崩溃(Things Fall Apart) (英文版)作者:奇奴阿·阿切比-第13部分

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　　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　for　Ezinma；〃　he　said；　〃and　a　thick　mat。〃
　　He　took　down　the　pot　from　the　fire　and　placed　it　in　front　of　the　stool。　He　then　roused　Ezinma　and　placed　her　on　the　stool；　astride　the　steaming　pot。　The　thick　mat　was　thrown　over　both。　Ezinma　struggled　to　escape　from　the　choking　and　overpowering　steam；　but　she　was　held　down。　She　started　to　cry。
　　When　the　mat　was　at　last　removed　she　was　drenched　in　perspiration。　Ekwefi　mopped　her　with　a　piece　of　cloth　and　she　lay　down　on　a　dry　mat　and　was　soon　asleep。
　　CHAPTER　TEN
　　Large　crowds　began　to　gather　on　the　village　ilo　as　soon　as　the　edge　had　worn　off　the　sun's　heat　and　it　was　no　longer　painful　on　the　body。　Most　munal　ceremonies　took　place　at　that　time　of　the　day；　so　that　even　when　it　was　said　that　a　ceremony　would　begin　〃after　the　midday　meal〃　everyone　understood　that　it　would　begin　a　long　time　later；　when　the　sun's　heat　had　softened。
　　It　was　clear　from　the　way　the　crowd　stood　or　sat　that　the　ceremony　was　for　men。　There　were　many　women；　but　they　looked　on　from　the　fringe　like　outsiders。　The　titled　men　and　elders　sat　on　their　stools　waiting　for　the　trials　to　begin。　In　front　of　them　was　a　row　of　stools　on　which　nobody　sat。　There　were　nine　of　them。　Two　little　groups　of　people　stood　at　a　respectable　distance　beyond　the　stools。　They　faced　the　elders。　There　were　three　men　in　one　group　and　three　men　and　one　woman　in　the　other。　The　woman　was　Mgbafo　and　the　three　men　with　her　were　her　brothers。　In　the　other　group　were　her　husband；　Uzowulu；　and　his　relatives。　Mgbafo　and　her　brothers　were　as　still　as　statues　into　whose　faces　the　artist　has　molded　defiance。　Uzowulu　and　his　relative；　on　the　other　hand；　were　whispering　together。　It　looked　like　whispering；　but　they　were　really　talking　at　the　top　of　their　voices。　Everybody　in　the　crowd　was　talking。　It　was　like　the　market。　From　a　distance　the　noise　was　a　deep　rumble　carried　by　the　wind。
　　An　iron　gong　sounded；　setting　up　a　wave　of　expectation　in　the　crowd。　Everyone　looked　in　the　direction　of　the　egwugwu　house。　Gome；　gome；　gome；　gome　went　the　gong；　and　a　powerful　flute　blew　a　high…pitched　blast。　Then　came　the　voices　of　the　egwugwu；　guttural　and　awesome。　The　wave　struck　the　women　and　children　and　there　was　a　backward　stampede。　But　it　was　momentary。　They　were　already　far　enough　where　they　stood　and　there　was　room　for　running　away　if　any　of　them　should　go　towards　them。
　　The　drum　sounded　again　and　the　flute　blew。　The　house　was　now　a　pandemonium　of　quavering　voices：　Am　oyim　de　de　de　de！　filled　the　air　as　the　spirits　of　the　ancestors；　just　emerged　from　the　earth；　greeted　themselves　in　their　esoteric　language。　The　egwugwu　house　into　which　they　emerged　faced　the　forest；　away　from　the　crowd；　who　saw　only　its　back　with　the　many…colored　patterns　and　drawings　done　by　specially　chosen　women　at　regular　intervals。　These　women　never　saw　the　inside　of　the　hut。　No　woman　ever　did。　They　scrubbed　and　painted　the　outside　walls　under　the　supervision　of　men。　If　they　imagined　what　was　inside；　they　kept　their　imagination　to　themselves。　No　woman　ever　asked　questions　about　the　most　powerful　and　the　most　secret　cult　in　the　clan。
　　Am　oyim　de　de　de　de！　flew　around　the　dark；　closed　hut　like　tongues　of　fire。　The　ancestral　spirits　of　the　clan　were　abroad。
　　The　metal　gong　beat　continuously　now　and　the　flute；　shrill　and　powerful；　floated　on　the　chaos。
　　And　then　the　egwugwu　appeared。　The　women　and　children　sent　up　a　great　shout　and　took　to　their　heels。　It　was　instinctive。　A　woman　fled　as　soon　as　an　egwugwu　came　in　sight。　And　when；　as　on　that　day；　nine　of　the　greatest　masked　spirits　in　the　clan　came　out　together　it　was　a　terrifying　spectacle。　Even　Mgbafo　took　to　her　heels　and　had　to　be　restrained　by　her　brothers。
　　Each　of　the　nine　egwugwu　represented　a　village　of　the　clan。　Their　leader　was　called　Evil　Forest。　Smoke　poured　out　of　his　head。
　　The　nine　villages　of　Umuofia　had　grown　out　of　the　nine　sons　of　the　first　father　of　the　clan。　Evil　Forest　represented　the　village　of　Umueru；　or　the　children　of　Eru；　who　was　the　eldest　of　the　nine　sons。
　　〃Umuofia　kwenu！〃　shouted　the　leading　egwugwu；　pushing　the　air　with　his　raffia　arms。　The　elders　of　the　clan　replied；　〃Yaa！〃
　　。〃Umuofia　kwenu！〃
　　〃Yaa！〃
　　〃Umuofia　kwenu！〃
　　〃Yaa！〃
　　Evil　Forest　then　thrust　the　pointed　end　of　his　rattling　staff　into　the　earth。　And　it　began　to　shake　and　rattle；　like　something　agitating　with　a　metallic　life。　He　took　the　first　of　the　empty　stools　and　the　eight　other　egwugwu　began　to　sit　in　order　of　seniority　after　him。
　　Okonkwo's　wives；　and　perhaps　other　women　as　well；　might　have　noticed　that　the　second　egwugwu　had　the　springy
　　walk　of　Okonkwo。　And　they　might　also　have　noticed　that　Okonkwo　was　not　among　the　titled　men　and　elders　who　sat　behind　the　row　of　egwugwu。　But　if　they　thought　these　things　they　kept　them　within　themselves。　The　egwugwu　with　the　springy　walk　was　one　of　the　dead　fathers　of　the　clan。　He　looked　terrible　with　the　smoked　raffia　〃body；　a　huge　wooden　face　painted　white　except　for　the　round　hollow　eyes　and　the　charred　teeth　that　were　as　big　as　a　man's　fingers。　On　his　head　were　two　powerful　horns。
　　When　all　the　egwugwu　　had　sat　down　and　the　sound　of　the　many　tiny　bells　and　rattles　on　their　bodies　had　subsided；　Evil　Forest　addressed　the　two　groups　of　people　facing　them。
　　〃Uzowulu's　body；　I　salute　you；〃　he　said。　Spirits　always　addressed　humans　as　〃bodies。〃　Uzowulu　bent　down　and　touched　the　earth　with　his　right　hand　as　a　sign　of　submission。
　　〃Our　father；　my　hand　has　touched　the　ground；〃　he　said。
　　〃Uzowulu's　body；　do　you　know　me？〃　asked　the　spirit。
　　〃How　can　I　know　you；　father？　You　are　beyond　our　knowledge。〃
　　Evil　Forest　then　turned　to　the　other　group　and　addressed　the　eldest　of　the　three　brothers。
　　〃The　body　of　Odukwe；　I　greet　you；〃　he　said；　and　Odukwe　bent　down　and　touched　the　earth。　The　hearing　then　began。
　　Uzowulu　stepped　forward　and　presented　his　case。
　　〃That　woman　standing　there　is　my　wife；　Mgbafo。　I　married　her　with　my　money　and　my　yams。　I　do　not　owe　my　inlaws　anything。　I　owe　them　no　yams。　1　owe　them　no　cocoyams。　One　morning　three　of　them　came　to　my　house；　beat　me　up　and　took　my　wife　and　children　away。　This　happened　in　the　rainy　season。　I　have　waited　in　vain　for　my　wife　to　return。　At　last　I　went　to　my　in…laws　and　said　to　them；　'You　have　taken　back　your　sister。　I　did　not　send　her　away。　You　yourselves　took　her。　The　law　of　the　clan　is　that　you　should　return　her　bride…price。'　But　my　wife's　brothers　said　they　had　nothing　to　tell　me。　So　I　have　brought　the　matter　to　the　fathers　of　the　clan。　My　case　is　finished。　I　salute　you。〃
　　〃Your　words　are　good；〃　said　the　leader　of　the　ecjwucjwu。　〃Let　us　hear　Odukwe。　His　words　may　also　be　good。〃
　　Odukwe　was　short　and　thickset。　He　stepped　forward；　saluted　the　spirits　and　began　his　story。
　　〃My　in…law　has　told　you　that　we　went　to　his　house；　beat　him　up　and　took　our　sister　and　her　children　away。　All　that　is　true。　He　told　you　that　he　came　to　take　back　her　bride…price　and　we　refused　to　give　it　him。　That　also　is　true。　My　in…law；　Uzowulu；　is　a　beast。　My　sister　lived　with　him　for　nine　years。　During　those　years　no　single　day　passed　in　the　sky　without　his　beating　the　woman。　We　have　tried　to　settle　their　quarrels　time　without　number　and　on　each　occasion　Uzowulu　was　guilty—〃
　　〃It　is　a　lie！〃　Uzowulu　shouted。
　　〃Two　years　ago；〃　continued　Odukwe；　〃when　she　was　pregnant；　he　beat　her　until　she　miscarried。〃
　　〃It　is　a　lie。　She　miscarried　after　she　had　gone　to　sleep　with　her　lover。〃
　　〃Uzowulu's　body；　I　salute　you；〃　said　Evil　Forest；　silencing　him。　〃What　kind　of　lover　sleeps　with　a　pregnant　woman？〃　There　was　a　loud　murmur　of　approbation　from　the　crowd。　Odukwe　continued：
　　〃Last　year　when　my　sister　was　recovering　from　an　illness；　he　beat　her　again　so　that　if　the　neighbors　had　not　gone　in　to　save　her　she　would　have　been　killed。　We　heard　of　it；　and　did　as　you　have　been　told。　The　law　of　Umuofia　is　that　if　a　woman　runs　away　from　her　husband　her　bride…price　is　returned。　But　in　this　case　she　ran　away　to　save　her　life。　Her　two　children　belong　to　Uzowulu。　We　do　not　dispute　it；　but　they　are　too　young　to　leave　their　mother。　If；　in　the　other　hand；　Uzowulu　should　recover　from　his　madness　and　e　in　the　proper　way　to　beg　his　wife　to　return　she　will　do　so　on　the　understanding　that　if　he　ever　beats　her　again　we　shall　cut　off　his　genitals　for　him。〃
　　The　crowd　roared　with　laughter。　Evil　Forest　rose　to　his　feet　and　order　was　immediately　restored。　A　steady　cloud　of　smoke　rose　from　his　head。　He　sat　down　again　and　called　two　witnesses。　They　were　both　Uzowulu's　neighbors；　and　they　agreed　about　the　beating。　Evil　Forest　then　stood　up；　pulled　out　his　staff　and　thrust　it　into　the　earth　again。　He　ran　a　few　steps　in　the　direction　of　the　women；…　they　all　fled　in　terror；　only　to　return　to　their　places　almost　immediately。　The　nine　egwugwu　　then　went　away　to　consult　together　in　their　house。　They　were　silent　for　a　long　time。　Then　the　metal　gong　sounded　and　the　flute　was　blown。　The　egwugwu　　had　emerged　once　again　from　their　underground　home。　They　saluted　one　another　and　then　reappeared　on　the　ilo。
　　〃Umuofia　kwenu！〃　roared　Evil　Forest；　facing　the　elders　and　grandees　of　the　clan。
　　〃Yaa！〃　replied　the　thunderous　crowd；…　then　silence　descended　from　the　sky　and　swallowed　the　noise。
　　Evil　Forest　began　to　speak　and　all　the　while　he　spoke　everyone　was　silent。　The　eight　other　egwugwu　were　as　still　as　statues。
　　〃We　have　heard　both　sides　of　the　case；〃　said　Evil　Forest。　〃Our　duty　is　not　to　blame　this　man　or　to　praise　that；　but　to　settle　the　dispute。〃　He　turned　to　Uzowulu's　group　and　allowed　a　short　pause。
　　〃Uzowulu's　body；　I　salute　you；〃　he　said。
　　〃Our　father；　my　hand　has　touched　the　ground；〃　replied　Uzowulu；　touching　the　earth。
　　〃Uzowulu's　body；　do　you　know　me？〃
　　〃How　can　I　know　you；　father？　You　are　beyond　our　knowledge；〃　Uzowulu　replied。
　　〃I　am　Evil　Forest。　I　kill　a　man　on　the　day　that　his　life　is　sweetest　to　him。〃
　　〃That　is　true；〃　replied　Uzowulu。
　　〃Go　to　your　in…laws　with　a　pot　of　wine　and　beg　your　wife　to　return　to　you。　It　is　not　bravery　when　a　man　fi