1.4 Clifford 繼承老爸 ê 爵位

1.4 Clifford kè-sêng lāu-pē ê chiok-ūi

Clifford in a-chí Emma sió-chiá ùi Midlands boeh khì London chò khàn-hō͘-hū ê sî, yi su-té-hā chhiò yin lāu-pē Geoffrey Sià kap i he kò͘-chip ê ài-kok chú-gī. In tōa-hiaⁿ Herbert khiok kong-khai chhiò lāu-pē, sui-bóng chhò lâi chò chiàn-hô chi-kè ê chhiū-á sī i ka-tī ê. M̄-koh Clifford kan-ta sī sió-khóa khó͘-chhiò. Chin ê, sū-sū hāng-hāng lóng chin hó-chhiò. M̄-koh che hó-chhiò nā óa-lâi ka-tī sin-piⁿ ê sî, sī m̄-sī ka-tī mā piàn hó-chhiò? Siōng-bô tī bô kāng kai-kip ê lâng, chhiūⁿ Connie, in tō chin jīn-chin, in ū ka-tī ê sìn-liām.

In tùi kun-tūi, tùi peng-toaⁿ ê ui-hia̍p, tùi khiàm thn̂g, khiàm gín-á ê thn̂g-á lóng chin jīn-chin. Tong-jiân, só͘-ū chiah-ê mi̍h-kiāⁿ lóng sī tong-kio̍k ê kòe-chhò. M̄-koh Clifford bô koan-sim. Chāi i khòaⁿ-lâi, tong-kio̍k pún-sin tō sī hó-chhiò, kap thn̂g-á a̍h-sī kun-tūi bô koan-hē.

Tong-kio̍k-chiá mā kám-kak hó-chhiò, í hó-chhiò ê hong-sek hêng-tōng, chi̍t-sî ta̍k-hāng lóng loān-chau-chau. It-ti̍t kàu chêng-sòaⁿ ê chiàn-sū giâm-tiōng ah, Lloyd George chhut-lâi kái-kiù kok-lāi ê kio̍k-sè. Che sī chhiau-kip hó-chhiò, m̄-koh hit-ê khin-po̍k ê siàu-liân bô koh chhiò ah.

Tī 1916 nî, Herbert Chatterley chiàn-sí, Clifford piàn-sêng kè-sêng-jîn. Che hō͘ i chin tio̍h-kiaⁿ. I chai-iáⁿ, chhut-sì tī Wragby tē-hng, seⁿ-chò Geroffrey Sià ê hāu-seⁿ, che sī chin chhim ê tèng-kin, bô hoat-tō͘ cháu-siám. M̄-koh i mā chai-iáⁿ, gōa-bīn chhiâng-chhiâng-kún ê sè-kài, khòaⁿ che mā sī chin hó-chhiò. Taⁿ i sī kè-sêng-jîn, ài ūi Wragby hū-chek. Che sī m̄-sī chin khó-phà? Che kám m̄-sī chiok kong-chhái, tông-sî koh chin hàm-kó͘ ê tāi-chì?

Geoffrey Sià khiok bô kám-kak ū siáⁿ hàm-kó͘. I bīn-sek pe̍h-pe̍h, piáu-chêng chheⁿ-kìn-kìn, kiu tī ka-tī sin-piⁿ, kò͘-chip koat-sim boeh kái-kiù i ê kok-ka kap i ka-tī ê tē-ūi, m̄-koán chē-ūi ê sī Lloyd George a̍h-sī siáng lóng hó. I ko͘-phiah, kap chin-chiàⁿ ê Eng-kok lī hn̄g-hn̄g, lêng-le̍k bô-kàu, i sīm-chì jīn-ûi Horatio Bottomley sī hó-lâng. Geoffrey chi-chhî Eng-kok kap Lloyd George, tō ná chhiūⁿ in chó͘-sian chi-chhî Eng-kok kap St George, i lóng m̄-chai che ū siáⁿ bô-kāng. Só͘-tì, Geoffrey Sià chhò chhiū-á, ūi-tio̍h chi-chhî Lloyd George kap Eng-kok, chi-chhî Eng-kok kap Lloyd George.

I kiò Clifford tio̍h kiat-hun, seⁿ chi̍t-ê gín-á thn̂g hiuⁿ-ian. Clifford jīn-ûi in lāu-pē sī bô-io̍h-kiù ê lāu kó͘-tóng. M̄-koh, tî-liáu i khòaⁿ bē-sūn sū-sū hāng-hāng ê hó-chhiò, kap i ka-tī ê chhú-kéng koh-khah hó-chhiò í-gōa, i kám ū siáⁿ-mih khah chìn-pō͘? Chóng--sī, i iáu-sī chèng-chèng keng-keng chiap-siū liáu lâm-chiok ê sin-hūn kap kè-sêng liáu Wragby ê ka-sán.

Chiàn-cheng tú khai-sí ê kông-jia̍t siau-khì ah, lóng bô ah. Sí-bông chin chē, chin khióng-pò͘. Cha-po͘ ài ū lâng chi-chhî kap an-ùi. Cha-po͘ ài tī an-choân ê só-chāi pha-tiāⁿ. Cha-po͘ ài ū chi̍t-ê bó͘.

Kòe-khì, Chatterley ka-chok ê saⁿ hiaⁿ-tī chí-mōe, sui-jiân ū chin hó ê koan-he, khiok sī koaiⁿ tī Wragby kòe tio̍h kî-koài ê ko͘-phiah seng-oa̍h. In-ūi kám-kak ko͘-phiah, hō͘ in chhù-nih ê lâng koh-khah chhin-bi̍t, kám-kak ka-tī chhú-kéng ê chhùi-jio̍k, kám-kak bô pó-chiong, sui-jiân in ū chiok-ūi kap thó͘-tē, a̍h-sī in-ūi chiah-ê hō͘ in án-ne kám-kak. In kap in seng-tióng ê Midlands kang-gia̍p-khu oân-choân keh-lī. In mā in-ūi lāu-pē Geoffrey Sià kó͘-koài, kò͘-chip, kap ko͘-phiah ê kò-sèng, kap ka-tī ê kai-kip keh-lī. In thí-chhiò ka-ti ê lāu-pē, khiok put-chún pa̍t-lâng thí-chhiò i.

Saⁿ lâng bat kóng boeh éng-oán tòa chò-hóe. M̄-koh, taⁿ Herbert í-keng sí ah, Geoffrey kiò Clifford chhōa-bó͘. Geoffrey Sià chin chió the̍h-khí, i bô siáⁿ kóng-ōe. M̄-koh i tiām-tiām koh koài-kî ê kian-chhî kóng tio̍h án-ne, hō͘ Clifford chin pháiⁿ hoán-khòng.

M̄-koh, Emma kóng Bē-sái! Emma pí Clifford tōa 10 hòe, yi kám-kak sió-tī nā kiat-hun tō-sī hòng-khì koh ûi-pōe in hiaⁿ-tī chí-mōe kòe-khì ê iok-sok.

Clifford iáu sī hām Connie kiat-hun lah, kap i kòe chi̍t kò goe̍h ê bi̍t-goa̍t. He sī tī khó-phà ê 1917 nî, in chhin-bi̍t kah ná chò-hóe khiā tī boeh tîm ê chûn téng ê nn̄g ê lâng. Kiat-hun ê sî Clifford iáu sī chāi-sek, só͘-í sèng ê pō͘-hūn tùi i bô siáⁿ ì-gī. Tî-liáu sèng í-gōa, in ang-bó͘ chin sio-ài. Connie hoaⁿ-hí ē-tàng ū chit-chióng chhiau-kòe sèng, chhiau-kòe "boán-chiok" cha-po͘-lang ê chhin-bi̍t. Clifford mā bô chhiūⁿ kî-thaⁿ ê cha-po͘-lâng hiah-nī iau-kiû ka-tī tī sèng ê "boán-chiok". Bô, in ê chhin-bi̍t koh-khah chhim-khek, koh-khah ū kò-sèng. Sio-kàn chí-sī chi̍t-chióng ì-gōa, sī chi̍t-chióng sūn-sòa, he sī kî-koài ê kòe-sî ê khì-koan tōng-chok, he m̄-sī pit-iàu ê, kan-ta sī it-ti̍t khan-tîⁿ. M̄-koh Connie siūⁿ-boeh ū gín-á, ka-kiông ka-tī thang-hó tùi-khòng Emma.

Put-jî-kò, 1918 nî chho͘, Clifford hông ūn tńg-lâi, kui-sin phòa-kê-kê, bô gín-á ah-lah. Geoffrey Sià in-ūi gêng-sim soah lâi sí.

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1.4 Clifford 繼承老爸 ê 爵位

Clifford in 阿姊 Emma 小姐 ùi Midlands 欲去 London 做看護婦 ê 時, 她私底下笑姻老爸 Geoffrey Sià kap 伊彼固執 ê 愛國主義. In 大兄 Herbert 卻公開笑老爸, 雖罔剉來做戰壕支架 ê 樹仔是伊家己 ê. 毋過 Clifford 干焦是小可苦笑. 真 ê, 事事項項攏真好笑. 毋過這好笑 nā 倚來家己身邊 ê 時, 是毋是家己 mā 變好笑? 上無 tī 無仝階級 ê 人, 像 Connie, in tō 真認真, in 有家己 ê 信念.

In 對軍隊, 對兵單 ê 威脅, 對欠糖, 欠囡仔 ê 糖仔攏真認真. 當然, 所有 chiah-ê 物件攏是當局 ê 過錯. 毋過 Clifford 無關心. 在伊看來, 當局本身 tō 是好笑, kap 糖仔抑是軍隊無關係.

當局者 mā 感覺好笑, 以好笑 ê 方式行動, 一時逐項攏亂糟糟. 一直到前線 ê 戰事嚴重 ah, Lloyd George 出來解救國內 ê 局勢. 這是超級好笑, 毋過彼个輕薄 ê 少年無 koh 笑 ah.

Tī 1916 年, Herbert Chatterley 戰死, Clifford 變成繼承人. 這予伊真著驚. 伊知影, 出世 tī Wragby 地方, 生做 Geroffrey Sià ê 後生, 這是真深 ê 釘根, 無法度走閃. 毋過伊 mā 知影, 外面沖沖滾 ê 世界, 看這 mā 是真好笑. 今伊是繼承人, 愛為 Wragby 負責. 這是毋是真可怕? 這敢毋是足光彩, 同時 koh 真 hàm 古 ê 代誌?

Geoffrey Sià 卻無感覺有啥 hàm 古. 伊面色白白, 表情青 kìn-kìn, kiu tī 家己身邊, 固執決心欲解救伊 ê 國家 kap 伊家己 ê 地位, 毋管坐位 ê 是 Lloyd George 抑是 siáng 攏好. 伊孤癖, kap 真正 ê 英國離遠遠, 能力無夠, 伊甚至認為 Horatio Bottomley 是好人. Geoffrey 支持英國 kap Lloyd George, tō ná 像 in 祖先支持英國 kap St George, 伊攏毋知這有啥無仝. 所致, Geoffrey Sià 剉樹仔, 為著支持 Lloyd George kap 英國, 支持英國 kap Lloyd George.

伊叫 Clifford 著結婚, 生一个囡仔傳香煙. Clifford 認為 in 老爸是無藥救 ê 老古董. 毋過, 除了伊看袂順事事項項 ê 好笑, kap 伊家己 ê 處境 koh 較好笑以外, 伊敢有啥物較進步? 總是, 伊猶是正正經經接受了男爵 ê 身份 kap 繼承了 Wragby ê 家產.

戰爭拄開始 ê 狂熱消去 ah, 攏無 ah. 死亡真濟, 真恐怖. 查埔愛有人支持 kap 安慰. 查埔愛 tī 安全 ê 所在拋碇. 查埔愛有一个某.

過去, Chatterley 家族 ê 三兄弟姊妹, 雖然有真好 ê 關係, 卻是關 tī Wragby 過著奇怪 ê 孤癖生活. 因為感覺孤癖, 予 in 厝 nih ê 人 koh 較親密, 感覺家己處境 ê 脆弱, 感覺無保障, 雖然 in 有爵位 kap 土地, 抑是因為 chiah-ê 予 in án-ne 感覺. In kap in 生長 ê Midlands 工業區完全隔離. In mā 因為老爸 Geoffrey Sià 古怪, 固執, kap 孤癖 ê 個性, kap 家己 ê 階級隔離. In 恥笑家己 ê 老爸, 卻不准別人恥笑伊.

三人 bat 講欲永遠蹛做伙. 毋過, 今 Herbert 已經死 ah, Geoffrey 叫 Clifford 娶某. Geoffrey Sià 真少提起, 伊無啥講話. 毋過伊恬恬 koh 怪奇 ê 堅持講著 án-ne, 予 Clifford 真歹反抗.

毋過, Emma 講袂使! Emma 比 Clifford 大 10 歲, 伊感覺小弟 nā 結婚 tō 是放棄 koh 違背 in 兄弟姊妹過去 ê 約束.

Clifford 猶是和 Connie 結婚 lah, kap 她過一個月 ê 蜜月. 彼是 tī 可怕 ê 1917 年, in 親密甲 ná 做伙徛 tī 欲沉 ê 船頂 ê 兩个人. 結婚 ê 時 Clifford 猶是在室, 所以性 ê 部分對伊無啥意義. 除了性以外, in 翁某真相愛. Connie 歡喜會當有這種超過性, 超過 "滿足" 查埔人 ê 親密. Clifford mā 無像其他 ê 查埔人 hiah-nī 要求家己 tī 性 ê "滿足". 無, in ê 親密 koh 較深刻, koh 較有個性. Sio-kàn 只是一種意外, 是一種附帶 ê 代誌, 彼是奇怪 ê 過時 ê 器官動作, 彼毋是必要 ê, 干焦是一直牽纏. 毋過 Connie 想欲有囡仔, 加強家己通好對抗 Emma.

不而過, 1918 年初, Clifford hông 運 tńg 來, 規身破 kê-kê, 無囡仔 ah-lah. Geoffrey Sià 因為凝心煞來死.

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1.4

When Miss Chatterley — Emma — came down to London from the Midlands to do some nursing work, she was very witty in a quiet way about Sir Geoffrey and his determined patriotism. Herbert, the elder brother and heir, laughed outright, though it was his trees that were falling for trench props. But Clifford only smiled a little uneasily. Everything was ridiculous, quite true. But when it came too close and oneself became ridiculous too…? At least people of a different class, like Connie, were earnest about something. They believed in something.

They were rather earnest about the Tommies, and the threat of conscription, and the shortage of sugar and toffee for the children. In all these things, of course, the authorities were ridiculously at fault. But Clifford could not take it to heart. To him the authorities were ridiculous ab ovo, not because of toffee or Tommies.

And the authorities felt ridiculous, and behaved in a rather ridiculous fashion, and it was all a mad hatter's tea-party for a while. Till things developed over there, and Lloyd George came to save the situation over here. And this surpassed even ridicule, the flippant young laughed no more.

In 1916 Herbert Chatterley was killed, so Clifford became heir. He was terrified even of this. His importance as son of Sir Geoffrey, and child of Wragby, was so ingrained in him, he could never escape it. And yet he knew that this too, in the eyes of the vast seething world, was ridiculous. Now he was heir and responsible for Wragby. Was that not terrible? And also splendid and at the same time, perhaps, purely absurd?

Sir Geoffrey would have none of the absurdity. He was pale and tense, withdrawn into himself, and obstinately determined to save his country and his own position, let it be Lloyd George or who it might. So cut off he was, so divorced from the England that was really England, so utterly incapable, that he even thought well of Horatio Bottomley. Sir Geoffrey stood for England and Lloyd George as his forebears had stood for England and St George: and he never knew there was a difference. So Sir Geoffrey felled timber and stood for Lloyd George and England, England and Lloyd George.

And he wanted Clifford to marry and produce an heir. Clifford felt his father was a hopeless anachronism. But wherein was he himself any further ahead, except in a wincing sense of the ridiculousness of everything, and the paramount ridiculousness of his own position? For willy-nilly he took his baronetcy and Wragby with the last seriousness.

The gay excitement had gone out of the war… dead. Too much death and horror. A man needed support and comfort. A man needed to have an anchor in the safe world. A man needed a wife.

The Chatterleys, two brothers and a sister, had lived curiously isolated, shut in with one another at Wragby, in spite of all their connexions. A sense of isolation intensified the family tie, a sense of the weakness of their position, a sense of defencelessness, in spite of, or because of, the title and the land. They were cut off from those industrial Midlands in which they passed their lives. And they were cut off from their own class by the brooding, obstinate, shut-up nature of Sir Geoffrey, their father, whom they ridiculed, but whom they were so sensitive about.

The three had said they would all live together always. But now Herbert was dead, and Sir Geoffrey wanted Clifford to marry. Sir Geoffrey barely mentioned it: he spoke very little. But his silent, brooding insistence that it should be so was hard for Clifford to bear up against.

But Emma said No! She was ten years older than Clifford, and she felt his marrying would be a desertion and a betrayal of what the young ones of the family had stood for.

Clifford married Connie, nevertheless, and had his month's honeymoon with her. It was the terrible year 1917, and they were intimate as two people who stand together on a sinking ship. He had been virgin when he married: and the sex part did not mean much to him. They were so close, he and she, apart from that. And Connie exulted a little in this intimacy which was beyond sex, and beyond a man's 'satisfaction'. Clifford anyhow was not just keen on his 'satisfaction', as so many men seemed to be. No, the intimacy was deeper, more personal than that. And sex was merely an accident, or an adjunct, one of the curious obsolete, organic processes which persisted in its own clumsiness, but was not really necessary. Though Connie did want children: if only to fortify her against her sister-in-law Emma.

But early in 1918 Clifford was shipped home smashed, and there was no child. And Sir Geoffrey died of chagrin.

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