16.7 He sī Derby khiuⁿ
Hilda tiām-tiām, ná teh siūⁿ. Jiân-āu yi hiòng-āu khòaⁿ sió-lō͘.
"Góa ē-tàng bákuh se̍h-kòe che é-chhiū-châng bô" yi kóng.
"Oh, bô būn-tê!" khàn-siú kóng.
Yi bān-bān bákuh oan kòe, thêng chhia tī lō͘ téng khòaⁿ bô ê ūi, só hó, lo̍h-chhia. Í-keng sī àm-sî, m̄-koh sió-khóa ū kng. Chió iōng ê sió-lō͘ nn̄g-pêng lî-pa-chhiū hoat koân-koân, khòaⁿ tio̍h o͘-o͘-àm-àm. Khong-khì ū chi̍t-chióng chheng-tiⁿ ê khì-bī. Khàn-siú kiâⁿ chêng, koh-lâi Connie, Hilda tī āu-bīn, ta̍k-ê lóng tiām-tiām. Pháiⁿ kiâⁿ ê só͘-chāi, i iōng chhiú-tiān chiò, ta̍k-ê tō koh kiâⁿ. Chi̍t-chiah niau-thâu chiáu tī chhiūⁿ-bo̍k téng hu-hu kiò, Flossie tiām-tiām iân-lō͘ tòe. Bô lâng kóng-ōe, mā bô ōe hó kóng.
Chòe-āu, Connie khòaⁿ tio̍h chhù ê n̂g-sek teng-kng, yi ê sim-thiàu piàn kín. Yi sió-khóa kiaⁿ khí-lâi. In kè-sio̍k chêng-āu pâi-lia̍t kiâⁿ.
I khui mn̂g ê só, koh ín yin ji̍p un-loán m̄-koh khang-khang ê sió pâng-keng. Hóe-lô͘ âng-kì-kì ûn-ûn-á sio. Toh-téng te̍k-pia̍t pho͘ pe̍h-siak-siak ê toh-kin, pâi nn̄g-tè chhan-pôaⁿ kap nn̄g-ê po-lê-poe. Hilda hàiⁿ thâu-chang, sì-kè khòaⁿ chit-keng khang-khang, iu-ut ê pâng-keng. Jiân-āu yi thê táⁿ khòaⁿ hit-ê cha-po͘-lâng.
I ê sin-koân phó͘-thong, sán-thiu, yi kám-kak i sǹg iân-tâu. I kā ka-tī kek hn̄g-hn̄g, ná-chhiūⁿ koat-ì m̄ kóng-ōe.
"Chhiáⁿ chē, Hilda," Connie kóng.
"Chhiáⁿ!" i kóng. "Lín boeh lim tê a̍h siáⁿ, a̍h sī lim chi̍t-poe bihlù bô? Bihlù ū kàu peng."
"Bihlù!" Connie kóng.
"Góa mā bihlù, to-siā!" Hilda kóng, kek pháiⁿ-sè. I khòaⁿ yi, ba̍k-chiu nih chit-ē.
I the̍h chi̍t-ê chúi-ô͘ kiâⁿ ji̍p phian-pâng. The̍h bihlú tńg-lâi ê sî, i ê piáu-chêng iū-koh piàn ah.
Connie chē tī mn̂g piⁿ, Hilda chē hit-lâng ê ūi, kha-chiah-āu hiòng piah, bīn tùi thang-á kak.
"He sī i ê í-á ūi," Connie khin-siaⁿ kóng. Hilda khiā khí-lâi, ná chhiūⁿ khì hō͘ í-á thǹg tio̍h.
"Chēr hia, chēr hia! Ta̍k-ūi lóng ē-sái chēr, án lóng m̄-sī hîm a̍h hó͘," i kóng, kháu-khì chin pêng-chēng.
I hō͘ Hilda chi̍t-ê po-lê-poe, ùi hit-ê nâ-sek ê chúi-ô͘ tāi-seng thè yi thîn bihlù.
"Óa chia bô hun," i kóng, "ōan-sè lín ka-kī ū hun. Óa pún-sin to̍h bô chia̍h-hun. Lír berh chia̍h sáⁿ boh?" I oa̍t-thâu tit-chiap mn̄g Connie. "Lír berh chia̍h kóa sáⁿ boh, góa khì the̍h? Pêng-siông lír chóng ē chia̍h kóa." I iōng pún-tē khiuⁿ kóng kah chiâⁿ chū-jiân koh chū-sìn, bē-su i sī kheh-chàn ê thâu-ke.
"Ū siáⁿ thang chia̍h?" Connie mn̄g, bīn âng-âng.
"Chú se̍k ê hóe-thúi, chhiz, sīⁿ hu̍t-thô, chāi lír kah-ì... Pēng bô sáⁿ hó mi̍h-kiāⁿ."
"Hó," Connie kóng. "Lí boeh chia̍h bô, Hilda?"
Hilda gia̍h ba̍k khòaⁿ i.
"Lí ná ē kóng Yorkshire khiuⁿ?" yi khin-siaⁿ mn̄g.
"He! He m̄-sī Yorkshire, He sī Derby khiuⁿ."
I kā khòaⁿ tò-tńg, bīn sió-khóa léng-léng, gi-gi.
"Derby khiuⁿ! Lí ná ē kóng Derby khiuⁿ? Tú khai-sí lí kóng ê sī phó͘-thong Eng-gí."
"Sī oh? Ká-sú óa siūⁿ-tio̍h, óa kám bēr-tit kái-piàn? Nái, nái, hō͘ óa kóng Derby khiuⁿ, he khah ha̍h óa. Óa siūⁿ, lín bēr oán-tùi chiah-tio̍h."
"Thiaⁿ tio̍h sió-khóa koài-koài," Hilda kóng.
"Ái, oān-sè sī lah! Tī Tevershall lír chiah sī thiaⁿ tio̍h koài-koài." I koh kā khòaⁿ, kek hn̄g-hn̄g, thâu khi-khi: bē-su teh kóng: Lír, lír sī sáⁿ lâng ah?
I kiâⁿ khui, khì phian-pâng the̍h chia̍h--ê.
Nn̄g chí-mōe tiām-tiām chē leh. I koh the̍h lâi chi̍t-ê chhan-pôaⁿ, iáu ū to-á kap chhiám-á. I kóng:
"Lín nā bô ì-kiàn, óa berh kā gōa-thò thǹg tiāu, ná pêng-sî án-ne."
I kā gōa-thò thǹg lo̍h, tiàu tī kòa-kau, chiah chē lo̍h-lâi toh piⁿ, sin--siōng chhēng ê sī chi̍t-niá chhián-n̂g ê po̍h jiông-á siatchuh.
"Ka-kī lâi!" i kóng. "Ka-kī lâi! Bián lâng chhiáⁿ!"
--
16.7 彼是 Derby 腔
Hilda 恬恬, ná teh 想. 然後她向後看小路.
"我會當 bákuh 踅過這矮樹叢無" 她講.
"Oh, 無問題!" 看守講.
她慢慢 bákuh 彎過, 停車 tī 路頂看無 ê 位, 鎖好, 落車. 已經是暗時, m̄-koh 小可有光. 少用 ê 小路兩爿籬笆樹發懸懸, 看著烏烏暗暗. 空氣有一種清甜 ê 氣味. 看守行前, koh 來 Connie, Hilda tī 後面, 逐个攏恬恬. 歹行 ê 所在, 伊用手電照, 逐个 tō koh 行. 一隻貓頭鳥 tī 橡木頂 hu-hu 叫, Flossie 恬恬沿路綴. 無人講話, mā 無話好講.
最後, Connie 看著厝 ê 黃色燈光, 她 ê 心跳變緊. 她小可驚起來. In 繼續前後排列行.
伊開門 ê 鎖, koh 引姻入溫暖 m̄-koh 空空 ê 小房間. 火爐紅 kì-kì 勻勻仔燒. 桌頂特別鋪白 siak-siak ê 桌巾, 排兩塊餐盤 kap 兩个玻璃杯. Hilda 幌頭鬃, 四界看這間空空, 幽鬱 ê 房間. 然後她提膽看彼个查埔人.
伊 ê 身懸普通, 瘦抽, 她感覺伊算緣投. 伊 kā 家己激遠遠, ná 像決意毋講話.
"請坐, Hilda," Connie 講.
"請!" 伊講. "恁欲啉茶抑啥, 抑是啉一杯 bihlù 無? Bihlù 有夠冰."
"Bihlù!" Connie 講.
"我 mā bihlù, 多謝!" Hilda 講, 激歹勢. 伊看她, 目睭 nih 一下.
伊提一个水壺行入偏房. 提 bihlú 轉來 ê 時, 伊 ê 表情又 koh 變 ah.
Connie 坐 tī 門邊, Hilda 坐彼人 ê 位, 尻脊後向壁, 面對窗仔角.
"彼是伊 ê 椅仔位," Connie 輕聲講. Hilda 徛起來, ná 像去予椅仔燙著.
"Chēr 遐, chēr 遐! 逐位攏會使 chēr, án 攏毋是熊抑虎," 伊講, 口氣真平靜.
伊予 Hilda 一个玻璃杯, ùi 彼个藍色 ê 水壺代先替她 thîn bihlù.
"Óa 遮無薰," 伊講, "ōan-sè 恁 ka-kī 有薰. Óa 本身 to̍h 無食薰. Lír berh 食 sáⁿ boh?" 伊越頭直接問 Connie. "Lír berh 食寡 sáⁿ boh, 我去提? 平常 lír 總會食寡." 伊用本地腔講 kah 誠自然 koh 自信, 袂輸伊是客棧 ê 頭家.
"有啥通食?" Connie 問, 面紅紅.
"煮熟 ê 火腿, chhiz, 豉核桃, 在 lír 佮意... 並無 sáⁿ 好物件."
"好," Connie 講. "你欲食無, Hilda?"
Hilda 攑目看伊.
"你那會講 Yorkshire 腔?" 她輕聲問.
"彼! 彼毋是 Yorkshire, 彼是 Derby 腔."
伊 kā 看倒轉, 面小可冷冷, gi-gi.
"Derby 腔! 你那會講 Derby 腔? 拄開始你講 ê 是普通英語."
"是 oh? 假使 óa 想著, óa 敢 bēr 得改變? Nái, nái, 予 óa 講 Derby 腔, 彼較 ha̍h óa. Óa 想, 恁 bēr oán 對才著."
"聽著小可怪怪," Hilda 講.
"Ái, oān-sè 是 lah! Tī Tevershall lír 才是聽著怪怪." 伊 koh kā 看, 激遠遠, 頭 khi-khi: 袂輸 teh 講: Lír, lír 是 sáⁿ 人 ah?
伊行開, 去偏房提食 ê.
兩姊妹恬恬坐 leh. 伊 koh 提來一个餐盤, 猶有刀仔 kap 攕仔. 伊講:
"Lín 若無 ì-kiàn, óa berh kā 外套褪掉, ná 平時 án-ne."
伊 kā 外套褪落, 吊 tī 掛勾, 才坐落來桌邊, 身上穿 ê 是一領淺黃 ê 薄絨仔 siatchuh.
"Ka-kī 來!" 伊講. "Ka-kī 來! 免人請!"
--
16.7
Hilda was silent, deliberating. Then she looked backwards down the lane.
’Can I back round the bush?’ she said.
’Oh yes!’ said the keeper.
She backed slowly round the curve, out of sight of the road, locked the car, and got down. It was night, but luminous dark. The hedges rose high and wild, by the unused lane, and very dark seeming. There was a fresh sweet scent on the air. The keeper went ahead, then came Connie, then Hilda, and in silence. He lit up the difficult places with a flash-light torch, and they went on again, while an owl softly hooted over the oaks, and Flossie padded silently around. Nobody could speak. There was nothing to say.
At length Connie saw the yellow light of the house, and her heart beat fast. She was a little frightened. They trailed on, still in Indian file.
He unlocked the door and preceded them into the warm but bare little room. The fire burned low and red in the grate. The table was set with two plates and two glasses on a proper white tablecloth for once. Hilda shook her hair and looked round the bare, cheerless room. Then she summoned her courage and looked at the man.
He was moderately tall, and thin, and she thought him good-looking. He kept a quiet distance of his own, and seemed absolutely unwilling to speak.
’Do sit down, Hilda,’ said Connie.
’Do!’ he said. ‘Can I make you tea or anything, or will you drink a glass of beer? It’s moderately cool.’
’Beer!’ said Connie.
’Beer for me, please!’ said Hilda, with a mock sort of shyness. He looked at her and blinked.
He took a blue jug and tramped to the scullery. When he came back with the beer, his face had changed again.
Connie sat down by the door, and Hilda sat in his seat, with the back to the wall, against the window corner.
’That is his chair,’ said Connie softly. And Hilda rose as if it had burnt her.
’Sit yer still, sit yer still! Ta’e ony cheer as yo’n a mind to, none of us is th’ big bear,’ he said, with complete equanimity.
And he brought Hilda a glass, and poured her beer first from the blue jug.
’As for cigarettes,’ he said, ‘I’ve got none, but ‘appen you’ve got your own. I dunna smoke, mysen. Shall y’ eat summat?’ He turned direct to Connie. ‘Shall t’eat a smite o’ summat, if I bring it thee? Tha can usually do wi’ a bite.’ He spoke the vernacular with a curious calm assurance, as if he were the landlord of the Inn.
’What is there?’ asked Connie, flushing.
‘Boiled ham, cheese, pickled wa’nuts, if yer like.—Nowt much.’
’Yes,’ said Connie. ‘Won’t you, Hilda?’
Hilda looked up at him.
’Why do you speak Yorkshire?’ she said softly.
’That! That’s non Yorkshire, that’s Derby.’
He looked back at her with that faint, distant grin.
’Derby, then! Why do you speak Derby? You spoke natural English at first.’
’Did Ah though? An’ canna Ah change if Ah’m a mind to ‘t? Nay, nay, let me talk Derby if it suits me. If yo’n nowt against it.’
’It sounds a little affected,’ said Hilda.
’Ay, ‘appen so! An’ up i’ Tevershall yo’d sound affected.’ He looked again at her, with a queer calculating distance, along his cheek-bone: as if to say: Yi, an’ who are you?
He tramped away to the pantry for the food.
The sisters sat in silence. He brought another plate, and knife and fork. Then he said:
’An’ if it’s the same to you, I s’ll ta’e my coat off like I allers do.’
And he took off his coat, and hung it on the peg, then sat down to table in his shirt-sleeves: a shirt of thin, cream-coloured flannel.
’’Elp yerselves!’ he said. ‘’Elp yerselves! Dunna wait f’r axin’!’
--
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