skirted round the compound, 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 coming."
The District Commissioner 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 offence against the Earth, and a man who commits 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 Commissioner.
"We cannot bury him. Only strangers can. We shall pay your men to do it. When
he has been buried vRv???F?V?F??W"GWG?'?????vR6?????R67&?f?6W2F?6?V?6P?F?RFW6V7&FVB??B? ??&?W&???v???B&VV?v???r7FVF??B??2g&?V?Bw2F?v??r&?G??GW&?V@?7VFFV??F?F?RF?7G&?7B6???76???W"?B6?BfW&?6??W6??%F?B??v2??R?bF?P?w&VFW7B?V???V?V?f????RG&?fR???F????????6V?b?B??r?Rv???&R'W&?VB??R?F?r???"?R6?V?B??B6?????&R???2f??6RG&V?&?VB?B6???VB??2v?&G2??%6?WBW"6??WFVB??R?bF?R?W76V?vW'2?V?FRV??V6W76&????%F?RF?v?F?R&?G??"F?R6???76???W"?&FW&VB??26??Vb?W76V?vW"?&?@?'&??r?B?B??F?W6RV??RF?F?R6?W'B? ???