Cry, The Beloved Country Book 2, Chapter 27

Mrs. Lithebe talks to Gertrude about her behavior. It is not exactly wrong, but it is too careless, especially when her brother, a priest, has suffered so much already. Gertrude says she wants to leave Johannesburg because she does not know what to do there, but Mrs. Lithebe tells her that even in Ndotsheni she will find people ready to corrupt her. Gertrude will not accept responsibility: she says the problem is Johannesburg. Someone comes up the walk, so they stop talking. It is a woman with a newspaper. The top story is another murder of a white householder by a native. This is very bad for Absalom's case: the judge will read the paper and is likely to think that, since the problem of native crime is so serious, it should be punished severely. They hide the newspaper from Kumalo when he arrives, and they eat dinner at home because the Mission House will be full of the news. Then they go to a church meeting, where a woman talks about becoming a nun. Later, Gertrude tells Mrs. Lithebe that she is inspired: she is thinking of becoming a nun too. Mrs. Lithebe is happy, but wants to make sure Gertrude is serious before telling anyone. Gertrude tells the girl also, and makes her promise to take good care of her son if she should join a convent.