13.2 M̄-thang khiàm chîⁿ hō͘ kau-chè-hoe
"Tī Paris, chi̍t nî siu-ji̍p kan-ta ū nn̄g-saⁿ
bān franc ê siàu-liân-lâng, hiah-ê chîⁿ kan-ta ū-kàu in tī ka-tī ê siā-kau-khian
seng-oa̍h, só͘-í in lóng chai, nā kau-tio̍h chi̍t ê ná Marguerite ê cha-bó͘ chò
chêng-hū, in hù ê chîⁿ sī bô kàu la̍p chhù-sòe hō͘ cha-bó͘ tòa kap hù kang-chu
hō͘ ho̍k-sāi i ê chhe-ia̍h. In m̄-káⁿ kap i thê-khí che, kan-ta tèⁿ gōng-gōng,
ká-ná siáⁿ to m̄-chai; it-tàn in sńg kàu-khùi ah, peh-khí tō kiâⁿ-khui. In nā
tián hong-sîn, siūⁿ boeh hū-tam khai-siau, lo̍h-bóe tō ná gōng-á, ke-hóe khai-ta
koh tī Paris khiàm-siàu cha̍p-bān franc, soah tio̍h cháu-lō͘ khì Afrika, chū
án-ne lâi sí tī hia. Lí siūⁿ-kóng án-ne cha-bó͘ ē chin kám-kek in sioh? Kin-pún
tō bē. Cha-bó͘ ē kóng, i ūi in hi-seng ki-hōe; hām in chò-hóe i sī teh
liáu-chîⁿ. Góa án-ne kóng, lí sī-m̄-sī kám-kak chiâⁿ kiàn-siàu? Che lóng sī
sū-si̍t ah. Lí sī chi̍t ê iân-tâu ê hó siàu-liân, góa mā chiâⁿ kah-ì lí. Góa
hām chiah-ê cha-bó͘ tàu-tīn jī-cha̍p nî ah, chai-iáⁿ in sī siáⁿ kioh-siàu, só͘-í
bô-ài khòaⁿ tio̍h lí kā súi cha-bó͘ chi̍t-sî ê kám-chêng tòng-chò sī
chi̍t-sì-lâng ê ài-chêng.
"Lēng-gōa neh," Prudence koh kóng, "ká-sú
kóng, pek-chiok a̍h-sī kong-chiok hoat-hiān Marguerite kap lí ê koan-hē, kiò i
chò chi̍t ê soán-te̍k, Marguerite soán lí, in-ūi i chin-sim ài lí, chit-chióng
hi-seng sī chiâⁿ tōa, che lí mā bē hóⁿ-jīn. Nā án-ne, lí ē-tàng ūi i chò-chhut
siáⁿ-khoán pêⁿ tōa ê hi-seng? Tán lí bô koh kah-ì i ê sî, lí boeh án-chóaⁿ lâi
pó͘-sióng i ūi-tio̍h lí só͘ siū-tio̍h ê sún-sit? Bô, siáⁿ to bô. Lí ū khó-lêng í-keng
keh-khui i ê sè-kài, hō͘ i bô hoat-tō͘ koh chhōe tio̍h châi-hù kap chiân-tô͘; i
khó-lêng í-keng kā siōng bí-hó ê sòe-goa̍t lóng hō͘ lí ah, taⁿ lí kā pàng-kah
lī-lī-lī. Lí nā sī chi̍t ê phó͘-thong ê lâng, lí tō ē chek-pī i ê kòe-khì,
lī-khui i, kóng, lí só͘ chò ê chí-sī hām i kî-thaⁿ ê chêng-jîn kāng-khoán, lí
tō ē hō͘ i cho-siū pi-chhám; nā bô, lí tō sī chi̍t ê láu-si̍t lâng, kám-kak tio̍h
kā i lâu tī sin-piⁿ, án-ne lí tō ē cho-siū chē-chē ê khùn-lân, in-ūi siàu-liân
sî siū-tong ē-khí ê hòng-tōng, kàu tiong-liân tō siū-tong bē-khí ah.
Chit-chióng koan-hē chóng-sī tòa-lâi chióng-chióng chó͘-gāi; tùi ka-têng, tùi
sū-gia̍p, cha-po͘-lâng lóng bē-sái ū tē-jī ê, iā tio̍h sī siōng bóe kái ê ài-chêng.
Só͘-í, thiaⁿ góa ê ōe, góa ê pêng-iú, lí ài khah hiān-si̍t leh, tāi-chì sī
án-chóaⁿ tō án-chóaⁿ chhú-lí, chhian-bān m̄-thang khiàm-chè hō͘ kau-chè-hoe,
m̄-koán khiàm siáⁿ lóng m̄-thang."
I kóng liáu chiâⁿ hó, hit-ê lí-lūn khòaⁿ khí-lâi
ká-ná m̄-sī i ē-hiáu ê. Góa bô siáⁿ thang ìn, kan-ta ē-tàng tìm-thâu tông-ì;
góa khan i ê chhiú, kám-siā i ê khoàn-kái.
"Hó lah, hó lah," i kóng, "pàng khui
chiah-ê lí-lūn, thiaⁿ-leh tō-hó. Seng-oa̍h sī chin bí-miāu, pêng-iú ah;
tiōng-iàu ê sī lí án-chóaⁿ lâi khòaⁿ i. Lí ē-sái khì mn̄g lín pêng-iú Gaston;
góa só͘ chai, chit-ê lâng tùi ài-chêng ê liáu-kái kap góa sio-kāng. Lí nā m̄-sī
gōng-tai, lí só͘ su-iàu su-khó ê sī kan-ta án-ne: taⁿ keh-piah ū chi̍t-ê súi
cha-bó͘, sim-koaⁿ ngia̍uh-ngia̍uh tāng, ài hit-ê tī in tau ê cha-po͘-lâng kín lī-khui,
in-ūi i sim-lāi só͘ siūⁿ ê sī lí, boeh kā kui-àm lóng lâu hō͘ lí; góa káⁿ
khak-tēng, i sī chin-sim ài lí. Taⁿ, hām góa lâi thang-á piⁿ, lâi hia tán,
khòaⁿ pek-chiok lī-khui; koh bô gōa-kú, i tō ē niū ūi hō͘ lán ah lah."
Prudence kā thang-á phah-khui, goán sio-phēng khò
tī iông-tâi. I teh khòaⁿ kòe-lō͘ ê lâng, góa kui-ê sim-koaⁿ loān-chhau-chhau. I
tú-chiah kóng-ê lóng chiⁿ tī thâu-khak té, góa mā ài sêng-jīn i kóng-liáu
tio̍h; m̄-koh góa tùi Marguerite chin-si̍t ê ài bô hoat-tō͘ thò tī chit-ê
lí-lūn lāi-té. Góa put-sî thò͘ tōa-khùi, Prudence thiaⁿ tio̍h tō oa̍t thâu
khòaⁿ góa, keng-thâu giâ chi̍t-ē, ká-ná i-seng lia̍h hoān-chiá bô-hoat-tō͘
kāng-khoán.
"In-ūi kám-kak ê sok-tō͘, " góa sim-nih
án-ne siūⁿ, "lán tō chai sèⁿ-miā chin té! Góa bat Marguerite kan-ta chiah
nn̄g kang niā-niā, cha-hng khai-sí i chiah khai-sí chiâⁿ-chò góa ê chêng-hū, i
í-keng oân-choân chìm-móa góa ê thâu-náu, góa ê sim-koaⁿ, góa ê sèⁿ-miā, só͘-tì
chit-ê G pek-chiok ê hóng-būn tùi góa ná-chhiūⁿ sī chai-eh.
Lo̍h-bóe, pek-chiok chhut-lâi ah, chē chiūⁿ
bé-chhia, kiâⁿ-khui lah. Prudence kā thang-á koaiⁿ hó. Hit tang-sî, Marguerite
tú teh hoah goán:
"Kín lâi," i kiò; "Toh-téng pâi hó
ah, lán lâi chia̍h siau-iā."
--
13.2
"Tī Paris, 一年收入干焦有兩三萬 franc ê 少年人, hiah-ê 錢干焦有夠 in tī 家己 ê 社交圈生活, 所以 in 攏知, nā 交著一个 ná Marguerite ê 查某做情婦, in 付 ê 錢是無夠納厝稅予查某蹛 kap 付工資予服侍伊 ê 差役. In 毋敢 kap 伊提起這, 干焦 tèⁿ 戇戇, 敢若啥 to 毋知; 一旦 in 耍夠氣 ah, peh 起 tō 行開. In nā 展風神, 想欲負擔開銷, 落尾 tō ná 戇仔, 家伙開焦 koh tī Paris 欠 siàu 十萬 franc, 煞著走路去 Afrika, 自 án-ne 來死 tī 遐. 你想講 án-ne 查某會真感激 in sioh? 根本 tō 袂. 查某會講, 伊為 in 犧牲機會; 和 in 做伙伊是 teh 了錢. 我 án-ne 講, 你是毋是感覺誠見笑? 這攏是事實 ah. 你是一个緣投 ê 好少年, 我 mā 誠佮意你. 我和 chiah-ê 查某鬥陣二十年 ah, 知影 in 是啥 kioh-siàu, 所以無愛看著你 kā 媠查某一時 ê 感情當做是一世人 ê 愛情.
"另外 neh," Prudence koh 講, "假使講, 伯爵抑是公爵發現 Marguerite kap 你 ê 關係, 叫伊做一个選擇, Marguerite 選你, 因為伊真心愛你, 這種犧牲是誠大, 這你 mā 袂否認. Nā án-ne, 你會當為伊做出啥款平大 ê 犧牲? 等你無 koh 佮意伊 ê 時, 你欲按怎來補償伊為著你所受著 ê 損失? 無, 啥 to 無. 你有可能已經隔開伊 ê 世界, 予伊無法度 koh 揣著財富 kap 前途; 伊可能已經 kā 上美好 ê 歲月攏予你 ah, 今你 kā 放甲離離離. 你 nā 是一个普通 ê 人, 你 tō 會責備伊 ê 過去, 離開伊, 講, 你所做 ê 只是和伊其他 ê 情人仝款, 你 tō 會予伊遭受悲慘; nā 無, 你 tō 是一个老實人, 感覺著 kā 伊留 tī 身邊, án-ne 你 tō 會遭受濟濟 ê 困難, 因為少年時受當會起 ê 放蕩, 到中年 tō 受當袂起 ah. 這種關係總是帶來種種阻礙; 對家庭, 對事業, 查埔人攏袂使有第二个, 也著是上尾改 ê 愛情. 所以, 聽我 ê 話, 我 ê 朋友, 你愛較現實 leh, 代誌是按怎 tō 按怎處理, 千萬毋通欠債予交際花, 毋管欠啥攏毋通."
"好 lah, 好 lah," 伊講, "放開 chiah-ê 理論, 聽 leh tō 好. 生活是真美妙, 朋友 ah; 重要 ê 是你按怎來看伊. 你會使去問恁朋友 Gaston; 我所知, 這个人對愛情 ê 了解 kap 我相仝. 你 nā 毋是戇呆, 你所需要思考 ê 是干焦 án-ne: 今隔壁有一个媠查某, 心肝 ngia̍uh-ngia̍uh 動, 愛彼个 tī in 兜 ê 查埔人緊離開, 因為伊心內所想 ê 是你, 欲 kā 規暗攏留予你; 我敢確定, 伊是真心愛你. 今, 和我來窗仔邊, 來遐等, 看伯爵離開; koh 無偌久, 伊 tō 會讓位予咱 ah lah."
Prudence kā 窗仔拍開, 阮相並靠 tī 陽台. 伊 teh 看過路 ê 人, 我規个心肝亂操操. 伊拄才講 ê 攏 chiⁿ tī 頭殼底, 我 mā 愛承認伊講了著; 毋過我對 Marguerite 真實 ê 愛無法度套 tī 這个理論內底. 我不時吐大氣, Prudence 聽著 tō 越頭看我, 肩頭夯一下, 敢若醫生掠患者無法度仝款.
"因為感覺 ê 速度, " 我心 nih án-ne 想, "咱 tō 知性命真短! 我捌 Marguerite 干焦才兩工 niā-niā, 昨昏開始伊才開始成做我 ê 情婦, 伊已經完全浸滿我 ê 頭腦, 我 ê 心肝, 我 ê 性命, 所致這个 G 伯爵 ê 訪問對我若像是災厄.
落尾, 伯爵出來 ah, 坐上馬車, 行開 lah. Prudence kā 窗仔關好. 彼當時, Marguerite
拄 teh 喝阮:
"緊來," 伊叫; "桌頂排好 ah, 咱來食宵夜."
--
13.2
"All the young men of twenty or thirty thousand francs a year at Paris, that is to say, men who have only just enough to live on in the society in which they mix, know perfectly well, when they are the lovers of a woman like Marguerite, that she could not so much as pay for the rooms she lives in and the servants who wait upon her with what they give her. They do not say to her that they know it; they pretend not to see anything, and when they have had enough of it they go their way. If they have the vanity to wish to pay for everything they get ruined, like the fools they are, and go and get killed in Africa, after leaving a hundred thousand francs of debt in Paris. Do you think a woman is grateful to them for it? Far from it. She declares that she has sacrificed her position for them, and that while she was with them she was losing money. These details seem to you shocking? Well, they are true. You are a very nice fellow; I like you very much. I have lived with these women for twenty years; I know what they are worth, and I don't want to see you take the caprice that a pretty girl has for you too seriously.
"Then, besides that," continued Prudence; "admit that Marguerite loves you enough to give up the count or the duke, in case one of them were to discover your liaison and to tell her to choose between him and you, the sacrifice that she would make for you would be enormous, you can not deny it. What equal sacrifice could you make for her, on your part, and when you had got tired of her, what could you do to make up for what you had taken from her? Nothing. You would have cut her off from the world in which her fortune and her future were to be found; she would have given you her best years, and she would be forgotten. Either you would be an ordinary man, and, casting her past in her teeth, you would leave her, telling her that you were only doing like her other lovers, and you would abandon her to certain misery; or you would be an honest man, and, feeling bound to keep her by you, you would bring inevitable trouble upon yourself, for a liaison which is excusable in a young man, is no longer excusable in a man of middle age. It becomes an obstacle to every thing; it allows neither family nor ambition, man's second and last loves. Believe me, then, my friend, take things for what they are worth, and do not give a kept woman the right to call herself your creditor, no matter in what."
It was well argued, with a logic of which I should have thought Prudence incapable. I had nothing to reply, except that she was right; I took her hand and thanked her for her counsels.
"Come, come," said she, "put these foolish theories to flight, and laugh over them. Life is pleasant, my dear fellow; it all depends on the colour of the glass through which one sees it. Ask your friend Gaston; there's a man who seems to me to understand love as I understand it. All that you need think of, unless you are quite a fool, is that close by there is a beautiful girl who is waiting impatiently for the man who is with her to go, thinking of you, keeping the whole night for you, and who loves you, I am certain. Now, come to the window with me, and let us watch for the count to go; he won't be long in leaving the coast clear."
Prudence opened the window, and we leaned side by side over the balcony. She watched the few passers, I reflected. All that she had said buzzed in my head, and I could not help feeling that she was right; but the genuine love which I had for Marguerite had some difficulty in accommodating itself to such a belief. I sighed from time to time, at which Prudence turned, and shrugged her shoulders like a physician who has given up his patient.
"How one realizes the shortness of life," I said to myself, "by the rapidity of sensations! I have only known Marguerite for two days, she has only been my mistress since yesterday, and she has already so completely absorbed my thoughts, my heart, and my life that the visit of the Comte de G. is a misfortune for me."
At last the count came out, got into his carriage and disappeared. Prudence closed the window. At the same instant Marguerite called to us:
"Come at once," she said; "they are laying the table, and we'll have supper."
--
No comments:
Post a Comment