between blasts of thunder. The second onrush was greater than the first. It swallowed up
the two men. Then an unmistakable voice rose above the tumult and there was
immediate silence. Space was made around the two men, and Ajofia began to speak.
Ajofia was the leading egwugwu of Umuofia. He was the head and spokesman
of the nine ancestors who administered justice in the clan. His voice was unmistakable
and so he was able to bring immediate peace to the agitated spirits. He then addressed
Mr. Smith, and as he spoke clouds of smoke rose from his head.
"The body of the white man, I salute you," he said, using the language in which
immortals spoke to men.
"The body of the white man, do you know me?" he asked.
Mr. Smith looked at his interpreter, but Okeke, who was a native of distant
Umuru, was also at a loss.
Ajofia laughed in his guttural voice. It was like the laugh of rusty metal. "They
are strangers," he said, "and they are ignorant. But let that pass." He turned round to his
comrades and saluted them, calling them the fathers of Umuofia. He dug his rattling
spear into F?Rw&?V?B?B?B6????v?F??WF??2?fR?F?V??RGW&?VB??6R??&RF?F?P??76???'??B??2??FW'&WFW"??%FV??F?Rv??FR??F?BvRv?????BF???????&??"?R6?BF?F?R??FW'&WFW"??%FV?????F?v?&6?F???2??W6R?B?VfRW2???R?vR??VB??2'&?F?W"v??v2v?F??W2&Vf?&R??Rv2f???6??'WBvR??VB?????Bf?"??26?RvR6?????B?&???0?'&?F?W"?'WBF??26?&??Rv??6??R'V??B?W7B&RFW7G&??VB?vR6????????vW"???r?B????W"?G7B??B?2'&VBV?F??B&???F???2?BvR?fR6??RF?WB?V?BF??B?"?P?GW&?VBF???26??&FW2?$fF?W'2?bV?V?f??6?WFR??^( ??BF?W?&W?VBv?F???P?wWGGW&?f??6R??RGW&?VBv??F?F?R?76???'??%??R6?7F?v?F?W2?b??R??R?W ?v?2???R6?v?'6????W"?v?v?B??B?2v??BF?B??6??V?Bv?'6??F?Rv?G0??BF?R7?&?G2?b??2fF?W'2?v?&6?F???W"??W6R6?F?B??R????B&R?W'B??W ??vW"?2w&VB'WBvR?fR?V?B?BF?v?6?F?BvR6?F?F???R? ???