Roman Fever /by Edith Wharton (1862-1937)
https://www.newberry.org/sites/default/files/calendar-attachments/Roman%20Fever%20-%20Edith%20Wharton.pdf
Roma Jia̍t | 羅馬熱
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1. Chit-ê kéng-sek lán lóng se̍k-sāi
Nn̄g-ê ū-hòe-thâu, m̄-koh pó-ióng kah chiâⁿ hó ê tiong-liân Bí-kok lú-sū, ùi yin tú chia̍h-pá tiong-tàu ê toh-á, sóa-pō͘ kiâⁿ kàu chit-keng Roma chhan-thiaⁿ ê koân-koân lō͘-tâi téng; tī hia yin khò tī kē-chhiûⁿ, sio tùi-siòng chi̍t-ē, chiah gia̍h-ba̍k khòaⁿ ǹg khai-tián tī gán-chêng ê Palatine Soaⁿ kap Kóng-tiûⁿ (Forum) ê kong-hui; nn̄g-lâng ê piáu-chêng bô chin bêng-khak, m̄-koh lóng piáu-sīchàn-sêng ê jīn-tông.
Yin óa-khò tī hia ê sî, ùi kiâⁿ lo̍h-khì ē-bīn chhù-tiâⁿ ê lâu-thui, thoân lâi cha-bó͘ gín-á ê hoaⁿ-hí siaⁿ. "Hó lah, tòe góa lâi, kín," he m̄-sī kóng hō͘ yin thiaⁿ, sī hō͘ lēng-gōa chi̍t-ê phōaⁿ, "kā hit nn̄g-ê bōe-lāu--ê lâu tī hia chhiah chiam-sòaⁿ;" iáu chi̍t-ê kāng-khoán chheng-lóng ê siaⁿ chhiò chhut-lâi, kóng: "Oh, thiaⁿ hó, Babs, m̄-sī chhiah chiam-sòaⁿ..." "Hó lah, góa chí-sī án-ne kā hêng-iông chi̍t-ē niâ," tē-it ê koh án-ne kóng. "Chóng-kóng, lán mā bô siáⁿ tāi-chì thang hō͘ hit nn̄g-ê khó-liân ê lāu-bú khì chò..." Kàu chia, in-ūi lâu-thui ê oan-oat, bô koh thiaⁿ tio̍h yin ê kóng-ōe siaⁿ.
Nn̄g-ūi lú-sū iū koh sio tùi-khòaⁿ chi̍t-ē, chit-kái ke chi̍t-iân gāi-gio̍h ê khó͘-chhiò, kî-tiong khah sè-lia̍p-chí, khah pe̍h-bah-té hit-ê, koh iô chi̍t-ē thâu, bīn sió-khóa tńg âng.
"Barbara!" yi chhùi nauh chi̍t-ē, tùi he lâi chū lâu-thui kháu ê gia̍t-thiok ōe hôe chi̍t-ê thiaⁿ bē-tio̍h ê mē siaⁿ.
Lēng-gōa hit-ê lú-sū khah tōa-kho͘-pé, hòa-chong khah tāng, phīⁿ lêng koh ti̍t, ba̍k-bâi o͘ koh chho͘, hoat-chhut khoe-hâi ê chhiò-siaⁿ, kóng: "Goân-lâi gín-á khòaⁿ ê lán, sī seⁿ-chò án-ne."
Yi ê tông-phōaⁿ chò chi̍t-ê bô-jīn-tông ê chhiú-sè kā ìn: "He m̄-sī chiam-tùi lán nn̄g-ê. Lán tio̍h ài chai, he sī hiān-chú-sî ê siàu-liân tùi Lāu-bú ê kiōng-tông khòaⁿ-hoat. Jî-chhiáⁿ, lí khòaⁿ..." Yi pháiⁿ-sè pháiⁿ-sè ùi he chong-sek kah chiâⁿ súi ê o͘-sek handbag /hanto-báguh/ the̍h chhut chi̍t-khún chhim-âng ê si-á-sòaⁿ, chhng-hó tī nn̄g-ki ko-kip ê kau-chiam. "Lán ná ē chai," yi nauh-siaⁿ kóng, "chit-ê sin hē-thóng í-keng hō͘ lán ū chē-chē sî-kan thang siau-mô͘; iá ū-sî-chūn, góa mā chin-chiàⁿ khòaⁿ siān ah, chhin-chhiūⁿ che..." yi ê chhiú-sè pí ǹg chhan-thiaⁿ gōa-kháu chòng-koan ê kéng-sek.
Hit-ê bah khah o͘ ê lú-sū koh chhiò chi̍t-ē, nn̄g-lâng tō iū khòaⁿ ǹg kéng-sek, tiām-tiām su-khó, tîm-chùi tī ká-ná sī ùi Roma thian-khong ê chhun-thiⁿ kong-hui chioh lâi ê pêng-chēng. Chia̍h-tàu ê sî-kan chá tō kiat-sok ah, chit nn̄g-lâng chiàm tī khoan-khoah lō͘-tâi ê chit-thâu; lēng-gōa hit-thâu, ū kúi-tīn ê lâng lâu tī hia ná khòaⁿ gōa-bīn ê khui-khoah chhī-kéng, ná tùi-chiàu koan-kong chhiú-chheh, hian-chhōe kéng-tiám. Bān-bān, in mā sòaⁿ khì ah, taⁿ kan-ta chhun nn̄g-ūi lú-sū khiā tī hia chhoe hong.
"Góa khòaⁿ, lán tō lâu tiàm chia hó lah," Slade Tt kóng, hòa-chong kāu koh ba̍k-bâi chho͘ hit-ê. Hia ū nn̄g-tè bô lâng chē ê tîn kau-í, yi kā sak kàu kē-chhiûⁿ piⁿ-á, chē lo̍h kî-tiong chi̍t-tè, khòaⁿ ǹg Palatine Soaⁿ, kóng: "Chóng--sī, che iáu sī sè-kài siōng súi ê kéng-tì."
"Tùi góa lâi kóng, he éng-oán lóng sī," yin pêng-iú Ansley Tt jīn-tông án-ne kóng, sui-jiân hit-ê "góa" kóng kah khin báng-báng, Slade Tt ū chù-ì tio̍h, m̄-koh yi m̄-chai he kám sī bô-ì-tiong án-ne kóng, ná chhiūⁿ lāu-phài ê lâng siá-phe, ū-sî ē sûi-ì tī jī ê ē-bīn ōe-sûn.
"Grace Ansley chóng-sī chiah-nī lāu-phài," yi án-ne siūⁿ; tō chò chi̍t-ê hoán-èng ê bî-chhiò, chhut-siaⁿ kóng: "chit-ê kéng-sek tùi lán nn̄g-lâng lóng se̍k-sāi kúi-ā nî ah. Thâu chi̍t-kái tī chia sio-tú ê sî, lán lóng khah siàu-liân lán chit-chūn ê gín-á. Lí ē-kì-tit pah!"
"Oh, sī ah, góa ē-kì-tit," Ansley Tt nauh kóng, ū kāng-khoán bô khak-tēng ê tiōng-tiám... "Hit-ê cháu-toh niá-pan tiu-tiu khòaⁿ chia," yi chhap ji̍p chit-kù ōe. Hián-jiân, yi tùi ka-tī hām ka-tī tī chit-ê sè-kài ê khoân-lī bô yin pêng-iú hiah-nī ū chū-sìn.
"Góa lâi an-tah i ê gî-būn," Slade Tt kóng, ná chhun-chhiú ji̍p chi̍t-ê kap Ansley Tt ê chám-jiân-á pêⁿ hù-lē ê chhiú-thê-pau nih. Chò-sè kiò hit-ê niá-pan, yi kái-soeh kóng, yi hām pêng-iú lóng sī Roma siâⁿ ê lāu ài-jîn, hi-bāng ē-tàng chē tī chia siau-mô͘ kui-ê ē-tàu him-sióng kéng-tì -- its [iā-tō-sī] nā-kóng án-ne bē éng-hióng lín ê ho̍k-bū! Niá-pan oan-io kám-siā sió-hùi, kā pó-chèng kóng, hui-siông hoan-gêng nn̄g-ūi lú-sū, iû-kî hi-bāng yin ē-tàng koh lâu lo̍h-lâi chia̍h àm-tǹg. E-àm sī goe̍h-îⁿ, yin tio̍h ē-kì-tit...
Slade Tt ê o͘ ba̍k-bâi kat chi̍t-ē, bē-su bô sek-ha̍p mā bô kah-ì lâng kóng khí goe̍h-niû. M̄-koh, niá-pan chi̍t-ē lī-khui, yi sûi chhiò-chhiò, ba̍k-bâi pàng khui. "Hmh, ná ē m̄-hó! Hoān-sè goán koh-khah chhiau-kòe. Góa siūⁿ, siáng chai hit nn̄g-ê chă-gín-á tang-sî chiah ē tńg lâi. Lí kám chai yi ē khì kàu tó-ūi? Góa sī m̄-chai."
Ansley Tt ê bīn koh sió-khóa âng khí-lâi. "Góa siūⁿ, lán tī Embassy Hotel tú tio̍h ê Italia hui-hêng-oân iau-chhiáⁿ yin poe khì Tarquinia lim tê. Góa ioh, yin boeh tán khah àm leh, thang tī goe̍h-kng nih koh poe tńg lâi."
"Goe̍h-kng... goe̍h-kng! He iáu ū i ê kak-sek. Lí siūⁿ, yin kám ū lán tong-chho͘ hiah-nī lōng-bān kám-sèng?"
"Góa ê kiat-lūn sī, góa kin-pún to bô liáu-kái yin," Ansley Tt kóng. "Hoān-sè tong-chho͘ lán nn̄g-ê mā bô hō͘-siong chin liáu-kái."
"Sī ah, hoān-sè lán bô."
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1. 這个景色咱 lóng 熟似
兩个有歲頭, m̄-koh 保養 kah 誠好 ê 中年美國女士, ùi 姻拄食飽中晝 ê 桌仔, 徙步行到這間 Roma 餐廳 ê 懸懸露台頂; tī hia 姻靠 tī 低牆, sio 對相一下, 才攑目看 ǹg 開展 tī 眼前 ê Palatine 山 kap 廣場 (Forum) ê 光輝; 兩人 ê 表情無真明確, m̄-koh lóng 表示贊成 ê 認同.
姻倚靠 tī hia ê 時, ùi 行落去下面厝埕 ê 樓梯, 傳來查某囡仔 ê 歡喜聲. "好 lah, 綴我來, 緊," 彼毋是講予姻聽, 是予另外一个伴, "kā 彼兩个未老--ê 留 tī hia 刺針線;" 猶一个仝款清朗 ê 聲笑出來, 講: "Oh, 聽好, Babs, 毋是刺針線..." "好 lah, 我只是 án-ne kā 形容一下 niâ," 第一个 koh án-ne 講. "總講, 咱 mā 無啥代誌通予彼兩个可憐 ê 老母去做..." 到 chia, 因為樓梯 ê 彎斡, 無 koh 聽著姻 ê 講話聲.
兩位女士又 koh sio 對看一下, 這改加一沿礙虐 ê 苦笑, 其中較細粒子, 較白肉底彼个, koh 搖一下頭, 面小可轉紅.
"Barbara!" 她喙 nauh 一下, 對 he 來自樓梯口 ê gia̍t-thiok 話回一个聽袂著 ê 罵聲.
另外彼个女士較大箍把, 化妝較重, 鼻 lêng koh 直, 目眉烏 koh 粗, 發出詼諧 ê 笑聲, 講: "原來囡仔看 ê 咱, 是生做 án-ne."
她 ê 同伴做一个無認同 ê 手勢 kā 應: "彼毋是針對咱兩个. 咱著愛知, 彼是現此時 ê 少年對老母 ê 共同看法. 而且, 你看..." 她歹勢歹勢 ùi he 裝飾 kah 誠媠 ê 烏色 handbag /hanto-báguh/ 提出一捆深紅 ê 絲仔線, 穿好 tī 兩支高級 ê 勾針. "咱那會知," 她 nauh 聲講, "這个新系統已經予咱有濟濟時間通消磨; iá 有時陣, 我 mā 真正看 siān ah, 親像 che..." 她 ê 手勢比 ǹg 餐廳外口壯觀 ê 景色.
彼个肉較烏 ê 女士 koh 笑一下, 兩人 tō 又看 ǹg 景色, 恬恬思考, 沉醉 tī ká-ná 是 ùi Roma 天空 ê 春天光輝借來 ê 平靜. 食晝 ê 時間早 tō 結束 ah, 這兩人佔 tī 寬闊露台 ê 這頭; 另外彼頭, 有幾陣 ê 人留 tī hia ná 看外面 ê 開闊市景, ná 對照觀光手冊, 掀揣景點. 慢慢, in mā 散去 ah, 今干焦賰兩位女士徛 tī hia 吹風.
"我看, 咱 tō 留踮 chia 好 lah," Slade Tt 講, 化妝厚 koh 目眉粗彼个. Hia 有兩塊無人坐 ê 籐交椅, 她 kā 捒到低牆邊仔, 坐落其中一塊, 看 ǹg Palatine 山, 講: "總--是, 這猶是世界上媠 ê 景致."
"對我來講, he 永遠 lóng 是," 姻朋友 Ansley Tt 認同 án-ne 講, 雖然彼个 "我" 講 kah 輕 báng-báng, Slade Tt 有注意著, m̄-koh 她毋知 he 敢是無意中 án-ne 講, ná 像老派 ê 人寫批, 有時會隨意 tī 字 ê 下面畫巡.
"Grace Ansley 總是 chiah-nī 老派," 她 án-ne 想; tō 做一个反應 ê 微笑, 出聲講: "這个景色對咱兩人 lóng 熟似幾若年 ah. 頭一改 tī chia 相拄 ê 時, 咱 lóng 較少年咱這陣 ê 囡仔. 你會記得 pah!"
"Oh, 是 ah, 我會記得," Ansley Tt nauh 講, 有仝款無確定 ê 重點... "彼个走桌領班 tiu-tiu 看 chia," 她 chhap 入這句話. 顯然, 她對 ka-tī 和 ka-tī tī 這个世界 ê 權利無 yin 朋友 hiah-nī 有自信.
"我來安搭伊 ê 疑問," Slade Tt 講, ná 伸手入一个 kap Ansley Tt ê 嶄然仔平富麗 ê 手提包 nih. 做勢叫彼个領班, 她解說講, 她和朋友 lóng 是 Roma 城 ê 老愛人, 希望會當坐 tī chia 消磨規个下晝欣賞景致 -- its [iā-tō-sī] 若講 án-ne 袂影響恁 ê 服務! 領班彎腰感謝小費, kā 保證講, 非常歡迎兩位女士, 尤其希望姻會當 koh 留落來食暗頓. 下暗是月圓, 姻著會記得...
Slade Tt ê 烏目眉 kat 一下, 袂輸無適合 mā 無佮意人講起月娘. M̄-koh, 領班一下離開, 她隨笑笑, 目眉放開. "Hmh, 那會毋好! 凡勢阮 koh 較超過. 我想, siáng 知彼兩个 chă 囡仔當時才會轉來. 你敢知她會去到佗位? 我是毋知."
Ansley Tt ê 面 koh 小可紅起來. "我想, 咱 tī Embassy Hotel 拄著 ê Italia 飛行員邀請姻飛去 Tarquinia 啉茶. 我臆, 姻欲等較暗 leh, 通 tī 月光 nih koh 飛轉來."
"月光... 月光! He 猶有伊 ê 角色. 你想, 姻敢有咱當初 hiah-nī 浪漫感性?"
"我 ê 結論是, 我根本 to 無了解姻," Ansley Tt 講. "凡勢當初咱兩个 mā 無互相真了解."
"是 ah, 凡勢咱無."
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1.
From the table at which they had been lunching two American ladies of ripe but well-cared-for middle age moved across the lofty terrace of the Roman restaurant and, leaning on its parapet, looked first at each other, and then down on the outspread glories of the Palatine and the Forum, with the same expression of vague but benevolent approval.
As they leaned there a girlish voice echoed up gaily from the stairs leading to the court below. "Well, come along, then," it cried, not to them but to an invisible companion, "and let's leave the young things to their knitting," and a voice as fresh laughed back: "Oh, look here, Babs, not actually knitting--" "Well, I mean figuratively," rejoined the first. "After all, we haven't left our poor parents much else to do.. . ." At that point the turn of the stairs engulfed the dialogue.
The two ladies looked at each other again, this time with a tinge of smiling embarrassment, and the smaller and paler one shook her head and colored slightly.
"Barbara!" she murmured, sending an unheard rebuke after the mocking voice in the stairway.
The other lady, who was fuller, and higher in color, with a small determined nose supported by vigorous black eyebrows, gave a good-humored laugh. "That's what our daughters think of us."
Her companion replied by a deprecating gesture. "Not of us individually. We must remember that. It's just the collective modern idea of Mothers. And you see--" Half guiltily she drew from her handsomely mounted black handbag a twist of crimson silk run through by two fine knitting needles. "One never knows," she murmured. "The new system has certainly given us a good deal of time to kill; and sometimes I get tired just looking--even at this." Her gesture was now addressed to the stupendous scene at their feet.
The dark lady laughed again, and they both relapsed upon the view, contemplating it in silence, with a sort of diffused serenity which might have been borrowed from the spring effulgence of the Roman skies. The luncheon hour was long past, and the two had their end of the vast terrace to themselves. At its opposite extremity a few groups, detained by a lingering look at the outspread city, were gathering up guidebooks and fumbling for tips. The last of them scattered, and the two ladies were alone on the air-washed height.
"Well, I don't see why we shouldn't just stay here," said Mrs. Slade, the lady of the high color and energetic brows. Two derelict basket chairs stood near, and she pushed them into the angle of the parapet, and settled herself in one, her gaze upon the Palatine. "After all, it's still the most beautiful view in the world."
"It always will be, to me," assented her friend Mrs. Ansley, with so slight a stress on the "me" that Mrs. Slade, though she noticed it, wondered if it were not merely accidental, like the random underlinings of old-fashioned letter writers.
"Grace Ansley was always old-fashioned," she thought; and added aloud, with a retrospective smile: "It's a view we've both been familiar with for a good many years. When we first met here we were younger than our girls are now. You remember!"
"Oh, yes, I remember," murmured Mrs. Ansley, with the same undefinable stress-- "There's that head-waiter wondering," she interpolated. She was evidently far less sure than her companion of herself and of her rights in the world.
"I'll cure him of wondering," said Mrs. Slade, stretching her hand toward a bag as discreetly opulent-looking as Mrs. Ansley's. Signing to the headwaiter, she explained that she and her friend were old lovers of Rome, and would like to spend the end of the afternoon looking down on the view--that is, if it did not disturb the service! The headwaiter, bowing over her gratuity, assured her that the ladies were most welcome, and would be still more so if they would condescend to remain for dinner. A full moon night, they would remember....
Mrs. Slade's black brows drew together, as though references to the moon were out of place and even unwelcome. But she smiled away her frown as the headwaiter retreated. "Well, why not! We might do worse. There's no knowing, I suppose, when the girls will be back. Do you even know back from where? I don't!"
Mrs. Ansley again colored slightly. "I think those young Italian aviators we met at the Embassy invited them to fly to Tarquinia for tea. I suppose they'll want to wait and fly back by moonlight."
"Moonlight--moonlight! What a part it still plays. Do you suppose they're as sentimental as we were?"
"I've come to the conclusion that I don't in the least know what they are," said Mrs. Ansley. "And perhaps we didn't know much more about each other."
"No, perhaps we didn't."
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