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cases they set their limit at seven market weeks or twenty…eight days。 Beyond that limit no man was suffered to go。 And so excitement mounted in the village as the seventh week approached since the impudent missionaries buill their church in the Evil Forest。 The villagers were so certain about the doom that awaited these men that one or two converts thought it wise to suspend their allegiance to the new faith。
At last the day came by which all the missionaries should have died。 But they were still alive； building a new red…earth and thatch house for their teacher； Mr。 Kiaga。 That week they won a handful more converts。 And for the first time they had a woman。 Her name was Nneka； the wife of Amadi； who was a prosperous farmer。 She was very heavy with child。
Nneka had had four previous pregnancies and child…births。 But each time she had borne twins； and they had been immediately thrown away。 Her husband and his family were already being highly critical of such a woman and were not unduly perturbed when they found she had fled to join the Christians。 It was a good riddance。
One morning Okonkwo's cousin； Amikwu； was passing by the church on his way from the neighboring village； when he saw Nwoye among the Christians。 He was greatly surprised； and when he got home he went straight to Okonkwo's hut and told him what he had seen。 The women began to talk excitedly； but Okonkwo sat unmoved。
It was late afternoon before Nwoye returned。 He went into the obi and saluted his father； but he did not answer。 Nwoye turned round to walk into the inner pound when his father； suddenly overe with fury； sprang to his feet and gripped him by the neck。
〃Where have you been？〃 he stammered。
Nwoye struggled to free himself from the choking grip。
〃Answer me；〃 roared Okonkwo； 〃before I kill you！〃 He seized a heavy stick that lay on the dwarf wall and hit him two or three savage blows。
〃Answer me！〃 he roared again。 Nwoye stood looking at him and did not say a word。 The women were screaming outside； afraid to go in。
〃Leave that boy at once！〃 said a voice in the outer pound。 It was Okonkwo's uncle； Uchendu。 〃Are you mad？〃
Okonkwo did not answer。 But he left hold of Nwoye； who walked away and never returned。
He went back to the church and told Mr。 Kiaga that he had decided to go to Umuofia where the white missionary had set up a school to teach young Christians to read and write。
Mr。 Kiaga's joy was very great。 〃Blessed is he who forsakes his father and his mother for my sake；〃 he intoned。 〃Those that hear my words are my father and my mother。〃
Nwoye did not fully understand。 But he was happy to leave his father。 He would return later to his mother and his brothers and sisters and convert them to the new faith。
As Okonkwo sat in his hut that night； gazing into a log fire； he thought over the matter。 A sudden fury rose within him and he felt a strong desire to take up his machete； go to the church and wipe out the entire vile and miscreant gang。 But on further thought he told himself that Nwoye was not worth fighting for。 Why； he cried in his heart； should he； Okonkwo； of all people； be cursed with such a son？ He saw clearly in it the finger of his personal god or chi。 For how else could he explain his great misfortune and exile and now his despicable son's behavior？ Now that he had time to think of it； his son's crime stood out in its stark enormity。 To abandon the gods of one's father and go about with a lot of effeminate men clucking like old hens was the very depth of abomination。 Suppose when he died all his male children decided to follow Nwoye's steps and abandon their ancestors？ Okonkwo felt a cold shudder run through him at the terrible prospect； like the prospect of annihilation。 He saw himself and his fathers crowding round their ancestral shrine waiting in vain for worship and sacrifice and finding nothing but ashes of bygone days； and his children the while praying to the white man's god。 If such a thing were ever to happen； he； Okonkwo； would wipe them off the face of the earth。
Okonkwo was popularly called the 〃Roaring Flame。〃 As he looked into the log fire he recalled the name。 He was a flaming fire。 How then could he have begotten a son like Nwoye； degenerate and effeminate？ Perhaps he was not his son。 No！ he could not be。 His wife had played him false。 He would teach her！ But Nwoye resembled his grandfather； Unoka； who was Okonkwo's father。 He pushed the thought out of his mind。 He； Okonkwo； was called a flaming fire。 How could he have begotten a woman for a son？ At Nwoye's age Okonkwo had already bee famous throughout Umuofia for his wrestling and his fearlessness。
He sighed heavily； and as if in sympathy the smoldering log also sighed。 And immediately Okonkwo's eyes were opened and he saw the whole matter clearly。 Living fire begets cold； impotent ash。 He sighed again； deeply。
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
The young church in Mbanta had a few crises early in its life。 At first the clan had assumed that it would not survive。 But it had gone on living and gradually being stronger。 The clan was worried； but not overmuch。 If a gang of efulefu decided to live in the Evil Forest it was their own affair。 When one came to think of it； the Evil Forest was a fit home for such undesirable people。 It was true they were rescuing twins from the bush； but they never brought them into the village。 As far as the villagers were concerned； the twins still remained where they had been thrown away。 Surely the earth goddess would not visit the sins of the missionaries on the innocent villagers？
But on one occasion the missionaries had tried to over step the bounds。 Three converts had gone into the village and boasted openly that all the gods were dead and impotent and that they were prepared to defy them by burning all their shrines。
〃Go and burn your mothers' genitals；〃 said one of the priests。 The men were seized and beaten until they streamed with blood。 After that nothing happened for a long time between the church and the clan。
But stories were already gaining ground that the white man had not only brought a religion but also a government。 It was said that they had built a place of judgment in Umuofia to protect the followers of their religion。 It was even said that they had hanged one man who killed a missionary。
Although such stories were now often told they looked like fairy…tales in Mbanta and did not as yet affect the relationship between the new church and the clan。 There was no question of killing a missionary here； for Mr。 Kiaga； despite his madness； was quite harmless。 As for his converts； no one could kill them without having to flee from the clan； for in spite of their worthlessness they still belonged to the clan。 And so nobody gave serious thought to the stories about the white man's government or the consequences of killing the Christians。 If they became more troublesome than they already were they would simply be driven out of the clan。
And the little church was at that moment too deeply absorbed in its own troubles to annoy the clan。 It all began over the question of admitting outcasts。
These outcasts； or osu； seeing that the new religion we