2. Bē-su i tú-tio̍h ê sī ka-tī
He sī in chhù-piⁿ Tandram Ss, mā sī City bêng-jîn, i í-keng tòa tī keh-piah hit-keng chhù gō͘ nî. Nilson Ss kám-kak ka-tī ê chhú-kéng chiâⁿ gāi-gio̍h, in-ūi in lóng sī ū ka-têng ê lâng, soah m̄-bat ū ki-hōe hō͘-siong kau-tâm. Tng-teh giâu-gî boeh án-chóaⁿ kí-chí, chòe-āu i koat-tēng chū-giân chū-gí: "Chá-khí chiâⁿ hó-thiⁿ!" jiân-āu kè-sio̍k kiâⁿ, hit-sî Tandram Ss ìn-siaⁿ: "Súi kah, tī chit-ê kùi-chiat!" Ùi chhù-piⁿ ê siaⁿ kak-chhat tio̍h sió-khóa ê kín-tiuⁿ, Nilson Ss tō tōa-táⁿ ti̍t-bīn lia̍h i khòaⁿ.
I chha-put-to hām Nilson Ss pêⁿ-koân, bīn-phôe kiat-si̍t, âng-jūn, chang-sek téng-tûn chhiu siu chê-chê, chheng-thàu ê phú-sek ba̍k-chiu îⁿ koh tōa; i chhēng chi̍t-niá o͘-sek tn̂g tōa-i. Nilson Ss chù-ì tio̍h, tng i teh khòaⁿ sió-chhiū-á ê sî, i kā chá-pò iap-āu tēⁿ tī chhiú. M̄-chai án-chóaⁿ kám-kak ka-tī ná-chhiūⁿ hông chang tio̍h, i hut-leh kóng:
"Eh... lí kám chai chit-châng chhiū-á ê miâ?"
Tandram Ss ìn:
"Góa chiah tú-tú siūⁿ boeh mn̄g lí kong," koh ta̍h chi̍t kha-pō͘ hiòng chêng. Nilson Ss mā kiâⁿ khah óa chhiū-á.
"Eng-kai ū tiàu chhiū-miâ ê labél, góa siūⁿ," i kóng.
Tamdram Ss tāi-seng khòaⁿ tio̍h hit-ê sè-kâi labél, óa tī tú-chiah hit-chiah ka-lēng hioh ê só͘-chāi. I kā liām chhut-siaⁿ.
"Ji̍t-pún bo̍k-lâi (Japanese quince)!"
"Ah!" Nilson Ss kóng, "góa siūⁿ mā sī án-ne. Chá khui-hoe ê chhiū."
"Chá kah," Tamdram Ss piáu-sī tông-ì, koh kóng: "Kin-chá ê khong-khì kám-kak chiâⁿ hó."
Nilson Ss tìm thâu.
"He sī chi̍t-chiah ka-lēng teh chhiùⁿ," i kóng.
"Ka-lēng," Tandram Ss ìn, "góa kò-jîn kah-ì in khah iâⁿ kòe kán-chiáu (鶇鳥, thrush); koa-siaⁿ lāi-bīn khah ū thé (more body in the note)." I kō͘ chi̍t-ê kài iú-siān ê khoán-sè khòaⁿ Nilson Ss.
"Bô m̄-tio̍h," Nilson Ss nauh. "Chit-lō gōa-lâi chéng, bē kiat kó-si̍t. Hoe chin súi!" I tō koh gia̍h-ba̍k khòaⁿ chi̍t-ē he hoe, sim-koaⁿ ná án-ne siūⁿ: "Chi̍t-ê hó kha-siàu, chit-ê lâng, góa put-chí-á kah-ì i."
Tandram Ss mā siòng he hoe. Hit-châng sè-châng chhiū mā chùn chi̍t-ē koh ia̍p-ia̍p sih, bē-su teh kám-siā in ê chù-ba̍k. Hn̄g-hn̄g, hit-chiah ka-lēng hoat chi̍t-ê hiáng-liāng koh chheng-chhó ê kiò-siaⁿ. Nilson Ss ba̍k-chiu khòaⁿ kē. I hut-jiân kám-kak Tandram Ss khòaⁿ tio̍h sió-khóa sông-sông; koh bē-su i tú tio̍h ê sī ka-tī, i kóng: "góa tio̍h tńg-khì ah. Chài-kiàn lah!"
Tandram Ss ê bīn siám-kòe chi̍t-ê o͘-iáⁿ, bē-su i mā hut-jiân chù-ì tio̍h iú-koan Nilson Ss ê siáⁿ-mi̍h.
"Chài-hōe," i ìn, siang-lâng lóng kā pò-chóa the̍h iap-āu, chū án-ne hun-khui.
Nilson Ss ta̍h kha-pō͘ ǹg in tau ê hoe-hn̂g lo̍h-tē thang, bān-bān kiâⁿ, bián-tit hām in chhù-piⁿ tâng-chê kàu. Khòaⁿ tio̍h Tandram Ss peh in tau ê kńg-thih lâu-thui-khám, i chiah peh i ka-tī ê. Peh kàu siōng téng-bīn chàn, i thêng-khùn.
Hō͘ chhun-thiⁿ ê ji̍t-thâu-kng siâ-siâ chiò tio̍h koh chǹg ji̍p-khì, hit-châng Ji̍t-pún bo̍k-lâi khòaⁿ tio̍h pí chhiū-á koh-khah oa̍h-thiàu. Ka-lēng iū-koh tńg-lâi i hia, kui-sim teh chhiùⁿ-koa.
Nilson Ss thó͘ chi̍t-ē khùi; i iū-koh kám-kak tio̍h hit-ê kî-koài ê kám-kak, nâ-âu kám-kak khê-khê.
Chi̍t-ê khām-sàu a̍h thó͘-khùi ê siaⁿ ín-khí i ê chù-ì. Tī i ê Franse lo̍h-tē thang ê iáⁿ hia, Tandram Ss khiā leh, mā khòaⁿ khì Hoe-hn̂g lāi ê hit-châng sè-châng bo̍k-lâi chhiū.
Sim-lāi bo̍k-bêng ê chhau-hoân, Nilson Ss hut-leh oat-ji̍p chhù-lāi, hian-khui i ê chá-pò.
--
2. 袂輸伊拄著 ê 是家己
彼是 in 厝邊 Tandram Ss, mā 是 City 名人, 伊已經蹛 tī 隔壁彼間厝五年. Nilson Ss 感覺家己 ê 處境誠礙虐, 因為 in lóng 是有家庭 ê 人, 煞 m̄-bat 有機會互相交談. Tng-teh 憢疑欲按怎舉止, 最後伊決定自言自語: "早起誠好天!" 然後繼續行, 彼時 Tandram Ss 應聲: "媠 kah, tī 這个季節!" Ùi 厝邊 ê 聲覺察著小可 ê 緊張, Nilson Ss tō 大膽直面掠伊看.
伊差不多和 Nilson Ss 平懸, 面皮結實, 紅潤, 棕色頂唇鬚修齊齊, 清透 ê 殕色目睭圓 koh 大; 伊穿一領烏色長大衣. Nilson Ss 注意著, tng 伊 teh 看小樹仔 ê 時, 伊 kā 早報揜後捏 tī 手. 毋知按怎感覺家己 ná 像 hông 㨑著, 伊忽 leh 講:
"Eh... 你敢知這叢樹仔 ê 名?"
Tandram Ss 應:
"我才拄拄想欲問你 kong," koh 踏一跤步向前. Nilson Ss mā 行較倚樹仔.
"應該有吊樹名 ê labél, 我想," 伊講.
Tamdram Ss 代先看著彼个細 kâi labél, 倚 tī 拄才彼隻鵁鴒歇 ê 所在. 伊 kā 念出聲.
"日本木梨 (Japanese quince)!"
"Ah!" Nilson Ss 講, "我想 mā 是 án-ne. 早開花 ê 樹."
"早 kah," Tamdram Ss 表示同意, koh 講: "今早 ê 空氣感覺誠好."
Nilson Ss 頕頭.
"彼是一隻鵁鴒 teh 唱," 伊講.
"鵁鴒," Tandram Ss 應, "我個人佮意 in 較贏過 kán 鳥 (鶇鳥, thrush); 歌聲內面較有體 (more body in the note)." 伊 kō͘ 一个蓋友善 ê 款勢看 Nilson Ss.
"無毋著," Nilson Ss 喃. "Chit-lō 外來種, 袂結果實. 花真媠!" 伊 tō koh 攑目看一下 he 花, 心肝 ná án-ne 想: "一个好跤數, 這个人, 我不止仔佮意伊."
Tandram Ss mā 相 he 花. 彼叢細叢樹 mā 顫一下 koh ia̍p-ia̍p 爍, 袂輸 teh 感謝 in ê 注目. 遠遠, 彼隻鵁鴒發一个響亮 koh 清楚 ê 叫聲. Nilson Ss 目睭看低. 伊忽然感覺 Tandram Ss 看著小可倯倯; koh 袂輸伊拄著 ê 是家己, 伊講: "我著轉去 ah. 再見 lah!"
Tandram Ss ê 面閃過一个烏影, 袂輸伊 mā 忽然注意著有關 Nilson Ss ê 啥物.
"再會," 伊應, 雙人 lóng kā 報紙提揜後, 自 án-ne 分開.
Nilson Ss 踏跤步 ǹg in 兜 ê 花園落地窗, 慢慢行, 免得和 in 厝邊同齊到. 看著 Tandram Ss peh in 兜 ê 卷鐵樓梯坎, 伊才 peh 伊家己 ê. Peh 到上頂面層, 伊停睏.
Hō͘ 春天 ê 日頭光斜斜照著 koh 鑽入去, 彼叢日本木梨看著比樹仔閣較活跳. 鵁鴒又閣轉來伊 hia, 規心 teh 唱歌.
Nilson Ss 吐一下氣; 伊又閣感覺著彼个奇怪 ê 感覺, 嚨喉感覺 khê-khê.
一个 khām 嗽 a̍h 吐氣 ê 聲引起伊 ê 注意. Tī 伊 ê Franse 落地窗 ê 影 hia, Tandram Ss 徛 leh, mā 看去花園內 ê 彼叢細叢木梨樹.
心內莫名 ê 操煩, Nilson Ss 忽 leh 斡入厝內, 掀開伊 ê 早報.
--
2.
It was his next-door neighbour, Mr. Tandram, well known in the City, who had occupied the adjoining house for some five years. Mr. Nilson perceived at once the awkwardness of his position, for, being married, they had not yet had occasion to speak to one another. Doubtful as to his proper conduct, he decided at last to murmur: "Fine morning!" and was passing on, when Mr. Tandram answered: "Beautiful, for the time of year!" Detecting a slight nervousness in his neighbour's voice, Mr. Nilson was emboldened to regard him openly. /
He was of about Mr. Nilson's own height, with firm well-coloured cheeks, neat brown moustaches, and round, well-opened, clear grey eyes; and he was wearing a black frock coat. Mr. Nilson noticed that he had his morning paper clasped behind him as he looked up at the little tree. And, visited somehow by the feeling that he had been caught out, he said abruptly:
"Er--can you give me the name of that tree?"
Mr. Tandram answered:
"I was about to ask you that," and stepped towards it. Mr. Nilson also approached the tree.
"Sure to have its name on, I should think," he said.
Mr. Tandram was the first to see the little label, close to where the blackbird had been sitting. He read it out.
"Japanese quince!"
"Ah!" said Mr. Nilson, "thought so. Early flowerers."
"Very," assented Mr. Tandram, and added: "Quite a feelin' in the air to-day."
Mr. Nilson nodded.
"It was a blackbird singin'," he said.
"Blackbirds," answered Mr. Tandram, "I prefer them to thrushes myself; more body in the note." And he looked at Mr. Nilson in an almost friendly way.
"Quite," murmured Mr. Nilson. "These exotics, they don't bear fruit. Pretty blossom!" and he again glanced up at the blossom, thinking: 'Nice fellow, this, I rather like him.'
Mr. Tandram also gazed at the blossom. And the little tree as if appreciating their attention, quivered and glowed. From a distance the blackbird gave a loud, clear call. Mr. Nilson dropped his eyes. It struck him suddenly that Mr. Tandram looked a little foolish; and, as if he had seen himself, he said: "I must be going in. Good morning!"
A shade passed over Mr. Tandram's face, as if he, too, had suddenly noticed something about Mr. Nilson.
"Good morning," he replied, and clasping their journals to their backs they separated.
Mr. Nilson retraced his steps toward his garden window, walking slowly so as to avoid arriving at the same time as his neighbour. Having seen Mr. Tandram mount his scrolled iron steps, he ascended his own in turn. On the top step he paused.
With the slanting spring sunlight darting and quivering into it, the Japanese quince seemed more living than a tree. The blackbird had returned to it, and was chanting out his heart.
Mr. Nilson sighed; again he felt that queer sensation, that choky feeling in his throat.
The sound of a cough or sigh attracted his attention. There, in the shadow of his French window, stood Mr. Tandram, also looking forth across the Gardens at the little quince tree.
Unaccountably upset, Mr. Nilson turned abruptly into the house, and opened his morning paper.
--
// 2022-8-5
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