The Cost of Sugar(49)

Sarith decided that enough was enough. “Untie her,”119 she said. She turned and went into the house, followed by Mini-mini, still weeping.

When she had gone, Kwasiba and the cook ran to the tree to help the basya untie Ashana. The errand boy was sent to fetch the medicine woman. Still unconscious, Ashana was laid on the ground. The medicine woman washed her face and her back, and another woman fetched water from the well.

When Ashana came round, the women wanted to take her into the house, but with a faint voice she said, “No, don’t take me into the house; take me to the slaves’ quarters.”





FATHER LEVI


Levi Fernandez returned home that afternoon. He was tired. It had rained. He had got soaking wet while riding through his friend’s fields on horseback. He had pain in his back and was stiff from sitting so long in the boat with his wet clothes on. He was so looking forward to a warm bath and a sturdy massage from Ashana, who could get rid of his back pain with her nimble fingers. When he went through the house to the rear veranda, where he always found Ashana waiting for him in the old rocking chair, she wasn’t there. “Where is Ashana?” he asked his wife, surprised.

“Ashana is ill,” came the answer.

“Ashana ill?” That never happened. He started to walk towards Ashana’s room, which was next to the kitchen, but Rachel said, “She isn’t there. She’s in one of the slave huts. Kwasiba has seen to your water and towel and if you want she can give you a massage, too.”

“No, don’t bother,” said Levi. It was Ashana’s massage that did him good, and if she was ill today he could wait until tomorrow. He asked no more questions, and went to bed early that evening.

The following morning he was up early. He noticed that it was not Ashana but Kwasiba who brought him his coffee. Later he would go and see what was the matter with Ashana.

He walked towards the waterfront, and his own slave, Sydni, who was always at his side, came and stood next to him. Sydni said softly, “Masra really doesn’t know what has happened to Ashana?”120

“No, what has happened?”121 asked Levi. He had thought that Ashana simply did not feel well.

“Misi Sarith has had her whipped. The basya had to tie her up and whip her. The basya didn’t want to do it, but Sarith whipped him, too.”122

“What!” cried Levi. “Where is Ashana now?”123

“She is at the medicine woman’s.”124

As quickly as his feet could carry him, Levi went to the medicine woman’s hut, threw open the door, and went into the small room, where he saw Ashana lying moaning on a mat in the corner.

In one step he was at her side and knelt down. He saw the totally raw, bloody back and whispered, “Ashana, oh Ashana.”

Ashana, who had been lying facing the wall, now turned her head and said softly, “Masra, you’ve come to me, masra.”125

The medicine woman had left the room silently.

“Ashana, why has she whipped you? What have you done?”126

“Leave it, masra, it is done. Water, I need water.”127

Levi looked around and saw in another corner a gourd containing some water. With a smaller gourd he took some of the water and gave it to her to drink. With his hand covering his mouth he looked at the terrible wounds covering Ashana’s back from top to bottom. All kinds of thoughts and emotions raced through his mind as he stood there. He felt confused, but above all he was angry with that child, that Sarith, who had done this, and with his wife, who had told him nothing but had just said, “Ashana is ill.” He called the medicine woman and said to her, “Do everything for her and make her better.”128

The medicine woman bowed and nodded, “Yes, masra, I will do whatever I can.”129

Levi went into his house. With great strides he went up the stairs and burst into Sarith’s room, not stopping to knock.

“Why have you done this?” he shouted at Sarith, who was still in bed.

A shocked Sarith realized immediately that this was about Ashana. When she gave no answer, he grabbed her by the shoulder and shook her, shouting, “Why, Sarith, why?”

Rebecca came hurrying in, and Sarith screamed, “Let go of me! She insulted me. That’s why. She insulted me!”

“What insult can possibly be so bad that you need to have her thrashed like this? Tell me, what insult?”

He still had Sarith by the shoulder, shaking her. The top of her nightdress slipped from her shoulder.

“Levi, stop it, stop it!” Rachel stood in the doorway.

Levi suddenly realized that he was in his stepdaughter’s bedroom, with her almost half naked in bed. Shaking his head, he went towards the door.