5. Dupin 提出一張批

5. Dupin the̍h chhut chi̍t-tiuⁿ phoe

Góa kiaⁿ chi̍t-tiô. Kio̍k-tiúⁿ bē-su khì hō͘ lûi-kong kòng tio̍h. Kú-kú chi̍t-khùn, i tiām-tiām bô kóng-ōe, bô tín bô tāng, chhùi khui-khui kō͘ giâu-gî ê ba̍k-kng khòaⁿ goán pêng-iú, he ba̍k-chiu ká-ná kiông boeh ùi ba̍k-khóng phok chhut-lâi. Jiân-āu, i chiah chia bong hia bong, sa-chhut chi̍t-ki pit, keng-kòe kúi-kái ê tiû-tû koh chia khòaⁿ hia khòaⁿ, lo̍h-bóe tō siá chi̍t-tiuⁿ 50,000 franc ê chi-phiò koh kā miâ chhiam hó, ùi toh-bīn kau kòe hō͘ Dupin. Dupin siông-sè kiám-cha hó, kā chi-phiò gia̍p tī phiò-pau-á; tō kō͘ só-sî khui chi̍t-ê thoah-á, the̍h chhut chi̍t-tiuⁿ phoe, kau hō͘ Kio̍k-tiúⁿ. Chit-ūi tióng-koaⁿ tōa hoaⁿ-hí, chiap kòe phoe, chhiú khu̍h-khu̍h chùn kā phah khui, kín-kín kā phoe ê lāi-iông khòaⁿ chi̍t-piàn, sûi tō khí-sin, kiâⁿ óng mn̂g-kháu, koh lâi tō kō͘ chông-ê lī-khui pâng-keng, lī-khui chit-tòng chhù; chū-chiông Dupin iau-kiû i siá chi-phiò kàu i lī-khui, i liân khui-chhùi kóng chi̍t-kù ōe to bô.

I lī-khui liáu-āu, goán pêng-iú chò chi̍t-kóa kái-soeh.

"Paris ê kéng-chhat," i kóng, "tī chit hong-bīn ē-sái kóng sī chin choan-gia̍p. In lóng chin mî-nōa, ū siūⁿ-hoat, mā kan-khiáu, koh pá-ak ū in ê gia̍p-bū só͘ su-iàu ê tì-sek. Só͘-í, tī G siông-sè káng-kái i chhiau-chhōe hit-tòng chhù ê hong-sek ê sî, góa kám-kak i siong-sìn i í-keng chò liáu chin móa-ì ê tiâu-cha -- í-keng chò kàu i ê chīn-pōng ah lah."

"Chò kàu i ê chīn-pōng?" góa mn̄g.

"Tio̍h," Dupin kóng. "In chhái-chhú siōng sek-ha̍p ê hong-sek, kā chip-hêng kàu si̍p-choân si̍p-bí. Hit-tiuⁿ phoe nā khǹg tī in chhiau-chhōe ê hoān-ûi nih, chiah-ê lâng choa̍t-tùi chhōe ē-tio̍h i, che lí bián hoâi-gî."

Góa thiaⁿ kah ài-chhiò -- m̄-koh i ká-ná kóng kah chiâⁿ chèng-keng.

"M̄-koh, hiah-ê hong-hoat," i kè-sio̍k kóng, "hó sī hó, mā ū hó-hó khì chò; khiàm-tiám sī pēng bô sek-ha̍p tī chit-ê àn-kiāⁿ, mā bô sek-ha̍p chit-ê lâng. Chiah-ê su-iàu ki-khá ê hó hong-hoat, kau kàu Kio̍k-tiúⁿ ê chhiú tiong, tō ná chi̍t-téng chhùn-chhioh bē-ha̍h ê bîn-chhn̂g, kiông-pek i khì sek-èng chit-chióng siat-kè. M̄-koh, iōng tī chit-chân sū, i tiu-tiu hoān-chhò, m̄-sī hut liáu siuⁿ chhim, tō sī siuⁿ chhián; sió-ha̍k-seng hoān-sè to pí i khah ē-tàng lí-sèng phòaⁿ-toàn. Góa bat chi̍t-ê chha-put-to 8 hòe ê ha̍k-seng gín-á, chin gâu ī ‘khia a̍h siang’ ê sio-su, tit-tio̍h chiòng-lâng ê o-ló. Chit-chióng sio-su chin kán-tan, sī kō͘ chu-á lâi ī. Ī ê lâng kō͘ chhiú tēⁿ chi̍t-kóa chu-á, iau-kiû lēng-gōa chi̍t-lâng ioh he chu-á ê chóng-só͘ sī khia a̍h siang. Ioh liáu nā tio̍h, ioh ê lâng tō iâⁿ chi̍t-lia̍p chu-á, nā m̄-tio̍h, i tō su chi̍t-lia̍p. Góa kóng ê hit-ê gín-á kā kui ha̍k-hāu ê chu-á iâⁿ liáu-liáu. Tong-jiân, hit-ê gín-á ū i ioh ê goân-chek; m̄-koh he put-kò sī koan-chhat kap thui-chhek hiah-ê kan-khiáu ê tùi-chhiú jî-í. Pí-lūn kóng, i ê tùi-chhiú sī chi̍t-ê tōa hàu-tai, chhiú tēⁿ ân-ân, mn̄g kóng, ‘Khia a̍h siang?’ Lán chit-ê gín-á ioh ‘khia," soah su khì; m̄-koh koh lâi hit-hôe i tō iâⁿ, in-ūi i ē án-ne ka-tī thui-lí: ‘chit-ê gōng-á téng hôe chhut siang, chiàu i ê thêng-tō͘, koh lâi i tiāⁿ-tio̍h chhut khia, só͘-í góa tio̍h ioh khia’. Chū án-ne, i ioh khia, kó-jiân i iâⁿ. Taⁿ, ōaⁿ chi̍t-ê pí tú-chiah hit-ê khah khiáu chi̍t sut-á ê gōng-á, i tō ē án-ne thui-lí: ‘chit-kho͘ chai-iáⁿ góa tú-chiah ioh khia, tē-jī hôe i tiāⁿ-tio̍h ē chò chi̍t-ê piàn-tōng, kā siang piàn chò khia, chit-ê siūⁿ-hoat kap tē-it ê gōng-á kāng-khoán; m̄-koh i iū ē siūⁿ-kóng, án-ne siuⁿ kán-tan, tō koat-tēng ûi-chhî siang. só͘-í góa tio̍h koh-chài ioh siang.’ i tō ioh siang, iū-koh iâⁿ ah. Lí khòaⁿ, chit-ê ha̍k-seng gín-á ê thui-lí hong-sek, in tông-chhong lóng kóng he sī ‘hó-ūn,’ -- ai-ah, chiàu lán ê hun-sek, sū-si̍t kám sī án-ne?"

"He put-kò sī," góa kóng, "thui-lí ê lâng kō͘ i ê sim-tì iōng tī tùi-chhiú ê pō͘-sò͘ lah."

"Tō sī án-ne lah," Dupin kóng; "thàm-thó chit-ê gín-á sī án-chóaⁿ thàu-kòe sim-tì ê thiat-té it-tì lâi tì-kàu i ê sêng-kong, góa tit-tio̍h ê tap-àn sī án-ne: ‘Góa nā boeh chai chi̍t-ê lâng sī gōa khiáu, gōa gōng, a̍h sī gōa hó a̍h gōa kan-khiáu, a̍h sī i chit-sî ê siūⁿ-hoat, góa tio̍h kái-piàn góa ê piáu-chêng, chīn-liōng ta̍t-kàu hām i ê piáu-chêng it-tì, jiân-āu, khòaⁿ góa ê thâu-náu a̍h sim-koaⁿ tio̍h sán-seng siáⁿ-khoán ê siūⁿ-hoat a̍h kám-kak, khah hû-ha̍p chit-chióng piáu-chêng.’ Chit-ê ha̍k-seng gín-á ê hoán-èng, chiū sī it-chhè ká-ná chin ko-chhim ê ha̍k-būn ê kin-goân, Rochefoucauld, La Bougive, Machiavelli, hām Campanella téng-téng ê lí-lūn lóng sī án-ne lâi ê."

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5. Dupin 提出一張批

我驚一趒. 局長袂輸去予雷公摃著. 久久一睏, 伊恬恬無講話, 無振無動, 喙開開 kō͘ 憢疑 ê 目光看阮朋友, he 目睭 ká-ná 強欲 ùi 目孔 phok 出來. 然後, 伊才 chia 摸 hia 摸, 捎出一支筆, 經過幾改 ê 躊躇 koh chia 看 hia 看, 落尾 tō 寫一張 50,000 franc ê 支票 koh kā 名簽好, ùi 桌面交過予 Dupin. Dupin 詳細檢查好, kā 支票挾 tī 票包仔; tō kō͘ 鎖匙開一个屜仔, 提出一張批, 交予局長. 這位長官大歡喜, 接過批, 手 khu̍h-khu̍h 顫 kā 拍開, 緊緊 kā 批 ê 內容看一遍, 隨 tō 起身, 行往門口, koh 來 tō kō͘ 傱 ê 離開房間, 離開這棟厝; 自從 Dupin 要求伊寫支票到伊離開, 伊連開喙講一句話 to 無.

伊離開了後, 阮朋友做一寡解說.

"Paris ê 警察," 伊講, "tī 這方面會使講是真專業. In lóng 真綿爛, 有想法, mā 奸巧, koh 把握有 in ê 業務所需要 ê 智識. 所以, tī G 詳細講解伊搜揣彼棟厝 ê 方式 ê 時, 我感覺伊相信伊已經做了真滿意 ê 調查 -- 已經做到伊 ê 盡磅 ah lah."

"做到伊 ê 盡磅?" 我問.

"著," Dupin 講. "In 採取上適合 ê 方式, kā 執行到十全十美. 彼張批若囥 tī in 搜揣 ê 範圍 nih, chiah-ê 人絕對揣會著伊, 這你免懷疑."

我聽 kah 愛笑 -- m̄-koh 伊 ká-ná 講 kah 誠正經.

"M̄-koh, hiah-ê 方法," 伊繼續講, "好是好, mā 有好好去做; 欠點是並無適合 tī 這个案件, mā 無適合這个人. Chiah-ê 需要技巧 ê 好方法, 交到局長 ê 手中, tō ná 一頂寸尺袂合 ê 眠床, 強迫伊去適應這種設計. M̄-koh, 用 tī 這層事, 伊 tiu-tiu 犯錯, 毋是拂了 siuⁿ 深, tō 是 siuⁿ 淺; 小學生凡勢 to 比伊較會當理性判斷. 我 bat 一个差不多 8 歲 ê 學生囡仔, 真 gâu 奕 ‘khia a̍h 雙’ ê 相輸, 得著眾人 ê o-ló. 這種相輸真簡單, 是 kō͘ 珠仔來奕. 奕 ê 人 kō͘ 手捏一寡珠仔, 要求另外一人臆 he 珠仔 ê 總數是奇 a̍h 雙. 臆了若著, 臆 ê 人 tō 贏一粒珠仔, 若毋著, 伊 tō 輸一粒. 我講 ê 彼个囡仔 kā 規學校 ê 珠仔贏了了. 當然, 彼个囡仔有伊臆 ê 原則; m̄-koh he 不過是觀察 kap 推測 hiah-ê 奸巧 ê 對手而已. 比論講, 伊 ê 對手是一个大孝呆, 手捏絚絚, 問講, ‘奇 a̍h 雙?’ 咱這个囡仔臆 ‘奇,’ 煞輸去; m̄-koh koh 來 hit 回伊 tō 贏, 因為伊會 án-ne ka-tī 推理: ‘這个戇仔頂回出雙, 照伊 ê 程度, koh 來伊定著出奇, 所以我著臆奇’. 自 án-ne, 伊臆奇, 果然伊贏. 今, 換一个比拄才彼个較巧一屑仔 ê 戇仔, 伊 tō 會 án-ne 推理: ‘這箍知影我拄才臆奇, 第二回伊定著會做一个變動, kā 雙變做奇, 這个想法 kap 第一 ê 戇仔仝款; m̄-koh 伊又會想講, án-ne siuⁿ 簡單, tō 決定維持雙. 所以我著 koh 再臆雙.’ 伊 tō 臆雙, 又 koh 贏 ah. 你看, 這个學生囡仔 ê 推理方式, in 同窗 lóng 講彼是 ‘好運,’ -- ai-ah, 照咱 ê 分析, 事實敢是 án-ne?"

"彼不過是," 我講, "推理 ê 人 kō͘ 伊 ê 心智用 tī 對手 ê 步數 lah."

"Tō 是 án-ne lah," Dupin 講; "探討這个囡仔是按怎透過心智 ê 徹底一致來致到伊 ê 成功, 我得著 ê 答案是 án-ne: ‘我若欲知一个人是偌巧, 偌戇, a̍h 是偌好 a̍h 偌奸巧, a̍h 是伊這時 ê 想法, 我著改變我 ê 表情, 盡量達到和伊 ê 表情一致, 然後, 看我 ê 頭腦 a̍h 心肝著產生啥款 ê 想法 a̍h 感覺, 較符合這種表情.’ 這个學生囡仔 ê 反應, 就是一切 ká-ná 真高深 ê 學問 ê 根源, Rochefoucauld, La Bougive, Machiavelli, 和 Campanella 等等 ê 理論 lóng 是 án-ne 來 ê."

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5.

I was astounded. The Prefect appeared absolutely thunderstricken. For some minutes he remained speechless and motionless, less, looking incredulously at my friend with open mouth, and eyes that seemed starting from their sockets; then, apparently in some measure, he seized a pen, and after several pauses and vacant stares, finally filled up and signed a check for fifty thousand francs, and handed it across the table to Dupin. The latter examined it carefully and deposited it in his pocket-book; then, unlocking an escritoire, took thence a letter and gave it to the Prefect. This functionary grasped it in a perfect agony of joy, opened it with a trembling hand, cast a rapid glance at its contents, and then, scrambling and struggling to the door, rushed at length unceremoniously from the room and from the house, without having uttered a syllable since Dupin had requested him to fill up the check.

When he had gone, my friend entered into some explanations.

"The Parisian police," he said, "are exceedingly able in their way. They are persevering, ingenious, cunning, and thoroughly versed in the knowledge which their duties seem chiefly to demand. Thus, when G-- detailed to us his mode of searching the premises at the Hotel D--, I felt entire confidence in his having made a satisfactory investigation --so far as his labors extended."

"So far as his labors extended?" said I.

"Yes," said Dupin. "The measures adopted were not only the best of their kind, but carried out to absolute perfection. Had the letter been deposited within the range of their search, these fellows would, beyond a question, have found it."

I merely laughed --but he seemed quite serious in all that he said.

"The measures, then," he continued, "were good in their kind, and well executed; their defect lay in their being inapplicable to the case, and to the man. A certain set of highly ingenious resources are, with the Prefect, a sort of Procrustean bed, to which he forcibly adapts his designs. But he perpetually errs by being too deep or too shallow, for the matter in hand; and many a schoolboy is a better reasoner than he. I knew one about eight years of age, whose success at guessing in the game of 'even and odd' attracted universal admiration. This game is simple, and is played with marbles. One player holds in his hand a number of these toys, and demands of another whether that number is even or odd. If the guess is right, the guesser wins one; if wrong, he loses one. The boy to whom I allude won all the marbles of the school. Of course he had some principle of guessing; and this lay in mere observation and admeasurement of the astuteness of his opponents. For example, an arrant simpleton is his opponent, and, holding up his closed hand, asks, 'are they even or odd?' Our schoolboy replies, 'odd,' and loses; but upon the second trial he wins, for he then says to himself, ‘the simpleton had them even upon the first trial, and his amount of cunning is just sufficient to make him have them odd upon the second; I will therefore guess odd'; --he guesses odd, and wins. Now, with a simpleton a degree above the first, he would have reasoned thus: 'This fellow finds that in the first instance I guessed odd, and, in the second, he will propose to himself upon the first impulse, a simple variation from even to odd, as did the first simpleton; but then a second thought will suggest that this is too simple a variation, and finally he will decide upon putting it even as before. I will therefore guess even' guesses even, and wins. Now this mode of reasoning in the schoolboy, whom his fellows termed "lucky," --what, in its last analysis, is it?"

"It is merely," I said, "an identification of the reasoner's intellect with that of his opponent."

"It is," said Dupin; "and, upon inquiring of the boy by what means he effected the thorough identification in which his success consisted, I received answer as follows: 'When I wish to find out how wise, or how stupid, or how good, or how wicked is any one, or what are his thoughts at the moment, I fashion the expression of my face, as accurately as possible, in accordance with the expression of his, and then wait to see what thoughts or sentiments arise in my mind or heart, as if to match or correspond with the expression.' This response of the schoolboy lies at the bottom of all the spurious profundity which has been attributed to Rochefoucauld, to La Bougive, to Machiavelli, and to Campanella."

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