Tē 11 Chiong
11.1 Iô-chhn̂g hoān-sè iōng ē tio̍h
Connie tng-teh chéng-lí Wragby ê chi̍t keng chàn-pâng. Che ū kúi-nā keng: tōa-chhù tō ná chhng-khò͘, chit ka-cho̍k m̄-bat bē mi̍h-kiāⁿ. Geoffery Sià in lāu-pē kah-ì siu-chip tô͘, Geoffery Sià in lāu-bú kah-ì 16 sè-kí ê Italia ka-kū. Geoffery Sià pún-lâng kah-ì chhiūⁿ-bo̍k tiau-khek ê siuⁿ-á, kàu-tn̂g ê tō-phâu siuⁿ-á. Án-ne chi̍t tāi thoân chi̍t tāi. Clifford siu-chi̍p khah hiān-tāi ê tô, kè-siàu lóng bô gōa koân.
Tī chàn-pâng ū Edwin Landseer Sià ê pháiⁿ chok-phín kap William Henry Hunt ê khó-liân chiáu-á siū ê tô͘: kap chi̍t-kóa Ha̍k-hōe (Academy) hōe-oân ê cho-phín, ū-kàu hō͘ chit-ê hōe-oân ê cha-bó͘-kiáⁿ kiaⁿ chi̍t tiô. Yi koat-ì tio̍h sûn chi̍t piàn, kā chéng-lí chhut-lâi. Yi khah chhù-bī koài-hêng ê ka-kū.
Ū chi̍t ê kó͘-thoân ê âng-bo̍k iô-chhn̂g, pau kah chin hó-sè, bián-tit kho̍k tio̍h a̍h-sī eng-ia. Yi tio̍h kā tháu-khui lâi khòaⁿ. Che ū bê-lâng ê só͘-chāi: yi kā khòaⁿ chiâⁿ kú.
"Che iōng bē tio̍h, ū-kàu bô-chhái," lâi tàu kha-chhiú ê Bolton Tt kóng. "Sui-jiân chit chióng iô-chhn̂g chit-chūn í-keng kòe-sî ah."
"Hoān-sè iōng ē tio̍h. Góa hoān-sè ē ū gín-á," Connie chhìn-chhái kóng, ná-chhiūⁿ teh kóng hoān-sè yi ē ū chi̍t téng sin bō-á.
"Lí sī kóng, Clifford Sià ē án-chóaⁿ sioh!" Bolton Tt thun-thun thò͘-thò͘ kóng.
"M̄-sī! Góa sī kóng tāi-chì chiàu-siông. Clifford Sià kan-ta kin-bah sit-lêng -- tùi i bô hông-gāi," Connie kóng pe̍h-chha̍t bē-su chhoán-khùi hiah chū-jiân.
Hit ê siūⁿ-hoat sī Clifford hō͘ yi ê. I bat kóng: "Tong-jiân, góa ē-sái ū gín-á. Góa pēng m̄-sī chin-chiàⁿ chân-hùi. Sui-jiân kha-chhng-táu kap kha sit-lêng, m̄-koh hit ê lêng-le̍k ū khó-lêng kán-tan tō ē tńg-lâi. Án-ne, chéng tō ē-tàng thoân lo̍h-khì."
Hit-chām i chhiong-móa oa̍h-la̍t, phah-piàⁿ chhú-lí khòng-tiûⁿ ê būn-tê, yi kám-kak ná-chhiūⁿ i ê sèⁿ lêng-le̍k mā teh tńg-lâi. Connie khòaⁿ i, kám-kak khióng-pò͘. M̄-koh yi ū-kàu khiáu, iōng i ê àm-sī lâi pó-hō͘ ka-tī. In-ūi yi nā ē-sái, yi boeh seⁿ chi̍t ê gín-ná: m̄-koh m̄-sī Clifford ê.
Bolton Tt chi̍t-sî thêng-khùi gāng-khì. M̄-koh yi bô siong-sìn: yi chai he put-kò sī khang-chhùi pō͘ chi̍h. M̄-koh chit-má i-seng mā ū khó-lêng chò hit-lō tāi-chì. In ū khó-lêng chiap-chéng.
"Sī ah, Hu-jîn, góa hi-bāng, mā chiok-goān lí ē. Án-ne tùi lí chiâⁿ hó: tùi ta̍k-ê lóng hó. Kóng si̍t-chāi, Wragby nā ū chi̍t ê gín-á, tāi-chì tō lóng bô-kāng loh!"
"Tiāⁿ-tio̍h sī án-ne!" Connie kóng.
Yi kéng saⁿ pak R.A. hōe-oân 60 nî chêng ê tô͘, boeh sàng khì Shortlands Kong-chiok Hu-jîn pān ê chû-siān hoàn-bē-hōe. Yi gōa-hō kiò-chò "hoàn-bē-hōe hu-jîn", chóng-sī teng-kiû ū chiok-ūi ê lâng kià mi̍h-kiāⁿ hō͘ yi bē. Tit tio̍h saⁿ pak chng-kheng ê R.A. hōe-oân ê tô͘, yi tiāⁿ-tio̍h chin hoaⁿ-hí, in-ūi chiah-ê tô͘ ê hūn-liāng, yi sīm-chì khó-lêng ē lâi pài-siā. Yi lâi ê sî, m̄-chai Clifford ē gōa siū-khì!
M̄-koh, thiⁿ ah! Bolton Tt ka-tī án-ne siūⁿ. Lí sī m̄-sī boeh seⁿ Oliver Mellor ê gín-á? Oh, thiⁿ ah, án-ne tō sī Tevershall ê gín-á lâi khùn Wragby ê iô-chhn̂g lah, thiⁿ ah! Che kám bē chin kiàn-siàu!
Chit keng chàn-pâng ê hi-kî kó͘-koài mi̍h-kiāⁿ tiong-kan, ū chi̍t kha o͘-chhat ê tōa siuⁿ-á, tāi-khài la̍k-chhit cha̍p nî chêng chò ê, chhiú-lō͘ chin iù, lāi-té ū kok-chióng mi̍h-kiāⁿ. Chi̍p-tiong tī téng-bīn sī se-chng iōng-phín: bín-á, koàn-á, kiàⁿ, loa̍h-á, a̍p-á, koh ū saⁿ ê súi-súi ê thì-to liân to-siò, sap-bûn-au kap tt [téng-téng] khau chhùi-chhiu ê mi̍h-kiāⁿ. Koh loeh hit chàn, sī siá-jī iōng-phín: khip-ba̍k chóa, kǹg-pit, ba̍k-chúi-koàn, chóa, phe-lông, kì-sū phō͘: koh-lâi sī chiam-sòaⁿ keh, bô pêⁿ tōa ê saⁿ ki ka-to, chiam-tu̍h, chiam, si-sòaⁿ, mî-sòaⁿ, pó͘-thīⁿ-kiû, lóng sī iù-tì ê ko-kip phín. Koh-lâi sī sió-sió io̍h-kio̍k, chi̍t-kóa téng-bīn tah jī-piau ê koàn-á, A-phiàn-chiú, Bu̍t-io̍h-chúi (沒藥水), Iâm-sng-á-chháu Cheng-iû tt: m̄-koh lóng khang-khang. Ta̍k hāng mi̍h-kiāⁿ lóng sin tiám-tiám, kui-ê siuⁿ-á khàm khí-lâi, chha-put-to sī chi̍t kha sió lí-hêng siuⁿ hiah tōa. Lāi-bīn thia̍p kah tú-tú hó, koàn-á mā bē sia̍p-chúi: in-ūi thia̍p kah bô khang-phāng.
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第 11 章
11.1 搖床凡勢用會著
Connie tng-teh 整理 Wragby ê 一間棧房. 這有幾若間: 大厝 tō ná 倉庫, 這家族 m̄-bat 賣物件. Geoffery Sià in 老爸佮意收集圖, Geoffery Sià in 老母佮意 16 世紀 ê Italia 家具. Geoffery Sià 本人佮意橡木雕刻 ê 箱仔, 教堂 ê 道袍箱仔. Án-ne 一代傳一代. Clifford 收集較現代 ê 圖, 價數攏無偌懸.
Tī 棧房有 Edwin Landseer Sià ê 歹作品 kap William Henry Hunt ê 可憐鳥仔岫 ê 圖: kap 一寡學會 (Academy) 會員 ê 作品, 有夠予這个會員 ê 查某囝驚一趒. 她決意著巡一遍, kā 整理出來. 她較趣味怪形 ê 家具.
有一个古傳 ê 紅木搖床, 包 kah 真好勢, 免得硞著抑是 eng-ia. 她著 kā 敨開來看. 這有迷人 ê 所在: 她 kā 看誠久.
"這用袂著, 有夠無彩," 來鬥跤手 ê Bolton Tt 講. "雖然這種搖床這陣已經過時 ah."
"凡勢用會著. 我凡勢會有囡仔," Connie 凊彩講, ná 像 teh 講凡勢她會有一頂新帽仔.
"你是講, Clifford Sià 會按怎 sioh!" Bolton Tt 吞吞吐吐講.
"毋是! 我是講代誌照常. Clifford Sià 干焦筋肉失能 -- 對伊無妨碍," Connie 講白賊袂輸喘氣 hiah 自然.
彼个想法是 Clifford 予她 ê. 伊 bat 講: "當然, 我會使有囡仔. 我並毋是真正殘廢. 雖然尻川斗 kap 跤失能, m̄-koh 彼个能力有可能簡單 tō 會轉來. Án-ne, 種 tō ē-tàng 傳落去."
彼站伊充滿活力, 拍拚處理礦場 ê 問題, 她感覺 ná 像伊 ê 性能力 mā teh 轉來. Connie 看伊, 感覺恐怖. M̄-koh 她有夠巧, 用伊 ê 暗示來保護家己. 因為她若會使, 她欲生一个囡仔: m̄-koh 毋是 Clifford ê.
Bolton Tt 一時停氣 gāng 去. M̄-koh 她無相信: 她知彼不過是空喙哺舌. M̄-koh 這馬醫生 mā 有可能做 hit-lō 代誌. In 有可能接種.
"是 ah, 夫人, 我希望, mā 祝願你會. Án-ne 對你誠好: 對逐个攏好. 講實在, Wragby 若有一个囡仔, 代誌 tō 攏無仝 loh!"
"定著是 án-ne!" Connie 講.
她揀三幅 R.A. 會員 60 年前 ê 圖, 欲送去 Shortlands 公爵夫人辦 ê 慈善販賣會. 她外號叫做 "販賣會夫人", 總是徵求有爵位 ê 人寄物件予她賣. 得著三幅裝框 ê R.A. 會員ê 圖, 她定著真歡喜, 因為 chiah-ê 圖 ê 份量, 她甚至可能會來拜謝. 她來 ê 時, 毋知 Clifford 會偌受氣!
M̄-koh, 天 ah! Bolton Tt 家己 án-ne 想. 你是毋是欲生 Oliver Mellor ê 囡仔? Oh, 天 ah, án-ne tō 是 Tevershall ê 囡仔來睏 Wragby ê 搖床 lah, 天 ah! 這敢袂真見笑!
這間棧房 ê 稀奇古怪物件中間, 有一跤烏漆 ê 大箱仔, 大概六七十年前做 ê, 手路真幼, 內底有各種物件. 集中 tī 頂面是梳妝用品: 抿仔, 罐仔, 鏡, 捋仔, 盒仔, koh 有三个媠媠 ê 剃刀連刀鞘, sap-bûn 甌 kap tt [等等] 剾喙鬚 ê 物件. Koh loeh 彼層, 是寫字用品: 吸墨紙, 鋼筆, 墨水罐, 紙, 批囊, 記事簿: koh 來是針線格, 無平大 ê 三支鉸刀, 針揬, 針, 絲線, 補紩球, 攏是幼致 ê 高級品. Koh 來是小小藥局, 一寡頂面貼字標 ê 罐仔, 鴉片酒, 沒藥水, 鹽酸仔草精油 tt: m̄-koh 攏空空. 逐項物件攏新點點, 規个箱仔崁起來, 差不多是一跤旅行箱 hiah 大. 內面疊 kah 拄拄好, 罐仔 mā 袂洩水: 因為疊 kah 無空縫.
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Chapter 11
11.1
Connie was sorting out one of the Wragby lumber rooms. There were several: the house was a warren, and the family never sold anything. Sir Geoffery’s father had liked pictures and Sir Geoffery’s mother had liked CINQUECENTO furniture. Sir Geoffery himself had liked old carved oak chests, vestry chests. So it went on through the generations. Clifford collected very modern pictures, at very moderate prices.
So in the lumber room there were bad Sir Edwin Landseers and pathetic William Henry Hunt birds’ nests: and other Academy stuff, enough to frighten the daughter of an R.A. She determined to look through it one day, and clear it all. And the grotesque furniture interested her.
Wrapped up carefully to preserve it from damage and dry-rot was the old family cradle, of rosewood. She had to unwrap it, to look at it. It had a certain charm: she looked at it a longtime.
’It’s thousand pities it won’t be called for,’ sighed Mrs Bolton, who was helping. ‘Though cradles like that are out of date nowadays.’
’It might be called for. I might have a child,’ said Connie casually, as if saying she might have a new hat.
’You mean if anything happened to Sir Clifford!’ stammered Mrs Bolton.
’No! I mean as things are. It’s only muscular paralysis with Sir Clifford—it doesn’t affect him,’ said Connie, lying as naturally as breathing.
Clifford had put the idea into her head. He had said: ‘Of course I may have a child yet. I’m not really mutilated at all. The potency may easily come back, even if the muscles of the hips and legs are paralysed. And then the seed may be transferred.’
He really felt, when he had his periods of energy and worked so hard at the question of the mines, as if his sexual potency were returning. Connie had looked at him in terror. But she was quite quick-witted enough to use his suggestion for her own preservation. For she would have a child if she could: but not his.
Mrs Bolton was for a moment breathless, flabbergasted. Then she didn’t believe it: she saw in it a ruse. Yet doctors could do such things nowadays. They might sort of graft seed.
’Well, my Lady, I only hope and pray you may. It would be lovely for you: and for everybody. My word, a child in Wragby, what a difference it would make!’
’Wouldn’t it!’ said Connie.
And she chose three R. A. pictures of sixty years ago, to send to the Duchess of Shortlands for that lady’s next charitable bazaar. She was called ‘the bazaar duchess’, and she always asked all the county to send things for her to sell. She would be delighted with three framed R. A.s. She might even call, on the strength of them. How furious Clifford was when she called!
But oh my dear! Mrs Bolton was thinking to herself. Is it Oliver Mellors’ child you’re preparing us for? Oh my dear, that WOULD be a Tevershall baby in the Wragby cradle, my word! Wouldn’t shame it, neither!
Among other monstrosities in this lumber room was a largish blackjapanned box, excellently and ingeniously made some sixty or seventy years ago, and fitted with every imaginable object. On top was a concentrated toilet set: brushes, bottles, mirrors, combs, boxes, even three beautiful little razors in safety sheaths, shaving-bowl and all. Underneath came a sort of ESCRITOIRE outfit: blotters, pens, ink-bottles, paper, envelopes, memorandum books: and then a perfect sewing-outfit, with three different sized scissors, thimbles, needles, silks and cottons, darning egg, all of the very best quality and perfectly finished. Then there was a little medicine store, with bottles labelled Laudanum, Tincture of Myrrh, Ess. Cloves and so on: but empty. Everything was perfectly new, and the whole thing, when shut up, was as big as a small, but fat weekend bag. And inside, it fitted together like a puzzle. The bottles could not possibly have spilled: there wasn’t room.
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