https://americanliterature.com/author/o-henry/short-story/hearts-and-hands
Sim hām Chhiú | 心和手
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Tī Denver Chām, chē-chē sêng-kheh chiūⁿ óng-tang ê B&M Te̍k-khoài chhia-siuⁿ. Kî-tiong chi̍t-ê chhia-siuⁿ, chē chi̍t-ūi chin súi ê siàu-liân cha-bó͘, chhēng-chhah iu-ngá, sûi-sin chah ê, mā sī lāu keng-giām lí-hêng-chiá ê phok-sóng chong-pī. Sin chiūⁿ-chhia ê lí-kheh tang-tiong, ū nn̄g-ê siàu-liân lâng: chi̍t-ê gōa-piáu iân-tâu, piáu-chêng hām kí-chí toan-chiàⁿ, sêng-khún; lēng-gōa hit-lâng ba̍k-thâu kat-kat, bīn iu-iu, seⁿ-chò tōa hàn-chháu, chhēng chho͘-pò͘ saⁿ. Hit nn̄g-lâng ê chhiú, khàu chò-hóe.
In kiâⁿ kòe-tō kòe-lâi ê sî, chhia-siuⁿ lāi chhun ê chē-ūi, kan-ta sī tùi-hō ūi, tī hit-ê bê-lâng siàu-liân cha-bó͘ ê tùi-bīn. Hit nn̄g-ê sio-liân ê lâng tō tī hia chē lo̍h. Siàu-liân cha-bó͘ gia̍h ba̍k-chiu, léng koh kín lia̍h in chhìn-chhái khòaⁿ chi̍t-ē; jiân-āu, yi ê bīn tián-khui khó-ài ê chhiò-iông, iù mī-mī ê chhùi-phé chhut-hiān un-jiû ê hún-âng, yi chhun chhut chi̍t-ki sè-sè, kòa chhiú-thò ê chhiú. Yi kóng-ōe ê sî, siaⁿ-im pá-tīⁿ, hó-thiaⁿ, koh thò-tòng, khó-kiàn yi koàn-sì kóng-ōe, koh ū lâng thiaⁿ.
"Hmh, Easton Ss [Sian-siⁿ], lí nā ài góa seng kóng, góa siūⁿ góa tio̍h kóng. Kàu Se-pō͘, tú tio̍h lāu pêng-iú, lí kám tō bē jīn-tit ah?"
Siàu-liân-ke thiaⁿ tio̍h yi ê siaⁿ, hut-leh gia̍h-thâu, ká-ná sió-khóa pháiⁿ-sè gāng chi̍t-ē, m̄-koh sûi tō hôe-sîn, tō kō͘ i ê tò-chhiú khì ak yi ê chéng-thâu-á.
"Sī Fairchild Sc [Sió-chiá]," i chhiò-chhiò kóng. "Góa tio̍h chhiáⁿ lí goân-liōng góa iáu chi̍t-ki chhiú; taⁿ i teh bô lī-piān."
I kā chiàⁿ-chhiú sió-khóa gia̍h chi̍t-ē, chhiú-ba̍k kō͘ chi̍t-ê kim sih-sih ê "chhiú-khoân" kat kàu in tông-phōaⁿ ê tò-chhiú. Ko͘-niû ba̍k-chiu ê hoaⁿ-hí gán-sîn, bān-bān choán-piàn chò chi̍t-chióng khùn-he̍k ê kiaⁿ-hiâⁿ. Yi bīn-téng ê sîn-chhái siau-sit. Yi ê chhùi-tûn khui-khui, ū chi̍t-chióng put-bêng, pàng-sang ê kòa-sim. Easton sió-khóa chhiò-chhiò, ká-ná kám-kak sim-sek, tú boeh koh khui-chhùi ê sî, khì hō͘ lēng-gōa hit-lâng kā chhiúⁿ ōe. Hit-ê bīn-iu-iu ê lâng it-ti̍t kō͘ jia̍t-chhiat, cheng-bêng ê ba̍k-chiu àm-tiong koan-chhat ko͘-niû ê piáu-chêng.
"Chhiáⁿ goân-liōng góa kóng-ōe, sió-chiá, m̄-koh góa khòaⁿ, lí ū se̍k-sāi chit-ūi kéng-koaⁿ. Lí nā kiò i tī goán kàu kaⁿ ê sî ūi góa kóng ōe, i ē án-ne chò, án-ne góa tī hia ê tāi-chì tō ē khah khùiⁿ-oa̍h. I boeh hām góa khì Leavenworth kàm-ga̍k. Ūi tio̍h chō-ké, tio̍h 7-nî."
"Oh!" ko͘-niû kóng, chhim-chhim suh chi̍t-ē khùi, hôe-ho̍k bīn-sek. "Só͘-í, che tō sī lí tī chia ê sit-thâu? Chi̍t-ê hoat-kéng!"
"Góa chhin-ài ê Fairchild Sc," Easton pêng-chēng kóng, "Góa chóng tio̍h chò tāi-chì. Ū chîⁿ tō ná ū si̍t, lí chai lah, tī Washington, tio̍h ài ū chîⁿ chiah tòe ē tio̍h tīn. Tī Se-pō͘, góa khòaⁿ tio̍h chit-ê ki-hōe, iá... hmh, hoat-kéng ê tē-ūi bô tāi-sài hiah koân, m̄-koh..."
"Tāi-sài," ko͘-niû jia̍t-chêng kóng, "m̄-bat koh khà tiān-ōe. I kin-pún mā bô su-iàu án-ne chò. Che lí eng-kai mā chai. Iá taⁿ, lí sī chi̍t-ê phiau-phiat ê Se-pō͘ eng-hiông, khiâ-bé, pōng-chhèng, chhut-ji̍p chióng-chióng hûi-hiám. Che hām Washington ê seng-oa̍h bô kāng. Lāu pêng-iú phōaⁿ í-keng teh su-liām lí ah-lah."
Ko͘-niû ê ba̍k-chiu hòⁿ-hiân, sió-khóa tián-tōa chi̍t-ē, koh sóa-tńg khòaⁿ he kim sih-sih ê chhiú-khàu.
"Lí m̄-bián hoân-ló he, sió-chiá," lēng-gōa hit-lâng kóng. "Só͘-ū hoat-kéng lóng kā ka-tī hām hoān-lâng khàu chò-hóe, bián-tit in thau-cháu. Easton Ss tùi i ê gia̍p-bū chin lāi-hâng."
"Goán chin-kín ē-tàng koh tī Washington khòaⁿ tio̍h lí bô?" ko͘-niû mn̄g.
"Góa siūⁿ, bē chin kín," Easton kóng. "Góa ê ia̍h-á ji̍t-chí í-keng kòe-khì ah, khióng-kiaⁿ sī án-ne."
"Góa kah-ì Se-pō͘," ko͘-niû kóng chi̍t-kù bô koan-hē ê ōe. Yi ê ba̍k-chiu jiû-jiû siám-sih. Yi khòaⁿ tùi chhia-thang gōa-kháu khì. Yi khai-sí kóng chin-chêng, tan-sûn ê ōe, bô kek jīm-hô hong-keh a̍h kí-chí. "Mama hām góa tī Denver tō͘-kòe joa̍h-thiⁿ. Chi̍t lé-pài chêng yi chiah tńg-chhù, in-ūi lāu-pē sió-khóa bô tú-hó. Góa ē-sái tòa Se-pō͘ kòe hēng-hok ê seng-oa̍h. Góa jīn-ûi, chia ê khong-khì kap góa ē ha̍h. Kim-chîⁿ m̄-sī bān-lêng. M̄-koh lâng chóng-sī gō͘-kái tāi-chì, iáu-sī gû-gōng..."
"Heh, Kéng-koaⁿ Ss," hit-ê bīn iu-iu ê lâng hoah-siaⁿ. "Án-ne bô kong-pêng. Góa su-iàu lim--chi̍t-poe, koh kui-kang bô pok-hun ah. Lín kóng liáu ū-kàu bōe? Taⁿ, chhōa góa khì pok-hun-sek, ē-sái bô? Góa hah hun hah kah boeh sí ah."
Sio-pa̍k ê nn̄g-ê lí-kheh khiā khí-lâi, Easton ê bīn kòa kāng-khoán hit-ê ûn-ûn ê bî-bî-á chhiò.
"Góa bē-tàng kī-choa̍t hun-chháu ê chhéng-kiû," i tām-tām kóng. "He sī put-hēng chiá ê ûi-it pêng-iú. Chài-hōe lah, Fairchild Sc. Jīm-bū chāi sin, che lí chai lah." I chhun-chhiú kò-pia̍t.
"Chin khó-sioh, lí bô boeh khì Tang-pō͘," yi kóng, kō͘ iu-ngá ê chu-thài kā saⁿ koh chhēng khí-lâi. "M̄-koh, lí tio̍h kè-sio̍k óng Leavenworth khì, góa siūⁿ sī án-ne."
"Sī lah," Easton kóng, "Góa tio̍h kè-sio̍k óng Leavenworth khì."
Hit nn̄g-lâng khi-sin iân kòe-tō khì pok-hun-sek.
Piⁿ-á chē-ūi ê nn̄g-ê lí-kheh ū thiaⁿ tio̍h tōa pō͘-hūn ê tùi-ōe. Kî-tiong chi̍t-lâng kóng: "Hit-ê hoat-kéng sī chi̍t-ê bē-bái ê kioh-siàu. Chiah-ê Se-pō͘ lâng lóng chin gī-khì."
"Chiah siàu-liân tō tam-jīm hit-chióng chit-bū, i kám m̄-sī?" lēng-gōa hit-ê mn̄g.
"Siàu-liân!" thâu-seng kóng-ōe hit-ê hoah siaⁿ kóng, "ai-ah... Oh! lí khòaⁿ bē-chhut sioh? Tō sī kóng... Lí kám bat thiaⁿ-kòe, kéng-koaⁿ kám ē kā hoān-lâng ê chhiú pa̍k tī ka-tī ê chiàⁿ-chhiú?"
--
Tī Denver 站, 濟濟乘客上往東 ê B&M 特快車廂. 其中一个車廂, 坐一位真媠 ê 少年查某, 穿插優雅, 隨身扎 ê, mā 是老經驗旅行者 ê 博爽裝備. 新上車 ê 旅客當中, 有兩个少年人: 一个外表緣投, 表情和舉止端正, 誠懇; 另外彼人目頭結結, 面憂憂, 生做大漢草, 穿粗布衫. 彼兩人 ê 手, 銬做伙.
In kiâⁿ 過道過來 ê 時, 車廂內賰 ê 坐位, 干焦是對號位, tī 彼个迷人少年查某 ê 對面. 彼兩个相連 ê 人 tō tī hia 坐落. 少年查某攑目睭, 冷 koh 緊掠 in 凊彩看一下; 然後, 她 ê 面展開可愛 ê 笑容, 幼 mī-mī ê 喙䫌出現溫柔 ê 粉紅, 她伸出一支細細, 掛手套 ê 手. 她講話 ê 時, 聲音飽滇, 好聽, koh 妥當, 可見她慣勢講話, koh 有人聽.
"Hmh, Easton Ss [先生], 你若愛我先講, 我想我著講. 到西部, 拄著老朋友, 你敢 tō 袂認得 ah?"
少年家聽著她 ê 聲, 忽 leh 攑頭, ká-ná 小可歹勢愣一下, 毋過隨 tō 回神, tō kō͘ 伊 ê 倒手去握她 ê 指頭仔.
"是 Fairchild Sc [小姐]," 伊笑笑講. "我著請你原諒我猶一支手; 今伊 teh 無利便."
伊 kā 正手小可攑一下, 手目 kō͘ 一个金 sih-sih ê "手環" 結到 in 同伴 ê 倒手. 姑娘目睭 ê 歡喜眼神, 慢慢轉變做一種困惑 ê 驚惶. 她面頂 ê 神彩消失. 她 ê 喙唇開開, 有一種不明, 放鬆 ê 掛心. Easton 小可笑笑, ká-ná 感覺心適, 拄欲 koh 開喙 ê 時, 去予另外彼人 kā 搶話. 彼个面憂憂 ê 人一直 kō͘ 熱切, 精明 ê 目睭暗中觀察姑娘 ê 表情.
"請原諒我講話, 小姐, 毋過我看, 你有熟似這位警官. 你若叫伊 tī 阮到監 ê 時為我講話, 伊會 án-ne 做, án-ne 我 tī hia ê 代誌 tō 會較 khùiⁿ-oa̍h. 伊欲和我去 Leavenworth 監獄. 為著造假, 著 7 年."
"Oh!" 姑娘講, 深深欶一下氣, 回復面色. "所以, 這 tō 是你 tī chia ê 穡頭? 一个法警!"
"我親愛 ê Fairchild Sc," Easton 平靜講, "我總著做代誌. 有錢 tō ná 有翼, 你知 lah, tī Washington, 著愛有錢才綴會著陣. Tī 西部, 我看著這个機會, iá... hmh, 法警 ê 地位無大使 hiah 懸, m̄-koh..."
"大使," 姑娘熱情講, "m̄-bat koh 敲電話. 伊根本 mā 無需要 án-ne 做. 這你應該 mā 知. Iá 今, 你是一个飄撇 ê 西部英雄, 騎馬, 磅銃, 出入種種危險. 這和 Washington ê 生活無仝. 老朋友伴已經 teh 思念你 ah-lah."
姑娘 ê 目睭好玄, 小可展大一下, koh 徙轉看 he 金 sih-sih ê 手銬.
"你毋免煩惱彼, 小姐," 另外彼人講. "所有法警 lóng kā 家己和犯人銬做伙, 免得 in 偷走. Easton Ss 對伊 ê 業務真內行."
"阮真緊會當 koh tī Washington 看著你無?" 姑娘問.
"我想, 袂真緊," Easton 講. "我 ê 蝶仔日子已經過去 ah, 恐驚是 án-ne."
"我佮意西部," 姑娘講一句無關係 ê 話. 她 ê 目睭柔柔閃爍. 她看對車窗外口去. 她開始講真情, 單純 ê 話, 無激任何風格 a̍h 舉止. "Mama 和我 tī Denver 度過熱天. 一禮拜前她才轉厝, 因為老爸小可無拄好. 我會使蹛西部過幸福 ê 生活. 我認為, chia ê 空氣 kap 我 ē 合. 金錢毋是萬能. 毋過人總是誤解代誌, 猶是愚戇..."
"Heh, 警官 Ss," 彼个面憂憂 ê 人喝聲. "Án-ne 無公平. 我需要啉--一杯, koh 規工無噗薰 ah. 恁講了有夠未? 今, chhōa 我去噗薰室, 會使無? 我哈薰哈甲欲死 ah."
相縛 ê 兩个旅客徛起來, Easton ê 面掛仝款彼个勻勻 ê 微微仔笑.
"我袂當拒絕薰草 ê 請求," 伊淡淡講. "彼是不幸者 ê 唯一朋友. 再會 lah, Fairchild Sc. 任務在身, 這你知 lah." 伊伸手告別.
"真可惜, 你無欲去東部," 她講, kō͘ 優雅 ê 姿態 kā 衫 koh 穿起來. "毋過, 你著繼續往 Leavenworth 去, 我想是 án-ne."
"是 lah," Easton 講, "我著繼續往 Leavenworth 去."
彼兩人敧身沿過道去噗薰室.
邊仔坐位 ê 兩个旅客有聽著大部份 ê 對話. 其中一人講: "彼个法警是一个袂䆀 ê 腳數. Chiah-ê 西部人 lóng 真義氣."
"Chiah 少年 tō 擔任彼種職務, 伊敢毋是?" 另外彼个問.
"少年!" 頭先講話彼个喝聲講, "ai-ah... Oh! 你看袂出 sioh? Tō 是講... 你敢 bat 聽過, 警官敢 ē kā 犯人 ê 手縛 tī 家己 ê 正手?"
--
At Denver there was an influx of passengers into the coaches on the eastbound B. & M. Express. In one coach there sat a very pretty young woman dressed in elegant taste and surrounded by all the luxurious comforts of an experienced traveler. Among the newcomers were two young men, one of handsome presence with a bold, frank countenance and manner; the other a ruffled, glum-faced person, heavily built and roughly dressed. The two were handcuffed together.
As they passed down the aisle of the coach the only vacant seat offered was a reversed one facing the attractive young woman. Here the linked couple seated themselves. The young woman's glance fell upon them with a distant, swift disinterest; then with a lovely smile brightening her countenance and a tender pink tingeing her rounded cheeks, she held out a little gray-gloved hand. When she spoke her voice, full, sweet, and deliberate, proclaimed that its owner was accustomed to speak and be heard.
"Well, Mr. Easton, if you will make me speak first, I suppose I must. Don't you ever recognize old friends when you meet them in the West?"
The younger man roused himself sharply at the sound of her voice, seemed to struggle with a slight embarrassment which he threw off instantly, and then clasped her fingers with his left hand.
"It's Miss Fairchild," he said, with a smile. "I'll ask you to excuse the other hand; it's otherwise engaged just at present."
He slightly raised his right hand, bound at the wrist by the shining "bracelet" to the left one of his companion. The glad look in the girl's eyes slowly changed to a bewildered horror. The glow faded from her cheeks. Her lips parted in a vague, relaxing distress. Easton, with a little laugh, as if amused, was about to speak again when the other forestalled him. The glum-faced man had been watching the girl's countenance with veiled glances from his keen, shrewd eyes.
"You'll excuse me for speaking, miss, but, I see you're acquainted with the marshal here. If you'll ask him to speak a word for me when we get to the pen he'll do it, and it'll make things easier for me there. He's taking me to Leavenworth prison. It's seven years for counterfeiting."
"Oh!" said the girl, with a deep breath and returning color. "So that is what you are doing out here? A marshal!"
"My dear Miss Fairchild," said Easton, calmly, "I had to do something. Money has a way of taking wings unto itself, and you know it takes money to keep step with our crowd in Washington. I saw this opening in the West, and--well, a marshalship isn't quite as high a position as that of ambassador, but--"
"The ambassador," said the girl, warmly, "doesn't call any more. He needn't ever have done so. You ought to know that. And so now you are one of these dashing Western heroes, and you ride and shoot and go into all kinds of dangers. That's different from the Washington life. You have been missed from the old crowd."
The girl's eyes, fascinated, went back, widening a little, to rest upon the glittering handcuffs.
"Don't you worry about them, miss," said the other man. "All marshals handcuff themselves to their prisoners to keep them from getting away. Mr. Easton knows his business."
"Will we see you again soon in Washington?" asked the girl.
"Not soon, I think," said Easton. "My butterfly days are over, I fear."
"I love the West," said the girl irrelevantly. Her eyes were shining softly. She looked away out the car window. She began to speak truly and simply without the gloss of style and manner: "Mamma and I spent the summer in Denver. She went home a week ago because father was slightly ill. I could live and be happy in the West. I think the air here agrees with me. Money isn't everything. But people always misunderstand things and remain stupid--"
"Say, Mr. Marshal," growled the glum-faced man. "This isn't quite fair. I'm needing a drink, and haven't had a smoke all day. Haven't you talked long enough? Take me in the smoker now, won't you? I'm half dead for a pipe."
The bound travelers rose to their feet, Easton with the same slow smile on his face.
"I can't deny a petition for tobacco," he said, lightly. "It's the one friend of the unfortunate. Good-bye, Miss Fairchild. Duty calls, you know." He held out his hand for a farewell.
"It's too bad you are not going East," she said, reclothing herself with manner and style. "But you must go on to Leavenworth, I suppose?"
"Yes," said Easton, "I must go on to Leavenworth."
The two men sidled down the aisle into the smoker.
The two passengers in a seat near by had heard most of the conversation. Said one of them: "That marshal's a good sort of chap. Some of these Western fellows are all right."
"Pretty young to hold an office like that, isn't he?" asked the other.
"Young!" exclaimed the first speaker, "why--Oh! didn't you catch on? Say--did you ever know an officer to handcuff a prisoner to his right hand?"
--
// 2022-7-12
Hearts and Hands was originally published under his pseudonym, Sidney Porter, in 1902. The story is full of twists and wordplay, as was O.Henry's own life. He was sentenced to serve five years in federal prison for embezzlement of $854.08, after fleeing to Honduras, then returning to Austin to be with his sick wife, where he turned himself in. O. Henry was released shortly before this story was published, which makes its unexpected sources of compassion particularly poignant. This story is featured in The Unreliable Narrator.
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