9.4 阮 ná 食 ná 滾笑

9.4 Goán ná chia̍h ná kún-chhiò

"Ah," Prudence kóng, khòaⁿ tio̍h chi̍t ê khǹg tī piah-piⁿ tâi-á téng ê Saxe sió tiau-siōng, "góa m̄-chai lí ū chit ê sió tiau-siōng."

"Tó chi̍t ê?"

"Chhiú the̍h chiáu-lang-á ê khòaⁿ-iûⁿ gín-á."

"Lí ài, he sàng--lí."

"Góa m̄-káⁿ the̍h lí ê hó mi̍h-kiāⁿ."

"Góa pún-lâi siūⁿ boeh sàng hō͘ lú-po̍k. Góa bô kah-ì chit ê; lí nā ài, lí tō the̍h khì."

Prudence kan-ta khòaⁿ tiōng lé-bu̍t, bē kè-kàu sàng ê hong-sek. I kā tiau-siōng khǹg chi̍t piⁿ, tō chhōa góa ji̍p-khì se-chng pâng, tī chia i pò góa khòaⁿ nn̄g tiuⁿ sio keh-piah ê siàu-siōng, kóng:

"Chit ê sī G pek-chiok, i í-chêng chiok ài Marguerite; sī i kā chhōa chhut-miâ ê. Lí kám bat i?"

"M̄-bat. A̍h chit ê neh?" góa kí lēng-gōa chi̍t tiuⁿ, mn̄g i.

"He sī L chú-chiok. I put-tek-í ài lī-khui Marguerite."

"Sī án-chóaⁿ?"

"In-ūi i chha-put-to phò-sán ah. I chèng-keng ài kòe Marguerite."

"Marguerite it-tēng mā ài i, tio̍h bô?"

"I tō sī chiok kî-koài ê, lán lóng siūⁿ bô. Chú-chiok lī khui hit àm, Marguerite chiàu-siông khì khòaⁿ-hì, kan-ta tī chú-chiok kò-pia̍t ê sî i khàu chi̍t-ē niâ."

Chit sî, Nanine chhut-hiān, kăn kóng, siau-iā chún-pī hó ah."

Goán lâi kàu pn̄g-thiaⁿ ê sî, khòaⁿ tio̍h Marguerite khò tī piah, Gaston khan i ê siang-chhiú, teh kap i kóng sè-siaⁿ-ōe.

"Lí siáu--ê," Marguerite ìn i. "Lí chin chheng-chhó, góa bô ài lí. M̄-thang tī sio-bat nn̄g nî liáu chiah boeh lâi ài góa chit khoán cha-bó͘. Góa kap lí, m̄-sī chi̍t khai-sí tō chò-tīn, tō sī lóng mài chò-tīn. Hó lah, kok-ūi sian-siⁿ, lâi chia̍h siau-iā lah."

Ùi Gaston hia liu chhut-lâi, Marguerite an-pâi Gaston chē tī i ê chiàⁿ-pêng, góa chē tī i ê tò-pêng, tō kiò Nanine kóng:

"Lí seng khì an-tah chàu-kha ê lâng, kóng, nā ū lâng khiú mn̂g-lêng, m̄-thang khui mn̂g."

I hoan-hù che ê sî, í-keng sī pòaⁿ-mê chi̍t tiám.

Siau-iā ê sî, goán ná lim, ná chia̍h, ná kún-chhiò. Bô gōa kú tō chhiò-kah lāu-jia̍t kún-kún, put-sî ē thiaⁿ tio̍h te̍k-sû kai-chân chiah ē kóng ê chhiò-ōe, kóng liáu ài sé-chhùi ê lah-sap ōe, Nanine, Prudence, kap Marguerite thiaⁿ tio̍h lóng phah-pho̍k-á hoah-hó. Gaston kui-ê hoaⁿ-hí-kah; i pún sī chin chèng-phài ê lâng, m̄-koh sió-khóa siū tio̍h i siàu-liân ê kò-sèng thōa-pháiⁿ khì. Ū chi̍t-chūn góa mā pàng gōa-gōa, kiông-pek ka-tī ê sim-koaⁿ kap thâu-khak mài khì kè-kàu chit chióng tiûⁿ-bīn, kui-khì tâng-chê hiáng-siū chit chióng hoan-lo̍k, tō ná-chhiūⁿ che sī chit tǹg pn̄g ê chi̍t lō͘ chhài. M̄-koh, bān-bān-á góa thè-chhut chit chióng chháu-nāu, bô koh lim-chiú, chù-ì khòaⁿ chit ê jī-cha̍p hòe ê súi cha-bó͘ án-ne lim-chiú, án-ne ná ku-lí kóng chho͘-ōe, thiaⁿ tio̍h lú hā-liû ê chhiò-khoe, chhiò lú tōa-siaⁿ, góa soah kám-kak kiông-boeh sim-sng.

M̄-koh, chit chióng kún-chhiò, chit chióng kóng-ōe kap lim-chiú, chāi góa khòaⁿ lâi, tī pa̍t-lâng sī in-ūi tòe tio̍h pháiⁿ phōaⁿ a̍h-sī pháiⁿ si̍p-koàn, tī Marguerite sī ūi-tio̍h boeh pàng bē-kì hiān-si̍t, ūi-tio̍h chi̍t-sî chhóng-pōng, ūi-tio̍h sîn-keng-chit ê kek-tōng. Múi lim chi̍t poe siampin-chiú (champagne), i ê chhùi-phoé tō âng-kah hoat-jia̍t koh khai-sí khām-sàu, che tī chia̍h-pn̄g chêng pèng hán-tit thiaⁿ tio̍h, sàu-kah chiâⁿ lī-hāi, soah tio̍h kā thâu khò tī í-phēng, sàu ê sî iōng siang-chhiú ah tī heng-chêng.

Siūⁿ tio̍h góa tō m̄-kam, ta̍k kang i lóng ài kòe chit chióng hòng-tōng seng-oa̍h, siū tio̍h chit chióng chiat-bôa. Chòe-āu, góa só͘ kiaⁿ, mā ū ī-liāu tio̍h ê tāi-chì hoat-seng ah. Siau-iā boeh soah chìn-chêng, Marguerite tio̍h chi̍t chūn tōa-sàu, sī góa lâi kàu taⁿ siōng kek-liat ê sàu, sàu-kah ná i ê hì kiông boeh liah-phòa. Chit ê khó-liân ê ko͘-niû kui-ê bīn âng kòng-kòng, kan-khó͘-kah ba̍k-chiu kheh-kheh, the̍h chhiú-kin-á chhit chhùi-tûn, chhiú-kin téng soah ū chi̍t jiah hoeh. I sûi khiā khí-lâi, chông ji̍p-khì i ê se-chng-pâng.

"Marguerite sī án-chóaⁿ sioh?" Gaston mn̄g.

"I chhiò liáu siuⁿ-chē, khe̍ⁿh-hoeh ah. Oh, bô tāi-chì; ta̍k-kang i lóng sī án-ne. Liâm-mi i tō tò tńg-lâi ah. Lán mài kāng i, i ài ka-tī chi̍t ê."

Góa koh chē bē-tiâu ah, sûi khí-sin tòe Marguerite ji̍p-khì, put-koán Prudence kap Nanine khui-chhùi khǹg góa tńg-lâi.

--

9.4 阮 ná 食 ná 滾笑

"Ah," Prudence 講, 看著一个囥 tī 壁邊台仔頂 ê Saxe 小雕像, "我毋知你有這个小雕像."

"佗一个?"

"手提鳥籠仔 ê 看羊囡仔."

"你愛, 彼送你."

"我毋敢提你 ê 好物件."

"我本來想欲送予女僕. 我無佮意這个; 你 nā 愛, 你 tō 提去."

Prudence 干焦看重禮物, 袂計較送 ê 方式. 伊 kā 雕像囥一邊, tō chhōa 我入去梳妝房, tī 遮伊報我看兩張相隔壁 ê 肖像, 講:

"這个是 G 伯爵, 伊以前足愛 Marguerite; 是伊 kā chhōa 出名 ê. 你敢捌伊?"

"毋捌. A̍h 這个 neh?" 我指另外一張, 問伊.

"彼是 L子爵. 伊不得已愛離開 Marguerite."

"是按怎?"

"因為伊差不多破產 ah. 伊正經愛過 Marguerite."

"Marguerite 一定 mā 愛伊, 著無?"

"伊 tō 是足奇怪 ê, 咱攏想無. 子爵離開彼暗, Marguerite 照常去看戲, 干焦 tī 子爵告別 ê 時伊哭一下 niâ."

這時, Nanine 出現, ka̋n 講, 宵夜準備好 ah."

阮來到飯廳 ê 時, 看著 Marguerite 靠 tī 壁, Gaston 牽伊 ê 雙手, teh kap 伊講細聲話.

"你痟 ê," Marguerite 應伊. "你真清楚, 我無愛你. 毋通 tī 相捌兩年了才欲來愛我這款查某. 我 kap 你, 毋是一開始 tō 做陣, tō 是攏莫做陣. 好 lah, 各位先生, 來食宵夜 lah."

Ùi Gaston 遐溜出來, Marguerite 安排 Gaston 坐 tī 伊 ê 正爿, 我坐 tī 伊 ê 倒爿, tō 叫 Nanine 講:

"你先去安搭灶跤 ê 人, 講, nā 有人搝門鈴, 毋通開門."

伊吩咐這 ê 時, 已經是半暝一點.

宵夜 ê 時, 阮 ná 啉, ná 食, ná 滾笑. 無偌久 tō 笑甲鬧熱滾滾, 不時會聽著特殊階層才會講 ê 笑話, 講了愛洗喙 ê 垃圾話, Nanine, Prudence, kap Marguerite 聽著攏拍噗仔喝好. Gaston 規个歡喜甲; 伊本是真正派 ê 人, 毋過小可受著伊少年 ê 個性汰歹去. 有一陣我 mā 放外外, 強迫家己 ê 心肝 kap 頭殼莫去計較這種場面, 規氣同齊享受這種歡樂, tō 若像這是這頓飯 ê 一路菜. 毋過, 慢慢仔我退出這種吵鬧, 無 koh 啉酒, 注意看這个二十歲 ê 媠查某 án-ne 啉酒, án-ne ná 苦力講粗話, 聽著愈下流 ê 笑詼, 笑愈大聲, 我煞感覺強欲心酸.

毋過, 這種滾笑, 這種講話 kap 啉酒, 在我看來, tī 別人是因為綴著歹伴抑是歹習慣, tī Marguerite 是為著欲放袂記現實, 為著一時衝碰, 為著神經質 ê 激動. 每啉一杯 siampin 酒 (champagne), 伊 ê 喙 phé tō 紅甲發熱 koh 開始 khām 嗽, 這 tī 食飯前並罕得聽著, 嗽甲誠厲害, 煞著 kā 頭靠 tī 椅 phēng, 嗽 ê 時用雙手壓 tī 胸前.

想著我 tō 毋甘, 逐工伊攏愛過這種放蕩生活, 受著這種折磨. 最後, 我所驚, mā 有預料著 ê 代誌發生 ah. 宵夜欲煞進前, Marguerite 著一陣大嗽, 是我來到今上激烈 ê 嗽, 嗽甲 ná 伊 ê 肺強欲 liah 破. 這个可憐 ê 姑娘規个面紅絳絳, 艱苦甲目睭瞌瞌, 提手巾仔拭喙脣, 手巾頂煞有一跡血. 伊隨徛起來, 傱入去伊 ê 梳妝房.

"Marguerite 是按怎 sioh?" Gaston 問.

"伊笑了 siuⁿ 濟, 喀血 ah. Oh, 無代誌; 逐工伊攏是 án-ne. Liâm-mi 伊 tō 倒轉來 ah. 咱莫 kāng 伊, 伊愛家己一个."

我 koh 坐袂牢 ah, 隨起身綴 Marguerite 入去, 不管 Prudence kap Nanine 開喙勸我轉來.

--

9.4

"Ah," said Prudence, catching sight of a little Saxe figure on a side-table, "I never knew you had this little gentleman." 

"Which?" 

"A little shepherd holding a bird-cage."

"Take it, if you like it."

"I won't deprive you of it."

"I was going to give it to my maid. I think it hideous; but if you like it, take it." 

Prudence only saw the present, not the way in which it was given. She put the little figure on one side, and took me into the dressing-room, where she showed me two miniatures hanging side by side, and said: 

"That is the Comte de G., who was very much in love with Marguerite; it was he who brought her out. Do you know him?" 

"No. And this one?" I inquired, pointing to the other miniature.

"That is the little Vicomte de L. He was obliged to disappear."

"Why?"

"Because he was all but ruined. That's one, if you like, who loved Marguerite." 

"And she loved him, too, no doubt?" 

"She is such a queer girl, one never knows. The night he went away she went to the theatre as usual, and yet she had cried when he said good-bye to her."

Just then Nanine appeared, to tell us that supper was served. 

When we entered the dining-room, Marguerite was leaning against the wall, and Gaston, holding her hands, was speaking to her in a low voice. 

"You are mad," replied Marguerite. "You know quite well that I don't want you. It is no good at the end of two years to make love to a woman like me. With us, it is at once, or never. Come, gentlemen, supper!" 

And, slipping away from Gaston, Marguerite made him sit on her right at table, me on her left, then called to Nanine: 

"Before you sit down, tell them in the kitchen not to open to anybody if there is a ring." 

This order was given at one o'clock in the morning. 

We laughed, drank, and ate freely at this supper. In a short while mirth had reached its last limit, and the words that seem funny to a certain class of people, words that degrade the mouth that utters them, were heard from time to time, amidst the applause of Nanine, of Prudence, and of Marguerite. Gaston was thoroughly amused; he was a very good sort of fellow, but somewhat spoiled by the habits of his youth. For a moment I tried to forget myself, to force my heart and my thoughts to become indifferent to the sight before me, and to take my share of that gaiety which seemed like one of the courses of the meal. But little by little I withdrew from the noise; my glass remained full, and I felt almost sad as I saw this beautiful creature of twenty drinking, talking like a porter, and laughing the more loudly the more scandalous was the joke. 

Nevertheless, this hilarity, this way of talking and drinking, which seemed to me in the others the mere results of bad company or of bad habits, seemed in Marguerite a necessity of forgetting, a fever, a nervous irritability. At every glass of champagne her cheeks would flush with a feverish colour, and a cough, hardly perceptible at the beginning of supper, became at last so violent that she was obliged to lean her head on the back of her chair and hold her chest in her hands every time that she coughed. 

I suffered at the thought of the injury to so frail a constitution which must come from daily excesses like this. At length, something which I had feared and foreseen happened. Toward the end of supper Marguerite was seized by a more violent fit of coughing than any she had had while I was there. It seemed as if her chest were being torn in two. The poor girl turned crimson, closed her eyes under the pain, and put her napkin to her lips. It was stained with a drop of blood. She rose and ran into her dressing-room. 

"What is the matter with Marguerite?" asked Gaston.

"She has been laughing too much, and she is spitting blood. Oh, it is nothing; it happens to her every day. She will be back in a minute. Leave her alone. She prefers it." 

I could not stay still; and, to the consternation of Prudence and Nanine, who called to me to come back, I followed Marguerite. 

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