16.5 Clifford chē lûn-í thêng tī lō͘-khàm téng
Hilda, ná Athena, thâu lê-lo̍h teh siūⁿ. Yi chèng-keng chiok khì ê. M̄-koh, yi m̄-káⁿ piáu-hiān chhut-lâi, in-ūi Connie ê kò-sèng tō ná-chhiūⁿ yin lāu-pē, ū khó-lêng ē tit-chiap khí-kông, pháiⁿ liú-lia̍h.
Sū-si̍t-siōng, Hilda mā bô kah-ì Clifford, i hit-chióng ài kek-khùi ê kò-sèng! Yi jīn-ûi, i sī chho͘-ló͘ koh kāu-bīn-phôe teh lī-iōng Connie. Yi bat hi-bāng yin sió-mōe tio̍h lī-khui i. M̄-koh, chò chi̍t-ê kian-tēng ê Scotland ê tiong-sán kai-kip, thó-ià lâng "kàng-kē" ka-tī a̍h-sī ka-têng. Chòe-āu, yi gia̍h-thâu khòaⁿ.
"Lí ē hiō-hóe," yi kóng.
"Góa bē," Connie kiò-siaⁿ, bīn âng-âng. "I kap pa̍t-lâng bô-kāng. Góa chin-sim ài i. I sī khó-ài ê ài-jîn."
Hilda iáu-koh teh siūⁿ.
"Chin kín lí tō ē tùi i khí-siān," yi kóng, "koh ē in-ūi i, hō͘ lí seng-oa̍h kám-kak kiàn-siàu."
"Góa bē! Góa hi-bāng seⁿ chi̍t-ê i ê gín-á."
"Connie!" Hilda kóng, kháu-khì ná hám-á teh kòng, bīn-sek âng kah hoán pe̍h.
"Nā ē seⁿ, góa boeh seⁿ. Nā seⁿ i ê gín-á, góa tō ē chiok tek-ì ê.
Koh kóng mā bô-hāu ah. Hilda án-ne siūⁿ.
"Clifford ū khí gî-sim bô?" yi mn̄g.
"Oh, bô! I boeh gî-sim siáⁿ?"
"Góa siong-sìn, lí tiāⁿ-tio̍h ū chē-chē hō͘ i khí-gî ê tiûⁿ-ha̍p," Hilda kóng.
"Kin-pún to bô."
"E-àm ê tāi-chì khòaⁿ khí-lâi ū-kàu hàm-kó͘. Hit-lâng tòa toh?"
"Tī kòe chhiū-nâ hit-thâu ê chhun-sià."
"I iáu bōe chhōa sioh?"
"M̄-sī! In bó͘ cháu--khì."
"Kúi hòe?"
"Góa m̄-chai. Pí góa khah chē hòe."
Ta̍k-kù Connie ê hôe-tap lóng hō͘ Hilda koh-khah khì, khì kah ná kòe-khì yin lāu-bú, ná boeh giâ sèng-tē. M̄-koh yi iáu lún tio̍h.
"Góa nā sī lí, góa bē chò e-àm chit-khoán tāi-chì," yi léng-chēng kā khǹg.
"Bē-sái! E-àm góa it-tēng boeh khì i hia, nā bô, góa tō m̄ khì Venice. Góa bē-sái."
Hilda ná koh thiaⁿ tio̍h lāu-pē ê kháu-khì, tō iōng gōa-kau ê chhiú-tōaⁿ, bô kian-chhî. Yi tông-ì nn̄g-lâng seng khì Mansfield chia̍h-àm, thiⁿ-o͘ chiah chài Connie tńg-lâi kàu lō͘-thâu, keh-kang chá-khí koh lâi hia chiap Connie, yi ka-tī khì khùn tī Mansfield, khui-chhia kan-ta pòaⁿ sió-sî, chin lī-piān. Yi sim-lāi chin hùn-nō͘. Yi jím tī sim-lāi, tùi sió-mōe chó͘-tòng yi goân-pún ê kè-ōe kám-kak put-boán.
Connie tī yi ê chhia-thang kòa chi̍t-tiâu chhùi-le̍k-sek ê ûi-kin.
In-ūi teh khì Connie, Hilda soah tông-chêng Clifford. Chóng-sī, i sī ū sim-chì ê lâng. Sui-bóng i bô sèng ê kong-lêng, che tian-tò hó: tian-tò bô siáⁿ thang oan-ke! Hilda bô koh ài siáⁿ-mih sèng ê tāi-chì, ūi tio̍h che, cha-po͘-lâng lóng piàn-sêng chū-su, khó-phà ê su̍t-á. Connie nā chai si̍t-chêng, yi pí chin chē cha-bó͘ lóng khah m̄-bian jím-siū hiah-ê.
Clifford mā toàn-tēng Hilda chóng-sī chi̍t-ê khak-tēng ū tì-hūi ê cha-bó͘, yi ē sī cha-po͘-lâng it-liû ê chō͘-chhiú, pí-lūn kóng, hit-lâng siūⁿ boeh chìn-ji̍p chèng-tī kài. Tio̍h, yi lóng bô Connie ê gōng-tai, Connie khah gín-á sèng: lí tio̍h thè yi chhōe lí-iû, in-ūi yi pēng m̄-sī oân-choân khó-khò.
Tī tōa-thiaⁿ, ta̍k-ê thê-chá chia̍h ē-tàu tê, mn̂g khui-khui hō͘ ji̍t-thâu-kng chiò ji̍p-lâi. Ta̍k-ê kán-ná lóng sió-khóa teh chhoán.
"Chài-hōe, Connie ko͘-niû! Ài pêng-an tńg-lâi."
"Chài-hōe, Clifford! Sī lah, góa bē khì chin kú." Connie kóng kah chin un-jiû.
"Chài-hōe, Hilda! Lí tio̍h kā chiàu-kò͘, hó bô?"
"Góa ē kā kò͘ tiâu-tiâu!" Hilda kóng. "Góa bē pàng yi o͘-pe̍h cháu lah."
"Kóng tō ài chò kàu!"
"Chài-hōe, Bolton Tt! Góa chai, lí ē kā Clifford chiàu-kò͘ kah chin sù-sī."
"Góa ē chīn-la̍t chò, Hu-jîn."
"Nā ū siáⁿ siau-sit, lí tio̍h siá-phe lâi, kă kóng Clifford Sià ê chióng-chióng."
"Chin hó, Hu-jîn, góa ē lah. Hó-hó hiáng-siū, chá-chá tńg-lâi, hō͘ goán hòng-sim."
Ta̍k-ê lóng teh iô-chhiú. Chhia khui-kiâⁿ, Connie oa̍t-thâu, khòaⁿ tio̍h Clifford, chē lûn-í thêng tī lō͘-khàm téng. Chóng-sī, hit-lâng sī yin ang: Wragby sī yin tau: che sī khoân-kéng só͘ koat-tēng ê.
--
16.5 Clifford 坐輪椅停 tī 路崁頂
Hilda, ná Athena, 頭犁落 teh 想. 她正經足氣 ê. M̄-koh, 她毋敢表現出來, 因為 Connie ê 個性 tō ná 像姻老爸, 有可能會直接起狂, 歹扭掠.
事實上, Hilda mā 無佮意 Clifford, 伊彼種愛激氣 ê 個性! 她認為, 伊是粗魯 koh 厚面皮 teh 利用 Connie. 她 bat 希望姻小妹著離開伊. M̄-koh, 做一个堅定 ê Scotland ê 中產階級, 討厭人 "降低" 家己抑是家庭. 最後, 她攑頭看.
"你會後悔," 她講.
"我袂," Connie 叫聲, 面紅紅. "伊 kap 別人無仝. 我真心愛伊. 伊是可愛 ê 愛人."
Hilda 猶 koh teh 想.
"真緊你 tō 會對伊起 siān," 她講, "koh 會因為伊, 予你生活感覺見笑."
"我袂! 我希望生一个伊 ê 囡仔."
"Connie!" Hilda 講, 口氣 ná hám-á teh 摃, 面色紅 kah 反白.
"若會生, 我欲生. 若生伊 ê 囡仔, 我 tō 會足得意 ê.
Koh 講 mā 無效 ah. Hilda án-ne 想.
"Clifford 有起疑心無?" 她問.
"Oh, 無! 伊欲疑心啥?"
"我相信, 你定著有濟濟予伊起疑 ê 場合," Hilda 講.
"根本都無."
"下暗 ê 代誌看起來有夠譀古. 彼人蹛佗?"
"Tī 過樹林彼頭 ê 村舍."
"伊猶未娶 sioh?"
"毋是! In 某走去."
"幾歲?"
"我毋知. 比我較濟歲."
逐句 Connie ê 回答攏予 Hilda koh 較氣, 氣 kah ná 過去姻老母, ná 欲夯性地. M̄-koh 她猶忍著.
"我若是你, 我袂做下暗這款代誌," 她冷靜 kā 勸.
"袂使! 下暗我一定欲去伊遐, 若無, 我 tō 毋去 Venice. 我袂使."
Hilda ná koh 聽著老爸 ê 口氣, tō 用外交 ê 手段, 無堅持. 她同意兩人先去 Mansfield 食暗, 天烏才載 Connie 轉來到路頭, 隔工早起 koh 來遐接 Connie, 她家己去睏 tī Mansfield, 開車干焦半小時, 真利便. 她心內真憤怒. 她忍 tī 心內, 對小妹阻擋她原本 ê 計畫感覺不滿.
Connie tī 她 ê 車窗掛一條翠綠色 ê 圍巾.
因為 teh 氣 Connie, Hilda 煞同情 Clifford. 總是, 伊是有心志 ê 人. 雖罔伊無性 ê 功能, 這顛倒好: 顛倒無啥通冤家! Hilda 無 koh 愛啥物性 ê 代誌, 為著這, 查埔人攏變成自私, 可怕 ê 術仔. Connie 若知實情, 她比真濟查某攏較毋免忍受 hiah-ê.
Clifford mā 斷定 Hilda 總是一个確定有智慧 ê 查某, 她會是查埔人一流 ê 助手, 比論講, 彼人想欲進入政治界. 著, 她攏無 Connie ê 戇呆, Connie 較囡仔性: 你著替她揣理由, 因為她並毋是完全可靠.
Tī 大廳, 逐个提早食下晝茶, 門開開予日頭光照入來. 逐个 kán-ná 攏小可 teh 喘.
"再會, Connie 姑娘! 愛平安轉來."
"再會, Clifford! 是 lah, 我袂去真久." Connie 講 kah 真溫柔.
"再會, Hilda! 你著 kā 照顧, 好無?"
"我會 kā 顧牢牢!" Hilda 講. "我袂放她烏白走 lah."
"講 tō 愛做到!"
"再會, Bolton Tt! 我知, 你會 kā Clifford 照顧 kah 真四序."
"我會盡力做, 夫人."
"若有啥消息, 你著寫批來, kă 講 Clifford Sià ê 種種."
"真好, 夫人, 我會 lah. 好好享受, 早早轉來, 予阮放心."
逐个攏 teh 搖手. 車開行, Connie 越頭, 看著 Clifford, 坐輪椅停 tī 路崁頂. 總是, 彼人是姻翁: Wragby 是姻兜: 這是環境所決定 ê.
--
16.5
Hilda, like a ruddy, rich-coloured Athena, bowed her head and pondered. She was really violently angry. But she dared not show it, because Connie, taking after her father, would straight away become obstreperous and unmanageable.
It was true, Hilda did not like Clifford: his cool assurance that he was somebody! She thought he made use of Connie shamefully and impudently. She had hoped her sister WOULD leave him. But, being solid Scotch middle class, she loathed any ‘lowering’ of oneself or the family. She looked up at last.
’You’ll regret it,’ she said,
’I shan’t,’ cried Connie, flushed red. ‘He’s quite the exception. I REALLY love him. He’s lovely as a lover.’
Hilda still pondered.
’You’ll get over him quite soon,’ she said, ‘and live to be ashamed of yourself because of him.’
’I shan’t! I hope I’m going to have a child of his.’
’ CONNIE!’ said Hilda, hard as a hammer-stroke, and pale with anger.
’I shall if I possibly can. I should be fearfully proud if I had a child by him.’
It was no use talking to her. Hilda pondered.
‘And doesn’t Clifford suspect?’ she said.
’Oh no! Why should he?’
’I’ve no doubt you’ve given him plenty of occasion for suspicion,’ said Hilda.
’Not at all.’
’And tonight’s business seems quite gratuitous folly. Where does the man live?’
’In the cottage at the other end of the wood.’
’Is he a bachelor?’
’No! His wife left him.’
’How old?’
’I don’t know. Older than me.’
Hilda became more angry at every reply, angry as her mother used to be, in a kind of paroxysm. But still she hid it.
’I would give up tonight’s escapade if I were you,’ she advised calmly.
’I can’t! I MUST stay with him tonight, or I can’t go to Venice at all. I just can’t.’
Hilda heard her father over again, and she gave way, out of mere diplomacy. And she consented to drive to Mansfield, both of them, to dinner, to bring Connie back to the lane-end after dark, and to fetch her from the lane-end the next morning, herself sleeping in Mansfield, only half an hour away, good going.
But she was furious. She stored it up against her sister, this balk in her plans.
Connie flung an emerald-green shawl over her window-sill.
On the strength of her anger, Hilda warmed toward Clifford.
After all, he had a mind. And if he had no sex, functionally, all the better: so much the less to quarrel about! Hilda wanted no more of that sex business, where men became nasty, selfish little horrors. Connie really had less to put up with than many women if she did but know it.
And Clifford decided that Hilda, after all, was a decidedly intelligent woman, and would make a man a first-rate helpmate, if he were going in for politics for example. Yes, she had none of Connie’s silliness, Connie was more a child: you had to make excuses for her, because she was not altogether dependable.
There was an early cup of tea in the hall, where doors were open to let in the sun. Everybody seemed to be panting a little.
’Good-bye, Connie girl! Come back to me safely.’
’Good-bye, Clifford! Yes, I shan’t be long.’ Connie was almost tender.
’Good-bye, Hilda! You will keep an eye on her, won’t you?’
’I’ll even keep two!’ said Hilda. ‘She shan’t go very far astray.’
’It’s a promise!’
’Good-bye, Mrs Bolton! I know you’ll look after Sir Clifford nobly.’
’I’ll do what I can, your Ladyship.’
’And write to me if there is any news, and tell me about Sir Clifford, how he is.’
’Very good, your Ladyship, I will. And have a good time, and come back and cheer us up.’
Everybody waved. The car went off Connie looked back and saw Clifford, sitting at the top of the steps in his house-chair. After all, he was her husband: Wragby was her home: circumstance had done it.
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