Andizange ndinomnqweno wokusebenza kwintandane yexesha elide. Ndihlala nje ngokusondeleyo kweliziko le-dreary, eliye lalingelwa ixesha lokuzama ukuliphepha. Amakhaya abo amabini, kunye nokubukela izintandane - kungeyona eyona nto ibhetele kwimisebenzi ekhoyo. Ingaba ufuna okanye akunjalo, nokuba uziva unetyala okanye cha, kodwa intliziyo iqala ukuhlamba, kunye nesazela - ukuba ungathuthunyanga. Kodwa ubomi buye kwalahlwa yindlela yayo ... mna, utitshala wezeMathematika, akazange asebenze kakuhle ngutitshala-ntloko, kwaye unyana wam wayegula, endizenza ndihlala phantsi kwikhefu lokugula. Kwaye kwafuneka ndihambe kwikhaya lezintandane, ngenjongo yokusebenza apha kuphela kude kube lixesha eliqaqambileyo, de ndihlale kwelinye isikolo. Abasebenzi kwiinkedama bahlala belahleka: abantu abambalwa banomdla wokunyamekela ukuba yonke imihla iya kuba yintlungu edabukisayo yintlungu - abantwana abaye bathengiswa kwaye balahliwe ngabazali babo.
Kodwa iminyaka engaphezu kwemashumi amabini idlulile , kwaye ndikhona apha kwiinkedama, kwaye andifuni ukushiya la bantwana. Ngaloo mini ngaphambi komsebenzi, kwafuneka ndiye esibhedlele sesithili, apho abaninzi abafundi bethu baphathwa khona. Uthayibhile iilekese, ikhukhi - kungekhona ngezandla ezingenanto ukuhamba! Ukusuka ekamelweni lokumkela, ukukhala komntwana okulilayo kuye kwavakala. Ngoko ndikhala abalandeli ... Ndiyakwazi ukwahlula ukukhala okuvela kumawaka eminye iimbono kunye neengxaki zezinyembezi zezingane eziqhelekileyo. Akunandaba nokuba uneminyaka engakanani intandane. Kuphela bayakhala ngokukrakra, kwaye kuyo yonke intsimbi - ukufumanisa okubi. Kubonakala ngathi umntwana uthi:
"Kutheni ndimele? Uphi umama? Mbize! Ndixelele ukuba ndiziva ndibi ngaphandle kwayo. " Kwa kunjalo. Kwigumbi lokumkela, umongikazi wayexakeke ngekotyi encinane. Ndancika phezu kweengqungquthela eziphazamisayo: ezinyangeni ezililishumi okanye ezilishumi elinesibini, into encinci encinci ... Akunjengomntwana wabazali abangasebenzi. Ndichaza abantwana bezonxila okanye izilwanyana zonyango ngokukhawuleza.
Baye besoyika amehlo , i-skin bluish, isifo esibi emva kokulamba kwindlala. Baxhala kakhulu, kaninzi benokukhubazeka kwengqondo okanye ngokomzimba. Le nkunzi ivela kwiqela elithile: nokuba ngabazali baneengxaki, okanye intombazana encane ibelethe ngaphandle komtshato kwaye ayikwazanga ukujamelana nenxaxheba yomama ongatshatanga.
Ukufumana entsha, "umongikazi wabika. - Babiza u-Elvira Tkachenko.
U-Elvira ... Ndikhumbule ukuba, ekuqaleni, ngamagama angaqhelekanga okanye angabonakaliyo ngamangalisa ngabantu abanike abantwana babo. U-Angelica, u-Oscar, u-Eduard, uConstance noLaura ... Mhlawumbi, ngokobubudenge nangenangxaki, abazali ababuhlungu babefuna ukuhlobisa ubomi babo abantwana abahluphekileyo?
Andizange ndifumane enye inkcazo yolu bakala oluqhelekileyo nolusizi. Abantwana "abangabantwana baka-Angelica" babengafani ne-heroin eyaziwayo yamanveli ka-Anna noSerge Golon, "Laur" ayilindelwe ngabaPetrarchs abanomdla, kwaye akunakwenzeka ukuba uConstantia uya kuba nobudlova ngothando luka-D'Arguagnan ... Ngenye indlela, ubomi babo bubekwe ngetampu inkedama.
- Tkachenko? - Ndabuza ndaza ndaqhwaba. "Nkosi, oku akunako!" Ngaba ndiyakwazi ukubheka amaxwebhu akhe? I mpazamo ayifakiwe. Ayikho igama, hhayi udade ... Amaphepha afakazela ukuba unina wentombazana, u-Ulyana Tkachenko, kwimeko yokuphazamiseka kwemizwa, yathathwa esibhedlele sengqondo. Ndayibamba ifowuni ndaza ndabiza umhlobo wam kwisebe lokugcinwa kunye nokugcinwa kwamasebe. UMaria Mikhailovna kwafuneka azi kakuhle oko kwenzeka.
- Masha? Le yiZoya. Le ntombazana yayiswa esibhedlele namhlanje ... uElvira Tkachenko. Ndiyazi kakuhle umama. Igama lakhe nguUlyana Tkachenko. Nceda, undixelele oko kwenzeka kuye? - Oo, Zoya, kuyingozi! Uyabona, andiyi kusetshenziselwa kule mibala yobusuku. Hayi, hayi ... Akukho ukuziphatha kakubi, akukho kuluka ... andazi kakhulu. Abamelwane babengaqwalasela ukukhala ngokuqhubekayo komntwana iintsuku ezimbini, ezibizwa ngokuba ngamapolisa kunye ne-ambulensi. Umnyango kwakufanele uphulwe ... Umama wayehleli phantsi kwaye wahlala etaweni zakhe kwiphondo elincinciweyo. Emva koko sakwazi ukufumana ukuba yileta.
Andizange ndiphendule kwabanye . Oogqirha bathi kulo mhlaba wahlala ixesha elide. Ewe, kwaye kwacaca kumntwana: intombazana yayimanzi, iyabanda kwaye ilambile. Ukuqhawulwa phantsi phantsi kwendawo ephosa. Yonke into. Umama wathunyelwa kwisibhedlele seengqondo, umntwana kumanesi. Siza kufumana apho uyise onyana. "Ndiyabonga, Masha," ndaphefumula ndaqala ukusebenza ngomsindo. Eli liyeza lihlolwe iminyaka. Ukuba intliziyo yakhawuleza yenzeke, kwaba nzima ukuphefumula, kwaye kwakungekho ndlela yokuphuma kwikamva elibonakalayo, ndazama ukuphonsa emsebenzini. Naluphi na. Incede. Kodwa namhlanje, iingcamango zazihlala zibuyela e-Ulya, u-Ulyanka, u-Ulyana Tkachenko, intombi yakhe ihlala kwigumbi lokumkela esibhedlele sabantwana kwaye iqhubeka ikhala ngokukrakra. Ndikhumbula ngokugqithiseleyo ubuso buka-Uli xa eqala ukuwela umda wezintandane. Wayeneminyaka emine ubudala. Amehlo amakhulu akroyiweyo, aqiniswe kwiibhokhwe eziphathekayo. Wayeya kuzikhusela ngokwenene nxamnye nenhlekelele entsha eyayiwela kuye. UKroha wasetyenziselwa oku kufuneke, ekubeni esoloyiko oluqhubekayo ukusuka kwiinkqubo zabazali abanxilisayo. Kodwa oku kusekudlulileyo. Emehlweni abancinci, babela ekufeni kunye notywala lobuchwephesha. Le ntombazana yayilapha, kuba isihlobo esilandelayo ... nje samenzela ukumnyamekela.
Kodwa awukwazi ukuyalela intliziyo yakho . Kungakhathaliseki ukuba ndizama njani ukuphatha bonke abantwana ngokucophelela nangokufanelekileyo, kodwa u-Ulyanka wandibathanda ngaphezu kwamanye. Okumangalisa kukuba, kule ntombazana evela kwintsapho engasebenziyo kwakukho ubulumko bemihlaba, ububele, ukuziphatha, ukuzinikezela ngokucacileyo. Emva kokuba thina kunye nezingane sasilungiselela intshukumo yokusasa yasekuseni, kwaye u-Ulya wayehlala ekhangele ngefestile yenkedama yakhe enyanzelekileyo.
"Uphupha ntoni, Ulyanka?" - ndaphumela kum, nangona ndikhumbule umthetho ongabhalwanga: akukho mzekelo ngaba abantwana bangabuzwa malunga namaphupha abo. Taboo! Kuba siyayazi impendulo ngaphambili. Iphupha elilodwa kuphela kuzo zonke iinkedama, kwaye nokuba kunjalo-phantse ingapheliyo. Fata Morgana.
"Ndiyaphupha ukuba ndingabikho," waphendula umntwana oneminyaka emihlanu ubudala. - Ndiyaphupha ukuba ndiza kuba nomama, utata, abazalwana kunye nenja enkulu. Ndifuna indlu yam!
Ndimxinzelele kuye waza waqala ukuxelela into endiphazamisayo. Kodwa kwakungenakwenzeka ukwenza.
Ngobunye ubusuku ndava ukugquma kwigumbi lokulala waza waya embhedeni wakhe. Intombazana yayilele amehlo amakhulu, iinyembezi ezinkulu ziphuma kuye.
"Kutheni ungalali, Ulechka?"
"Mkhulukazi uZoe, ndifake kwigumbi lakho," wancenga. - Ndiya kwenza konke ekhaya, ndiya kuthobela. Kwaye andiyi kubacaphukisa abantwana bakho. Ababi, ngaba kunjalo? Kwaye umyeni wakho mhlawumbi unelona hlobo emhlabeni. Yiza, ndiya kuba yintombi yakho. Abantwana abakwazi ukuba ngaphandle kwekhaya. Enyanisweni, inyaniso?
"Awuthandi ikhaya lethu eliqhelekileyo?" - Ndabuza, ndifundiswe ngamava oonxibelelwano kwesi sihloko. "Siqokelele abantwana, abangabani na onokunyamekela, kwaye sizama ukukwenza uzive kakuhle apha ..." Ulyane akazange aphendule ngamazwi am, kwaye ndaqhubeka ndiqiniseka ngakumbi.
- Khawucinge nje: singabantu abangamashumi amabini ootitshala nabahlengikazi, kwaye ungaphezulu kwekhulu. Kwaye abantwana abatsha beza kuthi. Uyabona, ngokwenene u-Ulechka? Ngaba sinokukuthanda ukuba uhlala kwindawo ezahlukeneyo? Hayi! Sasingayi kuba nexesha, kwaye umntu wayeya kuhlala elambile okanye enkingeni. Hayi, wena kunye nam kufuneka siphile kunye: apha, kwindlu yethu efana. Ninyamekele omnye nomnye, ncedise ...
"Ndiyamthanda wonke umntu apha: abantwana, ootitshala, namannies ..." Wandijonga, kwaye iinyembezi zanyuka emehlweni akhe. "Kodwa asiyi kubaxelela mntu ukuba uya kundithatha." Ndifuna ukuba yintombi yakho kuphela. Ndiyakwazi?
"Emva koko ndiya kukubona ngaphantsi kwamhla." Ndihlala ndilapha. Ukulala, Ulechka. Ngomso sinezinto ezininzi ezithakazelisayo, "ndazama ukunyengisa umntwana.
"Ngoko, awuyi kuthatha," u-Ulyanka uthe ngelizwi eliphukile waza wajika.
Ndizama ukuhlawula ingqalelo enkulu kule ntombazana echukumisayo. Wayekhumbule oku oku: encinci, ephosakeleyo, enamehlo amakhulu ... Ikhaya lethu labantwana liqulethe abantwana basezikolweni, kwaye xa u-Ule wayeyisixhenxe, wathunyelwa kwenye intandane. Isikolo sokubhoda sasikwiziko lesithili, malunga neekhilomitha ezilikhulu ukusuka kwisixeko. Sithembisa ukubhala omnye komnye. Ibhasi yayimi emngceleni, kwaye yandila, idibanisa ngamacandelo amathandekayo. "Ndiya kubhala onke amaxesha, u-Uncle Zoe ... Musa ukulibala, musa ukulibala!" Ndiya kubhala, "wayeya kuthi, njengopelo.
"Kakade," ndatsho le ntombazana, ndenza imizamo enzima yokungaqhubi. - Umele ubhale kum, kuba ndikhathazekile kwaye ndifuna ukuba ukhule ujabule, kungakhathaliseki ukuba yintoni. "Ndiya kuvuya." Ndithembisa wena ... Wazama njani! Iileta zakhe ezinamaxesha onke ... Ndizigcina zize kube ngoku. Nantsi i-Ulya kwibanga lokuqala. Iindonga zeeleta, umgca uhamba. "Mhlekazikazi u-Zoe. Ingaba ndingabiza uMama Zoya? Ndifunda kakuhle. Kungekudala ndiya kukhula. Ndiya kuba nendlu yam, kwaye ndiya kukumema ukuba utyelele. " Oo, into ehlwempuzekileyo. Kwaye ke kuzo zonke iileta.
Indlu yam ... Xa u-Ulya waphumelela kwiiklasi ezithoba, washiya ngakumbi, waya kwiziko lesithili. Ndangena kwisikolo sobugcisa, ndafunda ukufunda. Ukubhala ngesandla, amagama amnandi ... "Sawubona, Mama Zoya! Ndibe sele ndilele kumbhede wam! Ngaba uyaqonda? Umbhede wakhe wangempela! Ndithenge kuthengiswa kwefenitshala endala, ndachitha yonke i-scholarship. Kuya kufuneka ulambile, kodwa ngaba oku kubalulekile? Ndilele embhedeni wam kwaye ndiphupha. Kungekudala ndiya kuba ngumkhandi wangempela, ndinokudonsa yonke into: iingubo, izitya zokulala, kunye nezinto ezincinci zeintsana. Amantombazana athi abagqoka kakuhle bahlala beninzi. Ndithembisa kuwe, Mama Zoya, ukuba ndiya kuvuya, ngoko ndininzi. Ndiya kulawula nabo, kwaye ndiza kuba nendlu yam. Lungiselela ukundwendwela. "
Wayephethwe yilophupha , kwaye akukho nto eyayingayimisa intliziyo yakhe encinci nangesifo. Kwakunzima kakhulu, kuphela ukubalekela kwinkedama eyinkxwaleko kunye nesizungu. Emva koko wadibana noRobert. Andizange ndiyibone kum emehlweni am, kodwa into eyayingabonakaliyo ingabonakaliyo kwimiba ka-Uli, kwaye ndandikhathazeka kakhulu. Unina kaZoya! Ngoku ndinomfana oselula. Uyandithanda kakhulu, kwaye ngaphandle kwakhe andinakuphila. Ngoku ngoku ndikholelwa ukuba mna, nokuba kunjalo uRobert kunye nam, siya kuba nekhaya, intsapho, umntwana. Ndifuna umntwana wam abe nenjongo eyonwabileyo, kwaye akaze aphinde aphinda am. Andiyi kukwazi ukuba yintoni: ukuziva "bubi". URobert uthi ndifuna kakhulu ukubheka ubomi kubulula. Kodwa yena akazange asindise oko thina kunye nawe, unina kaZoya, odibene nayo ebomini bakho! Siyazi into embi xa uthengiswa ... Ndiyakwazi ukumelana naluphi na uvavanyo. Kodwa ungangcatsha! Ukuba ebomini bam, ubuncinane umntu undishiya, njengento engeyomfuneko, ndiza kuhlenga. Thina ngokwenene uyaqonda, ukuba ukunyaniseka akukho ukuxolela ... "Yena wabhala -" thina kunye nawe ", kwaye ndaphinda ndamangaliswa ngobulumko bala ntombazana encinci. Nguye yedwa owayenako ukuqonda ukuba kungenakuzeleleka kuthi, ootitshala, ukuba siphume ngegazi ngentliziyo yethu yonke, sivuselele iintandane ezingonwabanga zilibuhlungu.
Ekugqibeleni usuku lwafika xa ndabona ukhetho lukaUlyan. Wandibiza ekhaya waza wamemeza ngovuyo ngelizwi lakhe:
"Unina kaZoya!" Ndiya kutshata! Ngaphandle kwakho, akusayi kuba nomtshato, kuba uyona ndwendwe eyamkelekileyo. URobert kunye ndikulindele wena! Umele ubone indlela endiyenzayo ngayo umtshato womtshato! Kulo, ndibuhle kangaka, nje ngomculi!
Kwaye ndahamba. I-Cape ye-Hive ayibonakali iminyaka elishumi elinambini, kwaye ukuba kwakungekho kwiifoto endizithumayo ngamanye amaxesha, andizange ndimbone umfundi wam kule ntombazana ende ende. Emva kwakhe - indoda eneminyaka engamashumi amane ngobuso obuqhayisa. I-Lysovat, i-plump, ijongayo. O, nkedama, ubukeka phi? Kodwa akazange abonakale engaboni konke oku. Ukukhangela kwakhe umfazi ozayo wachaza. Andizange ndixelele u-Ulyanka malunga namangcamango am. Ewe, kwaye yayiza kubonakala njani? Intombazana ithandana neendlebe zayo, amehlo akhe ayakhanya, kwaye ndiza kumemeza ngeemvakalelo zayo ezinembileyo? Oku ndiya kwenza kube nzima, kuba unokucinga ukuba ndifuna ukutshabalalisa uvuyo lwakhe. Kwaye mna ndingumntu osondeleyo kuye ... Kodwa uRobert wayengandithandi, waze wabulala! Kwaye kwakusondele ukuthetha into ethile, ukucebisa: Ulyanka kwimpahla yokutshata sele sele esayina loo mqulu kwaye waba ngumfazi osemthethweni walolu gwetyala, ngokwam uluvo, uthayiphe. Nangona wagcina igama lakhe lentombi. "Ngoko awuyi kulahleka," - ehleka, u-Ulyanka wachazela kum isenzo sakhe.
Emva komtshato, iileta ezivela e-Ulenka zaqala ukuza kuncinci. Babesifutshane, bexhala kwaye banomdla ngamabomu. Kodwa kubo - hayi, hayi, yebo, kwaye baqhekeza imibuzo eyoyikisayo, apho, nangona amava bam ubomi, andinakuze ndiphendule njalo: "Umama kaZoya! Ngoku ndinayo indlu yam. Into endiyiphupha ngayo ubomi bam, ekugqibeleni yazaliseka. Kodwa ngenxa yezizathu ezithile andiyivuyo kakhulu. Kwaye kwathiwa indlu ayikho yonke into umntu ayifunayo yonwabo. Ngokuchasene noko. Indlu ayiyona into ephambili. Ngamanye amaxesha ndifuna ukuhlala nomntu othandekayo phantsi kwesihlahla esisiqhobala, kuphela ukwazi ukuba uthando aluyi kukushiya. Ngaba abantu abayayiqondi le nto? "Eyona nto ivuyayo, kodwa ngelo xesha, iileta eziphazamisayo ezivela eUlyanka zafika ngexesha apho wayelindele umntwana. Unina kaZoya! Ndiza kuba ngumama mna kungekudala. Ndiziva ndihlazileyo xa ndibeka isandla sam kwisisu kwaye ndiziva ndibetha imilenze yomntwana. Ndiqinisekile ukuba ibhinqa elithokozelayo kweli qiniso elilula aliyi kumshiya umntwana wakhe. Mhlawumbi umama onyanisekileyo, ngoko, wayela ubomi bam bonke, ukuba andibeke isandla sam esiswini xa ndithwele phantsi kwentliziyo yam. Ndiya kuphazamiseka, kodwa ilanga lisoze lifike kwiinkedama!
Andinomdla ngokukhethekileyo kwisini somntwana kwangaphambili: Ndikulindele ukumangaliswa kwendalo. Yaye nangona uRobert efuna inkwenkwana kuphela, ndicinga ukuba kuya kuba nentombazana. Kwaye ndide ndicinga ngegama! Intombazana yam iya kuba yinto engcono kakhulu! " Yeha ... Yeka intlungu! Ndiyifake ngokucophelela iileta zakhe kwaye ndikhumbule ubuso buka-Elvira. Ukhangeleka njani unyoko, ujoni! Amehlo amakhulu afanayo, amomotheka efanayo. Kwaye into eyona nto kukuba awukwazi ukuba unokuba yintandane. Uzoyikrokra ngayo ukuba unomama onamandla kwaye onamandla kangaka! ... Andizange ndifune ukufumana kwisibhedlele u-Uliana wayelele.
"Psihushka" - enye yommandla wethu wonke! Umongikazi okhuselekileyo wangikhokelela kwikorori ekhangayo i-chlorine, wavula umnyango ongcini-omhlophe ... Ewe, ngu-Ulyanka! Wayekhangela ngenye indlela, engakhange ahlawule yonke into eyenzeka ngeenxa zonke. Kwizandla zakhe - iphepha eliputswe.
Ndazama ukuthatha eli phepha ezandleni zakhe , kodwa waqhankqalaza ekumlileni yasendle waza wamphosa iphepha, ekhangelekisayo, njengokuba wayesaba ukuba abayi kuthatha nje isiqwenga samaphepha, kodwa ubomi ngokwabo ...
"Akunakwenzeka ukuyithatha," wakhalaza umhlengikazi osekhulile. "Kuphela le nxalenye yephepha, ihlwempu!" Yileyo ndlela ahlala ngayo yonke imini kwaye uyayibamba ezandleni zakhe.
- Yintoni na? - ndiyabuza.
- Ewe, ileta evela kumyeni wakhe. Imigca embalwa nje. Xa wayelele, sazithabatha ngokucophelela ileta size siyifunde. Abafana - amabhunga. Umthenwa muzhichok ubhala: "Ulahlekile, inkedama iphosakele! Andiyi kuhlala nawe! Musa undikhangela! URobert. " Yaye yintoni uhlobo lukaRobert owayebanjwe kulo? Mhlawumbi umculi, ngubani?
- Nguwuphi umculi? Isibungu! - Ndakhala ngokukhawuleza, ndizama ukufihla, ngokukhawuleza ndabaleka. - Ungcono uthi: uthini oogqirha? Ngaba uya kuphila? Mhlawumbi ndifuna enye iyeza, ncedise ... ndiya kwenza konke, ukuze kube lula kuye. Unentombi ...
"Bathi izinto ezimbi," umongikazi wamkela. "Kuphi na yena, umntu ohluphekayo, aphile kude kube sekupheleni kwekhulu?" Ewe, ukuba, ngokwenene, ummangaliso akenzeki. Kungaba nayiphi na indlela. Ndisebenza apha ixesha elide. U bonayo. Apha kukho izigulane ezikhanyayo, kwaye unamathela iminyaka, kodwa zikhona ezo zibukhulu beebhokhwe ekufeni, kodwa ziphuma ...
Nantsi ke, uvuyo lwakho, Ulechka! Andikwazanga ukuchasa ukuba uphinde ushiywe, ukhonjwe ... Kodwa kuthekani ngentombi yakho? Kutheni ubulumko bakho belele kulo mzuzu? Kutheni ungazange uzigcinele kwiimvuthu? Ngoku ngoku uzimisele ukuba ube ngowona! Ngaba kunokwenzeka ukuba uphupha malunga nelo xesha unomntwana wakho kwaye wathandazela ukuba imikhosi ephakamileyo imlondoloze kwiinkathazo?
Ndabuyela ekhaya kwaye, ndikhwaza nge-sobs, ndatsho umyeni wam yonke into. Wachaza iimeko ezinzima zomfundi wakhe, ukhumbule yonke imvavanyo yakhe ukususela ekuzalweni. Kwaye kwintloko yam isicwangciso siphucule ngokukhawuleza. Xa ndagqiba ukuvuma, ndamxelela ngokukhawuleza:
"Ndifuna ukuthatha intombi yakhe ekhaya." Akunakwenzeka ngenye indlela. Andikwazi ... Ndiyomsebenzi wam.
"Thatha, siya kuthi, siya kulawula," umyeni waphendula waza wandivuma, ndaza ndakhala ngezinyembezi ngamandla amatsha.
Ewe, kutheni ungazange uhlupheke u-Ole ahlangabezane nomntu onokwethenjelwa nowomeleleyo njengendoda yam? Kutheni kwenzeka ukuba uRobert aphelelwe yinto enzima? Kuba, zithini izono? Ngentsasa ndatsho ibali elibi le-Uli kwintloko yesibhedlele sabantwana. Yaye yamvumela ukuthatha u-Elia ekhaya ngaloo mini, esithi:
"Ngaphantsi koxanduva lwakho, Zoya." Amaphepha aqala ukwenza namhlanje. Ukuba umntu ovela kwisebe lomgcini kunye ne-trusteeship uyafumanisa ukuba ndikunike intombazana engenamaphepha, ngaphandle kokugatya kukaba, ndiza kulahlekelwa ngumsebenzi. Nawe nawe. Baya kukhonza kwinkundla.
"Namhlanje!" - Ndifungile, kodwa kwakungekho ngale nto. Ngokukhawuleza ndathatha ikhaya lika-Elvira, apho abantwana bam abadala kunye nomyeni wam bengashiyanga umntwana ngomzuzu. Kwaye wagijima waya "esibhedlele sengqondo" ku-Ole.
- Ewe, uchitha yonke imihla, - umhlengikazi wazisola. - Njengoko uhleli, kwaye uhleli. Akukho tshintsho.
Ndiyayifuna ngokwenene, "ndathi. Ulyanka wayehleli kwindawo efanayo nangaphambili.
Wobbled kusuka kwicala ukuya kwelinye icala , wayejonge ngaphaya kwimizuzu yakhe ehamba phambili kwaye wayibhala incwadi ebandleni . Ndancika kuye, ndagubha intloko yam ndaza ndathi:
- Ulyanka! Intombi yam uyintombi yam! U-Elvira akazange eze kwintandane. Ulungile. Uhlala endlwini yam ngoku kwaye ulindele wena! Kunokuba uhambe kakuhle, Mama! Sifuna ngokwenene ... ndiya kuza kuwe, ndikuxelele ngentombi yam, kwaye ufumane amandla. Ngoku sitsapho ... u-Ulyanka wayesengxolisa, kodwa kwakubonakala ngathi iinyembezi zanyuka kumagumbi akhe amehlo amakhulu. Hayi, ntombazana yam! Musa ukuyeka! Ulonwabo lwakho, oluhle-luhlaza kunye nokumomotheka, ulindele wena. Unokwenza! Uza kukhupha itare ephosakeleyo kwaye ngokuqinisekileyo uya kubuya ... kwaye siya kulinda! Ndiyakholwa ukuba ummangaliso uya kwenzeka!