崩溃(Things Fall Apart) (英文版)作者:奇奴阿·阿切比-第12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！


　she　could　not　rejoice　with　others　over　their　good　fortune。　And　so；　on　the　day　that　Nwoye's　mother　celebrated　the　birth　of　her　three　sons　with　feasting　and　music；　Ekwefi　was　the　only　person　in　the　happy　pany　who　went　about　with　a　cloud　on　her　brow。　Her　husband's　wife　took　this　for　malevolence；　as　husbands'　wives　were　wont　to。　How　could　she　know　that　Ekwefi's　bitterness　did　not　flow　outwards　to　others　but　inwards　into　her　own　soul；…　that　she　did　not　blame　others　for　their　good　fortune　but　her　own　evil　chi　　who　denied　her　any？
　　At　last　Ezinma　was　born；　and　although　ailing　she　seemed　determined　to　live。　At　first　Ekwefi　accepted　her；　as　she　had　accepted　others—with　listless　resignation。　But　when　she　lived　on　to　her　fourth；　fifth　and　sixth　years；　love　returned　once　more　to　her　mother；　and；　with　love；　anxiety。　She　determined　to　nurse　her　child　to　health；　and　she　put　all　her　being　into　it。　She　was　rewarded　by　occasional　spells　of　health　during　which　Ezinma　bubbled　with　energy　like　fresh　palm…wine。　At　such　times　she　seemed　beyond　danger。　But　all　of　a　sudden　she　would　go　down　again。　Everybody　knew　she　was　an　ogbanje。　These　sudden　bouts　of　sickness　and　health　were　typical　of　her　kind。　But　she　had　lived　so　long　that　perhaps　she　had　decided　to　stay。　Some　of　them　did　bee　tired　of　their　evil　rounds　of　birth　and　death；　or　took　pity　on　their　mothers；　and　stayed。　Ekwefi　believed　deep　inside　her　that　Ezinma　had　e　to　stay。　She　believed　because　it　was　that　faith　alone　that　gave　her　own　life　any　kind　of　meaning。　And　this　faith　had　been　strengthened　when　a　year　or　so　ago　a　medicine　man　had　dug　up　Ezinma's　iyi…uwa。　Everyone　knew　then　that　she　would　live　because　her　bond　with　the　world　of　ogbanje　had　been　broken。　Ekwefi　was　reassured。　But　such　was　her　anxiety　for　her　daughter　that　she　could　not　rid　herself　pletely　of　her　fear。　And　although　she　believed　that　the　iyi…uwa　which　had　been　dug　up　was　genuine；　she　could　not　ignore　the　fact　that　some　really　evil　children　sometimes　misled　people　into　digging　up　a　specious　one。
　　But　Ezinma's　iyi…uwa　had　looked　real　enough。　It　was　a　smooth　pebble　wrapped　in　a　dirty　rag。　The　man　who　dug　it　up　was　the　same　Okagbue　who　was　famous　in　all　the　clan　for　his　knowledge　in　these　matters。　Ezinma　had　not　wanted　to　cooperate　with　him　at　first。　But　that　was　only　to　be　expected。　No　ogbanje　would　yield　her　secrets　easily；　and　most　of　them　never　did　because　they　died　too　young　…　before　they　could　be　asked　questions。
　　〃Where　did　you　bury　your　iyi…uwa？〃　Okagbue　had　asked　Ezinma。　She　was　nine　then　and　was　just　recovering　from　a　serious　illness。
　　〃What　is　iyi…uwa？〃　she　asked　in　return。
　　〃You　know　what　it　is。　You　buried　it　in　the　ground　somewhere　so　that　you　can　die　and　return　again　to　torment　your　mother。〃
　　Ezinma　looked　at　her　mother；　whose　eyes；　sad　and　pleading；　were　fixed　on　her。　【　txtbbs　，　TXT论坛，TXT　BBS，搜刮各类TXT小说。欢迎您来推荐好书！】
　　〃Answer　the　question　at　once；〃　roared　Okonkwo；　who　stood　beside　her。　All　the　family　were　there　and　some　of　the　neighbors　too。
　　〃Leave　her　to　me；〃　the　medicine　man　told　Okonkwo　in　a　cool；　confident　voice。　He　turned　again　to　Ezinma。　〃Where　did　you　bury　your　iyi…uwa？〃
　　〃Where　they　bury　children；〃　she　replied；　and　the　quiet　spectators　murmured　to　themselves。
　　〃e　along　then　and　show　me　the　spot；〃　said　the　medicine　man。
　　The　crowd　set　out　with　Ezinma　leading　the　way　and　Okagbue　following　closely　behind　her。　Okonkwo　came　next　and　Ekwefi　followed　him。　When　she　came　to　the　main　road；　Ezinma　turned　left　as　if　she　was　going　to　the　stream。
　　〃But　you　said　it　was　where　they　bury　children？〃　asked　the　medicine　man。
　　〃No；〃　said　Ezinma；　whose　feeling　of　importance　was　manifest　in　her　sprightly　walk。　She　sometimes　broke　into　a　run　and　stopped　again　suddenly。　The　crowd　followed　her　silently。　Women　and　children　returning　from　the　stream　with　pots　of　water　on　their　heads　wondered　what　was　happening　until　they　saw　Okagbue　and　guessed　that　it　must　be　something　to　do　with　ogbanje。　And　they　all　knew　Ekwefi　and　her　daughter　very　well。
　　When　she　got　to　the　big　udala　tree　Ezinma　turned　left　into　the　bush；　and　the　crowd　followed　her。　Because　of　her　size　she　made　her　way　through　trees　and　creepers　more　quickly　than　her　followers。　The　bush　was　alive　with　the　tread　of　feet　on　dry　leaves　and　sticks　and　the　moving　aside　of　tree　branches。　Ezinma　went　deeper　and　deeper　and　the　crowd　went　with　her。　Then　she　suddenly　turned　round　and　began　to　walk　back　to　the　road。　Everybody　stood　to　let　her　pass　and　then　filed　after　her。
　　〃If　you　bring　us　all　this　way　for　nothing　I　shall　beat　sense　into　you；〃　Okonkwo　threatened。
　　〃1　have　told　you　to　let　her　alone。　1　know　how　to　deal　with　　them；〃　said　Okagbue。
　　Ezinma　led　the　way　back　to　the　road；　looked　left　and　right　and　turned　right。　And　so　they　arrived　home　again。
　　〃Where　did　you　bury　your　iyi…uwa？〃　asked　Okagbue　when　Ezinma　finally　stopped　outside　her　father's　obi。　Okagbue's　voice　was　unchanged。　It　was　quiet　and　confident。
　　〃It　is　near　that　orange　tree；〃　Ezinma　said。
　　〃And　why　did　you　not　say　so；　you　wicked　daughter　of　Akalogoli？〃　Okonkwo　swore　furiously。　The　medicine　man　ignored　him。
　　〃e　and　show　me　the　exact　spot；〃　he　said　quietly　to　Ezinma。
　　〃It　is　here；〃　she　said　when　they　got　to　the　tree。
　　〃Point　at　the　spot　with　your　finger；〃　said　Okagbue。
　　〃It　is　here；〃　said　Ezinma　touching　the　ground　with　her　finger。　Okonkwo　stood　by；　rumbling　like　thunder　in　the　rainy　season。
　　〃Bring　me　a　hoe；〃　said　Okagbue。
　　'When　Ekwefi　brought　the　hoe；　he　had　already　put　aside　his　goatskin　bag　and　his　big　cloth　and　was　in　his　underwear；　a　long　and　thin　strip　of　cloth　wound　round　the　waist　like　a　belt　and　then　passed　between　the　legs　to　be　fastened　to　the　belt　behind。　He　immediately　set　to　work　digging　a　pit　where　Ezinma　had　indicated。　The　neighbors　sat　around　watching　the　pit　being　deeper　and　deeper。　The　dark　top　soil　soon　gave　way　to　the　bright　red　earth　with　which　women　scrubbed　the　floors　and　walls　of　huts。　Okagbue　worked　tirelessly　and　in　silence；　his　back　shining　with　perspiration。　Okonkwo　stood　by　the　pit。　He　asked　Okagbue　to　e　up　and　rest　while　he　took　a　hand。　But　Okagbue　said　he　was　not　tired　yet。
　　Ekwefi　went　into　her　hut　to　cook　yams。　Her　husband　had　brought　out　more　yams　than　usual　because　the　medicine　man　had　to　be　fed。　Ezinma　went　with　her　and　helped　in　preparing　the　vegetables。
　　〃There　is　too　much　green　vegetable；〃　she　said。
　　〃Don't　you　see　the　pot　is　full　of　yams？〃　Ekwefi　asked。　〃And　you　know　how　leaves　bee　smaller　after　cooking。〃
　　〃Yes；〃　said　Ezinma；　〃that　was　why　the　snake…lizard　killed　his　mother。〃
　　〃Very　true；〃　said　Ekwefi。
　　〃He　gave　his　mother　seven　baskets　of　vegetables　to　cook　and　in　the　end　there　were　only　three。　And　so　he　killed　her；〃　said　Ezinma。
　　〃That　is　not　the　end　of　the　story。〃
　　〃Oho；〃　said　Ezinma。　〃I　remember　now。　He　brought　another　seven　baskets　and　cooked　them　himself。　And　there　were　again　only　three。　So　he　killed　himself　too。〃
　　Outside　the　obi　Okagbue　and　Okonkwo　were　digging　the　pit　to　find　where　Ezinma　had　buried　her　iyi…uwa。　Neighbors　sat　around；　watching。　The　pit　was　now　so　deep　that　they　no　longer　saw　the　digger。　They　only　saw　the　red　earth　he　threw　up　mounting　higher　and　higher。　Okonkwo's　son；　Nwoye；　stood　near　the　edge　of　the　pit　because　he　wanted　to　take　in　all　that　happened。
　　Okagbue　had　again　taken　over　the　digging　from　Okonkwo。　He　worked；　as　usual；　in　silence。　The　neighbors　and　Okonkwo's　wives　were　now　talking。　The　children　had　lost　interest　and　were　playing。
　　Suddenly　Okagbue　sprang　to　the　surface　with　the　agility　of　a　leopard。
　　〃It　is　very　near　now；〃　he　said。　〃I　have　felt　it。〃
　　There　was　immediate　excitement　and　those　who　were　sitting　jumped　to　their　feet。
　　〃Call　your　wife　and　child；〃　he　said　to　Okonkwo。　But　Ekwefi　and　Ezinma　had　heard　the　noise　and　run　out　to　see　what　it　was。
　　Okagbue　went　back　into　the　pit；　which　was　now　surrounded　by　spectators。　After　a　few　more　hoe…fuls　of　earth　he　struck　the　iyi…uwa。　He　raised　it　carefully　with　the　hoe　and　threw　it　to　the　surface。　Some　women　ran　away　in　fear　when　it　was　thrown。　But　they　soon　returned　and　everyone　was　gazing　at　the　rag　from　a　reasonable　distance。　Okagbue　emerged　and　without　saying　a　word　or　even　looking　at　the　spectators　he　went　to　his　goatskin　bag；　took　out　two　leaves　and　began　to　chew　them。　When　he　had　swallowed　them；　he　took　up　the　rag　with　his　left　hand　and　began　to　untie　it。　And　then　the　smooth；　shiny　pebble　fell　out。　He　picked　it　up。
　　〃Is　this　yours？〃　he　asked　Ezinma。
　　〃Yes；〃　she　replied。　All　the　women　shouted　with　joy　because　Ekwefi's　troubles　were　at　last　ended。
　　All　this　had　happened　more　than　a　year　ago　and　Ezinma　had　not　been　ill　since。　And　then　suddenly　she　had　begun　to　shiver　in　the　night。　Ekwefi　brought　her　to　the　fireplace；　spread　her　mat　on　the　floor　and　built　a　fire。　But　she　had　got　worse　and　worse。　As　she　knelt　by　her；　feeling　with　her　palm　the　wet；　burning　forehead；　she　prayed　a　thousand　times。　Although　her　husband's　wives　were　saying　that　it　was　nothing　more　than　iba；　she　did　not　hear　them。
　　Okonkwo　returned　from　the　bush　carrying　on　his　left　shoulder　a　large　bundle　of　grasses　and　leaves；　roots　and　barks　of　medicinal　trees　and　shrubs。　He　went　into　Ekwefi's　hut；　put　down　his　load　and　sat　down。
　　〃Get　me　a　pot；〃　he　said；　〃and　leave　the　child　alone。〃
　　Ekwefi　went　to　bring　the　pot　and　Okonkwo　selected　the　best　from　his　bundle；　in　their　due　proportions；　and　cut　them　up。　He　put　them　in　the　pot　and　Ekwefi　poured　in　some　water。
　　〃Is　that　enough？〃　she　asked　when　she　had　poured　in　about　half　of　the　water　in　the　bowl。
　　〃A　little　more…　I　said　a　little。　Are　you　deaf？〃　Okonkwo　roared　at　her。
　　She　set　the　pot　on　the　fire　and　Okonkwo　took　up　his　machete　to　return　to　his　obi。
　　〃You　must　watch　the　pot　carefully；〃　he　said　as　he　went；　〃and　don't　allow　it　to　boil　over。　If　it　does　its　power　will　be　gone。〃　He　went　away　to　his　hut　and　Ekwefi　began　to　tend　the　medicine　pot　almost　as　if　it　was　itself　a　sick　child。　Her　eyes　went　constantly　from　Ezinma　to　the　boiling　pot　and　back　to　Ezinma。
　　Okonkwo　returned　when　he　felt　the　medicine　had　cooked　long　anough。　He　looked　it　over　and　said　it　was　done。
　　〃Bring　me　a　low　stool