"Resnick, Mike - Kirinyaga 5 - The Manamouki" - читать интересную книгу автора (Resnick Mike)

"I certainly hope not," she said. "If there's one thing Kenya has more than enough of, it's children."
"This is not Kenya," said Ndemi.
"I will find other ways to contribute to the society."
Ndemi studied her for a moment. "Well," he said at last, "I suppose you can carry firewood."
"I'm glad I meet with your approval," she said.
"But you will need a new name," continued Ndemi. "Wanda is a European name."
"It is just a name," I said. "Changing it will not make her more of a Kikuyu."
"I have no objection," she interjected. "I'm starting a new life; I ought to have a new name."
I shrugged. "Which name will you take as your own?"
She smiled at Ndemi. "You choose one," she said.
He furrowed his brow for a long moment, then looked up at her. "My mother's sister, who died in childbirth last year, was named Mwange, and now there is no one in the village of that name."
"Then Mwange it shall be," she said. "Mwange wa Ndemi."
"But I am not your father," said Ndemi.
She smiled at him. "You are the father of my new name."
Ndemi puffed his chest up proudly.
"Well, now that that's settled," said Nkobe, "what about our luggage?"
"You will not need it," I said.
"Yes we will," said Mwange.
"You were told to bring nothing of Kenya with you."
"I've brought some kikois that I made myself," she said. "Surely that must be permissible, since I will be expected to weave my own fabrics and make my own clothes on Kirinyaga."
I considered her explanation for a moment, then nodded my consent. "I will send one of the village children for the bags."
"It's not that heavy," said Nkobe. "I can carry it myself."
"Kikuyu men do not fetch and carry," said Ndemi.
"What about Kikuyu women?" asked Mwange, obviously reluctant to leave the luggage behind.
"They carry firewood and grain, not bags of clothing," responded Ndemi. "Those," he said, pointing contemptuously toward the two leather bags, "are for children."
"Then we might as well start walking," said Mwange. "There are no children here."
Ndemi beamed with pride and strutted forward.
"Let Ndemi go first," I said. "His eyes are young and clear. He will be able to see any snakes or hyenas hiding in the tall grass."
"Do you have poisonous snakes here?" asked Nkobe.
"A few."
"Why don't you kill them?"
"Because this is not Kenya," I replied.
I walked directly behind Ndemi, and Nkobe and Mwange followed us, remarking upon the scenery and the animals to each other. After about half a mile we came to an impala ram standing directly in our path.
"Isn't he beautiful?" whispered Mwange. "Look at the horns on him!"
"I wish I had my camera with me!" said Nkobe.
"We do not permit cameras on Kirinyaga," I said.
"I know," said Nkobe. "But to be perfectly honest, I can't see how something as simple as a camera could be a corrupting influence to your society."
"To have a camera, one needs film, and one must therefore have a factory that manufactures both cameras and films. To develop the film, one needs chemicals, and then one must find a place to dump those chemicals that haven't been used. To print the pictures, one needs photographic paper, and we have barely enough wood to burn in our fires." I paused. "Kirinyaga supplies us with all of our desires. That is why we came here."
"Kirinyaga supplied you with all of your needs," said Mwange. "That is not quite the same thing."
Suddenly Ndemi stopped walking and turned to her.
"This is your first day here, so you are to be forgiven your ignorance," he explained. "But no manamouki may argue with the mundumugu."
"Manamouki?" she repeated. "What is a manamouki?"
"You are," said Ndemi.
"I've heard that word before," said Nkobe. "I think it means wife."
"You are wrong," I said. "A manamouki is a female."
"You mean a woman?" asked Mwange.
I shook my head. "Any female property," I said. "A woman, a cow, a sow, a bitch, a ewe."
"And Ndemi thinks I'm some kind of property?"
"You are Nkobe's manamouki," said Ndemi.
She considered it for a moment, then shrugged with amusement. "What the hell," she said in English. "If Wanda was only a name, manamouki is only a word. I can live with it."