OKUYIGGA LONA |
THE
SEARCH FOR LORNA |
Deyize
Hamilitoni yali mbega nekolera jange. |
Daisy
Hamilton was a private detective. |
Yali wa
myaka asaatu nga obwa mbega abumazeemu emyaka ebiiri. |
She was
thirty years old and had been a detective for the past two
years. |
Buli
kumakya yagenda nga mu yafesi okulinda amasimu oba yena
anajja nga amwetaga omukozesa. |
Every
morning she went to her office to wait for phone calls or
open the door to clients needing her services. |
Deyize
yali tamanyiddwa nnyo naye lumu nalumu bamukubiiranga esimu
nga balabye obulango bweyatenga nga mu mawulire.
|
Daisy
wasn't very well known yet but occasionally people
telephoned her from the advertisement she had put in the
local newspaper. |
Lumu ku
sawa taano ezokumakya, waliwo eyakonkona kuluji lwa yafesi
ye. |
One
morning at about eleven o'clock someone knocked on her
office door. |
Yali
mukyala munenne, nga yesibye ediba mubulago. |
It was a
fat lady who wore a fur around her neck. |
“Nsanyuse okuluba. Tulirirako awo.” Deyize namwaniriza.
“Nkuyambye entya?” |
"Hello,
can I help you?" Daisy asked the lady. "Please come and sit
down." |
“Nyamba
bambi, kino kimpitiriddeko |
"Oh yes
indeed! I need your help desperately. |
Akawala
kange ka Lona kambuzeeko. Simanyi kyakukola.” |
Lorna, my
little one has disappeared. I don't know what to do." |
Deyize
yawa omukyala omunene ka kaawa nga bwalinda ebisingaawo. |
Daisy
offered the fat lady a cup of instant coffee and awaited the
details. |
Omukyala
omunene yekatila wansi natula, nateeka ekisawo kye ekyediba,
ekyomunggalo ekimyufu kumeeza ya Deyize. |
The fat
lady sat down heavily and put her large red leather handbag
on Daisy's desk. |
“Kaale
no mbulira Mukyala…?” |
"Please
tell me everything - Mrs. ...?" |
Nze Mky.
Ediwiina Hamuferi. Ntidde bagenda kunsaba sente. Ntidde,
Lona bamuwambye!” |
"Mrs.
Edwina Humphries is my name. I am afraid they will ask me
for money - I'm afraid Lorna has been kidnapped!" |
“Kitalo
nnyo Mky. Hamuferi. Mwami Hamuferis naye alowooza Lona
bamuwambye?” |
"That's
terrible, Mrs. Humphries. Does Mr. Humphries, too, think
Lorna has been kidnapped?" |
Mwami
wange sibyaliko, oba Lona bamuwambye oba nedda tabiliiko. |
"My
husband is not interested if Lorna has been kidnapped or
not!" |
“yiiyii,
Mky. Hamuferi?! Mwami wo siye taata wa Lona yenyiini?” |
"Really,
Mrs. Humphries? But is your husband Lorna's real father?" |
“Simanyi
kyotegeeza. Twamugula fembi.” |
"I don't
know what you mean. We bought Lorna together," replied Mrs.
Humphries. |
“Mwamugula?? Mr. Hamuferi, ekyo okimanyi kyimenya mateeka.” |
"You
bought ............Mrs. Humphries, that's illegal, you
know." |
“Nedda,
Mubuyindi tekimenya mateeka.” |
"No it
isn't, not in India!" |
“Mwamugula Yindiya?” |
"You
bought Lorna in India?" |
“Iye!
Era abaadde ankuuma!” |
"Yes
indeed! And she always keeps me great company, you know." |
Mky.
Hamuferi yabikula ekisawo kye ekidenene ekya leza okujamu
akatambala komungalo. |
Mrs.
Humphries opened her huge leather bag to pull out a
handkerchief. |
Mukutya
okwamanyi Deyizi yalaba ekintu ekyewalula okuvva munsawo. |
With
horror Daisy saw a wiggling creature come out of that bag. |
“Gwe
Mky. Hamuferi jjawo ekintu ekyo mubwangu.” Deyizi
Yewowogana. |
"Mrs.
Humphries - move that away immediately!" screamed Daisy. |
“Ekyi?
Lona, oluvanyuma nkufunye! Obwedda wekwese munsavo mulalu
gwe!” |
"What? Oh
Lorna - I've found you at last!" said Mrs. Humphries."You
hid in my bag - you naughty girl!" |
“Mky.
Hamuferi. Ono ye Lona?!” |
"Mrs.
Humphries. This is Lorna?" |
“Iyye,
musoga gwa muntobazi za mu Bengali. Webale nnyo nnyo. Naye
kilabika sikyetaaze buyambi bwo.” |
"Yes, our
Bengali swamp snake. Oh thank you my dear. No, I don't think
I need your services any longer!" |
Deyizi
yagala oluji nga Mky. Hamuferi afulumye nga bweyegamba
mumutima ngi olulala akalango kalian okugamba. Ssi bisolo,
ssi misotta. |
As Daisy
shut the door after Mrs. Humphries, she made a mental note
to write in the advertisement: no animals, no snakes. |