15.8 她結兩蕊剪秋羅 tī 伊 ê 膦鳥毛

15.8 Yi kat nn̄g lúi chián-chhiu-lô tī í ê lān-chiáu mo͘

Nn̄g-lâng koh tiām-tiām.

"Tong-jiân lah," i kóng, "koh-lâi pòaⁿ-nî a̍h peh kò goe̍h tiong-kan, góa tio̍h kòe kui-kí ê seng-oa̍h. Só͘-í, lí nā khì Venice, siōng chió ū nn̄g-saⁿ lé-pài ê sî-kan, góa bē siū tio̍h ín-iú."

"Góa sī ín-iú!" yi kóng, ná phok i ê bīn. "Chiâⁿ hoaⁿ-hí, góa ē-tàng ín-iú tio̍h lí! Lán mài siūⁿ he lah! Lí nā khai-sí siūⁿ, góa tō ē tio̍h-kiaⁿ: góa hō͘ lí ah kah píⁿ-píⁿ-píⁿ. Lán mài siūⁿ he. Lán lī-khui sî, ū chin-chē sî-kan thang siūⁿ. Kui-ê tiōng-tiám tī chia! Góa it-ti̍t teh siūⁿ, lī-khui chìn-chêng, góa tio̍h koh lâi lí chia koh keh chi̍t-mê. Góa tio̍h koh chi̍t-kái khì chhun-sià. Góa pài-sì lâi hó bô?

"Hit kang m̄-sī lín a-chí boeh lâi?"

"Sī ah! M̄-koh yi kóng ē-po͘-tê ê sî boeh chhut-hoat. Án-ne, goán ē-sái tī ē-po͘-tê ê sî chhut-hoat. Hō͘ yi khì pa̍t-ūi khùn, góa lâi chia kap lí khùn."

"Nā án-ne, yi tō ē chai ah."

"Oh, góa tio̍h kā yi kóng. Góa í-keng ke-kiám kā kóng kòe. Góa tio̍h kā it-chhè lóng kā Hilda kóng. Yi chin ū pang-chō͘, chin lí-kái."

I teh su-khó yi ê kè-ōe.

"Án-ne, lín ē tī ē-po͘-tê ê sî ùi Wragby chhut-hoat, ká-ná boeh khì London? Lín boeh kiâⁿ tó chi̍t-tiâu lō͘-sòaⁿ?"

"Keng-kòe Nottingham kap Grantham."

"Lín a-chí ē tī bó͘ chi̍t-ê só͘-chāi pàng lí lo̍h-lâi, lí tio̍h koh kiâⁿ-lō͘ a̍h chē-chhia lâi chia? Góa kám-kak chin mō͘-hiám."

"Sī oh? Hmh, nā bô, hō͘ Hilda chài góa tńg-lâi chia. Yi ē-sái tī Mansfield kòe-mê, boeh-àm-á chài góa tńg-lâi, keh-kang chá-khí koh lâi chiap góa. Án-ne tō chin kán-tan."

"Lâng nā khòaⁿ tio̍h lí neh?"

"Góa ē kòa ba̍k-kiàⁿ, tì bīn-se."

I su-khó chi̍t khùn.

"Hmh," i kóng. "Chiàu lí hoaⁿ-hí ê khì chò."

"M̄-koh, che lí kám bô hoaⁿ-hí?"

"Oh, ū lah! Án-ne góa mā chin hoaⁿ-hí," i kóng, bīn bô piáu-chêng. "Góa mā tio̍h phah-thih thàn thih âng."

"Lí chai, góa án-chóaⁿ siūⁿ--bô?" yi hut-jiân kóng. "He sī góa hut-jiân siūⁿ tio̍h ê. Lí sī Sio-thǹg-thǹg ê Thih-thú Khî-sū (鐵杵騎士)!"

"Ái! Lí neh? Lí sī Âng-kì-kì ê Cheng-khū Hu-jîn (舂臼夫人), sī bô?"

"Sī!" yi kóng. "Bô m̄-tio̍h! Lí sī Thih-thú Sià, góa sī Cheng-khū Hu-jîn."

"Chin hó, góa sī siū hong ê khî-sū. John Thomas tō sī Jane Hj ê John Sià."

"Tio̍h! Thomas sī siū hong ê khî-sū! Góa sī góa ê chi-bai-mo͘ hu-jîn, lí mā tio̍h ài kat hoe. Tio̍h!"

Yi tī i lān-chiáu téng-koân ê chang-sek mo͘-khiû kat nn̄g-lúi hún-âng ê chián-chhiu-lô.

"Lí khòaⁿ!" yi kóng. "Súi lah! Súi lah! John Sià!"

Yi koh tī i heng-khám àm-sek ê mo͘-chhok nih sat chi̍t lúi bo̍k-bōng hoe.

"Chia lí bē kā góa pàng bē-kì lah, sī bô?" Yi chim i ê heng-khám, kā nn̄g lúi bo̍k-bōng hoe tah tī nn̄g-ê leng-thâu, koh kā chim.

"Kā góa tòng-chò ji̍t-chì!" i kóng, ná chhiò chhut-lâi, hoe ùi heng-khám lak lo̍h-lâi.

"Sió tán!" i kóng.

I khiā khí-lâi, khui liâu-á ê mn̂g. Tó tī gîm-chîⁿ-kha ê Flossie peh khí-lâi, lia̍h i khòaⁿ.

"Ái, sī góa lah!" i kóng.

Hō͘ í-keng thêng ah. Ū chi̍t-chióng tâm-sip, tîm-tāng, hun-hong ê che̍k-chēng. Thiⁿ tit-boeh àm ah.

I kiâⁿ chhut-khì, chiūⁿ sió-lō͘, ǹg boeh khì tōa-lō͘ ê tò-péng hong-hiòng kiâⁿ. Connie khòaⁿ i he sán-thiu, pe̍h-bâng ê sin iáⁿ, yi khòaⁿ he bē-su sī kúi a̍h sī mô͘-sîn-á bān-bān kiâⁿ hn̄g khì.

Khòaⁿ bē tio̍h i ê sî, yi ê sim kám-kak tîm-tāng. Yi khiā tī liâu-á mn̂g, pau chi̍t-niá thán-á, khòaⁿ ji̍p tâm-sip, tiām-tiām ê che̍k-bo̍k.

M̄-koh, i tńg-lâi ah, kha-pō͘ khin-khoài, chhiú nih chah hoe. Yi sió-khóa ē kiaⁿ i, in-ūi i khòaⁿ tio̍h ná m̄-sī lâng. Tán i kiâⁿ óa ê sî, i ê ba̍k-chiu kim-kim khòaⁿ yi, m̄-koh yi m̄-chai he sī siáⁿ ì-sù.

I chah tńg-lâi ê ū bāng-hoàn hoe, chián-chhiu-lô, sin koah ê bo̍k-chháu, chhiūⁿ-bo̍k ki, kap hâm-m̂ ê jím-tang-hoe (忍冬花, honeysuckle). I kā chhiu-chhiu ê chhiūⁿ-bo̍k nńg-ki kho͘ tī yi ê nn̄g-lia̍p leng, koh kā chhah kúi chhok-á nâ-lêng hoe kap chián-chhiu-lô, tī yi ê chi-bai mô͘ ū bo̍k-bōng hoe kap hiang-chhia-hio̍h chháu (香車葉草, woodruff).

"Taⁿ lí chin-chiàⁿ hù-lē tông-hông ah!" i kóng. "Jane Hj hām John Thomas ê hun-lé."

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15.8 她結兩蕊剪秋羅 tī 伊 ê 膦鳥毛

兩人 koh 恬恬.

"當然 lah," 伊講, "koh 來半年抑八個月中間, 我著過規矩 ê 生活. 所以, 你若去 Venice, 上少有兩三禮拜 ê 時間, 我袂受著引誘."

"我是引誘!" 她講, ná 撲伊 ê 面. "誠歡喜, 我會當引誘著你! 咱莫想彼 lah! 你若開始想, 我 tō 會著驚: 我予你壓 kah 扁扁扁. 咱莫想彼. 咱離開時, 有真濟時間通想. 規个重點 tī 遮! 我一直 teh 想, 離開進前, 我著 koh 來你遮 koh 隔一暝. 我著 koh 一改去村舍. 我拜四來好無?

"彼工毋是恁阿姊欲來?"

"是 ah! M̄-koh 她講下晡茶 ê 時欲出發. Án-ne, 阮會使 tī 下晡茶 ê 時出發. 予她去別位睏, 我來遮 kap 你睏."

"若 án-ne, 她 tō 會知 ah."

"Oh, 我著 kā 她講. 我已經加減 kā 講過. 我著 kā 一切攏 kā Hilda 講. 她真有幫助, 真理解."

伊 teh 思考她 ê 計畫.

"Án-ne, 恁會 tī 下晡茶 ê 時 ùi Wragby 出發, ká-ná 欲去 London? 恁欲行佗一條路線?"

"經過 Nottingham kap Grantham."

"恁阿姊會 tī 某一个所在放你落來, 你著 koh 行路抑坐車來遮? 我感覺真冒險."

"是 oh? Hmh, 若無, 予 Hilda 載我轉來遮. 她會使 tī Mansfield 過暝, 欲暗仔載我轉來, 隔工早起 koh 來接我. Án-ne tō 真簡單."

"人若看著你 neh?"

"我會掛目鏡, 戴面紗."

伊思考一睏.

"Hmh," 伊講. "照你歡喜 ê 去做."

"M̄-koh, 這你敢無歡喜?"

"Oh, 有 lah! Án-ne 我 mā 真歡喜," 伊講, 面無表情. "我 mā 著拍鐵趁鐵紅."

"你知, 我按怎想--無?" 她忽然講. "彼是我忽然想著 ê. 你是燒燙燙 ê Thih-thú Khî-sū (鐵杵騎士)!"

"Ái! 你 neh? 你是紅 kì-kì ê Cheng-khū Hu-jîn (舂臼夫人), 是無?"

"是!" 她講. "無毋著! 你是鐵杵 Sià, 我是舂臼夫人."

"真好, 我是受封 ê 騎士. John Thomas tō 是 Jane Hj ê John Sià."

"著! Thomas 是受封 ê 騎士! 我是我 ê chi-bai 毛夫人, 你 mā 著愛結花. 著!"

她 tī 伊膦鳥頂懸 ê 棕色毛虯結兩蕊粉紅 ê 剪秋羅.

"你看!" 她講. "媠 lah! 媠 lah! John Sià!"

她 koh tī 伊胸坎暗色 ê 毛簇 nih 塞一蕊莫忘花.

"遮你袂 kā 我放袂記 lah, 是無?" 她唚伊 ê 胸坎, kā 兩蕊莫忘花貼 tī 兩个奶頭, koh kā 唚.

"Kā 我當做日誌!" 伊講, ná 笑出來, 花 ùi 胸坎 lak 落來.

"小等!" 伊講.

伊徛起來, 開寮仔 ê 門. 倒 tī 砛簷跤 ê Flossie peh 起來, 掠伊看.

"Ái, 是我 lah!" 伊講.

雨已經停 ah. 有一種澹濕, 沉重, 芬芳 ê 寂靜. 天得欲暗 ah.

I kiâⁿ 出去, 上小路, ǹg 欲去大路 ê 倒 péng 方向行. Connie 看伊彼瘦抽, 白茫 ê 身影, 她看彼袂輸是鬼抑是魔神仔慢慢行遠去.

看袂著伊 ê 時, 她 ê 心感覺沉重. 她徛 tī 寮仔門, 包一領毯仔, 看入澹濕, 恬恬 ê 寂寞.

M̄-koh, 伊轉來 ah, 跤步輕快, 手 nih 扎花. 她小可會驚伊, 因為伊看著 ná 毋是人. 等伊行倚 ê 時, 伊 ê 目睭金金看她, m̄-koh 她毋知彼是啥意思.

伊扎轉來 ê 有夢幻花, 剪秋羅, 新割 ê 牧草, 橡木枝, kap 含莓 ê jím-tang-hoe (忍冬花, honeysuckle). 伊 kā 鬚鬚 ê 橡木軟枝箍 tī 她 ê 兩粒奶, koh kā 插幾撮仔藍鈴花 kap 剪秋羅, tī 她 ê chi-bai 毛有莫忘花 kap hiang-chhia-hio̍h chháu (香車葉草, woodruff).

"今你真正富麗堂皇 ah!" 伊講. "Jane Hj 和 John Thomas ê 婚禮."

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15.8

There was a silence.

‘And of course,’ he said, ‘I have to live an exemplary life for the next six or eight months. So if you go to Venice, there’s temptation removed for a week or two, at least.’

‘Am I temptation!’ she said, stroking his face. ‘I’m so glad I’m temptation to you! Don’t let’s think about it! You frighten me when you start thinking: you roll me out flat. Don’t let’s think about it. We can think so much when we are apart. That’s the whole point! I’ve been thinking, I must come to you for another night before I go. I must come once more to the cottage. Shall I come on Thursday night?’

‘Isn’t that when your sister will be there?’

‘Yes! But she said we would start at tea-time. So we could start at tea-time. But she could sleep somewhere else and I could sleep with you.’

‘But then she’d have to know.’

‘Oh, I shall tell her. I’ve more or less told her already. I must talk it all over with Hilda. She’s a great help, so sensible.’

He was thinking of her plan.

‘So you’d start off from Wragby at tea-time, as if you were going to London? Which way were you going?’

‘By Nottingham and Grantham.’

‘And then your sister would drop you somewhere and you’d walk or drive back here? Sounds very risky, to me.’

‘Does it? Well, then, Hilda could bring me back. She could sleep at Mansfield, and bring me back here in the evening, and fetch me again in the morning. It’s quite easy.’

‘And the people who see you?’

‘I’ll wear goggles and a veil.’

He pondered for some time.

‘Well,’ he said. ‘You please yourself as usual.’

‘But wouldn’t it please you?’

‘Oh yes! It’d please me all right,’ he said a little grimly. ‘I might as well smite while the iron’s hot.’

‘Do you know what I thought?’ she said suddenly. ‘It suddenly came to me. You are the “Knight of the Burning Pestle”!’

‘Ay! And you? Are you the Lady of the Red-Hot Mortar?’

‘Yes!’ she said. ‘Yes! You’re Sir Pestle and I’m Lady Mortar.’

‘All right, then I’m knighted. John Thomas is Sir John, to your Lady Jane.’

‘Yes! John Thomas is knighted! I’m my-lady-maiden-hair, and you must have flowers too. Yes!’

She threaded two pink campions in the bush of red-gold hair above his penis.

‘There!’ she said. ‘Charming! Charming! Sir John!’

And she pushed a bit of forget-me-not in the dark hair of his breast.

‘And you won’t forget me there, will you?’ She kissed him on the breast, and made two bits of forget-me-not lodge one over each nipple, kissing him again.

‘Make a calendar of me!’ he said. He laughed, and the flowers shook from his breast.

‘Wait a bit!’ he said.

He rose, and opened the door of the hut. Flossie, lying in the porch, got up and looked at him.

‘Ay, it’s me!’ he said.

The rain had ceased. There was a wet, heavy, perfumed stillness. Evening was approaching.

He went out and down the little path in the opposite direction from the riding. Connie watched his thin, white figure, and it looked to her like a ghost, an apparition moving away from her.

When she could see it no more, her heart sank. She stood in the door of the hut, with a blanket round her, looking into the drenched, motionless silence.

But he was coming back, trotting strangely, and carrying flowers. She was a little afraid of him, as if he were not quite human. And when he came near, his eyes looked into hers, but she could not understand the meaning.

He had brought columbines and campions, and new-mown hay, and oak-tufts and honeysuckle in small bud. He fastened fluffy young oak-sprays round her breasts, sticking in tufts of bluebells and campion: and in her navel he poised a pink campion flower, and in her maiden-hair were forget-me-nots and woodruff.

‘That’s you in all your glory!’ he said. ‘Lady Jane, at her wedding with John Thomas.’

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