11.4 門當然愛鎖

11.4 Mn̄g tong-jiân ài só

"Tī i ê se-chng pâng nih."

"Góa chia tán. Mn̄g lí leh, lí kám chai, i chin kah-ì lí?"

"M̄-chai."

"I bô kā lí kóng?"

"Kin-pún to bô."

"Nā án-ne, lí ná ē lâi?"

"Góa lâi pài-hóng i."

"Saⁿ-keng pòaⁿ-mê?"

"Kám bē-sái?"

"Chhiò-khoe!"

"Sū-si̍t siōng, i tùi góa chin bô kheh-khì."

"Chiām-chiām i tō ē hó-hó khoán-thāi lí lah."

"Chin ê?"

"Góa ū hó siau-sit boeh hō͘ i."

"Chiâⁿ hó. Só͘-í kóng, i ū kap lí the̍h-khí góa, sī-m̄?"

"Cha-àm, tō-sī kin-á thàu-chá, tī lí hām pêng-iú tńg-khì liáu. Eh, lín pêng-iú kiò siáⁿ miâ ah? Gaston R., sī-m̄-sī chit ê miâ?"

"Tio̍h lah," góa ná chhiò ná kā ìn, ná koh siūⁿ tio̍h Gaston kă thàu-lāu ê ōe, chit ê Prudence kèng-jiân hiám-á m̄-chai i ê miâ.

"Lín pêng-iú chin hó; i sī chhòng-siáⁿ ê?"

"I chi̍t nî thàn nn̄g-bān gō͘-chheng franc."

"Ah, án-ne oh! Lâi kóng lí ê tāi-chì. Marguerite teh thàm-thiaⁿ lí: lâng án-chóaⁿ, teh chhòng-siáⁿ, bat ū siáⁿ chêng-hū; chóng-kóng, só͘-ū lí chit-chióng nî-kí lâng ài thàm-thiaⁿ ê, i lóng teh mn̄g. Góa kā góa chai ê lóng kā kóng ah, koh po chi̍t-ē kóng lí chiâⁿ kó͘-chui. Tō-sī án-ne."

"To-siā oh. Lí kă kóng, cha-àm i iang lí chò ê sī siáⁿ tāi-chì?

"He bô siáⁿ lah. Chí-sī boeh kā pek-chiok kóaⁿ-cháu; m̄-koh kin-á-ji̍t góa chèng-keng ài khòaⁿ i, góa ū tap-àn boeh hôe i."

 Kóng kàu chia, Marguerite ùi se-chng-pâng chhut-lâi, tì chi̍t téng sèng-kám ê khùn-bō, téng-koân kat chi̍t-khiû n̂g-sek ê si-tòa, hit-ê kat-hoat kiò-chò "pau-sim kat." I khòaⁿ khí-lâi chiâⁿ bê-lâng. kha thoa pò͘-chit ê slipa, i iáu ná teh chhit chéng-kah.

"Eh," i ná khòaⁿ Prudence, ná kóng, "lí ū kìⁿ tio̍h kong-chiok bô?"

"Tong-jiân ū lah."

"I án-chóaⁿ kā lí kóng?"

"I hō͘ góa..."

"Gōa chē?"

"La̍k chheng."

"Lí ū chah lâi bô?"

"Ū."

"I khòaⁿ khí-lâi kám bô hoaⁿ-hí?"

"Bē lah."

"Khó-liân ê lâng ah!"

Chit kù "Khó-liân ê lâng ah!" kóng kah chiâⁿ pháiⁿ o̍h. Marguerite chiap hit la̍k tiuⁿ chi̍t-chheng franc ê phiò-á.

"Tú-hó hù iōng," i kóng. "Chhin-ài ê Prudence, lí ū khiàm-iōng chîⁿ bô?"

"Koai gín-á, lí chai, koh nn̄g kang-á tō 15 ah, lí nā chioh góa saⁿ-sì pah franc, tō-sī hō͘ góa tōa pang-chān lah."

"Bîn-á-chài the̍h hō͘ lí; taⁿ siuⁿ àm ah, bô lân-san ê."

"M̄-thang bē-kì-tit oh."

"Bián kiaⁿ. Lí boeh hām goán chia̍h siau-iā bô?"

"M̄ lah, Charles tng teh tán góa."

"Lí iáu teh tùi i hiah hó?"

"Hó nò, chhin-ài ê! Bîn-á-chài chài-hōe. Chài-kiàn, Armand."

Duvernoy Hj [Hu-jîn] chhut-khì.

Marguerite phah-khui piah-piⁿ toh-á ê thoah-á, kā phiò-á hiat ji̍p-khì.

"Góa lâi-khì tó bîn-chhn̂g, ē-sái bô?" i chhiò-chhiò kóng, sóa-kha hiòng bîn-chhn̂g.

"Tong-jiân ē-sái, góa mā kiàn-gī lí khì tó chi̍t-ē."

I hian-khui mî-phōe, tó ji̍p bîn-chhn̂g téng.

"Lâi," i kóng, "chē chhn̂g piⁿ, lán lâi kóng-ōe-á leh."

Prudence kóng liáu tio̍h: i chah lâi ê tap-àn í-keng hō͘ Marguerite sim-chêng ke chin hó.

"E-àm góa sái sèng-tē, lí ē goân-liōng góa bô?" i khan góa ê chhiú, án-ne kóng.

"Góa sûi-sî lóng ē goân-liōng lí."

"Lí ū ài góa bô?"

"Ài kah khí-siáu lah."

"Góa pháiⁿ sèng-tē, lí mā ài?"

"Bô-koán án-chóaⁿ, góa lóng ài."

"Lí ē-sái chiù-chōa?"

"Góa chiù-chōa," góa khin-siaⁿ kóng.

Chit sî, Nanine ji̍p-lâi, phâng chi̍t pôaⁿ ke-bah, chi̍t koàn klaret âng phû-tô chiú, kap chi̍t-kóa chhì-pho.

"Góa bô tiâu ponchì chiú," Nanine kóng; "claret âng-chiú tùi lí khah hó. Tio̍h bô, sian-siⁿ?" 

"He tong-jiân nò," góa kā ìn, sim-koaⁿ iáu teh siūⁿ Marguerite tú-chiah kóng ê hiah-ê ōe, ba̍k-chiu tiâu tī i hia.

"Hó lah," i kóng; "lóng khǹg tī sè tè toh-á téng, kā toh-á sóa lâi chhn̂g piⁿ; goán ka-tī chia̍h. Lí í-keng saⁿ àm òaⁿ-khùn ah, lóng bô-kàu-bîn. Taⁿ hó khì khùn ah. Góa koh bô siáⁿ-mih su-iàu ah."

"Mn̂g ài só bô?"

"Tong-jiân ài só! Siōng tiōng-iàu ê sī, kiò in bîn-á-chài tiong-tàu-chêng bē-sái hō͘ lâng ji̍p-lâi."

--

11.4  門當然愛鎖

"Tī 伊 ê 梳妝房 nih."

"我遮等. 問你 leh, 你敢知, 伊真佮意你?"

"毋知."

"伊無 kā 你講?"

"根本都無."

"Nā án-ne, 你那會來?"

"我來拜訪伊."

"三更半暝?"

"敢袂使?"

"笑詼!"

"事實上, 伊對我真無客氣."

"漸漸伊 tō 會好好款待你 lah."

"真 ê?"

"我有好消息欲予伊."

"誠好. 所以講, 伊有 kap 你提起我, 是毋?"

"昨暗, tō 是今仔透早, tī 你和朋友轉去了. Eh, 恁朋友叫啥名 ah? Gaston R., 是毋是這个名?"

"著 lah," 我 ná 笑 ná kā 應, ná koh 想著 Gaston kă 透漏 ê 話, 這个 Prudence 竟然險仔毋知伊 ê 名.

"恁朋友真好; 伊是創啥 ê?"

"伊一年趁兩萬五千 franc."

"Ah, án-ne oh! 來講你 ê 代誌. Marguerite teh 探聽你: 人按怎, teh 創啥, bat 有啥情婦; 總講, 所有你這種年紀人愛探聽 ê, 伊攏 teh 問. 我 kā 我知 ê 攏 kā 講 ah, koh 褒一下講你誠古錐. Tō 是 án-ne."

"多謝 oh. 你 kă 講, 昨暗伊央你做 ê 是啥代誌?

"彼無啥 lah. 只是欲 kā 伯爵趕走; 毋過今仔日我正經愛看伊, 我有答案欲回伊."

 講到遮, Marguerite ùi 梳妝房出來, 戴一頂性感 ê 睏帽, 頂懸結一 khiû 黃色 ê 絲帶, 彼个結法叫做 "包心結." 伊看起來誠迷人. 跤拖布質 ê slipa, 伊猶 ná teh 拭指甲.

"Eh," 伊 ná 看 Prudence, ná 講, "你有見著公爵無?"

"當然有 lah."

"伊按怎 kā 你講?"

"伊予我..."

"偌濟?"

"六千."

"你有扎來無?"

"有."

"伊看起來敢無歡喜?"

"袂 lah."

"可憐 ê 人 ah!"

這句 "可憐 ê 人 ah!" 講甲誠歹學. Marguerite 接彼六張一千 franc ê 票仔.

"拄好赴用," 伊講. "親愛 ê Prudence, 你有欠用錢無?"

"乖囡仔, 你知, koh 兩工仔 tō 15 ah, 你 nā 借我三四百 franc, tō 是予我大幫贊 lah."

"明仔載提予你; 今傷暗 ah, 無零星 ê."

"毋通袂記得 oh."

"免驚. 你欲和阮食宵夜無?"

"毋 lah, Charles 當 teh 等我."

"你猶 teh 對伊 hiah 好?"

"好 nò, 親愛 ê! 明仔載再會. 再見, Armand."

Duvernoy Hj [夫人] 出去.

Marguerite 拍開壁邊桌仔 ê 屜仔, kā 票仔㧒入去.

"我來去倒眠床, 會使無?" 伊笑笑講, 徙跤向眠床.

"當然會使, 我 mā 建議你去倒一下."

伊掀開棉被, 倒入眠床頂.

"來," 伊講, "坐床邊, 咱來講話仔 leh."

Prudence 講了著: 伊扎來 ê 答案已經予 Marguerite 心情加真好.

"下暗我使性地, 你會原諒我無?" 伊牽我 ê 手, án-ne 講.

"我隨時攏會原諒你."

"你有愛我無?"

"愛甲起痟 lah."

"我歹性地, 你 mā 愛?"

"無管按怎, 我攏愛."

"你會使咒誓?"

"我咒誓," 我輕聲講.

這時, Nanine 入來, 捀一盤雞肉, 一罐 claret 紅葡萄酒, kap 一寡刺波.

"我無調 ponchì 酒," Nanine 講; "claret 紅酒對你較好. 著無, 先生?" 

"彼當然 nò," 我 kā 應, 心肝猶 teh 想 Marguerite 拄才講 ê hiah-ê 話, 目睭牢 tī 伊遐.

"好 lah," 伊講; "攏囥 tī 細塊桌仔頂, kā 桌仔徙來床邊; 阮家己食. 你已經三暗晏睏 ah, 攏無夠眠. 今好去睏 ah. 我 koh 無啥物需要 ah."

"門愛鎖無?"

"當然愛鎖! 上重要 ê 是, 叫 in 明仔載中晝前袂使予人入來."

--

11.4

"In her dressing-room."


"I will wait. By the way, do you know she thinks you charming?" 

"No."


"She hasn't told you?"


"Not at all." 

"How are you here?" 

"I have come to pay her a visit." 

"At midnight?" 

"Why not?" 

"Farceur!" 

"She has received me, as a matter of fact, very badly." 

"She will receive you better by and bye." 

"Do you think so?" 

"I have some good news for her." 

"No harm in that. So she has spoken to you about me?" 

"Last night, or rather to-night, when you and your friend went. By the way, what is your friend called? Gaston R., his name is, isn't it?" 

"Yes," said I, not without smiling, as I thought of what Gaston had confided to me, and saw that Prudence scarcely even knew his name. 

"He is quite nice, that fellow; what does he do?" 

"He has twenty-five thousand francs a year." 

"Ah, indeed! Well, to return to you. Marguerite asked me all about you: who you were, what you did, what mistresses you had had; in short, everything that one could ask about a man of your age. I told her all I knew, and added that you were a charming young man. That's all." 

"Thanks. Now tell me what it was she wanted to say to you last night." 

"Nothing at all. It was only to get rid of the count; but I have really something to see her about to- day, and I am bringing her an answer now." 

At this moment Marguerite reappeared from her dressing-room, wearing a coquettish little nightcap with bunches of yellow ribbons, technically known as "cabbages." She looked ravishing. She had satin slippers on her bare feet, and was in the act of polishing her nails. 

"Well," she said, seeing Prudence, "have you seen the duke?" 

"Yes, indeed."


"And what did he say to you?"


"He gave me--" 

"How much?"


"Six thousand."


"Have you got it?"


"Yes.
"

"Did he seem put out?" 

"No."


"Poor man!" 

This "Poor man!" was said in a tone impossible to render. Marguerite took the six notes of a thousand francs. 

"It was quite time," she said. "My dear Prudence, are you in want of any money?" 

"You know, my child, it is the 15th in a couple of days, so if you could lend me three or four hundred francs, you would do me a real service." 

"Send over to-morrow; it is too late to get change now." 

"Don't forget."


"No fear. Will you have supper with us?"

"No, Charles is waiting for me." 

"You are still devoted to him?" 

"Crazy, my dear! I will see you to-morrow. Good-bye, Armand." 

Mme. Duvernoy went out. 

Marguerite opened the drawer of a side-table and threw the bank-notes into it. 

"Will you permit me to get into bed?" she said with a smile, as she moved toward the bed. 

"Not only permit, but I beg of you." 

She turned back the covering and got into bed. 

"Now," said she, "come and sit down by me, and let's have a talk." 

Prudence was right: the answer that she had brought to Marguerite had put her into a good humour. 

"Will you forgive me for my bad temper tonight?" she said, taking my hand. 

"I am ready to forgive you as often as you like." 

"And you love me?" 

"Madly." 

"In spite of my bad disposition?" 

"In spite of all." 

"You swear it?" 

"Yes," I said in a whisper. 

Nanine entered, carrying plates, a cold chicken, a bottle of claret, and some strawberries. 

"I haven't had any punch made," said Nanine; "claret is better for you. Isn't it, sir?" 

"Certainly," I replied, still under the excitement of Marguerite's last words, my eyes fixed ardently upon her. 

"Good," said she; "put it all on the little table, and draw it up to the bed; we will help ourselves. This is the third night you have sat up, and you must be in want of sleep. Go to bed. I don't want anything more." 

"Shall I lock the door?"

"I should think so! And above all, tell them not to admit anybody before midday." 

--