崩溃(Things Fall Apart) (英文版)作者:奇奴阿·阿切比-第3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！


father。　Even　as　a　little　boy　he　had　resented　his　father's　failure　and　weakness；　and　even　now　he　still　remembered　how　he　had　suffered　when　a　playmate　had　told　him　that　his　father　was　agbala。　That　was　how　Okonkwo　first　came　to　know　that　agbala　was　not　only　another　name　for　a　woman；　it　could　also　mean　a　man　who　had　taken　no　title。　And　so　Okonkwo　was　ruled　by　one　passion　…　to　hate　everything　that　his　father　Unoka　had　loved。　One　of　those　things　was　gentleness　and　another　was　idleness。
　　During　the　planting　season　Okonkwo　worked　daily　on　his　farms　from　cock…crow　until　the　chickens　went　to　roost。　He　was　a　very　strong　man　and　rarely　felt　fatigue。　But　his　wives　and　young　children　were　not　as　strong；　and　so　they　suffered。　But　they　dared　not　plain　openly。　Okonkwo's　first　son；　Nwoye；　was　then　twelve　years　old　but　was　already　causing　his　father　great　anxiety　for　his　incipient　laziness。　At　any　rate；　that　was　how　it　looked　to　his　father；　and　he　sought　to　correct　him　by　constant　nagging　and　beating。　And　so　Nwoye　was　developing　into　a　sad…faced　youth。
　　Okonkwo's　prosperity　was　visible　in　his　household。　He　had　a　large　pound　enclosed　by　a　thick　wall　of　red　earth。　His　own　hut；　or　obi；　stood　immediately　behind　the　only　gate　in　the　red　walls。　Each　of　his　three　wives　had　her　own　hut；　which　together　formed　a　half　moon　behind　the　obi。　The　barn　was　built　against　one　end　of　the　red　walls；　and　long　stacks　of　yam　stood　out　prosperously　in　it。　At　the　opposite　end　of　the　pound　was　a　shed　for　the　goats；　and　each　wife　built　a　small　attachment　to　her　hut　for　the　hens。　Near　the　barn　was　a　small　house；　the　〃medicine　house〃　or　shrine　where　Okonkwo　kept　the　wooden　symbols　of　his　personal　god　and　of　his　ancestral　spirits。　He　worshipped　them　with　sacrifices　of　kola　nut；　food　and　palm…wine；　and　offered　prayers　to　them　on　behalf　of　himself；　his　three　wives　and　eight　children。
　　So　when　the　daughter　of　Umuofia　was　killed　in　Mbaino；　Ikemefuna　came　into　Okonkwo's　household。　When　Okonkwo　brought　him　home　that　day　he　called　his　most　senior　wife　and　handed　him　over　to　her。
　　〃He　belongs　to　the　clan；〃　he　told　her。　〃So　look　after　him。〃
　　〃Is　he　staying　long　with　us？〃　she　asked。
　　〃Do　what　you　are　told；　woman；〃　Okonkwo　thundered；　and　stammered。　〃When　did　you　bee　one　of　the　ndichie　of　Umuofia？〃
　　And　so　Nwoye's　mother　took　Ikemefuna　to　her　hut　and　asked　no　more　questions。
　　As　for　the　boy　himself；　he　was　terribly　afraid。　He　could　not　understand　what　was　happening　to　him　or　what　he　had　done。　How　could　he　know　that　his　father　had　taken　a　hand　in　killing　a　daughter　of　Umuofia？　All　he　knew　was　that　a　few　men　had　arrived　at　their　house；　conversing　with　his　father　in　low　tones；　and　at　the　end　he　had　been　taken　out　and　handed　over　to　a　stranger。　His　mother　had　wept　bitterly；　but　he　had　been　too　surprised　to　weep。　And　so　the　stranger　had　brought　him；　and　a　girl；　a　long；　long　way　from　home；　through　lonely　forest　paths。　He　did　not　know　who　the　girl　was；　and　he　never　saw　her　again。
　　CHAPTER　THREE
　　Okonkwo　did　not　have　the　start　in　life　which　many　young　men　usually　had。　He　did　not　inherit　a　barn　from　his　father。　There　was　no　barn　to　inherit。　The　story　was　told　in　Umuofia；　of　how　his　father；　Unoka；　had　gone　to　consult　the　Oracle　of　the　Hills　and　the　Caves　to　find　out　why　he　always　had　a　miserable　harvest。
　　The　Oracle　was　called　Agbala；　and　people　came　from　far　and　near　to　consult　it。　They　came　when　misfortune　dogged　their　steps　or　when　they　had　a　dispute　with　their　neighbors。　They　came　to　discover　what　the　future　held　for　them　or　to　consult　the　spirits　of　their　departed　fathers。
　　The　way　into　the　shrine　was　a　round　hole　at　the　side　of　a　hill；　just　a　little　bigger　than　the　round　opening　into　a　henhouse。　Worshippers　and　those　who　came　to　seek　knowledge　from　the　god　crawled　on　their　belly　through　the　hole　and　found　themselves　in　a　dark；　endless　space　in　the　presence　of　Agbala。　No　one　had　ever　beheld　Agbala；　except　his　priestess。　But　no　one　who　had　ever　crawled　into　his　awful　shrine　had　e　out　without　the　fear　of　his　power。　His　priestess　stood　by　the　sacred　fire　which　she　built　in　the　heart　of　the　cave　and　proclaimed　the　will　of　the　god。　The　fire　did　not　burn　with　a　flame。　The　glowing　logs　only　served　to　light　up　vaguely　the　dark　figure　of　the　priestess。
　　Sometimes　a　man　came　to　consult　the　spirit　of　his　dead　father　or　relative。　It　was　said　that　when　such　a　spirit　appeared；　the　man　saw　it　vaguely　in　the　darkness；　but　never　heard　its　voice。　Some　people　even　said　that　they　had　heard　the　spirits　flying　and　flapping　their　wings　against　the　roof　of　the　cave。
　　Many　years　ago　when　Okonkwo　was　still　a　boy　his　father；　Unoka；　had　gone　to　consult　Agbala。　The　priestess　in　those　days　was　a　woman　called　Chika。　She　was　full　of　the　power　of　her　god；　and　she　was　greatly　feared。　Unoka　stood　before　her　and　began　his　story。
　　〃Every　year；〃　he　said　sadly；　〃before　1　put　any　crop　in　the　earth；　I　sacrifice　a　cock　to　Ani；　the　owner　of　all　land。　It　is　the　law　of　our　fathers。　I　also　kill　a　cock　at　the　shrine　of　Ifejioku；　the　god　of　yams。　I　clear　the　bush　and　set　fire　to　it　when　it　is　dry。　I　sow　the　yams　when　the　first　rain　has　fallen；　and　stake　them　when　the　young　tendrils　appear。　I　weed　–　I”；　　“Hold　your　peace！〃　screamed　the　priestess；　her　voice　terrible　as　it　echoed　through　the　dark　void。　〃You　have　offended　neither　the　gods　nor　your　fathers。　And　when　a　man　is　at　peace　with　his　gods　and　his　ancestors；　his　harvest　will　be　good　or　bad　according　to　the　strength　of　his　arm。　You；　Unoka；　are　known　in　all　the　clan　for　the　weakness　of　your　machete　and　your　hoe。　When　your　neighbors　go　out　with　their　ax　to　cut　down　virgin　forests；　you　sow　your　yams　on　exhausted　farms　that　take　no　labor　to　clear。　They　cross　seven　rivers　to　make　their　farms；…　you　stay　at　home　and　offer　sacrifices　to　a　reluctant　soil。　Go　home　and　work　like　a　man。〃
　　Unoka　was　an　ill…fated　man。　He　had　a　bad　chi　or　personal　god；　and　evil　fortune　followed　him　to　the　grave；　or　rather　to　his　death；　for　he　had　no　grave。　He　died　of　the　swelling　which　was　an　abomination　to　the　earth　goddess。　When　a　man　was　afflicted　with　swelling　in　the　stomach　and　the　limbs　he　was　not　allowed　to　die　in　the　house。　He　was　carried　to　the　Evil　Forest　and　left　there　to　die。　There　was　the　story　of　a　very　stubborn　man　who　staggered　back　to　his　house　and　had　to　be　carried　again　to　the　forest　and　tied　to　a　tree。　The　sickness　was　an　abomination　to　the　earth；　and　so　the　victim　could　not　be　buried　in　her　bowels。　He　died　and　rotted　away　above　the　earth；　and　was　not　given　the　first　or　the　second　burial。　Such　was　Unoka's　fate。　When　they　carried　him　away；　he　took　with　him　his　flute。
　　With　a　father　like　Unoka；　Okonkwo　did　not　have　the　start　in　life　which　many　young　men　had。　He　neither　inherited　a　barn　nor　a　title；　nor　even　a　young　wife。　But　in　spite　of　these　disadvantages；　he　had　begun　even　in　his　father's　lifetime　to　lay　the　foundations　of　a　prosperous　future。　It　was　slow　and　painful。　But　he　threw　himself　into　it　like　one　possessed。　And　indeed　he　was　possessed　by　the　fear　of　his　father's　contemptible　life　and　shameful　death。
　　There　was　a　wealthy　man　in　Okonkwo's　village　who　had　three　huge　barns；　nine　wives　and　thirty　children。　His　name　was　Nwakibie　and　he　had　taken　the　highest　but　one　title　which　a　man　could　take　in　the　clan。　It　was　for　this　man　that　Okonkwo　worked　to　earn　his　first　seed　yams。
　　He　took　a　pot　of　palm…wine　and　a　cock　to　Nwakibie。　Two　elderly　neighbors　were　sent　for；　and　Nwakibie's　two　grown…up　sons　were　also　present　in　his　obi。　He　presented　a　kola　nut　and　an　alligator　pepper；　which　were　passed　round　for　all　to　see　and　then　returned　to　him。　He　broke　the　nut　saying：　We　shall　all　live。　We　pray　for　life；　children；　a　good　harvest　and　happiness。　You　will　have　what　is　good　for　you　and　I　will　have　what　is　good　for　me。　Let　the　kite　perch　and　let　the　eagle　perch　too。　If　one　says　no　to　the　other；　let　his　wing　break。〃
　　After　the　kola　nut　had　been　eaten　Okonkwo　brought　his　palm…　wine　from　the　corner　of　the　hut　where　it　had　been　placed　and　stood　it　in　the　center　of　the　group。　He　addressed　Nwakibie；　calling　him　〃Our　father。〃
　　〃Nna　ayi；〃　he　said。　〃1　have　brought　you　this　little　kola。　As　our　people　say；　a　man　who　pays　respect　to　the　great　paves　the　way　for　his　own　greatness。　I　have　e　to　pay　you　my　respects　and　also　to　ask　a　favor。　But　let　us　drink　the　wine　first。〃
　　Everybody　thanked　Okonkwo　and　the　neighbors　brought　out　their　drinking　horns　from　the　goatskin　bags　they　carried。　Nwakibie　brought　down　his　own　horn；　which　was　fastened　to　the　rafters。　The　younger　of　his　sons；　who　was　also　the　youngest　man　in　the　group；　moved　to　the　center；　raised　the　pot　on　his　left　knee　and　began　to　pour　out　the　wine。　The　first　cup　went　to　Okonkwo；　who　must　taste　his　wine　before　anyone　else。　Then　the　group　drank；　beginning　with　the　eldest　man。　When　everyone　had　drunk　two　or　three　horns；　Nwakibie　sent　for　his　wives。　Some　of　them　were　not　at　home　and　only　four　came　in。
　　〃Is　Anasi　not　in？〃　he　asked　them。　They　said　she　was　ing。　Anasi　was　the　first　wife　and　the　others　could　not　drink　before　her；　and　so　they　stood　waiting。
　　Anasi　was　a　middle…aged　woman；　tall　and　strongly　built。　There　was　authority　in　her　bearing　and　she　looked　every　inch　the　ruler　of　the　womenfolk　in　a　large　and　prosperous　family。　She　wore　the　anklet　of　her　husband's　titles；　which　the　first　wife　alone　could　wear。
　　She　walked　up　to　her　husband　and　accepted　the　horn　from　him。　She　then　went　down　on　one　knee；　drank　a　little　and　handed　back　the　horn。　She　rose；　called　him　by　his　name　and　went　back　to　her　hut。　The　other　wives　drank　in　the　same　way；　in　their　proper　order；　and　went　away。
　　The　men　then　continued　their　drinking　and　talking。　Ogbuefi　Idigo　was　talking　about　the　palm…wine　tapper；　Obiako；　who　suddenly　gave　up　his　trade。
　　〃There　must　be　something　behind　it；〃　he　said；　wiping　the　foam　of　wine　from　his　mustache　with　the　back　of　his　left　hand。　〃There　must　be　a　reason　for　it。　A　toad　does　not　run　in　the　daytime　for　nothing。〃
　　〃Some　people　say　the　Oracle　warned　him　that　he　would　fall　off　a　palm　tree　and　kill　himself；〃　said　Akukalia。
　　〃Obiako　has　always　been　a　strange　one；〃　said　Nwakibie。　〃I　have　heard　that　many　years　ago；　when　his　father　had　not　been　dead　very　long；　he　had　gone　t