URaymond Thornton Chandler
Upase eyakhe ubuntwana kunye nolutsha eNgilane nalapho ebesebenza njengentatheli. Usebenze kwi IMfazwe Yehlabathi yokuqala Ekupheleni kwembambano wabuyela eUnited States wahlala eKhalifoniya. Ndiqale ukubhala amabali eyaziwayo iimagazini ezingabizi isini esimnyama (oko kubizwa ngokuba udumbaxa wayeneminyaka engama-45 ubudala.
Iphupha elingunaphakade (Ngo-1939) yayingowakhe inoveli yokuqala Apho ebonakalisa iasidi, inyanzelisa kodwa ikwanemvakalelo UFilipu Marlowe, ngubani obekade ene-7 kubo kunye namabali ama-2. Ukusuka apho ke wabopha imixokelelwane ngokulinganayo ngempumelelo, uninzi lwazo isiwe kwiimuvi, apho wayekwangumbhali wesikrini kwiminyaka yoo-40.
Amabinzana namaqhekeza
Inenekazi leLake
Iphupha elingunaphakade
- Kwakuyintsimbi yeshumi elinanye kusasa, phakathi ku-Okthobha. Ilanga belingakhanyi kwaye ekucaceni kweentaba bekucaca ukuba iyanetha. Ndandinxibe isuti yam eblowu eblowu nehempe emnyama eblowu, itayi ne tshefu emibalabala epokothweni, izihlangu ezimnyama neekawusi zoboya zombala ofanayo zichetywe ngombala omnyama oluhlaza. Wayecocekile, ecocekile, kwaye eqokelelwe, kwaye andikhathali nokuba uyabonisa. Wayeyinto yonke ekufanele ukuba yiyo umcuphi wabucala. Ndiza kundwendwela izigidi ezine zeerandi.
- Ndineminyaka engamashumi amathathu anesithathu ubudala, ndiye eyunivesithi okwethutyana kwaye ndisakwazi ukuthetha isiNgesi ukuba umntu undicela ukuba ndenze njalo, nto leyo engafane yenzeke emsebenzini wam. Ndakhe ndasebenza njengomphenyi kaMnu. Wilde, iGqwetha leSithili. Umphenyi oyintloko, umntu ogama linguBernie Ohls, wanditsalela umnxeba wathi ufuna ukundibona. Andikatshati kuba andibathandi abantu ababhinqileyo abangamapolisa.
Ixesha elide
- Ndijonge umcu wolusu oluthuthu oluvele phakathi kolusu olushushu lwamathanga akhe kunye nomnatha. Ndimbukele ngokwenyama. Emva koko yanyamalala emehlweni am, ifihlwe kuphahla oluthambekileyo. Emzuzwini kamva ndambona esihla okweentolo esenza into enye enesiqingatha. Ukuqaqamba kuphakame ngokwaneleyo ukufikelela elangeni kwaye kwenze iimnyama ezininzi zaba ntle njengentombazana uqobo. Emva koko wabuyela kwizinyuko wakhulula ikepusi yakhe emhlophe wanikina iinwele zakhe. Wajija ihiphu yakhe wayibeka kwitafile emhlophe wachopha ecaleni komthi womthi onxibe ibhulukhwe emhlophe yomqhaphu watshaya iiglasi watshisa wangabinanto angayenza ngaphandle komgcini wedama. Ungqiyame ngempama ethangeni lakhe. Wavula umlomo ongangesicima-mlilo wahleka. Oko kwawuphelisa umdla wam kuye. Khange ndimve ehleka, kodwa umsantsa ebusweni bakhe xa evula i-zip kumazinyo akhe ubanele kum.
- Kukho iindawo apho amapolisa engazondwa, Commissioner. Kodwa kwezo ndawo ngekhe ubelipolisa.
Bye unodoli
- Kwimpahla enjalo, isifundo sasingabonakali, kufana ne-tarantula kwipayi yekrimu.
Ukudlala
UnguMarlowe, akunjalo?
-Ewe, ndicinga njalo. "Ndijonge iwotshi yam yesihlahla." Kwakuyintsimbi yesithandathu kusasa, awulilo elona xesha lam lihle.
-Sukungabinamdla kum, mfana.
Uxolo, Mnumzana Umney, kodwa andimncinci; Ndimdala, ndidiniwe, kwaye khange ndibenethontsi lekofu. Yintoni endinokukunceda?