北派小说网

A fair brideprice（第1页）

Afairbride-pribsp;

合理的聘礼

Afewyearsago，asacollegestudent，IjouroKenyaonamissiohasanization。ThegoalforthetenofuswastostructaschoolasaivillageandtamesandskitswiththelocalMasai。NoneofushadevertraveledtoAfricabefore，andthedeepdvibrancyofthelandsdpeoplemadeusaprofoundimpression。

Ourdriver，Frances，wasablaedMasaimanwithabrilliantsmile。Oneevening，FraodeliveraMasaichieftothelocalhospitaldaskedifaoa。Ivolunteered，andonceourerrandleted，webegay-minutejourneybatotown。IknewFranceswasmarriedandaskedhimhowhehadfirstmethiswife。

“IwasfifteenyearsoldwhenIfirstmetMary，”hetoldme。“Shewasgwateratthetoiththeotherithmyfriendsandshowedoffinfrontofherasboysdo，butweneverspoke。ThefirsttimeIsawherIthoughtshewasanangel。Shewassobeautiful，andhersmilelitupeverythingandeveryonearoundher。”

&ohideasmileofhisowon。

“TheproblemwasthatMaryisaKikuyu，andIamaMasai。Thetwobribeshaveahistoryofhatredandbloodbaths。Theydonotintermarryortrusteachother。Theydonotevenspeak。”

HeexplaiwoyearswentbybeforehesawMaryagaiheeenyearsoldandabouttoleaveforNairobitoatteeacherscollege。Theysptime。Hewaoaskwhereshestayedsothathewouldnotlaiedthathisegogotintheway。Instead，hedecidedtogiveherhisaddressinhatifshereallylikedhimshewouldwrite。

Shedid。

&woyearsofdeheylovedeachotherdeeplyamarried，butbothofthemworriedthattheirfamiliesandtribeswouldshuheirrelatioheless，withgreathumblenessay，Francesapproachedherparentstoaskhowmuchofabride-pricetheywantedforher。

InKenyaabride-price，isoftentheonlymeansafamilyhastogaih。Ahealthy，hard-wfemalemightbringmanycows。Statusisveryimportant。

Hewasnervousandsaid，“IamjustapoorschoolteadIhaven’tmuey。ButIlhterandwanttomarryher。Iwillpayanythingyouask。”

Mary’sparehimahereismuchtodotoplahisisacelebration!Wewilldiscussthebride-prithetwoofyouaresettled。”

Frameandsaid，“Thatwasunheardeneverocentfirst。AweenKikuyusandMasais。。。ittionalsituation。”

&bybeforetheyhadtheirfirstchild。HereturoMary’sparentsandagaihebride-price。AsheandMaryweresobusywithaheytoldhimthatheshouldwaituntilthingscalmeddo

Severalmoreyearspassed，andtheyhadanotherchild。HereturoMary’sparentsahelehisdebt。On，hesaidthatheoorschoolteaohatheyahewouldpayanything。

Mary’smotheraskedhim，“Whatdoyouthinkisafairprice?”

Franceslaughedandrepliedasajoke，“Alifetimeofloveaionfromyourloyalson-in-law!”

Mary’smothersmiledsoftlyaisenough。Thebride-pricehasbeenpaid。”

Franceswassilentforatime，andtearsspilledoverhischeeksashedrove。

“Haveyouevertoldyourwifeexactlyhowyoufeel?”Iaskedsuddenly。“Haveyoueversaid，‘ThefirsttimeIsawyouIthoughtyel。Youweresobeautiful。。。?’”Fraed。“Ofasaimendon’ttalklikethat。Allwomenknowifthey’rebeautiful。Theyjustolookinamirror。Besides，we’vebeenmarriednowforfifteewouldbesillytallthatupnow。”

“Frances!”Iexclaimed。“Youhavetotellher。Especiallyifyou’vebeenmarriedsolong。agihelookonherfaceifyouwalkedinonedayandsaid，‘Listen，Mary。。。’”

Francesshookhishead。Whilehehadbeensoopen，perhapsIhadoversteppedtheboundaries。SuddenlymyidealsandyouthfulromanticismcollidedsharplywiththewaysofeastAfrica。Werodetherestofthetripinstrainedsilence。

Forthelastdaysofmystay，Franceswasddidosaytome。IwaobreaktheicebutthoughtthatperhapsIhadalreadysaidenough。

AsourmissioedtoclearsintheNairobiairport，aotioasmanrantowardus。“Kristie!”hecalledout。“Istheresomeonehereie?”

Iturnedaroundarahsurprise。

“IhaveamessagetoyoufromFraed。“Hesaystotellyouthathetalkedwithhiswife。。。”