17.3 Pia̍t-chong nih lâng-kheh tòa boeh móa
M̄-koh chòe-āu, in lâi kàu chi̍t-ê khui-khoah ê ūn-hô, nn̄g-pêng ū jîn-hêng-tō, koh ū oan-kiong-kiô, ūn-hô ti̍t-ti̍t, kap Tōa Ūn-hô ti̍t-kak sio-chiap. Chit nn̄g-ê cha-bó͘ chē tī chûn-pêⁿ ē-bīn, chûn-hu khiā tī yin āu-piah khah koân ê ūi.
"Nn̄g-ūi sió-chiá lín boeh tī Esmeralda Pia̍t-chong tòa chin kú sioh?" i mn̄g, ná khin-khoài kò-chûn, ná iōng chi̍t-tiâu nâ-phòe-pe̍h ê chhiú-kin chhit bīn.
"Liōng-iok 20 kang: goán lóng sī thài-thài ah-lah," Hilda kóng, yi he kî-koài ê chho͘-siaⁿ, hō͘ yi ê Italia-gí koh khah oh-thiaⁿ.
"Ah! 20 kang!" hit-lâng kóng. Tiām chi̍t khùn liáu, i koh mn̄g: "Nn̄g-ūi thài-thài, tòa tī Esmeralda Pia̍t-chong chit 20 kang nih, su-iàu cho͘ chi̍t-chiah gondola-chûn bô? A̍h-sī chiàu ji̍t sǹg, a̍h-sī chiàu lé-pài sǹg?"
Connie hām Hilda khó-lī chi̍t-ē. Tī Venice, ū ka-tī ê gondola chóng-sī khah lī-piān, tō ná-chhiūⁿ tī lio̍k-tē siōng, ū ka-tī ê chhia khah lī-piān.
"Pia̍t-chong hia ū siáⁿ? siáⁿ khoán ê chûn?"
"Ū chi̍t-chiah mohtà chûn, mā ū gondola. M̄-koh..." Hit-ê "m̄-koh" piáu-sī kóng: he m̄-sī lín ka-tī ê lah.
"Cho͘-kim án-chóaⁿ sǹg?"
Tāi-khài 30 shilling chi̍t-kang, a̍h-sī 10 Eng-pōng chi̍t lé-pài.
"Che sī it-poaⁿ ê kè-siàu?" Hilda mn̄g.
"Khah sio̍k, Thài-thài, It-poaⁿ ê kè-siàu sī..."
Nn̄g chí-mōe khó-lī chi̍t-ē.
"Hm," Hilda kóng, "bîn-á chá-khí lâi, lán tio̍h lâi an-pâi. Lí kiò siaⁿ-mih miâ?"
I hō-chò Giovanni, i mn̄g kóng i tio̍h kúi-tiám lâi, lâi liáu tio̍h chhōe siáⁿ-lâng? Hilda bô miâ-chhì, Connie kā yi ê miâ-chhì hō͘ i chi̍t tiuⁿ. I iōng i he jia̍t-chêng ê lâm-pō͘-lâng ê nâ-sek ba̍k-chiu kín-kín sió lió chi̍t-ē, āu-lâi koh chi̍t-kái kā lió chi̍t-ē.
"Ah!" i kóng, piáu-chêng téng-chin. "Sī Hu-jîn! Hu-jîn! sī bô?"
"Sī Constance Hu-jîn!" Connie kóng.
I ná tìm-thâu, ná tòe leh kóng: "Constance Hu-jîn!" tō sió-sim kā he miâ-chhì siu ji̍p saⁿ-á-tē.
Esmeralda Pia̍t-chong tī chin gōa-kháu, sī tī chhián-ô͘ ê piⁿ-á hiòng Chioggia hit-pêng. Che chhù bē kóng kài kū, chin tit lâng kah-ì, i ê lō͘-tâi hiòng hái, ē-bīn ū chi̍t-ê chhiū-á ba̍t-ba̍t ê tōa hoe-hn̂g, ûi-chhiûⁿ khí kàu ô͘ piⁿ.
Chú-lâng sī chi̍t-ê chho͘ koh tāng ê Scotland lâng, i tī chiàn-cheng chêng tī Italia thàn tio̍h tōa-chîⁿ, chiàn-cheng ê sî, in-ūi chin ài-kok, pī hong chò chiok-sū. In bó͘ seⁿ-chò sán, pe̍h, koh khiàng, yi bô ka-tī ê ke-hóe; put-hēng ê sī, yi tio̍h koán-kò͘ yin ang hit-chióng ak-chak to-chêng ê hêng-ûi. I tùi sin-lô chiok kau-peⁿ. Chū-chiông tī kôaⁿ-thiⁿ sió-khóa tiòng-hong liáu, taⁿ i ke chin hó koán-lí ah.
Chhù nih lâng-kheh tòa boeh móa. Tî liáu Malcolm Sià kap in nn̄g-ê cha-bó͘-kiáⁿ, iáu ū chhit ê lâng: chi̍t-tùi Scotland ang-bó͘ hām in nn̄g-ê cha-bó͘-kiáⁿ; chi̍t-ê siàu-liân Italia Pek-chiok Hu-jîn, yi sī kóa-hū; chi̍t-ê siàu-liân Georgia chhin-ông, koh chi̍t-ê iáu sǹg siàu-liân ê bo̍k-su, in-ūi hoān-tio̍h hì-iâm, taⁿ tī Alexander Sià ê sió-kàu-tn̂g ho̍k-bū, teh siu-ióng sin-thé. Chhin-ông chin sàn, iân-tâu, sek-ha̍p chò chi̍t-ê hó su-ki, in-ūi i chho͘-ló͘ koh kāu-bīn-phôe! Pek-chiok Hu-jîn sī chi̍t-chiah an-chēng ê niau-á, ū yi ka-tī ê chhut-thâu. Bo̍k-su sī ùi Bucks kàu-hōe lâi ê chheⁿ-siap tan-sûn ê lâng: ka-chài i kā in bó͘ hām nn̄g-ê gín-á lâu tī in tau. Guthrie hit ke-hóe 4-ê lâng, sī tiong-si̍t ê Edinburgh tiong-sán kai-kip, in kian-si̍t hiáng-siū it-chhè, ta̍k-hāng lóng káⁿ, m̄-koh m̄ chia̍h-khui.
Connie kap Hilda kin-pún to bô khó-lī Chhin-ông. Guthrie hit ke-hóe ke-kiám kap yin khah sio-kāng, si̍t-chāi, m̄-koh thó lâng ià: hit nn̄g-ê ko͘-niû teh chhōe ang. Bo̍k-su m̄-sī bái kha-siàu, m̄-koh siuⁿ-kòe kāu lé-sò͘. Alexander Sià, tī khin-bî tiòng-hong liáu-āu, hoan-lo̍k tiong ū khó-phà ê tîm-tāng, m̄-koh chi̍t-sî ū chiah chē siàu-liân súi cha-bó͘, i mā chiâⁿ thiòng-lo̍k. In bó͘ Cooper Hj sī chi̍t-ê an-chēng, ū sim-ki ê lâng, yi ê sim bē khui, khó-liân ah, yi chóng-sī léng-gán khòaⁿ kî-thaⁿ ê cha-bó͘, che tō ná sī yi ê tē-jī pún-sèng; yi kóng léng-tām, ok-to̍k ê ōe, piáu-sī yi ke̍k khòaⁿ-khin lâng ê pún-sèng. Yi tùi sin-lô mā chin ok-to̍k, kau-peⁿ, che Connie su-té-hā lóng khòaⁿ hiān-hiān. Yi koh chin gâu chò-lâng, hō͘ Alexander Sià siong-sìn, i chiah sī kui lāi-té ê chú-lâng kap kok-ông, in-ūi i seⁿ-chò chho͘-ióng, ū chi̍t-ê hô-khì ê tōa pak-tó͘, koh ài kóng ke̍k bô-liâu ê chhiò-ōe, Hilda kā he kóng-chò sī: i ê "hó-chhiò-khoe".
Malcolm Sià teh ōe-tô͘. Sī lah, i siūⁿ boeh chhōe sî-kan ōe chi̍t-pak Venice ê chúi-kéng, hó-thang kap i ê Scotland hong-kéng-ōe tùi-pí. Só͘-tì, chá-khí-sî i kò-chûn chah tōa-pak phâng-pò͘ khì i ê "tiûⁿ-só͘". Khah òaⁿ ê sî, Cooper Hj tō kò-chûn ji̍p-siâⁿ, chah ōe-tô͘-pang kap sek-liāu. Yi sī chi̍t-ê tiâu-phiah ê chúi-chhái ōe-ka, kui chhù-keng lóng-sī hún-âng ê kiong-tiān, àm-tām ê ūn-hô, iô-tāng ê kiô, tiong-sè-kí ê kiàn-tio̍k, téng-téng. Koh khah òaⁿ chi̍t-ē, Guthrie ka-cho̍k, chhin-ông, pek-chiok Hj, Alexander Sià, a̍h-sī ū-sî bo̍k-su Lin Ss, ē lī-khui khì Lido, khì hia sé chúi-e̍k; òaⁿ-òaⁿ tńg-lâi, kàu tiám-pòaⁿ chiah chia̍h-tàu.
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17.3 別莊 nih 人客蹛欲滿
M̄-koh 最後, in 來到一个開闊 ê 運河, 兩爿有人行道, koh 有彎弓橋, 運河直直, kap 大運河直角相接. 這兩个查某坐 tī 船棚下面, 船夫徛 tī 姻後壁較懸 ê 位.
"兩位小姐恁欲 tī Esmeralda 別莊蹛真久 sioh?" 伊問, ná 輕快划船, ná 用一條藍配白 ê 手巾拭面.
"量約 20 工: 阮攏是太太 ah-lah," Hilda 講, 她彼奇怪 ê 粗聲, 予她 ê Italia 語 koh 較僫聽.
"Ah! 20 工!" 彼人講. 恬一睏了, 伊 koh 問: "兩位太太, 蹛 tī Esmeralda 別莊這 20 工 nih, 需要租一隻 gondola 船無? 抑是照日算, 抑是照禮拜算?"
Connie 和 Hilda 考慮一下. Tī Venice, 有家己 ê gondola 總是較利便, tō ná 像 tī 陸地上, 有家己 ê 車較利便.
"別莊遐有啥? 啥款 ê 船?"
"有一隻 mohtà 船, mā 有 gondola. M̄-koh..." 彼个 "m̄-koh" 表示講: 彼毋是恁家己 ê lah.
"租金按怎算?"
大概 30 shilling 一工, 抑是 10 英鎊一禮拜.
"這是一般 ê 價數?" Hilda 問.
"較俗, 太太, 一般 ê 價數是..."
兩姊妹考慮一下.
"Hm," Hilda 講, "明仔 chá-khí 來, 咱著來安排. 你叫啥物名?"
伊號做 Giovanni, 伊問講伊著幾點來, 來了著揣啥人? Hilda 無名刺, Connie kā 她 ê 名刺予伊一張. 伊用伊彼熱情 ê 南部人 ê 藍色目睭緊緊小瞭一下, 後來 koh 一改 kā 瞭 一下.
"Ah!" 伊講, 表情頂真. "是夫人! 夫人! 是無?"
"是 Constance 夫人!" Connie 講.
伊 ná tìm 頭, ná 綴 leh 講: "Constance 夫人!" tō 小心 kā 彼名刺收入衫仔袋.
Esmeralda 別莊 tī 真外口, 是 tī 淺湖 ê 邊仔向 Chioggia 彼爿. 這厝袂講蓋舊, 真得人佮意, 伊 ê 露台向海, 下面有一个樹仔密密 ê 大花園, 圍牆起到湖邊.
主人是一个粗 koh 重 ê Scotland 人, 伊 tī 戰爭前 tī Italia 趁著大錢, 戰爭 ê 時, 因為真愛國, 被封做爵士. In 某生做瘦, 白, koh khiàng, 她無家己 ê 家伙; 不幸 ê 是, 她著管顧姻翁彼種 ak-chak 多情 ê 行為. 伊對辛勞足 kau-peⁿ. 自從 tī 寒天小可中風了, 今伊加真好管理 ah.
厝 nih 人客蹛欲滿. 除了 Malcolm Sià kap in 兩个查某囝, 猶有七个人: 一對 Scotland 翁某和 in 兩个查某囝; 一个少年 Italia 伯爵夫人, 她是寡婦; 一个少年 Georgia 親王, koh 一个猶算少年 ê 牧師, 因為患著肺炎, 今 tī Alexander Sià ê 小教堂服務, teh 修養身體. 親王真 sàn, 緣投, 適合做一个好司機, 因為伊粗魯 koh 厚面皮! 伯爵夫人是一隻安靜 ê 貓仔, 有她家己 ê 齣頭. 牧師是 ùi Bucks 教會來 ê 生澀單純 ê 人: 佳哉伊 kā in 某和兩个囡仔留 tī in 兜. Guthrie 彼家伙 4 个人, 是忠實 ê Edinburgh 中產階級, in 堅實享受一切, 逐項攏敢, m̄-koh 毋食虧.
Connie kap Hilda 根本都無考慮親王. Guthrie 彼家伙加減 kap 姻較相仝, 實在, m̄-koh 討人厭: 彼兩个姑娘 teh 揣翁. 牧師毋是䆀跤數, m̄-koh siuⁿ 過厚禮數. Alexander Sià, tī 輕微中風了後, 歡樂中有可怕 ê 沉重, m̄-koh 一時 ū chiah 濟少年媠查某, 伊 mā 誠暢樂. In 某 Cooper Hj 是一个安靜, 有心機 ê 人, 她 ê 心袂開, 可憐 ah, 她總是冷眼看其他 ê 查某, 這 tō ná 是她 ê 第二本性; 她講冷淡, 惡毒 ê 話, 表示她極看輕人 ê 本性. 她對辛勞 mā 真惡毒, kau-peⁿ, 這 Connie 私底下攏看現現. 她 koh 真 gâu 做人, 予 Alexander Sià 相信, 伊才是規內底 ê 主人 kap 國王, 因為伊生做粗勇, 有一个和氣 ê 大腹肚, koh 愛講極無聊 ê 笑話, Hilda kā 彼講做是: 伊 ê "好笑詼".
Malcolm Sià teh 畫圖. 是 lah, 伊想欲揣時間畫一幅 Venice ê 水景, 好通 kap 伊 ê Scotland 風景畫對比. 所致, 早起時伊划船扎大幅帆布去伊 ê "場所". 較晏 ê 時, Cooper Hj tō 划船入城, 扎畫圖枋 kap 色料. 她是一个牢癖 ê 水彩畫家, 規厝間攏是粉紅 ê 宮殿, 暗淡 ê 運河, 搖動 ê 橋, 中世紀 ê 建築, 等等. Koh 較晏一下, Guthrie 家族, 親王, 伯爵 Hj, Alexander Sià, 抑是有時牧師 Lin Ss, 會離開去 Lido, 去遐洗水浴; 晏晏轉來, 到點半才食晝.
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17.3
But at last he came to one of the open canals with pavement on either side, and looping bridges, that run straight, at right-angles to the Grand Canal. The two women sat under the little awning, the man was perched above, behind them.
’Are the signorine staying long at the Villa Esmeralda?’ he asked, rowing easy, and wiping his perspiring face with a white-and-blue handkerchief.
’Some twenty days: we are both married ladies,’ said Hilda, in her curious hushed voice, that made her Italian sound so foreign.
’Ah! Twenty days!’ said the man. There was a pause. After which he asked: ‘Do the signore want a gondolier for the twenty days or so that they will stay at the Villa Esmeralda? Or by the day, or by the week?’
Connie and Hilda considered. In Venice, it is always preferable to have one’s own gondola, as it is preferable to have one’s own car on land.
’What is there at the Villa? what boats?’
’There is a motor-launch, also a gondola. But—’ The BUT meant: they won’t be your property.
’How much do you charge?’
It was about thirty shillings a day, or ten pounds a week.
’Is that the regular price?’ asked Hilda.
’Less, Signora, less. The regular price—’
The sisters considered.
’Well,’ said Hilda, ‘come tomorrow morning, and we will arrange it. What is your name?’
His name was Giovanni, and he wanted to know at what time he should come, and then for whom should he say he was waiting. Hilda had no card. Connie gave him one of hers. He glanced at it swiftly, with his hot, southern blue eyes, then glanced again.
’Ah!’ he said, lighting up. ‘Milady! Milady, isn’t it?’
’Milady Costanza!’ said Connie.
He nodded, repeating: ‘Milady Costanza!’ and putting the card carefully away in his blouse.
The Villa Esmeralda was quite a long way out, on the edge of the lagoon looking towards Chioggia. It was not a very old house, and pleasant, with the terraces looking sea-wards, and below, quite a big garden with dark trees, walled in from the lagoon.
Their host was a heavy, rather coarse Scotchman who had made a good fortune in Italy before the war, and had been knighted for his ultrapatriotism during the war. His wife was a thin, pale, sharp kind of person with no fortune of her own, and the misfortune of having to regulate her husband’s rather sordid amorous exploits. He was terribly tiresome with the servants. But having had a slight stroke during the winter, he was now more manageable.
The house was pretty full. Besides Sir Malcolm and his two daughters, there were seven more people, a Scotch couple, again with two daughters; a young Italian Contessa, a widow; a young Georgian prince, and a youngish English clergyman who had had pneumonia and was being chaplain to Sir Alexander for his health’s sake. The prince was penniless, good-looking, would make an excellent chauffeur, with the necessary impudence, and basta! The Contessa was a quiet little puss with a game on somewhere. The clergyman was a raw simple fellow from a Bucks vicarage: luckily he had left his wife and two children at home. And the Guthries, the family of four, were good solid Edinburgh middle class, enjoying everything in a solid fashion, and daring everything while risking nothing.
Connie and Hilda ruled out the prince at once. The Guthries were more or less their own sort, substantial, but boring: and the girls wanted husbands. The chaplain was not a bad fellow, but too deferential. Sir Alexander, after his slight stroke, had a terrible heaviness in his joviality, but he was still thrilled at the presence of so many handsome young women. Lady Cooper was a quiet, catty person who had a thin time of it, poor thing, and who watched every other woman with a cold watchfulness that had become her second nature, and who said cold, nasty little things which showed what an utterly low opinion she had of all human nature. She was also quite venomously overbearing with the servants, Connie found: but in a quiet way. And she skilfully behaved so that Sir Alexander should think that HE was lord and monarch of the whole caboosh, with his stout, would-be-genial paunch, and his utterly boring jokes, his humourosity, as Hilda called it.
Sir Malcolm was painting. Yes, he still would do a Venetian lagoonscape, now and then, in contrast to his Scottish landscapes. So in the morning he was rowed off with a huge canvas, to his ‘site’. A little later, Lady Cooper would he rowed off into the heart of the city, with sketching-block and colours. She was an inveterate watercolour painter, and the house was full of rose-coloured palaces, dark canals, swaying bridges, medieval facades, and so on. A little later the Guthries, the prince, the countess, Sir Alexander, and sometimes Mr Lind, the chaplain, would go off to the Lido, where they would bathe; coming home to a late lunch at half past one.
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