9. Tī hit-tiuⁿ pe̍h-chóa, góa chhau chi̍t-kù ōe
"Góa chīn-liōng thoa-iân góa ê hóng-būn sî-kan, ná hām Pō͘-tiúⁿ ûi-chhî jia̍t-lia̍t ê thó-lūn, iú-koan chi̍t-ê góa chai choa̍t-tùi sī i ū hèng-chhù koh giàn kóng ê chú-tê, si̍t-chè siōng, góa sī ná choan-sim tèng tiâu tī hit-tiuⁿ phoe. Koan-khòaⁿ ê tang-tiong, góa kā i ê gōa-koan kap i tī kè-á ê ūi-tì kì tiâu-tiâu; lo̍h-bóe koh ū chi̍t ê hoat-hiān, kái-tî liáu góa só͘ ū ê gî-tiám. Koan-chhat phoe ê sì-kho͘-liàn-tńg, góa hoat-hiān he áu kah siuⁿ giâm-tiōng. Khòaⁿ khí-lâi boeh phòa boeh phòa, tō ná chhiūⁿ chi̍t-tiuⁿ tēng chóa áu khí-lâi gia̍p tī bûn-kiāⁿ gia̍p-á, jiân-āu, kā thián-khui, iân kū ê áu-sûn tian-tò hiàng koh kā áu. Chit-ê hoat-hiān chin ū kàu-la̍t. Taⁿ góa chin chheng-chhó, hit-tiuⁿ phoe í-keng ná-chhiūⁿ chhiú-thò án-ne péng-pêng, lāi-bīn péng chò gōa-bīn, koh têng-sin kā áu khí-lâi, kā kái-piàn hong-hiòng, koh têng-sin kā khām ìn-á. Góa kap Pō͘-tiúⁿ kò-pia̍t, kín-kín sûi lī-khui, kā chi̍t-ê kim-khak ê hun a̍p-á lâu tī toh-á téng.
Keh-kang chá-khí, ūi tio̍h hun a̍p-á, góa koh-chài lâi pài-hóng, goán mā jia̍t-lia̍t kè-sio̍k cha-hng ê ōe-tê. Put-jî-kò, tī goán khai-káng ê sî, chi̍t-ê ná chhiūⁿ pōng chhiú-chhèng ê siaⁿ ùi chhù ê thang-á gōa thoân kòe-lâi, sûi koh thiaⁿ tio̍h liân-sòa ê lâng-tīn hoah-hiu kap chhá-nāu ê siaⁿ. D chông kàu thang-á piⁿ, kā thoah-khui, ǹg gōa-kháu khòaⁿ. Kāng chit-ê sî-chūn, góa kiâⁿ kàu khah-phìⁿ kè, kā hit-tiuⁿ phoe the̍h lâi tē tī góa ê lak-tē-á, koh ōaⁿ chi̍t-tiuⁿ ké-pâu ê phoe (gōa-koan khòaⁿ bē-chhut sī ké ê), chit-tiuⁿ góa tī goán tau tō chún-pī hó, ū bô͘-hóng D ê ìn-hō, he sī kō͘ pháng chin kán-tan chò ê.
Ke-lō͘ nih ê chhá-nāu siaⁿ sī in-ūi ū chi̍t-ê cha-po͘ gia̍h musket chhiú-chhèng ê hong-kông ê hêng-ûi só͘ ín-khí ê. I ǹg chi̍t-tīn cha-bó͘ kap gín-á tiong-kan pōngchhèng. M̄-koh, kiat-kó hián-sī, chhèng nih bô chhèng-chí, ta̍k-ê tō kā tòng-chò siáu-lâng a̍h chiú-chùi ê lâng. I lī-khui liáu-āu, D tō ùi thang-á piⁿ kiâⁿ kòe-lâi, góa sûi kā tòe tio̍h, hó-thang khak-pó gán-chiân mi̍h-kiāⁿ ê an-choân. Kòe bô kú, góa tō kap i kò-pia̍t. Hit-ê ké-siáu ê lâng sī góa chhiàⁿ ê."
"Lí ūi siáⁿ bo̍k-tek," góa mn̄g, "boeh khǹg chi̍t-tiuⁿ ké-pâu ê phoe tī hia? Ná m̄ tī tē-it pái hóng-būn tō kong-khai toa̍t hit-tiuⁿ phoe, tō sûi lī-khui?"
"D sī chi̍t-ê ke̍k-toan koh tōa-táⁿ ê lâng." Dupin kóng. "I ê kong-koán chū-jiân ū tiong-sim ê ho̍k-bū-oân. Góa nā chiàu lí só͘ kiàn-gī án-ne, hoān-sè góa sī bô hoat-tō͘ oa̍h-miā tī Pō͘-tiúⁿ bīn-chêng lī-khui. Paris ê lâng-lâng tō bē koh thiaⁿ tio̍h góa ê siau-sit ah. M̄-koh, tî-liáu chiah-ê khó-lī, góa iáu ū lēng-gōa chi̍t-ê bo̍k-tek. Lí chai góa ê chèng-tī phian-hiòng. Tī chit-chân tāi-chì, góa sī khiā tī hit-ê hu-jîn hit-pêng. Kòe-khì 18 kò-goe̍h, Pō͘-tiúⁿ kō͘ i ê khoân-sè khòng-chè yi. Taⁿ ōaⁿ yi ē-sái khòng-chè Pō͘-tiúⁿ ah; in-ūi Pō͘-tiúⁿ iáu m̄-chai phoe í-keng bô tī in tau, i ē kè-sio̍k kā ui-hia̍p. Án-ne, chin kín i tiāⁿ-tio̍h tō pāi-hāi ka-tī ê chèng-tī chiân-tô͘. I ê lo̍h-tâi m̄-nā kín, ē koh khah pháiⁿ-khòaⁿ. ‘Tūi-lo̍h tē-ga̍k chin kán-tan,’ chit-kù ōe kóng liáu chiâⁿ hó; m̄-koh, tī kok-chióng ê peh-koân, tō ná chhiūⁿ Catalani ê koa só͘ chhiùⁿ ê, peh koân sī pí lo̍h kē khah kán-tan. Tī bo̍k-chêng chit-khoán chêng-hêng, góa bē tông-chêng, mā bē khó-liân hit-ê tit-boeh lo̍h-khì ê lâng. I sī chi̍t-ê khó-phà ê koài-bu̍t, chi̍t-ê ū châi-chêng m̄-koh bô tō-tek ê lâng. Put-jî-kò, góa sêng-jīn, góa chin siūⁿ boeh chai-iáⁿ, tng hit-ê Kio̍k-tiúⁿ chheng-ho͘ chò ‘bó͘ chi̍t-ê tōa jîn-bu̍t’ ê lâng bô boeh chhap i ê sî, i chí-hó khì phah-khui hit-tiuⁿ góa lâu tī khah-phìⁿ kè ê phoe ê sî, i ê khak-si̍t siūⁿ-hoat sī án-chóaⁿ."
"Án-chóaⁿ kóng? Lāi-té lí kám ū siá siáⁿ-mih te̍k-pia̍t ê mi̍h-kiāⁿ?"
"Ai-ah, kan-ta lâu chi̍t-tiuⁿ pe̍h-chóa mā m̄-hó -- án-ne siuⁿ bú-jio̍k lâng. Ū chi̍t-pái tī Vienna, D bat kā góa hāi chin thiám, m̄-koh góa chin hó phî-khì, kā i kóng, góa ē kā kì-tio̍h. Só͘-í, i ē chin hòⁿ-kî, tàu-té hō͘ siáng phiàn khì, nā lóng bô lâu chi̍t-ê sòaⁿ-soh tō chin tùi-put-khí i. I ē jīn-tit góa ê pit-chek, só͘-í tī hit-tiuⁿ pe̍h-chóa, góa chhau chi̍t-kù ōe:
-- Un dessein si funeste, S'il n'est digne d'Atree, est digne de Thyeste (Ok-to̍k ê kè-bô͘, ká-sú bô ta̍t-tit hō͘ Atree sú-iōng, mā ē ta̍t-tit hō͘ Thyeste sú-iōng*) [*Lán ē-sái sió kā kái siá chò: Siáu-jîn pò-siû 3-kang, kun-chú pò-siû 3-tang.]
Che sī chhut tī Crebillon só͘ siá ê ‘Atree.’"
[Soah]
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9. Tī 彼張白紙, 我抄一句話
"我盡量拖延我 ê 訪問時間, ná 和部長維持熱烈 ê 討論, 有關一个我知絕對是伊有興趣 koh 癮講 ê 主題, 實際上, 我是 ná 專心釘牢 tī 彼張批. 觀看 ê 當中, 我 kā 伊 ê 外觀 kap 伊 tī 架仔 ê 位置記牢牢; 落尾 koh 有一个發現, 解除了我所有 ê 疑點. 觀察批 ê 四箍輾轉, 我發現 he 拗 kah siuⁿ 嚴重. 看起來欲破欲破, tō ná 像一張 tēng 紙拗起來挾 tī 文件挾仔, 然後, kā 展開, 沿舊 ê 拗巡顛倒向 koh kā 拗. 這个發現真有夠力. 今我真清楚, 彼張批已經 ná 像手套 án-ne péng 爿, 內面 péng 做外面, koh 重新 kā 拗起來, kā 改變方向, koh 重新 kā khām 印仔. 我 kap 部長告別, 緊緊隨離開, kā 一个金殼 ê 薰盒仔留 tī 桌仔頂.
隔工早起, 為著薰盒仔, 我 koh 再來拜訪, 阮 mā 熱烈繼續昨昏 ê 話題. 不而過, tī 阮開講 ê 時, 一个 ná 像磅手銃 ê 聲 ùi 厝 ê 窗仔外傳過來, 隨 koh 聽著連紲 ê 人陣喝咻 kap 吵鬧 ê 聲. D 傱到窗仔邊, kā 挩開, ǹg 外口看. 仝這个時陣, 我行到卡片架, kā 彼張批提來袋 tī 我 ê lak 袋仔, koh換一張假 pâu ê 批 (外觀看袂出是假 ê), 這張我 tī 阮兜 tō 準備好, 有模仿 D ê 印號, 彼是 kō͘ pháng 真簡單做 ê.
街路 nih ê 吵鬧聲是因為有一个查埔攑 musket 手銃 ê 慌狂 ê 行為所引起 ê. 伊 ǹg 一陣查某 kap 囡仔中間磅銃. M̄-koh, 結果顯示, 銃 nih 無銃子, 逐个 tō kā 當做痟人 a̍h 酒醉 ê 人. 伊離開了後, D tō ùi 窗仔邊行過來, 我隨 kā 綴著, 好通確保眼前物件 ê 安全. 過無久, 我 tō kap 伊告別. 彼个假痟 ê 人是我倩 ê."
"你為啥目的," 我問, "欲囥一張假 pâu ê 批 tī hia? 那毋 tī 第一擺訪問 tō 公開奪彼張批, tō 隨離開?"
"D 是一个極端 koh 大膽 ê 人." Dupin 講. "伊 ê 公館自然有忠心 ê 服務員. 我若照你所建議 án-ne, 凡勢我是無法度活命 tī 部長面前離開. Paris ê 人人 tō 袂 koh 聽著我 ê 消息 ah. M̄-koh, 除了 chiah-ê 考慮, 我猶有另外一个目的. 你知我 ê 政治偏向. Tī 這層代誌, 我是徛 tī 彼个夫人彼爿. 過去 18 個月, 部長 kō͘ 伊 ê 權勢控制她. 今換她會使控制部長 ah; 因為部長猶毋知批已經無 tī in 兜, 伊會繼續 kā 威脅. Án-ne, 真緊伊定著 tō 敗害 ka-tī ê 政治前途. 伊 ê 落台毋但緊, 會 koh 較歹看. ‘墜落地獄真簡單,’ 這句話講了誠好; m̄-koh, tī 各種 ê peh 懸, tō ná 像 Catalani ê 歌所唱 ê, peh 懸是比落低較簡單. Tī 目前這款情形, 我袂同情, mā 袂可憐彼个得欲落去 ê 人. 伊是一个可怕 ê 怪物, 一个有才情 m̄-koh 無道德 ê 人. 不而過, 我承認, 我真想欲知影, tng 彼个局長稱呼做 ‘某一个大人物’ ê 人無欲 chhap 伊 ê 時, 伊只好去拍開彼張我留 tī 卡片架 ê 批 ê 時, 伊 ê 確實想法是按怎."
"按怎講? 內底你敢有寫啥物特別 ê 物件?"
"Ai-ah, 干焦留一張白紙 mā 毋好 -- án-ne siuⁿ 侮辱人. 有一擺 tī Vienna, D bat kā 我害真忝, m̄-koh 我真好脾氣, kā 伊講, 我會 kā 記著. 所以, 伊會真好奇, 到底予 siáng 騙去, 若 lóng 無留一个線索 tō 真對不起伊. 伊會認得我 ê 筆跡, 所以 tī 彼張白紙, 我抄一句話:
-- Un dessein si funeste, S'il n'est digne d'Atree, est digne de Thyeste (惡毒 ê 計謀, 假使無值得予 Atree 使用, mā 會值得予 Thyeste 使用*) [*咱會使小 kā 改寫做: 小人報仇 3 工, 君子報仇 3 冬.]
這是出 tī Crebillon 所寫 ê ‘Atree.’"
[煞]
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9.
"I protracted my visit as long as possible, and, while I maintained a most animated discussion with the Minister, on a topic which I knew well had never failed to interest and excite him, I kept my attention really riveted upon the letter. In this examination, I committed to memory its external appearance and arrangement in the rack; and also fell, at length, upon a discovery which set at rest whatever trivial doubt I might have entertained. In scrutinizing the edges of the paper, I observed them to be more chafed than seemed necessary. They presented the broken appearance which is manifested when a stiff paper, having been once folded and pressed with a folder, is refolded in a reversed direction, in the same creases or edges which had formed the original fold. This discovery was sufficient. It was clear to me that the letter had been turned, as a glove, inside out, re-directed, and re-sealed. I bade the Minister good morning, and took my departure at once, leaving a gold snuff-box upon the table.
"The next morning I called for the snuff-box, when we resumed, quite eagerly, the conversation of the preceding day. While thus engaged, however, a loud report, as if of a pistol, was heard immediately beneath the windows of the hotel, and was succeeded by a series of fearful screams, and the shoutings of a mob. D-- rushed to a casement, threw it open, and looked out. In the meantime, I stepped to the card-rack, took the letter, put it in my pocket, and replaced it by a fac-simile, (so far as regards externals,) which I had carefully prepared at my lodgings; imitating the D-- cipher, very readily, by means of a seal formed of bread.
"The disturbance in the street had been occasioned by the frantic behavior of a man with a musket. He had fired it among a crowd of women and children. It proved, however, to have been without ball, and the fellow was suffered to go his way as a lunatic or a drunkard. When he had gone, D-came from the window, whither I had followed him immediately upon securing the object in view. Soon afterwards I bade him farewell. The pretended lunatic was a man in my own pay."
"But what purpose had you," I asked, in replacing the letter by a fac-simile? Would it not have been better, at the first visit, to have seized it openly, and departed?"
"D--," replied Dupin, "is a desperate man, and a man of nerve. His hotel, too, is not without attendants devoted to his interests. Had I made the wild attempt you suggest, I might never have left the Ministerial presence alive. The good people of Paris might have heard of me no more. But I had an object apart from these considerations. You know my political prepossessions. In this matter, I act as a partisan of the lady concerned. For eighteen months the Minister has had her in his power. She has now him in hers; since, being unaware that the letter is not in his possession, he will proceed with his exactions as if it was. Thus will he inevitably commit himself, at once, to his political destruction. His downfall, too, will not be more precipitate than awkward. It is all very well to talk about the facilis descensus Averni; but in all kinds of climbing, as Catalani said of singing, it is far more easy to get up than to come down. In the present instance I have no sympathy --at least no pity --for him who descends. He is the monstrum horrendum, an unprincipled man of genius. I confess, however, that I should like very well to know the precise character of his thoughts, when, being defied by her whom the Prefect terms 'a certain personage,' he is reduced to opening the letter which I left for him in the card-rack."
"How? did you put any thing particular in it?"
"Why --it did not seem altogether right to leave the interior blank --that would have been insulting. D--, at Vienna once, did me an evil turn, which I told him, quite good-humoredly, that I should remember. So, as I knew he would feel some curiosity in regard to the identity of the person who had outwitted him, I thought it a pity not to give him a clue. He is well acquainted with my MS., and I just copied into the middle of the blank sheet the words--
--Un dessein si funeste, S'il n'est digne d'Atree, est digne de Thyeste.
They are to be found in Crebillon's 'Atree.'"
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