3. Nn̄g-lâng lóng hông sàng lâi pēⁿ-īⁿ
Stuffy Pete gia̍h-thâu khòaⁿ i pòaⁿ hun-cheng, tio̍h-kip koh bô-ta-ôa, kám-kak ka-tī bô-siá-sì. Lāu Sin-sū ê ba̍k-chiu siám-sih tio̍h si-siá ê khoài-lo̍k. I ê bīn chi̍t-nî chi̍t-nî jiâu, m̄-koh i he sió-sió ê o͘-sek niá-kat iáu-sī chiâⁿ chhio-tiô, siatchuh súi koh pe̍h, á i hit nn̄g-phiat phú-sek ê téng-tûn-chhiu, hó-lé-á lián kah bóe khiàu-khiàu. Hit-sî, Stuffy chhut chi̍t-ê siaⁿ, thiaⁿ khí-lâi ná sī tāu-á tī oe-á nih kún-pho. I goân-pún sī boeh kóng-ōe; iū in-ūi Lāu Sin-sū bat thiaⁿ kòe chit-lō siaⁿ káu-kái, i tō chèng-sek kā he siaⁿ tòng-chò sī Stuffy chiap-siū ê lāu hong-sek.
"To-siā, sian-siⁿ. Góa tòe lí khì, chiâⁿ kám-siā. Góa chin iau, sian-siⁿ."
Tiùⁿ kah thâu-hîn ba̍k-àm pèng bô chó͘-tòng Stuffy ê sìn-liām: i sī chi̍t-ê Chè-tō͘ ê ki-chhó͘. I ê Kám-un-cheh ê ūi-kháu m̄-sī i ka-tī ê; sī sio̍k-tī chit-ūi í-keng iu-sian chiàm-tio̍h ê jîn-chû lāu sin-sū; in-ūi siat-sú bô kin-kì si̍t-chè ê Khí-sò͘ Kî-hān-hoat, mā tio̍h khó-lī chū-lâi hong-sio̍k ê choân-pō͘ sîn-sèng ê khoân-lī. Tio̍h, Bí-kok sī chū-iû kok-ka; m̄-koh ūi-tio̍h boeh kiàn-li̍p thoân-thóng, tio̍h ū-lâng tiông-ho̍k lâi chò -- ná-chhiūⁿ sûn-khoân ê sió-sò͘. Eng-hiông bô it-tēng tō iōng kǹg-thih kap n̂g-kim. Lí khòaⁿ, chia ū chi̍t-ê eng-hiông, i kan-ta iōng chhìn-chhái tō͘ gîn ê thih kap iōng siah chò bú-khì.
Lāu Sin-sū niá-chhōa i ê nî-tō͘ lâng-kheh ǹg lâm kàu pn̄g-tiàm, kiâⁿ kàu kāng chi̍t-tè pān-toh ê ūi. Pa̍t-lâng ē-jīn-tit in.
"Lāu-hóe-á lâi ah," chi̍t-ê cháu-toh kóng, "ta̍t-nî Kám-un-cheh i lóng chhiám kāng it-ê sàn-chhiah chia̍h chi̍t-tùn."
Lāu Sin-sū chē tī toh-á tùi-bīn, bīn-tùi i he bī-lâi kó͘-ló thoân-thóng ê ki-chhó͘ ná chhiūⁿ chi̍t-lia̍p hun-o͘ ê chin-chu teh hoat-kng. Cháu-toh kā toh-téng pâi móa kà-ji̍t ê chia̍h-mi̍h -- á Stuffy thó͘ chi̍t-ê tōa-khùi, he pa̍t-lâng kā tòng-chò he sī teh iau ê piáu-chêng, tō gia̍h khí to-á kap chhiám-á, ūi ka-tī tiau-khek chi̍t-téng put-hiú ê ông-koan.
M̄-bat ū koh-khah ióng ê eng-hiông án-ne chiàn kòe te̍k-kun. Hóe-ke, bah-pâi, thng, chhài, piáⁿ, sûi phâng chhut-lâi sûi tō chia̍h liáu-liáu. Tú ji̍p-lâi pn̄g-tiàm ê sî, i tiùⁿ kah, chia̍h-mi̍h ê khì-bī hō͘ i kiông boeh sit khì sin-sū ê thé-biān, m̄-koh i ná chhiūⁿ chin-chiàⁿ ê kiap-sū chín-chok khí-lâi. I tī Lāu Sin-sū ê bīn khòaⁿ tio̍h chò siān-sū ê khoài-lo̍k piáu-chêng -- chi̍t-ê pí tiàu-cheng-hoe kap ornithoptera amphrisius ia̍h-á hō͘ i ê koh-khah khoài-lo̍k ê piáu-chêng -- á i put jím-sim khòaⁿ che piáu-chêng bô--khì.
Chi̍t tiám-cheng liáu-āu, Stuffy chiàn-iâⁿ, chē tò-thèⁿ. "Chin to-siā lí, sian-siⁿ," i ná làu-khùi ê cheng-khì-kóng án-ne thó͘-khùi; "chin to-siā lí chhiong-móa ài-sim ê chit-tǹg." Án-ne liáu, i tōa-la̍t peh khí-lâi, ba̍k-chiu tián-tōa, kiâⁿ ǹg chàu-kha khì. Chi̍t-ê cháu-toh kā i ná kan-lo̍k án-ne se̍h kòe-lâi, kā sak hiòng mn̂g-kháu. Lāu Sin-sū sio-sim khêng chhut $1.30 ê gîn-kak-á, koh lâu saⁿ ê nikél sió-hùi hō͘ cháu-toh.
In kap ta̍k-nî kāng-khoán, tī mn̂g-kháu hun-khui, Lāu Sin-sū kiâⁿ ǹg lâm, Stuffy ǹg pak.
Tī tē-it ê oat-kak Stuffy oat kòe, tī hia khiā chi̍t-hun-cheng. Jiân-āu, i ê phòa-nōa-saⁿ ná chhiūⁿ niau-thâu-chiáu ê mo͘ chhàng khí-lâi án-ne piak phòa khì, á i ná chhiūⁿ bé-á tio̍h-soa án-ne poa̍h-tó tī jîn-hêng-tō.
Kiù-hō͘-chhia lâi ê sî, siàu-liân ê gōa-kho i-seng kap su-ki lóng khin-siaⁿ khàu-pē i ná ē hiah-nī tāng. Bô wiski ê khì-bī, tō m̄-bián kā i kau hō͘ kéng-chhat ê sûn-lô-chhia. Chū án-ne, Stuffy hām i hit nn̄g-tǹg pn̄g tō khì kàu pēⁿ-īⁿ. Tī hia, in kā i pàng pêⁿ tó tī pēⁿ-chhn̂g, khai-sí kiám-cha khòaⁿ sī siáⁿ-mih koài pēⁿ, hi-bāng ùi i ê sin-khu chhōe tio̍h bó͘-chióng būn-tê.
Lí khòaⁿ! chi̍t-tiám-cheng liáu-āu, lēng-gōa chi̍t-tâi kiù-hō͘-chhia chài Lāu Sin-sū lâi ah. In hō͘ i tó tī lēng-gōa chi̍t-tè pēⁿ-chhn̂g, kóng i ū mô͘-tn̂g-iām, in-ūi i khòaⁿ tio̍h khah ū-chîⁿ thang la̍p-siàu.
M̄-koh bô kú, chi̍t-ê siàu-liân i-seng tú tio̍h chi̍t-ê siàu-liân hō͘-sū, i chin kah-ì yi ê ba̍k-chiu, tō tòng-tiām kap yi thó-lūn pēⁿ-lâng.
"Hia hit-ê thé-bīn ê lāu sin-sū," i kóng, "lí khó-lêng siūⁿ bē-kàu, i sī in-ūi iau-kòe-ki. Góa ioh, i sī lâi-chū ài-bīn-chú ê lāu-sek ka-têng. I kā góa kóng, i í-keng saⁿ-kang bô chia̍h mi̍h-kiāⁿ ah."
[Soah]
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3. 兩人 lóng hông 送來病院
Stuffy Pete 攑頭看伊半分鐘, 著急 koh 無 ta-ôa, 感覺 ka-tī 無捨世. 老紳士 ê 目睭閃爍著施捨 ê 快樂. 伊 ê 面一年一年皺, m̄-koh 伊彼小小 ê 烏色領結猶是誠𪁎趒, siatchuh 媠 koh 白, á 伊彼兩撇殕色 ê 頂唇鬚, 好禮仔撚 kah 尾翹翹. 彼時, Stuffy 出一个聲, 聽起來 ná 是豆仔 tī 鍋仔 nih 滾泡. 伊原本是欲講話; 又因為老紳士 bat 聽過 chit-lō 聲九改, 伊 tō 正式 kā he 聲當做是 Stuffy 接受 ê 老方式.
"多謝, 先生. 我綴你去, 誠感謝. 我真枵, 先生."
脹 kah 頭眩目暗並無阻擋 Stuffy ê 信念: 伊是一个制度 ê 基礎. 伊 ê 感恩節 ê 胃口毋是伊 ka-tī ê; 是屬 tī 這位已經優先佔著 ê 仁慈老紳士; 因為設使無根據實際 ê 起訴期限法, mā 著考慮自來風俗 ê 全部神聖 ê 權利. 著, 美國是自由國家; m̄-koh 為著欲建立傳統, 著有人重複來做 -- ná 像循環 ê 小數. 英雄無一定 tō 用鋼鐵 kap 黃金. 你看, chia 有一个英雄, 伊干焦用凊彩鍍銀 ê 鐵 kap 用錫做武器.
老紳士領 chhōa 伊 ê 年度人客 ǹg 南到飯店, 行到仝一塊辦桌 ê 位. 別人會認得 in.
"老伙仔來 ah," 一个走桌講, "ta̍t 年感恩節伊 lóng chhiám 仝 it 个散赤食一 tùn."
老紳士坐 tī 桌仔對面, 面對伊彼未來古老傳統 ê 基礎 ná 像一粒燻烏 ê 真珠 teh 發光. 走桌 kā 桌頂排滿假日 ê chia̍h-mi̍h -- á Stuffy 吐一个大氣, he 別人 kā 當做 he 是 teh 枵 ê 表情, tō 攑起刀仔 kap 攕仔, 為 ka-tī 雕刻一頂不朽 ê 王冠.
毋 bat 有 koh 較勇 ê 英雄 án-ne 戰過敵軍. 火雞, 肉排, 湯, 菜, 餅, 隨捀出來隨 tō 食了了. 拄入來飯店 ê 時, 伊脹 kah, chia̍h-mi̍h ê 氣味予伊強欲失去紳士 ê 體面, m̄-koh 伊 ná 像真正 ê 俠士振作起來. 伊 tī 老紳士 ê 面看著做善事 ê 快樂表情 -- 一个比吊鐘花 kap ornithoptera amphrisius 蝶仔予伊 ê koh 較快樂 ê 表情 -- á 伊不忍心看這表情無去.
一點鐘了後, Stuffy 戰贏, 坐倒牚. "真多謝你, 先生," 伊 ná làu 氣 ê 蒸氣管 án-ne 吐氣; "真多謝你充滿愛心 ê 這頓." Án-ne 了, 伊大力 peh 起來, 目睭展大, 行 ǹg 灶跤去. 一个走桌 kā 伊 ná 干樂 án-ne 踅過來, kā 捒向門口. 老紳士小心 khêng 出 $1.30 ê 銀角仔, koh 留三个 nikél 小費予走桌.
In kap 逐年仝款, tī 門口分開, 老紳士行 ǹg 南, Stuffy ǹg 北.
Tī 第一个斡角 Stuffy 斡過, tī hia 徛一分鐘. 然後, 伊 ê 破爛衫 ná 像貓頭鳥 ê 毛聳起來 án-ne 煏破去, á 伊 ná 像馬仔著痧 án-ne 跋倒 tī 人行道.
救護車來 ê 時, 少年 ê 外科醫生 kap 司機 lóng 輕聲哭爸伊那會 hiah-nī 重. 無 wiski ê 氣味, tō 毋免 kā 伊交予警察 ê 巡邏車. 自 án-ne, Stuffy 和伊彼兩頓飯 tō 去到病院. Tī hia, in kā 伊放平倒 tī 病床, 開始檢查看是啥物怪病, 希望 ùi 伊 ê 身軀揣著某種問題.
你看! 一點鐘了後, 另外一台救護車載老紳士來 ah. In 予伊倒 tī 另外一塊病床, 講伊有盲腸炎, 因為伊看著較有錢通納數.
M̄-koh 無久, 一个少年醫生拄著一个少年護士, 伊真佮意她 ê 目睭, tō 擋恬 kap 她討論病人.
"Hia 彼个體面 ê 老紳士," 伊講, "你可能想袂到, 伊是因為枵過飢. 我臆, 伊是來自愛面子 ê 老式家庭. 伊 kā 我講, 伊已經三工無食物件 ah."
[煞]
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3.
Stuffy Pete looked up at him for a half minute, stewing and helpless in his own self-pity. The Old Gentleman's eyes were bright with the giving-pleasure. His face was getting more lined each year, but his little black necktie was in as jaunty a bow as ever, and the linen was beautiful and white, and his gray mustache was curled carefully at the ends. And then Stuffy made a noise that sounded like peas bubbling in a pot. Speech was intended; and as the Old Gentleman had heard the sounds nine times before, he rightly construed them into Stuffy's old formula of acceptance.
"Thankee, sir. I'll go with ye, and much obliged. I'm very hungry, sir."
The coma of repletion had not prevented from entering Stuffy's mind the conviction that he was the basis of an Institution. His Thanksgiving appetite was not his own; it belonged by all the sacred rights of established custom, if not, by the actual Statute of Limitations, to this kind old gentleman who bad preempted it. True, America is free; but in order to establish tradition some one must be a repetend--a repeating decimal. The heroes are not all heroes of steel and gold. See one here that wielded only weapons of iron, badly silvered, and tin.
The Old Gentleman led his annual protege southward to the restaurant, and to the table where the feast had always occurred. They were recognized.
"Here comes de old guy," said a waiter, "dat blows dat same bum to a meal every Thanksgiving."
The Old Gentleman sat across the table glowing like a smoked pearl at his corner-stone of future ancient Tradition. The waiters heaped the table with holiday food--and Stuffy, with a sigh that was mistaken for hunger's expression, raised knife and fork and carved for himself a crown of imperishable bay.
No more valiant hero ever fought his way through the ranks of an enemy. Turkey, chops, soups, vegetables, pies, disappeared before him as fast as they could be served. Gorged nearly to the uttermost when he entered the restaurant, the smell of food had almost caused him to lose his honor as a gentleman, but he rallied like a true knight. He saw the look of beneficent happiness on the Old Gentleman's face--a happier look than even the fuchsias and the ornithoptera amphrisius had ever brought to it--and he had not the heart to see it wane.
In an hour Stuffy leaned back with a battle won. "Thankee kindly, sir," he puffed like a leaky steam pipe; "thankee kindly for a hearty meal." Then he arose heavily with glazed eyes and started toward the kitchen. A waiter turned him about like a top, and pointed him toward the door. The Old Gentleman carefully counted out $1.30 in silver change, leaving three nickels for the waiter.
They parted as they did each year at the door, the Old Gentleman going south, Stuffy north.
Around the first corner Stuffy turned, and stood for one minute. Then he seemed to puff out his rags as an owl puffs out his feathers, and fell to the sidewalk like a sunstricken horse.
When the ambulance came the young surgeon and the driver cursed softly at his weight. There was no smell of whiskey to justify a transfer to the patrol wagon, so Stuffy and his two dinners went to the hospital. There they stretched him on a bed and began to test him for strange diseases, with the hope of getting a chance at some problem with the bare steel.
And lo! an hour later another ambulance brought the Old Gentleman. And they laid him on another bed and spoke of appendicitis, for he looked good for the bill.
But pretty soon one of the young doctors met one of the young nurses whose eyes he liked, and stopped to chat with her about the cases.
"That nice old gentleman over there, now," he said, "you wouldn't think that was a case of almost starvation. Proud old family, I guess. He told me he hadn't eaten a thing for three days."
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