UKUBULALA KUKA-ROGER ACKROYD - INDODA EYAYILIMA AMAQHILI. Iimbali ezimangalisayo zeNzululwazi eNgaphezulu ngo-Oktobha 2022, yiAstounding Stories, yinxalenye yothotho lweBhlog yeNcwadi yeHackerNoon. Unokuya kuso nasiphi na isahluko kule ncwadi . apha Iimbali ezimangalisayo zeNzululwazi eNgaphezulu ngo-Oktobha 2022: UKUBULALA KUKA-ROGER ACKROYD - INDODA EYAYILIMA AMAQHILI Ngu Agatha Christie Ndaxelela uCaroline ngesidlo sasemini ukuba ndandiza kudla eFernly. Akazange abuye ave—ngokuchaseneyo—— “Kulungile,” watsho. “Uza kuziva yonke into ngayo. Ngendlela, yintoni ingxaki kaRalph?” “NgoRalph?” Ndadiza, ndothukile; “akukho nto.” “Ngoko kutheni esathatha indawo kwiThree Boars endaweni yeFernly Park?” Andizange ndiqwalasele kwaphela ibinzana likaCaroline ukuba uRalph Paton wayehleli kwiHolo. Ukuba uCaroline watsho kwakwanele kum. “U-Ackroyd undixelele ukuba wayeseLondon,” ndadiza. Ngokuphazamiseka kwalo mzuzu ndaphuma kumthetho wam obalulekileyo wokuba ungaze uphume nolwazi. “Oh!” watsho uCaroline. Ndandikwazi ukubona impumlo yakhe ixhamla xa esebenza ngayo. “Wafika kwiThree Boars izolo kusasa,” watsho. “Kwaye usekhona. Ngelibala wayenentombazana.” Akwazange kundothusa kwaphela. URalph, ngendiyibona, uphuma nentombazana phantse ubusuku bonke ebomini bakhe. Kodwa ndandimangaliswa ukuba ukhethe ukuzonwabisa eKing’s Abbot endaweni yase-metropolis yobungangamsha. “Omnye wabantu abaselebhotwe?” Ndabuza. “Hayi. Loo nto iyiyo. Wayeza kudibana naye. Andazi ukuba ungubani.” (Kubaba kwiCaroline ukuba avume into enjalo.) “Kodwa ndingaqikelela,” waqhubeka udade wethu ongadinwayo. Ndanyamezela. “U-cousin yakhe.” “UFlora Ackroyd?” Ndadiza ndothukile! UFlora Ackroyd, ngokuqinisekileyo, akalubudlelwano noRalph Paton, kodwa uRalph selethethwa ixesha elide njengonyana ka-Ackroyd, kangangokuba ubudlelwano buye bothathelwa ingqalelo. “UFlora Ackroyd,” watsho udade wam. “Kodwa kutheni engazanga aye eFernly ukuba ebefuna ukumbona?” “Ushishinene ngasese,” watsho uCaroline, enenkalipho enkulu. “U-Ackroyd omdala akazukuyiva, kwaye kufuneka badibane ngale ndlela.” Ndabona iintlungu ezininzi kwimbono kaCaroline, kodwa ndayibuyisela kuye. Isigxino esingenatyala malunga nommelwane wethu omtsha sadala ukuhlafunwa. Indlu elandelayo, iThe Larches, isandula ukuthathwa ngumntu ongaziwayo. Ukudumala okukhulu kukaCaroline, akazange akwazi ukufumana nanye into ngaye, ngaphandle kokuba ungumntu ongumkhenkethi. IMikhosi yeNkcazelo ibonakale ilulwane oluqhekeziweyo. Mhlawumbi umntu unobisi nemifuno kunye nezilwanyana zenyama kunye nezinhlanzi ezithile ezifana nabo bonke abanye abantu, kodwa akukho namnye kubantu abenza umsebenzi wabo wokubonelela ngezi zinto kubonakala ngathi bafumene naluphi na ulwazi. Igama lakhe, ngokucacileyo, nguMnu. Porrott—igama elinika umva wobungqali obungafaniyo. Into enye esiyaziyo ngaye kukuba uyi19 unomdla wokulima iimango zemifuno. Kodwa leyo akuyiyo injongo yolwazi afuna uCaroline ukuba alunqwenelwe. Ufuna ukwazi ukuba uvelaphi, yintoni ayenzayo, nokuba utshatile na, ukuba umfazi wakhe wayeyintoni, okanye uyintoni na, nokuba unantwana na, igama lomama wakhe lokugqibela laliliphi—njalo njalo. Umntu othile onjengoCaroline makabe eyile imibuzo kwipaspoti, ndicinga. “Mzalwane wam Caroline,” ndadiza. “Akukho ngxaki kwaphela ngento yobungcali umntu ahambe nayo. Ungumgcini weenwele osezintabeni. Jonga kwi-mustache yakhe.” UCarloline akazange ayivume. Wathi ukuba umntu ungumgcini weenwele, wayeza kuba neenwele eziqingqileyo—ingekho ngqo. Bonke abagcini beenwele babeyenza. Ndacaphula abagcini beenwele abambalwa endibaziyo ngokobuqu ababenazo iinwele ezithe ngqo, kodwa uCaroline akazange avume. “Andikwazi ukumqonda konke,” watsho ngelizwi eliphazamisayo. “Ndaboleka izixhobo zegadi enye imini, kwaye wayenobubele kakhulu, kodwa andikwazanga kufumana nto kuye. Ndambuzile ngqo ekugqibeleni ukuba ungumFrentshi, kwaye watsho ukuba akunjalo—kwaye ngandlela ithile andizange ndilithande ukubuza enye into.” Ndabona umdla kakhulu kummelwane wethu ongumfihlelo. Umntu okwazi ukucima uCaroline kwaye amthumele, njengokumkanikazi waseShebha, ehamba engenanto, kufuneka abe ngumntu othile. “Ndiyakholelwa,” watsho uCaroline, “ukuba unye wezi zixhobo zokucoca ngombane omtsha——” Ndabona imbambalala ecetyiweyo kunye nethuba lokubuza ngakumbi20 ukubona kwamehlo akhe. Ndabamba ithuba lokubalekela egadini. Ndithanda kakhulu ukulima. Ndandingakhabisa iziko lezihlahla xa isikhalo sesilumkiso sasivakala kufutshane kwaye umzimba onzima wadlula indlebe yam kwaye wawa ezinyaweni zam ngesidenge esicaphukisayo. Kwakuyimango yemifuno! Ndabukela ngumsindo. Phezu kodonga, ngasekhohlo kwam, kwavela ubuso. Intloko enje ngamaqanda, efafazwe ngeenwele ezimnyama ezithandabuzayo, ii-mustache ezimbini ezinkulu, kunye nezibini zamawonga ajongileyo. Kwakungummelwane wethu ongumfihlelo, uMnu. Porrott. Waqala kwisikhungo esingapheliyo sezibongozo. “Ndicela kwakho amakhulu amawaka ezibongozo, monsieur. Andinakhuselo. Kwizinyanga ezimbalwa ngoku ndilima iimango. Namhlanje kusasa ndadakama ngezi mango. Ndizithumela ukuba zihambe—hayi! hayi kuphela ngokweemvakalelo kodwa nangokweziphumo. Ndibamba ezinkulu. Ndizijula phezu kodonga. Monsieur, ndinehlazo. Ndiyazinciphisa.” Phambi kwezi ziphakamiso ezininzi, umsindo wam waphela. Emva kwayo yonke loo nto, isidenge esibi asindanga sandiqinisa. Kodwa ndandiyathemba ukuba ukujula imifuno emikhulu phezu kweendonga akuyiyo i-hobby yomhlobo wethu omtsha. Esi siqhelo singasikholisa njengommelwane. Indoda encinci engummangaliso ibonakala ifunda iingcinga zam. “Ah! hayi,” watsho. “Ungabi nexhala. Akunjalo kum indlela. Kodwa ungakwazi ukuziqonda, monsieur, ukuba umntu angasebenza kwisiphumo esithile, angasebenza nzima kwaye alwele ukufumana uhlobo oluthile lokuphumla kunye nomsebenzi, aze afumanise ukuba, emva kwayo yonke loo nto, uyafuna21 iintsuku ezindala zokusebenza, kunye nemisebenzi endala awayecinga ukuba uyakhululekile ukuba uyishiye?” “Ewe,” ndadiza kancinci. “Ndicinga ukuba loo nto yinto eqhelekileyo. Mna ngokwam mhlawumbi ndingumzekelo. Unyaka ophelileyo ndafumana ilifa—elinganeleyo ukuba ndiphumeze iphupha. Ndandisoloko ndifuna ukuhamba, ukubona ihlabathi. Ewe, kwakunyaka ophelileyo, njengoko ndatsho, kwaye—ndisengapha.” Ummelwane wam omncinci wanqekanisela.. “Iiketi zeminyele. Sisebenza ukufumana injongo, kwaye injongo ifunyenwe, sifumana ukuba into esiyiphoseyo yiyo ukusebenza kwemihla ngemihla. Kwaye qaphela, monsieur, umsebenzi wam wawungumsebenzi onomdla. Umsebenzi onomdla kakhulu ehlabathini.” “Ewe?” Ndadiza ndikhuthazeka. Ngomzuzu wokugqibela umoya kaCaroline wawunamandla ngaphakathi kum. “Uphando ngobuntu bomntu, monsieur!” “Nje ke,” ndadiza ngobulali. Ngokucacileyo umgcini weenwele osezintabeni. Ngubani owaziyo iimfihlo zobuntu bomntu kangcono kunomgcini weenwele? “Kwakhona, ndandinomhlobo—umhlobo obengohlali naye iminyaka emininzi. Ngamanye amaxesha kukho ubugqola obubangela ukuba umntu athuke, nangona kunjalo wayebaluleke kakhulu kum. Ziqondise ukuba ndiphose nombuthama bakhe. Ubuchule bakhe, indlela yakhe yokujonga ngokunyaniseka, inkxaso yokumkholisa nokumothusa ngezimvo zam eziphezulu—konke oku ndiyakuphosa ngaphezu kokuba ndingakuxelela. “Wasweleka?” Ndabuza ngentlupheko. “Hayi kangako. Ukhona kwaye ukhula—kodwa kwelinye icala lehlabathi. Ngoku use-Argentine.” “E-Argentine,” ndadiza ndifuna. Ndandisoloko ndifuna ukuya eSouth America. Ndabubula, aze ndabukela phezulu ukuze ndifumane uMnu. Porrott endijonga ngentlupheko. Wayebonakala engumntu oqondayo. “Uza kuya apho, ewe?” wabuza. Ndanyikinya intloko ndibubula. “Ndingaba ndiye, emva konyaka. Kodwa ndandiyinto eyimathumba—nangaphezu koyimathumba—ndinobukhwele. Ndabeka ingozi kwinto enokubakho kwinto engekho.” “Ndiyavumelana,” watsho uMnu. Porrott. “Wakha wazama?” Ndanyikinya ngelishwa, kodwa nangona ndingakwazanga ndavakalelwa kukuzonwabisa. Lo mntu omncinci oyonakalisiweyo wayejongana nam ngendlela enkulu. “Hayi iPorcupine Oilfields?” wabuza ngequbuliso. Ndabukela. “Ndacinga ngazo, njengento yokwenyani, kodwa ekugqibeleni ndakhetha umsebenzi wegolide eWestern Australia.” Ummelwane wam wayejonga kum ngolungelelwano olungaqhelekanga awayengakwazi ukuluchaza.. “Yintando,” watsho ekugqibeleni. “Yintando?” Ndabuza ndingabanyamezeli. “Ukuba ndihlale kunye nomntu ocinga ngokungathandabuzekiyo ngePorcupine Oilfields, kunye neWest Australian Gold Mines. Ndixelele, ngaba uyanqwenele iinwele ezingwevu na?” Ndambukela ndivule umlomo, aze ehleka. “Hayi, hayi, ayisiyo intloko edabukileyo endibona ngayo. Yenza ingqondo yakho ikhululeke. Kwakuyimbuzo eyimathumba endakubuza yona, kuba, khangela, umhlobo wam endithethe ngaye wayeyindoda23 enye, indoda eyayicinga ukuba bonke abafazi balungile, kwaye uninzi lwabo lwalulihle. Kodwa nguwe indoda yobudala obuphakathi, ugqirha, indoda eyaziyo ubudenge nokuzingca kwezinto ezininzi kule bomi bethu. Ewe, ewe, singabamelwane. Ndicela ukuba uthathe kwaye umnike udade wakho omkhulu imbasa yam yeqhina.” Wadeda, kwaye enomdla walisa umzekelo omkhulu wentloko, endawuthathela kuyo kwisimo apho yafunyanwa khona. “Ngokwenyani,” watsho indoda encinci ngokuvuyayo, “lokusasa akuzange kube lusuku olungachithwanga. Ndidibene nomntu ngendlela ethile efana nomhlobo wam okude. Ngendlela, ndingathanda ukukubuza umbuzo. Ngokuqinisekileyo uyayazi yonke into kwesi sicaka sifutshane. Ngubani le ndoda encinci eneenwele ezimnyama namehlo, kunye nobuso obuhle. Uhamba nekhanda lakhe libuyela umva, kwaye unobuso obumnandi?” Inkalo yashiya andithandabuzeki. “Kufuneka kube nguKapteni uRalph Paton,” ndadiza kancinci. “Andizange ndimfumanise apha ngaphambili?” “Hayi, khange abe apho ixesha elide. Kodwa ngunyana—unyana okhuliswe, kunoko—kaMnu. Ackroyd waseFernly Park.” Ummelwane wam wenza umboniso omncinci wokungabanyamezeli. “Ngokuqinisekileyo, bekufanele ndiyiqikelele. UMnu. Ackroydthethe ngaye amaxesha amaninzi.” “Uyamazi uMnu. Ackroyd?” Ndadiza, ndothukile kancinci. “UMnu. Ackroyd wandazi eLondon—xa ndandisebenza apho. Ndicela ukuba angathethi nto ngobungcali bam apha.” “Ndiyabona,” ndadiza, ndonwabisa kakhulu ngale nto ndiyibona njenge-snobbery, njengoko ndiyibona. Kodwa indoda encinci yaqhubeka enomoyikiso omkhulu wokuzingca. “Omnye ukhetha ukuhlala ungaziwa. Andifuni kakhulu ukwaziwa. Andizange ndingenele nokuqwalasela inguqulo yasekhaya yam yegama lam.” “Ngokwenyani,” ndadiza, andazi ukuba ndiyithini. “UKapteni uRalph Paton,” wacinga uMnu. Porrott. “Kwaye ke utshatile nomzala kaMnu. Ackroyd, uMiss Flora oqhakazileyo.” “Ngubani okuxelele oko?” Ndabuza, ndothukile kakhulu. “UMnu. Ackroyd. Malunga neveki ephelileyo. Uyavuya kakhulu ngayo—uye wafuna ixesha elide ukuba into enjalo yenzeke, okanye ndiyiqonde ngaye. Ndiyakholelwa nokuba uye wayishiya into encinci kwindoda esencinci. Leyo akukaze ibe yinto enhle. Indoda encinci kufuneka itshate ukuze izonwabise—ingekubuyiseli umzali oyindoda oyiseko angafuni ukuba apho kukho izinto ezilindelekileyo.” Iingcinga zam zachithwa ngokupheleleyo. Andikwazanga kubona uAckroyd ethatha umgcini weenwele ukuba athethe naye, kwaye athethe ngomtshato womzala wakhe kunye nomkhwenyana wakhe. U-Ackroyd unika ubuhlobo obukhulu kwizigaba eziphantsi, kodwa unomdla omkhulu wokuzithemba kwakhe. Ndabona ukuba uPorrott angabinako ukuba ngumgcini weenwele emva kwako konke. Ukufihla ukudideka kwam, ndadiza into yokuqala eyavela engqondweni yam. “Yintoni eyenza waphawula uRalph Paton? Ubuhle bakhe?” “Hayi, hayi kuphela—nangona engayi kusengqiqweni25 kakhulu kumntu waseNgilane—into ababhali belo bhlog yakho bangayibiza ngokuba yiGrike yeNdoda. Hayi, kwakukho into ngalo mntu wayengayiqondi.” Wadiza igama lokugqibela ngelizwi lokucinga elalinemvakalelo engacacanga kum. Kwakunjengokuba wayefingqa inkwenkwe ngokukhanya kobungcali bangaphakathi obungazange bambone. Kwakuyile mvakalelo eyayishiyeke kum, kuba ngelo mzuzu ilizwi likadade wethu ladiza lisuka endlwini. Ndangena. UCarloline wayenokhetho lwakhe, kwaye wayevela ukuba uyavela ukusuka edolophini. Waqala ngaphandle kokungena. “Ndidibana noMnu. Ackroyd.” “Ewe?” Ndadiza. “Ndimyeke, ngokuqinisekileyo, kodwa wayebonakala enokhwelelo olukhulu, kwaye efuna ukubalekela.” Andinako ukuthandabuza ukuba yayiyiyo loo nto. Wayeza kuziva kuCaroline njengokuba wayeziva kuMiss Ganett ngaphambili ngaloo mini—mhlawumbi nangaphezulu. UCarloline akalula ukuba athinjwe. “Ndambuza kwangoko malunga noRalph. Wayothukile ngokupheleleyo. Khange azi ukuba inkwenkwe yayilapha phantsi. Wayetshukuthela ukuba ndiyenze impazamo. Mna! Impazamo!” “Yinto engaphandle kobugqwirha,” ndadiza. “Bekufanele akwazi kangcono.” “Aze aqhubeke endixelela ukuba uRalph kunye noFlora batshatile.” “Ndiyazi noko,” ndangenelela, ndingazithobisanga ngenkxaso. “Ngubani okuxelele?” “Ummelwane wethu omtsha.” UCarloline wabonakala echukumisa ixesha elifutshane elinye okanye ezimbini, njengoko ibhola yeroulette yayingabhekisa ngokungafihlisiyo phakathi kwezinamba ezimbini. Zaza yawa ebomvu. “Ndixelele uMnu. Ackroyd ukuba uRalph wayehleli kwiThree Boars.” “Caroline,” ndadiza, “ungaze uqwalasele ukuba ungabanga umonakalo omkhulu ngesi siqhelo sakho sokukhupha yonke into ngokungafihlisiyo?” “Ububhanxa,” watsho udade wam. “Abantu bafanele ukwazi izinto. Ndicinga ukuba yinkonzo yam ukubaxelela. UMnu. Ackroyd wayembulele kakhulu.” “Ewe?” Ndadiza, kuba kwakukho okunye okumele kuvele. “Ndicinga ukuba waye waya kwangoko kwiThree Boars, kodwa ukuba kunjalo akazange ambone uRalph apho.” “Hayi?” “Hayi. Kuba njengoko ndibuyela ngehlathi——” “Ubuya ngehlathi?” Ndangenelela. UCarloline wanika ihlazo. “Kwakulilanga elihle,” watsho. “Ndicinga ukuba ndiye ndathatha umjikelo omncinci. Iihlathi ezineentlobo zazo zokuhla ziyabonakala ngeli xesha lonyaka.” UCarloline akakhathali ngeentlobo izihlandlo zonyaka. Ngokwesiqhelo uzijonga njengeendawo apho ufumana unyawo olumanzi, kwaye apho zonke izinto ezingemnandi zinokuwela phezu kwentloko yakho. Hayi, kwakuyintsika enye yengqiqo yengwenya eyayimthatha kwihlathi lasekhaya. Yiyo kuphela indawo ekufutshane needolophu zeKing’s Abbot27 apho unokuthetha nentombazana engaboniyo yizo zonke iidolophu. Ihlanganisa iFernly Park. “Ewe,” ndadiza, “qhubeka.” “Njengoko nditsho, ndandingabuyela ngehlathi xa ndeva amazwi.” UCarloline wabamba. “Ewe?” “Omnye kwakunguRalph Paton—ndamkhanga kwangoko. Omnye kwakuyintombazana. Ngokuqinisekileyo andizange ndifuna ukulinda——” “Ngokuqinisekileyo hayi,” ndangenelela, ngobungcali obucacileyo—obabungenanto kuye uCaroline. “Kodwa andikwazanga ukunqanda ukumamela. Intombazana yathetha into—andizange ndiyibambe kakuhle, kwaye uRalph waphendula. Wayevakala enomsindo omkhulu. ‘Mzalwane wam othandekayo,’ watsho. ‘Ngaba awuqondi ukuba kunokwenzeka ukuba umntu omdala andikhuphe nge-shilling? Khange undikholise iminyaka embalwa edlulileyo. Kuncinci kungakwenza oko. Kwaye sifuna idib, mzalwane wam othandekayo. Ndoba yindoda ecebileyo kakhulu xa umfo omdala etshona. Ungabhadla njengoko benza njalo—kodwa uzele yimali ngokwenene. Andifuni ukuba atshintshe umnqweno wakhe. Yiyeke kum, kwaye ungaxhamli.’ La mazwi akhe, ngokuchanekileyo. Ndiyawakhumbula kakuhle. Ngelishwa, ngeli xesha ndanqamla intonga eyomileyo okanye into, kwaye baba bathoba amazwi abo kwaye bahamba. Andikwazanga, ngokuqinisekileyo, ukuphuthuma emva kwabo, ngoko andikwazanga ukubona ukuba yayingubani intombazana. “Kufanele kube kubi kakhulu,” ndadiza. “Ndiya kuqwalasela, ubuyele kwindlela eya kwiThree Boars, waziva28 ukuba uyadada, kwaye waya ebhotileni ukuze afumane iglasi ye-brandy, kwaye ke wakwazi ukubona ukuba abasebenzi abaselebhotwe babekho na?” “Akazange abe ngumsebenzi webhotile,” watsho uCaroline engathandabuzi. “Ngokwenyani, ndiya phantse ndiqinisekile ukuba yayinguFlora Ackroyd, kodwa——” “Kodwa ayibonakali ngathi iyayenza ingqiqo,” ndavuma. “Kodwa ukuba ayiyena uFlora, ungaba nguyena?” Ngokukhawuleza udade wam wagqiba uluhlu lwamanqaku ahlala kwindawo ekufutshane, eneenkxaso ezininzi kunye nezichasayo. Xa wayema ukuphefumla, ndabubula okuthile malunga nesigulana, kwaye ndaphuma. Ndaceba ukuhamba ndiye kwiThree Boars. Kwakubonakala ngathi uRalph Paton angabuyela apho ngoku. Ndandimazi kakuhle uRalph—ngaphezu, mhlawumbi, kunabanye abantu bonke eKing’s Abbot, kuba ndandimazi unina phambi kwakhe, kwaye ngenxa yoko ndayiqonda into eninzi ngaye eyayibangela ukudideka kwabanye. Wayengena, kwinqanaba elithile, umhlawuli welifa. Khange alithathe ilifa lokusela lika-makhwekhwe, kodwa nangona kunjalo wayenalo ubuchule obuthile bobuthathaka. Njengokuba umhlobo wam omtsha wale ntsasa wayengathi, wayeyindoda enokubukeka ngokungaqhelekanga. Ngoku nje iinyawo ezintandathu, ezigqibeleleyo, enobubele bokudlala, wayemnyama, njengomama wakhe, enobuso obuhle, obushileyo elangeni buhlala bulungile ukuba buqhume ngobuso. URalph Paton wayengowabo bazalwa ukuba banandiphe kwaye bangazinandiphi ngaphandle komzamo. Wayezonwabisa kwaye echitha imali, engena ngenkxaso kwinto ethile emhlabeni, kodwa wayenokuthandwa nangona kunjalo, kwaye abahlobo bakhe bonke bamnika intlonipho. Ndingakwazi ukwenza nantoni ngayo inkwenkwe? Ndacinga ukuba ndingakwazi. Xa ndibuza kwiThree Boars ndafumanisa ukuba uKapteni uPaton wayefikile nje. Ndangena kwigumbi lakhe kwaye ndangena ngaphandle kwesaziso. Ngomzuzu, ndikhumbula oko ndandikuvile nokubona, ndandithandabuzeka malunga nokwamkelwa kwam, kodwa andizange ndibe nako ukuba ndibe neentloni. “Yho, nguSheppard! Ndiyavuya ukukubona.” Waza kum, isandla esoluliweyo, ubuso obumnandi bugqamisa. “Umtu yedwa ndiyavuya ukubona kule ndawo ingaphandle kobuthixo.” Ndaphakamisa amashiya am. “Yintoni eyenzileyo le ndawo?” Wabubula ngokudanisa. “Yindaba ende. Izinto azikho kakuhle kum, doctor. Kodwa khawuphuze utywala, akunjalo?” “Enkosi,” ndadiza, “ndiza.” Wacinezela itshumi, aze abuyele, azilale esitulweni. “Ukuba ndingathethi nzulu,” watsho ngelishwa, “ndisemathandeni amakhulu. Ngokwenyani, andinako ukwazi ukuba ndiyenzani ngoku.” “Yintoni ingxaki?” Ndabuza ngentlupheko. “Yinyaniso yam ebubhanxa.” “Yintoni ayenzileyo?” “Akunjalo ukuba wenzeni ngoku, kodwa yinto anokuyenza.” Kwakuphendulwe itshumi, kwaye uRalph wayalela iziselo. Xa umntu wayehambile kwakhona, wahlala ecinezela esitulweni sobhubhayo, echukumisa. “Ngaba kunjalo—kubalulekile?” Ndabuza. Wadeda. “Ndiyabona ukuba ndingaphandle koku ngeli xesha,” watsho ngokungakhathali. Umvakalelo ongazange uqhelekileyo wobunzima ezwi lakhe wamxelela ukuba uthetha inyaniso. Kuthatha kakhulu ukwenza uRalph azimele. “Ngokwenyani,” waqhubeka, “andikwazi ukubona indlela yam phambili.... Ndichasakele ukuba andikwazi.” “Ukuba ndinganceda——” Ndacebisa ngokungafihlisiyo. Kodwa wanyikinya intloko kakhulu. “Kulungile kuwe, doctor. Kodwa andikwazi ukukuvumela ukuba ungene koku. Ndimele ukuba ndidlale isandla sedwa.” Wathula umzuzu aze abuye athi ngelizwi elahlukileyo kancinci:— “Ewe—ndiyadlala isandla sedwa....” Malunga neHackerNoon Book Series: Sikuzisela iincwadi zeteknoloji, zesayensi, kunye nezokuziqonda e
