5.3 換墓地為著 koh 看伊

5.3 Ōaⁿ bōng-tē ūi tio̍h koh khòaⁿ i

"Sian-siⁿ, lí chai, ū lâng tùi sí-chiá chin ū khòaⁿ-hoat. Ta̍k-kang góa lóng tú tio̍h chit khoán tāi-chì. Chit-ê bōng-tē kan-ta cho͘ gō͘ nî niâ, siàu-liân sin-sū siūⁿ boeh bé éng-kiú ê tē, koh khah tōa tè ê; siōng hó sī bé tī sin bōng-khu."

"Sin bōng-khu?"

"Sin bōng-khu ê tē ū teh bē, óa tī tò-pêng hia. Chit ê bōng-hn̂g nā it-ti̍t chhiūⁿ taⁿ án-ne koán-lí, i tō sī sè-kài to̍k-it bô-jī ê lah; m̄-koh mā ū chin chē ē-sái kái-chìn, chiah ē chìn-pō͘. Sī kóng, lâng lóng chin kî-koài!"

"Che siáⁿ ì-sù?"

"Góa sī kóng, ū lâng tâi tī thô͘ nih, mā boeh kek-phài-thâu. Lí khòaⁿ, Gautier Sc [Sió-chiá] thiaⁿ-kóng chin hi-hoa, chiâⁿ pháiⁿ-sè, góa án-ne kóng. Taⁿ chit ê khó-liân ê ko͘-niû to í-keng sí ah, kap sí-khì bē hông kóng êng-ōe ê pa̍t-lâng bô siáⁿ-mih bô kāng. Goán ta̍k-kang lóng thè in ak-hoe. M̄-koh, hiah-ê ū chhin-chiâⁿ tâi tī piⁿ-á ê lâng, chai-iáⁿ i chāi-seⁿ sī siáⁿ-khoán lâng liáu-āu, lí kám chai in án-chóaⁿ kóng? In boeh kā kóaⁿ-chhut chit ê bōng-hn̂g, kóng i ài tâi tī te̍k-pia̍t hō͘ hit-chióng cha-bó͘ ê bōng-hn̂g, tō ná chhiūⁿ sàn-chhiah lâng tâi tī sàn-chhiah lâng ê bōng-tē. Lí kám bat thiaⁿ-kòe chit chióng tāi-chì? Góa si̍t-si̍t kā in kóng, góa án-ne kóng: hó-gia̍h-lâng lâi khòaⁿ sí-khì ê chhin-chiâⁿ, chi̍t nî sì pái, ka-tī chah hoe lâi, he sī siáⁿ-mih hoe ah! ké khàu koh m̄-khéng chhut chîⁿ siu-lí bōng-á, bōng-pâi téng siá-kah ná chiâⁿ siong-sim, ba̍k-sái chi̍t tih to m̄-bat lâu, lâi chia koh boeh chhōe in chhin-chiâⁿ chhù-piⁿ ê mâ-hoân. M̄-koán lí sìn m̄-sìn, sian-siⁿ, góa chū-pún tō m̄-bat chit ê ko͘-niû; m̄-chai i chāi-seⁿ chò siáⁿ. M̄-koh, góa chin koan-sim chit ê khó-liân ê lâng; góa iōng-sim kā chiàu-kò͘, góa hō͘ i kè-chîⁿ kong-tō ê tê-hoe. I sī góa siōng kah-ì ê sí-lâng. Lí chai lah, sian-siⁿ, goán lóng ài sí-lâng, in-ūi goán bô-êng kah boeh sí, kiông-boeh bô sî-kan khì ài pa̍t-hāng."

Góa kim-kim khòaⁿ chit ê lâng, m̄-bián ke kóng-ōe, ū ê tha̍k-chiá tō ē liáu-kái, góa thiaⁿ i kóng chiah-ê ōe ê sî sim nih ê kek-tōng. I tiāⁿ-tio̍h khòaⁿ ē chhut-lâi, só͘-í i kè-sio̍k kóng:

"Thiaⁿ-kóng, ū lâng ūi chit ê ko͘-niû ke-hóe pāi liáu-liáu, ū chin chē chêng-jîn hō͘ bê tio̍h; hm, góa siūⁿ-kóng, kàu taⁿ bô lâng khéng thè i bé chi̍t lúi-á hoe, sian-siⁿ, he tō chin kî-koài, mā chin pi-ai. M̄-koh, i mā sǹg bē bái, siōng-bô i iáu ū ka-tī ê bōng, sui-jiân kan-ta chi̍t ê lâng ē-kì-tit i, án-ne tō ū-kàu ah. M̄-koh goán chia mā ū kî-thaⁿ khó-liân ê ko͘-niû, nî-lêng kap i chha-put-to, in kan-ta hông phiaⁿ-ji̍p sàn-chhiah lâng ê bōng-khòng, thiaⁿ tio̍h in ê si-thé hông phiaⁿ-ji̍p thô͘-khang ê sî, góa ê sim chiok thiàⁿ. In chi̍t sí, sûi tō bô-lâng chhap in! Chò goán chit tô͘ ê, mā iáu ū liông-sim, tō bô hoat-tō͘ sim-chêng sóng-khoài. Lí ū siáⁿ pān-hoat neh? Bô hoat-tō͘ lah. Góa ū chi̍t ê súi-súi ê tōa-hàn cha-bó͘-kiáⁿ, jī-cha̍p hòe, nā ū hit ê nî-kí ê ko͘-niû sàng lâi chia, góa sûi tō siūⁿ tio̍h i, m̄-koán he sī hó-gia̍h-lâng a̍h-sī liû-lōng-jî, góa chóng-sī ē tāng kám-chêng. Sian-siⁿ, pháiⁿ-sè, góa kóng chiah-ê, lōng-hùi lí ê sî-kan, lí m̄-sī boeh lâi thiaⁿ che lah. Koán-lí-oân kiò góa chhōa lí lâi khòaⁿ Gautier Sc ê bōng; che tō sī ah. Iáu ū siáⁿ góa ē-tàng thè lí chò bô?"

"Lí chai Duval Ss [Sian-siⁿ] ê tē-chí bô?" góa mn̄g.

"Chai; i tòa tī ...Ke; góa tō sī khì hia siu lí khòaⁿ tio̍h hiah-ê hoe ê chîⁿ ê."

"To-siā lí, góa ê pêng-iú."

Góa koh chi̍t kái khòaⁿ hit ê khàm hoe ê bōng, siūⁿ boeh khòaⁿ tàu-té hit ê bōng ū gōa chhim, khòaⁿ hông phiaⁿ tī thô͘ nih hit ê sió-chiá tàu-té sī án-chóaⁿ ah; án-ne liáu, góa chiah būn-būn kiâⁿ-khui.

"Sian-siⁿ, lí sī-m̄-sī boeh khì pài-hóng Duval sian-siⁿ?" kiâⁿ tī góa piⁿ-á ê hn̂g-teng mn̄g góa.

"Sī ah."

"Hm, góa khak-tēng, i iáu-bōe tńg-lâi, nā-bô i it-tēng ē lâi chia."

"Lí mā khak-tēng i bē bē-kì-tit Marguerite?"

"M̄-nā khak-tēng, góa ē-tàng sio-su, i siūⁿ-boeh kā ōaⁿ bōng-tē sī ūi tio̍h boeh koh khòaⁿ i chi̍t bīn."

"Sī án-chóaⁿ lí án-ne siūⁿ?"

"I lâi bōng-hn̂g ê sî, kă kóng ê tē-it kù ōe sī: 'Góa án-chóaⁿ chiah ē-tàng koh khòaⁿ tio̍h i?' He nā bô ōaⁿ bōng-tē bô hoat-tō͘, góa kā i kóng ōaⁿ bōng-tē ài pān ê chhiú-sio̍k; lí chai, boeh kā si-thé ùi chi̍t-ê ūi poaⁿ khì pa̍t-ūi, ài seng giām-bêng si-thé, che ài ū ka-sio̍k ê ín-chún, koh ài iû kéng-kio̍k ê tok-chhat lâi chú-chhî. Tō-sī án-ne, Duval Ss chiah cháu-khì chhōe Gautier Sc in a-chí, lí tō chai, i nā tńg-lâi it-tēng ē seng lâi góa chia."

Goán í-keng kiâⁿ kàu bōng-hn̂g ê mn̂g-kháu, góa koh kā hn̂g-teng sueh-siā, hō͘ i chi̍t-kóa gîn-kak-á, tō sûi hiòng i hō͘ góa ê tē-chí khì.

Armand iáu-bōe tńg-lâi. Góa lâu ōe hō͘ i, chhiáⁿ i tńg-lâi tō kín lâi chhōe góa, a̍h-sī thong-ti góa, tó-ūi ē-tàng chhōe tio̍h i.

Tē-jī kang chá-khí, góa tō chiap tio̍h Duval ê phe, kóng i tńg-lâi ah, kiò góa khì khòaⁿ i, in-ūi i kòe-tō͘ phî-lô, bô hoat-tō͘ chhut-mn̂g.

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5.3 換墓地為著 koh 看伊

"先生, 你知, 有人對死者真有看法. 逐工我攏拄著這款代誌. 這个墓地干焦租五年 niâ, 少年紳士想欲買永久 ê 地, koh 較大塊 ê; 上好是買 tī 新墓區."

"新墓區?"

"新墓區 ê 地有 teh 賣, 倚 tī 倒爿遐. 這个墓園 nā 一直像今 án-ne 管理, 伊 tō 是世界獨一無二 ê lah; 毋過 mā 有真濟會使改進, 才會進步. 是講, 人攏真奇怪!"

"這啥意思?"

"我是講, 有人埋 tī 塗 nih, mā 欲激派頭. 你看, Gautier Sc [小姐] 聽講真虛花, 誠歹勢, 我 án-ne 講. 今這个可憐 ê 姑娘 to 已經死 ah, kap 死去袂 hông 講閒話 ê 別人無啥物無仝. 阮逐工攏替 in 沃花. 毋過, hiah-ê 有親 chiâⁿ 埋 tī 邊仔 ê 人, 知影伊在生是啥款人了後, 你敢知 in 按怎講? In 欲 kā 趕出這个墓園, 講伊愛埋 tī 特別予彼種查某 ê 墓園, tō ná 像散赤人埋 tī 散赤人 ê 墓地. 你敢 bat 聽過這種代誌? 我實實 kā in 講, 我 án-ne 講: 好額人來看死去 ê 親 chiâⁿ, 一年四擺, 家己扎花來, 彼是啥物花 ah! 假哭 koh 毋肯出錢修理墓仔, 墓牌頂寫甲 ná 誠傷心, 目屎一滴 to 毋 bat 流, 來遮 koh 欲揣 in 親 chiâⁿ 厝邊 ê 麻煩. 毋管你信毋信, 先生, 我自本 tō 毋捌這个姑娘; 毋知伊在生做啥. 毋過, 我真關心這个可憐 ê 人; 我用心 kā 照顧, 我予伊價錢公道 ê 茶花. 伊是我上佮意 ê 死人. 你知 lah, 先生, 阮攏愛死人, 因為阮無閒甲欲死, 強欲無時間去愛別項."

我金金看這个人, 毋免加講話, 有 ê 讀者 tō 會了解, 我聽伊講 chiah-ê 話 ê 時心 nih ê 激動. 伊定著看會出來, 所以伊繼續講:

"聽講, 有人為這个姑娘家伙敗了了, 有真濟情人予迷著; hm, 我想講, 到今無人肯替伊買一蕊仔花, 先生, 彼 tō 真奇怪, mā 真悲哀. 毋過, 伊 mā 算袂䆀, 上無伊猶有家己 ê 墓, 雖然干焦一个人會記得伊, án-ne tō 有夠 ah. 毋過阮遮 mā 有其他可憐 ê 姑娘, 年齡 kap 伊差不多, in 干焦 hông phiaⁿ 入散赤人 ê 墓壙, 聽著 in ê 屍體 hông phiaⁿ 入塗空 ê 時, 我 ê 心足疼. In 一死, 隨 tō 無人 chhap in! 做阮這途 ê, mā 猶有良心, tō 無法度心情爽快. 你有啥辦法 neh? 無法度 lah. 我有一个媠媠 ê 大漢查某囝, 二十歲, nā 有彼个年紀 ê 姑娘送來遮, 我隨 tō 想著伊, 毋管彼是好額人抑是流浪兒, 我總是會動感情. 先生, 歹勢, 我講 chiah-ê, 浪費你 ê 時間, 你毋是欲來聽這 lah. 管理員叫我 chhōa 你來看 Gautier Sc ê 墓; 這 tō 是 ah. 猶有啥我會當替你做無?"

"你知 Duval Ss [先生] ê 地址無?" 我問.

"知; 伊蹛 tī ...街; 我 tō 是去遐收你看著 hiah-ê 花 ê 錢."

"多謝你, 我 ê 朋友."

我 koh 一改看彼个崁花 ê 墓, 想欲看到底彼个墓有偌深, 看 hông phiaⁿ tī 塗 nih 彼个小姐到底是按怎 ah; án-ne 了, 我才悶悶行開.

"先生, 你是毋是欲去拜訪 Duval Ss?" 行 tī 我邊仔 ê 園丁問我.

"是 ah."

"Hm, 我確定, 伊猶未轉來, nā 無伊一定會來遮."

"你 mā 確定伊袂袂記得 Marguerite?"

"毋但確定, 我會當相輸, 伊想欲 kā 換墓地是為著欲 koh 看伊一面."

"是按怎你 án-ne 想?"

"伊來墓園 ê 時, kă 講 ê 第一句話是: '我按怎才會當 koh 看著伊?' 彼 nā 無換墓地無法度, 我 kā 伊講換墓地愛辦 ê 手續; 你知, 欲 kā 屍體 ùi 一个位搬去別位, 愛先驗明屍體, 這愛有家屬 ê 允准, koh 愛由警局 ê 督察來主持. Tō 是 án-ne, Duval Ss 才走去揣 Gautier Sc in 阿姊, 你 tō 知, 伊 nā 轉來一定會先來我遮."

阮已經行到墓園 ê 門口, 我 koh kā 園丁說謝, 予伊一寡銀角仔, tō 隨向伊予我 ê 地址去.

Armand 猶未轉來. 我留話予伊, 請伊轉來 tō 緊來揣我, 抑是通知我, tó 位會當揣著伊.

第二工早起, 我 tō 接著 Duval ê 批, 講伊轉來 ah, 叫我去看伊, 因為伊過度疲勞, 無法度出門.

--

5.3

"You know, sir, people have queer notions about dead folk. We see something of that every day. The ground here was only bought for five years, and this young gentleman wants a perpetual lease and a bigger plot of ground; it will be better in the new part." 

"What do you call the new part?" 

"The new plots of ground that are for sale, there to the left. If the cemetery had always been kept like it is now, there wouldn't be the like of it in the world; but there is still plenty to do before it will be quite all it should be. And then people are so queer!" 

"What do you mean?" 

"I mean that there are people who carry their pride even here. Now, this Demoiselle Gautier, it appears she lived a bit free, if you'll excuse my saying so. Poor lady, she's dead now; there's no more of her left than of them that no one has a word to say against. We water them every day. Well, when the relatives of the folk that are buried beside her found out the sort of person she was, what do you think they said? That they would try to keep her out from here, and that there ought to be a piece of ground somewhere apart for these sort of women, like there is for the poor. Did you ever hear of such a thing? I gave it to them straight, I did: well-to-do folk who come to see their dead four times a year, and bring their flowers themselves, and what flowers! and look twice at the keep of them they pretend to cry over, and write on their tombstones all about the tears they haven't shed, and come and make difficulties about their neighbours. You may believe me or not, sir, I never knew the young lady; I don't know what she did. Well, I'm quite in love with the poor thing; I look after her well, and I let her have her camellias at an honest price. She is the dead body that I like the best. You see, sir, we are obliged to love the dead, for we are kept so busy, we have hardly time to love anything else." 

I looked at the man, and some of my readers will understand, without my needing to explain it to them, the emotion which I felt on hearing him. He observed it, no doubt, for he went on: 

"They tell me there were people who ruined themselves over that girl, and lovers that worshipped her; well, when I think there isn't one of them that so much as buys her a flower now, that's queer, sir, and sad. And, after all, she isn't so badly off, for she has her grave to herself, and if there is only one who remembers her, he makes up for the others. But we have other poor girls here, just like her and just her age, and they are just thrown into a pauper's grave, and it breaks my heart when I hear their poor bodies drop into the earth. And not a soul thinks about them any more, once they are dead! 'Tisn't a merry trade, ours, especially when we have a little heart left. What do you expect? I can't help it. I have a fine, strapping girl myself; she's just twenty, and when a girl of that age comes here I think of her, and I don't care if it's a great lady or a vagabond, I can't help feeling it a bit. But I am taking up your time, sir, with my tales, and it wasn't to hear them you came here. I was told to show you Mlle. Gautier's grave; here you have it. Is there anything else I can do for you?" 

"Do you know M. Armand Duval's address?" I asked. 

"Yes; he lives at Rue de --; at least, that's where I always go to get my money for the flowers you see there." 

"Thanks, my good man." 

I gave one more look at the grave covered with flowers, half longing to penetrate the depths of the earth and see what the earth had made of the fair creature that had been cast to it; then I walked sadly away. 

"Do you want to see M. Duval, sir?" said the gardener, who was walking beside me. 

"Yes."


"Well, I am pretty sure he is not back yet, or he would have been here already." 

"You don't think he has forgotten Marguerite?" 

"I am not only sure he hasn't, but I would wager that he wants to change her grave simply in order to have one more look at her." 

"Why do you think that?" 

"The first word he said to me when he came to the cemetery was: 'How can I see her again?' That can't be done unless there is a change of grave, and I told him all about the formalities that have to be attended to in getting it done; for, you see, if you want to move a body from one grave to another you must have it identified, and only the family can give leave for it under the direction of a police inspector. That is why M. Duval has gone to see Mlle. Gautier's sister, and you may be sure his first visit will be for me." 

We had come to the cemetery gate. I thanked the gardener again, putting a few coins into his hand, and made my way to the address he had given me. 

Armand had not yet returned. I left word for him, begging him to come and see me as soon as he arrived, or to send me word where I could find him. 

Next day, in the morning, I received a letter from Duval, telling me of his return, and asking me to call on him, as he was so worn out with fatigue that it was impossible for him to go out. 

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