4. Pēⁿ kah chin lī-hāi
Nn̄g-kang āu, sìn-siuⁿ iū koh ū chi̍t-tiuⁿ kng-phe, chit-kái sī ùi Vancouver kià lâi. Yi liân siòng-phìⁿ to lán-tit khòaⁿ. "Chhin-ài ê Dorothy," sìn-sit án-ne siá. "Gōa-nī chán ê siâⁿ-chhī! Lí eng-kai lâi khòaⁿ-khòaⁿ chi̍t-ē. Ū-kàu chòng-koan! Chin kín koh sio-kìⁿ, Cheng-lêng Ss." Kāng-khoán ê pit-chek. Yi khì kah kā phe thiah phòa, it-ti̍t kā thí kah lú lâi lú sè tiuⁿ, liân chéng-thâu-á to khí thiàⁿ chiah soah. Yi kā hiah-ê iù-phìⁿ-á chah kàu kheh-thiaⁿ, kā iā ji̍p piah-lô͘, kō͘ hoan-á-hóe tiám to̍h, khòaⁿ he nâ-sek ê hóe-iām thiàu-tāng, it-ti̍t kàu hit sió-tui hòa chò hóe-hu.
Yi bô kā Norman kóng chit-ê tāi-chì, m̄-koh ta̍k-kang yi lóng teh tán i lâi, ū-sî koh hoaⁿ-hoaⁿ hí-hí kap i phah-chio-ho͘, chiah kip-chhiat khòaⁿ yi ê sìn-kiāⁿ. Ka-chài, tî-liáu chi̍t-tiuⁿ Norah kià ê, yi bô koh chiap tio̍h kng-phe. Kòe chi̍t lé-pài ah, yi khai-sí chiām-chiām bē-kì-tit chit-kiāⁿ sū, kàu chi̍t-kang chá-khí, sìn-siuⁿ nih chhut-hiān chi̍t-tiuⁿ tah gōa-kok iû-phiò ê kng-phe. Bô khòaⁿ soeh-bêng yi tō jīn chhut, he tô͘ sī Sydney Koa-kio̍k-īⁿ thián si̍t ê choân-kéng.
"Chhin-ài ê Dorothy," yi tha̍k. "Taⁿ góa tī Sydney. M̄-bat siūⁿ tio̍h góa ē lâi kah chiah-nī hn̄g. Australia lâng lóng chiok chhin-chhiat. Ài-lí ê, Cheng-lêng Ss." Yi phiân leh phiân leh kiâⁿ kàu pn̄g-thiaⁿ, the̍h chhut brandy chiú-kan, ūi ka-tī tò chi̍t-kóa tī chiú-poe-á nih. Australia ê brandy, yi chhân-chhân kā lim lo̍h. Taⁿ yi chai ah, tiāⁿ-tio̍h ū koh-khah chē ê kng-phe.
Āu chi̍t-tiuⁿ tī kúi-kang liáu-āu lâi kàu-ūi. "Norman!" tng i ùi chháu-tiâⁿ ǹg keh-piah kiâⁿ khì ê sî, yi kā kiò. "Lí ē-sái kòe lâi chi̍t-ē bô?"
"Án-chóaⁿ hioh, Graham Tt?" i kóng, kā thâu-chang póe chi̍t-ē. "Lí khòaⁿ tio̍h chiâⁿ sit-chì. Kám sī siáⁿ pháiⁿ siau-sit?"
"Hmh, m̄-sī he lah. M̄-koh, lí ē-sái thè góa tha̍k chit-tiuⁿ kng-phe bô?"
I kek chi̍t-ê koài-bīn. "Tong-jiân, Graham Tt. Lí nā ū su-iàu, góa tō lâi chò."
"Chhin-ài ê Dorothy," i kō͘ tan-tiāu ê siaⁿ-sàu liām. "Chhiáⁿ bián kòa-ì, sui-bóng góa in-ūi bó͘-chióng pēⁿ, tó tī bîn-chhn̂g. Góa ē koh siá-phe hō͘ lí. Ài-lí ê, Cheng-lêng Ss." Norman iô thâu. "Siá ê tō sī án-ne, Graham Tt. Chiâⁿ chhù-bī ê sìn-sit. Ná ē án-ne chhiam-miâ?"
Yi mn̄g i, sī-m̄-sī ē-sái ji̍p-lâi, tán i chē tī chàu-kha toh-piⁿ ê sî, yi koh the̍h yi siu tio̍h ê tē-it tiuⁿ kng-phe hō͘ khòaⁿ.
"Lí khòaⁿ, Graham Tt, góa m̄-chai siáng ē chò chit-lō àu-kó͘ tāi-chì, m̄-koh lí tio̍h chò ê, tō sī mài chhap i. Lí thiaⁿ ū bô? Che put-kò sī ū-lâng boeh heh-kiaⁿ lí, eh?"
"Hmh, mài koh siūⁿ i ah lah." i kā tē-á hàiⁿ chiūⁿ keng-thâu, khí-sin boeh kiâⁿ. "Góa ē án-ne chò. Góa ē chù-ì, nā koh ū hit-khoán ê khah-phìⁿ lâi, góa ē lâi khok mn̂g, kā kau hō͘ lí, bián-tit lí khì hō͘ heh tio̍h, chhin-chhiūⁿ kóng, lí tī sìn-siuⁿ nih hoat-hiān tio̍h."
Hit-mê, Dorothy chò chi̍t-ê kî-koài koh o͘-pe̍h-tàu ê bîn-bāng, tī bāng-tiong, yi khòaⁿ gōa-kháu, cheng-lêng í-keng tńg lâi ah. M̄-koh koh khòaⁿ chi̍t-piàn ê sî, yi hoat-hiān he kin-pún m̄-sī cheng-lêng, jî sī chhēng khùn-saⁿ ê Ted chē tī ké-soaⁿ tiong-ng. "Kín ji̍p-lâi, Ted. Lí ē sí oh," yi kā kiò. "Góa bô-hoat lih lah, Dorothy," i án-ne ìn. "Góa pēⁿ kah chin tāng. Chhiaⁿ lâi hû góa!"
Āu-lâi, i lú lâi lú sè, i ê siaⁿ khai-sí ki, it-ti̍t kàu yi thiaⁿ bē-tio̍h mā khòaⁿ bē-tio̍h i.
Chá-khí ê sî, Norman tī mn̂g-kháu tú tio̍h yi, bīn iu-iu.
"Sū-si̍t sī, Graham Tt, chia koh ū chi̍t-tiuⁿ khah-phìⁿ," tō kau hō͘ yi. Che sī lēng-gōa chi̍t-ê Sydney ê kéng-sek. Yi kín péng kòe lâi tha̍k. "Dorothy," téng-bīn án-ne siá, taⁿ ê jī oai-ko chhi̍h-chhoa̍h, chin ló-chhó. "Pēⁿ kah chin lī-hāi. Su-liām lí." He chhiam-miâ chha-put-to jīn bē chhut-lâi, m̄-koh yi chai-iáⁿ he siá ê sī siáⁿ.
"Chit-lō sńg-chhiò si̍t-chāi siuⁿ kòe-hūn," yi kóng, ná kā yi ê thâu-khak khò tī mn̂g-thiāu. "Norman, góa siūⁿ góa tio̍h khà tiān-ōe hō͘ kéng-kio̍k."
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4. 病 kah 真厲害
兩工後, 信箱又 koh 有一張光批, 這改是 ùi Vancouver 寄來. 她連相片 to 懶得看. "親愛 ê Dorothy," 信息 án-ne 寫. "Gōa-nī 讚 ê 城市! 你應該來看看一下. 有夠壯觀! 真緊 koh 相見, 精靈 Ss." 仝款 ê 筆跡. 她氣 kah kā 批拆破, 一直 kā 搋 kah lú 來 lú 細張, 連指頭仔 to 起疼才煞. 她 kā hiah-ê 幼片仔扎到客廳, kā 掖入壁爐, kō͘ 番仔火點 to̍h, 看彼藍色 ê 火焰跳動, 一直到彼小堆化做火烌.
她無 kā Norman 講這个代誌, m̄-koh 逐工她 lóng teh 等伊來, 有時 koh 歡歡喜喜 kap 伊拍招呼, 才急切看她 ê 信件. 佳哉, 除了一張 Norah 寄 ê, 她無 koh 接著光批. 過一禮拜 ah, 她開始漸漸袂記得這件事, 到一工早起, 信箱 nih 出現一張貼外國郵票 ê 光批. 無看說明她 tō 認出, 彼圖是 Sydney 歌劇院展翼 ê 全景.
"親愛 ê Dorothy," 她讀. "今我 tī Sydney. M̄-bat 想著我會來 kah chiah-nī 遠. Australia 人 lóng 足親切. 愛你 ê, 精靈 Ss." 她蹁 leh 蹁 leh 行到飯廳, 提出 brandy 酒矸, ūi ka-tī tò 一寡 tī 酒杯仔 nih. Australia ê brandy, 她殘殘 kā 啉落. 今她知 ah, 定著有 koh 較濟 ê 光批.
後一張 tī 幾工了後來到位. "Norman!" tng 伊 ùi 草埕 ǹg 隔壁行去 ê 時, 她 kā 叫. "你會使過來一下無?"
"按怎 hioh, Graham Tt?" 伊講, kā 頭鬃 póe 一下. "你看著誠失志. 敢是啥歹消息?"
"Hmh, 毋是彼 lah. M̄-koh, 你會使替我讀這張光批無?"
伊激一个怪面. "當然, Graham Tt. 你若有需要, 我 tō 來做."
"親愛 ê Dorothy," 伊 kō͘ 單調 ê 聲嗽念. "請免掛意, 雖罔我因為某種病, 倒 tī 眠床. 我會 koh 寫批予你. 愛你 ê, 精靈 Ss." Norman 搖頭. "寫 ê tō 是 án-ne, Graham Tt. 誠趣味 ê 信息. 那會 án-ne 簽名?"
她問伊, 是毋是會使入來, 等伊坐 tī 灶跤桌邊 ê 時, 她 koh 提她收著 ê 第一張光批予看.
"你看, Graham Tt, 我毋知 siáng 會做 chit-lō 漚古代誌, m̄-koh 你著做 ê, tō 是莫 chhap 伊. 你聽有無? 這不過是有人欲嚇驚你, eh?"
"Hmh, 莫 koh 想伊 ah lah." 伊 kā 袋仔幌上肩頭, 起身欲行. "我會 án-ne 做. 我會注意, 若 koh 有彼款 ê 卡片來, 我會來硞門, kā 交予你, 免得你去予嚇著, 親像講, 你 tī 信箱 nih 發現著."
彼暝, Dorothy 做一个奇怪 koh 烏白鬥 ê 眠夢, tī 夢中, 她看外口, 精靈已經轉來 ah. M̄-koh koh 看一遍 ê 時, 她發現 he 根本毋是精靈, 而是穿睏衫 ê Ted 坐 tī 假山中央. "緊入來, Ted. 你會死 oh," 她 kā 叫. "我無法 lih lah, Dorothy," 伊 án-ne 應. "我病 kah 真重. 請來扶我!"
後來, 伊 lú 來 lú 細, 伊 ê 聲開始吱, 一直到她聽袂著 mā 看袂著伊.
早起 ê 時, Norman tī 門口拄著她, 面憂憂.
"事實是, Graham Tt, chia koh 有一張卡片," tō 交予她. 這是另外一个 Sydney ê 景色. 她緊 péng 過來讀. "Dorothy," 頂面 án-ne 寫, 今 ê 字 oai-ko chhi̍h-chhoa̍h, 真潦草. "病 kah 真厲害. 思念你." He 簽名差不多認袂出來, m̄-koh 她知影 he 寫 ê 是啥.
"Chit-lō 耍笑實在 siuⁿ 過份," 她講, ná kā 她 ê 頭殼靠 tī 門柱. "Norman, 我想我著敲電話予警局."
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4.
Two days later there was another postcard in the box, this time from Vancouver. She didn't even bother looking at the picture. "Dearest Dorothy," said the message. "What a wonderful city! You really should see it. Just spectacular! See you soon, Mr. Gnome." The handwriting was the same. Angrily she tore it into pieces until her fingers hurt trying to reduce it to smaller and smaller scraps. She took them into the living room, put them in the fireplace and, lighting a match, watched the blue flame dance until the little heap was reduced to ashes.
She didn't tell Norman about it, but each morning she watched for him to come, sometimes giving him a cheerful greeting, then anxiously going through her mail. To her relief no more cards arrived, except one from Norah. A week went by and she was beginning to forget the whole thing, when one morning a card with a foreign stamp turned up in the mailbox. Without even reading the caption she recognized the picture as that of the flying full wings of the Sydney Opera House.
"Dear Dorothy," she read. "Here I am in Sydney. Never thought I'd make it this far. Australians super-friendly. Love, Mr. Gnome." She walked unsteadily into the dining room, got out the bottle of brandy, and poured herself some in a wine glass. Australian brandy, she noticed with a tiny shudder. Now she knew for certain there would be more cards.
The next one arrived a couple of days later. "Norman!" she called as he walked across the lawn towards next door. "Would you mind coming here a minute?"
"What's the matter, Mrs. Graham?" he said, flicking back his hair. "You look pretty shaken. Bad news?"
"Well, it's not that. But would you mind reading this card for me?"
He gave her a funny look. "Sure, Mrs. Graham. If you want me to." Maybe her eyes were playing up.
"Dear, dear Dorothy," he read in a monotone. "Please don't worry, but I'm laid up with some sort of bug. I'll keep you posted. Love, Mr. Gnome." Norman shook his head. "That's what it says, Mrs. Graham. Funny sort of message. Why is it signed like that?"
She asked him if he wouldn't mind coming inside and, sitting at the kitchen table, she showed him the first card she'd received.
"Look, Mrs. Graham, I don't know who would do a rotten thing like that, but what you've got to do is pay no mind to it. You hear me? It's just someone trying to scare you, eh?
"Well, don't think about it." He slung his bag over his shoulder as he got up to go. "This is what I'll do. I'll keep an eye open and if any more cards come like that, I'll knock and give it to you so you don't get a scare, like, I mean finding it in the box."
That night Dorothy had a strange, mixed-up dream in which she looked outside and the gnome had come back. Only when she looked again it wasn't the gnome at all, but Ted who was sitting in the middle of the rockery in his pajamas. "Come on inside, Ted. You'll catch your death," she called. "I can't, Dorothy," he replied. "I'm too ill. Help me, please!"
Then he got smaller and smaller, and his voice became squeaky until she could no longer hear or see him.
In the morning Norman met her at the door looking worried.
"Fact is, Mrs. Graham, there's another card," she said, handing it to her. It was another view of Sydney. She turned it over quickly. "Dorothy," it said, the handwriting spidery and sprawling now. "So ill. Miss you." The signature was almost illegible, but she knew well enough what it said.
"This really is beyond a joke," she said, leaning her head against the doorpost. "Norman, I think I'm going to call the police about it."
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