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.