崩溃(Things Fall Apart) (英文版)作者:奇奴阿·阿切比-第27部分

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　　This　story　spread　quickly　through　the　villages；　and　was　added　to　as　it　went。　Some　said　that　the　men　had　already　been　taken　to　Umuru　and　would　be　hanged　on　the　following　day。　Some　said　that　their　families　would　also　be　hanged。　Others　said　that　soldiers　were　already　on　their　way　to　shoot　the　people　of　Umuofia　as　they　had　done　in　Abame。
　　It　was　the　time　of　the　full　moon。　But　that　night　the　voice　of　children　was　not　heard。　The　village　ilo　where　they　always　gathered　for　a　moon…play　was　empty。　The　women　of　Iguedo　did　not　meet　in　their　secret　enclosure　to　learn　a　new　dance　to　be　displayed　later　to　the　village。　Young　men　who　were　always　abroad　in　the　moonlight　kept　their　huts　that　night。　Their　manly　voices　were　not　heard　on　the　village　paths　as　they　went　to　visit　their　friends　and　lovers。　Umuofia　was　like　a　startled　animal　with　ears　erect；　sniffing　the　silent；　ominous　air　and　not　knowing　which　way　to　run。
　　The　silence　was　broken　by　the　village　crier　beating　his　sonorous　ogene。　He　called　every　man　in　Umuofia；　from　the　Akakanma　age　group　upwards；　to　a　meeting　in　the　marketplace　after　the　morning　meal。　He　went　from　one　end　of　the　village　to　the　other　and　walked　all　its　breadth。　He　did　not　leave　out　any　of　the　main　footpaths。
　　Okonkwo's　pound　was　like　a　deserted　homestead。　It　was　as　if　cold　water　had　been　poured　on　it。　His　family　was　all　there；　but　everyone　spoke　in　whispers。　His　daughter　Ezinma　had　broken　her　twenty…eight　day　visit　to　the　family　of　her　future　husband；　and　returned　home　when　she　heard　that　her　father　had　been　imprisoned；　and　was　going　to　be　hanged。　As　soon　as　she　got　home　she　went　to　Obierika　to　ask　what　the　men　of　Umuofia　were　going　to　do　about　it。　But　Obierika　had　not　been　home　since　morning。　His　wives　thought　he　had　gone　to　a　secret　meeting。　Ezinma　was　satisfied　that　something　was　being　done。
　　On　the　morning　after　the　village　crier's　appeal　the　men　of　Umuofia　met　in　the　marketplace　and　decided　to　collect　without　delay　two　hundred　and　fifty　bags　of　cowries　to　appease　the　white　man。　They　did　not　know　that　fifty　bags　would　go　to　the　court　messengers；　who　had　increased　the　fine　for　that　purpose。
　　CHAPTER　TWENTY…FOUR
　　Okonkwo　and　his　fellow　prisoners　were　set　free　as　soon　as　the　fine　was　paid。　The　District　missioner　spoke　to　them　again　about　the　great　queen；　and　about　peace　and　good　government。　But　the　men　did　not　listen。　They　just　sat　and　looked　at　him　and　at　his　interpreter。　In　the　end　they　were　given　back　their　bags　and　sheathed　machetes　and　told　to　go　home。　They　rose　and　left　the　courthouse。　They　neither　spoke　to　anyone　nor　among　themselves。　The　courthouse；　like　the　church；　was　built　a　little　way　outside　the　village。　The　footpath　that　linked　them　was　a　very　busy　one　because　it　also　led　to　the　stream；　beyond　the　court。　It　was　open　and　sandy。　Footpaths　were　open　and　sandy　in　the　dry　season。　But　when　the　rains　came　the　bush　grew　thick　on　either　side　and　closed　in　on　the　path。　It　was　now　dry　season。　As　they　made　their　way　to　the　village　the　six　men　met　women　and　children　going　to　the　stream　with　their　waterpots。　But　the　men　wore　such　heavy　and　fearsome　looks　that　the　women　and　children　did　not　say　〃nno〃　or　〃wele〃　to　them；　but　edged　out　of　the　way　to　let　them　pass。　In　the　village　little　groups　of　men　joined　them　until　they　became　a　sizable　pany。　They　walked　silently。　As　each　of　the　six　men　got　to　his　pound；　he　turned　in；　taking　some　of　the　crowd　with　him。　The　village　was　astir　in　a　silent；　suppressed　way。
　　Ezinma　had　prepared　some　food　for　her　father　as　soon　as　news　spread　that　the　six　men　would　be　released。　She　took　it　to　him　in　his　obi。　He　ate　absent…mindedly。　He　had　no　appetite；　he　only　ate　to　please　her。　His　male　relations　and　friends　had　gathered　in　his　obi；　and　Obierika　was　urging　him　to　eat。　Nobody　else　spoke；　but　they　noticed　the　long　stripes　on　Okonkwo's　back　where　the　warder's　whip　had　cut　into　his　flesh。
　　The　village　crier　was　abroad　again　in　the　night。　He　beat　his　iron　gong　and　announced　that　another　meeting　would　be　held　in　the　morning。　Everyone　knew　that　Umuofia　was　at　last　going　to　speak　its　mind　about　the　things　that　were　happening。
　　Okonkwo　slept　very　little　that　night。　The　bitterness　in　his　heart　was　now　mixed　with　a　kind　of　childlike　excitement；　before　he　had　gone　to　bed　he　had　brought　down　his　war　dress；　which　he　had　not　touched　since　his　return　from　exile。　He　had　shaken　out　his　smoked　raffia　skirt　and　examined　his　tall　feather　head…gear　and　his　shield。　They　were　all　satisfactory；　he　had　thought。
　　As　he　lay　on　his　bamboo　bed　he　thought　about　the　treatment　he　had　received　in　the　white　man's　court；　and　he　swore　vengeance。　If　Umuofia　decided　on　war；　all　would　be　well。　But　If　they　chose　to　be　cowards　he　would　go　out　and　avenge　lümself。　He　thought　about　wars　in　the　past。　The　noblest；　he　thought；　was　the　war　against　Isike。　In　those　days　Okudo　was　still　alive。　Okudo　sang　a　war　song　in　a　way　that　no　other　man　could。　He　was　not　a　fighter；　but　his　voice　turned　every　man　into　a　lion。
　　〃Worthy　men　are　no　more；〃　Okonkwo　sighed　as　he　remembered　those　days。　〃Isike　will　never　forget　how　we　slaughtered　them　in　that　war。　We　killed　twelve　of　their　men　and　they　killed　only　two　of　ours。　Before　the　end　of　the　fourth　market　week　they　were　suing　for　peace。　Those　were　days　when　men　were　men。〃
　　As　he　thought　of　these　things　he　heard　the　sound　of　the　iron　gong　in　the　distance。　He　listened　carefully；　and　could　just　hear　the　crier's　voice。　But　it　was　very　faint。　He　turned　on　his　bed　and　his　back　hurt　him。　He　ground　his　teeth。　The　crier　was　drawing　nearer　and　nearer　until　he　passed　by　Okonkwo's　pound。
　　〃The　greatest　obstacle　in　Umuofia；〃　Okonkwo　thought　bitterly；　〃is　that　coward；　Egonwanne。　His　sweet　tongue　can　change　fire　into　cold　ash。　When　he　speaks　he　moves　our　men　to　impotence。　If　they　had　ignored　his　womanish　wisdom　five　years　ago；　we　would　not　have　e　to　this。〃　He　ground　his　teeth。　〃Tomorrow　he　will　tell　them　that　our　fathers　never　fought　a　'war　of　blame。'　If　they　listen　to　him　I　shall　leave　them　and　plan　my　own　revenge。〃
　　The　crier's　voice　had　once　more　bee　faint；　and　the　distance　had　taken　the　harsh　edge　off　his　iron　gong。　Okonkwo　turned　from　one　side　to　the　other　and　derived　a　kind　of　pleasure　from　the　pain　his　back　gave　him。　〃Let　Egonwanne　talk　about　a　'war　of　blame'　tomorrow　and　I　shall　show　him　my　back　and　head。〃　He　ground　his　teeth。
　　The　marketplace　began　to　fill　as　soon　as　the　sun　rose。　Obierika　was　waiting　in　his　obi　when　Okonkwo　came　along　and　called　him。　He　hung　his　goatskin　bag　and　his　sheathed　machete　on　his　shoulder　and　went　out　to　join　him。　Obierika's　hut　was　close　to　the　road　and　he　saw　every　man　who　passed　to　the　marketplace。　He　had　exchanged　greetings　with　many　who　had　already　passed　that　morning。
　　When　Okonkwo　and　Obierika　got　to　the　meeting　place　there　were　already　so　many　people　that　if　one　threw　up　a　grain　of　sand　it　would　not　find　its　way　to　the　earth　again。　And　many　more　people　were　ing　from　every　quarter　of　the　nine　villages。　It　warmed　Okonkwo's　heart　to　see　such　strength　of　numbers。　But　he　was　looking　for　one　man　in　particular；　the　man　whose　tongue　he　dreaded　and　despised　so　much。
　　〃Can　you　see　him？〃　he　asked　Obierika。
　　〃Who？〃
　　〃Egonwanne；〃　he　said；　his　eyes　roving　from　one　corner　of　the　huge　marketplace　to　the　other。　Most　of　the　men　sat　on　wooden　stools　they　had　brought　with　them。
　　〃No；〃　said　Obierika；　casting　his　eyes　over　the　crowd。　〃Yes；　there　he　is；　under　the　silk…cotton　tree。　Are　you　afraid　he　would　convince　us　not　to　fight？〃
　　〃Afraid？　I　do　not　care　what　he　does　to　you。　I　despise　him　and　those　who　listen　to　him。　I　shall　fight　alone　if　I　choose。〃
　　They　spoke　at　the　top　of　their　voices　because　everybody　was　talking；　and　it　was　like　the　sound　of　a　great　market。
　　〃I　shall　wait　till　he　has　spoken；〃　Okonkwo　thought。　〃Then　I　shall　speak。〃
　　〃But　how　do　you　know　he　will　speak　against　war？〃　Obierika　asked　after　a　while。
　　〃Because　I　know　he　is　a　coward；〃　said　Okonkwo。　Obierika　did　not　hear　the　rest　of　what　he　said　because　at　that　moment　somebody　touched　his　shoulder　from　behind　and　he　turned　round　to　shake　hands　and　exchange　greetings　with　five　or　six　friends。　Okonkwo　did　not　turn　round　even　though　he　knew　the　voices。　He　was　in　no　mood　to　exchange　greetings。　But　one　of　the　men　touched　him　and　asked　about　the　people　of　his　pound。
　　〃They　are　well；〃　he　replied　without　interest。
　　The　first　man　to　speak　to　Umuofia　that　morning　was　Okika；　one　of　the　six　who　had　been　imprisoned。　Okika　was　a　great　man　and　an　orator。　But　he　did　not　have　the　booming　voice　which　a　first　speaker　must　use　to　establish　silence　in　the　assembly　of　the　clan。　Onyeka　had　such　a　voice；　and　so　he　was　asked　to　salute　Umuofia　before　Okika　began　to　speak。
　　〃Umuofia　kwenu！〃　he　bellowed；　raising　his　left　arm　and　pushing　the　air　with　his　open　hand。
　　〃Yaa！〃　roared　Umuofia。
　　〃Umuofia　kwenu！〃　he　bellowed　again；　and　again　and　again；　facing　a　new　direction　each　time。　And　the　crowd　answered；　〃Yaa！〃
　　There　was　immediate　silence　as　though　cold　water　had　been　poured　on　a　roaring　flame。
　　Okika　sprang　to　his　feet　and　also　saluted　his　clansmen　four　times。　Then　he　began　to　speak：
　　〃You　all　know　why　we　are　here；　when　we　ought　to　be　building　our　barns　or　mending　our　huts；　when　we　should　be　putting　our　pounds　in　order。　My　father　used　to　say　to　me：　'Whenever　you　see　a　toad　jumping　in　broad　daylight；　then　know　that　something　is　after　its　life。〃　When　I　saw　you　all　pouring　into　this　meeting　from　all　the　quarters　of　our　clan　so　early　in　the　morning；　I　knew　that　something　was　after　our　life。〃　He　paused　for　a　brief　moment　and　then　began　again：
　　〃All　our　gods　are　weeping。　Idemili　is　weeping；　Ogwugwu　is　weeping；　Agbala　is　weeping；　and　all　the　others。　Our　dead　fathers　are　weeping　because　of　the　shameful　sacrilege　they　are　suffering　and　the　abomination　we　have　all　seen　with　our　eyes。〃　He　stopped　again　to　steady　his　trembling　voice。
　　〃This　is　a　great　gathering。　No　clan　can　boast　of　greater　numbers　or　greater　valor。　But　are　we　all　here？　I　ask　you：　Are　all　the　sons　of　Umuofia　with　us　here？〃　A　deep　murmur　swept　through　the　crowd。
　　〃They　are　not；〃　he　said。　〃They　have　broken　the　clan　and　gone　their　several　ways。　We　who　are　here　this　morning　have　remaine