崩溃(Things Fall Apart) (英文版)作者:奇奴阿·阿切比-第28部分

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　　〃They　are　not；〃　he　said。　〃They　have　broken　the　clan　and　gone　their　several　ways。　We　who　are　here　this　morning　have　remained　true　to　our　fathers；　but　our　brothers　have　deserted　us　and　joined　a　stranger　to　soil　their　fatherland。　If　we　fight　the　stranger　we　shall　hit　our　brothers　and　perhaps　shed　the　blood　of　a　clansman。　But　we　must　do　it。　Our　fathers　never　dreamed　of　such　a　thing；　they　never　killed　their　brothers。　But　a　white　man　never　came　to　them。　So　we　must　do　what　our　fathers　would　never　have　done。　Eneke　the　bird　was　asked　why　he　was　always　on　the　wing　and　he　replied：　'Men　have　learned　to　shoot　without　missing　their　mark　and　I　have　learned　to　fly　without　perching　on　a　twig。'　We　must　root　out　this　evil。　And　if　our　brothers　take　the　side　of　evil　we　must　root　them　out　too。　And　we　must　do　it　now。　We　must　bale　this　water　now　that　it　is　only　ankle…deep…〃
　　At　this　point　there　was　a　sudden　stir　in　the　crowd　and　every　eye　was　turned　in　one　direction。　There　was　a　sharp　bend　in　the　road　that　led　from　the　marketplace　to　the　white　man's　court；　and　to　the　stream　beyond　it。　And　so　no　one　had　seen　the　approach　of　the　five　court　messengers　until　they　had　e　round　the　bend；　a　few　paces　from　the　edge　of　the　crowd。　Okonkwo　was　sitting　at　the　edge。
　　He　sprang　to　his　feet　as　soon　as　he　saw　who　it　was。　He　confronted　the　head　messenger；　trembling　with　hate；　unable　to　utter　a　word。　The　man　was　fearless　and　stood　his　ground；　his　four　men　lined　up　behind　him。
　　In　that　brief　moment　the　world　seemed　to　stand　still；　waiting。　There　was　utter　silence。　The　men　of　Umuofia　were　merged　into　the　mute　backcloth　of　trees　and　giant　creepers；　waiting。
　　The　spell　was　broken　by　the　head　messenger。　〃Let　me　pass！〃　he　ordered。
　　〃What　do　you　want　here？〃
　　〃The　white　man　whose　power　you　know　too　well　has　ordered　this　meeting　to　stop。〃
　　In　a　flash　Okonkwo　drew　his　machete。　The　messenger　crouched　to　avoid　the　blow。　It　was　useless。　Okonkwo's　machete　descended　twice　and　the　man's　head　lay　beside　his　uniformed　body。
　　The　waiting　backcloth　jumped　into　tumultuous　life　and　the　meeting　was　stopped。　Okonkwo　stood　looking　at　the　dead　man。　He　knew　that　Umuofia　would　not　go　to　war。　He　knew　because　they　had　let　the　other　messengers　escape。　They　had　broken　into　tumult　instead　of　action。　He　discerned　fright　in　that　tumult。　He　heard　voices　asking：　〃Why　did　he　do　it？〃
　　He　wiped　his　machete　on　the　sand　and　went　away。
　　CHAPTER　TWENTY…FIVE
　　When　the　district　missioner　arrived　at　Okonkwo's　pound　at　the　head　of　an　armed　band　of　soldiers　and　court　messengers　he　found　a　small　crowd　of　men　sitting　wearily　in　the　obi。　He　manded　them　to　e　outside；　and　they　obeyed　without　a　murmur。
　　〃Which　among　you　is　called　Okonkwo？〃　he　asked　through　his　interpreter。
　　〃He　is　not　here；〃　replied　Obierika。
　　〃Where　is　he？〃
　　〃He　is　not　here！〃
　　The　missioner　became　angry　and　red　in　the　face。　He　warned　the　men　that　unless　they　produced　Okonkwo　forthwith　he　would　lock　them　all　up。　The　men　murmured　among　themselves；　and　Obierika　spoke　again。
　　〃We　can　take　you　where　he　is；　and　perhaps　your　men　will　help　us。〃
　　The　missioner　did　not　understand　what　Obierika　meant　when　he　said；　〃Perhaps　your　men　will　help　us。〃　One　of　the　most　infuriating　habits　of　these　people　was　their　love　of　superfluous　words；　he　thought。
　　Obierika　with　five　or　six　others　led　the　way。　The　missioner　and　his　men　followed　their　firearms　held　at　the　ready。　He　had　warned　Obierika　that　if　he　and　his　men　played　any　monkey　tricks　they　would　be　shot。　And　so　they　went。
　　There　was　a　small　bush　behind　Okonkwo's　pound。　The　only　opening　into　this　bush　from　the　pound　was　a　little　round　hole　in　the　red…earth　wall　through　which　fowls　went　in　and　out　in　their　endless　search　for　food。　The　hole　would　not　let　a　man　through。　It　was　to　this　bush　that　Obierika　led　the　missioner　and　his　men。　They　skirted　round　the　pound；　keeping　close　to　the　wall。　The　only　sound　they　made　was　with　their　feet　as　they　crushed　dry　leaves。
　　Then　they　came　to　the　tree　from　which　Okonkwo's　body　was　dangling；　and　they　stopped　dead。
　　〃Perhaps　your　men　can　help　us　bring　him　down　and　bury　him；〃　said　Obierika。　〃We　have　sent　for　strangers　from　another　village　to　do　it　for　us；　but　they　may　be　a　long　time　ing。〃
　　The　District　missioner　changed　instantaneously。　The　resolute　administrator　in　him　gave　way　to　the　student　of　primitive　customs。
　　〃Why　can't　you　take　him　down　yourselves？〃　he　asked。
　　〃It　is　against　our　custom；〃　said　one　of　the　men。　〃It　is　an　abomination　for　a　man　to　take　his　own　life。　It　is　an　offense　against　the　Earth；　and　a　man　who　mits　it　will　not　be　buried　by　his　clansmen。　His　body　is　evil；　and　only　strangers　may　touch　it。　That　is　why　we　ask　your　people　to　bring　him　down；　because　you　are　strangers。〃
　　〃Will　you　bury　him　like　any　other　man？〃　asked　the　missioner。
　　〃We　cannot　bury　him。　Only　strangers　can。　We　shall　pay　your　men　to　do　it。　When　he　has　been　buried　we　will　then　do　our　duty　by　him。　We　shall　make　sacrifices　to　cleanse　the　desecrated　land。〃
　　Obierika；　who　had　been　gazing　steadily　at　his　friend's　dangling　body；　turned　suddenly　to　the　District　missioner　and　said　ferociously：　〃That　man　was　one　of　the　greatest　men　in　Umuofia。　You　drove　him　to　kill　himself　and　now　he　will　be　buried　like　a　dog…〃　He　could　not　say　any　more。　His　voice　trembled　and　choked　his　words。
　　〃Shut　up！〃　shouted　one　of　the　messengers；　quite　unnecessarily。
　　〃Take　down　the　body；〃　the　missioner　ordered　his　chief　messenger；　〃and　bring　it　and　all　these　people　to　the　court。〃
　　〃Yes；　sah；〃　the　messenger　said；　saluting。
　　The　missioner　went　away；　taking　three　or　four　of　the　soldiers　with　him。　In　the　many　years　in　which　he　had　toiled　to　bring　civilization　to　different　parts　of　Africa　he　had　learned　a　number　of　things。　One　of　them　was　that　a　District　missioner　must　never　attend　to　such　undignified　details　as　cutting　a　hanged　man　from　the　tree。　Such　attention　would　give　the　natives　a　poor　opinion　of　him。　In　the　book　which　he　planned　to　write　he　would　stress　that　point。　As　he　walked　back　to　the　court　he　thought　about　that　book。　Every　day　brought　him　some　new　material。　The　story　of　this　man　who　had　killed　a　messenger　and　hanged　himself　would　make　interesting　reading。　One　could　almost　write　a　whole　chapter　on　him。　Perhaps　not　a　whole　chapter　but　a　reasonable　paragraph；　at　any　rate。　There　was　so　much　else　to　include；　and　one　must　be　firm　in　cutting　out　details。　He　had　already　chosen　the　title　of　the　book；　after　much　thought：　The　Pacification　of　the　Primitive
　　Tribes　of　the　Lower　Niger。
　　A　GLOSSARY　OF　IBO　WORDS　AND　PHRASES
　　agadi…nwayi：　old　woman。
　　Agbala：　woman；　also　used　of　a　man　who　has　taken　no　title。
　　Chi：　personal　god。
　　efukfu：　worthless　man。
　　egwugwu：　a　masquerader　who　impersonates　one　of　the　ancestral　spirits　of　the　village。
　　ekwe：　a　musical　instrument；　a　type　of　drum　made　from　wood。
　　eneke…nti…oba：　a　kind　of　bird。
　　eze…agadi…nwayi：　the　teeth　of　an　old　woman。
　　iba：　fever。
　　ilo：　the　village　green；　where　assemblies　for　sports；　discussions；　etc。；　take　place。
　　inyanga：　showing　off；　bragging。
　　isa…ifi：　a　ceremony。　If　a　wife　had　been　separated　from　her　husband　for　some　time　and　were　then　to　be　re…united　with　him；　this　ceremony　would　be　held　to　ascertain　that　she　had　not　been　unfaithful　to　him　during　the　time　of　their　separation。
　　iyi…uwa：　a　special　kind　of　stone　which　forms　the　link　between　an　ogbanje　and　the　spirit　world。　Only　if　the　iyi…uwa　were　discovered　and　destroyed　would　the　child　not　die。
　　jigida：　a　string　of　waist　beads。
　　kotma：　court　messenger。　The　word　is　not　of　Ibo　origin　but　is　a　corruption　of　〃court　messenger。〃
　　kwenu：　a　shout　of　approval　and　greeting。
　　ndicbie：　elders。
　　nna　ayi：　our　father。
　　nno：　wele。
　　nso…ani：　a　religious　offence　of　a　kind　abhorred　by　everyone；　literally　earth's　taboo。
　　nza：　a　very　small　bird。
　　obi：　the　large　living　quarters　of　the　head　of　the　family。
　　obodo　dike：　the　land　of　the　brave。
　　ochu：　murder　or　manslaughter。
　　ogbanje：　a　changeling；…　a　child　who　repeatedly　dies　and　returns　to　its　mother　to　be　reborn。　It　is　almost　impossible　to　bring　up　an　ogbanje　child　without　it　dying；　unless　its　iyi…uwa　is　first　found　and　destroyed。
　　ogene：　a　musical　instrument；　a　kind　of　gong。
　　oji　odu　achu…ijiji…o：　（cow　i。e。；　the　one　that　uses　its　tail　to　drive　flies　away）。
　　osu：　outcast。　Having　been　dedicated　to　a　god；　the　osu　was　taboo　and　was　not　allowed　to　mix　with　the　freeborn　in　any　way。
　　Oye：　the　name　of　one　of　the　four　market　days。
　　ozo：　the　name　of　one　of　the　titles　or　ranks。
　　tufia：　a　curse　or　oath。
　　udu：　a　musical　instrument；　a　type　of　drum　made　from　pottery。
　　uli：　a　dye　used　by　women　for　drawing　patterns　on　the　skin。
　　umuada：　a　family　gathering　of　daughters；　for　which　the　female　kinsfolk　return　to　their　village　of　origin。
　　umunna…。　a　wide　group　of　kinsmen　（the　masculine　form　of　the　word　umuada）。
　　Uri：　part　of　the　betrothal　ceremony　when　the　dowry　is　paid。
　　ABOUT　THE　AUTHOR
　　Chinua　Achebe　was　born　in　Nigeria　in　1930。　He　was　raised　in　the　large　village　of　Ogidi；　one　of　the　first　centers　of　Anglican　missionary　work　in　Eastern　Nigeria；　and　is　a　graduate　of　University　College；　Ibadan。
　　His　early　career　in　radio　ended　abruptly　in　1966；　when　he　left　his　post　as　Director　of　External　Broadcasting　in　Nigeria　during　the　national　upheaval　that　led　to　the　Biafran　War。　He　was　appointed　Senior　Research　Fellow　at　the　University　of　Nigeria；　Nsukka；　and　began　lecturing　widely　abroad。
　　From　1972　to　1976；　and　again　in　1987　to　1988；　Mr。　Achebe　was　Professor　of　English　at　the　University　of　Massachusetts；　Amherst；　and　also　for　one　year　at　the　University　of　Connecticut；　Storrs。
　　Cited　in　the　London　Sunday　Times　as　one　of　the　〃1；000　Makers　of　the　Twentieth　Century〃　for　defining　〃a　modern　African　literature　that　was　truly　African〃　and　thereby　making　〃a　major　contribution　to　world　literature；〃　has　published　novels；　short　stories；　essays；　and　children's　books。　His　volume　of　poetry；　Christmas　in　Biafra；　written　during　the　Biafran　War；　was　the　joint　winner　of　the　first　monwealth　Poetry　Prize。　Of　his　novels；　Arrow　of　God　is　winner　of　the　New　Statesman…Jock　Campbell　Awar