4. Grace Ansley hō͘ yi siūⁿ tio̍h tō bē-sóng
Slade Tt theⁿ hiòng-āu, ná teh siūⁿ, yi ê ba̍k-chiu ùi bīn-chêng ê hùi-hi sóa kàu Kó͘ Roma Kóng-tiûⁿ (Forum) ê tn̂g-tn̂g chheⁿ-sek khàng-tē, kàu koh kòe ê kàu-tn̂g chiàⁿ-bīn teh thè-sek ê ji̍t-kng, koh kàu gōa-ûi ê hông-tōa Roma Pí-bú-tiûⁿ (Colosseum). Hut-jiân, yi siūⁿ tio̍h: "Kóng khí-lâi chin hó-thiaⁿ, lán ê chă-gín-á sī chhut-khì hiáng-siū lōng-bān kám-sèng ê goe̍h-kng. M̄-koh, nā kóng Babs Ansley bô kau tio̍h hit-ê siàu-liân hui-hêng-oân -- ū Hâu-chiok (侯爵, Marchese) hiat-thóng hit-ê -- góa tō m̄-chai sī án-chóaⁿ. Jenny kap yi chò-hóe kin-pún bô ki-hōe. Che góa mā chai. Góa siūⁿ, tō sī án-ne, Grace Ansley chóng-sī kah-ì hō͘ yin nn̄g-lâng tâng-chê sì-kè khì. Góa hit-ê khó-liân ê Jenny chí-sī chò pôe-phōaⁿ..." Slade Tt hoat-chhut chi̍t-ê chiok khin ê chhiò siaⁿ, Ansley Tt ká-ná ū thiaⁿ tio̍h, thêng-chí yi ê chiam-sòaⁿ.
"Lí kóng siáⁿ?"
"Góa... oh, bô lah. Góa chí-sī teh siūⁿ, lín Babs chóng-sī kha-chhiú mé-lia̍h. Hit-ê Campolieri cha-po͘ gín-á sī Roma ê chi̍t-ê hó tùi-siōng. Lí m̄-bián tèⁿ-chheⁿ, chhin-ài ê -- lí chin chheng-chhó lah. Góa chí-sī hòⁿ-kî, mā khim-phòe, lí liáu-kái lah hoⁿh... nn̄g-ê chhiūⁿ lí kap Horace chit-chióng phiau-chún jîn-sū ē-tàng seⁿ-chhut chiah-nī oa̍h-thiàu ê gín-á." Slade Tt koh tōa chhiò, ū tām-po̍h chho͘-ló͘ ê hiàn.
Ansley Tt ê chhiú kau chiam ê sok-tō͘ tiām lo̍h-lâi. Yi ê ba̍k-chiu ti̍t-ti̍t khòaⁿ lo̍h kha-ē gōa-bīn jîn-lūi jia̍t-chêng kap hui-hông só͘ lúi-chek lo̍h-lâi ê hùi-hi kó͘-chek. M̄-koh, yi sió-sió ê sin-iáⁿ bô siáⁿ-mih piáu-chêng. Kú-kú liáu, yi kóng, "Góa siūⁿ, lí kā Babs khòaⁿ kah siuⁿ koân ah lah, chhin-ài ê."
Slade Tt ê kháu-khì pàng khah khin-sang ah. "Bô; góa bô. Góa him-sióng yi. Hoān-sè góa mā him-siān lí. Oh, goán cha-bó͘-kiáⁿ bô teh hiâm; Ká-sú góa ū bān-sèng-pēⁿ, góa ē -- hmh, góa siūⁿ góa kam-goān hō͘ yi lâi chiàu-kò͘. Ū-ê sî-chūn... tio̍h lah! Góa it-ti̍t hi-bāng ū chi̍t-ê chhut-sek ê chă-kiáⁿ... m̄-koh, siūⁿ bē-kàu, góa soah tit-tio̍h chi̍t-ê thiⁿ-sài."
Ansley tòe yi ê chhiò-siaⁿ khin-khin nauh kóng, "Babs mā sī chi̍t-ê thiⁿ-sài neh."
"Tong-jiân... tong-jiân! M̄-koh yi ū ná khēng hit-khoán ê si̍t. Hmh, taⁿ yin hām cha-po͘ tī hai-po͘ se̍h, iá lán chē tī chia... hō͘ lán chheng-chheng chhó-chhó koh siūⁿ khí kòe-khì ê chióng-chióng."
Ansley Tt koh kè-sio̍k yi ê chiam-sòaⁿ. Ū-lâng khó-lêng ē siūⁿ-kóng (nā bô hiah-nī liáu-kái yi, Slade Tt án-ne siūⁿ), ùi hiah-ê chong-giâm hùi-hi khiú tn̂g-tn̂g ê ji̍t-iáⁿ nih, mā ē ín-khí yi chē-chē ê kì-tî. M̄-koh, bô; yi kan-ta sī tîm-chùi tī yi ê khang-khòe. Yi bô siáⁿ-mih su-iàu chhau-hoân! Yi chai, Babs tńg-lâi ê sî, choa̍t-tùi í-keng kau tio̍h hit-ê tiâu-kiāⁿ hó ê Campolieri. "Koh-lâi, yi ē kā New York ê chhù bē tiāu, poaⁿ lâi Roma tòa tī in hū-kīn, mā éng-oán bē kā in tîⁿ-kha-pōaⁿ-chhiú... yi ê chhiú-tōaⁿ chin ko-bêng. M̄-koh, yi ē chhiàⁿ chi̍t-ê chhiú-lō͘ hó ê chú-pn̄g-ê, kan-ta iau-chhiáⁿ sek-ha̍p ê lâng lâi phah kiô-pâi a̍h-sī pān chiú-hōe... tī yi ê sun-á tiong-kan tō͘ kòe yi oân-boán, pêng-hô ê lāu-nî."
Slade Tt thêng-chí chit-chióng ī-giân-sek ê khang-siūⁿ, kak-chhat tio̍h ka-tī ê thó-ià. Sè-kan bô lâng chhiūⁿ Grace Ansley hiah-nī hō͘ yi siūⁿ tio̍h tō bē-sóng. Chit-chióng oàn-tò͘ kám ū hoat-tō͘ tī-liâu! Tāi-khài che sī chin kú í-chêng tō khai-sí ah.
Yi khiā khí-lâi, khò óa lō͘-tâi ê kē-chhiûⁿ, kā yi he put-an ê ba̍k-chiu hō͘ che pêng-chēng sî-khek ê kéng-sek chhiong-móa. M̄-koh, put-tān chēng bē lo̍h-lâi, chit-ê kéng-sek ká-ná tian-tò hāi yi koh-khah hóe-to̍h. Yi ê ba̍k-chiu tèng tī Pí-bú-tiûⁿ. Pí-bú-tiûⁿ kim-sek ê chhiûⁿ-bīn í-keng jia tio̍h kiô-sek ê iáⁿ, khàm tī téng-bīn ê thiⁿ ná chúi-chiⁿ hiah-nī thàu-bêng, bô kng-bâng, mā bô sek-chhái. Che sī ē-po͘ kap àm-sî tī pòaⁿ-thiⁿ kau-chiap ê sî-chūn.
Slade Tt oat tńg-lâi, kā chhiú hōaⁿ tī yin pêng-iú ê chhiú-kut. Chit-ê tōng-chok siuⁿ tu̍t-jiân, Ansley Tt kiaⁿ chi̍t-tiô, gia̍h-thâu khòaⁿ yi.
"Ji̍t-thâu lo̍h-soaⁿ ah. Lí kám bē kiaⁿ, chhin-ài ê?"
"Kiaⁿ...?"
"Kiaⁿ tio̍h Roma-jia̍t a̍h sī tio̍h hì-iām! Góa ē-kì-tit hit-nî kôaⁿ-thiⁿ lí pēⁿ kah chiâⁿ tāng. Tī chă-gín-á ê sî, lí ê nâ-âu chin chíⁿ, kám m̄-sī?"
"Oh, lán tī chia téng-koân, bô būn-tê. Tī ē-bīn, tī Kóng-tiûⁿ hia, tō ē léng kah boeh sí, ē hut-jiân léng lo̍h-lâi... m̄-koh chia bē án-ne."
"Ah, lí ē chai, in-ūi lí tio̍h ài chin kín-sīn." Slade Tt koh tńg-khì kē-chhiûⁿ. Yi teh siūⁿ: "Góa tio̍h koh khah phah-piàⁿ chiah ū hoat-tō͘ bē chheh yi." Yi tō tōa-siaⁿ kóng: "Ùi chia khòaⁿ tio̍h Kóng-tiûⁿ, góa ē-kì-tit hit-ê iú-koan lín ko͘-pô ê kò͘-sū, sī bô? Sī chi̍t-ê chiâⁿ ku-koài ê ko͘-pô?"
"Oh, sī ah; he sī Harriet Ko͘-pô. Yi chhiâng-chāi kiò yin sió-mōe tī ji̍t-thâu lo̍h-soaⁿ liáu-āu khì Kóng-tiûⁿ nih bán àm-sî chiah khui ê hoe tńg lâi, thang hō͘ yi gia̍p tī yi ê siu-chi̍p phō͘-á. Goán a-má kap ko͘-pô lóng ū teh siu-chi̍p ta hoe."
Slade Tt tìm-thâu. "M̄-koh yi ē kiò yi khì, sī in-ūi yin nn̄g-lâng lóng ài tio̍h kāng chi̍t-ê cha-po͘."
"Hmh, siu-chi̍p ta-hoe sī ka-cho̍k ê thoân-thóng. In kóng, kúi-ā nî liáu-āu Harriet Ko͘-pô ū sêng-jīn. M̄-koán sī siáⁿ goân-in, hit-ê khó-liân ê sió-mōe jiám-tio̍h Roma-jia̍t, koh sí khì. Iáu sè-hàn ê sî, goán lāu-bú chhiâng-chāi iōng chit-ê kò͘-sū lâi heh goán."
"Hit-nî kôaⁿ-thiⁿ, iáu sī chă-gín-á ê lán lâi chia, lí mā iōng hit-ê kò͘-sū kā góa heh. Hit-nî kôaⁿ-thiⁿ góa hām Delphin tēng-hun."
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4. Grace Ansley 予她想著 tō 袂爽
Slade Tt 撐向後, ná teh 想, 她 ê 目睭 ùi 面前 ê 廢虛徙到古 Roma 廣場 (Forum) ê 長長青色空地, 到 koh 過 ê 教堂正面 teh 退色 ê 日光, koh 到外圍 ê 宏大 Roma 比武場 (Colosseum). 忽然, 她想著: "講起來真好聽, 咱 ê chă 囡仔是出去享受浪漫感性 ê 月光. M̄-koh, 若講 Babs Ansley 無交著彼个少年飛行員 -- 有 Hâu-chiok (侯爵, Marchese) 血統彼个 -- 我 tō 毋知是按怎. Jenny kap 她做伙根本無機會. 這我 mā 知. 我想, tō 是 án-ne, Grace Ansley 總是佮意予姻兩人同齊四界去. 我彼个可憐 ê Jenny 只是做陪伴..." Slade Tt 發出一个足輕 ê 笑聲, Ansley Tt ká-ná 有聽著, 停止她 ê 針線.
"你講啥?"
"我... oh, 無 lah. 我只是 teh 想, 恁 Babs 總是跤手猛掠. 彼个 Campolieri 查埔囡仔是 Roma ê 一个好對象. 你毋免 tèⁿ-chheⁿ, 親愛 ê -- 你真清楚 lah. 我只是好奇, mā 欽佩, 你了解 lah hoⁿh... 兩个像你 kap Horace 這種標準人士會當生出 chiah-nī 活跳 ê 囡仔." Slade Tt koh 大笑, 有淡薄粗魯 ê 羶.
Ansley Tt ê 手勾針 ê 速度恬落來. 她 ê 目睭直直看落跤下外面人類熱情 kap 輝煌所累積落來 ê 廢虛古蹟. M̄-koh, 她小小 ê 身影無啥物表情. 久久了, 她講, "我想, 你 kā Babs 看 kah siuⁿ 懸 ah lah, 親愛 ê."
Slade Tt ê 口氣放較輕鬆 ah. "無; 我無. 我欣賞她. 凡勢我 mā 欣羨你. Oh, 阮查某囝無 teh 嫌; 假使我有慢性病, 我會 -- hmh, 我想我甘願予她來照顧. 有 ê 時陣... 著 lah! 我一直希望有一个出色 ê chă 囝... m̄-koh, 想袂到, 我煞得著一个天使."
Ansley 綴她 ê 笑聲輕輕 nauh 講, "Babs mā 是一个天使 neh."
"當然... 當然! M̄-koh 她有 ná 虹彼款 ê 翼. Hmh, 今姻和查埔 tī 海埔踅, iá 咱坐 tī chia... 予咱清清楚楚 koh 想起過去 ê 種種."
Ansley Tt koh 繼續她 ê 針線. 有人可能會想講 (若無 hiah-nī 了解她, Slade Tt án-ne 想), ùi hiah-ê 莊嚴廢虛搝長長 ê 日影 nih, mā 會引起她濟濟 ê 記持. M̄-koh, 無; 她干焦是沉醉 tī 她 ê 工課. 她無啥物需要操煩! 她知, Babs 轉來 ê 時, 絕對已經交著彼个條件好 ê Campolieri. "Koh 來, 她會 kā New York ê 厝賣掉, 搬來 Roma 蹛 tī in 附近, mā 永遠袂 kā in 纏跤拌手... 她 ê 手段真高明. M̄-koh, 她會倩一个手路好 ê 煮飯 ê, 干焦邀請適合 ê 人來拍橋牌 a̍h 是辦酒會... tī 她 ê 孫仔中間度過她圓滿, 平和 ê 老年."
Slade Tt 停止這種預言式 ê 空想, 覺察著 ka-tī ê 討厭. 世間無人像 Grace Ansley hiah-nī 予她想著 tō 袂爽. 這種怨妒敢有法度治療! 大概這是真久以前 tō 開始 ah.
她徛起來, 靠倚露台 ê 低牆, kā 她 he 不安 ê 目睭予 che 平靜時刻 ê 景色充滿. M̄-koh, 不但靜袂落來, 這个景色 ká-ná 顛倒害她 koh 較火 to̍h. 她 ê 目睭釘 tī 比武場. 比武場金色 ê 牆面已經遮著茄色 ê 影, 崁 tī 頂面 ê 天 ná 水晶 hiah-nī 透明, 無光芒, mā 無色彩. 這是下晡 kap 暗時 tī 半天交接 ê 時陣.
Slade Tt 斡轉來, kā 手扞 tī 姻朋友 ê 手骨. 這个動作 siuⁿ 突然, Ansley Tt 驚一趒, 攑頭看她.
"日頭落山 ah. 你敢袂驚, 親愛 ê?"
"驚...?"
"驚著 Roma 熱 a̍h 是著肺炎! 我會記得彼年寒天你病 kah 誠重. Tī chă 囡仔 ê 時, 你 ê 嚨喉真 chíⁿ, 敢毋是?"
"Oh, 咱 tī chia 頂懸, 無問題. Tī 下面, tī 廣場 hia, tō 會冷 kah 欲死, 會忽然冷落來... m̄-koh chia 袂 án-ne."
"Ah, 你會知, 因為你著愛真謹慎." Slade Tt koh 轉去低牆. 她 teh 想: "我著 koh 較拍拚才有法度袂慼她." 她 tō 大聲講: "Ùi chia 看著廣場, 我會記得彼个有關恁姑婆 ê 故事, 是無? 是一个誠龜怪 ê 姑婆?"
"Oh, 是 ah; 彼是 Harriet 姑婆. 她常在叫姻小妹 tī 日頭落山了後去廣場 nih 挽暗時才開 ê 花轉來, 通予她挾 tī 她 ê 收集簿仔. 阮 a-má kap 姑婆 lóng 有 teh 收集焦花."
Slade Tt tìm 頭. "M̄-koh 她會叫她去, 是因為姻兩人 lóng 愛著仝一个查埔."
"Hmh, 收集焦花是家族 ê 傳統. In 講, 幾若年了後 Harriet 姑婆有承認. 毋管是啥原因, 彼个可憐 ê 小妹染著 Roma 熱, koh 死去. 猶細漢 ê 時, 阮老母常在用這个故事來嚇阮."
"彼年寒天, 猶是 chă 囡仔 ê 咱來 chia, 你 mā 用彼个故事 kā 我嚇. 彼年寒天我和 Delphin 訂婚."
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4.
Mrs. Slade leaned back, brooding, her eyes ranging from the ruins which faced her to the long green hollow of the Forum, the fading glow of the church fronts beyond it, and the outlying immensity of the Colosseum. Suddenly she thought: "It's all very well to say that our girls have done away with sentiment and moonlight. But if Babs Ansley isn't out to catch that young aviator--the one who's a Marchese--then I don't know anything. And Jenny has no chance beside her. I know that too. I wonder if that's why Grace Ansley likes the two girls to go everywhere together! My poor Jenny as a foil--!" Mrs. Slade gave a hardly audible laugh, and at the sound Mrs. Ansley dropped her knitting.
"Yes--?"
"I--oh, nothing. I was only thinking how your Babs carries everything before her. That Campolieri boy is one of the best matches in Rome. Don't look so innocent, my dear--you know he is. And I was wondering, ever so respectfully, you understand... wondering how two such exemplary characters as you and Horace had managed to produce anything quite so dynamic." Mrs. Slade laughed again, with a touch of asperity.
Mrs. Ansley's hands lay inert across her needles. She looked straight out at the great accumulated wreckage of passion and splendor at her feet. But her small profile was almost expressionless. At length she said, "I think you overrate Babs, my dear."
Mrs. Slade's tone grew easier. "No; I don't. I appreciate her. And perhaps envy you. Oh, my girl's perfect; if I were a chronic invalid I'd--well, I think I'd rather be in Jenny's hands. There must be times... but there! I always wanted a brilliant daughter... and never quite understood why I got an angel instead."
Mrs. Ansley echoed her laugh in a faint murmur. "Babs is an angel too."
"Of course--of course! But she's got rainbow wings. Well, they're wandering by the sea with their young men; and here we sit... and it all brings back the past a little too acutely."
Mrs. Ansley had resumed her knitting. One might almost have imagined (if one had known her less well, Mrs. Slade reflected) that, for her also, too many memories rose from the lengthening shadows of those august ruins. But no; she was simply absorbed in her work. What was there for her to worry about! She knew that Babs would almost certainly come back engaged to the extremely eligible Campolieri. "And she'll sell the New York house, and settle down near them in Rome, and never be in their way... she's much too tactful. But she'll have an excellent cook, and just the right people in for bridge and cocktails... and a perfectly peacefuI old age among her grandchildren."
Mrs. Slade broke off this prophetic flight with a recoil of self-disgust. There was no one of whom she had less right to think unkindly than of Grace Ansley. Would she never cure herself of envying her! Perhaps she had begun too long ago.
She stood up and leaned against the parapet, filling her troubled eyes with the tranquilizing magic of the hour. But instead of tranquilizing her the sight seemed to increase her exasperation. Her gaze turned toward the Colosseum. Already its golden flank was drowned in purple shadow, and above it the sky curved crystal clear, without light or color. It was the moment when afternoon and evening hang balanced in midheaven.
Mrs. Slade turned back and laid her hand on her friend's arm. The gesture was so abrupt that Mrs. Ansley looked up, startled.
"The sun's set. You're not afraid, my dear?"
"Afraid--?"
"Of Roman fever or pneumonia! I remember how ill you were that winter. As a girl you had a very delicate throat, hadn't you?"
"Oh, we're all right up here. Down below, in the Forum, it does get deathly cold, all of a sudden... but not here."
"Ah, of course you know because you had to be so careful." Mrs. Slade turned back to the parapet. She thought: "I must make one more effort not to hate her." Aloud she said: "Whenever I look at the Forum from up here, I remember that story about a great-aunt of yours, wasn't she? A dreadfully wicked great-aunt?"
"Oh, yes; Great-aunt Harriet. The one who was supposed to have sent her young sister out to the Forum after sunset to gather a nightblooming flower for her album. All our great-aunts and grandmothers used to have albums of dried flowers."
Mrs. Slade nodded. "But she really sent her because they were in love with the same man--"
"Well, that was the family tradition. They said Aunt Harriet confessed it years afterward. At any rate, the poor little sister caught the fever and died. Mother used to frighten us with the story when we were children."
"And you frightened me with it, that winter when you and I were here as girls. The winter I was engaged to Delphin."
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