9.5 伊開始研究採礦 ê 專業

9.5 I khai-sí gián-kiù chhái-khòng ê choan-gia̍p

Taⁿ i bêng-pe̍k, Sêng-kong ê káu-bó sîn ū nn̄g ê chú-iàu ê ūi-kháu: chi̍t ê sī chhiūⁿ chok-ka kap gē-su̍t-ka só͘ thê-kiong ê pa-kiat, o-ló, phô͘-tháⁿ, kap pê-chiūⁿ; m̄-koh, iáu chi̍t chióng khah àm-sàm ê ūi-kháu ái chia̍h bah kap kut. Iah thê-kiong hō͘ káu-bó sîn bah kap kut ê, sī tī kang-gia̍p kài thàn tio̍h chîⁿ ê lâng.

Tio̍h, ū nn̄g tōa tīn káu teh sio-cheⁿ jek káu-bó sîn: chi̍t tīn ài pa-kiat, hiah-ê thê-kiong yi gō͘-lo̍k, sió-soat, tiān-iáⁿ, kap hì-kio̍k ê: kap lēng-gōa chi̍t tīn, bô hiah hèng tián, m̄-koh ke chin iá-bân, iā tō sī hiah-ê hō͘ yi bah kap kim-chîⁿ ê si̍t-chāi bu̍t-chit ê. Chhēng-chhah ko-kip, ài-tián ê gō͘-lo̍k káu-tīn, ūi-tio̍h cheng-chhú káu-bó sîn ê ài-kò͘ hō͘-siong sio-phah, sio-jiáng. M̄-koh, che kap hiah-ê chah pit-su-phín kap kut-thâu ê káu-tīn ê tiām-tiām piàⁿ-kah-sí pí khí-lâi soah ná-chhiūⁿ bô siáⁿ.

M̄-koh, siū tio̍h Bolton Tt ê éng-hióng, Clifford siūⁿ boeh chìn-ji̍p iáu chi̍t tiūⁿ chiàn-tàu, boeh iōng kang-gia̍p seng-sán ê thé-la̍t hong-sek khì lia̍h káu-bó sîn. Chóng-kóng, i í-keng bú-chong hó-sè.

Tī bó͘ chi̍t hong-bīn lâi kóng, Bolton Tt hō͘ i chiâⁿ-chò lâm-chú-hàn, che Connie bô chò tio̍h. Connie bô bak i, hō͘ i bín-kám koh kòa-ì ka-tī, mā kòa-ì ka-tī ê chōng-thài. Bolton Tt hō͘ i kan-ta chù-ì gōa-kháu ê tāi-chì. Hióng lāi, i piàn kah jiû-nńg ná ko. M̄-koh hiòng gōa, i piàn kah chin chek-ke̍k.

I pēng-chhiáⁿ koh chi̍t pái chhin-chū khí-sin khì khòng-tiûⁿ: chi̍t kàu hia, i peh ji̍p chi̍t kha tháng-á, hông iōng tháng-á lūi lo̍h-khì kang-tē. Hiah-ê chiàn-cheng í-chêng só͘ o̍h ê mi̍h-kiāⁿ, ká-ná lóng bē-kì-tit ah, taⁿ lóng koh hō͘ siūⁿ khí-lâi. I chē hia, siang-kha put-sūi chē tī tháng-á té, thiaⁿ tē-hā keng-lí iōng kiông-la̍t ê teng-kng chiò khóng-me̍h hō͘ khòaⁿ. I bô siáⁿ kóng-ōe. M̄-koh i ê sim khai-sí teh tāng.

I khai-sí kā chhái-khòng kang-gia̍p ê ki-su̍t chheh koh the̍h lâi tha̍k, gián-kiù chèng-hú ê kong-pò, mā iōng-sim tha̍k Tek-bûn siá ê iú-koan chhái-khóng kap thô͘-thòaⁿ hām ia̍h-giâm (頁岩, shale) ê hòa-ha̍k. Tong-jiân, siōng ū kè-ta̍t ê hoat-hiān lóng sī chīn-liōng pó-siú pì-bi̍t. M̄-koh, lí nā khai-sí gián-kiù chhái-khòng choan-gia̍p, gián-kiù hong-hoat kap ki-su̍t, gián-kiù thô͘-thòaⁿ ê hù-sán-phín kap hòa-ha̍k khó-lêng-sèng, tō ē ū kiaⁿ-lâng ê hoat-hiān, lán-lâng hiān-tāi ki-su̍t ê to̍k-chhòng-sèng kap chin pháiⁿ siūⁿ tio̍h ê chhong-bêng châi-tì. Che tō ná mô͘-kúi chhin-sin kā mô͘-kúi ê tì-hūi chioh hō͘ kang-gia̍p kài ê ki-su̍t choan-ka. Chit-chióng kang-gia̍p ê ki-su̍t kho-ha̍k, pí gē-su̍t, pí bûn-ha̍k, pí hiah-ê khó-liân, kám-sèng ê tì-lêng put-chiok ê mih-kiāⁿ koh-khah chhù-bī. Tī chit ê hong-bīn, lâng tō ná sîn, a̍h ná ok-mô͘, hoat-sim boeh khì hoat-hiān, koh chīn-la̍t kā si̍t-hiān. Án-ne chò tiong-kan, lâng ê sim-tì nî-lêng sī lân-tit kè-sǹg ê. M̄-koh Clifford chai, nā kóng tio̍h kám-chêng kap lâng ê seng-oa̍h, chiah-ê lâng ê sim-tì nî-lêng tāi-khài 13 hòe, sī nńg-jio̍k ê cha-po͘ gín-á. Che chha-pia̍t chin tōa, chin kiaⁿ-lâng.

M̄-koh, mài chhap he. Hō͘ lâng tī kám-chêng kap "jîn-sèng" ê sim-tì ku̍t lo̍h kàu tòng-gōng, Clifford bô koan-sim. Hiah-ê lóng chāi i khì. I chhù-bī ê sī hiān-tāi thô͘-thòaⁿ khai-chhái ê ki-su̍t, kap Tevershall ê chài-chō.

I chi̍t kang chi̍t kang lo̍h thòaⁿ-khang, i gián-kiù, i kā chóng keng-lí, sū-bū keng-lí, kap tē-hā keng-lí, hām kang-thêng-su iōng in chò-bāng to siūⁿ bē-kàu ê hong-sek khó-giām. Khoân-ui! I choân-sin lóng ū khoân-ui ê kám-kak: tùi chiah-ê lâng, kap tùi kúi-nā pah ê thòaⁿ-kang ê khoân-ui. I chiām-chiām hoat-hiān: i mā chiām-chiām kā tāi-chì la̍k-ji̍p i ê chhiú-thâu.

Chin ê, i ná chhiūⁿ koh-oa̍h lah. Taⁿ sèⁿ-miā tńg kàu i ê sin-khu! I pún-chiâⁿ hām Connie kòe hit-chióng gē-su̍t-ka kap sim-lêng-chiá ê su-jîn seng-oa̍h, í-keng bān-bān teh sí. Taⁿ, hiah-ê lóng chāi i khì, hō͘ khì khùn. I kan-ta kám-kak ùi thô͘-thòaⁿ, ùi thòaⁿ-khang, sèⁿ-miā koàn-ji̍p i ê sin-khu. Khòng-tiūⁿ ê ak-chak khong-khì pí sng-sò͘ tùi i koh-khah hó. Che hō͘ i kám-kak ū khoân-ui. I teh chò sū-gia̍p ah: i tit-boeh chò sū-gia̍p ah. I ē iâⁿ, ē iâⁿ: m̄-sī chhiūⁿ i iōng sió-soat tit-tio̍h hit-chióng, he kan-ta sī miâ-siaⁿ, hù-chhut só͘-ū ê khùi-la̍t kap kan-chah. Boeh iâⁿ chi̍t ê lâm-chú-hàn ê sèng-lī.

Tú khai-sí, i siūⁿ kóng, kái-koat tiám sī tī tiān-la̍t: kā thô͘-thòaⁿ piàn sêng tiān-la̍t. Āu-lâi koh ū chi̍t ê sin siūⁿ-hoat. Tek-kok lâng hoat-bêng chi̍t chióng m̄-bián hóe-la̍t ê hoat-tōng-ki, lī-iōng chi̍t chióng sin jián-liāu, chió-chió ê jián-liāu tī bó͘-chióng te̍k-pia̍t tiâu-kiāⁿ, ē-tàng sán-seng chin tōa ê jia̍t-liōng.

Chit-chióng sin ê chi̍p-tiong-sek jián-liāu, bān-bān sio, jia̍t-liōng tōa ê siūⁿ-hoat ín-khí Clifford ê chù-ì. Sio chit-chióng jián-liāu it-tēng ū bó͘-chióng gōa-lâi ê chhì-kek, m̄-sī kan-ta khò khong-khì. I khai-sí si̍t-giām, mā chhiàⁿ chi̍t ê tī hòa-ha̍k gián-kiù chò liáu bē-bái ê chhong-bêng siàu-liân lâi pang-chō.

Iah i kám-kak sêng-kong lah, kám-kak i chhut-thoat lah. I í-keng si̍t-hiān i kú-lâi siūⁿ boeh chhut-thoat ê kî-thāi. Gē-su̍t bô hō͘ i sêng-kong. Gē-su̍t kan-ta chó͘-tòng tio̍h i. Iah taⁿ, taⁿ i í-keng sêng-kong lah.

I pēng m̄-chai, Bolton Tt sī gōa-nī hû-chō͘ i. I mā m̄-chai ka-tī sī gōa-nī óa-khò yi. M̄-koh, in-ūi chiah-ê chióng-chióng, ū chi̍t ê bêng-hián ê tāi-chì, tō-sī i nā kap yi chò-hóe, i ê siaⁿ-tiāu tō piàn-chò chū-chāi, chhin-chhiat, sīm-chì sió-khóa chho͘-ló͘.

Kap Connie chò-hóe, i sió-khóa tēng-tēng, kám-kak ta̍k-hāng lóng khiàm yi, chí-iàu yi gōa-piáu siōng chun-kèng i, i tō piáu-hiān chhut tùi yi ê tōa-tōa chun-kèng kap koan-sim. M̄-koh, chin bêng-hián, i ê lāi-sim kiaⁿ yi. I ê lāi-sim ê Achilles ū chi̍t ê āu-teⁿ, chit ê āu-teⁿ sī chi̍t ê cha-bó͘, chhiūⁿ in bó Connie, ē hō͘ i pái-kha kah boeh sí. Só͘-í, i chìn-ji̍p bó͘-chióng pòaⁿ sūn-ho̍k, pòaⁿ kiaⁿ yi ê chōng-thāi, chū án-ne tùi yi chiâⁿ thé-thiap. I nā kap yi kóng-ōe, i ê siaⁿ-tiāu kín-tiuⁿ, só͘-í nā ū yi chāi-tiûⁿ ê sî, i khai-sí bô-ōe.

Kan-ta tng i hām Bolton Tt tan-to̍k chò-hóe ê sî, i chiah ē kám-kak ka-tī sī chú-lâng, sī thâu-ke, iah i kap yi kong-ōe ê siaⁿ, tō ná yi kóng ê ōe, chū-jiân koh liû-lī. Iah i hō͘ yi kā siu-bīn, a̍h-sī kā lù sin-khu, tō ná-chhiūⁿ gín-á, chin ê, ná-chhiūⁿ i sī chi̍t-ê gín-á.

--

9.5 伊開始研究採礦 ê 專業

當伊明白, 成功 ê 狗母神有兩个主要 ê 胃口: 一个是像作家 kap 藝術家所提供 ê 巴結, o-ló, 扶挺, kap 耙癢; m̄-koh, 猶一種較暗毿 ê 胃口愛食肉 kap 骨. Iah 提供予狗母神肉 kap 骨 ê, 是 tī 工業界趁著錢 ê 人.

著, 有兩大陣狗 teh 相爭逐狗母神: 一陣愛巴結, hiah-ê 提供她娛樂, 小說, 電影, kap 戲劇 ê: kap 另外一陣, 無 hiah hèng 展, m̄-koh 加真野蠻, 也 tō 是 hiah-ê 予她肉 kap 金錢 ê 實在物質 ê. 穿插高級, 愛展 ê 娛樂狗陣, 為著爭取狗母神 ê 愛顧互相相拍, 相嚷. M̄-koh, 這 kap hiah-ê 扎必需品 kap 骨頭 ê 狗陣 ê 恬恬拚 kah 死比起來煞 ná 像無啥.

M̄-koh, 受著 Bolton Tt ê 影響, Clifford siūⁿ 欲進入猶一場戰鬥, 欲用工業生產 ê 體力方式去掠狗母神. 總講, 伊已經武裝好勢.

Tī 某一方面來講, Bolton Tt 予伊成做男子漢, 這 Connie 無做著. Connie 無 bak 伊, 予伊敏感 koh 掛意家己, mā 掛意家己 ê 狀態. Bolton Tt 予伊干焦注意外口 ê 代誌. 向內, 伊變 kah 柔軟 ná 膏. M̄-koh 向外, 伊變 kah 真積極.

伊並且 koh 一擺親自起身去礦場: 一到遐, 伊 peh 入一跤桶仔, hông 用桶仔縋落去工地. Hiah-ê 戰爭以前所學 ê 物件, ká-ná 攏袂記得 ah, 今攏 koh 予想起來. 伊坐遐, 雙跤不遂坐 tī 桶仔底, 聽地下經理用強力 ê 燈光照礦脈予看. 伊無啥講話. M̄-koh 伊 ê 心開始 teh 動.

伊開始 kā 採礦工業 ê 技術冊 koh 提來讀, 研究政府 ê 公報, mā 用心讀德文寫 ê 有關採礦 kap 塗炭和頁岩 (shale) ê 化學. 當然, 上有價值 ê 發現是盡量保守秘密. M̄-koh, 你若開始研究採礦專業, 研究方法 kap 技術, 研究塗炭 ê 副產品 kap 化學可能性, tō 會有驚人 ê 發現, 咱人現代技術 ê 獨創性 kap 真歹想著 ê 聰明才智. 這 tō ná 魔鬼親身 kā 魔鬼 ê 智慧借予工業界 ê 技術專家. 這種工業 ê 技術科學, 比藝術, 比文學, 比 hiah-ê 可憐, 感性 ê 智能不足 ê 物件 koh 較趣味. Tī 這个方面, 人 tō ná 神, 抑 ná 惡魔, 發心欲去發現, koh 盡力 kā 實現. Án-ne 做中間, 人 ê 心智年齡是難得計算 ê. M̄-koh Clifford 知, 若講著感情 kap 人 ê 生活, chiah-ê 人 ê 心智年齡大概 13 歲, 是軟弱 ê 查埔囡仔. 這差別真大, 真驚人.

M̄-koh, 莫 chhap 彼. 予人 tī 感情 kap "人性" ê 心智滑落到侗戇, Clifford 無關心. Hiah-ê 攏在伊去. 伊趣味 ê 是現代塗炭開採 ê 技術, kap Tevershall ê 再造.

伊一工一工落炭空, 伊研究, 伊 kā 總經理, 事務經理, kap 地下經理, 和工程師用 in 做夢都想袂到 ê 方式考驗. 權威! 伊全身攏有權威 ê 感覺: 對 chiah-ê 人, kap 對幾若百个炭工 ê 權威. 伊漸漸發現: 伊 mā 漸漸 kā 代誌納入伊 ê 手頭.

真 ê, 伊 ná 像 koh 活 lah.今性命轉到伊 ê 身軀! 伊本成和 Connie 過彼種藝術家 kap 心靈者 ê 私人生活, 已經慢慢 teh 死. 今, hiah-ê 攏在伊去, 予去睏. 伊干焦感覺 ùi 塗炭, ùi 炭空, 性命灌入伊 ê 身軀. 礦場 ê ak-chak 空氣比酸素對伊 koh 較好. 這予伊感覺有權威. 伊 teh 做事業 ah: 伊得欲做事業 ah. 伊會贏, 會贏: 毋是伊用小說得著彼種, 彼干焦是名聲, 付出所有 ê 氣力 kap 奸詐. 欲贏一个男子漢 ê 勝利.

拄開始, 伊想講, 解決點是 tī 電力: kā 塗炭變成電力. 後來 koh 有一个新想法. 德國人發明一種毋免火力 ê 發動機, 利用一種新燃料, 少少 ê 燃料 tī 某種特別條件, ē-tàng 產生真大 ê 熱量.

這種新 ê 集中式燃料, 慢慢燒, 熱量大 ê 想法引起 Clifford ê 注意. 燒這種燃料一定有某種外來 ê 刺激, 毋是干焦靠空氣. 伊開始實驗, mā 倩一个 tī 化學研究做了袂䆀 ê 聰明少年來幫助.

Iah 伊感覺成功 lah, 感覺伊出脫 lah. 伊已經實現伊久來想欲出脫 ê 期待. 藝術無予伊成功. 藝術干焦阻擋著伊. Iah 今, 伊已經成功 lah.

伊並毋知, Bolton Tt 是 gōa-nī 扶助伊. 伊 mā 毋知家己是 gōa-nī 倚靠她. M̄-koh, 因為 chiah-ê 種種, 有一个明顯 ê 代誌, tō 是伊若 kap 她做伙,伊 ê 聲調 tō 變做自在, 親切, 甚至小可粗魯.

Kap Connie 做伙, 伊小可 tēng-tēng, 感覺逐項攏欠她, 只要她外表上尊敬伊, 伊 tō 表現出對她 ê 大大尊敬 kap 關心. M̄-koh, 真明顯, 伊 ê 內心驚她. 伊 ê 內心 ê Achilles 有一个後蹬, 這个後蹬是一个查某, 像 in 某 Connie, 會予伊跛跤 kah 欲死. 所以, 伊進入某種半順服, 半驚她 ê 狀態, 自 án-ne 對她誠體貼. 伊若 kap 她講話, 伊 ê 聲調緊張, 所以若有她在場 ê 時, 伊開始無話.

干焦當伊和 Bolton Tt 單獨做伙 ê 時, 伊才會感覺家己是主人, 是頭家, iah 伊 kap 她講話 ê 聲, tō ná 她講 ê 話, 自然 koh 流利. Iah 伊予她 kā 修面, 抑是 kā lù 身軀, tō ná 像囡仔, 真 ê, ná 像伊是一个囡仔.

--

9.5

He realized now that the bitch-goddess of Success had two main appetites: one for flattery, adulation, stroking and tickling such as writers and artists gave her; but the other a grimmer appetite for meat and bones. And the meat and bones for the bitch-goddess were provided by the men who made money in industry.


Yes, there were two great groups of dogs wrangling for the bitch-goddess: the group of the flatterers, those who offered her amusement, stories, films, plays: and the other, much less showy, much more savage breed, those who gave her meat, the real substance of money. The well-groomed showy dogs of amusement wrangled and snarled among themselves for the favours of the bitch-goddess. But it was nothing to the silent fight-to-the-death that went on among the indispensables, the bone-bringers.

But under Mrs Bolton’s influence, Clifford was tempted to enter this other fight, to capture the bitch-goddess by brute means of industrial production. Somehow, he got his pecker up.

In one way, Mrs Bolton made a man of him, as Connie never did. Connie kept him apart, and made him sensitive and conscious of himself and his own states. Mrs Bolton made him aware only of outside things. Inwardly he began to go soft as pulp. But outwardly he began to be effective.

He even roused himself to go to the mines once more: and when he was there, he went down in a tub, and in a tub he was hauled out into the workings. Things he had learned before the war, and seemed utterly to have forgotten, now came back to him. He sat there, crippled, in a tub, with the underground manager showing him the seam with a powerful torch. And he said little. But his mind began to work.

He began to read again his technical works on the coalmining industry, he studied the government reports, and he read with care the latest things on mining and the chemistry of coal and of shale which were written in German. Of course the most valuable discoveries were kept secret as far as possible. But once you started a sort of research in the field of coal-mining, a study of methods and means, a study of by-products and the chemical possibilities of coal, it was astounding the ingenuity and the almost uncanny cleverness of the modern technical mind, as if really the devil himself had lent fiend’s wits to the technical scientists of industry. It was far more interesting than art, than literature, poor emotional half-witted stuff, was this technical science of industry. In this field, men were like gods, or demons, inspired to discoveries, and fighting to carry them out. In this activity, men were beyond any mental age calculable. But Clifford knew that when it did come to the emotional and human life, these self-made men were of a mental age of about thirteen, feeble boys. The discrepancy was enormous and appalling.

But let that be. Let man slide down to general idiocy in the emotional and ‘human’ mind, Clifford did not care. Let all that go hang. He was interested in the technicalities of modern coal-mining, and in pulling Tevershall out of the hole.

He went down to the pit day after day, he studied, he put the general manager, and the overhead manager, and the underground manager, and the engineers through a mill they had never dreamed of. Power! He felt a new sense of power flowing through him: power over all these men, over the hundreds and hundreds of colliers. He was finding out: and he was getting things into his grip.

And he seemed verily to be re-born. NOW life came into him! He had been gradually dying, with Connie, in the isolated private life of the artist and the conscious being. Now let all that go. Let it sleep. He simply felt life rush into him out of the coal, out of the pit. The very stale air of the colliery was better than oxygen to him. It gave him a sense of power, power. He was doing something: and he was GOING to do something. He was going to win, to win: not as he had won with his stories, mere publicity, amid a whole sapping of energy and malice. But a man’s victory.

At first he thought the solution lay in electricity: convert the coal into electric power. Then a new idea came. The Germans invented a new locomotive engine with a self feeder, that did not need a fireman. And it was to be fed with a new fuel, that burnt in small quantities at a great heat, under peculiar conditions.

The idea of a new concentrated fuel that burnt with a hard slowness at a fierce heat was what first attracted Clifford. There must be some sort of external stimulus of the burning of such fuel, not merely air supply. He began to experiment, and got a clever young fellow, who had proved brilliant in chemistry, to help him.

And he felt triumphant. He had at last got out of himself. He had fulfilled his life-long secret yearning to get out of himself. Art had not done it for him. Art had only made it worse. But now, now he had done it.

He was not aware how much Mrs Bolton was behind him. He did not know how much he depended on her. But for all that, it was evident that when he was with her his voice dropped to an easy rhythm of intimacy, almost a trifle vulgar.

With Connie, he was a little stiff. He felt he owed her everything, and he showed her the utmost respect and consideration, so long as she gave him mere outward respect. But it was obvious he had a secret dread of her. The new Achilles in him had a heel, and in this heel the woman, the woman like Connie, his wife, could lame him fatally. He went in a certain half-subservient dread of her, and was extremely nice to her. But his voice was a little tense when he spoke to her, and he began to be silent whenever she was present.

Only when he was alone with Mrs Bolton did he really feel a lord and a master, and his voice ran on with her almost as easily and garrulously as her own could run. And he let her shave him or sponge all his body as if he were a child, really as if he were a child.

--

9.4 少年仔干焦欲愛有錢

9.4 Siàu-liân-á kan-ta boeh ài ū-chîⁿ

"Oh, bô! Seng-lí nā hó, tō bē ū hûi-hiám. M̄-koh, tāi-chì nā kú-kú bē hó-sè, hiah-ê siàu-liân-á tō khó-lêng ē khí-kông. Góa kā lí kóng, in lóng chū-su, sēng pháiⁿ. M̄-koh, góa khòaⁿ, in mā pìⁿ bô siáⁿ-mih máng. In tùi siáⁿ lóng bē jīn-chin, kan-ta ē-hiáu khiâ otobái hong-sîn, a̍h sī khì Sheffield ê Palais-de-danse bú-thiaⁿ thiàu-bú. Lí bô hoat-tō͘ hō͘ in chèng-keng khí-lâi. Khah chèng-keng ê siàu-liân chhēng àm-lé-ho̍k khì Pally bú-thiaⁿ, tī tōa tīn cha-bó͘ bīn-chêng hong-sî, koh thiàu Chaleston hit khoán sin bú. Góa chai, ū sî básuh chài móa-móa chhēng àm-lé-ho̍k ê siàu-liân, thòaⁿ-kang ê gín-á, khì Pally: koh-khah bián-kóng hiah-ê ka-tī chài cha-bó͘ sái-chhia a̍h-sī khiâ otobái khì ê. In tùi siáⁿ to bô jīn-chin... kan-ta chhù-bī Doncaster ê cháu-bé kap Derby ê pí-sài: in-ūi in ta̍k tiûⁿ lóng boeh poa̍h. Iáu ū kha-kiû! M̄-koh kha-kiû mā kap í-chêng bô kāng lah, kin-pún to bô. In kóng, sńg he siuⁿ thiám. Só͘-í, in lêng-khó tī pái-la̍k ē-tàu khiâ otobái khì Sheffield a̍h Nottingham."

"Khì kàu hia, in lóng tī hia chhòng siáⁿ?"

"Oh, sì-kè sô... khì ko-kip tê-pâng lim-tê, chhiuⁿ Mikado,... a̍h sī khì Pally, a̍h sī chhōa cha-bó͘ khì khòaⁿ tiān-iáⁿ, chhiūⁿ Empire. Cha-bó͘ kap cha-po͘ gín-á lòng sì-kè sô. In kan-ta chò in kah-ì ê tāi-chì."

"In nā bô chîⁿ thang khai ê sî, in ē án-chóaⁿ?"

"In ká-ná lóng chóng-sī ū chîⁿ. Nā bô chîⁿ tō kóng-ōe koài-koài. M̄-koh, góa khòaⁿ, in ná ū khó-lêng chiap-siū bolshevik chú-gī, in-ūi chiah-ê siàu-liân só͘ kah-ì ê kan-ta sī boeh ài ū chîⁿ thang ka-tī hiáng-siū, cha-bó͘ mā kāng-khoán, ài súi saⁿ: kî-thaⁿ ê in lóng bô chhù-bī. In bô chò-ûi siā-hōe chú-gī-chiá ê thâu-náu. In tùi só͘-ū chèng-keng ê mi̍h-kiāⁿ lóng bē jīn-chin, éng-oán to bē jīn-chin."

Connie sim siūⁿ, kē kai-kip ê lâng thiaⁿ khí-lâi kap kî-thaⁿ ê kai-kip ke̍k kāng. Ta̍k-hāng lóng kăng-kāng, m̄-koán sī Tevershall a̍h Mayfair a̍h Kensington. Kàu taⁿ, kan-ta ū chi̍t ê kai-kip: ài-chîⁿ gín-á. Ái-chîⁿ ê cha-po͘ kap ài-chîⁿ ê cha-bó͘, ûi-it ê chha-pia̍t sī lí ū gōa-chē, kap lí ài-boeh gōa-chē.

Siū tio̍h Bolton Tt ê éng-hióng, Clifford khai-sí tùi khòng-tiûⁿ ū sin ê chhù-bī. I khai-sí kám-kak che sī i ê tāi-chì, sán-seng chi̍t chióng sin ê chū-ngó͘ khéng-tēng. Chóng-kóng, tī Tevershall, i chiah sī láu-pán, thòaⁿ-khang sī i ê. Che sī chi̍t chióng khôan-ui ê kám-kak, chū-lâi i it-ti̍t kiu-kiu m̄-káⁿ siūⁿ.

Tevershall ê thòaⁿ-khang piàn sè ah. Kan-ta ū nn̄g ê khòng-tiûⁿ: Tevershall kap New London. Tevershall í-chêng sī ū-miâ ê khòng-tiûⁿ, thàn chin chē tōa chîⁿ. M̄-koh siōng hó ê ji̍t-chí í-keng kòe ah. New London m̄-bat hó-khang kòe, pêng-sî chí-sī ē-tit kòe. M̄-koh taⁿ sî-ki bái, chhiūⁿ New London chit-chióng thòaⁿ-khang lâng tō kā pàng-tiāu.

"Chin chē Tevershall ê thòaⁿ-kang lī-khui, khì Stacks Gate kap Whiteover," Bolton Tt kóng. "Lí bô khòaⁿ kòe Stacks Gate tī chiàn-āu chiah khui ê sin kang-tiûⁿ hoⁿh, Clifford Sià? Oh, chi̍t kang lí tio̍h khì, in lóng chiâⁿ sin: tōa keng hòa-ha̍k kang-chhiáng khí tī thòaⁿ-khang thâu-téng, khòaⁿ khí-lâi chi̍t tiám-á to bô sêng thòaⁿ-khang. In kóng, ùi hòa-ha̍k-phín thàn pí thô͘-thòaⁿ khah chē -- góa bē-kì-tit he hòa-ha̍k-phín sī siáⁿ. Iáu ū, kang-lâng ê sok-siā ná chhiūⁿ pia̍t-chong! Tong-jiân choân-kok ê lô-hàn-kha lóng sio-cheⁿ lâi ah. M̄-koh, Tevershall ê kang-lâng mā cháu khì hia, chò liáu bē-bái, pí lán chia ê kang-lâng koh-khah hó. In kóng, Tevershall í-keng soah ah, kiat-sok ah: koh chhun bô kúi nî, tio̍h ài koaiⁿ-mn̂g. Iah New London ē tāi-seng koaiⁿ. Láu-si̍t kóng, nā bô Tevershall thòaⁿ-khang, he tō ē bô hó-sńg. Nā ū pā-kang tō chin hāi ah, m̄-koh góa siūⁿ, nā koaiⁿ-mn̂g, tō ná chhiūⁿ sè-kài boa̍t-ji̍t ah. Góa sè-hàn sî, i sī choân-kok siōng hó ê thòaⁿ-khang, lâi chia chia̍h-thâu-lō͘ ê lâng lóng kám-kak chin hó-ūn. Oh, Tevershall bat thàn kòe chi̍t kóa chîⁿ. Iah taⁿ kang-lâng kóng chia sī teh tiâm ê chûn, í-leng kàu tio̍h lī-khui ê sî-chūn ah. Che kám m̄-sī chin khó-phà! M̄-koh, tong-jiân mā ū chin chē bô kàu put-tek-í bē lī-khui. In bô kah-ì hiah-ê sin-hêng ê khòng-tiûⁿ, ó͘ chhim-chhim, lóng iōng ki-khì chhau-chok. Ū ê lâng kiaⁿ hiah-ê thih-lâng, in án-ne chheng-ho͘ kòng thô͘-thòaⁿ ê ki-khì, che í-chêng lóng sī lâng teh chò. In mā kóng, che chin lōng-hùi. M̄-koh lōng-hùi ē-tàng ùi sin-súi séng lo̍h-lâi, án-ne iáu chhun chē-chē. Khòaⁿ khí-lâi, koh bô gōa kú, tē-bīn tō m̄-bián lâng lo̍h, ē-sái lóng iōng ki-khì. M̄-koh, in mā kóng, chá-kî pàng-tiāu lāu-sek chit-boe̍h-ki ê sî, ta̍k-ê mā-sī án-ne kóng. Góa ē-kì-tit chi̍t nn̄g tâi hit khoán lâng-kang ê ki-khì. Kóng si̍t-chāi, ki-khì lú chē, lâng mā lú chē, khòaⁿ khí-lâi sī án-ne! In kóng, lí tī Tevershall ê thô͘-thòaⁿ bē-tàng tit-tio̍h Stacks Gate tit-tio̍h ê hòa-ha̍k-phín, che chiâⁿ hó-sńg, chit nn̄g ūi sio-chha bô saⁿ mai. M̄-koh in án-ne kóng. M̄-koh ta̍k-ê lóng kóng, chin bô-chhái, ná bē-tàng kái-siān kang-lâng ê seng-oa̍h, koh chhiàⁿ-iōng cha-bó͘ kang. Hiah-ê cha-bó͘ ta̍k-kang cháu khì Sheffield se̍h-ke! Kóng si̍t-chāi, ta̍k-ê lóng kóng in kiat-sok ah, chia sī teh tiâm ê chûn, tio̍h ná niáu-chhí kín lī-khui teh tiâm ê chûn, m̄-koh Tevershall thòaⁿ-kang nā ē-tàng ū sin ê seng-oa̍h, tāi-chì tō lóng bô kāng ah. Ta̍k-ê lóng kóng, tī chiàn-cheng ê sî, chia ê seng-lí chin hó. Hit sî, Geoffrey Sià kā châi-sán kià-thok, hō͘ kim-chîⁿ eng-kiú an-choân lâu lo̍h-khì. Lâng sī án-ne kóng! M̄-koh, in koh kóng, taⁿ chú-lâng kap thâu-ke lóng tit bē tio̍h siáⁿ chîⁿ. Lí mā bē siong-sìn, kám m̄-sī! Góa chóng-sī jīn-ûi thòaⁿ-khang tio̍h kè-sio̍k, m̄-thang tn̄g. Góa sè-hàn ê sî, siáng ē siūⁿ tio̍h che! M̄-koh New England koaiⁿ-mn̂g ah, Colwick Wood mā sī: sī ah, kiâⁿ kòe sió chhiū-nâ khòaⁿ tio̍h Colwick Wood khòng-tiûⁿ hong-hùi tī chhiū-châng tiong-kan, thòaⁿ-khang hoat kah choân cha̍p-chháu, thih-ki-lō͘ seⁿ âng sian, che hō͘ lâng bô hoat-tō͘ pàng bē-kì. I tō ná sí-bông pún-sin, sí-khì ê khòng-tiûⁿ. Ai-ah, Tevershall nā koaiⁿ-mn̂g, lán boeh án-chóaⁿ hó...? He chin bô hoat-tō͘ siūⁿ. Tî liáu pā-kang, chóng-sī lâng chē-chē, pā-kang ê sî, tî-hui chîⁿ í-keng kàu chhiú, kó͘-hong-ki mā m̄-bat thêng. Góa siūⁿ, sè-kài chiâⁿ hó-sńg, lán lóng m̄-chai sî-tāi ē án-chóaⁿ piàn, chèng-keng m̄-chai."

Bolton Tt ê chiah-ê ōe hō͘ Clifford ū sin ê ì-chì. Tō ná yi kóng ê, i ê siu-ji̍p ū pó-chiong, sī ùi in lāu-pē ê sìn-thok lâi ê, sui-jiân bô chē. I só͘ chin-chiàⁿ koan-sim ê mā m̄-sī thòaⁿ-khang. I siūⁿ boeh lia̍h tio̍h ê sī lēng-gōa chi̍t ê sè-kài, sī bûn-ha̍k kap miâ-siaⁿ ê sè-kài; m̄-sī lô-tōng ê sè-kài.

Taⁿ, i bêng-pe̍k chhut-miâ ê sêng-kong kap lô-tōng ê sêng-kong án-chóaⁿ bô-kāng: hiáng-lo̍k ê kûn-chiòng kap lô-tōng ê kûn-chiòng. I kò-jîn it-ti̍t teh thê-kiong sió-soat hō͘ hiáng-lo̍k ê kûn-chiòng. I í-keng chhut-miâ lah. M̄-koh, tī hiáng-lo̍k ê kûn-chiòng ē-bīn, ū lô-tōng ê kûn-chiòng, a-cha, ak-chak, koh khióng-pò͘. In mā ū in ê su-iàu, tio̍h ū lâng thê-kiong. M̄-koh thê-kiong hō͘ lô-tōng kûn-chiòng chit ê sū-gia̍p pí hō͘ hiáng-lo̍k kûn-chiòng ke chin àm-sàm. Tng i teh siá sió-soat, tī sè-kài siōng tng teh "khí-pōng" ê sî, Tevershall soah tng teh pōng-piah.

--

9.4 少年仔干焦欲愛有錢

"Oh, 無! 生理若好, tō 袂有危險. M̄-koh, 代誌若久久袂好勢, hiah-ê 少年仔 tō 可能會起狂. 我 kā 你講, in 攏自私, 倖歹. M̄-koh, 我看, in mā pìⁿ 無啥物蠓. In 對啥攏袂認真, 干焦會曉騎 otobái 風神, 抑是去 Sheffield ê Palais-de-danse 舞廳跳舞. 你無法度予 in 正經起來. 較正經 ê 少年穿晚禮服去 Pally 舞廳, tī 大陣查某面前風神, koh 跳 Chaleston 彼款新舞. 我知, 有時 básuh 載滿滿穿晚禮服 ê 少年, 炭工 ê 囡仔, 去 Pally: koh 較免講 hiah-ê 家己載查某駛車抑是騎 otobái 去 ê. In 對啥都無認真... 干焦趣味 Doncaster ê 走馬 kap Derby ê 比賽: 因為 in 逐場攏欲跋. 猶有跤球! M̄-koh 跤球 mā kap 以前無仝 lah, 根本都無. In 講, 耍彼 siuⁿ 忝. 所以, in 寧可 tī 拜六下晝騎 otobái 去 Sheffield 抑 Nottingham."

"去到遐, in 攏 tī 遐創啥?"

"Oh, 四界趖... 去高級茶房啉茶, 像 Mikado,... 抑是去 Pally, 抑是 chhōa 查某去看電影, 像 Empire. 查某 kap 查埔囡仔攏四界趖. In 干焦做 in 佮意 ê 代誌."

"In 若無錢通開 ê 時, in 會按怎?"

"In ká-ná 攏總是有錢. 若無錢 tō 講話怪怪. M̄-koh, 我看, in ná 有可能接受 bolshevik 主義, 因為 chiah-ê 少年所佮意 ê 干焦是欲愛有錢通家己享受, 查某 mā 仝款, 愛媠衫: 其他 ê in 攏無趣味. In 無做為社會主義者 ê 頭腦. In 對所有正經 ê 物件攏袂認真, 永遠都袂認真."

Connie 心想, 低階級 ê 人聽起來 kap 其他 ê 階級極仝. 逐項攏仝仝, 毋管是 Tevershall 抑 Mayfair 抑 Kensington. 到今, 干焦有一个階級: 愛錢囡仔. 愛錢 ê 查埔 kap 愛錢 ê 查某, 唯一 ê 差別是你有偌濟, kap 你愛欲偌濟.

受著 Bolton Tt ê 影響, Clifford 開始對礦場有新 ê 趣味. 伊開始感覺這是伊 ê 代誌, 產生一種新 ê 自我肯定. 總講, tī Tevershall, 伊才是老板, 炭空是伊 ê. 這是一種權威 ê 感覺, 自來伊一直勼勼毋敢想.

Tevershall ê 炭空變細 ah. 干焦有兩个礦場: Tevershall kap New London. Tevershall 以前是有名 ê 礦場, 趁真濟大錢. M̄-koh 上好 ê 日子已經過 ah. New London m̄-bat 好空過, 平時只是會得過. M̄-koh 今時機䆀, 像 New London 這種炭空人 tō kā 放掉.

"真濟 Tevershall ê 炭工離開, 去 Stacks Gate kap Whiteover," Bolton Tt 講. "你無看過 Stacks Gate tī 戰後才開 ê 新工場 hoⁿh, Clifford Sià? Oh, 一工你著去, in 攏誠新: 大間化學工廠起 tī 炭空頭前, 看起來一點仔都無成炭空. In 講, ùi 化學品趁比塗炭較濟 -- 我袂記得彼化學品是啥. 猶有, 工人 ê 宿舍 ná 像別莊! 當然全國 ê 羅漢跤攏相爭來 ah. M̄-koh, Tevershall ê 工人 mā 走去遐, 做了袂䆀, 比咱遮 ê 工人 koh 較好. In 講, Tevershall 已經煞 ah, 結束 ah: koh 賰無幾年, 著愛關門. Iah New London 會代先關. 老實講, 若無 Tevershall 礦空, 彼 tō 會無好耍. 若有罷工 tō 真害 ah, m̄-koh 我想, 若關門, tō ná 像世界末日 ah. 我細漢時, 伊是全國上好 ê 炭空, 來遮食頭路 ê 人攏感覺真好運. Oh, Tevershall bat 趁過一寡錢. Iah 今工人講遮是 teh 沉 ê 船, 已經到著離開 ê 時陣 ah. 這敢毋是真可怕! M̄-koh, 當然 mā 有真濟無到不得已袂離開. In 無佮意 hiah-ê 新型 ê 礦場, 挖深深, 攏用機器操作. 有 ê 人驚 hiah-ê 鐵人, in án-ne 稱呼摃塗炭 ê 機器, 這以前攏是人 teh 做. In mā 講, 這真浪費. M̄-koh 浪費 ē-tàng ùi 薪水省落來, án-ne 猶賰濟濟. 看起來, koh 無偌久, 地面 tō 毋免人 loh, 會使攏用機器. M̄-koh, in mā 講, 早期放掉老式織襪機 ê 時, 逐个 mā 是 án-ne 講. 我會記得一兩台彼款人工 ê 機器. 講實在, 機器 lú 濟, 人 mā lú 濟, 看起來是 án-ne! In 講, Tevershall ê 塗炭 bē-tàng 得著 Stacks Gate 得著 ê 化學品, 這誠好耍, 這兩位相差無三 mai. M̄-koh in án-ne 講. M̄-koh 逐个攏講, 真無彩, 那 bē-tàng 改善工人 ê 生活, koh 採用查某工. Hiah-ê 查某逐工走去 Sheffield 踅街! 講實在, 逐个攏講 in 結束 ah, 遮是 teh 沉 ê 船, 著 ná niáu 鼠緊離開 teh 沉 ê 船, m̄-koh Tevershall 炭工若 ē-tàng 有新 ê 生活, 代誌 tō 攏無仝 ah. 逐个攏講, tī 戰爭 ê 時, 遮 ê 生理真好. 彼時, Geoffrey Sià kā 財產寄託, 予金錢永久安全留落去. 人是 án-ne 講! M̄-koh, in koh 講, 今主人 kap 頭家攏得袂著啥錢. 你 mā 袂相信, 敢毋是! 我總是認為炭空著繼續, 毋通斷. 我細漢 ê 時, siáng 會想著這! M̄-koh New England 關門 ah, Colwick Wood mā 是: 是 ah, 行過小樹林看著 Colwick Wood 礦場荒廢 tī 樹叢中間, 炭空發 kah 全雜草, 鐵支路生紅鉎, 這予人無法度放袂記. 伊 tō ná 死亡本身, 死去 ê 礦場. Tevershall 若關門, 咱欲按怎好...? 彼真無法度想. 除了罷工, 總是人濟濟, 罷工 ê 時, 除非錢已經到手, 鼓風機 mā m̄-bat 停. 我想, 世界誠好耍, 咱攏毋知時代會按怎變, 正經毋知."

Bolton Tt ê chiah-ê 話予 Clifford 有新 ê 意志. Tō ná 她講 ê, 伊 ê 收入有保障, 是 ùi in 老爸 ê 信託來 ê, 雖然無濟. 伊所真正關心 ê mā 毋是炭空. 伊想欲掠著 ê 是另外一个世界, 是文學 kap 名聲 ê 世界 ; 毋是勞動 ê 世界.

今, 伊明白出名 ê 成功 kap 勞動 ê 成功按怎無仝: 享樂 ê 群眾 kap 勞動 ê 群眾. 伊個人一直 teh 提供小說予享樂 ê 群眾. 伊已經出名 lah. M̄-koh, tī 享樂 ê 群眾下面, 有勞動 ê 群眾, a-cha, ak-chak, koh 恐怖. In mā 有 in ê 需要, 著有人提供. M̄-koh 提供予勞動群眾這个事業比予享樂群眾加真暗毿. 當伊 teh 寫小說, tī 世界上當 teh "起磅" ê 時, Tevershall 煞當 teh 碰壁.

--

9.4

’Oh no! Not if trade was good, there wouldn’t be. But if things were bad for a long spell, the young ones might go funny. I tell you, they’re a selfish, spoilt lot. But I don’t see how they’d ever do anything. They aren’t ever serious about anything, except showing off on motor-bikes and dancing at the Palais-de-danse in Sheffield. You can’t MAKE them serious. The serious ones dress up in evening clothes and go off to the Pally to show off before a lot of girls and dance these new Charlestons and what not. I’m sure sometimes the bus’ll be full of young fellows in evening suits, collier lads, off to the Pally: let alone those that have gone with their girls in motors or on motor-bikes. They don’t give a serious thought to a thing—save Doncaster races, and the Derby: for they all of them bet on every race. And football! But even football’s not what it was, not by a long chalk. It’s too much like hard work, they say. No, they’d rather be off on motor-bikes to Sheffield or Nottingham, Saturday afternoons.’

’But what do they do when they get there?’

’Oh, hang around—and have tea in some fine tea-place like the Mikado—and go to the Pally or the pictures or the Empire, with some girl. The girls are as free as the lads. They do just what they like.’

’And what do they do when they haven’t the money for these things?’

’They seem to get it, somehow. And they begin talking nasty then. But I don’t see how you’re going to get bolshevism, when all the lads want is just money to enjoy themselves, and the girls the same, with fine clothes: and they don’t care about another thing. They haven’t the brains to be socialists. They haven’t enough seriousness to take anything really serious, and they never will have.’

Connie thought, how extremely like all the rest of the classes the lower classes sounded. Just the same thing over again, Tevershall or Mayfair or Kensington. There was only one class nowadays: moneyboys. The moneyboy and the moneygirl, the only difference was how much you’d got, and how much you wanted.

Under Mrs Bolton’s influence, Clifford began to take a new interest in the mines. He began to feel he belonged. A new sort of self-assertion came into him. After all, he was the real boss in Tevershall, he was really the pits. It was a new sense of power, something he had till now shrunk from with dread.

Tevershall pits were running thin. There were only two collieries: Tevershall itself, and New London. Tevershall had once been a famous mine, and had made famous money. But its best days were over. New London was never very rich, and in ordinary times just got along decently. But now times were bad, and it was pits like New London that got left.

’There’s a lot of Tevershall men left and gone to Stacks Gate and Whiteover,’ said Mrs Bolton. ‘You’ve not seen the new works at Stacks Gate, opened after the war, have you, Sir Clifford? Oh, you must go one day, they’re something quite new: great big chemical works at the pit-head, doesn’t look a bit like a colliery. They say they get more money out of the chemical by-products than out of the coal—I forget what it is. And the grand new houses for the men, fair mansions! of course it’s brought a lot of riff-raff from all over the country. But a lot of Tevershall men got on there, and doin’ well, a lot better than our own men. They say Tevershall’s done, finished: only a question of a few more years, and it’ll have to shut down. And New London’ll go first. My word, won’t it be funny when there’s no Tevershall pit working. It’s bad enough during a strike, but my word, if it closes for good, it’ll be like the end of the world. Even when I was a girl it was the best pit in the country, and a man counted himself lucky if he could on here. Oh, there’s been some money made in Tevershall. And now the men say it’s a sinking ship, and it’s time they all got out. Doesn’t it sound awful! But of course there’s a lot as’ll never go till they have to. They don’t like these new fangled mines, such a depth, and all machinery to work them. Some of them simply dreads those iron men, as they call them, those machines for hewing the coal, where men always did it before. And they say it’s wasteful as well. But what goes in waste is saved in wages, and a lot more. It seems soon there’ll be no use for men on the face of the earth, it’ll be all machines. But they say that’s what folks said when they had to give up the old stocking frames. I can remember one or two. But my word, the more machines, the more people, that’s what it looks like! They say you can’t get the same chemicals out of Tevershall coal as you can out of Stacks Gate, and that’s funny, they’re not three miles apart. But they say so. But everybody says it’s a shame something can’t be started, to keep the men going a bit better, and employ the girls. All the girls traipsing off to Sheffield every day! My word, it would be something to talk about if Tevershall Collieries took a new lease of life, after everybody saying they’re finished, and a sinking ship, and the men ought to leave them like rats leave a sinking ship. But folks talk so much, of course there was a boom during the war. When Sir Geoffrey made a trust of himself and got the money safe for ever, somehow. So they say! But they say even the masters and the owners don’t get much out of it now. You can hardly believe it, can you! Why I always thought the pits would go on for ever and ever. Who’d have thought, when I was a girl! But New England’s shut down, so is Colwick Wood: yes, it’s fair haunting to go through that coppy and see Colwick Wood standing there deserted among the trees, and bushes growing up all over the pithead, and the lines red rusty. It’s like death itself, a dead colliery. Why, whatever should we do if Tevershall shut down—? It doesn’t bear thinking of. Always that throng it’s been, except at strikes, and even then the fan-wheels didn’t stand, except when they fetched the ponies up. I’m sure it’s a funny world, you don’t know where you are from year to year, you really don’t.’

It was Mrs Bolton’s talk that really put a new fight into Clifford. His income, as she pointed out to him, was secure, from his father’s trust, even though it was not large. The pits did not really concern him. It was the other world he wanted to capture, the world of literature and fame; the popular world, not the working world.

Now he realized the distinction between popular success and working success: the populace of pleasure and the populace of work. He, as a private individual, had been catering with his stories for the populace of pleasure. And he had caught on. But beneath the populace of pleasure lay the populace of work, grim, grimy, and rather terrible. They too had to have their providers. And it was a much grimmer business, providing for the populace of work, than for the populace of pleasure. While he was doing his stories, and ‘getting on’ in the world, Tevershall was going to the wall.

--

9.3 庄 ni̍h ê 人敢時行社會主義?

9.3 Chng-ni̍h ê lâng kám sî-kiâⁿ siā-hōe chú-gī?

In-ūi án-ne, chit chióng êng-ōe hō͘ lâng kiàn-siàu. Mā in-ūi án-ne, chin chē sió-soat, iû-kî sī liû-hêng sió-soat, mā hông kiàn-siàu. Tāi-chiòng taⁿ kan-ta chhù-bī khip-ín in ok-to̍k sim-lí ê mi̍h-kiāⁿ.

Put-jî-kò, ùi Bolton Tt ê êng-ōe, lán tùi Tevershall chng-kha ū sin ê khòaⁿ-hoat. Chia ê seng-oa̍h khó-phà, koh bái kah puh-pho: bô chhiūⁿ ùi gōa-kháu khòaⁿ hiah-nī pēng-tām. Clifford tong-jiân bat tōa-pō͘-hūn hông kóng tio̍h ê lâng, Connie kan-ta bat chi̍t nn̄g ê. Chiah-ê kò͘-sū bē-su hoat-seng tī Tiong Afrika ê chhiū-nâ, bô sêng sī tī England chng-kha.

"Góa siūⁿ, lí ū thiaⁿ tio̍h kóng, Allsopp Sc téng lé-pài kiat-hun lah! Siūⁿ bē-kàu! Allsopp Sc sī siu-lí phôe-ê ê lāu James Allsopp ê cha-á-kiáⁿ. In tī Pye Croft khí chi̍t keng chhù. Lāu-pē kū-nî poa̍h-tó sí khì; hit sî 83, iáu liú-lia̍h kah ná siàu-liân-ke. I sī tī Bestwood Soaⁿ ê chi̍t tiâu chi̍t kóa siàu-liân-á tī kū-nî chò ê chhu-seh-tō ku̍t-tó, phah tn̄g tōa-thúi-kut, choăn lâi sí, chiâⁿ khó-liân, mā chin kiàn-siàu. Hm, i ê ke-hóe lóng lâu hō͘ Tattie: chi̍t kak mā bô lâu hō͘ in hiah-ê hāu-seⁿ. Iah, góa chai, Tattie ke góa 5 hòe -- tio̍h, kū-nî chhiu-thiⁿ yi 53. In hiah-ê lóng chia̍h-kàu, góa kā lí kóng! Yin lāu-pē sí í-chêng yi tī Chú-ji̍t-ha̍k kà 30 nî. Āu-lâi yi khai-sí kap chi̍t ê Kinbrook lâi ê lâng kiâⁿ chin óa. Góa m̄-chai, lí kám bat hit ê lâng, kiò-chò Willcock, sī chi̍t ê phīⁿ-á âng-âng, ū hòe-thâu ê lâng, chin ū phài-thâu, tī Harrison bo̍k-châi tiūⁿ chia̍h-thâu-lō͘. Hm, i 65, iáu oa̍h leh, khòaⁿ tio̍h in chhiú-khan-chhiú, koh tī tōa mn̄g-kháu sio-chim, lí siūⁿ-kóng in sī nn̄g ê siàu-liân-ke: sī ah, tī hiòng Pye Croft Lō͘ ê thang-á téng, yi chē tī i ê kha-thúi, ta̍k-ê lóng khòaⁿ ē tio̍h. In hāu-seⁿ mā lóng 40 gōa ah lah: iah in bó͘ nn̄g nî chêng chiah sí. James Allsopp nā bô ùi bōng-á ni̍h khì kah thiàu chhut-lâi, sī in-ūi i thiàu bē chhut-lâi lah: í-chêng i sī kā yi koán chin giâm oh! Taⁿ in í-keng kiat-hun, boeh chò-hóe tòa tī Kinbrook, iah ū lâng kóng, yi tak-kang ùi chá-khí kàu àm-sî, chhēng khùn-saⁿ sì-kè se̍h, hiān-sì hiān-tak. Góa jīn-ûi, lāu-lâng án-ne chò sī chin bô thé-biān ê tāi-chì! Sī án-chóaⁿ, in pí siàu-liân lâng koh-khah chha, koh-khah hō͘ lâng thó-ià. Góa siūⁿ, he lóng sī hō͘ tiān-iáⁿ kà pháiⁿ ê, góa án-ne siūⁿ. M̄-koh, lí bô khó-lêng kìm-chí in khòaⁿ tiān-iáⁿ. Góa chóng-sī kóng: khì khòaⁿ kàu-io̍k phìⁿ, m̄-koh ūi-tio̍h hó, m̄-thang khì khòaⁿ ài-chêng phìⁿ. Chóng--sī, m̄-thang hō͘ gín-á khì! M̄-koh lí khòaⁿ, tōa-lâng pí gín-á khah chha: iah lāu-ê koh-khah m̄-chiâⁿ-kâu.

"Kóng tio̍h tō-tek! Che bô lâng koan-sim. Lâng chiàu ka-tī ì-sù chò, bô teh siūⁿ tō-tek, góa tio̍h án-ne kóng. M̄-koh, kīn-lâi in tio̍h khah kiám-tiám leh, taⁿ thòaⁿ-khang seng-lí bô hó, in thàn bô chîⁿ. In ê bâi-oàn chin khó-phà, iû-kî sī cha-bó͘ lâng. Cha-po͘ lâng chin hó, koh ū nāi-sim! In ē-tàng án-chóaⁿ, khó-liân ê lâng ah! M̄-koh cha-bó͘ lâng neh, oh, yin m̄-goān soah! Yin sì-kè khì hong-sîn, yin tàu-chîⁿ bé Mary Kong-chú kiat-hun ê lé-bu̍t, tán yin khòaⁿ tio̍h Kong-chú tit-tio̍h ê hiah-ê tōa lé-bu̍t ê sî, yin khì kah: yi sī siáng ah, ná ē pí pa̍t-lâng lóng khah hó? Sī án-chóaⁿ Swan & Edgar Kong-si sàng yi 6 niá phôe-tōa-i, 1 niá mā m̄ sàng góa. Góa hiō-hóe góa chhut 10 shilling! Góa boeh chai, yi ē sàng góa siáⁿ? Goán lāu-pē chò kah hiah phah-piàⁿ, góa liân chi̍t niá sin ê chhun-thiⁿ gōa-thò to tit bē tio̍h, iah yi tit-tio̍h kúi-nā chhia. Taⁿ tio̍h hō͘ sàn-chhià lâng ū chîⁿ thang khai, hó-gia̍h lâng í-keng hó-gia̍h siuⁿ kú ah lah. Góa boeh ài sin ê chhun-thiⁿ gōa-thò, góa chin-chiàⁿ su-iàu, góa tio̍h khì tó-ūi tit tio̍h he? Góa kā yin kóng, ài kám-un lah, bô chiah-ê sin ê chng-thāⁿ, lín lóng í-keng chia̍h ē pá, chhēng ē sio lah! Yin tō kă ìn kóng: 'Mary Kong-chú ná m̄ kám-un chhēng phòa-saⁿ koh bô pòaⁿ hāng! Chhiūⁿ Kong-chú chit chióng lâng tit-tio̍h kúi-nā chhia, góa liân chi̍t niá sin ê chhun-thiⁿ gōa-thò to bô. Che chiâⁿ kiàn-siàu. Kong-chú ah! Kong-chú ná ē chiah hú-pāi! Lóng sī in-ūi chîⁿ, in-ūi yi ū chē-chē chîⁿ, in tō hō͘ yi koh-khah chē! Bô lâng hō͘ góa chîⁿ, m̄-koh góa kap pa̍t-lâng ū kāng-khoán ê khoân-lī. Mài kă kóng kàu-io̍k. Chîⁿ chiah sī iáu-kín. Góa su-iàu chi̍t niá sin ê chhun-thiⁿ gōa-thò. Góa su-iàu, m̄-koh góa tit bē tio̍h, in-ūi góa bô chîⁿ...'

"Yin só͘ koan-sim ê, tō sī ho̍k-chong. Yin chhut-chhiú tō sī chhit-pe̍h ê kim-pè khì bé kôaⁿ-thiⁿ gōa-thò -- thòaⁿ-kang ê cha-á-kiáⁿ, lí ài chai -- nn̄g ê kim-pè khì bé gín-á bō-á. Yin tō tì nn̄g ê kim-pè ê bō-á khì kàu-tn̂g, tī goán hit ê sî-tāi, cha-á-gín-á nā ū 3 a̍h 6 shilling ê bō-á thang tì tō chin hi-hán ah. Góa thiaⁿ-kóng, kin-nî tī kàu-hōe pān chiu-nî-hōe ê sî, in ū chi̍t ê khòaⁿ-tâi chē Chú-ji̍t-ha̍k ê gín-á, tō sī hit-chióng koân boeh kàu thian-pông ê tâi-á, góa thiaⁿ Thompson Tt kóng, yin Chú-ji̍t-ha̍k chē tī hit ê khòaⁿ-tâi ê it-nî-á cha-bó͘ ha̍k-seng ê ho̍k-chong, siōng-bô kè-ta̍t 1,000 eng-pòng! Chit-má ê sî-ki sī chit-khoán! M̄-koh lí mā bô hoat-tō͘ kā chó͘-tòng. Yin lóng teh siáu ho̍k-chong. Iah cha-pó͘ gín-á mā kāng-khoán. In kā chîⁿ lóng khai tī ka-tī sin--siōng, tī Thòaⁿ-kang Hok-lī-siā bé saⁿ, bé hun, bé chiú, chi̍t lé-pài koh khì Sheffield nn̄g-saⁿ pái. Ai-ah, sè-kài bô kāng lah. In siáⁿ to m̄-kiaⁿ, siáⁿ to bô chun-tiōng, siàu-liân--ê lóng bô. Ū-hòe ê cha-po͘ ū nāi-sim koh hó-lé, chin--ê, in hāng-hāng lóng niū cha-bó͘. Tō sī án-ne, tāi-chì chiah piàⁿ kah chhiūⁿ taⁿ án-ne. Cha-bó͘ sī chin ê ok-mô͘. Siàu-liân-ke mā lóng bô chhiūⁿ in lāu-pē ah. In m̄-goān chia̍h-khó͘, hi-seng, in m̄: in kan-ta kò͘ ka-tī. Lí nā khǹg in tio̍h khiām-chîⁿ thang khiāⁿ-ke, in kóng: He bián tio̍h-kip, bián kín-tiuⁿ, góa taⁿ seng hiáng-siū chi̍t-ē. Kî-thaⁿ--ê, koh tán leh. Oh, in chiâⁿ chho͘-ló͘, chiâⁿ chū-su, lí ē-sái án-ne kóng. It-chhè ê it-chhè lóng khò lāu--ê, án-ne khòaⁿ, chiân-tô͘ sī chin mái."

Clifford khai-sí tùi i ka-tī ê chng ū sin ê siūⁿ-hoat. Chit só͘-chāi it-ti̍t hō͘ i kám-kak kiaⁿ-hiâⁿ, m̄-koh i jīn-ûi iáu sǹg ún-tēng. Taⁿ...?

"Chng-ni̍h ê lâng kám sî-kiâⁿ Siā-hōe Chú-gī, Bolshevik Chú-gī?" i mn̄g.

"Oh!" Bolton Tt kóng, "Ū kúi ê teh hoah, m̄-koh in tōa pō͘-hūn sī khiàm chîⁿ ê cha-bó͘ lâng. Cha-pō͘ ê bô teh chhap che. Góa bô siong-sìn lí ē-tàng kā Tevershall ê cha-po͘ piàn âng. In bô hiah hā-liû. M̄-koh, siàu-liân-á ū-sî ē nauh chi̍t-ē. Mā m̄-sī kóng, in chèng-keng ū hit ê sim. In kan-ta siūⁿ boeh lak-tē-á ū kóa chîⁿ, thang khì Hok-lī-siā khai, a̍h-sī khì Sheffield siáu. Che chiah sī in só͘ koan-sim ê. In nā bô chîⁿ, in tō ē khì thiaⁿ âng-tóng ê lâng chhàu-tōaⁿ. M̄-koh, bô lâng chin-chiàⁿ siong-sìn he."

"Só͘-í, lí jīn-ûi bô siáⁿ hûi-hiám?"

--

9.3 庄 ni̍h ê 人敢時行社會主義?

因為 án-ne, 這種閒話予人見笑. Mā 因為 án-ne, 真濟小說, 尤其是流行小說, mā hông 見笑. 大眾今干焦趣味吸引 in 惡毒心理 ê 物件.

不而過, ùi Bolton Tt ê 閒話, 咱對 Tevershall 庄跤有新 ê 看法. 遮 ê 生活可怕, koh 䆀 kah puh 波: 無像 ùi 外口看 hiah-nī 平淡. Clifford 當然 bat 大部份 hông 講著 ê 人, Connie 干焦 bat 一兩个. Chiah-ê 故事袂輸發生 tī 中 Afrika ê 樹林, 無成是 tī England 庄跤.

"我想, 你有聽著講, Allsopp Sc 頂禮拜結婚 lah! 想袂到! Allsopp Sc 是修理皮鞋 ê 老 James Allsopp ê 查仔囝. In tī Pye Croft 起一間厝. 老爸舊年跋倒死去; 彼時 83, 猶扭掠 kah ná 少年家. 伊是 tī Bestwood 山 ê 一條一寡少年仔 tī 舊年做 ê 趨雪道滑倒, 拍斷大腿骨, choăn 來死, 誠可憐, mā 真見笑. Hm, 伊 ê 家伙攏留予 Tattie: 一角 mā 無留予 in hiah-ê 後生. Iah, 我知, Tattie 加我 5 歲 -- 著, 舊年秋天她 53. In hiah-ê 攏食教, 我 kā 你講! 姻老爸死以前她 tī 主日學教 30 年. 後來她開始 kap 一个 Kinbrook 來 ê 人行真倚. 我毋知, 你敢 bat 彼个人, 叫做 Willcock, 是一个鼻仔紅紅, 有歲頭 ê 人, 真有派頭, tī Harrison 木材場食頭路. Hm, 伊 65, 猶活 leh, 看著 in 手牽手, koh tī 大門口相唚, 你想講 in 是兩个少年家: 是 ah, tī 向 Pye Croft 路 ê 窗仔頂, 她坐 tī 伊 ê 跤腿, 逐个攏看會著. In 後生 mā 攏 40 外 ah lah: iah in 某兩年前才死. James Allsopp 若無 ùi 墓仔 ni̍h 氣 kah 跳出來, 是因為伊跳袂出來 lah: 以前伊是 kā 她管真嚴 oh! 今 in 已經結婚, 欲做伙蹛 tī Kinbrook, iah 有人講, 她逐工 ùi 早起到暗時, 穿睏衫四界踅, 現世現觸. 我認為, 老人 án-ne 做是真無體面 ê 代誌! 是按怎, in 比少年人 koh 較差, koh 較予人討厭. 我想, 彼攏是予電影教歹 ê, 我 án-ne 想. M̄-koh, 你無可能禁止 in 看電影. 我總是講: 去看教育片, m̄-koh 為著好, 毋通去看愛情片. 總是, 毋通予囡仔去! M̄-koh 你看, 大人比囡仔較差: iah 老 ê koh 較毋成猴.

"講著道德! 這無人關心. 人照家己意思做, 無 teh 想道德, 我著 án-ne 講. M̄-koh, 近來 in 著較檢點 leh, 今炭空生理無好, in 趁無錢. In ê 埋怨真可怕, 尤其是查某人. 查埔人真好, koh 有耐心! In ē-tàng 按怎, 可憐 ê 人 ah! M̄-koh 查某人 neh, oh, 姻毋願煞! 姻四界去風神, 姻鬥錢買 Mary 公主結婚 ê 禮物, 等姻看著公主得著 ê hiah-ê 大禮物 ê 時, 姻氣 kah: 她是 siáng ah, 那會比別人攏較好? 是按怎 Swan & Edgar 公司送她 6 領皮大衣, 1 領 mā 毋送我. 我後悔我出 10 shilling! 我欲知, 她會送我啥? 阮老爸做 kah hiah 拍拚, 我連一領新 ê 春天外套都得袂著, iah 她得著幾若車. 今著予散赤人有錢通開, 好額人已經好額 siuⁿ 久 ah lah. 我欲愛新 ê 春天外套, 我真正需要, 我著去佗位得著彼? 我 kā 姻講, 愛感恩 lah, 無 chiah-ê 新 ê chng-thāⁿ, 恁攏已經食會飽, 穿會燒 lah! 姻 tō kă 應講: 'Mary 公主那毋感恩穿破衫 koh 無半項! 像公主這種人得著幾若車, 我連一領新 ê 春天外套都無. 這誠見笑. 公主 ah! 公主那會 chiah 腐敗! 攏是因為錢, 因為她有濟濟錢, in tō 予她 koh 較濟! 無人予我錢, m̄-koh 我 kap 別人有仝款 ê 權利. 莫 kă 講教育. 錢才是要緊. 我需要一領新 ê 春天外套. 我需要, m̄-koh 我得袂著, 因為我無錢...'

"姻所關心 ê, tō 是服裝. 姻出手 tō 是七八个金幣去買寒天外套 -- 炭工 ê 查仔囝, 你愛知 -- 兩个金幣去買囡仔帽仔. 姻 tō 戴兩个金幣 ê 帽仔去教堂, tī 阮彼个時代, 查仔囡仔若有 3 抑 6 shilling ê 帽仔通戴 tō 真稀罕 ah. 我聽講, 今年 tī 教會辦周年會 ê 時, in 有一个看台坐主日學 ê 囡仔, tō 是彼種懸欲到天篷 ê 台仔, 我聽 Thompson Tt 講, 姻主日學坐 tī 彼个看台 ê 一年仔查某學生 ê 服裝, 上無價值 1,000 英鎊! 這馬 ê 時機是這款! M̄-koh 你 mā 無法度 kā 阻擋. 姻攏 teh 痟服裝. Iah 查埔囡仔 mā 仝款. In kā 錢攏開 tī 家己身上, tī 炭空福利社買衫, 買薰, 買酒, 一禮拜 koh 去 Sheffield 兩三擺. Ai-ah, 世界無仝 lah. In 啥都毋驚, 啥都無尊重, 少年 ê 攏無. 有歲 ê 查埔有耐心 koh 好禮, 真 ê, in 項項攏讓查某. Tō 是 án-ne, 代誌才變 kah 像今 án-ne. 查某是真 ê 惡魔. 少年家 mā 攏無像 in 老爸 ah. In 毋願食苦, 犠牲, in 毋: in 干焦顧家己. 你若勸 in 著儉錢通徛家, in 講: 彼免著急, 免緊張, 我今先享受一下. 其他 ê, koh 等 leh. Oh, in 誠粗魯, 誠自私, 你會使 án-ne 講. 一切 ê 一切攏靠老 ê, án-ne 看, 前途是真䆀."

Clifford 開始對伊家己 ê 庄有新 ê 想法. 這所在一直予伊感覺驚惶, m̄-koh 伊認為猶算穩定. 今...?

"庄 ni̍h ê 人敢時行社會主義, Bolshevik 主義?" 伊問.

"Oh!" Bolton Tt 講, "有幾个 teh 喝, m̄-koh in 大部份是欠錢 ê 查某人. 查埔 ê 無 teh chhap 這. 我無相信你 ē-tàng kā Tevershall ê 查埔變紅. In 無 hiah 下流. M̄-koh, 少年仔有時會 nauh 一下. Mā 毋是講, in 正經有彼个心. In 干焦想欲 lak 袋仔有寡錢, 通去福利社開, 抑是去 Sheffield 痟. 這才是 in 所關心 ê. In 若無錢, in tō 會去聽紅黨 ê 人臭彈. M̄-koh, 無人真正相信彼."

"所以, 你認為無啥危險?"

--

9.3

For this reason, the gossip was humiliating. And for the same reason, most novels, especially popular ones, are humiliating too. The public responds now only to an appeal to its vices.

Nevertheless, one got a new vision of Tevershall village from Mrs Bolton’s talk. A terrible, seething welter of ugly life it seemed: not at all the flat drabness it looked from outside. Clifford of course knew by sight most of the people mentioned, Connie knew only one or two. But it sounded really more like a Central African jungle than an English village.

’I suppose you heard as Miss Allsopp was married last week! Would you ever! Miss Allsopp, old James’ daughter, the boot-and-shoe Allsopp. You know they built a house up at Pye Croft. The old man died last year from a fall; eighty-three, he was, an’ nimble as a lad. An’ then he slipped on Bestwood Hill, on a slide as the lads ‘ad made last winter, an’ broke his thigh, and that finished him, poor old man, it did seem a shame. Well, he left all his money to Tattie: didn’t leave the boys a penny. An’ Tattie, I know, is five years— yes, she’s fifty-three last autumn. And you know they were such Chapel people, my word! She taught Sunday school for thirty years, till her father died. And then she started carrying on with a fellow from Kinbrook, I don’t know if you know him, an oldish fellow with a red nose, rather dandified, Willcock, as works in Harrison’s woodyard. Well he’s sixty-five, if he’s a day, yet you’d have thought they were a pair of young turtle-doves, to see them, arm in arm, and kissing at the gate: yes, an’ she sitting on his knee right in the bay window on Pye Croft Road, for anybody to see. And he’s got sons over forty: only lost his wife two years ago. If old James Allsopp hasn’t risen from his grave, it’s because there is no rising: for he kept her that strict! Now they’re married and gone to live down at Kinbrook, and they say she goes round in a dressing-gown from morning to night, a veritable sight. I’m sure it’s awful, the way the old ones go on! Why they’re a lot worse than the young, and a sight more disgusting. I lay it down to the pictures, myself. But you can’t keep them away. I was always saying: go to a good instructive film, but do for goodness sake keep away from these melodramas and love films. Anyhow keep the children away! But there you are, grown-ups are worse than the children: and the old ones beat the band.

'Talk about morality! Nobody cares a thing. Folks does as they like, and much better off they are for it, I must say. But they’re having to draw their horns in nowadays, now th’ pits are working so bad, and they haven’t got the money. And the grumbling they do, it’s awful, especially the women. The men are so good and patient! What can they do, poor chaps! But the women, oh, they do carry on! They go and show off, giving contributions for a wedding present for Princess Mary, and then when they see all the grand things that’s been given, they simply rave: who’s she, any better than anybody else! Why doesn’t Swan & Edgar give me ONE fur coat, instead of giving her six. I wish I’d kept my ten shillings! What’s she going to give me, I should like to know? Here I can’t get a new spring coat, my dad’s working that bad, and she gets van-loads. It’s time as poor folks had some money to spend, rich ones ‘as ‘ad it long enough. I want a new spring coat, I do, an’ wheer am I going to get it? I say to them, be thankful you’re well fed and well clothed, without all the new finery you want! And they fly back at me: ‘’Why isn’t Princess Mary thankful to go about in her old rags, then, an’ have nothing! Folks like HER get van-loads, an’ I can’t have a new spring coat. It’s a damned shame. Princess! Bloomin’ rot about Princess! It’s munney as matters, an’ cos she’s got lots, they give her more! Nobody’s givin’ me any, an’ I’ve as much right as anybody else. Don’t talk to me about education. It’s munney as matters. I want a new spring coat, I do, an’ I shan’t get it, cos there’s no munney...’

’That’s all they care about, clothes. They think nothing of giving seven or eight guineas for a winter coat—colliers’ daughters, mind you—and two guineas for a child’s summer hat. And then they go to the Primitive Chapel in their two-guinea hat, girls as would have been proud of a three-and-sixpenny one in my day. I heard that at the Primitive Methodist anniversary this year, when they have a built-up platform for the Sunday School children, like a grandstand going almost up to th’ ceiling, I heard Miss Thompson, who has the first class of girls in the Sunday School, say there’d be over a thousand pounds in new Sunday clothes sitting on that platform! And times are what they are! But you can’t stop them. They’re mad for clothes. And boys the same. The lads spend every penny on themselves, clothes, smoking, drinking in the Miners’ Welfare, jaunting off to Sheffield two or three times a week. Why, it’s another world. And they fear nothing, and they respect nothing, the young don’t. The older men are that patient and good, really, they let the women take everything. And this is what it leads to. The women are positive demons. But the lads aren’t like their dads. They’re sacrificing nothing, they aren’t: they’re all for self. If you tell them they ought to be putting a bit by, for a home, they say: That’ll keep, that will, I’m goin’ t’ enjoy myself while I can. Owt else’ll keep! Oh, they’re rough an’ selfish, if you like. Everything falls on the older men, an’ it’s a bad outlook all round.’

Clifford began to get a new idea of his own village. The place had always frightened him, but he had thought it more or less stable. Now—?

’Is there much Socialism, Bolshevism, among the people?’ he asked.


’Oh!’ said Mrs Bolton, ‘you hear a few loud-mouthed ones. But they’re mostly women who’ve got into debt. The men take no notice. I don’t believe you’ll ever turn our Tevershall men into reds. They’re too decent for that. But the young ones blether sometimes. Not that they care for it really. They only want a bit of money in their pocket, to spend at the Welfare, or go gadding to Sheffield. That’s all they care. When they’ve got no money, they’ll listen to the reds spouting. But nobody believes in it, really.’

’So you think there’s no danger?’

--