Kufunwa uLorna |
The search for Lorna |
U Daisy Hamilton wayengumseshi |
Daisy Hamilton was a private detective. |
Wayeneminyaka engamashumi amathathu ubudala futhi esebe ngumseshi
iminyaka emibili. |
She was thirty years old and had been a detective for
the past two years. |
Njalo ekuseni wayeya ehhovisi lakhe alindele izingcingo ezingenayo
noma amakhasimende azofuna usizo lwakhe. |
Every morning she went to her office to wait for
phone calls or open the door to clients needing her services. |
U Daisy lona wayengaziwa kakhulu kwakuthi kodwa ngezinye izikhathi
abantu bamshayele ucingo uma bebone igama lakhe kwiphephandaba
lendawo. |
Daisy wasn't very well known yet but occasionally
people telephoned her from the advertisement she had put in the
local newspaper. |
Kwathi ngelinye ilanga ekuseni ngehora leshumi nomuvo,wezwa
kungqongqoza othile emnyango. |
One morning at about eleven o'clock someone knocked
on her office door. |
Kwakuyisidudla sentokazi esasiqgoke isikhafu soboya entanyeni. |
It was a fat lady who wore a fur around her neck. |
“Sawubona,ngingakusiza?”kubuza uDaisy. “Ungangena uhlale phansi” |
"Hello, can I help you?" Daisy asked the lady.
"Please come and sit down." |
“Awu bantu yebo! Ngiludinga kabi usizo lwakho” |
"Oh yes indeed! I need your help desperately. |
“Umntanami,uLorna
unyamalele.Angazi ngizokwenze njani” |
Lorna, my little one has disappeared. I don't know
what to do." |
UDaisy wanika lesisidudla inkomishi yekhofi futhi walinda ukuthi
size nazo. |
Daisy offered the fat lady a cup of instant coffee
and awaited the details. |
Isidudla sahlala phansi ngokukhathazeka,sabeka isikhwama saso
sesikhumba edesikini lika Daisy. |
The fat lady sat down heavily and put her large red
leather handbag on Daisy's desk. |
“Ngixoxele konke okwenzekile-Nkosikazi…? |
"Please tell me everything - Mrs. ...?" |
“Ngingu Nkosikazi Edwina Humphries.Nginovalo lokuthi bazongifuna
imali-Ngesabela ukuthi sengathi uLorna uduniwe!” |
"Mrs. Edwina Humphries is my name. I am afraid they
will ask me for money - I'm afraid Lorna has been kidnapped!" |
“Hhawu kwakubi,Nkkz Humphries.uMnu.Humphries naye ucabanga ukuthi
uLorna uduniwe?” |
"That's terrible, Mrs. Humphries. Does Mr. Humphries,
too, think Lorna has been kidnapped?" |
“Umyeni wami akandaba ukuthi uLorna uduniwe noma cha!” |
"My husband is not interested if Lorna has been
kidnapped or not!" |
“Ngempela Nkkz Humphries?Kodwa uthi umyeni wakho ungubaba kaLorna
ngempela?” |
"Really, Mrs. Humphries? But is your husband Lorna's
real father?" |
“Angazi uchaza ukuthini.Samthenga naye uLorna”sekuphendula uNkkz
Humphries |
"I don't know what you mean. We bought Lorna
together," replied Mrs. Humphries. |
“Wathenga…..Nkkz Humphries,ayikho emthethweni leyonto,uyazi.” |
"You bought ............Mrs. Humphries, that's
illegal, you know." |
“Cha ayikho vele,hhayi eNdiya!” |
"No it isn't, not in India!" |
“Nathenga uLorna eNdiya?” |
"You bought Lorna in India?" |
“Impela!Futhi nje ave engichithisa kahle isizingu,uyazi.” |
"Yes indeed! And she always keeps me great company,
you know." |
Unkkz Humphries wavula iskhwama sakhe esikhulu sesikhumba wakhipha
iduku. |
Mrs. Humphries opened her huge leather bag to pull
out a handkerchief. |
Eshaqekile uDaisy wabona inunu enyakazayo iqathaka esikhwameni. |
With horror Daisy saw a wiggling creature come out of
that bag. |
“Nkkz Humphries susa lento,sheshisa!”kuklabalasa uDaisy |
"Mrs. Humphries - move that away immediately!"
screamed Daisy. |
“Yini?Awu Lorna-nigze ngikuthole ekugcineni”kusho uNkkz
Humphries.”ubucashe esikhwameni sami-lentombazanyana eyisigangi le!” |
"What? Oh Lorna - I've found you at last!" said Mrs.
Humphries."You hid in my bag - you naughty girl!" |
“Nkkz Humphries.Lona nguLorna?” |
"Mrs. Humphries. This is Lorna?" |
“Yebo,inyoka yethu yasemaxhaphozini aseBengal.Awu ngiyabonga
sithandwa sami.Cha,angiboni ngisazoludinga usizo lwakho!” |
"Yes, our Bengali swamp snake. Oh thank you my dear.
No, I don't think I need your services any longer!" |
Njengoba uDaisy evala umnyango washo ngenhliziyo ukuthi useyobhala
ephephandabeni ukuthi:izilwane azifuneki,izinyoka azifuneki. |
As Daisy shut the door after Mrs. Humphries, she made
a mental note to write in the advertisement: no animals, no snakes. |