C51 Tui-kiû-chiá | 追求者 - a 無錢, 才著需要愛情藥水

The Chaser /by John Collier

http://ciscohouston.com/docs/docs/greats/chaser.html

Tui-kiû-chiá | 追求者

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1. Bô chîⁿ, chiah tio̍h su-iàu ài-chêng io̍h-chúi

Alan Austen, kín-tiuⁿ kah ná chi̍t-chiah niau-á kiáⁿ, peh-chhiūⁿ Pell Ke hū-kīn bó͘ chi̍t-ê o͘-àm koh ki-ki hiáng ê lâu-thui, tī àm-bong ê pêⁿ-tâi bi chiok kú, chiah khòaⁿ tio̍h kî-tiong chi̍t-ê mn̂g téng-bīn, bô chin bêng-hián, ū i teh chhōe ê miâ.

I, chiàu hoan-hù, tháⁿ khui hit-sìⁿ mn̂g, hoat-hiān che sī chi̍t-ê sió pâng-keng, lāi-bīn bô siáⁿ ka-kū, kan-ta chi̍t-tè chàu-kha toh-á, chi̍t-tè iô-í hām chi̍t-tè pho͘-thong í-á. Thô͘-n̂g sek ê lah-sap piah téng ū kúi-ê kè-á, téng-bīn ū lóng-chóng tāi-khài chi̍t-táⁿ ê kan-á kap koàn-á. Chi̍t-ê lāu-lâng chē tī iô-í, teh tha̍k pò-chóa. Alan, chi̍t-kù ōe to bô kóng, kā lâng hō͘ i ê khah-phìⁿ kau hō͘ i.

"Chhiáⁿ chē, Austen Ss," lāu-lâng hó-lé án-ne kóng. "Góa chin hoaⁿ-hí kap lí sio-bat."

"Kám ū-iáⁿ," Alan mn̄g, "lí ū chi̍t-chióng hūn-ha̍p-bu̍t, he... io̍h-hāu chin hó?"

"Chhin-ài ê sian-siⁿ ah," lāu-lâng ìn, "góa khoán ê hòe bô kài chē -- góa bô teh keng-êng sià-io̍h kap gín-á hoat chhùi-khí ê io̍h-hún -- chún-kóng sī he, mā pah-pah khoán. Góa siūⁿ, góa bē--ê, bô chi̍t-hāng ē-tàng chún-khak kóng, he hāu-kó sī phó͘-thong."

"Hmh, tāi-chì sī án-ne..." Alan khai-sí boeh kóng.

"Che, pí-lūn kóng," lāu-lâng phah-tn̄g i ê ōe, chhun-chhiú ùi kè-á the̍h chi̍t-ê kan-á: "Chit-chióng e̍k-thé ná-chhiūⁿ chúi, bô sek, bô bī, chham tī kapi, chiú, a̍h kî-thaⁿ jīm-hô ím-liāu, lóng kak-chhat bē chhut-lâi. Hiān-iú ê jīm-hô giām-si hong-hoat mā bē-tit kak-chhat."

"Lí sī kóng, he sī chi̍t-chióng to̍k?" Alan hoah siaⁿ, hui-siông tio̍h-kiaⁿ.

"Lí nā kah-ì, mā ē-sái kā kiò-chò chhiú-thò chheng-kiat-che," lāu-lâng tām-tām kóng. "Hoān-sè i chèng-keng ē-sái sé chhiú-thò. Góa m̄-bat chhì kòe. Lán mā ē-sái kā kiò-chò seng-oa̍h chheng-kiat-che. Seng-oa̍h ū-sî-á mā tio̍h chheng-kiat."

"Góa m̄-ài ti̍h hit-khoán mi̍h-kiāⁿ."

"Hoān-sè che mā ē-sái-tit," lāu-lâng kóng. "Lí kám chai che ê kè-siàu? Chi̍t thng-sî tō ū-hāu, góa bē 5000 kho͘ bí-kim. Bô kiám kè. Chi̍t-sén to bē kiám-tit."

"Góa hi-bāng it-chhè lí ê hūn-ha̍p-bu̍t lóng bô hiah kùi," Alan kiaⁿ-kiaⁿ án-ne kóng.

"Oh, siàu-liân-ke, bô lah," lāu-lâng kóng. "Pí-lūn kóng, tùi ài-chêng io̍h-chúi lâi kóng, kè-siàu tō bē-sái hiah koân. Su-iàu ài-chêng io̍h-chúi ê siàu-liân-ke, it-poaⁿ chin chió ū 5000 kho͘. Tō sī bô, in chiah tio̍h su-iàu ài-chêng io̍h-chúi."

"Góa chin hoaⁿ-hí thiaⁿ lí án-ne kóng," Alan kóng.

"Góa sī án-ne khòaⁿ lah," lāu-lâng kóng. "Kō͘ chi̍t-chióng mi̍h-kiāⁿ hō͘ kò͘-kheh móa-ì, tán i su-iàu kî-thaⁿ mi̍h-kiāⁿ ê sî, i ē koh lâi. Sīm-chì he khah kùi chi̍t-kóa. Su-iàu ê sî, i ē khiām chîⁿ lâi bé."

"Nā án-ne," Alan kóng, "lí chin-chiàⁿ ū bē ài-chêng io̍h-chúi sioh?"

"Góa nā bô bē ài-chêng io̍h," lāu-lâng ná kóng, ná chhun-chhiú khì the̍h lēng-gōa chi̍t-ê kan-á, "góa tō bē kóng-khí hit-hāng tāi-chì. Chi̍t-ê lâng ài tī hông su-iàu ê sî, chiah ē-tit chiah-nī ū chū-sìn."

"Iá, chiah-ê io̍h-chúi," Alan kóng. "In m̄-sī kan-ta, kan-ta..."

"Oh, m̄-sī," lāu-lâng kóng. "In ê hāu-kó sī éng-kiú ê, jî-chhiáⁿ hn̄g-hn̄g chhiau-kòe tan-sûn chi̍t-sî ê chhiong-tōng. M̄-koh, he mā pau-hâm chāi-lāi. Oh, sī lah, in ū pau-hâm he. Phong-phài, kian-tēng. Kú-kú tn̂g-tn̂g."

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1. 無錢, 才著需要愛情藥水

Alan Austen, 緊張甲 ná 一隻貓仔囝, peh 上 Pell 街附近某一个烏暗 koh ki-ki 響 ê 樓梯, tī 暗摸 ê 平台 bi 足久, 才看著其中一个門頂面, 無真明顯, 有伊 teh 揣 ê 名.

伊, 照吩咐, 挺開彼扇門, 發現這是一个小房間, 內面無啥家具, 干焦一塊灶跤桌仔, 一塊搖椅和一塊普通椅仔. 塗黃色 ê 垃圾壁頂有幾个架仔, 頂面有攏總大概一打 ê 矸仔 kap 罐仔. 一个老人坐 tī 搖椅, teh 讀報紙. Alan, 一句話 to 無講, kā 人予伊 ê 卡片交予伊.

"請坐, Austen Ss," 老人好禮 án-ne 講. "我真歡喜 kap 你相捌."

"敢有影," Alan 問, "你有一種混合物, he... 藥效真好?"

"親愛 ê 先生 ah," 老人應, "我款 ê 貨無蓋濟 -- 我無 teh 經營瀉藥 kap 囡仔發喙齒 ê 藥粉 -- 準講是 he, mā 百百款. 我想, 我賣 ê, 無一項會當準確講, he 效果是普通."

"Hmh, 代誌是 án-ne..." Alan 開始欲講.

"這, 比論講," 老人拍斷伊 ê 話, 伸手 ùi 架仔提一个矸仔: "這種液體 ná 像水, 無色, 無味, 摻 tī kapi, 酒, a̍h 其他任何飲料, lóng 覺察袂出來. 現有 ê 任何驗屍方法 mā 袂得覺察."

"你是講, 彼是一種毒?" Alan 喝聲, 非常著驚.

"你若佮意, mā 會使 kā 叫做手套清潔劑," 老人淡淡講. "凡勢伊正經會使洗手套. 我毋捌試過. 咱 mā 會使 kā 叫做生活清潔劑. 生活有時仔 mā 著清潔."

"我毋愛挃彼款物件."

"凡勢這 mā 會使得," 老人講. "你敢知這 ê 價數? 一湯匙 tō 有效, 我賣 5000 kho͘ 美金. 無減價. 一 sén to 袂減得."

"我希望一切你 ê 混合物 lóng 無 hiah 貴," Alan 驚驚 án-ne 講.

"Oh, 少年家, 無 lah," 老人講. "比論講, 對愛情藥水來講, 價數 tō 袂使 hiah 懸. 需要愛情藥水 ê 少年家, 一般真少有 5000 kho͘. Tō 是無, in 才著需要愛情藥水."

"我真歡喜聽你 án-ne 講," Alan 講.

"我是 án-ne 看 lah," 老人講. "Kō͘ 一種物件予顧客滿意, 等伊需要其他物件 ê 時, 伊會 koh 來. 甚至 he 較貴一寡. 需要 ê 時, 伊會儉錢來買."

"若 án-ne," Alan 講, "你真正有賣愛情藥水 sioh?"

"我若無賣愛情藥," 老人 ná 講, ná 伸手去提另外一个矸仔, "我 tō 袂講起彼項代誌. 一个人愛 tī hông 需要 ê 時, 才會得 chiah-nī 有自信."

"Iá, chiah-ê 藥水," Alan 講. "In 毋是干焦, 干焦..."

"Oh, 毋是," 老人講. "In ê 效果是永久 ê, 而且遠遠超過單純一時 ê 衝動. 毋過, 彼 mā 包含在內. Oh, 是 lah, in 有包含彼. 豐沛, 堅定. 久久長長."

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1.

Alan Austen, as nervous as a kitten, went up certain dark and creaky stairs in the neighborhood of Pell Street, and peered about for a long time on the dim landing before he found the name he wanted written obscurely on one of the doors.

He pushed open this door, as he had been told to do, and found himself in a tiny room, which contained no furniture but a plain kitchen table, a rocking--chair, and an ordinary chair. On one of the dirty buff-coloured walls were a couple of shelves, containing in all perhaps a dozen bottles and jars. An old man sat in the rocking-chair, reading a newspaper. Alan, without a word, handed him the card he had been given.

"Sit down, Mr. Austen," said the old man very politely. /"I am glad to make your acquaintance."

"Is it true," asked Alan, "that you have a certain mixture that has-er-quite extraordinary effects?"

"My dear sir," replied the old man, "my stock in trade is not very large--I don't deal in laxatives and teething mixtures--but such as it is, it is varied. I think nothing I sell has effects which could be precisely described as ordinary."

"Well, the fact is. . ." began Alan.

"Here, for example," interrupted the old man, reaching for a bottle from the shelf. "Here is a liquid as colourless as water, almost tasteless, quite imperceptible in coffee, wine, or any other beverage. It is also quite imperceptible to any known method of autopsy."

"Do you mean it is a poison?" cried Alan, very much horrified.

"Call it a glove-cleaner if you like," said the old man indifferently. "Maybe it will clean gloves. I have never tried. One might call it a life-cleaner. Lives need cleaning sometimes."

"I want nothing of that sort," said Alan.

"Probably it is just as well," said the old man. "Do you know the price of this? For one teaspoonful, which is sufficient, I ask five thousand dollars. Never less. Not a penny less."

"I hope all your mixtures are not as expensive," said Alan apprehensively.

"Oh dear, no," said the old man. "It would be no good charging that sort of price for a love potion, for example. Young people who need a love potion very seldom have five thousand dollars. Otherwise they would not need a love potion."

"I am glad to hear that," said Alan.

"I look at it like this," said the old man. "Please a customer with one article, and he will come back when he needs another. Even if it is more costly. He will save up for it, if necessary."

"So," said Alan, "you really do sell love potions?"

"If I did not sell love potions," said the old man, reaching for another bottle, "I should not have mentioned the other matter to you. It is only when one is in a position to oblige that one can afford to be so confidential."

"And these potions," said Alan. "They are not just-just-er-"

"Oh, no," said the old man. "Their effects are permanent, and extend far beyond the mere casual impulse. But they include it. Oh, yes they include it. Bountifully, insistently. Everlastingly."

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C50b 伊 kā 正手當做倒手

2. I kā chiàⁿ-chhiú tòng-chò tò-chhiú

Hit-sî Crimea chiàn-cheng tú-tú po̍k-hoat. Tong-jiân tio̍h ài ū chiàn-cheng, góa án-ne kā ka-tī kóng: lán bē-sái ū hô-pêng, koh hō͘ chit-chiah lî-á tī i hông hoat-hiān chìn-chêng ū ki-hōe sí. Góa teh tán tē-tāng. Taⁿ he lâi ah. He chin-chiàⁿ lâi ê sî, góa kám-kak tio̍h-kiaⁿ. I soah hông jīm-bēng chò chi̍t-ê hêng-kun thoân ê siōng-ùi! It-poaⁿ khah gâu ê lâng tio̍h chò kah lāu, chò kah thâu-chang pe̍h chiah peh kàu hiah koân. Siáng liāu ē-kàu, in ē kā chiah tāng ê chek-jīm teh hō͘ chit-lō chheⁿ-siap koh bô sek-ha̍p ê keng-thâu? In nā hō͘ i chò siáu-ùi, góa bián-kióng ē-tàng chiap-siū; m̄-koh sī siōng-ùi neh -- lí siūⁿ khòaⁿ-māi leh! Góa siūⁿ góa ê thâu-chang boeh piàn pe̍h ah-lah.

Siūⁿ khòaⁿ góa án-chóaⁿ chò -- góa sī kah-ì chheng-êng koh bô chok-ûi ê lâng. Góa án-ne kā ka-tī kóng, ūi tio̍h che, góa tùi kok-ka ū chek-jīm, góa tio̍h hām i tâng-chê, chīn-liōng pó-hō͘ kok-ka bián siū i ê éng-hióng. Só͘-tì, góa the̍h góa kúi-nî lâi kang-chok hām khîn-khiām chiat-séng ê chi̍t-tiám-á khó-liân ê chu-pún, thó͘ chi̍t-ê tn̂g-khùi, tī in thoân nih bé chi̍t-ê siáu-ùi ê kai-kip, jiân-āu goán tō chiūⁿ chiàn-tiûⁿ khì.

Kàu hia liáu -- oh, thiⁿ ah, chin-chiàⁿ khó-phà. Sit-gō͘? Ai-ah, tî-liáu sit-gō͘, i siáⁿ to bô chò. M̄-koh, lí khòaⁿ, bô lâng chai-iáⁿ chit-kho͘ ê pì-bi̍t -- ta̍k-ê lóng khòaⁿ m̄-tio̍h i ê tiōng-tiám, koh pit-jiân ta̍k-pái lóng gō͘-kái i ê piáu-hiān -- chū án-ne, in kā i hàu-tai ê sit-gō͘ tòng-chò i thian-châi ê lêng-kám; in khak-si̍t sī án-ne, chin ê! I siōng khin ê sit-gō͘ tō ū-kàu hō͘ thâu-khak chèng-siông ê lâng khàu; he chin-chiàⁿ ū hō͘ góa khàu -- mā su-té-hā iū khì iū nō͘. Iá hō͘ góa it-ti̍t kiaⁿ kah sìm-kōaⁿ ê tāi-chì sī, i ê múi chi̍t-ê sit-gō͘ lóng hō͘ i ê miâ-siaⁿ koh-khah hiáng-liāng! Góa tiu-tiu án-ne kā ka-tī kóng, i ē peh kah siuⁿ koân, it-tàn hông hoat-hiān, he tō ná ji̍t-thâu poa̍h lo̍h thiⁿ.

I it-ti̍t peh koân, chi̍t kai-kip koh chi̍t kai-kip, ta̍h-kòe téng-si ê sí-thé, ti̍t kàu siōng-bóe, tī bó͘-bó͘ só͘-chāi chiàn kah siōng-jia̍t ê sî, goán siōng-hāu tó lo̍h-khì, góa ê sim kiông boeh thiàu chhut-lâi, in-ūi Scoresby sī tī koh loeh hit-ê kai-kip! Taⁿ, hāi ah, góa án-ne kóng; koh 10 hun-cheng lán lóng tio̍h lo̍h tē-ga̍k ah, khak-tēng.

Chiàn-tàu hui-siông kek-lia̍t; bêng-kun tī chiàn-tiûⁿ put-toān thè-niū. Goán thoân chiàm tī tiōng-iàu ê só͘-chāi; chit-sî nā chhut chha-chhò tāi-chì tō hāi liáu-liáu. Tī chit-ê koan-kiān sî-khek, chit-kho͘ gōng sian kèng-jiân kā goán thoân tiàu-lī chit-ê só͘-chāi, koh bēng-lēng khì chìn-kong hū-kīn ê chi̍t-ê soaⁿ-thâu, hia kin-pún to bô te̍k-kun ê iáⁿ-jiah! "Taⁿ khì ah!" góa án-ne kā ka-tī kóng; "che tō sī chòe-āu ê kiat-kio̍k ah."

Goán chin-chiàⁿ khì, tī chit-chióng hong-kông ê oa̍h-tāng pī hoat-hiān koh chó͘-tòng chìn-chêng, goán í-keng peh kòe soaⁿ io. Goán hoat-hiān siáⁿ? Chi̍t-tūi oân-choân bô liāu-tio̍h ê Rusia ī-pī kun! Āu-lâi án-chóaⁿ ah? Goán hông chia̍h khì? He sī 100-hun-99 tiāⁿ-tio̍h án-ne hoat-seng ê tāi-chì. M̄-koh, bô, hiah-ê Rusia lâng jīn-ûi, tī chit-chióng sî-chūn, tan-to̍k ê thoân bē lâi chit hū-kīn koan-chhat. He tek-khak sī kui-ê Eng-kok kun-tūi, í-keng hoat-hiān koh chó͘-tòng kan-khá ê Rusia kúi-kè; só͘-í in hoan-thâu tō cháu, li-li lak-lak án-ne lī-khui hit só͘-chāi, pôaⁿ kòe soaⁿ, lo̍h pêⁿ-iûⁿ khì,  chi̍t-phiàn tōa hūn-loān, hō͘ goán jiok tī in āu-bīn; in ka-tī kā tī pêⁿ-iûⁿ, kian-kò͘ ê Rusia tiong-sim lòng khui, koh liah chhng kòe, chek-sî chhut-hiān lí m̄-bat khòaⁿ kòe ê ke̍k-tāi khùi-pāi, bêng-kun ê chiàn-pāi mā choán-piàn chò hoâiⁿ-sàu it-chhè ê hui-hông sèng-lī! Canrobert Goân-sòe khòaⁿ tio̍h che, kiaⁿ-gî, khim-phòe koh hoaⁿ-hí kah khí-gông; chek-sî phài lâng kiò Scoresby lâi, i kā lám leh, tī chiàn-tiûⁿ, tī só͘-ū kun-tūi bīn-chêng, pan-hoat hun-chiong hō͘ i. 

Scoresby chit-pái ê sit-gō͘ sī siáⁿ-mi̍h? Put-kò sī kā i ê chiàⁿ-chhiú tòng-chò tò-chhiú -- kan-ta án-ne niā-niā. Hō͘ i ê bēng-lēng sī thiat-thè khì chi-oān goán ê chiàⁿ-pêng; m̄-koh i soah tó hiòng chêng, hoan-soaⁿ khì tò-pêng. M̄-koh, i hit-kang tit-tio̍h ê, kóng i sī kun-sū thian-châi ê miâ-siaⁿ, hō͘ i ê êng-iāu chhiong-móa sè-kài, iá chit-chióng êng-iāu tī le̍k-sú chheh nih éng-oán tō bē siau-sit.

I ê siān-liông, tah-sim, khó-ài, phok-si̍t, kap it-poaⁿ lâng bô cheng-chha, m̄-koh lo̍h-hō͘ ê sî, i m̄-chai thang ji̍p-lâi. Che choa̍t-tùi sī sū-si̍t. I sī ú-tiū tang-tiong tē-it iu-siù ê lî-á; pòaⁿ tiám-cheng chêng, tî liáu i ka-tī hām góa í-gōa, bô-lâng bat i. Chi̍t-kang koh chi̍t-kang, chi̍t-nî koh chi̍t-nî, i hō͘ siōng kî-miāu, siōng kiaⁿ-lâng ê hó-ūn tòe tiâu-tiâu. Tī lán chit-tē-lâng só͘-ū ê chiàn-cheng tang-tiong, i sī chi̍t-ê kim sih-sih ê kun-jîn; i ê kun-jîn seng-oa̍h tang-tiong chhiong-móa sit-gō͘, m̄-koh, kî-tiong bô chi̍t-hāng m̄-sī hō͘ i chiâⁿ-chò khî-sū, lâm-chiok a̍h niá-chú a̍h siáⁿ-mi̍h. Lí khòaⁿ i ê heng-chêng; ai-ah, i kan-ta kòa pún-kok kap kok-gōa ê hun-chiong. Hmh, sian-siⁿ, he múi chi̍t-ê lóng sī bó͘-chióng tōa gû-gōng ê kì-lo̍k; kā tàu chò-hóe, án-ne mā ē-sái chèng-bêng, tī sè-kài siōng, tùi chi̍t-ê lâng siōng hó ê tāi-chì tō sī thian-seng hó-ūn. Góa koh kóng chi̍t-piàn, tō ná chhiūⁿ góa tī iàn-hōe só͘ kóng ê, Scoresby choa̍t-tùi sī chi̍t-ê gōng-tai. 

(Soah)

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2. 伊 kā 正手當做倒手

彼時 Crimea 戰爭拄拄爆發. 當然著愛有戰爭, 我 án-ne kā 家己講: 咱袂使有和平, koh 予這隻驢仔 tī 伊 hông 發現進前有機會死. 我 teh 等地動. 今彼來 ah. 彼真正來 ê 時, 我感覺著驚. 伊煞 hông 任命做一个行軍團 ê 上尉! 一般較 gâu ê 人著做甲老, 做甲頭鬃白才 peh 到 hiah 懸. Siáng 料會到, in 會 kā chiah 重 ê 責任硩予 chit-lō 生澀 koh 無適合 ê 肩頭? In 若予伊做少尉, 我勉強會當接受; 毋過是上尉 neh -- 你想看覓 leh! 我想我 ê 頭鬃欲變白 ah-lah.

想看我按怎做 -- 我是佮意清閒 koh 無作為 ê 人. 我 án-ne kā 家己講, 為著這, 我對國家有責任, 我著和伊同齊, 盡量保護國家免受伊 ê 影響. 所致, 我提我幾年來工作和勤儉節省 ê 一點仔可憐 ê 資本, 吐一个長氣, tī in 團 nih 買一个少尉 ê 階級, 然後阮 tō 上戰場去.

到遐了 -- oh, 天 ah, 真正可怕. 失誤? Ai-ah, 除了失誤, 伊啥 to 無做. 毋過, 你看, 無人知影這箍 ê 祕密 -- 逐个 lóng 看毋著伊 ê 重點, koh 必然逐擺 lóng 誤解伊 ê 表現 -- 自 án-ne, in kā 伊孝呆 ê 失誤當做伊天才 ê 靈感; in 確實是 án-ne, 真 ê! 伊上輕 ê 失誤 tō 有夠予頭殼正常 ê 人哭; 彼真正有予我哭 -- mā 私底下又氣又怒. Iá 予我一直驚甲沁汗 ê 代誌是, 伊 ê 每一个失誤 lóng 予伊 ê 名聲閣較響亮! 我 tiu-tiu án-ne kā 家己講, 伊會 peh 甲 siuⁿ 懸, 一旦 hông 發現, 彼 tō ná 日頭跋落天.

伊一直 peh 懸, 一階級 koh 一階級, 踏過頂司 ê 死體, 直到上尾, tī 某某所在戰甲上熱 ê 時, 阮上校倒落去, 我 ê 心強欲跳出來, 因為 Scoresby sī tī koh loeh 彼个階級! 今, 害 ah, 我 án-ne 講; koh 10 分鐘咱 lóng 著落地獄 ah, 確定.

戰鬥非常激烈; 盟軍 tī 戰場不斷退讓. 阮團佔 tī 重要 ê 所在; 這時若出差錯代誌 tō 害了了. Tī 這个關鍵時刻, 這箍戇仙竟然 kā 阮團調離這个所在, koh 命令去進攻附近 ê 一个山頭, hia 根本 to 無敵軍 ê 影跡! "今去 ah!" 我 án-ne kā 家己講; "這 tō 是最後 ê 結局 ah."

阮真正去, tī 這種慌狂 ê 活動被發現 koh 阻擋進前, 阮已經 peh 過山腰. 阮發現啥? 一隊完全無料著 ê Rusia 預備軍! 後來按怎 ah? 阮 hông 食去? 彼是 100 分 99 定著 án-ne 發生 ê 代誌. 毋過, 無, hiah-ê Rusia 人認為, tī 這種時陣, 單獨 ê 團袂來這附近觀察. He 的確是規个英國軍隊, 已經發現 koh 阻擋奸巧 ê Rusia 詭計; 所以 in 翻頭 tō 走, li-li lak-lak án-ne 離開彼所在, 盤過山, 落平陽去,  一遍大混亂, 予阮逐 tī in 後面; in 家己 kā tī 平陽, 堅固 ê Rusia 中心挵開, koh 裂穿過, 即時出現你毋捌看過 ê 極大潰敗, 盟軍 ê 戰敗 mā 轉變做橫掃一切 ê 輝煌勝利! Canrobert 元帥看著這, 驚疑, 欽佩 koh 歡喜甲起 gông; 即時派人叫 Scoresby 來, 伊 kā 攬 leh, tī 戰場, tī 所有軍隊面前, 頒發勳章予伊. 

Scoresby 這擺 ê 失誤是啥物? 不過是 kā 伊 ê 正手當做倒手 -- 干焦 án-ne niā-niā. 予伊 ê 命令是撤退去支援阮 ê 正爿; 毋過伊煞倒向前, 翻山去倒爿. 毋過, 伊彼工得著 ê, 講伊是軍事天才 ê 名聲, 予伊 ê 榮耀充滿世界, iá 這種榮耀 tī 歷史冊 nih 永遠 tō 袂消失.

伊 ê 善良, 搭心, 可愛, 樸實, kap 一般人無精差, 毋過落雨 ê 時, 伊毋知通入來. 這絕對是事實. 伊是宇宙當中第一優秀 ê 驢仔; 半點鐘前, 除了伊家己和我以外, 無人捌伊. 一工 koh 一工, 一年 koh 一年, 伊予上奇妙, 上驚人 ê 好運綴牢牢. Tī 咱這代人所有 ê 戰爭當中, 伊是一个金 sih-sih ê 軍人; 伊 ê 軍人生活當中充滿失誤, 毋過, 其中無一項毋是予伊成做騎士, 男爵 a̍h 領主 a̍h 啥物. 你看伊 ê 胸前; ai-ah, 伊干焦掛本國 kap 國外 ê 勳章. Hmh, 先生, he 每一个 lóng 是某種大愚戇 ê 記錄; kā 鬥做伙, án-ne mā 會使證明, tī 世界上, 對一个人上好 ê 代誌 tō 是天生好運. 我 koh 講一遍, tō ná 像我 tī 宴會所講 ê, Scoresby 絕對是一个戇呆. 

(煞)

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2.

The Crimean war had just broken out. Of course there had to be a war, I said to myself: we couldn't have peace and give this donkey a chance to die before he is found out. I waited for the earthquake. It came. And it made me reel when it did come. He was actually gazetted to a captaincy in a marching regiment! Better men grow old and gray in the service before they climb to a sublimity like that. And who could ever have foreseen that they would go and put such a load of responsibility on such green and inadequate shoulders? I could just barely have stood it if they had made him a cornet; but a captain—think of it! I thought my hair would turn white.

Consider what I did—I who so loved repose and inaction. I said to myself, I am responsible to the country for this, and I must go along with him and protect the country against him as far as I can. So I took my poor little capital that I had saved up through years of work and grinding economy, and went with a sigh and bought a cornetcy in his regiment, and away we went to the field.

And there—oh dear, it was awful. Blunders? Why, he never did anything but blunder. But, you see, nobody was in the fellow's secret—everybody had him focused wrong, and necessarily misinterpreted his performance every time—consequently they took his idiotic blunders for inspirations of genius; they did, honestly! His mildest blunders were enough to make a man in his right mind cry; and they did make me cry—and rage and rave too, privately. And the thing that kept me always in a sweat of apprehension was the fact that every fresh blunder he made increased the luster of his reputation! I kept saying to myself, he'll get so high, that when discovery does finally come, it will be like the sun falling out of the sky.

He went right along up, from grade to grade, over the dead bodies of his superiors, until at last, in the hottest moment of the battle of ------- down went our colonel, and my heart jumped into my mouth, for Scoresby was next in rank! Now for it, said I; we'll all land in Sheol in ten minutes, sure.

The battle was awfully hot; the allies were steadily giving way all over the field. Our regiment occupied a position that was vital; a blunder now must be destruction. At this crucial moment, what does this immortal fool do but detach the regiment from its place and order a charge over a neighboring hill where there wasn't a suggestion of an enemy! "There you go!" I said to myself; "this is the end at last."

And away we did go, and were over the shoulder of the hill before the insane movement could be discovered and stopped. And what did we find? An entire and unsuspected Russian army in reserve! And what happened? We were eaten up? That is necessarily what would have happened in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred. But no, those Russians argued that no single regiment would come browsing around there at such a time. It must be the entire English army, and that the sly Russian game was detected and blocked; so they turned tail, and away they went, pell-mell, over the hill and down into the field, in wild confusion, and we after them; they themselves broke the solid Russian center in the field, and tore through, and in no time there was the most tremendous rout you ever saw, and the defeat of the allies was turned into a sweeping and splendid victory! Marshal Canrobert looked on, dizzy with astonishment, admiration,and delight; and sent right off for Scoresby, and hugged him, and decorated him on the field, in presence of all the armies!

And what was Scoresby's blunder that time? Merely the mistaking his right hand for his left—that was all. An order had come to him to fall back and support our right; and instead, he fell forward and went over the hill to the left. But the name he won that day as a marvelous military genius filled the world with his glory, and that glory will never fade while history books last.

He is just as good and sweet and lovable and unpretending as a man can be, but he doesn't know enough to come in when it rains. Now that is absolutely true. He is the supremest ass in the universe; and until half an hour ago nobody knew it but himself and me. He has been pursued, day by day and year by year, by a most phenomenal and astonishing luckiness. He has been a shining soldier in all our wars for a generation; he has littered his whole military life with blunders, and yet has never committed one that didn't make him a knight or a baronet or a lord or something. Look at his breast; why, he is just clothed in domestic and foreign decorations. Well, sir, every one of them is the record of some shouting stupidity or other; and taken together, they are proof that the very best thing in all this world that can befall a man is to be born lucky. I say again, as I said at the banquet, Scoresby's an absolute fool.

--

// 2022-7-4

C50 Ūn-khì | 運氣 - a 顯然, 伊干焦是靠奇蹟

Luck /by Mark Twain
http://www.classicshorts.com/stories/luck.html

Ūn-khì | 運氣

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1. Hián-jiân, i kan-ta sī khò kî-chek

He sī tī London ê chi̍t-ê iàn-hōe, sī kō͘ chit sè-tāi nn̄g/saⁿ ūi miâ-siaⁿ hián-hek ê Eng-kok kun-jîn kî-tiong chi̍t-lâng ê miâ-gī kí-pān ê. Ūi tio̍h bó͘-chióng liâm-mi chiah kóng ê lí-iû, góa tī chia m̄ thê-khí i ê chin-si̍t miâ-sèⁿ hām thâu-hâm, tō kiò i Arthur Scoresby Tiong-chiòng Koh-hā, V.C., K.C.B., tt (téng-téng), tt. Chhut-miâ ê miâ si̍t-chāi chiâⁿ bê-lâng! Hit-lâng ê bah-sin taⁿ chē tī hia, i ê miâ, góa í-keng thiaⁿ kòe kúi-nā chheng pái, he sī chū 30 nî chêng, i ê miâ hut-jiân ùi Crimea chiàn-tiûⁿ peh-chhiūⁿ thiⁿ, koh éng-oán siū tio̍h o-ló. Chiū góa lâi kóng, ím-si̍t tō sī khòaⁿ, khòaⁿ, koh khòaⁿ hit-ê pòaⁿ-sîn; kā lió, kā chîn, kā siòng: i ê piáu-chêng tiām-chēng, pó-siú, chong-giâm; kui-sin hián-chhut tan-sûn tiong-hō͘; tùi pún-sin úi-tāi oán-jiân bô ì-sek -- bô ì-sek kúi pah-lúi him-siān ê ba̍k-chiu lia̍h i khòaⁿ, bô ì-sek hiah-ê lâng ùi sim-lāi ek-chhut koh lâu hiòng i ê chhim-tîm, tah-sim, koh khiân-sêng ê chông-pài.

Tī góa tò-pêng hit-ê bo̍k-su sī góa ê lāu sio-bat -- taⁿ sī bo̍k-su, m̄-koh i ê chêng pòaⁿ sì-lâng sī seng-oa̍h tī kun-iâⁿ hām chiàn-tiûⁿ, bat tī Woolwich ê kun-sū ha̍k-hāu chò kàu-koaⁿ. Tī góa kóng-khí ê hit-sî, i hián-chhut am-iap koh koài-kî ê gán-sîn, àⁿ-sin lo̍h-lâi, su-té hā khin-siaⁿ tùi góa kóng -- chò chi̍t-ê chhiú-sè kí iàn-hōe tiong ê hit-ê eng-hiông:

"Su-té hā lâi kóng -- i choat-tùi sī chi̍t-ê gōng-tai."

Chit-ê lūn-tiám hō͘ góa tio̍h chi̍t-kiaⁿ. Ká-sú he chú-kak ōaⁿ-chò sī Napoleon, a̍h Scrates, a̍h Solomon, góa ê tio̍h-kiaⁿ khó-lêng mā bē khah tōa. Nn̄g-hāng tāi-chì góa chin chheng-chhó͘: Bo̍k-su sī chi̍t-ê giâm-keh tiong-si̍t ê lâng, i tùi lâng ū chin hó ê phòaⁿ-toàn. Só͘-í, góa chai-iáⁿ, bián hoâi-gî mā bô būn-tê, sè-kài tùi chit-ê lâng ê khòaⁿ-hoat ū chhò-gō͘. Chū án-ne, góa àn-sǹg boeh chhōe sek-ha̍p ê sî-ki, chhéng-kàu Bo̍k-su, i sī chóaⁿ-iūⁿ tan-to̍k hoat-hiān chit-ê pì-bi̍t. 

Kúi-kang liáu-āu, ki-hoe lâi ah, ē-bīn tō sī Bo̍k-su kā góa kóng ê.

Tāi-iok 40 nî chêng, góa tī Woolwich ê kun-hāu tam-jīm kàu-koaⁿ. Siàu-liân Scoresby chiap-siū chho͘-kip khó-chhì ê sî, góa ū chham-ú kî-tiong ê chi̍t-ê pō͘-hūn. Góa tông-chêng kah kám-kak khó-liân; in-ūi kāng-pan ê kî-thaⁿ tông-ha̍k hôe-tap lóng chin hó, chin súi-khùi, iá i neh -- sī án-chóaⁿ, thiⁿ ah, i siáⁿ to bē-hiáu, ē-sái án-ne kóng. I ê lâng hián-jiân sī siān-liông, tah-sim, khó-ài, tan-sûn; só͘-tì, si̍t-chāi ū-kàu kan-khó͘, khòaⁿ i ná-chhiūⁿ tiau-siōng án-ne pêng-chēng khiā tī hia, kóng-chhut kin-pún sī gû-gōng koh bû-ti ê kî-chek tap-àn. Góa ūi i sán-seng tông-chêng sim. Góa tùi ka-tī kóng, koh-chài chiap-siū khó-giām ê sî, i tiāⁿ-tio̍h bē thong-kòe; só͘-í góa chò chi̍t-ê bô hāi ê siān-sū, chīn-liōng hō͘ i mài poa̍h-tó kah siuⁿ chia̍h-la̍t. Góa khiú i kàu piⁿ-á, hoat-hiān i sió-khóa chai-iáⁿ Caesar ê le̍k-sú; iū-koh in-ūi i tùi kî-thaⁿ tāi-chì lóng m̄-chai, góa tō khai-kang, ná-chhiūⁿ tùi chûn-téng ê lô͘-lē án-ne, kō͘ góa chai ē iōng-tio̍h ê, chi̍t hē-lia̍t iú-koan Caesar ê tê-khò͘, kā i hùn-liān. Lí nā khéng siong-sìn góa, i tī khó-chhì hit-kang i koân-hun thong-kòe! I ê thong-kòe, sûn-jiân sī in-ūi hit-ê piáu-bīn ê "pó͘-si̍p," koh tit-tio̍h o-ló, iá hiah-ê ke i chai chheng-pōe ê kî-thaⁿ lâng, soah hông tô-thài. Kō͘ chit-chióng koài-kî ê ì-gōa hó-ūn -- pah-nî lāi bô nn̄g-pái ê ì-gōa -- i bô tú tio̍h e̍h-e̍h ê hùn-liān hoān-ûi í-gōa ê būn-tê.

Che chin-chiàⁿ hō͘ lâng oh siong-sìn. Hmh, chi̍t-lō͘ góa lóng khiā tī i sin-piⁿ, kō͘ chi̍t-chióng lāu-bú tùi pái-kha kiáⁿ ê sim-chêng; iá i chóng-sī ē-tit chín-kiù ka-tī -- hián-jiân, kan-ta khò kî-chek.

Tong-jiân, chòe-āu ē po̍k-lō͘ koh thâi-sí i ê mi̍h-kiāⁿ sī sò͘-ha̍k. Góa koat-sim chīn-liōng hō͘ i khah hó-sí; só͘-í góa kā i hùn-liān koh pó͘-si̍p, koh kā i pó͘-si̍p koh hùn-liān, kan-ta kō͘ khó-chhì-koaⁿ siōng khó-lêng chhut ê hē-lia̍t būn-tê, koh-lâi tō sàng i chiūⁿ miā-ūn ê tō-lō͘. Hmh, sian-siⁿ, kiat-kó lí siūⁿ khòaⁿ-māi: hō͘ góa tōa-tōa tio̍h-kiaⁿ, i tit-tio̍h tē-it miâ! In-ūi he, i koh tit-tio̍h chòe-koân pho̍k-á siaⁿ ê o-ló. 

Hó-khùn bô? Góa ū chi̍t lé-pài khùn bē-khì. Góa ê liông-sim ji̍t-iā chiat-bôa góa. Góa só͘ chò ê, sûn-jiân sī siān-sū, chí-sī boeh hō͘ chit-ê khó-liân ê siàu-liân-ke mài poa̍h-tó kah siuⁿ chia̍h-la̍t -- góa chiông-lâi m̄-bat bîn-bāng ē hoat-seng chit-khoán hàm-kó͘ ê kiat-kó. Góa kám-kak ná-chhiūⁿ Frankenstein chhòng-chō chiá hiah chōe-kò koh pi-ai. I sī chi̍t-ê chhâ-thâu lâng, hō͘ góa sak-chhiūⁿ kim sih-sih ê thê-seng kap tiōng-tāi chek-jīm ê tō-lō͘, kan-ta chi̍t-hāng tāi-chì ē hoat-seng: i pún-lâng hām i ê chek-jīm, sûi-sî to khó-lêng ē tâng-chê húi-bia̍t.

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1. 顯然, 伊干焦是靠奇蹟

彼是 tī London ê 一个宴會, 是 kō͘ 這世代兩三位名聲顯赫 ê 英國軍人其中一人 ê 名義舉辦 ê. 為著某種 liâm-mi 才講 ê 理由, 我 tī chia 毋提起伊 ê 真實名姓和頭銜, tō 叫伊 Arthur Scoresby 中將閣下, V.C., K.C.B., tt (等等), tt. 出名 ê 名實在誠迷人! 彼人 ê 肉身今坐 tī hia, 伊 ê 名, 我已經聽過幾若千擺, 彼是自 30 年前, 伊 ê 名忽然 ùi Crimea 戰場 peh 上天, koh 永遠受著 o-ló. 就我來講, 飲食 tō 是看, 看, koh 看彼个半神; kā 瞭, kā chîn, kā 相: 伊 ê 表情恬靜, 保守, 莊嚴; 規身顯出單純忠厚; 對本身偉大宛然無意識 -- 無意識幾百蕊欣羨 ê 目睭掠伊看, 無意識 hiah-ê 人 ùi 心內溢出 koh 流向伊 ê 深沉, 搭心, koh 虔誠 ê 崇拜.

Tī 我倒爿彼个牧師是我 ê 老相捌 -- 今是牧師, 毋過伊 ê 前半世人是生活 tī 軍營和戰場, bat tī Woolwich ê 軍事學校做教官. Tī 我講起 ê 彼時, 伊顯出掩揜 koh 怪奇 ê 眼神, àⁿ 身落來, 私底下輕聲對我講 -- 做一个手勢指宴會中 ê 彼个英雄:

"私底下來講 -- 伊絕對是一个戇呆."

這个論點予我著一驚. 假使 he 主角換做是 Napoleon, a̍h Scrates, a̍h Solomon, 我 ê 著驚可能 mā 袂較大. 兩項代誌我真清楚: 牧師是一个嚴格忠實 ê 人, 伊對人有真好 ê 判斷. 所以, 我知影, 免懷疑 mā 無問題, 世界對這个人 ê 看法有錯誤. 自 án-ne, 我按算欲揣適合 ê 時機, 請教牧師, 伊是怎樣單獨發現這个祕密. 

幾工了後, 機會來 ah, 下面 tō 是牧師 kā 我講 ê.

大約 40 年前, 我 tī Woolwich ê 軍校擔任教官. 少年 Scoresby 接受初級考試 ê 時, 我有參與其中 ê 一个部份. 我同情甲感覺可憐; 因為仝班 ê 其他同學回答 lóng 真好, 真媠氣, iá 伊 neh -- 是按怎, 天 ah, 伊啥 to 袂曉, 會使 án-ne 講. 伊 ê 人顯然是善良, 搭心, 可愛, 單純; 所致, 實在有夠艱苦, 看伊 ná 像雕像 án-ne 平靜徛 tī hia, 講出根本是愚戇 koh 無知 ê 奇蹟答案. 我為伊產生同情心. 我對家己講, 閣再接受考驗 ê 時, 伊定著袂通過; 所以我做一个無害 ê 善事, 盡量予伊莫跋倒甲 siuⁿ 食力. 我搝伊到邊仔, 發現伊小可知影 Caesar ê 歷史; 又閣因為伊對其他代誌 lóng 毋知, 我 tō 開工, ná 像對船頂 ê 奴隸 án-ne, kō͘ 我知會用著 ê, 一系列有關 Caesar ê 題庫, kā 伊訓練. 你若肯相信我, 伊 tī 考試彼工伊懸分通過! 伊 ê 通過, 純然是因為彼个表面 ê "補習," koh 得著 o-ló, iá hiah-ê 加伊知千倍 ê 其他人, 煞 hông 淘汰. Kō͘ 這種怪奇 ê 意外好運 -- 百年內無兩擺 ê 意外 -- 伊無拄著狹狹 ê 訓練範圍以外 ê 問題.

這真正予人僫相信. Hmh, 一路我 lóng 徛 tī 伊身邊, kō͘ 一種老母對跛跤囝 ê 心情; iá 伊總是會得拯救家己 -- 顯然, 干焦靠奇蹟.

當然, 最後會暴露 koh 刣死伊 ê 物件是數學. 我決心盡量予伊較好死; 所以我 kā 伊訓練 koh 補習, koh kā 伊補習 koh 訓練, 干焦 kō͘ 考試官上可能出 ê 系列問題, 閣來 tō 送伊上命運 ê 道路. Hmh, 先生, 結果你想看覓: 予我大大著驚, 伊得著第一名! 因為 he, 伊 koh 得著最懸噗仔聲 ê o-ló. 

好睏無? 我有一禮拜睏袂去. 我 ê 良心日夜折磨我. 我所做 ê, 純然是善事, 只是欲予這个可憐 ê 少年家莫跋倒甲 siuⁿ 食力 -- 我從來毋捌眠夢會發生這款譀古 ê 結果. 我感覺 ná 像 Frankenstein 創造者 hiah 罪過 koh 悲哀. 伊是一个柴頭人, 予我捒上金 sih-sih ê 提升 kap 重大責任 ê 道路, 干焦一項代誌會發生: 伊本人和伊 ê 責任, 隨時 to 可能會同齊毀滅.

--

1.

It was at a banquet in London in honor of one of the two or three conspicuously illustrious English military names of this generation. For reasons which will presently appear, I will withhold his real name and titles, and call him Lieutenant General Lord Arthur Scoresby, V.C., K.C.B., etc., etc., etc. What a fascination there is in a renowned name! There sat the man, in actual flesh, whom I had heard of so many thousands of times since that day, thirty years before, when his name shot suddenly to the zenith from a Crimean battlefield, to remain forever celebrated. It was food and drink to me to look, and look, and look at that demigod; scanning, searching, noting: the quietness, the reserve, the noble gravity of his countenance; the simple honesty that expressed itself all over him; the sweet unconsciousness of his greatness—unconsciousness of the hundreds of admiring eyes fastened upon him, unconsciousness of the deep, loving, sincere worship welling out of the breasts of those people and flowing toward him.

The clergyman at my left was an old acquaintance of mine—clergyman now, but had spent the first half of his life in the camp and field, and as an instructor in the military school at Woolwich. Just at the moment I have been talking about, a veiled and singular light glimmered in his eyes, and he leaned down and muttered confidentially to me—indicating the hero of the banquet with a gesture:

"Privately—he's an absolute fool."

This verdict was a great surprise to me. If its subject had been Napoleon, or Socrates, or Solomon, my astonishment could not have been greater. Two things I was well aware of: that the Reverend was a man of strict veracity, and that his judgement of men was good. Therefore I knew, beyond doubt or question, that the world was mistaken about this hero: he was a fool. So I meant to find out, at a convenient moment, how the Reverend, all solitary and alone, had discovered the secret.

Some days later the opportunity came, and this is what the Reverend told me.

About forty years ago I was an instructor in the military academy at Woolwich. I was present in one of the sections when young Scoresby underwent his preliminary examination. I was touched to the quick with pity; for the rest of the class answered up brightly and handsomely, while he—why, dear me, he didn't know anything, so to speak. He was evidently good, and sweet, and lovable, and guileless; and so it was exceedingly painful to see him stand there, as serene as a graven image, and deliver himself of answers which were veritably miraculous for stupidity and ignorance. All the compassion in me was aroused in his behalf. I said to myself, when he comes to be examined again, he will be flung over, of course; so it will be simply a harmless act of charity to ease his fall as much as I can. I took him aside, and found that he knew a little of Cæsar's history; and as he didn't know anything else, I went to work and drilled him like a galley slave on a certain line of stock questions concerning Cæsar which I knew would be used. If you'll believe me, he went through with flying colors on examination day! He went through on that purely superficial "cram," and got compliments too, while others, who knew a thousand times more than he, got plucked. By some strangely lucky accident—an accident not likely to happen twice in a century—he was asked no question outside of the narrow limits of his drill.

It was stupefying. Well, all through his course I stood by him, with something of the sentiment which a mother feels for a crippled child; and he always saved himself—just by miracle, apparently.

Now of course the thing that would expose him and kill him at last was mathematics. I resolved to make his death as easy as I could; so I drilled him and crammed him, and crammed him and drilled him, just on the line of questions which the examiners would be most likely to use, and then launching him on his fate. Well, sir, try to conceive of the result: to my consternation, he took the first prize! And with it he got a perfect ovation in the way of compliments.

Sleep? There was no more sleep for me for a week. My conscience tortured me day and night. What I had done I had done purely through charity, and only to ease the poor youth's fall—I never had dreamed of any such preposterous result as the thing that had happened. I felt as guilty and miserable as the creator of Frankenstein. Here was a woodenhead whom I had put in the way of glittering promotions and prodigious responsibilities, and but one thing could happen: he and his responsibilities would all go to ruin together at the first opportunity.

--

C49c 這正正 ná 一齣戲

3. Che chiàⁿ-chiàⁿ ná chi̍t-chhut hì

Oh, che chiâⁿ bê-lâng! Yi chiâⁿ hiáng-siū! Yi chiâⁿ ài chē tī chia, án-ne khòaⁿ it-chhè! Che tō ná chi̍t-chhut hì. Che chiàⁿ-chiàⁿ ná chi̍t-chhut hì. Siáng ē-tàng siong-sìn, he pòe-kéng ê thiⁿ m̄-sī ōe khí-lih ê? M̄-koh, it-ti̍t kàu chi̍t-chiah chang-sek ê sió káu chin chong-giâm án-ne cháu kòe-lâi, koh bān-bān cháu khui, ná chhin-chhiūⁿ chi̍t-chiah "hì-hn̂g" ê káu, chi̍t-chiah hông chhī kòe io̍h-á ê káu, hit-sî Brill Sc chiah hoat-hiān, sī án-chóaⁿ it-chhè ē chiah-nī chhù-bī. Lâng-lâng lóng tī bú-tâi téng. Lâng-lâng m̄-nā sī koan-chiòng, m̄-nā teh khòaⁿ hì; lâng-lâng mā lóng teh piáu-ián. Sīm-chì yi mā ū yi ê kak-sek, ta̍k lé-pài-ji̍t lóng lâi. Jû-kó yi bô tī hia, tiāⁿ-tio̍h ū lâng ē chù-ì tio̍h; chóng-kóng, yi mā-sī kui-ê piáu-ián ê chi̍t pō͘-hūn. Chiâⁿ kî-koài, chá-chêng yi ná-ē bô án-ne siūⁿ tio̍h! M̄-koh, che ē-tàng soeh-bêng, sī án-chóaⁿ yi ta̍k lé-pài koat-tēng tī tú-hó sio-kāng ê sî-kan chhut-mn̂g -- án-ne chiah bē bē-hù ián-chhut -- che mā ē-tàng soeh-bêng, tng yi teh kā ha̍k-seng kái-soeh yi sī án-chóaⁿ tō͘-kòe lé-pài-ji̍t ē-po͘ ê sî, yi ū chi̍t-chióng chiaⁿ koài-kî, kiàn-siàu ê kám-kak. Bo̍k-koài ah! Brill Sc kiông boeh chhiò chhut-siaⁿ. Goân-lâi yi sī tī bú-tâi téng ah. Yi siūⁿ-khí hit-ê phòa-siùⁿ ê lāu sin-sū, ta̍k lé-pài 4-ê ē-po͘ yi tha̍k pò-chóa hō͘ i thiaⁿ, i tī hoe-hn̂g nih khùn. Yi í-keng chin koàn-sì mî chím-thâu téng ê hit-lia̍p hi-jio̍k ê thâu-khak, hit-tùi thap-thap ê ba̍k-chiu, khui-khui ê chhùi, koân koh lêng ê phīⁿ. Ká-sú i í-keng sí ah, yi ū khó-lêng kúi-ā lé-pài bē chù-ì tio̍h; yi mā bē kòa-ì he. M̄-koh, hut-jiân kan, i chai-iáⁿ, ūi i tha̍k pò-chóa ê lâng sī chi̍t-ê lú-ián-oân! "Lú ián-oân!" Lāu thâu-khak taⁿ khí-lâi; lāu ba̍k-chiu sih-tāng nn̄g-ê kng-tiám. "Chi̍t-ê lú ián-oân -- lí sī hoⁿh?" Iá Brill Sc kā pò-chóa chih chhun, bē-su he sī yi piáu-ián kak-sek ê kha-pún, khin-khin kóng: "Sī lah, góa chò ián-oân í-keng chin kú ah."

Ga̍k-tūi í-keng teh hioh chi̍t-khùn ah. Taⁿ in koh khai-sí ah. In teh ián-chàu ê sī un-loán, kng-liāng, m̄-koh koh ū tām-po̍h liâng-léng -- chi̍t-chióng siáⁿ-mi̍h, sī siáⁿ-mi̍h ah? -- m̄-sī pi-siong -- m̄-sī, m̄-sī pi-siong -- sī chi̍t-chióng hō͘ lí siūⁿ boeh chhiùⁿ-koa ê siáⁿ-mi̍h. Khek-tiāu giâ-koân, giâ-koân, kng-sòaⁿ chhia-iāⁿ; chāi Brill Sc khòaⁿ, kòe m̄-bián chi̍t-khùn-á, só͘-ū ê lâng, só͘-ū chò-tīn ê lâng, káⁿ tō boeh khai-sí chhiùⁿ-koa. Siàu-liân-ke, chhiò hai-hai chò-hóe kiâⁿ-tāng ê lâng, in káⁿ tō boeh khai-sí, cha-po͘ lâng ê siaⁿ, kian-koat koh ióng-kám, káⁿ ē chham ji̍p-lâi. Kàu hit-sî, yi mā boeh, yi mā boeh hām hiah-ê chē tī tn̂g-í ê lâng -- mā ē ka-ji̍p chò chi̍t-chióng phōaⁿ-chàu -- bó͘-chióng ê kē-im, bô khí-lo̍h, chiâⁿ hó-thiaⁿ -- kám-tōng lâng... Brill Sc ê ba̍k-chiu kâm ba̍k-sái, yi chhiò-chhiò khòaⁿ só͘-ū kî-thaⁿ chò-tīn ê lâng. Sī lah, lán liáu-kái, lán liáu-kái, yi án-ne siūⁿ -- sui-bóng yi mā m̄-chai, in liáu-kái ê sī siáⁿ-mi̍h.

Tú hó tī hit sî-chūn, chi̍t-ê siàu-liân-ke hām chi̍t-ê ko͘-niû kiâⁿ kòe-lâi, chē lo̍h tī tú-chiah hit-tùi lāu ang-bó͘ chē ê ūi. In chhēng kah sin siak-phāⁿ; in teh loân-ài. Lâm-lú chú-kak, tong-jiân, tú ùi lâm chú-kak in lāu-pē ê iû-théng (yacht) kòe-lâi. Brill Sc iáu-koh bô chhut-siaⁿ teh chhiùⁿ-koa, iáu-koh kòa hit-chióng chùn-tāng ê chhiò-bīn, yi chún-pī boeh kè-sio̍k thiaⁿ lo̍h-khì.

"Mài, chit-chūn bē-sái," ko͘-niû kóng. "Mài tī chia, góa m̄."

"Sī án-chóaⁿ lah? In-ūi í-á hit-thâu hit-ê sam-pat lāu chhâ-pê?" siàu-liân-ke mn̄g. "Yi tàu-té lâi chia boeh chhòng-siáⁿ -- kám ū lâng su-iàu yi? Yi ná m̄ kā yi he sam-pat lāu óaⁿ-kong lâu tī chhù?"

"He sī yi ê phôe-hiû, seⁿ-chò chiâⁿ chhiò-khoe," ko͘-niû chhiò kah kia̍k-kia̍k kiò. "He khòaⁿ tio̍h chiàⁿ-chiàⁿ chhiūⁿ soa-tn̂g-chìⁿ (fried whiting)." 

"Oeh, lí kín cháu lah!" siàu-liân-ke siū-khì khin-siaⁿ kóng. Jiân-āu: "Hó bô lah, góa ê sió pó-pòe..."

"Mài, bē-sái tī chia," ko͘-niû kóng. "Iáu bē-sái."

Tī tńg-chhù ê sî, yi pêng-siông ē seng tī pháng-tiàm bé chi̍t-tè phang-bi̍t ke-nn̄g-ko. He sī yi ê lé-pài-ji̍t hiáng-siū. Ū-sî yi ê hit-tè ē ū chi̍t-lia̍p hēng-jîn, ū-sî tō bô. Che ū chin tōa ê chha-pia̍t. Lāi-té nā ū hēng-jîn, he tō ná-chhiūⁿ chah chi̍t-ê sió lé-bu̍t tńg chhù -- chi̍t-ê kiaⁿ-hí -- chi̍t-ê khó-lêng bē chhut-hiān ê mi̍h-kiāⁿ. Tī ū hēng-jîn ê lé-pài-ji̍t, yi kóaⁿ kín-kín, kō͘ iu-ngá ê hong-sek khiat-hóe hiâⁿ tê-kó͘.

M̄-koh, kin-á-ji̍t yi bô ji̍p-khì pháng-tiàm, tō peh lâu-thui chìn-ji̍p hit-keng àm-àm ê sió pâng-keng -- yi he ná óaⁿ-tû ê pâng-keng -- chē lo̍h tī he âng jiông-mo͘ téng. Yi tī hia chē kú-kú. Té phôe-hiû ê a̍p-á iáu tī bîn-chhn̂g téng. Yi kín-kín tháu-khui ām-niá kat; kín kah bô khòaⁿ tō kā khǹg ji̍p a̍p-á lāi. M̄-koh, tán yi kā kòa khàm khí-lih ê sî, yi kám-kak ū thiaⁿ tio̍h ū siáⁿ teh khàu.

--

3. 這正正 ná 一齣戲

Oh, 這誠迷人! 她誠享受! 她誠愛坐 tī chia, án-ne 看一切! 這 tō ná 一齣戲. 這正正 ná 一齣戲. Siáng 會當相信, he 背景 ê 天毋是畫起 lih ê? 毋過, 一直到一隻棕色 ê 小狗真莊嚴 án-ne 走過來, koh 慢慢走開, ná 親像一隻 "戲園" ê 狗, 一隻 hông 飼過藥仔 ê 狗, 彼時 Brill Sc 才發現, 是按怎一切會 chiah-nī 趣味. 人人 lóng tī 舞台頂. 人人毋但是觀眾, 毋但 teh 看戲; 人人 mā lóng teh 表演. 甚至她 mā 有她 ê 角色, 逐禮拜日 lóng 來. 如果她無 tī hia, 定著有人會注意著; 總講, 她 mā 是規个表演 ê 一部份. 誠奇怪, 早前她那會無 án-ne 想著! 毋過, 這會當說明, 是按怎她逐禮拜決定 tī 拄好相仝 ê 時間出門 -- án-ne 才袂袂赴演出 -- 這 mā 會當說明, 當她 teh kā 學生解說她是按怎度過禮拜日下晡 ê 時, 她有一種誠怪奇, 見笑 ê 感覺. 莫怪 ah! Brill Sc 強欲笑出聲. 原來她是 tī 舞台頂 ah. 她想起彼个破相 ê 老紳士, 逐禮拜 4 个下晡她讀報紙予伊聽, 伊 tī 花園 nih 睏. 她已經真慣勢棉枕頭頂 ê 彼粒虛弱 ê 頭殼, 彼對塌塌 ê 目睭, 開開 ê 喙, 懸 koh 稜 ê 鼻. 假使伊已經死 ah, 她有可能幾若禮拜袂注意著; 她 mā 袂掛意 he. 毋過, 忽然間, 伊知影, 為伊讀報紙 ê 人是一个女演員! "女演員!" 老頭殼 taⁿ 起來; 老目睭爍動兩个光點. "一个女演員 -- 你是 hoⁿh?" Iá Brill Sc kā 報紙摺伸, 袂輸彼是她表演角色 ê 跤本, 輕輕講: "是 lah, 我做演員已經真久 ah."

樂隊已經 teh 歇一睏 ah. 今 in koh 開始 ah. In teh 演奏 ê 是溫暖, 光亮, 毋過 koh 有淡薄涼冷 -- 一種啥物, 是啥物 ah? -- 毋是悲傷 -- 毋是, 毋是悲傷 -- 是一種予你想欲唱歌 ê 啥物. 曲調夯懸, 夯懸, 光線奢颺; 在 Brill Sc 看, 過毋免一睏仔, 所有 ê 人, 所有做陣 ê 人, káⁿ tō 欲開始唱歌. 少年家, 笑 hai-hai 做伙 kiâⁿ 動 ê 人, in káⁿ tō 欲開始, 查埔人 ê 聲, 堅決 koh 勇敢, káⁿ 會參入來. 到彼時, 她 mā 欲, 她 mā 欲和 hiah-ê 坐 tī 長椅 ê 人 -- mā 會加入做一種伴奏 -- 某種 ê 低音, 無起落, 誠好聽 -- 感動人... Brill Sc ê 目睭含目屎, 她笑笑看所有其他做陣 ê 人. 是 lah, 咱了解, 咱了解, 她 án-ne 想 -- 雖罔她 mā 毋知, in 了解 ê 是啥物.

拄好 tī 彼時陣, 一个少年家和一个姑娘行過來, 坐落 tī 拄才彼對老翁某坐 ê 位. In 穿甲真 siak-phāⁿ; in teh 戀愛. 男女主角, 當然, 拄 ùi 男主角 in 老爸 ê 遊艇 (yacht) 過來. Brill Sc 猶閣無出聲 teh 唱歌, 猶閣掛彼種顫動 ê 笑面, 她準備欲繼續聽落去.

"莫, 這陣袂使," 姑娘講. "莫 tī chia, 我毋."

"是按怎 lah? 因為椅仔彼頭彼个三八老柴耙?" 少年家問. "她到底來 chia 欲創啥 -- 敢有人需要她? 她那毋 kā 她 he 三八老碗公留 tī 厝?"

"彼是她 ê 皮裘, 生做誠笑詼," 姑娘笑甲 kia̍k-kia̍k 叫. "he 看著正正像沙腸糋 (fried whiting)." 

"Oeh, 你緊走 lah!" 少年家受氣輕聲講. 然後: "好無 lah, 我 ê 小寶貝..."

"莫, 袂使 tī chia," 姑娘講. "猶袂使."

Tī 轉厝 ê 時, 她平常會先 tī pháng 店買一塊蜂蜜雞卵糕. 彼是她 ê 禮拜日享受. 有時她 ê 彼塊會有一粒杏仁, 有時 tō 無. 這有真大 ê 差別. 內底若有杏仁, 彼 tō ná 像扎一个小禮物轉厝 -- 一个驚喜 -- 一个可能袂出現 ê 物件. Tī 有杏仁 ê 禮拜日, 她趕緊緊, kō͘ 優雅 ê 方式 khiat 火燃茶鈷.

毋過, 今仔日她無入去 pháng 店, tō peh 樓梯進入彼間暗暗 ê 小房間 -- 她 he ná 碗櫥 ê 房間 -- 坐落 tī he 紅絨毛頂. 她 tī hia 坐久久. 貯皮裘 ê 盒仔猶 tī 眠床頂. 她緊緊敨開頷領結; 緊甲無看 tō kā 囥入盒仔內. 毋過, 等她 kā 蓋崁起 lih ê 時, 她感覺有聽著有啥 teh 哭.

--

3.

Oh, how fascinating it was! How she enjoyed it! How she loved sitting here, watching it all! It was like a play. It was exactly like a play. Who could believe the sky at the back wasn't painted? But it wasn't till a little brown dog trotted on solemn and then slowly trotted off, like a little "theatre" dog, a little dog that had been drugged, that Miss Brill discovered what it was that made it so exciting. They were all on the stage. They weren't only the audience, not only looking on; they were acting. Even she had a part and came every Sunday. No doubt somebody would have noticed if she hadn't been there; she was part of the performance after all. How strange she'd never thought of it like that before! And yet it explained why she made such a point of starting from home at just the same time each week - so as not to be late for the performance - and it also explained why she had quite a queer, shy feeling at telling her English pupils how she spent her Sunday afternoons. No wonder! Miss Brill nearly laughed out loud. She was on the stage. She thought of the old invalid gentleman to whom she read the newspaper four afternoons a week while he slept in the garden. She had got quite used to the frail head on the cotton pillow, the hollowed eyes, the open mouth and the high pinched nose. If he'd been dead she mightn't have noticed for weeks; she wouldn't have minded. But suddenly he knew he was having the paper read to him by an actress! "An actress!" The old head lifted; two points of light quivered in the old eyes. "An actress - are ye?" And Miss Brill smoothed the newspaper as though it were the manuscript of her part and said gently; "Yes, I have been an actress for a long time."

The band had been having a rest. Now they started again. And what they played was warm, sunny, yet there was just a faint chill - a something, what was it? - not sadness - no, not sadness - a something that made you want to sing. The tune lifted, lifted, the light shone; and it seemed to Miss Brill that in another moment all of them, all the whole company, would begin singing. The young ones, the laughing ones who were moving together, they would begin, and the men's voices, very resolute and brave, would join them. And then she too, she too, and the others on the benches - they would come in with a kind of accompaniment - something low, that scarcely rose or fell, something so beautiful - moving ... And Miss Brill's eyes filled with tears and she looked smiling at all the other members of the company. Yes, we understand, we understand, she thought - though what they understood she didn't know.

Just at that moment a boy and girl came and sat down where the old couple had been. They were beautifully dressed; they were in love. The hero and heroine, of course, just arrived from his father's yacht. And still soundlessly singing, still with that trembling smile, Miss Brill prepared to listen.

"No, not now," said the girl. "Not here, I can't."

"But why? Because of that stupid old thing at the end there?" asked the boy. "Why does she come here at all - who wants her? Why doesn't she keep her silly old mug at home?"

"It's her fu-ur which is so funny," giggled the girl. "It's exactly like a fried whiting."

"Ah, be off with you!" said the boy in an angry whisper. Then: "Tell me, ma petite chere--"

"No, not here," said the girl. "Not yet."

On her way home she usually bought a slice of honey-cake at the baker's. It was her Sunday treat. Sometimes there was an almond in her slice, sometimes not. It made a great difference. If there was an almond it was like carrying home a tiny present - a surprise - something that might very well not have been there. She hurried on the almond Sundays and struck the match for the kettle in quite a dashing way.

But to-day she passed the baker's by, climbed the stairs, went into the little dark room - her room like a cupboard - and sat down on the red eiderdown. She sat there for a long time. The box that the fur came out of was on the bed. She unclasped the necklet quickly; quickly, without looking, laid it inside. But when she put the lid on she thought she heard something crying.

--

// 2022-7-1

C49b 樂隊 teh 演奏

2. Ga̍k-tūi teh ián-chàu

Lāu lâng chē tī tn̂g-í, tiām-tiām ná chhiūⁿ sī tiau-siōng. Bô iàu-kín, chóng-sī ū lâng-tīn thang khòaⁿ. Lâi-lâi khì-khì, tī hoe-tôaⁿ hām tī ga̍k-tūi tōa-thiaⁿ chêng, chêng-lū hām lâng-tīn kiâⁿ lâi kiâⁿ khì, thêng lo̍h-lâi kóng-ōe, phah chio-ho͘, bé chi̍t-sok hoe, hit-ê lāu khit-chia̍h kā hoe kòa tī lân-kan bē. Sè-hàn gín-á tī in sin-piⁿ cháu lâi cháu khì, o͘-pe̍h chông koh ki-ki chhiò; cha-po͘ gín-á ām-kún kòa pe̍h-si ia̍h-á kat, chă-gín-á mo͘h Franse pò͘-ang-á, chhēng thian-gô-jiông hām hoe-piⁿ ê saⁿ. Ū-sî, chi̍t-ê teh o̍h-kiâⁿ ê gín-á ùi chhiū-á kha hoaiⁿh chhut-lâi, thêng chi̍t-ē, khòaⁿ chi̍t-ē, koh hut-leh tò-lap chē, tán in hit-ê kín kha-pō͘ lāu-bú, ná chhiūⁿ ke-bó án-ne ná lé ná chông chhut-lâi kiù i. Kî-thaⁿ ê lâng chē tī tn̂g-í hām chheⁿ-sek í-á, chha-put-to lóng sī kāng-khoán hiah-ê, chi̍t lé-pài kòe chi̍t lé-pài, jî-chhiáⁿ -- Brill Sc keng-siông chù-ì tio̍h -- chiah-ê lâng chha-put-to lóng ū bó͘-chióng hó-sńg ê te̍k-tiám. In lóng koài-kî, tiām-chēng, chha-put-to lóng chin lāu, ùi in ê gán-sîn lâi khòaⁿ, in ká-ná lóng tú-chiah ùi o͘-àm ê sió pâng-keng chhut-lâi, a̍h sīm-chì -- sīm-chì ùi óaⁿ-tû chhut-lâi!

Tī îⁿ-hêng tōa-thiaⁿ āu-bīn, sán-thiu ê chhiū-á n̂g-hio̍h sûi-sûi, thàng-kòe in, kan-ta sī chi̍t-chōa hái-kéng, koh kòe tō sī nâ-sek ê thiⁿ-téng kòa kim-sek ê hûn-chhái.

Ga̍k-tūi teh ián-chàu: Tum-tum-tum tiddle-um! tiddle-um! tum tiddley-um tum ta! 

Nn̄g-ê chhēng âng saⁿ ê siàu-liân ko͘-niû kiâⁿ kòe-lâi, nn̄g-ê chhēng nâ-sek ê siàu-liân a-peng-ko kiâⁿ hiòng yin, in chhiò hi-hi, koh phòe chò nn̄g-tùi kiâⁿ-khui, chhiú khan chhiú. Nn̄g-ê tì chhù-bī chháu-le̍h-á ê chng-kha cha-bó͘, piáu-chêng giâm-siok, khan súi-súi ê phú-sek lî-á keng-kòe. Chi̍t-ê léng-tām koh bah pe̍h sún-sún ê siu-lú kín-pō͘ kiâⁿ-kòe. Chi̍t-ê súi cha-bó͘ kiâⁿ kòe-lâi, yi hit-sok chí-lô-lân lak-lo̍h, chi̍t-ê sè-hàn gín-á-hiaⁿ jiok yi, kā hoe hêng hō͘ yi, yi kā chih kòe-lâi, iū kā tìm-tiāu, bē-su he í-keng ū-to̍k. Thiⁿ ah! Brill Sc m̄-chai yi tio̍h o-ló a̍h m̄-bián! Chit-sî, chi̍t-ê tiau-phôe bō hām chi̍t-ê chhēng phú-sek ê sin-sū tī yi bīn-chêng sio-tú. Cha-po͘ seⁿ-chò lò-kha, ngē-chiāⁿ, ui-giâm, iá yi tì yi n̂g thâu-chang ê sî bé ê tiau-phôe bō. Taⁿ lí khòaⁿ, yi ê thâu-chang, bīn, sīm-chì ba̍k-chiu, ta̍k-hāng lóng hām hit-téng phòa-kū tiau-phôe bō kāng sek, iá yi ê chhiú, lop chheng-khì ê chhiú-thò, gia̍h khí-lâi bong chhùi-tûn, sī chi̍t-ki chhián-n̂g ê jiáu. Oh, yi chiâⁿ hoaⁿ-hí khòaⁿ tio̍h i -- thiòng kah! Yi siong-sìn ē-po͘ in boeh iok-hoe lah. Yi kóng-khí yi khì-kòe ê só͘-chāi -- chia, hia, hái-piⁿ ê ta̍k-ūi. Ji̍t-chí chiâⁿ bê-lâng -- i kám bô tông-ì? i kám m̄-khéng, hoān-sè? ... M̄-koh, i iô-thâu, tiám chi̍t-ki hun, bān-bān ǹg yi ê bīn bū chi̍t tōa chhùi ê hun-ian, sīm-chì tī yi iáu teh ná kóng ná chhiò ê sî, kè-sio̍k hiòng chêng kiâⁿ. Hit-ê tiau-phôe bō chhun ko͘ chi̍t-lâng; yi chhiò kah koh-khah chhàn-lān ah. M̄-koh, sīm-chì ga̍k-tūi ká-ná mā chai yi ê kám-kak, tō ián-chàu koh-khah khin-jiû, koh-khah un-hô, hiáng khí "The Brute! The Brute! (chho͘-ló͘)" ê kó͘-siaⁿ chiat-chàu, chi̍t-piàn koh chi̍t-piàn. Yi boeh án-chóaⁿ hó? Taⁿ tāi-chì ē án-chóaⁿ ah? M̄-koh, Brill Sc iáu teh hòⁿ-kî, Tiau-phôe bō í-keng oa̍t-sin, gia̍h chhiú, bē-su yi í-keng khòaⁿ tio̍h pa̍t-lâng, koh-khah hó, tī hit-pêng, tō pata-pata kiâⁿ-khui. Ga̍k-tūi iū-koh kái-piàn ah, ián-chàu khah kín, khah khin-khoài ê im-ga̍k, iá hām Brill Sc chē kāng ūi ê lāu ang-bó͘ khiā khí-lâi, kiâⁿ khui, koh ū chi̍t-ê lâu tn̂g chhùi-chhiu ê lāu-lâng, tòe im-ga̍k ê chiat-chàu teh khōng-khiang kiâⁿ, hiám-á khì hō͘ hiòng chêng kiâⁿ ê sì-ê ko͘-niû lòng poa̍h-tó.

--

2. 樂隊 teh 演奏

老人坐 tī 長椅, 恬恬 ná 像是雕像. 無要緊, 總是有人陣通看. 來來去去, tī 花壇和 tī 樂隊大廳前, 情侶和人陣行來行去, 停落來講話, 拍招呼, 買一束花, 彼个老乞食 kā 花掛 tī 欄杆賣. 細漢囡仔 tī in 身邊走來走去, 烏白傱 koh ki-ki 笑; 查埔囡仔頷頸掛白絲蝶仔結, chă 囡仔 mo͘h Franse 布尪仔, 穿天鵝絨和花邊 ê 衫. 有時, 一个 teh 學行 ê 囡仔 ùi 樹仔跤 hoaiⁿh 出來, 停一下, 看一下, koh 忽 leh tò-lap 坐, 等 in 彼个緊跤步老母, ná 像雞母 án-ne ná 詈 ná 傱出來救伊. 其他 ê 人坐 tī 長椅和青色椅仔, 差不多 lóng 是仝款 hiah-ê, 一禮拜過一禮拜, 而且 -- Brill Sc 經常注意著 -- chiah-ê 人差不多 lóng 有某種好耍 ê 特點. In lóng 怪奇, 恬靜, 差不多 lóng 真老, ùi in ê 眼神來看, in ká-ná lóng 拄才 ùi 烏暗 ê 小房間出來, a̍h 甚至 -- 甚至 ùi 碗櫥出來!

Tī 圓形大廳後面, 瘦抽 ê 樹仔黃葉垂垂, 迵過 in, 干焦是一逝海景, koh 過 tō 是藍色 ê 天頂掛金色 ê 雲彩.

樂隊 teh 演奏: Tum-tum-tum tiddle-um! tiddle-um! tum tiddley-um tum ta! 

兩个穿紅衫 ê 少年姑娘行過來, 兩个穿藍色 ê 少年阿兵哥行向姻, in 笑 hi-hi, koh 配做兩對行開, 手牽手. 兩个戴趣味草笠仔 ê 庄跤查某, 表情嚴肅, 牽媠媠 ê 殕色驢仔經過. 一个冷淡 koh 肉白 sún-sún ê 修女緊步行過. 一个媠查某行過來, 她彼束紫羅蘭 lak 落, 一个細漢囡仔兄 jiok 她, kā 花還予她, 她 kā chih 過來, 又 kā 抌掉, 袂輸 he 已經有毒. 天 ah! Brill Sc 毋知她著 o-ló a̍h 毋免! 這時, 一个貂皮帽和一个穿殕色 ê 紳士 tī 她面前相拄. 查埔生做躼跤, 硬掙, 威嚴, iá 她戴她黃頭鬃 ê 時買 ê 貂皮帽. 今你看, 她 ê 頭鬃, 面, 甚至目睭, 逐項 lóng 和彼頂破舊貂皮帽仝色, iá 她 ê 手, lop 清氣 ê 手套, 攑起來摸喙唇, 是一支淺黃 ê 爪. Oh, 她誠歡喜看著伊 -- 暢 kah! 她相信下晡 in 欲約會 lah. 她 講起她去過 ê 所在 -- 遮, 遐, 海邊 ê 逐位. 日子誠迷人 -- 伊敢無同意? 伊敢毋肯, 凡勢? ... 毋過, 伊搖頭, 點一支薰, 慢慢 ǹg 她 ê 面霧一大喙 ê 薰煙, 甚至 tī 她猶 teh ná 講 ná 笑 ê 時, 繼續向前行. 彼个貂皮帽賰孤一人; 她笑甲閣較燦爛 ah. 毋過, 甚至樂隊 ká-ná mā 知她 ê 感覺, tō 演奏閣較輕柔, 閣較溫和, 響起 "The Brute! The Brute! (粗魯)" ê 鼓聲節奏, 一遍 koh 一遍. 她欲按怎好? 今代誌會按怎 ah? 毋過, Brill Sc 猶 teh 好奇, 貂皮帽已經越身, 攑手, 袂輸她已經看著別人, 閣較好, tī 彼爿, tō pata-pata 行開. 樂隊又閣改變 ah, 演奏較緊, 較輕快 ê 音樂, iá 和 Brill Sc 坐仝位 ê 老翁某徛起來, 行開, koh 有一个留長喙鬚 ê 老人, 綴音樂 ê 節奏 teh khōng-khiang 行, 險仔去予向前行 ê 四个姑娘挵跋倒.

--

2.

The old people sat on the bench, still as statues. Never mind, there was always the crowd to watch. To and fro, in front of the flower-beds and the band rotunda, the couples and groups paraded, stopped to talk, to greet, to buy a handful of flowers from the old beggar who had his tray fixed to the railings. Little children ran among them, swooping and laughing; little boys with big white silk bows under their chins, little girls, little French dolls, dressed up in velvet and lace. And sometimes a tiny staggerer came suddenly rocking into the open from under the trees, stopped, stared, as suddenly sat down "flop," until its small high-stepping mother, like a young hen, rushed scolding to its rescue. Other people sat on the benches and green chairs, but they were nearly always the same, Sunday after Sunday, and - Miss Brill had often noticed - there was something funny about nearly all of them. They were odd, silent, nearly all old, and from the way they stared they looked as though they'd just come from dark little rooms or even - even cupboards!

Behind the rotunda the slender trees with yellow leaves down drooping, and through them just a line of sea, and beyond the blue sky with gold-veined clouds.

Tum-tum-tum tiddle-um! tiddle-um! tum tiddley-um tum ta! blew the band.

Two young girls in red came by and two young soldiers in blue met them, and they laughed and paired and went off arm-in-arm. Two peasant women with funny straw hats passed, gravely, leading beautiful smoke-coloured donkeys. A cold, pale nun hurried by. A beautiful woman came along and dropped her bunch of violets, and a little boy ran after to hand them to her, and she took them and threw them away as if they'd been poisoned. Dear me! Miss Brill didn't know whether to admire that or not! And now an ermine toque and a gentleman in grey met just in front of her. He was tall, stiff, dignified, and she was wearing the ermine toque she'd bought when her hair was yellow. Now everything, her hair, her face, even her eyes, was the same colour as the shabby ermine, and her hand, in its cleaned glove, lifted to dab her lips, was a tiny yellowish paw. Oh, she was so pleased to see him - delighted! She rather thought they were going to meet that afternoon. She described where she'd been - everywhere, here, there, along by the sea. The day was so charming - didn't he agree? And wouldn't he, perhaps? ... But he shook his head, lighted a cigarette, slowly breathed a great deep puff into her face, and even while she was still talking and laughing, flicked the match away and walked on. The ermine toque was alone; she smiled more brightly than ever. But even the band seemed to know what she was feeling and played more softly, played tenderly, and the drum beat, "The Brute! The Brute!" over and over. What would she do? What was going to happen now? But as Miss Brill wondered, the ermine toque turned, raised her hand as though she'd seen some one else, much nicer, just over there, and pattered away. And the band changed again and played more quickly, more gayly than ever, and the old couple on Miss Brill's seat got up and marched away, and such a funny old man with long whiskers hobbled along in time to the music and was nearly knocked over by four girls walking abreast.

--

C49 Brill Sió-chiá | Brill 小姐 - a 她期待聽人交談

Miss Brill /by Katherine Mansfield
http://www.eastoftheweb.com/short-stories/UBooks/MissBril.shtml

Brill Sió-chiá | Brill 小姐

--

1. Yi koat-tēng boeh chhēng phôe-hiû

Sui-bóng thiⁿ-khì hó kah hiah chhàn-lān -- nâ-sek ê thiⁿ-téng boah kim-hún, chi̍t-jiah chi̍t-jiah ê ji̍t-kng ná-chhiūⁿ pe̍h-chiú án-ne phoah-lo̍h tī kong-kiōng hoe-hn̂g -- Brill Sc* [Sió-chiá] chin hoaⁿ-hí yi koat-tēng boeh chhēng phôe-hiû. Khong-khì bô lâu-tāng, m̄-koh lí nā peh-khui chhùi, kan-ta ū tām-po̍h-á hân-ì, ná-chhiūⁿ sip chi̍t-poe peng-chúi chìn-chêng ê hit-chióng hân-ì, put-sî ū chi̍t-phìⁿ hio̍h-á phiau lo̍h-lâi -- m̄-chai ùi tó-ūi lâi, sī ùi thiⁿ-téng lâi. Brill Sc chhun-chhiú khì bong phôe-hiû. Chhin-ài ê sió pó-pòe! Koh bong che, kám-kak chin chán. Hit ē-tàu yi í-keng ùi a̍p-á kā the̍h chhut-lâi, kā chiù-thâng-hún chhe̍k tiāu, hó-hó kā bín-bín leh, àm-tām ê sió ba̍k-chiu iū-koh jôe-chhut sèⁿ-miā-la̍t. "Góa tàu-té sī chóaⁿ-iūⁿ ah?" ai-siong ê sió ba̍k-chiu án-ne kóng. Oh, khòaⁿ tio̍h he ba̍k-chiu koh ùi âng jiông-mo͘ lia̍h yi khòaⁿ, kám-kak chiâⁿ tiⁿ-bi̍t! ... M̄-koh, he phīⁿ ū sió-khóa o͘, bô chin kian-kò͘. Tiāⁿ-tio̍h sī khì án-chóaⁿ kho̍k tio̍h. Bô iàu-kín -- kàu-sî chiah kā boah chi̍t-sut-á o͘-sek hong-la̍h -- nā chin-chiàⁿ su-iàu ê sî... Sió pháiⁿ-kiáⁿ ah! Tio̍h, yi chin-chiàⁿ kám-kak i sī án-ne. Sió pháiⁿ-kiáⁿ tī yi ê tò-pêng hīⁿ piⁿ kā i ka-tī ê bóe. Yi ē-tàng kā i lia̍h lo̍h-lâi, khǹg tī kha-thúi kā phok. Yi kám-kak chhiú hām chhiú-kut bâ-bâ, m̄-koh he sī in-ūi kiâⁿ-lō͘, yi án-ne siūⁿ. Yi chhoán-khùi ê sî, ū bó͘-chióng khin-khin, ai-siong -- chún-khak kóng, m̄-sī ai-siong -- ká-ná sī bó͘-chióng un-jiû ê mi̍h tī yi ê heng-khám tín-tāng.

Kin-á ē-tàu ū khah chē lâng chhut-lâi, pí téng lé-pài-ji̍t ke chē-chē. Ga̍k-tūi ê siaⁿ mā khah hiáng, khah hoaⁿ-hí. In-ūi kùi-cheh khai-sí ah. Sui-bóng kui-nî thàng-thiⁿ ta̍k lé-pài lóng ū ga̍k-tūi ián-chàu, nā kùi-cheh bô ha̍h tō bô kāng ah. Ná chhin-chhiūⁿ lán nā kan-ta ián-chàu hō͘ chhù-lāi-lâng thiaⁿ, bô jīm-hô chheⁿ-hūn-lâng chāi-tiûⁿ, lán tō bē chāi-ì ián-chàu liáu chóaⁿ-iūⁿ. Hit-ê chí-hui kám m̄-sī mā chhēng chi̍t-niá sin saⁿ? Yi khak-tēng he sī sin saⁿ. I ê kha liòng chi̍t-ē, chhiú-kut phok chi̍t-ē, ná chhiūⁿ ke-kang boeh thî ah, chē tī le̍k-sek îⁿ-hêng tōa-thiaⁿ ê tūi-oân chhùi-phé pûn kah phòng-phòng, ba̍k-chiu khòaⁿ ga̍k-phó͘. Taⁿ sī chi̍t sió tōaⁿ ê "phín-á" -- chiâⁿ bí-miāu! -- chi̍t sió kōaⁿ ê bêng-liāng chúi-chu. Yi siong-sìn, he ē koh tiông-ho̍k. Kó-jiân án-ne; yi gia̍h-thâu, bî-chhiò.

Kan-ta nn̄g-ê lâng kong-ke yi ê "te̍k-pia̍t" chō: chi̍t-ê chhēng thian-gô-jiông tōa-i ê su-bûn lāu lâng, siang-chhiú tēⁿ chi̍t-ki khek-hoe tōa koái, hām chi̍t-ê tōa-kho͘ lāu cha-bó͘, chē thêng-thêng, siù-hoe ûi-kûn téng khǹg chi̍t-oân chhiah phòng-se. In bô kóng-ōe. Che hō͘ yi sit-bōng, in-ūi Brill Sc chóng-sī kî-thāi thiaⁿ lâng kau-tâm. Yi í-keng sī lāu keng-giām, yi án-ne siūⁿ, chē tī pa̍t-lâng seng-oa̍h khian nih chi̍t-tiap-á kú, kek bô thiaⁿ án-ne thiaⁿ in tī piⁿ-á kóng-ōe. 

Yi hiòng piⁿ-á hit-tùi lāu ang-bó͘ gán chi̍t-ē. Hoān-sè in liâm-mi boeh lī-khui ah. Téng lé-pài-ji̍t, mā bô siáⁿ hó-sńg. Chi̍t-ê Eng-kok lâng hām in bó͘, i tì chi̍t-téng àu-kó͘ Panama bō-á, iá yi chhēng liú-á ê-hia. Yi it-ti̍t kóng, yi tio̍h kòa ba̍k-kiàⁿ; yi chai yi su-iàu he; m̄-koh ū ba̍k-kiàⁿ mā bô hó; he tiāⁿ-tio̍h ē lòng-phòa, mā kòa bē koàn-sì. Hit-lâng chin nāi-sim. I chò ta̍k-hāng kiàn-gī - kim kheng, tòe hīⁿ-á oan-khiau hit-chióng, lāi-bīn ū phīⁿ-kut thiap-á hit-chióng. M̄-koh, bô chi̍t-hāng yi kah-ì. "He chóng-sī tiu-tiu chhu-lo̍h góa ê phīⁿ!" Brill Sc chiok siūⁿ boeh chhe̍k hit-ê cha-bó͘.

--

1. 她期待聽人交談

雖罔天氣好甲 hiah 燦爛 -- 藍色 ê 天頂抹金粉, 一跡一跡 ê 日光 ná 像白酒 án-ne 潑落 tī 公共花園 -- Brill Sc* [小姐] 真歡喜她決定欲穿皮裘. 空氣無流動, 毋過你若 peh 開喙, 干焦有淡薄仔寒意, ná 像 sip 一杯冰水進前 ê 彼種寒意, 不時有一片葉仔飄落來 -- 毋知 ùi 佗位來, 是 ùi 天頂來. Brill Sc 伸手去摸皮裘. 親愛 ê 小寶貝! Koh 摸這, 感覺真讚. 彼下晝她已經 ùi 盒仔 kā 提出來, kā 蛀蟲粉摵掉, 好好 kā 抿抿 leh, 暗淡 ê 小目睭又閣 jôe 出性命力. "我到底是怎樣 ah?" 哀傷 ê 小目睭 án-ne 講. Oh, 看著 he 目睭 koh ùi 紅絨毛掠她看, 感覺誠甜蜜! ... 毋過, he 鼻有小可烏, 無真堅固. 定著是去按怎硞著. 無要緊 -- 到時才 kā 抹一屑仔烏色封蠟 -- 若真正需要 ê 時... 小歹囝 ah! 著, 她真正感覺伊是 án-ne. 小歹囝 tī 她 ê 倒爿耳邊咬伊家己 ê 尾. 她會當 kā 伊掠落來, 囥 tī 跤腿 kā 撲. 她感覺手和手骨麻麻, 毋過彼是因為行路, 她 án-ne 想. 她喘氣 ê 時, 有某種輕輕, 哀傷 -- 準確講, 毋是哀傷 -- ká-ná 是某種溫柔 ê 物 tī 她 ê 胸坎振動.

今仔下晝有較濟人出來, 比頂禮拜日加濟濟. 樂隊 ê 聲 mā 較響, 較歡喜. 因為季節開始 ah. 雖罔規年迵天逐禮拜 lóng 有樂隊演奏, 若季節無合 tō 無仝 ah. Ná 親像咱若干焦演奏予厝內人聽, 無任何生份人在場, 咱 tō 袂在意演奏了怎樣. 彼个指揮敢毋是 mā 穿一領新衫? 她確定彼是新衫. 伊 ê 跤躘一下, 手骨撲一下, ná 像雞公欲啼 ah, 坐 tī 綠色圓形大廳 ê 隊員喙䫌歕甲膨膨, 目睭看樂譜. 今是一小段 ê  "品仔" -- 誠美妙! -- 一小捾 ê 明亮水珠. 她相信, 彼會 koh 重複. 果然 án-ne; 她攑頭, 微笑.

干焦兩个人公家她 ê "特別" 座: 一个穿天鵝絨大衣 ê 斯文老人, 雙手捏一支刻花大枴, 和一个大箍老查某, 坐騰騰, 繡花圍裙頂囥一丸刺膨紗. In 無講話. 這予她失望, 因為 Brill Sc 總是期待聽人交談. 她已經是老經驗, 她 án-ne 想, 坐 tī 別人生活圈 nih chi̍t-tiap-á 久, 激無聽 án-ne 聽 in tī 邊仔講話. 

她向邊仔彼對老翁某眼一下. 凡勢 in liâm-mi 欲離開 ah. 頂禮拜日, mā 無啥好耍. 一个英國人和 in 某, 伊戴一頂漚古 Panama 帽仔, iá 她穿鈕仔鞋靴. 她一直講, 她著掛目鏡; 她知她需要彼; 毋過有目鏡 mā 無好; he 定著會挵破, mā 掛袂慣勢. 彼人真耐心. 伊做逐項建議 - 金框, 綴耳仔彎曲彼種, 內面有鼻骨 thiap-á 彼種. 毋過, 無一項她佮意. "彼總是 tiu-tiu 趨落我 ê 鼻!" Brill Sc 足想欲摵彼个查某.

--

1.

Although it was so brilliantly fine - the blue sky powdered with gold and great spots of light like white wine splashed over the Jardins Publiques - Miss Brill was glad that she had decided on her fur. The air was motionless, but when you opened your mouth there was just a faint chill, like a chill from a glass of iced water before you sip, and now and again a leaf came drifting - from nowhere, from the sky. Miss Brill put up her hand and touched her fur. Dear little thing! It was nice to feel it again. She had taken it out of its box that afternoon, shaken out the moth-powder, given it a good brush, and rubbed the life back into the dim little eyes. "What has been happening to me?" said the sad little eyes. Oh, how sweet it was to see them snap at her again from the red eiderdown! ... But the nose, which was of some black composition, wasn't at all firm. It must have had a knock, somehow. Never mind - a little dab of black sealing-wax when the time came - when it was absolutely necessary ... Little rogue! Yes, she really felt like that about it. Little rogue biting its tail just by her left ear. She could have taken it off and laid it on her lap and stroked it. She felt a tingling in her hands and arms, but that came from walking, she supposed. And when she breathed, something light and sad - no, not sad, exactly - something gentle seemed to move in her bosom.

There were a number of people out this afternoon, far more than last Sunday. And the band sounded louder and gayer. That was because the Season had begun. For although the band played all the year round on Sundays, out of season it was never the same. It was like some one playing with only the family to listen; it didn't care how it played if there weren't any strangers present. Wasn't the conductor wearing a new coat, too? She was sure it was new. He scraped with his foot and flapped his arms like a rooster about to crow, and the bandsmen sitting in the green rotunda blew out their cheeks and glared at the music. Now there came a little "flutey" bit - very pretty! - a little chain of bright drops. She was sure it would be repeated. It was; she lifted her head and smiled.

Only two people shared her "special" seat: a fine old man in a velvet coat, his hands clasped over a huge carved walking-stick, and a big old woman, sitting upright, with a roll of knitting on her embroidered apron. They did not speak. This was disappointing, for Miss Brill always looked forward to the conversation. She had become really quite expert, she thought, at listening as though she didn't listen, at sitting in other people's lives just for a minute while they talked round her.

She glanced, sideways, at the old couple. Perhaps they would go soon. Last Sunday, too, hadn't been as interesting as usual. An Englishman and his wife, he wearing a dreadful Panama hat and she button boots. And she'd gone on the whole time about how she ought to wear spectacles; she knew she needed them; but that it was no good getting any; they'd be sure to break and they'd never keep on. And he'd been so patient. He'd suggested everything - gold rims, the kind that curved round your ears, little pads inside the bridge. No, nothing would please her. "They'll always be sliding down my nose!" Miss Brill had wanted to shake her.

--

C48c 總著有人去收拾火藥庫

3. Chóng-tio̍h ū-lâng khì siu-si̍p hóe-io̍h khò͘

"Káu-á piáⁿ," Walter Mitty kóng. I thêng-kha, Waterbury ê lâu-á-chhù ùi bông-bông ê hoat-têng phû-chhut, koh ûi tī i sin-piⁿ. Keng-kòe ê chi̍t-ê hū-jîn lâng chhiò chhut-lâi. "I kóng 'Káu-á piáⁿ,'" yi án-ne kóng hō͘ yin tông-phōaⁿ thiaⁿ. "Hit-ê lâng tùi ka-tī kóng 'Káu-á piáⁿ.'" Walter Mitty kè-sio̍k kín-kín kiâⁿ. I kiâⁿ-ji̍p chi̍t-keng A&P, m̄-sī i tú-tio̍h ê tē-it keng, sī ke-lō͘ koh-khah kòe, khah sè-keng hit-keng. "Góa boeh bé kóa hō͘ sè-chiah káu-á-kiáⁿ chia̍h ê piáⁿ," i tùi tiàm-oân kóng. "Siáⁿ-mih te̍k-pia̍t pâi-chú ê, sian-siⁿ?" Sè-kài-it ê chhèng-chhiú siūⁿ chi̍t-ē. "A̍p-á téng ū ìn 'Káu-á ē thó boeh ài' ê hit-chióng," Walter Mitty kóng.

Koh 15 hun, in bó͘ tō ē oân-sêng tī thâu-mo͘-tiàm ê it-chhè, Mitty khòaⁿ chhiú-pió-á án-ne hoat-hiān, tî-hui in tú-tio̍h siáⁿ mâ-hoân, bē-hù chhoe ta; ū sî-chūn in tú-tio̍h chhoe ta ê būn-tê. Yi bô-ài yi tāi-seng kàu hotel; yi lêng-khó i seng khì hia tán yi. I tī lobby chhōe chi̍t-tè tōa phôe-í, ǹg thang-á, i kā ê-thò hām káu-á piáⁿ khǹg tī í-á piⁿ ê thô͘-kha. I khì kéng chi̍t-pún Liberty kū cha̍p-chì, chē lo̍h tī hit-tè í-á. "Tek-kok Kám Ē-tàng Thàng-kòe Thiⁿ-téng Cheng-ho̍k Sè-kài?" Walter Mitty khòaⁿ hong-chà-ki kap phòa-pāi ke-lō͘ ê tô͘-phìⁿ. 

... "Liân-sòa ê phàu-kek hō͘ siàu-liân Raleigh kiông boeh lia̍h-kông, tiúⁿ-koaⁿ," tiong-sū kóng. Mitty Tūi-tiúⁿ sàm-sàm ê thâu-chang khòaⁿ i. "Kiò i khì khùn," i thiám-thiám án-ne kóng. "Hō͘ i hām pa̍t-lâng chò-hóe. Góa ka-tī to̍k-lâng khì poe." "M̄-koh, lí bē-tàng án-ne, tiúⁿ-koaⁿ," tiong-sū kín-tiuⁿ án-ne kóng. "Tio̍h nn̄g-ê lâng chiah ū hoat-tō͘ chhau-chok hit-tâi hong-chà-ki, jî-chhiáⁿ Tek-kun hông-khong phàu kā thiⁿ-téng tōaⁿ kah ná tē-ga̍k. Von Richtman ê circus [Tek-kun ê it-liû ki-tūi] koh tī chia kàu Saulier tiong-kan." "Chóng-tio̍h ū-lâng khì siu-si̍p hit-ê hóe-io̍h khò͘," Mitty kóng. "Góa boeh lâi-khì. Boeh lim kóa brandy bô?" I thîn chi̍t-poe chiú hō͘ tiong-sū, mā thîn chi̍t-poe hō͘ ka-tī. Chiàn-cheng ê siaⁿ tī tē-hā chiàn-hô sì-chiu lōng-lōng kiò, mn̂g mā khi-khi kho̍k-kho̍k teh hiáng. Sek-lāi ū phòa chhâ-phìⁿ kap iù-sap-á teh phùn. "Lú lâi lú óa ah," Mitty bô-iàu bô-kín án-ne kóng. Ko-siā phàu-bāng tng-teh óa-lâi," tiong-sū kóng. "Lán kan-ta oa̍h chi̍t-pái, Tiong-sū," Mitty án-ne kóng, kòa chi̍t-ê khin-khin, hut-leh siau-khì ê chhiò-iông. "A̍h-sī kóng, lán kám ū?" i koh thîn chi̍t-poe brandy, chi̍t-chhùi kā lim ta. "Góa m̄-bat tú-tio̍h chhiūⁿ lí hiah gâu lim brandy ê lâng, tiúⁿ-koaⁿ," tiong-sū kóng. "Chhiáⁿ lí m̄-thang kiàn-koài, tiúⁿ-koaⁿ." Mitty Tūi-tiúⁿ khiā khí-lâi, hâ hó-sè i he tōa ki ê Webley-Vickers chū-tōng chhiú-chhèng. "Tio̍h chhiong kòe 40 kilo ê tē-ga̍k, tiúⁿ-koaⁿ," tiong-sū kóng. Mitty koh lim siōng bóe chi̍t-poe brandy. "Chóng--sī," i jiû-jiû kóng, "tó-ūi m̄-sī tē-ga̍k?" phàu-tôaⁿ ê siaⁿ lú lâi lú hiáng; ū ki-koan-chhèng ê rat-tat-tatting siaⁿ, ùi pa̍t-ūi iū ū sin-sek ê phùn-hóe-khì ê  pocketa-pocketa-pocketa siaⁿ. Walter Mitty kiâⁿ kàu tē-hā chiàn-hô ê mn̂g, chhùi ná teh hiⁿ "Auprès de Ma Blonde" ê khek-tiāu. I oa̍t-sin hiòng tiong-sū ia̍t chi̍t-ē chhiú. "Bān-sū sūn-lī!" i kóng...

Ū siáⁿ phah i ê keng-kah-thâu. "Góa kui-keng hotel se̍h thàu-thàu teh chhōe lí," Mitty Tt kóng. "Lí ná tio̍h bih tī chit-tè kū í-á chia? Án-ne góa ná chhōe ē-tio̍h lí?" "Tāi-chì lú lâi lú óa ah," Walter Mitty bâng-bâng án-ne kóng. "Siáⁿ-hòe?" Mitty Tt kóng. "Lí ū bé tio̍h he-siáⁿ-miâ bô? Káu-á piáⁿ? Hit-ê a̍p-á té siáⁿ?" "Ê-thò," Mitty kóng. "Lí ná m̄ tī tiàm-nih tō kā chhēng hó-sè?" "Góa án-ne teh siūⁿ," Walter Mitty kóng. "Tùi lí lâi kóng, góa kám ū-sî mā ē-hiáu ka-tī siūⁿ?" Yi lia̍h i khòaⁿ. "Tán lí kàu chhù, góa tio̍h niû lí ê thé-un," yi kóng.

In se̍h hôe-choán-mn̂g chhut-khì, he mn̂g sak teh se̍h ê sî hoat-chhut khin-khin thau-chhiò ê si-á siaⁿ. Kàu thêng-chhia-tiûⁿ tio̍h kiâⁿ nn̄g-ê ke-khu. Kàu lō͘-kak ê io̍h-tiàm ê sî, yi kóng, "Tiàm chia tán góa. Góa bē-kì-tit mi̍h-kiāⁿ. Bián chi̍t hun-cheng góa tō lâi." Yi chhiau-kòe chi̍t hun-cheng. Water Mitty tiám chi̍t-ki hun. Khai-sí lo̍h-hō͘, hō͘ nih ū chhap seh-hoe. I khiā tī io̍h-tiàm ê piah chêng, ná teh pok-hun... I kā keng-kah-thâu hiòng āu, āu-teⁿ kap óa. "Ba̍k-chiu bián pa̍k chhiú-kin-á lah," Walter Mítty āng-siaⁿ án-ne kóng. I suh chòe-āu chi̍t-chhùi hun, koh kā hun tiak hìⁿ-sak. Jiân-āu, kō͘ chhùi-tûn kek chi̍t-ê khin-khin, hut-leh siau-khì ê chhiò-iông, i bīn-tùi hêng-hêng sió-tūi; khiā thêng-thêng, tāng to bô tāng, ióng-kám koh ngō͘-bān, Put-pāi ê Walter Mitty, kàu chòe-āu mā oh-tit lí-kái.

(Soah)

--

3. 總著有人去收拾火藥庫

"狗仔餅," Walter Mitty 講. 伊停跤, Waterbury ê 樓仔厝 ùi 濛濛 ê 法庭浮出, koh 圍 tī 伊身邊. 經過 ê 一个婦人 lâng 笑出來. "伊講 '狗仔餅,'" 她 án-ne 講予姻同伴聽. "彼个人對家己講 '狗仔餅.'" Walter Mitty 繼續緊緊行. 伊行入一間 A&P, 毋是伊拄著 ê 第一間, 是街路閣較過, 較細間彼間. "我欲買寡予細隻狗仔囝食 ê 餅," 伊對店員講. "啥物特別牌子 ê, 先生?" 世界一 ê 銃手想一下. "盒仔頂有印 '狗仔會討欲愛' ê 彼種," Walter Mitty 講.

Koh 15 分, in 某 tō 會完成 tī 頭毛店 ê 一切, Mitty 看手錶仔 án-ne 發現, 除非 in 拄著啥麻煩, 袂赴吹焦; 有時陣 in 拄著吹焦 ê 問題. 她無愛她代先到 hotel; 她寧可伊先去遐等她. 伊 tī lobby 揣一塊大皮椅, ǹg 窗仔, 伊 kā 鞋套和狗仔餅囥 tī 椅仔邊 ê 塗跤. 伊去揀一本 Liberty 舊雜誌, 坐落 tī 彼塊椅仔. "德國敢會當迵過天頂征服世界?" Walter Mitty 看轟炸機 kap 破敗街路 ê 圖片. 

... "連紲 ê 砲擊予少年 Raleigh 強欲掠狂, 長官," 中士講. Mitty 隊長鬖鬖 ê 頭鬃看伊. "叫伊去睏," 伊忝忝 án-ne 講. "予伊和別人做伙. 我家己獨人去飛." "毋過, 你袂當 án-ne, 長官," 中士緊張 án-ne 講. "著兩个人才有法度操作彼台轟炸機, 而且德軍防空炮 kā 天頂彈甲 ná 地獄. Von Richtman ê circus [德軍 ê 一流機隊] koh tī 遮到 Saulier 中間." "總著有人去收拾彼个火藥庫," Mitty 講. "我欲來去. 欲啉寡 brandy 無?" 伊斟一杯酒予中士, mā 斟一杯予家己. 戰爭 ê 聲 tī 地下戰壕四周 lōng-lōng 叫, 門 mā khi-khi kho̍k-kho̍k teh 響. 室內有破柴片 kap 幼屑仔 teh 噴. "Lú 來 lú 倚 ah," Mitty 無要無緊 án-ne 講. 高射炮網 tng-teh 倚來," 中士講. "咱干焦活一擺, 中士," Mitty án-ne 講, 掛一个輕輕, 忽 leh 消去 ê 笑容. "抑是講, 咱敢有?" 伊 koh 斟一杯 brandy, 一喙 kā 啉焦. "我毋捌拄著像你 hiah gâu 啉 brandy ê 人, 長官," 中士講. "請你毋通見怪, 長官." Mitty 隊長徛起來, 縖好勢伊 he 大支 ê Webley-Vickers 自動手銃. "著衝過 40 kilo ê 地獄, 長官," 中士講. Mitty koh 啉上尾一杯 brandy. "總是," 伊柔柔講, "佗位毋是地獄?" 炮彈 ê 聲 lú 來 lú 響; 有機關銃 ê rat-tat-tatting 聲, ùi 別位又有新式 ê 噴火器 ê  pocketa-pocketa-pocketa 聲. Walter Mitty 行到地下戰壕 ê 門, 喙 ná teh hiⁿ "Auprès de Ma Blonde" ê 曲調. 伊越身向中士擛一下手. "萬事順利!" 伊講...

有啥拍伊 ê 肩胛頭. "我規間 hotel 踅透透 teh 揣你," Mitty Tt 講. "你那著覕 tī 這塊舊椅仔遮? Án-ne 我那揣會著你?" "代誌 lú 來 lú 倚 ah," Walter Mitty 茫茫 án-ne 講. "啥貨?" Mitty Tt 講. "你有買著彼啥名無? 狗仔餅? 彼个盒仔貯啥?" "鞋套," Mitty 講. "你那毋 tī 店 nih tō kā 穿好勢?" "我 án-ne teh 想," Walter Mitty 講. "對你來講, 我敢有時 mā 會曉家己想?" 她掠伊看. "等你到厝, 我著量你 ê 體溫," 她講.

In 踅回轉門出去, he 門捒 teh 踅 ê 時發出輕輕偷笑 ê si 仔聲. 到停車場著行兩个街區. 到路角 ê 藥店 ê 時, 她講, "踮遮等我. 我袂記得物件. 免一分鐘我 tō 來." 她超過一分鐘. Water Mitty 點一支薰. 開始落雨, 雨 nih 有插雪花. 伊徛 tī 藥店 ê 壁前, ná teh 噗薰... 伊 kā 肩胛頭向後, 後蹬敆倚. "目睭免縛手巾仔 lah," Walter Mítty āng 聲 án-ne 講. 伊欶最後一喙薰, koh kā 薰擉挕捒. 然後, kō͘ 喙唇激一个輕輕, 忽 leh 消去 ê 笑容, 伊面對行刑小隊; 徛騰騰, 動 to 無動, 勇敢 koh 傲慢, 不敗 ê Walter Mitty, 到最後 mā 僫得理解.

(煞)

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3.

“Puppy biscuit,” said Walter Mitty. He stopped walking and the buildings of Waterbury rose up out of the misty courtroom and surrounded him again. A woman who was passing laughed. “He said ‘Puppy biscuit,’ ” she said to her companion. “That man said ‘Puppy biscuit’ to himself.” Walter Mitty hurried on. He went into an A. & P., not the first one he came to but a smaller one farther up the street. “I want some biscuit for small, young dogs,” he said to the clerk. “Any special brand, sir?” The greatest pistol shot in the world thought a moment. “It says ‘Puppies Bark for It’ on the box,” said Walter Mitty.

His wife would be through at the hairdresser’s in fifteen minutes, Mitty saw in looking at his watch, unless they had trouble drying it; sometimes they had trouble drying it. She didn’t like to get to the hotel first; she would want him to be there waiting for her as usual. He found a big leather chair in the lobby, facing a window, and he put the overshoes and the puppy biscuit on the floor beside it. He picked up an old copy of Liberty and sank down into the chair. “Can Germany Conquer the World Through the Air?” Walter Mitty looked at the pictures of bombing planes and of ruined streets.

. . . “The cannonading has got the wind up in young Raleigh, sir,” said the sergeant. Captain Mitty looked up at him through touselled hair. “Get him to bed,” he said wearily. “With the others. I’ll fly alone.” “But you can’t, sir,” said the sergeant anxiously. “It takes two men to handle that bomber and the Archies are pounding hell out of the air. Von Richtman’s circus is between here and Saulier.” “Somebody’s got to get that ammunition dump,” said Mitty. “I’m going over. Spot of brandy?” He poured a drink for the sergeant and one for himself. War thundered and whined around the dugout and battered at the door. There was a rending of wood and splinters flew through the room. “A bit of a near thing,” said Captain Mitty carelessly. “The box barrage is closing in,” said the sergeant. “We only live once, Sergeant,” said Mitty, with his faint, fleeting smile. “Or do we?” He poured another brandy and tossed it off. “I never see a man could hold his brandy like you, sir,” said the sergeant. “Begging your pardon, sir.” Captain Mitty stood up and strapped on his huge Webley-Vickers automatic. “It’s forty kilometres through hell, sir,” said the sergeant. Mitty finished one last brandy. “After all,” he said softly, “what isn’t?” The pounding of the cannon increased; there was the rat-tat-tatting of machine guns, and from somewhere came the menacing pocketa-pocketa-pocketa of the new flame-throwers. Walter Mitty walked to the door of the dugout humming “Auprès de Ma Blonde.” He turned and waved to the sergeant. “Cheerio!” he said. . . .

Something struck his shoulder. “I’ve been looking all over this hotel for you,” said Mrs. Mitty. “Why do you have to hide in this old chair? How did you expect me to find you?” “Things close in,” said Walter Mitty vaguely. “What?” Mrs. Mitty said. “Did you get the what’s-its-name? The puppy biscuit? What’s in that box?” “Overshoes,” said Mitty. “Couldn’t you have put them on in the store?” “I was thinking,” said Walter Mitty. “Does it ever occur to you that I am sometimes thinking?” She looked at him. “I’m going to take your temperature when I get you home,” she said.

They went out through the revolving doors that made a faintly derisive whistling sound when you pushed them. It was two blocks to the parking lot. At the drugstore on the corner she said, “Wait here for me. I forgot something. I won’t be a minute.” She was more than a minute. Walter Mitty lighted a cigarette. It began to rain, rain with sleet in it. He stood up against the wall of the drugstore, smoking. . . . He put his shoulders back and his heels together. “To hell with the handkerchief,” said Walter Mitty scornfully. He took one last drag on his cigarette and snapped it away. Then, with that faint, fleeting smile playing about his lips, he faced the firing squad; erect and motionless, proud and disdainful, Walter Mitty the Undefeated, inscrutable to the last. ♦

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// 2022-6-20

C48b Mitty 大力 bok 彼人 ê 下頦

2. Mitty tōa-la̍t bok hit-lâng ê ē-hâi

Chhiú-su̍t-sek lāi ū khin-siaⁿ ê kài-siāu. "Remington I-su, Mitty I-su. Pritchard-Mitford I-su, Mitty I-su." "Góa ū tha̍k-kòe lí siá ê iú-koan liān-si-khún-pêⁿ (streptothricosis) ê chheh," Pritchard-Mitford ná kóng ná sio ak-chhiú. "Liáu-put-khí, sian-siⁿ." "To-siā," Walter Witty kóng. "Góa m̄-chai lí lâng tī Bí-kok neh, Mitty," Remington án-ne nauh. "Chhōa Mitford hām góa lâi hoa̍t-lo̍h chi̍t-ê tē-3 kî, bē-su sī chah thô͘-thòaⁿ khì Newcastle [ke-gia̍h--ê]." "Lí siuⁿ kheh-khì lah," Mitty kóng. Chi̍t-tâi kō͘ chē-chē kóng-lō͘ kap tiān-sòaⁿ liân kàu chhiú-su̍t-tâi, tōa koh ho̍k-cha̍p ê ke-khì, tī hit-sî khai-sí hoat-tōng: pocketa-pocketa-pocketa. "Chit-tâi sin bâ-chùi-ki chhut būn-tê ah!" chi̍t-ê si̍t-si̍p i-su án-ne kóng. "East Pēⁿ-īⁿ bô-lâng ē-hiáu siu-lí!" "Tiām-tiām, hiaⁿ-tī!" Mitty kóng, siaⁿ-im kē koh léng-chēng. I chông hiòng hit-tâi ke-khì, taⁿ ke-khì ê siaⁿ piàn-chò: pocketa-pocketa-kwip-pocketa-kwip. I khai-sí kō͘ chéng-thâu-á sè-jī-á chhi̍h chi̍t-pâi teh siám-sih ê gî-pió. "Hō͘ góa chi̍t-ki bān-liân-pit!" i hoah-siaⁿ. Ū-lâng kau hō͘ i chi̍t-ki bān-liân-pit. I ùi ke-khì thiu chhut chi̍t-ê kò͘-chiong ê piston, kā pit that tī hit-ê ūi. "Án-ne ē-tàng ûi-chhî cha̍p hun-cheng," i kóng. "Kè-sio̍k chhiú-su̍t." Chi̍t-ê hō͘-sū cháu kòe-lâi, khin-siaⁿ kap Renshaw kóng-ōe, Mitty khòaⁿ hit-lâng bīn hoán-pe̍h. "Corespsis [* kim-ke-kiok] í-keng hêng-sêng," Renshaw kín-tiuⁿ kóng. "Lí lâi chiap-chhiú hó bô, Mitty?" Mitty lia̍h i khòaⁿ chi̍t-ē, koh khòaⁿ lim-chiú kòe Benbow ê kiu-kiu sin-khu, koh khòaⁿ piáu-chêng giâm-siok koh bô khak-tēng ê hit nn̄g-ê choan-ka ê bīn. "Kì-jiân lí án-ne kóng," i kóng. In kā i phi hó pe̍h-phâu; i kā chhùi-am tiâu-chéng hó-sè, koh lop-hó po̍h chhiú-thò; hō͘-sū kau hō͘ i kim sih-sih ê...

"Bakuh, Mac! Chù-ì hit-chiah Buick!" Walter Mitty hiông-hiông ta̍h tòng-á. "M̄-sī chit-tiâu chhia-tō, Mac," thêng-chhia-tiûⁿ ho̍k-bū-oân ná kóng, ná kim-kim khòaⁿ Mitty. "Heh, Ai-ah," Mitty haiⁿ chi̍t-ē. I khai-sí sio-sim bakuh chhut hit-ê chù-bêng "Chhut-kháu Choan-iōng" ê chhia-tō. "Chiām thêng tī hia," ho̍k-bū-oân kóng. "Hō͘ góa lâi chhú-lí." Mitty lo̍h-chhia. "Heh, só-sî lâu leh." "Oh," Mitty ná kóng, ná kā chhia só-sî kau hō͘ hit-lâng. Ho̍k-bū-oân thiàu chhiūⁿ chhia, kō͘ mé-lia̍h ê ki-su̍t bakuh, koh kā thêng tī sek-ha̍p ê chhia-ūi.

In khak-si̍t ū-kàu in-niâ-leh sáng-sè, Mitty ná iân Main Ke kiâⁿ, ná án-ne siūⁿ; in siūⁿ-kóng in ta̍k-hāng ē. Ū-chi̍t-kái, tī New Milford kau-gōa i chhì boeh ka-tī pak seh-liān-á, soah hō͘ liān-á ká tī chhia-te̍k. Tio̍h chhiàⁿ chi̍t-ê sái thâi-bah-chhia ê lâng lâi thè i pak, he sī chi̍t-ê chhiò gi-gi ê siu-chhia-hâng ê siàu-liân-ke. Chū hit-chūn khai-sí, Mitty Tt chóng-sī kiò i khì siu-chhia-hâng hông pak liān-á. Aū-kái, i án-ne siūⁿ, góa ê chiàⁿ-chhiú tio̍h kòa tiàu-tòa, án-ne in tō bē ǹg góa gi-chhùi. Góa ê chiàⁿ-chhiú tio̍h kòa tiàu-tòa, in khòaⁿ tio̍h tō chai góa bô khó-lêng ka-tī pak liān-á. I that jîn-hêng-tō téng ê seh-kô͘. "Ê-thò," i ka-tī án-ne kóng, chū án-ne i khai-sí teh chhōe ê-tiàm.

Tán i koh chhut-lâi ke-lō͘, kòe-lâng-kha gia̍p ê-thò ê a̍p-á, Walter Mitty khai-sí siūⁿ, in bó͘ kau-tài i khì bé ê iáu chi̍t-hāng mi̍h-kiāⁿ sī siáⁿ.Tī ùi in tau chhut-mn̂g lâi Waterbury chìn-chêng yi ū kā i kóng nn̄g-pái. Chóng--sī, i chin thó-ià chit-lō ta̍k lé-pài nn̄g-kái ê chhut-mn̂g -- i chóng-sī ē tó-ūi bô hó-sè. Kleenex, i siūⁿ, Squibb's, siu-mo͘ to-phìⁿ? M̄-sī. Khí-ko, khí-bín, soda hún, kim-kong soa, kong-tâu hām ho̍k-koat? I hòng-khì ah. "Tó-ūi sī he-siáⁿ-miâ?" yi ē án-ne mn̄g. "Mài kā góa kóng, lí bē-kì-tit he-siáⁿ-miâ." Chi̍t-ê bē pò-chóa ê gín-á kiâⁿ-kòe chhùi ná hoah iú-koan Waterbury sím-phòaⁿ ê tāi-chì.

... "Hoān-sè che ē kiò-chhéⁿ lí ê kì-tî." Tē-khu Kiám-chhat-koaⁿ hut-jiân tu chi̍t-ki tāng-hêng ê chū-tōng chhiú-chhèng hō͘ chèng-jîn se̍k hit-ê tiām-tiām ê lâng. "Lí bat khòaⁿ kòe che bô?" Walter Mitty chih kòe chhèng, chin se̍k-chhiú kā kiám-cha chi̍t-ē. "Che sī góa ê Webley-Vickers 50.80," i tìn-chēng kóng. Hoat-têng nih hiáng-khí chi̍t-chūn heng-hùn ê kóng-ōe siaⁿ. Hoat-koaⁿ iau-kiû ta̍k-ê chun-siú tia̍t-sū. "Góa siong-sìn, lí sī jīm-hô bú-khì ê sîn-chhèng-chhiú?" Tē-khu Kiám-chhat-koaⁿ án-ne àm-sī kóng. "Hoán-tùi!" Mitty ê lu̍t-su hoah-siaⁿ kóng. "Goán í-keng chèng-bêng pī-kò bô khó-lêng khui hit chhèng. Goán í-keng chèng-bêng, tī 7 goe̍h 14 hit-àm, i ê chiàⁿ-chhiú kòa tiàu-tòa." Walter Mitty kā i ê chhiú kán-té gia̍h chi̍t-ē, chèⁿ-chhùi ê lu̍t-su sûi lóng tiām lo̍h-lâi. "Iōng jīm-hô hêng ê chhiú-chhèng," i ûn-ûn-á kóng, "góa lóng ē-tàng kō͘ tò-chhiú tī 100 bí hn̄g kā Gregory Fitzhurst tōaⁿ--sí." Hoat-têng lāi tōa hūn-loān. Tī hūn-loān tang-tiong, chhut-hiān chi̍t-ê chiam-kiò ê cha-bó͘ siaⁿ, hut-jiân-kan, chi̍t-ê khó-ài ê o͘-thâu-mo͘ ê ko͘-niû lám tī Walter Mitty ê heng-chêng. Tē-khu Kiám-chhat-koaⁿ lia̍h-kông kā yi phah. Bô ùi í-á khiā khí-lâi, Mitty tō tùi hit-lâng ê ē-hâi tōa-la̍t kā bok lo̍h. "Lí chit-ê àu kha-siàu!" ...

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2. Mitty 大力 bok 彼人 ê 下頦

手術室內有輕聲 ê 介紹. "Remington 醫師, Mitty 醫師. Pritchard-Mitford 醫師, Mitty 醫師." "我有讀過你寫 ê 有關鍊絲菌病 (streptothricosis) ê 冊," Pritchard-Mitford ná 講 ná 相握手. "了不起, 先生." "多謝," Walter Witty 講. "我毋知你人 tī 美國 neh, Mitty," Remington án-ne 喃. "Chhōa Mitford 和我來發落一个第 3 期, 袂輸是扎塗炭去 Newcastle [加額 ê]." "你 siuⁿ 客氣 lah," Mitty 講. 一台 kō͘ 濟濟管路 kap 電線連到手術台, 大 koh 複雜 ê 機器, tī 彼時開始發動: pocketa-pocketa-pocketa. "這台新麻醉機出問題 ah!" 一个實習醫師 án-ne 講. "East 病院無人會曉修理!" "恬恬, 兄弟!" Mitty 講, 聲音低 koh 冷靜. 伊傱向彼台機器, 今機器 ê 聲變做: pocketa-pocketa-kwip-pocketa-kwip. 伊開始 kō͘ 指頭仔細膩仔揤一排 teh 閃爍 ê 儀表. "予我一支萬年筆!" 伊喝聲. 有人交予伊一支萬年筆. 伊 ùi 機器抽出一个故障 ê piston, kā 筆窒 tī 彼个位. "Án-ne 會當維持十分鐘," 伊講. "繼續手術." 一个護士走過來, 輕聲 kap Renshaw 講話, Mitty 看彼人面反白. "Corespsis [* 金雞菊] 已經形成," Renshaw 緊張講. "你來接手好無, Mitty?" Mitty 掠伊看一下, koh 看啉酒過 Benbow ê 勼勼身軀, koh 看表情嚴肅 koh 無確定 ê 彼兩个專家 ê 面. "既然你 án-ne 講," 伊講. In kā 伊披好白袍; 伊 kā 喙罨調整好勢, koh lop 好薄手套; 護士交予伊金 sih-sih ê...

"Bakuh, Mac! 注意彼隻 Buick!" Walter Mitty 雄雄踏擋仔. "毋是這條車道, Mac," 停車場服務員 ná 講, ná 金金看 Mitty. "Heh, Ai-ah," Mitty 哼一下. 伊開始小心 bakuh 出彼个註明 "出口專用" ê 車道. "暫停 tī 遐," 服務員講. "予我來處理." Mitty 落車. "Heh, 鎖匙留 leh." "Oh," Mitty ná 講, ná kā 車鎖匙交予彼人. 服務員跳上車, kō͘ 猛掠 ê 技術 bakuh, koh kā 停 tī 適合 ê 車位.

In 確實有夠 in-niâ-leh 聳勢, Mitty ná 沿 Main 街行, ná án-ne 想; in 想講 in 逐項會. 有一改, tī New Milford 郊外伊試欲家己剝雪鍊仔, 煞予鍊仔絞 tī 車軸. 著倩一个駛刣肉車 ê 人來替伊剝, 彼是一个笑 gi-gi ê 修車行 ê 少年家. 自彼陣開始, Mitty Tt 總是叫伊去修車行 hông 剝鍊仔. 後改, 伊 án-ne 想, 我 ê 正手著掛吊帶, án-ne in tō 袂 ǹg 我 gi 喙. 我 ê 正手著掛吊帶, in 看著 tō 知我無可能家己剝鍊仔. 伊踢人行道頂 ê 雪糊. "鞋套," 伊家己 án-ne 講, 自 án-ne 伊開始 teh 揣鞋店.

等伊 koh 出來街路, kòe-lâng-kha 挾鞋套 ê 盒仔, Walter Mitty 開始想, in 某交代伊去買 ê 猶一項物件是啥.Tī ùi in 兜出門來 Waterbury 進前她有 kā 伊講兩擺. 總是, 伊真討厭 chit-lō 逐禮拜兩改 ê 出門 -- 伊總是會佗位無好勢. Kleenex, 伊想, Squibb's, 修毛刀片? 毋是. 齒膏, 齒抿, soda 粉, 金剛沙, 公投和複決? 伊放棄 ah. "佗位是彼啥名?" 她會 án-ne 問. "莫 kā 我講, 你袂記得彼啥名." 一个賣報紙 ê 囡仔行過喙 ná 喝有關 Waterbury 審判 ê 代誌.

... "凡勢這會叫醒你 ê 記持." 地區檢察官忽然 tu 一支重型 ê 自動手銃予證人席彼个恬恬 ê 人. "你 bat 看過這無?" Walter Mitty chih 過銃, 真熟手 kā 檢查一下. "這是我 ê Webley-Vickers 50.80," 伊鎮靜講. 法庭 nih 響起一陣興奮 ê 講話聲. 法官要求逐个遵守秩序. "我相信, 你是任何武器 ê 神銃手?" 地區檢察官 án-ne 暗示講. "反對!" Mitty ê 律師喝聲講. "阮已經證明被告無可能開 hit 銃. 阮已經證明, tī 7 月 14 彼暗, 伊 ê 正手掛吊帶." Walter Mitty kā 伊 ê 手簡短攑一下, 諍喙 ê 律師隨 lóng 恬落來. "用任何型 ê 手銃," 伊勻勻仔講, "我 lóng 會當 kō͘ 倒手 tī 100 米遠 kā Gregory Fitzhurst 彈--死." 法庭內大混亂. Tī 混亂當中, 出現一个尖叫 ê 查某聲, 忽然間, 一个可愛 ê 烏頭毛 ê 姑娘攬 tī Walter Mitty ê 胸前. 地區檢察官掠狂 kā 她拍. 無 ùi 椅仔徛起來, Mitty tō 對彼人 ê 下頦大力 kā bok 落. "你這个漚跤數!" ...

--

2.

In the operating room there were whispered introductions: “Dr. Remington, Dr. Mitty. Dr. Pritchard-Mitford, Dr. Mitty.” “I’ve read your book on streptothricosis,” said Pritchard-Mitford, shaking hands. “A brilliant performance, sir.” “Thank you,” said Walter Mitty. “Didn’t know you were in the States, Mitty,” grumbled Remington. “Coals to Newcastle, bringing Mitford and me up here for a tertiary.” “You are very kind,” said Mitty. A huge, complicated machine, connected to the operating table, with many tubes and wires, began at this moment to go pocketa-pocketa-pocketa. “The new anaesthetizer is giving way!” shouted an interne. “There is no one in the East who knows how to fix it!” “Quiet, man!” said Mitty, in a low, cool voice. He sprang to the machine, which was now going pocketa-pocketa-queep-pocketa-queep. He began fingering delicately a row of glistening dials. “Give me a fountain pen!” he snapped. Someone handed him a fountain pen. He pulled a faulty piston out of the machine and inserted the pen in its place. “That will hold for ten minutes,” he said. “Get on with the operation.” A nurse hurried over and whispered to Renshaw, and Mitty saw the man turn pale. “Coreopsis has set in,” said Renshaw nervously. “If you would take over, Mitty?” Mitty looked at him and at the craven figure of Benbow, who drank, and at the grave, uncertain faces of the two great specialists. “If you wish,” he said. They slipped a white gown on him; he adjusted a mask and drew on thin gloves; nurses handed him shining . . .

“Back it up, Mac! Look out for that Buick!” Walter Mitty jammed on the brakes. “Wrong lane, Mac,” said the parking-lot attendant, looking at Mitty closely. “Gee. Yeh,” muttered Mitty. He began cautiously to back out of the lane marked “Exit Only.” “Leave her sit there,” said the attendant. “I’ll put her away.” Mitty got out of the car. “Hey, better leave the key.” “Oh,” said Mitty, handing the man the ignition key. The attendant vaulted into the car, backed it up with insolent skill, and put it where it belonged.

They’re so damn cocky, thought Walter Mitty, walking along Main Street; they think they know everything. Once he had tried to take his chains off, outside New Milford, and he had got them wound around the axles. A man had had to come out in a wrecking car and unwind them, a young, grinning garageman. Since then Mrs. Mitty always made him drive to a garage to have the chains taken off. The next time, he thought, I’ll wear my right arm in a sling; they won’t grin at me then. I’ll have my right arm in a sling and they’ll see I couldn’t possibly take the chains off myself. He kicked at the slush on the sidewalk. “Overshoes,” he said to himself, and he began looking for a shoe store.

When he came out into the street again, with the overshoes in a box under his arm, Walter Mitty began to wonder what the other thing was his wife had told him to get. She had told him, twice, before they set out from their house for Waterbury. In a way he hated these weekly trips to town—he was always getting something wrong. Kleenex, he thought, Squibb’s, razor blades? No. Toothpaste, toothbrush, bicarbonate, carborundum, initiative and referendum? He gave it up. But she would remember it. “Where’s the what’s-its-name?” she would ask. “Don’t tell me you forgot the what’s-its-name.” A newsboy went by shouting something about the Waterbury trial.

. . . “Perhaps this will refresh your memory.” The District Attorney suddenly thrust a heavy automatic at the quiet figure on the witness stand. “Have you ever seen this before?” Walter Mitty took the gun and examined it expertly. “This is my Webley-Vickers 50.80,” he said calmly. An excited buzz ran around the courtroom. The Judge rapped for order. “You are a crack shot with any sort of firearms, I believe?” said the District Attorney, insinuatingly. “Objection!” shouted Mitty’s attorney. “We have shown that the defendant could not have fired the shot. We have shown that he wore his right arm in a sling on the night of the fourteenth of July.” Walter Mitty raised his hand briefly and the bickering attorneys were stilled. “With any known make of gun,” he said evenly, “I could have killed Gregory Fitzhurst at three hundred feet with my left hand.” Pandemonium broke loose in the courtroom. A woman’s scream rose above the bedlam and suddenly a lovely, dark-haired girl was in Walter Mitty’s arms. The District Attorney struck at her savagely. Without rising from his chair, Mitty let the man have it on the point of the chin. “You miserable cur!” . . .

--

C48 Walter Mitty ê Pì-bi̍t Seng-oa̍h | Walter Mitty ê 秘密生活 - a 你駛 hiah 緊欲 nî?

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty /by James Thurber
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1939/03/18/the-secret-life-of-walter-james-thurber

Walter Mitty ê Pì-bi̍t Seng-oa̍h | Walter Mitty ê 秘密生活

--

1. Lí sái hiah kín boeh nî?

"Lán teh boeh thong-kòe ah!" Chí-hui-koaⁿ ê siaⁿ ná chhiūⁿ po̍h peng teh phòa. I ê chè-ho̍k chng-thāⁿ chê-pī, siù-hoe pe̍h kun-bō ah kē, kiông boeh khàm tio̍h chi̍t-lúi peng-léng ê phú-sek ba̍k-chiu. "Lán chò bē-kàu lah, tiúⁿ-koaⁿ. Lí nā mn̄g góa, che sī phò-hāi ê tōa hong-thai." "Góa bô teh mn̄g lí, Berg Tiong-ùi," Chí-hui-koaⁿ kóng. "Tiám tōa-teng! Kā chūn kàu 8,500! Lán teh boeh thong-kòe!" Khì-tâng (cylinder) ê siaⁿ lú lâi lú tōa: ta-pocketa-pocketa-pocketa-pocketa-pocketa. Chí-hui-koaⁿ kim-kim siòng kà-sú-tâi po-lê ê kiat-peng. I kiâⁿ kòe-khì, chūn chi̍t-pâi ho̍k-cha̍p ê gî-pió. "Khui 8-Hō hú-chō͘ ki!" i hoah. "Khui 8-Hō hú-chō͘ ki!" Berg Tiong-ùi tòe leh liām. "3-Hō tâi chīn-pōng!" Chí-hui-koaⁿ hoah. "3-Hō tâi chīn-pōng!" Chit-tâi tōa-tâi, kip-poe ê 8-enjín Hái-kun chúi-lio̍k nn̄g-iōng hui-ki téng, àⁿ-sin teh bô-êng ka-tī jīm-bū ê cho͘-oân, sio tùi-khòaⁿ chi̍t-ē, koh gi-chhùi chhiò chi̍t-ē. "Lāu Sian boeh chhōa lán thong-kòe ah," in sio-tòe án-ne kóng. "Lāu Sian m̄-kiaⁿ sí!"

"Mài hiah kín! Lí sái siuⁿ kín ah!" Mitty Tt* kóng. "Lí sái hiah kín boeh nî?" [* Tt = thài-thài]

"Hmm?" Walter Mitty kóng. I kiaⁿ chi̍t-tiô, lia̍h chē tī sin-piⁿ ê bó͘ khòaⁿ chi̍t-ē. Yi khòaⁿ khí-lâi chheⁿ-hūn chheⁿ-hūn, ná-chhiūⁿ tī lâng-tīn tiong-kan tùi i kiò ê bô sio-bat ê cha-bó͘ lâng. "Lí sái kàu boeh 55 mai ah-lah," yi kóng. "Lí chai, góa bô-ài sái-chhia chhiau-kòe 40. Lí tú-chiah sái kàu 55." Walter Mitty kè-sio̍k ǹg Waterbury tiām-tiām sái khì, SN202 thong-kòe Hái-kun hui-hêng 20 nî lâi só͘ tú-kòe siōng tōa ê po̍k-hong-hō͘ ê kōng-kōng kiò ê siaⁿ, tī i sim-lāi iâu-oán koh su-bi̍t ê hâng-tō bān-bān siau-sit. "Lí iū-koh giâ khí-lâi ah," Mitty Tt kóng. "Lí sam-put-sî tō ē án-ne. Góa hi-bāng lí khì hō͘ Renshaw I-su kā lí kiám-cha chi̍t-ē."

Walter Mitty kā chhia thêng tī in bó͘ khì chò thâu-chang ê hit-tòng lâu thâu-chêng. "Tī góa khì chò thâu-chang ê sî, m̄-thang bē-kì-tit khì bé ê-thò," yi kóng. "Góa bô su-iàu ê-thò," Mitty kóng. Yi kā kiàⁿ khǹg tńg-khì bag /ba.guh/. "Lán í-keng lóng keng-kòe he," yi ná kóng, ná lo̍h chhia. "Lí í-keng m̄-sī siàu-liân-ke ah." I kā enjín chhui chi̍t-ē. "Lí ná-ē bô kòa chhiú-thò? Lí ê chhiú-thò phah m̄-kìⁿ sioh?" Walter Mitty chhun chhiú ji̍p lak-tē-á, liú chhut chhiú-thò. I kā he lop hó-sè, m̄-koh tán yi oa̍t-sin kiâⁿ-ji̍p tōa-lâu, i sái-chhia tú-tio̍h âng-teng ê sî, i iū kā thǹg lo̍h-lâi. "Tòe hō͘ tio̍h, hiaⁿ-tī!" chi̍t-ê kéng-chhat tī teng piàn ê sî hoah, Mitty kín koh khiú hó chhiú-thò, ǹg-chêng chhiong chhut-khì. I tī ke-lō͘ se̍h chi̍t-khùn, m̄-chai khì toh hó, jiân-āu, tī boeh khì thêng-chhia-tiûⁿ ê sî, i keng-kòe pēⁿ-īⁿ.

... "Sī hit-ê pah-bān hù-ong gîn-hâng-ka Wellington McMillan," súi hō͘-sū án-ne kóng. "Sī oh?" Walter Mitty kóng, ná bān-bān kā chhiú-thò thǹg lo̍h-lâi. "Che sī siáng ê àn-kiāⁿ?" "Renshaw I-su hām Benbow I-su, m̄-koh chia iáu ū nn̄g-ūi choan-ka, New York ê Remington I-su hām London ê Pritchard-Mitford I-su, i chē hoe-lêng-ki kòe-lâi." Chi̍t-ê ǹg tn̂g-tn̂g, chheng-liâng cháu-lông ê mn̂g khui--khui, Renshaw I-su kiâⁿ chhut-lâi. I khòaⁿ khí-lâi iu-chhiû, ta-sán. "Halo, Mitty," i kóng. "Lán tng-teh chhú-lí siōng kan-lân ê àn-kiāⁿ, sī pah-bān hù-ong gîn-hâng-ka McMillan, i mā sī Roosevelt Chóng-thóng ê hó pêng-iú. Kńg-tō kéⁿ-that (obstreosis). Tē-3 kî. Hi-bāng lí ē-tàng kā khòaⁿ-māi leh." "Góa chin goān-ì," Mitty kóng.

--

1. 你駛 hiah 緊欲 nî?

"咱 teh 欲通過 ah!" 指揮官 ê 聲 ná 像薄冰 teh 破. 伊 ê 制服妝 thāⁿ 齊備, 繡花白軍帽 ah 低, 強欲崁著一蕊冰冷 ê 殕色目睭. "咱做袂到 lah, 長官. 你若問我, 這是破害 ê 大風颱." "我無 teh 問你, Berg 中尉," 指揮官講. "點大燈! Kā 捘到 8,500! 咱 teh 欲通過!" 氣筒 (cylinder) ê 聲 lú 來 lú 大: ta-pocketa-pocketa-pocketa-pocketa-pocketa. 指揮官金金相駕駛台玻璃 ê 結冰. 伊行過去, 捘一排複雜 ê 儀表. "開 8 號輔助機!" 伊喝. "開 8 號輔助機!" Berg 中尉綴 leh 念. "3 號台盡磅!" 指揮官喝. "3 號台盡磅!" 這台大台, 急飛 ê 8-enjín 海軍水陸兩用飛機頂, àⁿ 身 teh 無閒家己任務 ê 組員, sio 對看一下, koh gi 喙笑一下. "老仙欲 chhōa 咱通過 ah," in 相綴 án-ne 講. "老仙毋驚死!"

"莫 hiah 緊! 你駛 siuⁿ 緊 ah!" Mitty Tt* 講. "你駛 hiah 緊欲 nî?" [* Tt = thài-thài]

"Hmm?" Walter Mitty 講. 伊驚一趒, 掠坐 tī 身邊 ê 某看一下. 她看起來生份生份, ná 像 tī 人陣中間對伊叫 ê 無相捌 ê 查某人. "你駛到欲 55 mai ah-lah," 她講. "你知, 我無愛駛車超過 40. 你拄才駛到 55." Walter Mitty 繼續 ǹg Waterbury 恬恬駛去, SN202 通過海軍飛行 20 年來所拄過上大 ê 暴風雨 ê kōng-kōng 叫 ê 聲, tī 伊心內遙遠 koh 私密 ê 航道慢慢消失. "你又閣夯起來 ah," Mitty Tt 講. "你三不時 tō 會 án-ne. 我希望你去予 Renshaw 醫師 kā 你檢查一下."

Walter Mitty kā 車停 tī in 某去做頭鬃 ê 彼棟樓頭前. "Tī 我去做頭鬃 ê 時, 毋通袂記得去買鞋套," 她講. "我無需要鞋套," Mitty 講. 她 kā 鏡囥轉去 bag /ba.guh/. "咱已經 lóng 經過 he," 她 ná 講, ná 落車. "你已經毋是少年家 ah." 伊 kā enjín 催一下. "你那會無掛手套? 你 ê 手套拍毋見 sioh?" Walter Mitty 伸手入橐袋仔, liú 出手套. 伊 kā he lop 好勢, 毋過等她越身行入大樓, 伊駛車拄著紅燈 ê 時, 伊又 kā 褪落來. "綴予著, 兄弟!" 一个警察 tī 燈變 ê 時喝, Mitty 緊 koh 搝好手套, ǹg 前衝出去. 伊 tī 街路踅一睏, 毋知去佗好, 然後, tī 欲去停車場 ê 時, 伊經過病院.

... "是彼个百萬富翁銀行家 Wellington McMillan," 媠護士 án-ne 講. "是 oh?" Walter Mitty 講, ná 慢慢 kā 手套褪落來. "這是 siáng ê 案件?" "Renshaw 醫師和 Benbow 醫師, 毋過遮猶有兩位專家, New York ê Remington 醫師和 London ê Pritchard-Mitford 醫師, 伊坐飛行機過來." 一个 ǹg 長長, 清涼走廊 ê 門開--開, Renshaw 醫師行出來. 伊看起來憂愁, 焦瘦. "Halo, Mitty," 伊講. "咱 tng-teh 處理上艱難 ê 案件, 是百萬富翁銀行家 McMillan, 伊 mā 是 Roosevelt 總統 ê 好朋友. 管道梗窒 (obstreosis). 第 3 期. 希望你會當 kā 看覓 leh." "我真願意," Mitty 講.

--

1.

“We’re going through!” The Commander’s voice was like thin ice breaking. He wore his full-dress uniform, with the heavily braided white cap pulled down rakishly over one cold gray eye. “We can’t make it, sir. It’s spoiling for a hurricane, if you ask me.” “I’m not asking you, Lieutenant Berg,” said the Commander. “Throw on the power lights! Rev her up to 8,500! We’re going through!” The pounding of the cylinders increased: ta-pocketa-pocketa-pocketa-pocketa-pocketa. The Commander stared at the ice forming on the pilot window. He walked over and twisted a row of complicated dials. “Switch on No. 8 auxiliary!” he shouted. “Switch on No. 8 auxiliary!” repeated Lieutenant Berg. “Full strength in No. 3 turret!” shouted the Commander. “Full strength in No. 3 turret!” The crew, bending to their various tasks in the huge, hurtling eight-engined Navy hydroplane, looked at each other and grinned. “The Old Man’ll get us through,” they said to one another. “The Old Man ain’t afraid of Hell!” . . .

“Not so fast! You’re driving too fast!” said Mrs. Mitty. “What are you driving so fast for?”

“Hmm?” said Walter Mitty. He looked at his wife, in the seat beside him, with shocked astonishment. She seemed grossly unfamiliar, like a strange woman who had yelled at him in a crowd. “You were up to fifty-five,” she said. “You know I don’t like to go more than forty. You were up to fifty-five.” Walter Mitty drove on toward Waterbury in silence, the roaring of the SN202 through the worst storm in twenty years of Navy flying fading in the remote, intimate airways of his mind. “You’re tensed up again,” said Mrs. Mitty. “It’s one of your days. I wish you’d let Dr. Renshaw look you over.”

Walter Mitty stopped the car in front of the building where his wife went to have her hair done. “Remember to get those overshoes while I’m having my hair done,” she said. “I don’t need overshoes,” said Mitty. She put her mirror back into her bag. “We’ve been all through that,” she said, getting out of the car. “You’re not a young man any longer.” He raced the engine a little. “Why don’t you wear your gloves? Have you lost your gloves?” Walter Mitty reached in a pocket and brought out the gloves. He put them on, but after she had turned and gone into the building and he had driven on to a red light, he took them off again. “Pick it up, brother!” snapped a cop as the light changed, and Mitty hastily pulled on his gloves and lurched ahead. He drove around the streets aimlessly for a time, and then he drove past the hospital on his way to the parking lot.

. . . “It’s the millionaire banker, Wellington McMillan,” said the pretty nurse. “Yes?” said Walter Mitty, removing his gloves slowly. “Who has the case?” “Dr. Renshaw and Dr. Benbow, but there are two specialists here, Dr. Remington from New York and Dr. Pritchard-Mitford from London. He flew over.” A door opened down a long, cool corridor and Dr. Renshaw came out. He looked distraught and haggard. “Hello, Mitty,” he said. “We’re having the devil’s own time with McMillan, the millionaire banker and close personal friend of Roosevelt. Obstreosis of the ductal tract. Tertiary. Wish you’d take a look at him.” “Glad to,” said Mitty.

--

C47b 她無表示欲干涉

2. Yi bô piáu-sī boeh kan-sia̍p

"Lí kám bô kám-kak lán lóng chin gōng?" Egbert kek khin-sang án-ne kóng.

Ká-sú Anne Hj ū án-ne siūⁿ, yi bô án-ne kóng.

"Góa káⁿ-kóng, góa ū chi̍t pō͘-hūn ê m̄-tio̍h," Egbert kè-sio̍k kóng, i ê khin-sang kháu-khì teh siau-thè. "Chóng-kóng, góa mā-sī chi̍t-ê phó͘-thong lâng, che lí chai. Lí ká-ná bē-kì-tit góa mā sī lâng."

I kian-chhî chit-tiám, bē-su ū-lâng bô kin bô kì kóng i sī chún Satyr ê lō͘-sòaⁿ chhòng-chō ê, tī jîn-lūi lī-khui ê só͘-chāi kō͘ soaⁿ-iûⁿ lâi iân-sio̍k.

Âng-pak phú-chhiok iū-koh teh kho͘ Iphigenie en Tauride ê khek-tiāu. Egbert khai-sí kám-kak ut-chut. Anne Hj bô teh lim yi ê tê. Hoān-sè yi kám-kak bô chheng-chhái. M̄-koh, tī Anne Hj kám-kak bô chheng-chhái ê sî, yi mā bē koàn-sì tùi hit-ê chú-tê tiām-tiām. Yi siōng ài kóng ê chi̍t-kù ōe sī: "Bô-lâng chai-iáⁿ, siau-hòa put-liông hō͘ góa án-nóa kan-khó͘;" m̄-koh, m̄-chai-iáⁿ khó-lêng sī in-ūi thiaⁿ bô chin; chú-tê ê sìn-sit-liōng hoān-sè í-keng ū-kàu siá chi̍t-phiⁿ káng-lūn ê châi-liāu.

Chin bêng-hián, Anne Hj pēng bô kám-kak bô chheng-chhái.

Egbert khai-sí siūⁿ kóng, ka-tī siū tio̍h bô ha̍p-lí ê tùi-thāi; chū-jiân-te̍k, i tō khai-sí thè-niū.

"Góa káⁿ kóng," i ná án-ne kóng, ná chiàm hiòng Don Tarquinio khéng niū chhut ê óa hóe-lô͘ tē-thán ê tiong-sim só͘-chāi, "khó-lêng sī góa ê m̄-tio̍h. Góa goān-ì, ká-sú góa ē-tàng kā tāi-chì siu-pó͘ kàu chi̍t-ê khah hoaⁿ-hí ê tiûⁿ-bīn, lâi ín-niá chi̍t-ê khah hó ê seng-oa̍h."

I sió-khóa hòⁿ-kî, che ná ū khó-lêng? Lâi-kàu tiong-liân, ín-iú ē lâi chhōe i, té-chām koh bô kian-chhî, ná-chhiūⁿ chi̍t-ê bah-tiam siàu-liân-ke tī 2-goe̍h thó boeh-ài chi̍t ê Kitok-seⁿ ê a̍p-á, kō͘ bô pí i tī 12-goe̍h bô tit-tio̍h ê khah-hó ê lí-iû án-ne. I bô siūⁿ boeh tùi in khut-ho̍k, tō ná-chhiūⁿ i bô boeh bé hî-to kap phôe-chháu ûi-kin, hiah-ê mi̍h, tī chi̍t-nî 12-kò-goe̍h tang-tiong thàng-kòe kóng-kò-nôa ê mûi-thé, hū-jîn-lâng chóng-sī ē pī-pek hi-seng. M̄-koh, chit-chióng bô lâng iau-kiû tō hòng-khì khó-lêng ê chiâm-chāi ok-hēng, iáu sī ū ta̍t-tit kám-tōng ê só͘-chāi.

Anne Hj bô piáu-hiān chhut ū siū-tio̍h kám-tōng.

Egbert thàu-kòe ba̍k-kiàⁿ kin-tiuⁿ lia̍h yi khòaⁿ chi̍t-ē. Hām yi khí kháu-kak tì-kàu siōng bái ê kiat-kó, pēng m̄-sī siáⁿ sin keng-giām. Tì-kàu siōng bái ê chū-giân chū-gí, che chiah sī lóe-chì ê sin keng-giām.

"Góa lâi-khì ōaⁿ chia̍h-àm ê saⁿ-khò͘," i án-ne kóng, kháu-khì tang-tiong ū tām-po̍h piáu-sī giâm-lē ê ì-sù.

Kàu mn̂g-kháu, chòe-āu chi̍t-chhù jīn-su ê ki-hōe, pek-sú i koh chò chi̍t-ê sò͘-kiû.

"Lán án-ne kám bē siuⁿ gōng?"

"Gōng tōa-tai!" che sī tī Egbert chhut-khì, mn̂g koaiⁿ khí-lâi ê sî, Don Tarquinio sim-lāi ê ì-kiàn. Jiân-āu, i kā mô͘ chhàng-chhàng ê chêng-kha gia̍h koân, khin-sang thiàu chiūⁿ âng-pak phú-chhiok lông-á-ē ê chheh-kè. Che sī i tē-it pái hián-sī i ū chù-ì tio̍h hit-chiah chiáu ê chûn-chāi, m̄-koh, kō͘ cheng-chún ê sêng-se̍k su-khó, i tng-teh chip-hêng chi̍t-ê tn̂g-kî hêng-sêng ê hêng-tōng lí-lūn. Hit-chiah chóng-sī siūⁿ-kóng ka-tī sī pà-ông ê âng-pak phú-chhiok, chek-sî tò-kiu kàu kan-ta pêng-sî ê saⁿ-hun-chi̍t; jiân-āu tó lo̍h, si̍t phia̍t bô-hāu, koh chiam-siaⁿ kiò. I ê kè-siàu, bô hâm hit-ê lông-á, 27 shilling, m̄-koh Anne Hj bô piáu-sī boeh kan-sia̍p ê ì-sù. Yi í-keng sí tī hia nn̄g tiám-cheng.

--

2. 她無表示欲干涉

"你敢無感覺咱 lóng 真戇?" Egbert 激輕鬆 án-ne 講.

假使 Anne Hj 有 án-ne 想, 她無 án-ne 講.

"我 káⁿ 講, 我有一部份 ê 毋著," Egbert 繼續講, 伊 ê 輕鬆口氣 teh 消退. "總講, 我 mā 是一个普通人, 這你知. 你 ká-ná 袂記得我 mā 是人."

伊堅持這點, 袂輸有人無根無據講伊是準 Satyr ê 路線創造 ê, tī 人類離開 ê 所在 kō͘ 山羊來延續.

紅腹殕雀又閣 teh kho͘ Iphigenie en Tauride ê 曲調. Egbert 開始感覺鬱卒. Anne Hj 無 teh 啉她 ê 茶. 凡勢她感覺無清彩. 毋過, tī Anne Hj 感覺無清彩 ê 時, 她 mā 袂慣勢對彼个主題恬恬. 她上愛講 ê 一句話是: "無人知影, 消化不良予我按怎艱苦;" 毋過, 毋知影可能是因為聽無真; 主題 ê 信息量凡勢已經有夠寫一篇講論 ê 材料.

真明顯, Anne Hj 並無感覺無清彩.

Egbert 開始想講, 家己受著無合理 ê 對待; 自然 te̍k, 伊 tō 開始退讓.

"我 káⁿ 講," 伊 ná án-ne 講, ná 佔向 Don Tarquinio 肯讓出 ê 倚火爐地毯 ê 中心所在, "可能是我 ê 毋著. 我願意, 假使我會當 kā 代誌修補到一个較歡喜 ê 場面, 來引領一个較好 ê 生活."

伊小可好奇, 這那有可能? 來到中年, 引誘會來揣伊, 短站 koh 無堅持, ná 像一个肉砧少年家 tī 2 月討欲愛一个基督生 ê 盒仔, kō͘ 無比伊 tī 12 月無得著 ê 較好 ê 理由 án-ne. 伊無想欲對 in 屈服, tō ná 像伊無欲買魚刀 kap 皮草圍巾, hiah-ê mi̍h, tī 一年 12 個月當中迵過廣告欄 ê 媒體, 婦人 lâng 總是會被迫犧牲. 毋過, 這種無人要求 tō 放棄可能 ê 潛在惡行, 猶是有值得感動 ê 所在.

Anne Hj 無表現出有受著感動.

Egbert 透過目鏡緊張掠她看一下. 和她起口角致到上䆀 ê 結果, 並毋是啥新經驗. 致到上䆀 ê 自言自語, 這才是餒志 ê 新經驗.

"我來去換食暗 ê 衫褲," 伊 án-ne 講, 口氣當中有淡薄表示嚴厲 ê 意思.

到門口, 最後一次認輸 ê 機會, 迫使伊 koh 做一个訴求.

"咱 án-ne 敢袂 siuⁿ 戇?"

"戇大呆!" 這是 tī Egbert 出去, 門關起來 ê 時, Don Tarquinio 心內 ê 意見. 然後, 伊 kā 毛聳聳 ê 前跤攑懸, 輕鬆跳上紅腹殕雀籠仔下 ê 冊架. 這是伊第一擺顯示伊有注意著彼隻鳥 ê 存在, 毋過, kō͘ 精準 ê 成熟思考, 伊 tng-teh 執行一个長期形成 ê 行動理論. 彼隻總是想講家己是霸王 ê 紅腹殕雀, 即時倒勼到干焦平時 ê 三分一; 然後倒落, 翼 phia̍t 無效, koh 尖聲叫. 伊 ê 價數, 無含彼个籠仔, 27 shilling, 毋過 Anne Hj 無表示欲干涉 ê 意思. 她已經死 tī hia 兩點鐘.

--

2.

"Don't you think we're being rather foolish?" said Egbert cheerfully.

If Lady Anne thought so she didn't say so.

"I dare say the fault has been partly on my side," continued Egbert, with evaporating cheerfulness. "After all, I'm only human, you know. You seem to forget that I'm only human."

He insisted on the point, as if there had been unfounded suggestions that he was built on Satyr lines, with goat continuations where the human left off.

The bullfinch recommenced its air from Iphigenie en Tauride. Egbert began to feel depressed. Lady Anne was not drinking her tea. Perhaps she was feeling unwell. But when Lady Anne felt unwell she was not wont to be reticent on the subject. "No one knows what I suffer from indigestion" was one of her favourite statements; but the lack of knowledge can only have been caused by defective listening; the amount of information available on the subject would have supplied material for a monograph.

Evidently Lady Anne was not feeling unwell.

Egbert began to think he was being unreasonably dealt with; naturally he began to make concessions.

"I dare say," he observed, taking as central a position on the hearth-rug as Don Tarquinio could be persuaded to concede him, "I may have been to blame. I am willing, if I can thereby restore things to a happier standpoint, to undertake to lead a better life."

He wondered vaguely how it would be possible. Temptations came to him, in middle age, tentatively and without insistence, like a neglected butcher-boy who asks for a Christmas box in February for no more hopeful reason that than he didn't get one in December. He had no more idea of succumbing to them than he had of purchasing the fish-knives and fur boas that ladies are impelled to sacrifice through the medium of advertisement columns during twelve months of the year. Still, there was something impressive in this unasked-for renunciation of possibly latent enormities.

Lady Anne showed no sign of being impressed.

Egbert looked at her nervously through his glasses. To get the worst of an argument with her was no new experience. To get the worst of a monologue was a humiliating novelty.

"I shall go and dress for dinner," he announced in a voice into which he intended some shade of sternness to creep.

At the door a final access of weakness impelled him to make a further appeal.

"Aren't we being very silly?"

"A fool" was Don Tarquinio's mental comment as the door closed on Egbert's retreat. Then he lifted his velvet forepaws in the air and leapt lightly on to a bookshelf immediately under the bullfinch's cage. It was the first time he had seemed to notice the bird's existence, but he was carrying out a long-formed theory of action with the precision of mature deliberation. The bullfinch, who had fancied himself something of a despot, depressed himself of a sudden into a third of his normal displacement; then he fell to a helpless wing-beating and shrill cheeping. He had cost twenty-seven shillings without the cage, but Lady Anne made no sign of interfering. She had been dead for two hours.

--

// 2022-6-15