11.3 下暗你神經線傷絚

11.3 E-àm lí sîn-keng-sòaⁿ siuⁿ ân

"Án-chóaⁿ kóng?"

"In-ūi lí khòaⁿ khí-lâi ká-ná chin hoân, tiāⁿ-tio̍h sī góa teh chak-chō lí."

"Lí bô chak-chō góa; góa chí-sī bô sóng-khoài; kui-kang góa lóng siān-siān. Cha-àm góa khùn bē-khì, taⁿ koh thâu-khak thiàⁿ."

"Nā án-ne góa lâi cháu, thang hō͘ lí khì khùn."

"Oh, lí lâu tiàm chia. Góa nā boeh khì khùn, lí lâu tiàm chia mā bô-iàu-kín."

Hit sî, ū-lâng khiú mn̂g-lêng.

"Sī siáng lâi ah?" i án-ne kóng, chò chi̍t ê bô-nāi-hoân ê tōng-chok.

Kòe chi̍t-ē-á, mn̂g-lêng koh hiáng.

"Bô lâng khì khui-mn̂g sioh? Góa tō ài ka-tī lâi-khì khui."

I khiā khí-lâi, kă kóng, "Lí chia tán leh."

I kiâⁿ chhut-khì, góa thiaⁿ tio̍h i khui gōa-kháu ê mn̂g. Góa koh chù-ì thiaⁿ.

Hit ê i kā khui-mn̂g ê lâng kan-ta kiâⁿ-kàu pn̄g-thiaⁿ. I chi̍t kóng-ōe, góa tō jīn-chhut he sī siàu-liân ê N pek-chiok.

"E-àm lí hó bô?" pek-chiok mn̄g.

"Bô hó," Marguerite chhâ-chhâ kā ìn.

"Góa ū kiáu-jiáu tio̍h lí bô?"

"Ká-ná ū leh."

"Lí ná ē án-ne tùi-thāi góa! Góa kám ū siáⁿ chò m̄-tio̍h, chhin-ài ê Marguerite?"

"Chhin-ài ê pêng-iú, lí bô chò m̄-tio̍h. Góa phòa-pēⁿ ah; góa ài lâi-khì khùn, lí siōng-hó sī kín lī-khui. Ta̍k kang tńg-lâi, bô gō͘ hun-cheng lí tō chhut-hiān, chiâⁿ-si̍t hō͘ góa ē phòa-pēⁿ. Lí tàu-té sī boeh chhòng-siáⁿ? Ài góa chò lí ê chêng-hū? Hm, góa kóng-kòe chi̍t-pah kái ah, Bô khó-lêng; Lí hō͘ góa chin hoân, lí siōng-hó sī khì chhōe pa̍t-lâng lah. Taⁿ, góa koh kā lí kóng, che sī siōng bóe kái: góa bô kah-ì lí; tō-sī án-ne niâ. Chài-hōe lah. Nanine tńg-lâi ah; i ē tiám-hóe chhōa lí chhut-khì. Àm-an."

Bô ke kóng-ōe, mā bô teh thiaⁿ hit ê siàu-liân ê ngāu-ngāu liām, Marguerite tńg-lâi kàu pâng-keng, tōa-la̍t kā mn̂g koaiⁿ khí-lâi. Kòe chi̍t-ē, Nanine mā ji̍p-lâi ah.

"Góa kā lí kóng," Marguerite kóng, "āu-kái lí lóng kā hit-ê gōng-á kóng góa bô tī lih, a̍h-sī kóng góa bô-ài kìⁿ i. Khòaⁿ tio̍h chit-khoán mi-mi-boeh ê lâng góa chiâⁿ hoân; in siūⁿ-kóng ū-chîⁿ tō bé ē tio̍h góa. Hiah-ê siūⁿ boeh chìn goán chit-chióng ai-oàn hâng-gia̍p ê ko͘-niû, chá nā chai-iáⁿ che tàu-té sī án-chóaⁿ, in ē lêng-goān khì chò cha-bó͘-kán. M̄-koh, bô ah, hi-hoa, súi saⁿ, bé-chhia, kap soān-chio̍h chāi-chāi lóng teh siâⁿ goán. Goán siong-sìn thiaⁿ tio̍h ê ōe, in-ūi tī chia, kap tī pa̍t-ūi kāng-khoán, mā-sī ū chi̍t-chióng sìn-liām, goán tō chiām-chiām hiàn-chhut goán ê sim-koaⁿ, goán ê sin-khu, kap goán ê bí-māu. Goán hông tòng-chò iau-chiaⁿ, khòaⁿ-chò pùn-sò, tîⁿ-tòe ê lóng sī ài kân phiⁿ ê lâng. Chi̍t-kang, tī chau-that pa̍t-lâng mā chau-that ka-tī liáu, goán tō ná chi̍t chiah káu sí tī chúi-kau-á té."

"Hó lah, hu-jîn, lí léng-chēng leh," Nanine kóng; "e-àm lí sîn-keng-sòaⁿ siuⁿ ân."

"Sī che saⁿ-á siuⁿ ân lah," Marguerite koh kóng, ná tháu-khui i ê sok-io kah-á; "hiaⁿh e̍k-saⁿ hō͘ góa. Hm, Prudence neh?"

"I iáu-bōe lâi, m̄-koh góa ū hoan-hù kóng, kiò i tńg-lâi sûi tō lâi hu-jîn lí chia."

"Lí khòaⁿ, chit ê lâng," Marguerite kā saⁿ thǹg tiāu, ōaⁿ pe̍h-sek ê e̍k-saⁿ, koh kóng, "su-iàu góa ê sî i tō ē lâi chhōe góa, thè góa chò tāi-chì khiok bô án-chóaⁿ iōng-sim. I chai, góa teh tán i hôe siau-sit. I chai, góa sim chin kip. Góa mā chai, i teh bô-êng i ka-tī ê tāi-chì, chiah bô teh siūⁿ góa ê tāi-chì."

"Khó-lêng i mā ài tán chi̍t-ē."

"Lán lâi lim ponchì chiú."

"He tùi lí m̄-hó lah, hu-jîn," Nanine kóng.

"Án-ne mā tio̍h. The̍h kóa chúi-kó, ke ām-kún a̍h-sī ke-si̍t lâi; a̍h-sī siáⁿ lóng hó, khah kín leh, góa iau ah."

Chit-chióng tiûⁿ-bīn hō͘ góa ê ìn-siōng, bián kóng lí mā chai, kám m̄-sī?

"Tán leh lí hām góa chò-hóe chia̍h siau-iā," i kă kóng; "lí seng the̍h chi̍t pún chheh khì tha̍k, góa taⁿ boeh ji̍p khì se-chng pâng chi̍t-ē."

I tiám to̍h chek-tâi ê la̍h-chek, phah-khui bîn-chhn̂g piⁿ-á ê mn̂g, kiâⁿ ji̍p khì.

Góa khai-sí teh siūⁿ chit ê khó-liân sió ko͘-niû ê seng-oa̍h, chham-lām tio̍h liân-bín, góa koh khah ài i. Góa tī pâng-keng kiâⁿ-lâi kiâⁿ-khì, ná teh siūⁿ ê sî, Prudence ji̍p lâi.

 "Ah, lí tī chia?" i kóng, "Marguerite tī tó?"

--

11.3 下暗你神經線傷絚

"按怎講?"

"因為你看起來敢若真煩, 定著是我 teh 齪嘈你."

"你無齪嘈我; 我只是無爽快; 規工我攏 siān-siān. 昨暗我睏袂去, 今 koh 頭殼疼."

"Nā án-ne 我來走, 通予你去睏."

"Oh, 你留踮遮. 我 nā 欲去睏, 你留踮遮 mā 無要緊."

彼時, 有人搝門鈴.

"是 siáng 來 ah?" 伊 án-ne 講, 做一个無耐煩 ê 動作.

過一下仔, 門鈴 koh 響.

"無人去開門 sioh? 我 tō 愛家己來去開."

伊徛起來, kă 講, "你遮等 leh."

伊行出去, 我聽著伊開外口 ê 門. 我 koh 注意聽.

彼个伊 kā 開門 ê 人干焦行到飯廳. 伊一講話, 我 tō 認出彼是少年 ê N 伯爵.

"下暗你好無?" 伯爵問.

"無好," Marguerite 柴柴 kā 應.

"我有攪擾著你無?"

"敢若有 leh."

"你那會 án-ne 對待我! 我敢有啥做毋著, 親愛 ê Marguerite?"

"親愛 ê 朋友, 你無做毋著. 我破病 ah; 我愛來去睏, 你上好是緊離開. 逐工轉來, 無五分鐘你 tō 出現, 成實予我會破病. 你到底是欲創啥? 愛我做你 ê 情婦? Hm, 我講過一百改 ah, 無可能; 你予我真煩, 你上好是去揣別人 lah. 今, 我 koh kā 你講, 這是上尾改: 我無佮意你; tō 是 án-ne niâ. 再會 lah. Nanine 轉來 ah; 伊會點火 chhōa 你出去. 暗安."

無加講話, mā 無 teh 聽彼个少年 ê ngāu-ngāu 念, Marguerite 轉來到房間, 大力 kā 門關起來. 過一下, Nanine mā 入來 ah.

"我 kā 你講," Marguerite 講, "後改你攏 kā 彼个戇仔講我無 tī lih, 抑是講我無愛見伊. 看著這款綿綿欲 ê 人我誠煩; in 想講有錢 tō 買會著我. Hiah-ê 想欲進阮這種哀怨行業 ê 姑娘, 早 nā 知影這到底是按怎, in 會寧願去做查某 kán. 毋過, 無 ah, 虛花, 媠衫, 馬車, kap 璇石在在攏 teh 唌阮. 阮相信聽著 ê 話, 因為 tī 遮, kap tī 別位仝款, mā 是有一種信念, 阮 tō 漸漸獻出阮 ê 心肝, 阮 ê 身軀, kap 阮 ê 美貌. 阮 hőng 當做妖精, 看做糞埽, 纏綴 ê 攏是愛 ka̋n phiⁿ ê 人. 一工, tī 蹧躂別人 mā 蹧躂家己了, 阮 tō ná 一隻狗死 tī 水溝仔底."

"好 lah, 夫人, 你冷靜 leh," Nanine 講; "下暗你神經線傷絚."

"是這衫仔傷絚 lah," Marguerite koh 講, ná tháu 開伊 ê 束腰䘥仔; "hiaⁿh 浴衫予我. Hm, Prudence neh?"

"伊猶未來, 毋過我有吩咐講, 叫伊轉來隨 tō 來夫人你遮."

"你看, 這个人," Marguerite kā 衫褪掉, 換白色 ê 浴衫, koh 講, "需要我 ê 時伊 tō 會來揣我, 替我做代誌卻無按怎用心. 伊知, 我 teh 等伊回消息. 伊知, 我心真急. 我 mā 知, 伊 teh 無閒伊家己 ê 代誌, 才無 teh 想我 ê 代誌."

"可能伊 mā 愛等一下."

"咱來啉 ponchì 酒."

"彼對你毋好 lah, 夫人," Nanine 講.

"Án-ne mā 著. 提寡水果, 雞頷頸抑是雞翼來; 抑是啥攏好, 較緊 leh, 我 iau ah."

這種場面予我 ê 印象, 免講你 mā 知, 敢毋是?

"等 leh 你和我做伙食宵夜," 伊 kă 講; "你先提一本冊去讀, 我今欲入去梳妝房一下."

伊點 to̍h 燭台 ê 蠟燭, 拍開眠床邊仔 ê 門, 行入去.

我開始 teh 想這个可憐小姑娘 ê 生活, 參濫著憐憫, 我閣較愛伊. 我 tī 房間行來行去, ná teh 想 ê 時, Prudence 入來.

"Ah, 你 tī 遮?" 伊講, "Marguerite tī 佗?"

--

11.3

"Why?" 

"Because you seem vexed, and no doubt I am boring you." 

"You are not boring me; only I am not well; I have been suffering all day. I could not sleep, and I have a frightful headache." 

"Shall I go away and let you go to bed?" 

"Oh, you can stay. If I want to go to bed I don't mind your being here." 

At that moment there was a ring. 

"Who is coming now?" she said, with an impatient movement. 

A few minutes after there was another ring. 

"Isn't there any one to go to the door? I shall have to go." 

She got up and said to me, "Wait here." 

She went through the rooms, and I heard her open the outer door. I listened. 

The person whom she had admitted did not come farther than the dining-room. At the first word I recognised the voice of the young Comte de N. 

"How are you this evening?" he said. 

"Not well," replied Marguerite drily. 

"Am I disturbing you?"


"Perhaps." 

"How you receive me! What have I done, my dear Marguerite?" 

"My dear friend, you have done nothing. I am ill; I must go to bed, so you will be good enough to go. It is sickening not to be able to return at night without your making your appearance five minutes afterward. What is it you want? For me to be your mistress? Well, I have already told you a hundred times, No; you simply worry me, and you might as well go somewhere else. I repeat to you to-day, for the last time, I don't want to have anything to do with you; that's settled. Good-bye. Here's Nanine coming in; she can light you to the door. Good-night." 

Without adding another word, or listening to what the young man stammered out, Marguerite returned to the room and slammed the door. Nanine entered a moment after. 

"Now understand," said Marguerite, "you are always to say to that idiot that I am not in, or that I will not see him. I am tired out with seeing people who always want the same thing; who pay me for it, and then think they are quit of me. If those who are going to go in for our hateful business only knew what it really was they would sooner be chambermaids. But no, vanity, the desire of having dresses and carriages and diamonds carries us away; one believes what one hears, for here, as elsewhere, there is such a thing as belief, and one uses up one's heart, one's body, one's beauty, little by little; one is feared like a beast of prey, scorned like a pariah, surrounded by people who always take more than they give; and one fine day one dies like a dog in a ditch, after having ruined others and ruined one's self." 

"Come, come, madame, be calm," said Nanine; "your nerves are a bit upset to-night." 

"This dress worries me," continued Marguerite, unhooking her bodice; "give me a dressing-gown. Well, and Prudence?" 

"She has not come yet, but I will send her to you, madame, the moment she comes." 

"There's one, now," Marguerite went on, as she took off her dress and put on a white dressing-gown, "there's one who knows very well how to find me when she is in want of me, and yet she can't do me a service decently. She knows I am waiting for an answer. She knows how anxious I am, and I am sure she is going about on her own account, without giving a thought to me." 

"Perhaps she had to wait." 

"Let us have some punch." 

"It will do you no good, madame," said Nanine. 

"So much the better. Bring some fruit, too, and a pate or a wing of chicken; something or other, at once. I am hungry." 

Need I tell you the impression which this scene made upon me, or can you not imagine it? 

"You are going to have supper with me," she said to me; "meanwhile, take a book. I am going into my dressing-room for a moment." 

She lit the candles of a candelabra, opened a door at the foot of the bed, and disappeared. 

I began to think over this poor girl's life, and my love for her was mingled with a great pity. I walked to and fro in the room, thinking over things, when Prudence entered. 

"Ah, you here?"' she said, "where is Marguerite?"


--