　and　another　man　went　before　Ikemefuna　and　set　a　faster　pace。
　　Thus　the　men　of　Umuofia　pursued　their　way；　armed　with　sheathed　machetes；　and　Ikemefuna；　carrying　a　pot　of　palm…wine　on　his　head；　walked　in　their　midst。　Although　he　had　felt　uneasy　at　first；　he　was　not　afraid　now。　Okonkwo　walked　behind　him。　He　could　hardly　imagine　that　Okonkwo　was　not　his　real　father。　He　had　never　been　fond　of　his　real　father；　and　at　the　end　of　three　years　he　had　bee　very　distant　indeed。　But　his　mother　and　his　three…year…old　sister…　of　course　she　would　not　be　three　now；　but　six。　Would　he　recognize　her　now？　She　must　have　grown　quite　big。　How　his　mother　would　weep　for　joy；　and　thank　Okonkwo　for　having　looked　after　him　so　well　and　for　bringing　him　back。　She　would　want　to　hear　everything　that　had　happened　to　him　in　all　these　years。　Could　he　remember　them　all？　He　would　tell　her　about　Nwoye　and　his　mother；　and　about　the　locusts…　Then　quite　suddenly　a　thought　came　upon　him。　His　mother　might　be　dead。　He　tried　in　vain　to　force　the　thought　out　of　his　mind。　Then　he　tried　to　settle　the　matter　the　way　he　used　to　settle　such　matters　when　he　was　a　little　boy。　He　still　remembered　the　song：
　　Eze　elina；　elina！
　　Sala
　　Eze　ilikwa　ya　Ikwaba　akwa　ogholi　Ebe　Danda　nechi　eze　Ebe　Uzuzu　nete　egwu
　　Sala
　　He　sang　it　in　his　mind；　and　walked　to　its　beat。　If　the　song　ended　on　his　right　foot；　his　mother　was　alive。　If　it　ended　on　his　left；　she　was　dead。　No；　not　dead；　but　ill。　It　ended　on　the　right。　She　was　alive　and　well。　He　sang　the　song　again；　and　it　ended　on　the　left。　But　the　second　time　did　not　count。　The　first　voice　gets　to　Chukwu；　or　God's　house。　That　was　a　favorite　saying　of　children。　Ikemefuna　felt　like　a　child　once　more。　It　must　be　the　thought　of　going　home　to　his　mother。
　　One　of　the　men　behind　him　cleared　his　throat。　Ikemefuna　looked　back；　and　the　man　growled　at　him　to　go　on　and　not　stand　looking　back。　The　way　he　said　it　sent　cold　fear　down　Ikemefuna's　back。　His　hands　trembled　vaguely　on　the　black　pot　he　carried。　Why　had　Okonkwo　withdrawn　to　the　rear？　Ikemefuna　felt　his　legs　melting　under　him。　And　he　was　afraid　to　look　back。
　　As　the　man　who　had　cleared　his　throat　drew　up　and　raised　his　machete；　Okonkwo　looked　away。　He　heard　the　blow。　The　pot　fell　and　broke　in　the　sand。　He　heard　Ikemefuna　cry；　〃My　father；　they　have　killed　me！〃　as　he　ran　towards　him。　Dazed　with　fear；　Okonkwo　drew　his　machete　and　cut　him　down。　He　was　afraid　of　being　thought　weak。
　　As　soon　as　his　father　walked　in；　that　night；　Nwoye　knew　that　Ikemefuna　had　been　killed；　and　something　seemed　to　give　way　inside　him；　like　the　snapping　of　a　tightened　bow。　He　did　not　cry。　He　just　hung　limp。　He　had　had　the　same　kind　of　feeling　not　long　ago；　during　the　last　harvest　season。　Every　child　loved　the　harvest　season。　Those　who　were　big　enough　to　carry　even　a　few　yams　in　a　tiny　basket　went　with　grown…ups　to　the　farm。　And　if　they　could　not　help　in　digging　up　the　yams；　they　could　gather　firewood　together　for　roasting　the　ones　that　would　be　eaten　there　on　the　farm。　This　roasted　yam　soaked　in　red　palm…oil　and　eaten　in　the　open　farm　was　sweeter　than　any　meal　at　home。　It　was　after　such　a　day　at　the　farm　during　the　last　harvest　that　Nwoye　had　felt　for　the　first　time　a　snapping　inside　him　like　the　one　he　now　felt。　They　were　returning　home　with　baskets　of　yams　from　a　distant　farm　across　the　stream　when　they　heard　the　voice　of　an　infant　crying　in　the　thick　forest。　A　sudden　hush　had　fallen　on　the　women；　who　had　been　talking；　and　they　had　quickened　their　steps。　Nwoye　had　heard　that　twins　were　put　in　earthenware　pots　and　thrown　away　in　the　forest；　but　he　had　never　yet　e　across　them。　A　vague　chill　had　descended　on　him　and　his　head　had　seemed　to　swell；　like　a　solitary　walker　at　night　who　passes　an　evil　spirit　an　the　way。　Then　something　had　given　way　inside　him。　It　descended　on　him　again；　this　feeling；　when　his　father　walked　in　that　night　after　killing　Ikemefuna。
　　CHAPTER　EIGHT
　　Okonkwo　did　not　taste　any　food　for　two　days　after　the　death　of　Ikemefuna。　He　drank　palm…wine　from　morning　till　night；　and　his　eyes　were　red　and　fierce　like　the　eyes　of　a　rat　when　it　was　caught　by　the　tail　and　dashed　against　the　floor。　He　called　his　son；　Nwoye；　to　sit　with　him　in　his　obi。　But　the　boy　was　afraid　of　him　and　slipped　out　of　the　hut　as　soon　as　he　noticed　him　dozing。
　　He　did　not　sleep　at　night。　He　tried　not　to　think　about　Ikemefuna；…but　the　more　he　tried　the　more　he　thought　about　him。　Once　he　got　up　from　bed　and　walked　about　his　pound。　But　he　was　so　weak　that　his　legs　could　hardly　carry　him。　He　felt　like　a　drunken　giant　walking　with　the　limbs　of　a　mosquito。　Now　and　then　a　cold　shiver　descended　on　his　head　and　spread　down　his　body。
　　On　the　third　day　he　asked　his　second　wife；　Ekwefi；　to　roast　plantains　for　him。　She　prepared　it　the　way　he　liked—with　slices　of　oil…bean　and　fish。
　　〃You　have　not　eaten　for　two　days；〃　said　his　daughter　Ezinma　when　she　brought　the　food　to　him。　〃So　you　must　finish　this。〃　She　sat　down　and　stretched　her　legs　in　front　of　her。　Okonkwo　ate　the　food　absent…mindedly。　'She　should　have　been　a　boy；'　he　thought　as　he　looked　at　his　ten…year…old　daughter。　He　passed　her　a　piece　of　fish。
　　〃Go　and　bring　me　some　cold　water；〃　he　said。　Ezinma　rushed　out　of　the　hut；　chewing　the　fish；　and　soon　returned　with　a　bowl　of　cool　water　from　the　earthen　pot　in　her　mother's　hut。
　　Okonkwo　took　the　bowl　from　her　and　gulped　the　water　down。　He　ate　a　few　more　pieces　of　plaintain　and　pushed　the　dish　aside。
　　〃Bring　me　my　bag；〃　he　asked；　and　Ezinma　brought　his　goatskin　bag　from　the　far　end　of　the　hut。　He　searched　in　it　for　his　snuff…bottle。　It　was　a　deep　bag　and　took　almost　the　whole　length　of　his　arm。　It　contained　other　things　apart　from　his　snuff…bottle。　There　was　a　drinking　horn　in　it；　and　also　a　drinking　gourd；　and　they　knocked　against　each　other　as　he　searched。　When　he　brought　out　the　snuff…bottle　he　tapped　it　a　few　times　against　his　knee…cap　before　taking　out　some　snuff　on　the　palm　of　his　left　hand。　Then　he　remembered　that　he　had　not　taken　out　his　snuff…spoon。　He　searched　his　bag　again　and　brought　out　a　small；　flat；　ivory　spoon；　with　which　he　carried　the　brown　snuff　to　his　nostrils。
　　Ezinma　took　the　dish　in　one　hand　and　the　empty　water　bowl　in　the　other　and　went　back　to　her　mother's　hut。　〃She　should　have　been　a　boy；〃　Okonkwo　said　to　himself　again。　His　mind　went　back　to　Ikemefuna　and　he　shivered。　If　only　he　could　find　some　work　to　do　he　would　be　able　to　forget。　But　it　was　the　season　of　rest　between　the　harvest　and　the　next　planting　season。　The　only　work　that　men　did　at　this　time　was　covering　the　walls　of　their　pound　with　new　palm　fronds。　And　Okonkwo　had　already　done　that。　He　had　finished　it　on　the　very　day　the　locusts　came；　when　he　had　worked　on　one　side　of　the　wall　and　Ikemefuna　and　Nwoye　on　the　other。
　　〃When　did　you　bee　a　shivering　o