Chapter 27. Mrs. Litebe and Gertrude entered the house, and Mrs. Litebe shut the door behind them. I have done my best to understand you, my daughter, but I do not succeed in it. I did no wrong. I did not say you did wrong, but you do not understand this house, you do not understand the people that live in it. Gertrude stood sullenly.
I do not understand it, she said. Then why do you speak with such people, my daughter? I did not know they were not decent people.
Do you not hear the way they speak, the way they laugh? Do you not hear them laugh idly and carelessly? I did not know it was wrong.
I did not say it was wrong. It is idle and careless, the way they speak and laugh. Are you not trying to be a good woman? I am trying. Then such people will not help you.
I hear you. I do not like to reproach you, but your brother the Umfundis has surely suffered enough. He has suffered.
then do not make him suffer further my daughter i shall be glad to leave this place gertrude said the tears came into her eyes i do not know what to do in this place it is not the place only said mrs even in indochini you will find those who are ready to laugh and speak carelessly it is the place said gertrude i have known nothing but trouble in miss johannesburg i shall be glad to be gone it will not be long before you go for the case will finish tomorrow But I am afraid for you and for the infundis also. There is no need to be afraid. I am glad to hear it, my daughter.
I am not afraid for the child. She is willing and obedient. She desires to please the infundis.
And indeed it should be so, for she receives from him what her own father denied her. She can also talk carelessly. I am not blind, my child. But she learns otherwise, and she learns quickly. Let us finish with this matter.
Someone is coming. There was a knock at the door and a great stout woman stood there, breathing heavily from her walk to the house. There's a bad thing in the paper, she said.
I have brought it to show you. She put the paper down on the table and showed the other woman the headlines. Another murder tragedy in city. European householders shot dead by native housebreaker.
They were shocked. These were the headlines that men feared in these days. Householders feared them and their wives feared them. All those who worked for South Africa feared them.
All law-abiding black men feared them. Some people were urging the newspapers to drop the word native from their headlines. Others found it hard to know what the hiding of the painful truth would do.
It is a hard thing that this should happen in this moment, said the stout woman, just when the case is to finish. For she knew all about the case and had gone each time with Mrs. Lepebe to the trial. That is a true thing that you say, said Mrs. Lepebe. She heard the click of the gate and threw the paper under a chair. It was Kamalo and the girl.
The girl was holding his arm, for he was frail in these days. She guided him to his room, and they were hardly gone before the gate clicked again and MC Mongo entered. His eyes fell on the paper at once, and he picked it up from under the chair. Has he seen it? he asked.
No, Fundis, said the stout woman. Is it not a hard thing that this should happen at this moment? This judge is a great judge, said Msimangu, but it is a hard thing, as you say.
He likes to read the paper. What shall we do? There is no paper here but the one that she has brought, said Mrs. Lutebe, but when he goes to eat at the mission house, he will see it. That is why I came, said Msimangu. Mother, could we not eat here tonight?
That is a small thing to ask. There is food enough, though it is simple. Indeed, mother, you are always our helper.
For what else are we born, she said. and after the meal we can go straight to the meeting said msimangu tomorrow will be easy he does not read the paper on the days we go to the case and after that it will not matter so they hid the newspaper they all ate at mrs utebe's and after the meal they went to the meeting at the church where a black woman spoke to them about her call to become a nun and to renounce the world and how god had taken from her that desire which is in the nature of woman after the meeting when msimangu had left and kamalo had gone to his room And while the girl was making up the bed in the place where they ate and lived, Gertrude followed Mrs. Lutebe to her room. May I speak to you, mother? That is nothing to ask, my child. She shut the door and waited for Gertrude to speak.
I was listening to the black sister, mother, and it came to me that perhaps I should become a nun. Mrs. Lutebe clapped her hands and she was happy and then solemn. I clap my hands not because you should do it, she said, but because you should think of it.
But there is the boy, Gertrude's eyes filled with tears. Perhaps the wife of my brother would care better for him, she said. I am a weak woman, you know it.
and speak carelessly. Perhaps it would help me to become a nun. You mean the desire? Gertrude hung her head.
It is that I mean, she said. Mrs. Uthebe took Gertrude's hands in hers. It would be a great thing, she said, but they say it is not to be done lightly or quickly.
Did she not say so? She said so, mother. Let us keep it unspoken except between us.
I shall pray for you and you shall pray also. And after a time we shall speak again. Do you think that is wise? That is very wise, mother. Then sleep well, my daughter.
I do not know if this will happen, but if it happens it will comfort the old man. Sleep well, mother. Gertrude closed the door of Mrs. Utebe's room, and on the way to her room, moved by sudden impulse, she dropped on the floor by the bed of the girl. I have a feeling to become a nun, she said.
The girl sat up in her blankets. Ah, she said, that is a hard thing. It is a hard thing, said Gertrude.
I am not yet decided. But, if it should be so, would you care for the boy? Indeed, the girl answered, and her face was eager.
Indeed, I should care for him. As though he were your own? Indeed so, as though he were my own.
And you will not talk carelessly before him. The girl was solemn. I do not talk carelessly any more, she said. I too shall not talk carelessly any more, said Gertrude. Remember, it is not yet decided.
I shall remember. And you must not speak of it yet. My brother would be grieved if we talked of it and decided otherwise. I understand you. Sleep well, small one.
Sleep well.