6.2 伊目睭展大金金看

6.2 I ba̍k-chiu tián-tōa kim-kim khòaⁿ

"Siá tī chia ê góa lóng kì tī sim nih ah," i kóng. "Saⁿ lé-pài í-lâi, góa ta̍k kang lóng tha̍k in cha̍p pái. Góa ē hō͘ lí tha̍k in, m̄-koh ài tán kúi kang í-āu, tán góa sim-chêng khah pêng-chēng leh, chiah ē-tàng kā lí kái-soeh ji̍t-kì ê jī-bīn bô siá tio̍h ê ài-chêng kap un-jiû. Bo̍k-chêng góa boeh chhiáⁿ lí pang-bâng chi̍t chân sū."

"Siáⁿ sū?"

"Lí ê bé-chhia tī ē-bīn bô?"

"Sī ah."

"Hm, lí ē-sái the̍h góa ê hō͘-chiàu, khì iû-kio̍k mn̄g khòaⁿ ū góa ê phe bô? Goán lāu-pē kap sió-mōe it-tēng ū kià-phe lâi Paris, téng-kái góa lī-khui Paris chin chhóng-pōng, bô seng khì mn̄g tō lī-khui ah. Tán lí tńg-lâi, lán chiah tâng-chê khì tok-chhat hia, pān-lí bîn-á-chài ê tāi-chì."

Armand kā i ê hō͘-chiàu kau hō͘ góa, góa sûi khì Jean Jacques Rousseau Ke. Ū nn̄g tiuⁿ phe kià hō͘ Duval Ss. Góa the̍h tio̍h phe sûi tńg-lâi. Góa tńg kàu in tau ê sî, Armand í-keng chong-pān hó-sè, chún-pī boeh chhut-mn̂g.

"To-siā," i ná chiap phe, ná kóng. "Sī ah," i khòaⁿ liáu phe ê tē-chí, kóng, "che sī goán lāu-pē kap sió-mōe ê phe. In it-tēng siūⁿ-bô, sī-án-chóaⁿ góa hiah kú bô hôe-sìn."

I thiah-khui phe, chhìn-chhái lió chi̍t-ē, múi chi̍t hong phe lóng ū sì-tiuⁿ chóa; kòe chi̍t-ē-á, i lóng kā chi̍h khí-lâi. "Lán lâi-khì," i kóng, "bîn-á-chài góa chiah hôe phe."

Goán khì kàu kèng-kio̍k, Armand the̍h-chhut Marguerite in a-chí chhiam-miâ ê tông-ì-su. I niá tio̍h chi̍t tiuⁿ boeh hō͘ bōng-hn̂g koán-lí-oân ê bûn-kiāⁿ, koh an-pâi hó, bîn-á-chài chá-khí cha̍p tiám boeh chhian bōng, kiò góa thê-chá chi̍t tiám-cheng khì i hia, goán chiah tâng-chê khì bōng-hn̂g.

Góa ài sêng-jīn, góa tùi che hèng-chhih-chhih, kui-mê lóng bô khùn. Lí khòaⁿ góa kui-náu loān-chhau-chhau, tùi Armand lâi kóng, chit mê it-tēng chin tn̂g. Tē-jī kang chá-khí káu tiám góa lâi kàu i ê pâng-keng ê sî, i bīn-sek pe̍h sún-sún, m̄-koh khòaⁿ khí-lâi chin tìn-tēng. I kui-bīn chhiò-bî-bî, chhun-chhiú chiap góa. I pâng-keng lāi ê la̍h-chek lóng tiám chīn ah; lī-khui ê sî, i koh chah chi̍t hong boeh kià hō͘ in lāu-pē ê kāu-kāu ê phe, tiāⁿ-tio̍h lāi-té siá tio̍h i kui-mê ê kám-sióng.

Pòaⁿ tiám-cheng liáu-āu, góan lâi kàu Montmartre bōng-hn̂g. Kèng-kio̍k ê tok-chhat í-keng seng kàu ah. Goán bān-bān ǹg Marguerite ê bōng kiâⁿ khì. Tok-chhat tī thâu-chêng, Armand hām góa bān kúi-pō͘ tòe tī āu-piah.

Góa kám-kak góa ê tông-phōaⁿ ê chhiú-koh put-sî teh chùn, nā-chhiūⁿ ùi thâu kàu kha lóng teh khu̍h-khu̍h chùn. I khòaⁿ góa teh khòaⁿ i, tō tùi góa chhiò-chhiò; ùi in tau chhut-lâi kàu taⁿ goán lóng bô kóng-ōe.

Boeh kàu bōng-á chìn-chêng, Armand thêng-khùn chhit he kōaⁿ-chúi chha̍p-chha̍p lâu ê bīn. Góa sūn-sòa thàn-ki-hōe chhoán chi̍t-ē khùi, in-ūi góa mā kám-kak heng-kháu cha̍t-cha̍t.

Tī chit chióng thòng-khó͘ ê tiûⁿ-ha̍p, kám ē ū siáⁿ-mih thiòng-lo̍k? Goán kàu bōng ê sî, hn̂g-teng í-keng kā hoe-pân lóng sóa-khui ah, thih-lân-kan mā sóa cháu ah, ū nn̄g-ê lâng teh óe-thô͘.

Armand khò tī chi̍t châng chhiū-á teh khòaⁿ. I kui-sin ê sèⁿ-miā ká-ná lóng khǹg tī hit nn̄g lúi ba̍k-chiu. Hut-jiân, chi̍t ki ku̍t-á1 ku̍t tio̍h chio̍h-thâu. Thiaⁿ tio̍h he siaⁿ, Armand ná-chhiūⁿ tiān tio̍h, kui-sin tò kiu, tōa-la̍t tēⁿ góa ê chhiú, tēⁿ kah góa ē thiàⁿ.

Kî-tiong chi̍t ê óe-bōng--ê the̍h soa-thio khai-sí chheng thô͘; it-ti̍t kàu kan-ta chhun khàm tī koaⁿ-chhâ téng-bīn ê chio̍h-thâu, i koh chi̍t-lia̍p chi̍t-lia̍p kā hiat--chhut-lâi.

Góa chù-ì khòaⁿ Armand, sûi-sî kiaⁿ i ut-tio̍h ê kám-chêng ē bô hoat-tō͘ jím-siū; m̄-koh i it-tit ba̍k-chiu tián tōa-tōa, kim-kim khòaⁿ, ná siáu-lâng ê ba̍k-chiu, kan-ta ē-tàng ùi i chhùi-phóe kap chhùi-tûn ê sió-khóa chùn-tāng khòaⁿ chhut i ê sîn-keng só͘ cho-siū ê ke̍k-tō͘ kín-tiuⁿ.

Góa neh, góa kan-ta ē-sái kóng, góa hiō-hóe lâi chia.

Koaⁿ-chhâ chheng chhut-lâi ê sî, tok-chhat kā óe-bōng--ê kóng, "Phah khui." In chiàu án-ne chò, ká-ná che sī chū-jiân ê tāi-chì.

Koaⁿ-chhâ sī chhiūⁿ-bo̍k chò--ê, in khai-sí chūn kòa ê lô-si. Lô-si in-ūi thô͘ nih ê sip-khì í-keng seⁿ-sian, chin bô kan-tan chiah kā koaⁿ-chhâ phah-khui. Chi̍t chūn chhàu-bī chhèng khí-lâi, sui-bóng sì-chiu lóng sī ū phang-bī ê hoe-chháu.

"Oh, Thiⁿ ah, Thiⁿ ah!" Armand se̍h-se̍h liām, bîn-sek koh-khah pe̍h ah. Liân óe-bōng--ê mā tò-thè lu.

--

 6.2 伊目睭展大金金看

"寫 tī 遮 ê 我攏記 tī 心 nih ah," 伊講. "三禮拜以來, 我逐工攏讀 in 十擺. 我會予你讀 in, 毋過愛等幾工以後, 等我心情較平靜 leh, 才會當 kā 你解說日記 ê 字面無寫著 ê 愛情 kap 溫柔. 目前我欲請你幫忙一層事."

"啥事?"

"你 ê 馬車 tī 下面無?"

"是 ah."

"Hm, 你會使提我 ê 護照, 去郵局問看有我 ê 批無? 阮老爸 kap 小妹一定有寄批來 Paris, 頂改我離開 Paris 真衝碰, 無先去問 tō 離開 ah. 等你轉來, 咱才同齊去督察遐, 辦理明仔載 ê 代誌."

Armand kā 伊 ê 護照交予我, 我隨去 Jean Jacques Rousseau 街. 有兩張批寄予 Duval Ss. 我提著批隨轉來. 我轉到 in 兜 ê 時, Armand 已經裝扮好勢, 準備欲出門.

"多謝," 伊 ná 接批, ná 講. "是 ah," 伊看了批 ê 地址, 講, "這是阮老爸 kap 小妹 ê 批. In 一定想無, 是按怎我 hiah 久無回信."

伊拆開批, 凊彩瞭一下, 每一封批攏有四張紙; 過一下仔, 伊攏 kā 折起來. "咱來去," 伊講, "明仔載我才回批."

阮去到警局, Armand 提出 Marguerite in 阿姊簽名 ê 同意書. 伊領著一張欲予墓園管理員 ê 文件, koh 安排好, 明仔載早起十點欲遷墓, 叫我提早一點鐘去伊遐, 阮才同齊去墓園.

我愛承認, 我對這興 chhih-chhih, 規暝攏無睏. 你看我規腦亂操操, 對 Armand 來講, 這暝一定真長. 第二工早起九點我來到伊 ê 房間 ê 時, 伊面色白 sún-sún, 毋過看起來真鎮定. 伊規面笑微微, 伸手接我. 伊房間內 ê 蠟燭攏點盡 ah; 離開 ê 時, 伊 koh 扎一封欲寄予 in 老爸 ê 厚厚 ê 批, 定著內底寫著伊規暝 ê 感想.

半點鐘了後, 阮來到 Montmartre 墓園. 警局 ê 督察已經先到 ah. 阮慢慢 ǹg Marguerite ê 墓行去. 督察 tī 頭前, Armand 和我慢幾步綴 tī 後壁.

我感覺我 ê 同伴 ê 手胳不時 teh 顫, ná 像 ùi 頭到跤攏 teh khu̍h-khu̍h 顫. 伊看我 teh 看伊, tō 對我笑笑; ùi in 兜出來到今阮攏無講話.

欲到墓仔進前, Armand 停睏拭彼汗水 chha̍p-chha̍p 流 ê 面. 我順紲趁機會喘一下氣, 因為我 mā 感覺胸口 cha̍t-cha̍t.

Tī 這種痛苦 ê 場合, 敢會有啥物暢樂? 阮到墓 ê 時, 園丁已經 kā 花瓶攏徙開 ah, 鐵欄杆 mā 徙走 ah, 有兩个人 teh 挖塗.

Armand 靠 tī 一叢樹仔 teh 看. 伊規身 ê 性命敢若攏囥 tī 彼兩蕊目睭. 忽然, 一支掘仔掘著石頭. 聽著彼聲, Armand ná 像電著, 規身倒勼, 大力捏我 ê 手, 捏甲我會疼.

其中一个挖墓 ê 提沙挑開始清塗; 一直到干焦賰崁 tī 棺柴頂面 ê 石頭, 伊 koh 一粒一粒 kā hiat 出來.

我注意看 Armand, 隨時驚伊鬱著 ê 感情會無法度忍受; 毋過伊一直目睭展大大, 金金看, ná 痟人 ê 目睭, 干焦會當 ùi 伊喙䫌 kap 喙脣 ê 小可顫動看出伊 ê 神經所遭受 ê 極度緊張.

我 neh, 我干焦會使講, 我後悔來遮.

棺柴清出來 ê 時, 督察 kā 挖墓 ê 講, "拍開." In 照 án-ne 做, 敢若這是自然 ê 代誌.

棺柴是橡木做 ê, in 開始 chūn 蓋 ê 螺絲. 螺絲因為塗 nih ê 濕氣已經生鉎, 真無簡單  才 kā 棺柴拍開. 一陣臭味衝起來, 雖罔四周攏是有芳味 ê 花草.

"Oh, 天 ah, 天 ah!" Armand se̍h-se̍h 念, 面色 koh 較白 ah. 連挖墓 ê mā 倒退 lu.

--

6.2

Armand drew a roll of papers from under his pillow, and immediately put them back. 

"I know all that is in these papers by heart," he said. "For three weeks I have read them ten times over every day. You shall read them, too, but later on, when I am calmer, and can make you understand all the love and tenderness hidden away in this confession. For the moment I want you to do me a service." 

"What is it?"


"Your cab is below?" 

"Yes. 

"Well, will you take my passport and ask if there are any letters for me at the poste restante? My father and sister must have written to me at Paris, and I went away in such haste that I did not go and see before leaving. When you come back we will go together to the inspector of police, and arrange for to-morrow's ceremony." 

Armand handed me his passport, and I went to Rue Jean Jacques Rousseau. There were two letters addressed to Duval. I took them and returned. When I re-entered the room Armand was dressed and ready to go out. 

"Thanks," he said, taking the letters. "Yes," he added, after glancing at the addresses, "they are from my father and sister. They must have been quite at a loss to understand my silence." 

He opened the letters, guessed at rather than read them, for each was of four pages; and a moment after folded them up. "Come," he said, "I will answer tomorrow." 

We went to the police station, and Armand handed in the permission signed by Marguerite's sister. He received in return a letter to the keeper of the cemetery, and it was settled that the disinterment was to take place next day, at ten o'clock, that I should call for him an hour before, and that we should go to the cemetery together. 

I confess that I was curious to be present, and I did not sleep all night. Judging from the thoughts which filled my brain, it must have been a long night for Armand. When I entered his room at nine on the following morning he was frightfully pale, but seemed calm. He smiled and held out his hand. His candles were burned out; and before leaving he took a very heavy letter addressed to his father, and no doubt containing an account of that night's impressions. 

Half an hour later we were at Montmartre. The police inspector was there already. We walked slowly in the direction of Marguerite's grave. The inspector went in front; Armand and I followed a few steps behind. 

From time to time I felt my companion's arm tremble convulsively, as if he shivered from head to feet. I looked at him. He understood the look, and smiled at me; we had not exchanged a word since leaving the house. 

Just before we reached the grave, Armand stopped to wipe his face, which was covered with great drops of sweat. I took advantage of the pause to draw in a long breath, for I, too, felt as if I had a weight on my chest. 

What is the origin of that mournful pleasure which we find in sights of this kind? When we reached the grave the gardener had removed all the flower-pots, the iron railing had been taken away, and two men were turning up the soil. 

Armand leaned against a tree and watched. All his life seemed to pass before his eyes. Suddenly one of the two pickaxes struck against a stone. At the sound Armand recoiled, as at an electric shock, and seized my hand with such force as to give me pain. 

One of the grave-diggers took a shovel and began emptying out the earth; then, when only the stones covering the coffin were left, he threw them out one by one. 

I scrutinized Armand, for every moment I was afraid lest the emotions which he was visibly repressing should prove too much for him; but he still watched, his eyes fixed and wide open, like the eyes of a madman, and a slight trembling of the cheeks and lips were the only signs of the violent nervous crisis under which he was suffering. 

As for me, all I can say is that I regretted having come. 

When the coffin was uncovered the inspector said to the grave-digger: "Open it." They obeyed, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. 

The coffin was of oak, and they began to unscrew the lid. The humidity of the earth had rusted the screws, and it was not without some difficulty that the coffin was opened. A painful odour arose in spite of the aromatic plants with which it was covered. 

"O my God, my God!" murmured Armand, and turned paler than before. Even the grave-digger drew back. 

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