Chapter 34 Summary

Nhamo stays at Efifi and helps whoever will let her. She tries to be at once invisible, so they won't send her away, and helpful, so they will not send her away. They tolerate her somewhat good-naturedly, although she clearly can get in the way. Baba Joseph, the old man, likes having her around. He is of a religion called vapostori, which observes Saturday as a holy day, so he likes having Nhamo to tend his animals on Saturdays.

Nhamo lurks around when the adults gather, to listen to them talk. The doctor she calls Mother, Dr. Masuku, is not married, calling marriage the same as slavery. However, the white doctor, Dr. van Heerden, thinks she should get married and have children. He says Nhamo has certainly taken to her like a mother. Dr. Masuku replies that she was just the first one...