3.3 彼个面 充滿痛苦

3.3 Hit-ê bīn chhiong-móa thòng-khó͘

Iû-kî tī hit-sî, York Kong-chiok chhut-hiān tī kong-chiòng bīn-chêng. I ū lêng-le̍k, lí-tì, ū éng-hióng-le̍k, ū thian-hūn, pún-sin tō sī chi̍t-ê úi-tāi ê ông-chú, koh tī hoeh-me̍h sī Richard II ê kè-sêng jîn. Hoān-sè in bô hi-bāng York chhú-tāi khó-liân koh gû-gōng ê Henry, tān in tek-khak hi-bāng i lâi chiap-koán kok-ka, chéng-lí loān-kio̍k.

York ū án-ne chhì, soah lâi sí tī chiàn-tiûⁿ, kiat-kó i ê chhù-lāi lâng khai chēx sî-kan teh liû-bông a̍h pī-lān.

M̄-koh, tán hūn-loān kap hoah-hiu kòe-khì liáu-āu, chē tī England ông-chō ê sī hit-ê tī hit-tiûⁿ chhia-piàⁿ tiong-kan kap i tâng-chê chiàn-tàu ê hāu-seⁿ. Chit-ê kok-ka tī i ê thóng-tī hā, koh-chài an-tēng lo̍h-lâi. I tō sī Edward IV: chi̍t-ê koân-tōa, kim-mo͘, hòⁿ-sek, kài ian-tâu, tān iū-koh ke̍k cheng-bêng ê siàu-liân lâng.

Che tō sī Grant tùi Mûi-kùi Chiàn-cheng só͘ ē-tit lí-kái ê ke̍k-hān ah lah.

I ùi chheh taⁿ-thâu, hoat-hiān Hō͘-lí Tiúⁿ khiā tī pâng-keng tiong-ng.

“Góa ū khok-mn̂g neh,” yi kóng, “m̄-koh lí khòaⁿ-chheh khòaⁿ kah sîn khì.” Yi khiā hia, sán-thiu, léng-tām; tō ná Marta hit-iūⁿ, yi ū ka-tī ê iu-ngá hong-keh; chhun-chhut pe̍h chhiú-ńg ê hit-siang chhiú khinx kau-thia̍p tī sok-kiat ê io thâu-chêng; yi ê pe̍h-sek thâu-kin sàn-hoat chhut put-chīn ê chong-giâm; yi ûi-it ê chng-thāⁿ sī he tāi-piáu bûn-pîn ê sióx hui-chiong. Grant hòⁿ-kî, chit sè-kài kám ū pí tōa pēⁿ-īⁿ hō͘-lí tiúⁿ só͘ piáu-hiān chhut-lâi ê, koh-khah kian-tēng ún-tàng ê chu-thài.

“Góa teh bê le̍k-sú neh,” i kóng. “Taⁿ chiah khai-sí, ū khah bān ah.” 

“Chiâⁿ hó ê soán-te̍k,” yi kóng. “He hō͘ lâng khòaⁿ tāi-chì khah chai khin-tāng. Khòaⁿ tio̍h ōe-siōng ê sî yi ê ba̍k-chiu kim chi̍t-ē, sòa-loeh án-ne kóng: “Lí sī York a̍h Lancaster?” 

“Sī kóng, lí ē jīn-tit chit-tiuⁿ ōe-siōng?”

“Oh, ē jīn-tit. Tī iáu sī si̍t-si̍p hō͘-sū ê sî, góa chhiâng-chāi khì Kok-li̍p Siàu-siōng Koán. Tùi bô siáⁿ chîⁿ, kín kha sng ê góa, he Gē-su̍t Koán un-loán koh an-chēng, koh ū chin chē í-á thang chē.”

Yi bîx-á chhiò chi̍t-ē, ùi chit-chūn ê sin-hūn tē-ūi siūⁿ khí kòe-khì hit-ê siàu-liân, phî-lô, jīn-chin ê ka-tī.

“Góa kah-ì Siàu-siōng Koán, in-ūi he ê kám-kak bē khah su tha̍k le̍k-sú. Só͘-ū hiah-ê Tōa jîn-bu̍t tī in ê ji̍t-chí hoah chúi ē kian-tàng. Taⁿ kan-ta chhun miâ niāx. Kan-ta ōe-pò͘ kap gân-liāu. Hit sî-chūn, góa chhiâng-chāi khòaⁿ tio̍h chit-tiuⁿ ōe-siōng.” Yi kā chù-ì oa̍t hiòng hit-tiuⁿ tô͘. “Chi̍t-ê siōng bô khoài-lo̍k ê lâng.” yi kóng.

“Góa ê gōa-kho i-su jīn-ûi he sī sió-jî bâ-pì.” 

“Sió-jî bâ-pì?” yi siūⁿ chi̍t-ē. “Hoān-sè. Góa í-chêng bô án-ne siūⁿ kòe. M̄-koh chāi góa khòaⁿ, he chóng-sī khòaⁿ khí-lâi ke̍k iu-chhiû. He sī góa khòaⁿ kòe siōng-kài chhiû-khó͘ ê bīn – góa khòaⁿ kòe ê bīn chēx leh.” 

“Lí jīn-ûi chit-pak tô͘ sī tī bô͘-sat àn í-āu chiah ōe ê?” 

“Oh, sī. Chin bêng-hián. I m̄-sī chhìn-chhái chò tāi-chì hit-chióng hêng ê lâng. Chiū i ê phín-keh lâi kóng. I pit-tēng chheng-chhó, hit-lō chō͘e-hêng ū gōa-nī chhim-tāng.” 

“Lí jīn-ûi i sio̍k tī hit-chióng ē liông-sim put-an ê lâng?” 

“Án-ne kóng chin súi-khùi! Tio̍h. Sī hit-chióng ke̍k-tō͘ kî-bōng boeh-ài siáⁿ, jiân-āu chiah hoat-hiān ūi he hù-chhut ê tāi-kè siuⁿ koân ê lâng.” 

“Só͘-í, lí bô jīn-ûi i sī choân-jiân ê pháiⁿ-lâng.” 

“Bô; i m̄-sī. Pháiⁿ-lâng bē siū-khó͘, á i hit-ê bīn chhiong-móa khó-phà ê thòng-khó͘.” In tiāmx khòaⁿ hit-tiuⁿ ōe-siōng chi̍t tōa khùn.

“He tiāⁿ-tio̍h sī pò-èng, lí chai lah hoⁿh? Tī hiah té sî-kan sit-khì i ê ko͘-kiáⁿ. Jiân-āu in bó͘ koh lâi sí. Tī hiah té sî-kan toa̍t-cháu i ka-tī kò-jîn ê sè-kài. Khòaⁿ khí-lâi, he tô͘ ná chhiūⁿ Sîn teh chú-chhî chèng-gī.”

“I kám ū teh koan-sim in bó͘?”

“Yi sī i ê thiāu-lāi (祧內) piáu-mōe [yin lāu-pē kap in lāu-bú sī chek-peh hiaⁿ-mōe], in chū gín-á sî tō sio-bat. Só͘-í m̄-koán i sī m̄-sī ài yi, tùi i lâi kóng, yi pit-tēng sī i ê phōaⁿ-lū. Góa siūⁿ, tùi chē tī ông-ūi ê lâng, ū lâng chò-phōaⁿ sī lân-tit ê hok-ūn. Taⁿ góa tio̍h lâi khì ah, khì khòaⁿ góa ê pēⁿ-īⁿ án-chóaⁿ ah. Góa iáu-bōe mn̄g lí, góa boeh lâi mn̄g ê būn-tê neh. Kin-á chá-khí lí ê kám-kak án-chóaⁿ? M̄-koh, lí tùi chi̍t-ê í-keng sí 400 nî ê lâng iáu-koh chiah-nī chhù-bī, che sī chi̍t-ê hui-siông kiān-khong ê sìn-hō.”

Chū i tē-it ba̍k khòaⁿ-tio̍h yi, yi iáu bô sóa-ūi. Taⁿ yi lō͘-chhut chhiánx, pì-sù ê bî-chhiò, siang-chhiú iáu sī khinx sio-tha̍h tī io-tòa khian-á thâu-chêng, sóa-pō͘ kiâⁿ hiòng mn̂g khì. Yi ū chi̍t-chióng chhiau-hoân ê tiām-chēng. Ná chhiūⁿ siu-lú. Ná chhiūⁿ lú-ông.

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3.3 彼个面 充滿痛苦

尤其 tī 彼時, York 公爵出現 tī 公眾面前. 伊有能力, 理智, 有影響力, 有天份, 本身 tō 是 一个偉大 ê 王子, koh tī 血脈是 Richard II ê 繼承人. 凡勢 in 無希望 York 取代 可憐 koh 愚戇 ê Henry, 但 in 的確希望 伊來 接管國家, 整理亂局.

York 有 án-ne 試, 煞來 死 tī 戰場, 結果 伊 ê 厝內人 開 chēx 時間 teh 流亡 a̍h 避難.

毋過, 等混亂 kap 喝咻 過去了後, 坐 tī England 王座 ê是 彼个 tī hit 場 捙拚中間 kap 伊 同齊戰鬥 ê 後生. 這个國家 tī 伊 ê 統治下, 閣再 安定落來. 伊 tō 是 Edward IV: 一个 懸大, 金毛, 好色, kài 嫣投, 但 又閣 極精明 ê 少年人.

Che tō 是 Grant對 玫瑰戰爭 所 會得理解 ê 極限 ah lah.

伊 ùi 冊 taⁿ 頭, 發現 護理長 徛 tī 房間中央.

“我有 硞門 neh,” 她講, “毋過 你看冊 看 kah 神去.”

她徛 hia, 瘦抽, 冷淡; tō ná Marta 彼樣, 她有 ka-tī ê 優雅風格; 伸出 白手䘼 ê hit 雙手 khinx 交疊 tī 束結 ê 腰 頭前; 她 ê 白色頭巾 散發出 不盡 ê 莊嚴; 她唯一 ê 妝thāⁿ 是 he 代表文憑 ê sióx 徽章. Grant 好奇, chit 世界 敢有 比大病院 護理長 所表現出來 ê, 閣較 堅定穩當 ê 姿態.

“我 teh 迷歷史 neh,” 伊講. “今才開始, 有較慢 ah.”

“誠好 ê 選擇,” 她講. “He hō͘ 人 看代誌 較知輕重. 看著畫像 ê 時 她 ê 目睭 金一下, 紲 loeh án-ne 講: “你是 York a̍h Lancaster?”

“是講, 你會認得 chit 張畫像?”

“Oh, 會認得. Tī 猶是 實習護士 ê 時, 我常在去 國立肖像館. 對無啥錢, 緊跤酸 ê 我, he 藝術館 溫暖 koh 安靜, koh 有真濟 椅仔 thang 坐.” 

她 bîx-á 笑一下, ùi 這陣 ê 身份地位 想起 過去 彼个少年, 疲勞, 認真 ê ka-tī. 

“我佮意 肖像館, 因為 he ê 感覺 袂較輸 讀歷史. 所有 hiah-ê 大人物 tī in ê 日子 喝水 會堅凍. 今 干焦 賰名 niāx. 干焦畫布 kap 顏料. 彼時陣, 我常在 看著 這張畫像.” 她 kā 注意 越向 彼張圖. “一个 上無快樂 ê 人.” 她講.

“我 ê 外科醫師 認為 he 是 小兒麻痺.”

“小兒麻痺?” 她想一下. “凡勢. 我以前 無 án-ne 想過. 毋過 在我看,  he 總是 看起來 極憂愁. He 是 我看過 siōng-kài 愁苦 ê 面 - 我看過 ê 面 chēx leh.”

“你認為 這幅圖 是 tī 謀殺案 以後 才畫 ê?”

“Oh, 是. 真明顯. 伊毋是 凊彩 做代誌 彼種型 ê 人. 就伊 ê 品格 來講. 伊必定 清楚, 彼號罪行 有 gōa-nī 深重.”

“你認為 伊屬 tī 彼種會 良心不安 ê 人?”

“Án-ne 講 真媠氣! 著. 是彼種 極度期望 欲愛啥, 然後 才發現 為 he 付出 ê 代價 siuⁿ 懸 ê 人.”

“所以, 你無認為 伊是 全然 ê 歹人.”

“無; 伊毋是. 歹人 袂受苦, á 伊彼个面 充滿 可怕 ê 痛苦.”

In tiāmx 看 彼張畫像 一大睏.

“He 定著是 報應, 你知 lah hoⁿh? Tī hiah 短時間 失去 伊 ê 孤囝. 然後 in 某 koh 來死. Tī hiah 短時間 奪走 伊 ka-tī 個人 ê 世界. 看起來, he 圖 ná 像 神 teh 主持正義.”

“伊敢有 teh 關心 in 某?”

“她是 伊 ê thiāu-lāi (祧內) 表妹 [姻老爸 kap in 老母 是 叔伯兄妹], in 自囡仔時 tō sio-bat. 所以 毋管伊 是毋是 愛她, 對伊 來講, 她必定是 伊 ê 伴侶. 我想, 對坐 tī 王位 ê 人, 有人做伴 是 難得 ê 福運. 今 我著來去 ah, 去看 我 ê 病院按怎 ah. 我猶未 問你, 我欲來 問 ê 問題 neh. 今仔早起 你 ê 感覺按怎? 毋過, 你對 一个 已經死 400 年 ê 人 猶閣 chiah-nī 趣味, 這是 一个 非常健康 ê 信號.”

自伊 第一目 看著她, 她猶無 徙位. 今 她露出 chhiánx, pì-sù ê 微笑, 雙手猶是 khinx 相疊 tī 腰帶圈仔 頭前, 徙步 行向 門去. 她有 一種 超凡 ê 恬靜. Ná 像修女. Ná 像女王.

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3.3

Especially since there, before their eyes, was the Duke of York. Able, sensible, influential, gifted, a great prince in his own right, and by blood the heir of Richard II. They might not desire that York should take the place of poor silly Henry, but they did wish that he would take over the running of the country and clean up the mess.

York tried it, and died in battle for his pains, and his family spent much time in exile or sanctuary as a result.

But when the tumult and the shouting was all over,[Pg 48] there on the throne of England was the son who had fought alongside him in that struggle, and the country settled back happily under that tall, flaxen, wenching, exceedingly beautiful but most remarkably shrewd young man, Edward IV.

And that was as near as Grant would ever come to understanding the Wars of the Roses.

He looked up from his book to find Matron standing in the middle of the room.

‘I did knock,’ she said, ‘but you were lost in your book.’

She stood there, slender and remote; as elegant in her way as Marta was; her white-cuffed hands clasped loosely in front of her narrow waist; her white veil spreading itself in imperishable dignity; her only ornament the small silver badge of her diploma. Grant wondered if there was anywhere in this world a more unshakable poise than that achieved by the matron of a great hospital.

‘I’ve taken to history,’ he said. ‘Rather late in the day.’

‘An admirable choice,’ she said. ‘It puts things in perspective.’ Her eye lighted on the portrait and she said: ‘Are you York or Lancaster?’

‘So you recognise the portrait.’

‘Oh, yes. When I was a probationer I used to spend a lot of time in the National. I had very little money and very sore feet, and it was warm in the Gallery and quiet and it had plenty of seats.’ /

She smiled a very little, looking back from her present consequence to that young, tired, earnest creature that she had been. /

‘I liked the Portrait Gallery best because it gave one the same sense of proportion that reading history does. All those Importances who had made such a to-do over so much in[Pg 49] their day. All just names. Just canvas and paint. I saw a lot of that portrait in those days.’ Her attention went back to the picture. ‘A most unhappy creature,’ she said.

‘My surgeon thinks it is poliomyelitis.’

‘Polio?’ She considered it. ‘Perhaps. I hadn’t thought of it before. But to me it has always seemed to be intense unhappiness. It is the most desperately unhappy face that I have ever encountered—and I have encountered a great many.’

‘You think it was painted later than the murder, then?’

‘Oh, yes. Obviously. He is not a type that would do anything lightly. A man of that calibre. He must have been well aware of how—heinous the crime was.’

‘You think he belonged to the type who can’t live with themselves any more.’

‘What a good description! Yes. The kind who want something badly, and then discover that the price they have paid for it is too high.’

‘So you don’t think he was an out-and-out villain?’

‘No; oh, no. Villains don’t suffer, and that face is full of the most dreadful pain.’

They considered the portrait in silence for a moment or two.

‘It must have seemed like retribution, you know. Losing his only boy so soon after. And his wife’s death. Being stripped of his own personal world in so short a time. It must have seemed like Divine justice.’

‘Would he care about his wife?’

‘She was his cousin, and they had known each other from childhood. So whether he loved her or not, she must have been a companion for him. When you sit on a throne I suspect that companionship is a rare blessing.[Pg 50] Now I must go and see how my hospital is getting on. I have not even asked the question that I came to ask. Which was how you felt this morning. But it is a very healthy sign that you have interest to spare for a man dead these four hundred years.’

She had not moved from the position in which he had first caught sight of her. Now she smiled her faint, withdrawn smile, and with her hands still clasped lightly in front of her belt-buckle moved towards the door. She had a transcendental repose. Like a nun. Like a queen.

[Pg 51]

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3.2 幫我 買一本 England 歷史

3.2 Pang góa bé chi̍t-pún England Le̍k-sú

[Grant:] “Ha̍k-hāu ê le̍k-sú khò pah, góa siūⁿ.”

“Lí tha̍k ê it-tēng sī chin chán ê ha̍k-hāu. Góa ê le̍k-sú khò-pún bô kóng-tio̍h sin-īn ê tāi-chì. Tō sī án-ne, Shakespeare kap ‘Sèng-keng’ ê khò chiah ē hiah-nī thê-sîn; seng-oa̍h ê chin-siòng put-toān chhut-hiān. Lí ū thiaⁿ kòe chi̍t-ê kiò Tyrrel ê lâng bô?”

“Ū; i sī tī P&O hâng-sòaⁿ téng ê pián-á-sian. Im-sí tī ‘Egypt’ Hō lûn-chûn.” 

“M̄-sī he; góa sī kóng le̍k-sú-siōng.”

“Góa kā lí kóng, tî-liáu 1066 kap 1603, góa m̄-chai siáⁿ le̍k-sú neh.” 

“1603 nî chhut siáⁿ tāi-chì?” Grant mn̄g, sim lāi teh siūⁿ Tyrrel.

“Lán kā Scotland kat tī bóe [chiâⁿ-chò thoa-lūi].” 

“Chóng-sī pí in múi 5 hun-cheng tō lâi tēⁿ lán ê ām-kún khah hó. Thiaⁿ-kóng Tyrrel tō sī chhú-lí tiāu hit 2-ê cha-po͘ gín-á ê lâng.” 

“Hit 2-ê ti̍t-á? Bô, góa bô siáⁿ ìn-siōng. Hó ah, góa boeh lâi khì ah. Ū siáⁿ su-iàu pang-bâng ê bô?” 

“Lí kóng, lí boeh khì Charing Cross Lō͘?”

“Boeh khì Phoenix [Kio̍k-tiûⁿ], tio̍h.”

“Pang góa chò chi̍t-hāng tāi-chì.”

“Siáⁿ tāi-chì?”

“Khì chheh-tiàm pang góa bé chi̍t-pún ‘England Le̍k-sú.’ Tōa-lâng tha̍k ê hit-chióng. Koh chi̍t-pún ‘Richard III ê Toān-kì,’ ká-sú chhōe ū.”

“Bô būn-tê, góa ē án-ne chò.”

Túx boeh cháu, i tú-tio̍h Amazon, khòaⁿ-tio̍h chi̍t-ê kap ka-tī pêⁿ tōa-chhāi ê hō͘-sū, hō͘ i kiaⁿ chi̍t-tiô. I pháiⁿ-sè pháiⁿ-sè nauh chi̍t-siaⁿ “gâu-chá,” tâu chi̍t-ê gî-būn ê gán-sîn khòaⁿ Grant, jiân-āu tō siau-sit tī cháu-lông.

Amazon kóng, yi goân-pún tio̍h khì kā Sì-Hō Pâng pēⁿ-lâng jiû sin-khu, m̄-koh yi seng lâi khòaⁿ i kám í-keng sìn-ho̍k ah.

“Sìn-ho̍k?”

Koan-hē Sai-sim Ông Richard ê ko-kùi jîn-keh.

Góa iáu bōe gián-kiù kàu Richard i neh. Hō͘ Sì-Hō Pâng ke tán chi̍t-ē, kā góa kóng lí só͘ chai ê Richard III.”

“Ah, hit 2-ê khó-liân ê iûⁿ-ko!” yi kóng, 2-lúi tōa gû-ba̍k chhiong-móa tông-chêng.

“Siáng?”

“Hit 2-ê pó-pòe gín-á lah. Sè-hàn sî, he sī góa ê ok-bāng. Teh khùn ê sî, ū-lâng ē kòe-lâi kō͘ chím-thâu khàm góa ê bīn.”

“Tō sī án-ne chò ê: bô͘-sat?”

“Oh, sī ah. Lí kám m̄-chai? Thàn tiâu-têng ê lâng lóng tī Warwick ê sî, James Tyrrel Sià [Sir] khiâ-bé tńg-lâi London, kiò Dighton kap Forrest sat-hāi in, jiân-āu kā in tâi tī bó͘ chi̍t-ê lâu-thui ē-bīn, koh tī téng-bīn teh chi̍t tōa tui chio̍h-thâu.”

“M̄-koh, lí chioh hō͘ góa ê hit-pún chheh ni̍h bô án-ne siá neh.” 

“Oh, hit-pún sī khó-chhì iōng ê chheh lah, chai góa ì-sù bô? Lí tī he khó͘-tha̍k ê chheh, bē hoat-hiān chin-chiàⁿ chhù-bī ê le̍k-sú.” 

“Góa ē-sái mn̄g chi̍t-ē, lí ùi tó-ūi tit-tio̍h he iú-koan Tyrrel ê cheng-chhái pat-kòa?” 

“He chiah m̄-sī pat-kòa,” yi siū-siong kóng. “Lí ē-sái tī Thomas More Sià siá ê hit sî-tāi ê le̍k-sú ni̍h chhōe tio̍h. Kui-ê le̍k-sú ni̍h, lí chhōe bô pí Thomas More Sià koh-khah siū chun-kèng, siū sìn-lāi ê lâng, kám ū?” 

“Bô. Tùi Thomas Sià ê hoán-pok sī chin bô lé-māu.” 

“Tio̍h. He sī Thomas Sià só͘ kóng ê, jî-chhiáⁿ hit-sî i iáu oa̍h-leh, bat hiah-ê lâng koh kap in kau-tâm.” 

“Dighton kap Forrest?”

“M̄-sī, tong-jiân m̄-sī. Sī Richard, kap khó-liân ê Ông-hiō, kap hiah-ê lâng.”

 “Ông-hiō? Richard ê Ông-hiō?”

“Sī.”

“Án-chóaⁿ kóng ‘khó-liân?’”

“I hāi yi kòe khó-phà ê seng-oa̍h. In kóng, i kā yi thāu. I àn-sǹg boeh chhōa in ti̍t-lú.”

“Ūi siáⁿ-mi̍h?”

“In-ūi yi sī ông-ūi kè-sêng jîn.”

“Góa chai ah. I tî-tiāu hit 2-ê gín-á, jiân-āu siūⁿ boeh chhōa in tōa chí.” 

“Tio̍h. Hoâiⁿ-ti̍t i bē-tàng chhōa hit 2-ê cha-po͘ gín-á, lí chai lah.” 

“Bô m̄-tio̍h, góa siūⁿ sīm-chì Richard III mā m̄-bat ū hit-ê liām-thâu.” 

“Só͘-í i siūⁿ boeh chhōa Elizabeth, án-ne i ê ông-ūi khah an-choân. M̄-koh yi si̍t-chè-siōngkè hō͘ i ê kè-jīm-chiá. Yi sī Elizabeth Lú-ông ê a-má. Che chóng sī hō͘ góa hoaⁿ-hí, in-ūi Elizabeth [I] ū chi̍t-sut-á Plantagenet Ông-tiâu ê hiat-thóng. Góa chū-lâi bô kài kah-ì Tudor Ông-tiâu. Taⁿ, góa tio̍h cháu ah, nā bô, tī góa iáu-bōe kā Sì-Hō Pâng khoán hó-sè chìn-chêng, Hō͘-lí Tiúⁿ tō ē lâi sûn-pâng ah.” 

“He sī sè-kài boa̍t-ji̍t neh.”

“Sī góa ê boa̍t-ji̍t lah,” kóng liáu, yi tō kiâⁿ-khui ah.

Grant koh ùi chheh tui the̍h khí yi chioh hō͘ i ê hit-pún chheh, chhì boeh kā Mûi-kùi Chiàn-cheng hut bêng-pe̍k, tān-sī i sit-pāi ah. Kun-tūi hêng-kun, lâi koh khì. York kap Lancaster lûn-hoan chiàn-iâⁿ tùi-hong, it-chài tiông-ho̍k, hō͘ lâng khòaⁿ kah ba̍k-hoe. Che it-chhè chiâu bô ì-gī, tō ná chhiūⁿ khòaⁿ  chi̍t-tīn lòngx chhia tī iû-lo̍k hn̂g ni̍h lòng lâi lòng khì, lin-long se̍h kāng-khoán.

M̄-koh, chāi i khòaⁿ lâi, che cheng-chiàn ê hō-kin, chá tī chiong-kīn 100 nî chêng tō put-ti put-kak tiāⁿ-tio̍h ah, its [iā tō sī] Richard II pī pián ông-ūi, phah-tn̄g ông-ūi iû ti̍t-hē hoeh-me̍h kè-sêng ê hit-sî. I chai it-chhè chiah-ê, in-ūi siàu-liân sî i bat tī Sin Kio̍k-tiûⁿ khòaⁿ “Bordeaux ê Richard;” khòaⁿ 4-pái.

Koh-lâi hit 3-tāi, iû chhoàn-ūi ê Lancaster ka-cho̍k thóng-tī England. Bordeaux ê Richard [II] ê chhoàn-ūi-chiá Henry [IV] ê thóng-tī sui-bóng bô sūn-sim, m̄-koh ū hāu-lu̍t; Shakespeare pit-hā ê Hal Ông-chú [Henry V] tī Agincourt chiàn-ia̍h tit êng-iāu, koh jia̍t-kông tī hóe-hêng ī-kàu-tô͘, á in hāu-seⁿ [Henry VI] sī chi̍t-ê hô͘-tô͘ bû-lêng, sūx sit-pāi ê lâng. Bo̍k-koài lângx kî-bōng ông-ūi kè-sêng koh tńg-khì chiàⁿ-thóng, tng in khòaⁿ-tio̍h khó-liân Henry VI ê bû-lêng pêng-iú kā tī Franse tit-tio̍h ê sèng-lī hut pang..khì, á Henry kan-ta kò͘ keng-êng sin kiàn-li̍p ê Eaton Kong-ha̍k, koh khún-kiû kiong-têng lú-sū chhēng-saⁿ tio̍h jia heng-khám.

Chit 3-ê Lancaster kok-ông lóng tài thó-lâng-ià ê siáu-kông, he kap tòe Richard II siau-sit ê kiong-têng chū-iû chú-gī hêng-sêng kiông-lia̍t tùi-pí. Richard ê “hô-pêng kiōng-chûn” chèng-chhek, cpt chi̍t-mê tiong-kan, sûi khì hō͘ sio sí ī-kàu-tô͘ ê àu-pō͘ chhú-tāi. Tī hit 3-tāi, ī-kàu-tô͘ lóng hông sio sí. Bo̍k-koài, chi̍t-pha khah bô hiah kong-khai, tāi-piáu put-boán ê hóe-iām, khai-sí tī bîn-chiòng sim-lāi àmx teh to̍h.

--

3.2 幫我 買一本 England 歷史

[Grant:] “學校 ê 歷史課 pah, 我想.”

“你讀 ê 一定是 真讚 ê 學校. 我 ê 歷史課本 無講著 身孕 ê 代誌. Tō 是 án-ne, Shakespeare kap '聖經' ê 課 才會 hiah-nī 提神; 生活 ê 真相不斷出現. 你有聽過 一个 叫 Tyrrel ê 人 無?”

“有; 伊是 tī P&O 航線頂 ê 諞仔仙. 淹死 tī ‘Egypt’ 號 輪船.”

“毋是 he; 我是講 歷史上.”

“我 kā 你講, 除了 1066 kap 1603, 我毋知 啥歷史 neh.”

“1603 年 出 啥代誌?” Grant 問, 心內 teh 想 Tyrrel.

“咱 kā Scotland 結 tī 尾 [成做拖累].”

“總是 比 in 每 5 分鐘 tō 來捏 咱 ê 頷頸 較好. 聽講 Tyrrel tō 是 處理掉 hit 2 个 查埔囡仔 ê 人.”

“Hit 2 个 侄仔? 無, 我 無啥印象. 好 ah, 我欲來去 ah. 有啥 需要幫忙 ê 無?”

“你講, 你欲去 Charing Cross 路?”

“欲去 Phoenix [劇場], 著.”

“幫我 做一項 代誌.”

“啥代誌?”

“去冊店 幫我 買一本 ‘England 歷史.’ 大人讀 ê 彼種. Koh 一本 ‘Richard III ê 傳記,’ 假使揣有.”

“無問題, 我會 án-ne 做.”

Túx 欲走, 伊拄著 Amazon, 看著 一个 kap ka-tī 平大 chhāi ê 護士, hō͘ 伊驚一趒. 伊 歹勢歹勢 喃一聲 “gâu 早,” 投一个 疑問 ê 眼神 看 Grant, 然後 tō chiāmx 消失 tī 走廊.

Amazon 講, 她原本 著去 kā 四號房 病人 揉身軀, 毋過 她先來 看伊 kám 已經信服 ah.

“信服?”

關係 獅心王 Richard ê 高貴人格.

我猶未 研究到 Richard I neh. Hō͘ 四號房 加等一下, kā 我講 你所知 ê Richard III.”

“Ah, hit 2 个 可憐 ê 羊羔!” 她講, 2 蕊 大牛目 充滿同情.

“Siáng?”

“Hit 2 个 寶貝囡仔 lah. 細漢時, 彼是 我 ê 惡夢. Teh 睏 ê 時, 有人 會過來 kō͘ 枕頭 崁我 ê 面.”

“Tō 是 án-ne 做 ê: 謀殺?”

“Oh, 是 ah. 你 kám 毋知? 趁 朝廷 ê 人 lóng tī Warwick ê 時, James Tyrrel Sià [Sir] 騎馬轉來 London, 叫 Dighton kap Forrest 殺害 in, 然後 kā in 埋 tī 某一个 樓梯下面, koh tī 頂面 硩 一大堆 石頭.”

“毋過, 你借 hō͘ 我 ê 彼本冊 ni̍h 無 án-ne 寫 neh.”

“Oh, 彼本是 考試用 ê 冊 lah, 知 我意思 無? Lí tī he 苦讀 ê 冊, 袂發現 真正趣味 ê 歷史.”

“我會使 問一下, 你 ùi 佗位 得著 he 有關 Tyrrel ê 精彩 八卦?”

“He 才毋是 八卦,” 她受傷 講. “你會使 tī Thomas More Sià 寫 ê hit 時代 ê 歷史 ni̍h 揣著. 規个歷史 ni̍h, 你揣無 比 Thomas More Sià koh-khah 受尊敬, 受信賴 ê 人, 敢有?”

“無. 對 Thomas Sià ê 反駁是 真無禮貌.”

“著. He 是 Thomas Sià 所講 ê, 而且 彼時 伊猶活 leh, bat hiah-ê 人 koh kap in 交談.”

“Dighton kap Forrest?”

“毋是, 當然毋是. 是 Richard, kap 可憐 ê 王后, kap hiah-ê 人.”

“王后? Richard ê 王后?”

“是.”

“按怎講 ‘可憐?’”

“伊害她 過可怕 ê 生活. In 講, 伊 kā 她 thāu. 伊按算 欲娶 in 姪女.”

“為啥物?”

“因為 她是 王位 繼承人.”

“我知 ah. 伊除掉 hit 2 个囡仔, 然後 想欲娶 in 大姊.”

“著. 橫直 伊袂當 娶 hit 2 个 查埔囡仔, 你知 lah.”

“無毋著, 我想 甚至 Richard III mā m̄-bat 有 彼个念頭.”

“所以 伊想欲 娶 Elizabeth, án-ne 伊 ê 王位 khah 安全. 毋過 她實際上 嫁 hō͘ 伊 ê 繼任者. 她是 Elizabeth 女王 ê 阿媽. Che 總是 hō͘ 我歡喜, 因為 Elizabeth [I] 有 一屑仔 Plantagenet 王朝 ê 血統. 我自來 無 kài 佮意 Tudor 王朝. 今, 我著走 ah, 若無, tī 我猶未 kā 四號房 款好勢 進前, 護理長 tō 會來巡房 ah.”

“彼是 世界末日 neh.”

“是 我 ê 末日 lah,” 講了, 她 tō 行開 ah.

Grant koh ùi 冊堆 提起 她借 hō͘ 伊 ê 彼本冊, 試欲 kā 玫瑰戰爭 hut 明白, 但是 伊失敗 ah. 軍隊行軍, 來 koh 去. York kap Lancaster 輪番 戰贏對方, 一再重複, hō͘ 人 看 kah 目花. Che 一切 齊無意義, tō ná 像 看一陣 lòngx 車 tī 遊樂園 ni̍h 挵來挵去, lin-long 踅 仝款.

毋過, 在伊 看來, che 征戰 ê 禍根, 早 tī 將近 100 年前 tō 不知不覺 定著 ah, its [iā tō sī] Richard II 被貶王位, 拍斷 王位 由 直系血脈 繼承 ê 彼時. 伊知一切 chiah-ê, 因為 少年時 伊 bat tī 新劇場 看 “Bordeaux ê Richard;” 看 4 擺. 

閣來 hit 3 代, 由篡位 ê Lancaster 家族 統治 England. Bordeaux ê Richard [II] ê 篡位者 Henry [IV] ê 統治 雖罔 無順心, 毋過 有效率; Shakespeare 筆下 ê Hal 王子 [Henry V] tī Agincourt 戰役 得榮耀, koh 熱狂 tī 火刑 異教徒, á in 後生 [Henry VI] 是一个 糊塗無能, sūx 失敗 ê 人. 莫怪 lângx 期望 王位繼承 koh 轉去正統, tng in 看著 可憐 Henry VI ê 無能朋友 kā tī Franse 得著 ê 勝利 hut 崩去, á Henry kan-ta 顧經營 新建立 ê Eaton 公學, koh 懇求 宮廷女士 穿衫 著 jia 胸坎.

Chit 3 个 Lancaster 國王 lóng tài 討人厭 ê 痟狂, he kap 綴 Richard II 消失 ê 宮廷 自由主義 形成 強烈對比. Richard ê “和平共存” 政策, cpt 一暝中間, 隨去 hō͘ 燒死 異教徒 ê 漚步 取代. Tī hit 3 代, 異教徒 lóng hông 燒死. 莫怪, 一葩 較無 hiah 公開, 代表 不滿 ê 火焰, 開始 tī 民眾心內 àmx teh to̍h.

--

3.2

[Pg 44]‘In my school history, I suppose.’

‘You must have gone to a very remarkable school. Conception was not mentioned in any history book of mine. That is what made Shakespeare and the Bible so refreshing as lessons; the facts of life were always turning up. Did you ever hear of a man called Tyrrel?’

‘Yes; he was a con. man on the P & O. boats. Drowned in the Egypt.’

‘No; I mean, in history.’

‘I tell you, I never knew any history except 1066 and 1603.’

‘What happened in 1603?’ Grant asked, his mind still on Tyrrel.

‘We had the Scots tied to our tails for good.’

‘Better than having them at our throats every five minutes. Tyrrel is said to be the man who put the boys out of the way.’

‘The nephews? No, it doesn’t ring a bell. Well, I must be getting along. Anything I can do for you?’

‘Did you say you were going to Charing Cross Road?’

‘To the Phoenix, yes.’

‘You could do something for me.’

‘What is that?’

‘Go into one of the bookshops and buy me a History of England. An adult one. And a Life of Richard III, if you can find one.’

‘Sure, I’ll do that.’

As he was going out he encountered The Amazon, and looked startled to find anything as large as himself in nurse’s uniform. He murmured a good-morning in an abashed way, cast a questioning glance at Grant, and faded into the corridor.

[Pg 45]The Amazon said that she was supposed to be giving Number Four her blanket bath but that she had to look in to see if he was convinced.

‘Convinced?’

About the nobility of Richard Coeur-de-Lion.

‘I haven’t got round to Richard the First yet. But keep Number Four waiting a few moments longer and tell me what you know about Richard III.’

‘Ah, those poor lambs!’ she said, her great cow’s-eyes soft with pity.

‘Who?’

‘Those two precious little boys. It used to be my nightmare when I was a kiddy. That someone would come and put a pillow over my face when I was asleep.’

‘Is that how it was done: the murder?’

‘Oh, yes. Didn’t you know? Sir James Tyrrel rode back to London when the court was at Warwick, and told Dighton and Forrest to kill them, and then they buried them at the foot of some stairs under a great mound of stones.’

‘But it doesn’t say that in the book you lent me.’

‘Oh, that book is just history-for-exams, if you know what I mean. You don’t get really interesting history in swot books like that.’

‘And where did you get the juicy gossip about Tyrrel, may one ask?’

‘It isn’t gossip,’ she said, hurt. ‘You’ll find it in Sir Thomas More’s history of his time. And you can’t find a more respected or trustworthy person in the whole of history than Sir Thomas More, now can you?’

‘No. It would be bad manners to contradict Sir Thomas.’

[Pg 46]‘Well, that’s what Sir Thomas says, and, after all, he was alive then and knew all those people to talk to.’

‘Dighton and Forrest?’

‘No, of course not. But Richard, and the poor Queen, and those.’

‘The Queen? Richard’s Queen?’

‘Yes.’

‘Why “poor”?’

‘He led her an awful life. They say he poisoned her. He wanted to marry his niece.’

‘Why?’

‘Because she was the heir to the throne.’

‘I see. He got rid of the two boys, and then wanted to marry their eldest sister.’

‘Yes. He couldn’t marry either of the boys, you see.’

‘No, I suppose even Richard the Third never thought of that one.’

‘So he wanted to marry Elizabeth so as to feel safer on the throne. Actually, of course, she married his successor. She was Queen Elizabeth’s grandmother. It always used to please me that Elizabeth was a little bit Plantagenet. I never was very fond of the Tudor side. Now I must go, or Matron will be here on her round before I have Number Four tidied up.’

‘That would be the end of the world.’

‘It would be the end of me,’ she said, and went away.

Grant took the book she had lent him off the pile again, and tried to make head or tail of the Wars of the Roses. He failed. Armies marched and counter-marched. York and Lancaster succeeded each other as victors in a bewildering repetition. It was as meaningless as watching a crowd of dodgem cars bumping and whirling at a fair.

[Pg 47]But it seemed to him that the whole trouble was implicit, the germ of it sown, nearly a hundred years earlier, when the direct line was broken by the deposition of Richard II. He knew all about that because he had in his youth seen Richard of Bordeaux at the New Theatre; four times he had seen it. /

For three generations the usurping Lancasters had ruled England: Richard of Bordeaux’s Henry unhappily but with fair efficiency, Shakespeare’s Prince Hal with Agincourt for glory and the stake for zeal, and his son in half-witted muddle and failure. It was no wonder if men hankered after the legitimate line again, as they watched poor Henry VI’s inept friends frittering away the victories in France while Henry nursed his new foundation of Eton and besought the ladies at court to cover up their bosoms.

All three Lancasters had had an unlovely fanaticism which contrasted sharply with the liberalism of the Court which had died with Richard II. Richard’s live-and-let-live methods had given place, almost overnight, to the burning of heretics. For three generations heretics had burned. It was no wonder if a less public fire of discontent had begun to smoulder in the heart of the man in the street.

--

3.1 是 Tyrrel kā in 翕死

Chiuⁿ 3.

3.1 Sī Tyrrel kā in hip-sí

“Lí kám bē-tàng chhōe kóa khah khin-sang ê mi̍h lâi khòaⁿ?” keh-kang chá-khí Sè-lia̍p Chí án-ne mn̄g i, kí hit-tiuⁿ Richard  ōe-siōng, he Grant kā thán-khiā khò tī chhn̂g-piⁿ toh-téng hit-tha̍h chheh.

“Lí bô kám-kak che bīn chin chhù-bī?”

“Chhù-bī! He hō͘ góa giâ ke-bó phôe. Piau-chún ê khó͘-koe bīn (Dismal Desmond).” 

“Le̍k-sú chheh kóng, i sī kài ū lêng-le̍k ê lâng.” 

“Bluebeard (Nâ chhùi-chhiu) mā sī.”

“Khòaⁿ khí-lâi mā chin ū jîn-khì.”

“Bluebeard mā sī.”

“Mā sī chhut-sek ê kun-jîn,” Grant gia̍tx án-ne kóng, jiân-āu tán leh. “Bluebeard tòe bē-tio̍h?”

“Lí khòaⁿ hit-ê bīn boeh chhòng-siáⁿ? He sī siáng ah?” 

“Richard III.” 

“Oh, Thiⁿ ah, góa tō chai!”

“Lí ê ì-sù sī, i seⁿ-chò kap lí siūⁿ ê kāng-khoán?” 

“Bô m̄-tio̍h.” 

“Án-chóaⁿ kóng?”“Chi̍t-ê sat-jîn mô͘, kám m̄-sī?”

“Lí ê le̍k-sú ká-ná tha̍k liáu bē-bái.”

“Che thong-lâng chai. Kái-koat 2-ê sè-hàn ti̍t-á, khó-liân ê gín-á. Hō͘-lâng hip-sí.” 

“Hip-sí?” Grant kóng, kám-kak chhù-bī. “Góa goân-pún m̄-chai neh.” 

“Kō͘ chím-thâu kā hip-sí.” yi kō͘ he iù-siù tān ū-la̍t ê kûn-thâu bó tûi i ê chím-thâu, jiân-āu kín koh chún kā chím-thâu chéng-lí hó-sè.

“Sī án-chóaⁿ kō͘ hip-sí? Ná m̄ kō͘ thāu-sí?” Grant mn̄g.

“Mài mn̄g góa, he m̄-sī góa an-pâi ê.”

“Sáng kóng in sī hông hip-sí ê?”

“Goán ha̍k-hāu ê khò-pún sī án-ne siá.”

“Hó, tān le̍k-sú khò-pún ín-iōng ê kin-kì sī siáⁿ?” 

“Ín-iōng? I chiah bô teh ín-iōng. I kan-ta sī kóng sū-si̍t.” 

“Ū kóng sáng kā in hip-sí bô?”

“Chi̍t-ê kiò Tyrrel ê lâng. Lí tī ha̍k-hāu kám bô tha̍k le̍k-sú?” 

“Góa ū khì siōng le̍k-sú khò. M̄-koh tāi-chì bô kāng lah. Tyrrel sī siáng?” 

“Góa siáⁿ to m̄-chai lah. Káⁿ sī Richard ê pêng-iú.” 

“Ná ē chai sī Tyrrel chò ê?”

“I ū sêng-jīn.”

“Sêng-jīn?”

“Tong-jiân, tī i hông tēng-chōe liáu. Tī hông tiàu-sí chìn-chêng.” 

“Lí sī kóng, chit-ê Tyrrel chin ê, in-ūi bô͘-sat hit 2-ê ông-chú hông tiàu-sí?” 

“Sī ah, tong-jiân. Góa kā chit-tiuⁿ ut-chut bīn the̍h cháu, ōaⁿ khǹg khah hoaⁿ-hí ê mi̍h, hó bô? Hallard Sc cha-hng chah hō͘ lí ê hit lāi-bīn ū chin chē hó-khòaⁿ bīn neh.” 

“Góa bô hèng-chhù hó-khòaⁿ bīn. Góa kan-ta hèng-chhù ut-chut bīn; hèng-chhù ‘kài ū lêng-le̍k’ ê ‘sat-jîn mô͘’ lah.” 

“Hmh, phín-bī chit-lō mi̍h chin pháiⁿ kóng,” Sè-lia̍p Chí chí-hó án-ne kóng. “Ka-chài góa m̄-bián khòaⁿ he. M̄-koh, chāi góa ê chhián-kiàn, chit-ê bīn ū-kàu hông-gāi kut-thâu seⁿ-óa. Góa kóng chin ê.” 

“Hah, góa ê kut-thâu nā bô seⁿ-óa, lí ē-sái kā che siàu sǹg hō͘ Richard III. Koh ke kì chi̍t sió pit tī i ê siàu, bô lâng ē chù-ì tio̍h, góa sī án-ne siūⁿ.” 

Āu-kái Marta lâi thàm ê sî, i tio̍h mn̄g yi kám chai chit-ê Tyrrel. Yi ê it-poaⁿ tì-sek bô kài chhim-ji̍p, m̄-koh yi bat tī chi̍t-keng chhut-miâ ê ha̍k-hāu chiap-siū kùi somx ê kàu-io̍k, hoān-sè ū kì kóa mi̍h-kiāⁿ.

M̄-koh, tē-1 ê ùi gōa-kháu sè-kài lâi thàm-pēⁿ ê lâng sī Williams Sûn-chó, thé-hêng tōa-chhāi, bīn-sek âng-gê, chheng-khì khoán. Grant chiām-sî bē kì-tit hiah-ê chin kú í-chêng ê chiàn-ia̍h, khai-sí su-khó iáu oa̍h tī kin-ji̍t ê kan-kúi kha-siàu.

Williams chē tiāⁿ tī hit-tè hō͘ hóng-kheh chē ê sèx tēng í-á, siang kha hun-khui, chhián-nâ ê ba̍k-chiu chiò tio̍h thang-á ji̍p-lâi ê kng-sòaⁿ kim sihx, bē-su boán-chiok ê niau-á ba̍k, Grant chhim-chêng khòaⁿ i. Chin hoaⁿ-hí ē-tit koh kóng pún-hâng ê tāi-chì; iōng he tông-hâng chiah thiaⁿ ū ê su̍t-gí kap àm-hō. Mā hoaⁿ-hí thiaⁿ tông-gia̍p ê pat-kòa, khai-káng kéng-chhat kài ê chèng-tī, liáu-kái siáng jiá mâ-hoân ah, siáng tit-boeh sit-sè ah.

“Tiúⁿ..ê kā lí chhéng-an,” Williams khí-sin boeh kiâⁿ ê sî kóng, “koh kóng, nā ū siáⁿ su-iàu i pang-chān, hō͘ i chai.” I ê ba̍k-chiu, bô koh hō͘ kng-sòaⁿ chiò kah khí-hoe, oa̍t hiòng hit-tiuⁿ khò tī chheh ê siòng-phìⁿ. I thâu-khak khix khòaⁿ he: “Chit kho͘ sī siáng?”

Grant tú boeh kā kóng ê sî, hut-jiân siūⁿ-tio̍h: che sī chi̍t-ê kéng-chhat tông-sū neh. Sī chi̍t-ê kap ka-tī kāng-khoán, koàn-sì chit-gia̍p-tek koan-chhat lâng-bīn ê lâng, chi̍t-ê ta̍k-kang khòaⁿ bīn chia̍h-pn̄g ê lâng.

‘Chi̍t-ê 15 sè-kí m̄-chai miâ ōe-ka só͘ ōe ê lâm-sū ōe-siōng.” I kóng. “Lí kám-kak án-chóaⁿ?”

“Góa tùi ōe-tô͘ bô pòaⁿ-phiat.”

“Góa m̄-sī hit-ê ì-sù lah. Góa sī kóng, lí tùi chit-ê lâng án-chóaⁿ khòaⁿ?” 

“Oh. Oh, góa chai.” Williams àⁿ-sin hiòng chêng, kā he pêⁿx ba̍k-bâi kiù chò chi̍t-ê choan-sim teh khòaⁿ ê khoán-sè. “Lí sī kóng, ū siáⁿ khòaⁿ-hoat?” 

“Hmh. Lí ē kā an-pâi tī tó-ūi? Pī-kò se̍k a̍h hoat-koaⁿ se̍k?” 

Williams khó-lī chi̍t-khùn, jiân-āu chū-sìn kóng: “Oh, hoat-koaⁿ se̍k.” 

“Lí khak-tēng?”

“Tong-jiân. Án-chóaⁿ? Lí kám bē án-ne?”

“Góa ē. M̄-koh, kî-koài ê sī, lán nn̄g-lâng lóng m̄-tio̍h. I kui tī pī-kò se̍k.” 

“Lí kā góa heh-kiaⁿ neh,” Williams kóng, koh siông-sè khòaⁿ. “Á lí kám chai i sī siáng?” 

“Góa chai. Richard III.”

Williams kho͘ chi̍t-ê si-á.

“Goân-lâi sī i ah, sī án-ne oh! Ai-ah, ai-ah. Thah ni̍h ê Ông-chú, kap it-chhè chióngx. Siâ-ok A-chek pún-lâng. Góa siūⁿ, it-tàn chai-iáⁿ, lí tō khòaⁿ ē chhut-lâi, tān nā sū-sian m̄-chai, lí tō bē án-ne siūⁿ. Góa ì-sù sī, i khòaⁿ khí-lâi bô sêng pháiⁿ-lâng. Siūⁿ khòaⁿ-māi, i kin-pún seⁿ-chò kap lāu Halsbury [hoat-koaⁿ] kāng bô͘-iūⁿ, nā kóng Halsbury ū siáⁿ mô͘-pēⁿ, i tō sī tùi pī-kò se̍k hiah-ê àu kha-siàu siuⁿ nńg-sim lah. I chóng-sī tī chòe-āu kui-la̍p chèng-sû ê sî, kòe-thâu ūi in cheng-chhú lī-ek.”

“Lí chai hit 2-ūi Ông-chú hông án-chóaⁿ bô͘-sat ê?” 

“Góa tùi Richard III oân-choân m̄-chai, kan-ta thiaⁿ-kóng in lāu-bú khai 2-nî chiah ū i ê sin-īn.” 

“Siáⁿ! He sian-kó͘ lí ùi tó-ūi thiaⁿ ê?”

--

章 3.

3.1 是 Tyrrel kā in 翕死

“你 kám 袂當 揣寡 khah 輕鬆 ê mi̍h 來看?” 隔工早起 Sè-lia̍p Chí án-ne 問伊, 指彼張 Richard  畫像, he Grant kā 坦徛 靠 tī 床邊桌頂 hit 疊冊.

“你 無感覺 che 面 真趣味?”

“趣味! He hō͘ 我 夯雞母皮. 標準 ê 苦瓜面 (Dismal Desmond).”

“歷史冊 講, 伊是 kài 有能力 ê 人.”

“Bluebeard (藍喙鬚) mā 是.”

“看起來 mā 真有人氣.”

“Bluebeard mā 是.”

“Mā 是 出色 ê 軍人,” Grant gia̍tx án-ne 講, 然後等 leh. “Bluebeard 綴袂著?”

“你 看 彼个面 欲創啥? 彼是 siáng ah?”

“Richard III.”

“Oh, 天 ah, 我 tō 知!”

“你 ê 意思是, 伊生做 kap 你 想 ê 仝款?”

“無毋著.”

“按怎講?”

“一个 殺人魔, 敢毋是?”

“你 ê 歷史 ká-ná 讀了 袂䆀.”

“Che 通人知. 解決 2 个 細漢侄仔, 可憐 ê 囡仔. Hō͘ 人翕死.”

“翕死?” Grant 講, 感覺趣味. “我原本 毋知 neh.”

“Kō͘ 枕頭 kā 翕死.” 她 kō͘ he 幼秀 但有力 ê 拳頭母 捶伊 ê 枕頭, 然後 緊 koh 準 kā 枕頭 整理好勢.

“是按怎 kō͘ 翕死? 那毋 kō͘ thāu 死?” Grant 問.

“莫問我, 彼毋是我 安排 ê.”

“Sáng 講 in 是 hông 翕死 ê?”

“阮學校 ê 課本 是 án-ne 寫.”

“好, 但 歷史課本 引用 ê 根據 是啥?”

“引用? 伊才無 teh 引用. 伊干焦是 講事實.”

“有講 sáng kā in 翕死 無?”

“一个 叫 Tyrrel ê 人. 你 tī 學校 kám 無讀歷史?”

“我有去 上歷史課. 毋過 代誌 無仝 lah. Tyrrel 是 siáng?”

“我 啥 to 毋知 lah. Káⁿ 是 Richard ê 朋友.”

“那會知 是 Tyrrel 做 ê?”

“伊有承認.”

“承認?”

“當然, tī 伊 hông 定罪了. Tī hông 吊死 進前.”

“你是講, 這个 Tyrrel 真 ê, 因為謀殺 hit 2 个王子 hông 吊死?”

“是 ah, 當然. 我 kā 這張 鬱卒面 提走, 換囥 khah 歡喜 ê mi̍h, 好無? Hallard Sc 昨昏扎 hō͘ 你 ê hit 內面 有真濟 好看面 neh.”

“我無興趣 好看面. 我 干焦興趣 鬱卒面; 興趣 ‘kài 有能力’ ê ‘殺人魔’ lah.”

“Hmh, 品味 chit-lō mi̍h 真歹講,” Sè-lia̍p Chí 只好 án-ne 講. “佳哉我 毋免 看 he. 毋過, 在 我 ê 淺見, 這个面 有夠妨礙 骨頭 生倚. 我講真 ê.”

“Hah, 我 ê 骨頭 若無 生倚, 你會使 kā che 數 算 hō͘ Richard III. Koh 加記 一小筆 tī 伊 ê 數, 無人會 注意著, 我是 án-ne 想.”

後改 Marta 來探 ê 時, 伊著問她 kám 知 這个 Tyrrel. 她 ê 一般智識 無 kài 深入, 毋過 她 bat tī 一間 出名 ê 學校 接受 貴 somx ê 教育, 凡勢 有記寡 物件.

毋過, 第 1 个 ùi 外口世界 來探病 ê 人 是 Williams 巡佐, 體型大 chhāi, 面色紅牙, 清氣款. Grant 暫時 袂記得 hiah-ê 真久以前 ê 戰役, 開始 思考 猶活 tī 今日 ê 奸詭跤數. 

Williams 坐定 tī 彼塊 hō͘ 訪客 坐 ê sèx 𠕇椅仔, 雙跤 分開, 淺藍 ê 目睭 照著 窗仔 入來 ê 光線 金 sihx, 袂輸滿足 ê 貓仔目, Grant 深情看伊. 真歡喜 會得 koh 講 本行 ê 代誌; 用 he 同行 才聽有 ê 術語 kap 暗號. Mā 歡喜聽 同業 ê 八卦, 開講 警察界 ê 政治, 了解 siáng 惹麻煩 ah, siáng 得欲失勢 ah.

“Tiúⁿ..ê kā 你 請安,” Williams 起身欲行 ê 時 講, “koh 講, 若有啥 需要伊 幫贊, hō͘ 伊知.” 伊 ê 目睭, 無 koh hō͘ 光線 照 kah 起花, 越向 彼張 靠 tī 冊 ê 相片. 伊 頭殼 khix 看 he: “這箍 是 siáng?”

Grant 拄欲 kā 講 ê 時, 忽然想著: 這是一个 警察同事 neh. 是 一个 kap ka-tī 仝款, 慣勢 職業 tek 觀察人面 ê 人, 一个 逐工 看面食飯 ê 人.

‘一个 15 世紀 毋知名 畫家 所畫 ê 男士畫像.” 伊講. “你 感覺按怎?”

“我對 畫圖 無半撇.”

“我毋是 彼个意思 lah. 我是講, 你對 這个人 按怎看?”

“Oh. Oh, 我知.” Williams àⁿ 身 向前, kā he pêⁿx 目眉 糾做一个 專心 teh 看 ê 款勢. “你是講, 有啥 看法?”

“Hmh. 你會 kā 安排 tī 佗位? 被告席 a̍h 法官席?”

Williams 考慮一睏, 然後 自信講: “Oh, 法官席.”

“你確定?”

“當然. 按怎? 你 kám 袂 án-ne?”

“我會. 毋過, 奇怪 ê 是, 咱兩人 lóng 毋著. 伊歸 tī 被告席.”

“你 kā 我 嚇驚 neh,” Williams 講, koh 詳細看. “Á 你 kám 知 伊是 siáng?”

“我知. Richard III.”

Williams kho͘ 一个 si-á.

“原來 是伊 ah, 是 án-ne oh! Ai-ah, ai-ah. 塔 ni̍h ê 王子, kap 一切 chióngx. 邪惡 阿叔 本人. 我想, 一旦知影, 你 tō 看會出來, 但 若 事先毋知, 你 tō 袂 án-ne 想. 我 意思是, 伊 看起來 無成 歹人. 想看覓, 伊根本 生做 kap 老 Halsbury [法官] 仝模樣, 若講 Halsbury 有啥毛病, 伊 tō 是 對 被告席 hiah-ê 漚跤數 siuⁿ 軟心 lah. 伊總是 tī 最後 歸納證詞 ê 時, 過頭 為 in 爭取利益.”

“你知 hit 2 位王子 hông 按怎謀殺 ê?”

“我對 Richard III 完全毋知, kan-ta 聽講 in 老母 開 2 年 才有伊 ê 身孕.”

“啥! He 仙古 你 ùi 佗位 聽 ê?”

--

3.

3.1

‘Can’t you find something more cheerful to look at than that thing?’ The Midget asked next morning, referring to the Richard portrait which Grant had propped up against the pile of books on his bed-side table.

‘You don’t find it an interesting face?’

‘Interesting! It gives me the willies. A proper Dismal Desmond.’

‘According to the history books he was a man of great ability.’

‘So was Bluebeard.’

‘And considerable popularity, it would seem.’

‘So was Bluebeard.’

‘A very fine soldier, too,’ Grant said wickedly, and waited. ‘No Bluebeard offers?’

‘What do you want to look at that face for? Who was he anyway?’

‘Richard the Third.’

‘Oh, well, I ask you!’

‘You mean that’s what you expected him to look like.’

‘Exactly.’

‘Why?’

‘A murdering brute, wasn’t he?’

‘You seem to know your history.’

‘Everyone knows that. Did away with his two little nephews, poor brats. Had them smothered.’

[Pg 41]‘Smothered?’ said Grant, interested. ‘I didn’t know that.’

‘Smothered with pillows.’ She banged his own pillows with a fragile vigorous fist, and replaced them with speed and precision.

‘Why smothering? Why not poison?’ Grant inquired.

‘Don’t ask me. I didn’t arrange it.’

‘Who said they were smothered?’

‘My history book at school said it.’

‘Yes, but whom was the history book quoting?’

‘Quoting? It wasn’t quoting anything. It was just giving facts.’

‘Who smothered them, did it say?’

‘A man called Tyrrel. Didn’t you do any history, at school?’

‘I attended history lessons. It is not the same thing. Who was Tyrrel?’

‘I haven’t the remotest. A friend of Richard’s.’

‘How did anyone know it was Tyrrel?’

‘He confessed.’

‘Confessed?‘

‘After he had been found guilty, of course. Before he was hanged.’

‘You mean that this Tyrrel was actually hanged for the murder of the two Princes?’

‘Yes, of course. Shall I take that dreary face away and put up something gayer? There were quite a lot of nice faces in that bundle Miss Hallard brought you yesterday.’

‘I’m not interested in nice faces. I’m interested only in dreary ones; in “murdering brutes” who are “men of great ability”.’

‘Well, there’s no accounting for tastes,’ said The[Pg 42] Midget inevitably. ‘And I don’t have to look at it, thank goodness. But in my humble estimation it’s enough to prevent bones knitting, so help me it is.’

‘Well, if my fracture doesn’t mend you can put it down to Richard III’s account. Another little item on that account won’t be noticed, it seems to me.’

He must ask Marta when next she looked in if she too knew about this Tyrrel. Her general knowledge was not very great, but she had been educated very expensively at a highly approved school and perhaps some of it had stuck.

But the first visitor to penetrate from the outside world proved to be Sergeant Williams, large and pink and scrubbed-looking; and for a little Grant forgot about battles long ago and considered wide boys alive today. /

Williams sat planted on the small hard visitors’ chair, his knees apart and his pale blue eyes blinking like a contented cat’s in the light from the window, and Grant regarded him with affection. It was pleasant to talk shop again; to use that elliptical, allusive speech that one uses only with another of one’s trade. It was pleasant to hear the professional gossip, to talk professional politics; to learn who was on the mat and who was on the skids.

‘The Super sent his regards,’ Williams said as he got up to go, ‘and said if there was anything he could do for you to let him know.’ His eyes, no longer dazzled by the light, went to the photograph propped against the books. He leant his head sideways at it. ‘Who’s the bloke?’

Grant was just about to tell him when it occurred to him that here was a fellow policeman. A man as used, professionally, to faces as he was himself. Someone to whom faces were of daily importance.

[Pg 43]‘Portrait of a man by an unknown fifteenth-century painter,’ he said. ‘What do you make of it?’

‘I don’t know the first thing about painting.’

‘I didn’t mean that. I meant what do you make of the subject?’

‘Oh. Oh, I see.’ Williams bent forward and drew his bland brows into a travesty of concentration. ‘How do you mean: make of it?’

‘Well, where would you place him? In the dock or on the bench?’

Williams considered for a moment, and then said with confidence: ‘Oh, on the bench.’

‘You would?’

‘Certainly. Why? Wouldn’t you?’

‘Yes. But the odd thing is that we’re both wrong. He belongs in the dock.’

‘You surprise me,’ Williams said, peering again. ‘Do you know who he was, then?’

‘Yes. Richard the Third.’

Williams whistled.

‘So that’s who it is, is it! Well, well. The Princes in the Tower, and all that. The original Wicked Uncle. I suppose, once you know, you can see it, but off-hand it wouldn’t occur to you. I mean, that he was a crook. He’s the spit of old Halsbury, come to think of it, and if Halsbury had a fault at all it was that he was too soft with the bastards in the dock. He used to lean over backwards to give them the benefit in his summing-up.’

‘Do you know how the Princes were murdered?’

‘I don’t know a thing about Richard III except that his mother was two years conceiving him.’

‘What! Where did you get that tale?’

--

2.5 Richard 是 能力真強 ê 人

2.5 Richard sī lêng-le̍k chin kiông ê lâng

I ōaⁿ tha̍k tē-2 pún chheh.

Tē-2 pún chheh sī chiàⁿ-pān ê Ha̍k-hāu Le̍k-sú Khò-pún. 2,000 nî ê England le̍k-sú kā kuix kíx an-pâi chò bô-kāng ê chiuⁿ-chat, hong-piān sûi-sî cha-chhōe. Chiah-ê chiuⁿ-chat, chiàu-lē sī kō͘ kok-ông ê thóng-tī sî-kî lâi an-pâi. Bo̍k-koài lán-lâng kā chi̍t-ê jîn-bu̍t tèng tī chi̍t-ê ông-tiâu, soah bē kì-tit chit-ê jîn-bu̍t kî-si̍t mā bat seng-oa̍h tī pa̍t-ê ông thóng-tī ê sî. Lán-lâng lóng chū-tōng kā in khǹg tī bô-kāng ê keh-á lāi-bīn. Pepys: Charles II. Shakespeare: Elizabeth. Marlborough: Anne Lú-ông. Lán-lâng m̄-bat siūⁿ kòe, kìⁿ kòe Elizabeth Lú-ông ê lâng, mā khó-lêng kìⁿ kòe George I. Lán chū gín-á sî tō tèng-tiâu tī chit-chióng “Ông-tiâu Sî-tāi” ê kài-liām.

Put-jî-kò, án-ne mā khak-si̍t hō͘ tāi-chì piàn khah kán-tan, iû-kî tī lí put-kò sī chi̍t-ê kha siū-siong, liông-kut cháu-cheng ê kéng-chhat, siūⁿ boeh cha-chhōe chi̍t-kóa kòe-khì ê ông-sek sêng-oân, koh bô-ài pek kah khí-siáu ê sî.

I kiaⁿ chi̍t-tiô, hoat-hiān Richard III ê ông-tiâu hiah-nī té. Tī England 2,000 nî ê le̍k-sú tiong-kan, koh kan-ta ū 2-nî ê sî-kan, Richard III chiâⁿ-chò chi̍t-ê thong-lâng chai ê thóng-tī-chiá, che bô-gî hián-sī i sī chi̍t-ê tōa kak-sek. Tō kóng Richard bô siáⁿ pêng-iú, i tek-khak éng-hióng chēx lâng.

Chit-pún le̍k-sú chheh mā jīn-ûi i chin ū kò-sèng.

Richard sī chi̍t-ê lêng-le̍k chin kiông ê lâng, tān ūi-tio̍h ta̍t-sêng bo̍k-tek, i bô kéng chhiú-tōaⁿ. I tōa-táⁿ chú-tiuⁿ ka-tī eng-tong kè-sêng ông-ūi, in-ūi in hiaⁿ-ko kap Elizabeth Woodville ê hun-in bô-hāu, só͘ seⁿ ê gín-á sī su-seng chú. I tit-tio̍h peh-sèⁿ ê chiap-siū, in-ūi in kiaⁿ khì hō͘ bōe sêng-liân ê kun-ông thóng-tī. I ê thóng-tī khai-sí tī sûn-iû lâm-pō͘ tē-khu, pēng-chhiáⁿ tī hia siū-tio̍h jia̍t-lia̍t ê hoan-gêng. M̄-koh tī chit-tōaⁿ sûn-iû kî-kan, tòa tī Thah ni̍h ê 2-ê siàu-liân Ông-chú soah sit-chong khì, it-poaⁿ jīn-ûi sī cho-siū bô͘-sat.

Sòa lo̍h-lâi hoat-seng chi̍t-tiûⁿ giâm-tiōng ê poān-loān, Richard iōng ke̍k chân-khok ê chhiú-tōaⁿ kā he tìn-ap lo̍h-lâi. Ūi-tio̍h boeh tit-hôe chi̍t-kóa sit-khì ê bîn-sim, i tiàu-khai Kok-hōe, thong-kòe chi̍t-kóa si̍t-iōng ê hoat-lu̍t, hùi-tî Chû-siān Sòe (Benevolences), Ûi-hō͘ Sòe (Maintenance), kap Sū-chiông Chè (Livery).

Tān, tē-2 ê poān-loān tòe-leh lâi. Che sī iû Lancaster hun-ki ê thâu-lâng Henry Tudor só͘ hoat-tōng, ín-chhōa Franse kun-tūi ji̍p-chhim England. I tī Leicester hū-kīn ê Bosworth kap Richard kau-chiàn, Stanley ka-cho̍k ê pōe-poān hō͘ Henry tit-tio̍h sèng-lī. Richard eng-ióng chiàn-sí tī chiàn-tàu, lâu chi̍t-ê chhàu-miâ bē khah su John Ông.

Chû-siān Sòe, Ûi-hō͘ Sòe, kap Sū-chiông Chè tàu-té sī siáⁿ óaⁿ-ko?

Eng-kok lâng iū chóaⁿ-iūⁿ hō͘ Frranse kun-tūi lâi koat-tēng in ê kè-sêng jîn neh? Tong-jiân, tī Mûi-kùi Chiàn-cheng sî-kî, tùi England lâi kóng, Franse iáu sī chi̍t-ê pòaⁿ hū-sio̍k kok-ka; tùi England lâng lâi kóng, Franse bô chhiūⁿ Ireland hiah-nī chheⁿ-hūn. Tī 15 sè-kí, England lâng khì Franse sī kai tong-jiân ê tāi-chì; tān nā khì Irland, he sī boeh khì khòng-gī.

I tó-leh, su-khó hit-ê England. Hit-ê chò-ûi Mûi-kùi Chiàn-cheng chiàn-tiûⁿ ê England. Chi̍t-ê le̍k iûx, chheⁿ piàngx ê England; ùi Cumberland kàu Cornwall, chi̍t-ki ian-tâng to bô. Chi̍t-ê iáu bô ûi-lî ê England, ū chhiong-móa la̍h-bu̍t ê tōa sim-lîm tòa, kap kāu iá-khîm ê khòng-khoah làm-tē.

Chi̍t-ê múi keh kúi mai tō it-chài tiông-ho̍k kāng-khoán sió chhun-chng ê England: siâⁿ-pó, kàu-tn̂g, chhun-sià; siu-tō-īⁿ, kàu-tn̂g, chhun-sià; chong-hn̂g, kàu-tn̂g, chhun-sià. Chhun-chng ê chiu-ûi sī chèng-choh ê chhân-tē, koh gōa-kháu tō sī chi̍t-phiàn chheⁿ-chhùi.

Bô làng-phāng ê chheⁿ-chhùi. Ū chhimx chhia-lián kau ê sió lō͘, ùi chit chng kàu hit chng, kôaⁿ-thiⁿ im tī thô͘-môe, joa̍h-thiⁿ pe̍h-sek thô͘-hún iāⁿx poe; sûi-tio̍h kùi-chiat ê thè-ōaⁿ, iân lō͘ khui móa iá mûi-kùi a̍h sī kòa móa âng-sek sian-cha.

Tī chit-phiàn chheⁿ linx, jîn-kháu langx ê thó͘-tē téng, Mûi-kùi Chiàn-cheng phah 30-nî. Nā boeh kóng che sī chiàn-cheng, put-jû kóng sī ka-cho̍k oan-ke. Chhin-chhiūⁿ Montague ka-cho̍k kap Capulet ka-cho̍k ê un-oàn; kap phó͘-thong Eng-kok lâng bô siáⁿ tōa koan-hē. Bô-lâng ē chông ji̍p lín chhù, mn̄g lí sī York Phài a̍h Lancaster Phài, nā lí ê hôe-tap m̄-tio̍h, tō kā lí thoa khì chi̍p-tiong iâⁿ.

Che sī chi̍t-tiûⁿ sió-hêng chi̍p-tiong ê chiàn-cheng; bē-su sī chi̍t-tiûⁿ su-jîn iàn-hōe. In tī lín tau ê bo̍k-tiûⁿ sio-phah, iōng lín tau chàu-kha chò kiù-hō͘ chām, jiân-āu koh sóa kàu pa̍t-ūi a̍h tó-ūi, koh tī hia chhia-piaⁿ, kàu kúi lé-pài liáu-āu lí chiah ē thiaⁿ-tio̍h he chhia-piàⁿ ê kiat-kó, jiân-āu lí ē in-ūi lín bó͘ sī Lancaster Phài, á lí sī York Phài, nn̄g-lâng khí oan-ke, che it-chhè bē-su chhiūⁿ tòe tùi-te̍k ê kha-kiû tūi kāng-khoán.

Bô-lâng ē in-ūi lí sī Lancaster Phài a̍h York Phài pek-hāi lí, tō chhin-chhīiuⁿ lí bē in-ūi sī Arsenal kiû-bê a̍h Chelsea kiû-bê pī pek-hāi kāng-khoán.

I khùn-khì ê sî, iáu-koh teh siūⁿ hit-ê chheⁿ-chhùi ê England.

Tùi hit 2-ê siàu-liân Ông-chú, i iáu-koh sī bô cheng-ka sin ê tì-hūi.

--

2.5 Richard 是 能力真強 ê 人

伊換讀 第 2 本冊.

第2 本冊 是正範 ê 學校 歷史課本. 2,000 年 ê England 歷史 kā kuix kíx 安排做 無仝 ê 章節, 方便 隨時查揣. Chiah-ê 章節, 照例是 kō͘ 國王 ê 統治時期 來安排. 莫怪 咱人 kā 一个人物 釘 tī 一个王朝, 煞袂記得 這个人物 其實 mā bat 生活 tī 別个王 統治 ê 時. 咱人 lóng 自動 kā in 囥 tī 無仝 ê 格仔內面. Pepys: Charles II. Shakespeare: Elizabeth. Marlborough: Anne 女王. 咱人 m̄-bat 想過, 見過 Elizabeth 女王 ê 人, mā 可能見過 George I. 咱 自囡仔 時 tō 釘牢 tī 這種 “王朝時代” ê 概念.

不而過, án-ne mā 確實 hō͘ 代誌變 khah 簡單, 尤其 tī 你 不過是 一个 跤受傷, 龍骨走精 ê 警察, 想欲查揣 一寡 過去 ê 王室成員, koh 無愛迫 kah 起痟 ê 時.

伊 驚一趒, 發現 Richard III ê 王朝 hiah-nī 短. Tī England 2,000 年 ê 歷史中間, koh 干焦有 2 年 ê 時間, Richard III 成做 一个 通人知 ê 統治者, che 無疑顯示 伊是 一个 大角色. Tō 講 Richard 無啥朋友, 伊 的確 影響 chēx 人.

這本 歷史冊 mā 認為 伊 真有個性.

Richard 是一个 能力真強 ê 人, 但 為著 達成目的, 伊無揀 手段. 伊大膽 主張 ka-tī 應當 繼承王位, 因為 in 兄哥 kap Elizabeth Woodville ê 婚姻 無效, 所生 ê 囡仔 是 私生子. 伊得著 百姓 ê 接受, 因為 in 驚去 hō͘ 未成年 ê 君王統治. 伊 ê 統治 開始 tī 巡遊 南部地區, 並且 tī hia 受著 熱烈 ê 歡迎. 毋過 tī 這段 巡遊期間, 蹛 tī 塔 ni̍h ê 2 个 少年王子 煞 失蹤去, 一般 認為是 遭受謀殺.

紲落來 發生 一場 嚴重 ê 叛亂, Richard 用 極殘酷 ê 手段 kā he 鎮壓落來. 為著欲 得回一寡 失去 ê 民心, 伊 召開國會, 通過 一寡 實用 ê 法律, 廢除慈善稅 (Benevolences), 維護稅 (Maintenance), kap 侍從制 (Livery).

但, 第 2 个 叛亂綴 leh 來. 這是 由 Lancaster 分支 ê 頭人 Henry Tudor 所發動, 引𤆬 Franse 軍隊入侵 England. 伊 tī Leicester 附近 ê Bosworth kap Richard 交戰, Stanley 家族 ê 背叛 hō͘ Henry 得著勝利. Richard 英勇戰死 tī 戰鬥, 留一个臭名 袂較輸 John 王.

慈善稅, 維護稅, kap 侍從制 到底是 啥碗糕?

英國人 又怎樣 hō͘ Frranse 軍隊 來決定 in ê 繼承人 neh?

當然, tī 玫瑰戰爭 時期, 對 England 來講, Franse 猶是一个 半附屬 國家; 對 England 人 來講, Franse 無像 Ireland hiah-nī 生份. Tī 15 世紀, England 人 去 Franse 是 該當然 ê 代誌; 但 若去 Irland, he 是 欲去抗議.

伊倒 leh, 思考 彼个 England. 彼个做為 玫瑰戰爭 戰場 ê England. 一个 綠 iûx, 青 piàngx ê England; ùi Cumberland 到 Cornwall, 一支煙筒 to 無. 一个 猶無 圍籬 ê England, 有充滿 獵物 ê 大森林帶, kap 厚野禽 ê 曠闊湳地. 

一个 每隔 幾 mai tō 一再重複 仝款 小村庄 ê England: 城堡, 教堂, 村舍; 修道院, 教堂, 村舍; 莊園, 教堂, 村舍. 村庄 ê 周圍是 種作 ê 田地, koh 外口 tō 是 一遍 青翠. 

無閬縫 ê 青翠. 有 chhimx 車輪溝 ê 小路, ùi 這庄 到 彼庄, 寒天 淹 tī 塗糜, 熱天 白色塗粉 iāⁿx 飛; 隨著季節 ê 替換, 沿路開滿 野玫瑰 a̍h是 掛滿 紅色仙楂.

Tī 這遍 青 linx, 人口 langx ê 土地頂, 玫瑰戰爭 拍 30 年. 若欲講 這是 戰爭, 不如講 是 家族冤家. 親像 Montague 家族 kap Capulet 家族 ê 恩怨; kap 普通 英國人 無啥 大關係. 無人 會 傱入 恁厝, 問你 是 York 派 a̍h Lancaster 派, 若 你 ê 回答毋著, tō kā 你 拖去 集中營. 

這是 一場 小型 集中 ê 戰爭; 袂輸是 一場 私人宴會. In tī 恁兜 ê 牧場 相拍, 用 恁兜 灶跤做 救護站, 然後 koh 徙到 別位 a̍h 佗位, koh tī hia 捙拚, 到 幾禮拜 了後 你才會 聽著 he 捙拚 ê 結果, 然後 你會 因為 恁某 是 Lancaster 派, á 你是 York 派, 兩人 起冤家, che 一切 袂輸像 綴 對敵 ê 跤球隊 仝款. 

無人 會因為 你是 Lancaster 派 a̍h York 派 迫害你, tō 親像 你袂 因為是 Arsenal 球迷 a̍h Chelsea 球迷 被迫害 仝款.

伊睏去 ê 時, 猶閣 teh 想 彼个青翠 ê England.

對 hit 2 个 少年王子, 伊 猶閣是 無增加 新 ê 智慧.

--

2.5

He turned to the second book.

The second book was the School History proper. The two thousand years of England’s story were neatly[Pg 37] parcelled into compartments for ready reference. The compartments, as usual, were reigns. It was no wonder that one pinned a personality to a reign, forgetful that that personality had known and lived under other kings. One put them in pigeon-holes automatically. Pepys: Charles II. Shakespeare: Elizabeth. Marlborough: Queen Anne. It never crossed one’s mind that someone who had seen Queen Elizabeth could also have seen George I. One had been conditioned to the reign idea from childhood.

However it did simplify things when you were just a policeman with a game leg and a concussed spine hunting up some information on dead and gone royalties to keep yourself from going crazy.

He was surprised to find the reign of Richard III so short. To have made oneself one of the best-known rulers in all those two thousand years of England’s history, and to have had only two years to do it in, surely augured a towering personality. If Richard had not made friends he had certainly influenced people.

The history book, too, thought that he had personality.

Richard was a man of great ability, but quite unscrupulous as to his means. He boldly claimed the crown on the absurd ground that his brother’s marriage with Elizabeth Woodville had been illegal and the children of it illegitimate. He was accepted by the people, who dreaded a minority, and began his reign by making a progress through the south, where he was well received. During this progress, however, the two young Princes who were living in the Tower, disappeared, and were believed to have been murdered.

[Pg 38]A serious rebellion followed, which Richard put down with great ferocity. In order to recover some of his lost popularity he held a Parliament, which passed useful statutes against Benevolences, Maintenance, and Livery.

But a second rebellion followed. This took the form of an invasion, with French troops, by the head of the Lancaster branch, Henry Tudor. He encountered Richard at Bosworth, near Leicester, where the treachery of the Stanleys gave the day to Henry. Richard was killed in the battle, fighting courageously, leaving behind him a name hardly less infamous than that of John.

What on earth were Benevolences, Maintenance, and Livery?

And how did the English like having the succession decided for them by French troops?

But, of course, in the days of the Roses, France was still a sort of semi-detached part of England; a country much less foreign to an Englishman than Ireland was. A fifteenth-century Englishman went to France as a matter of course; but to Ireland only under protest.

He lay and thought about that England. The England over which the Wars of the Roses had been fought. A green, green England; with not a chimney-stack from Cumberland to Cornwall. An England still unhedged, with great forests alive with game, and wide marshes thick with wild-fowl. /

An England with the same small group of dwellings repeated every few miles in endless permutation: castle, church, and cottages; monastery, church, and cottages; manor, church, and cottages. The[Pg 39] strips of cultivation round the cluster of dwellings, and beyond that the greenness. /

The unbroken greenness. The deep-rutted lanes that ran from group to group, mired to bog in the winter and white with dust in the summer; decorated with wild roses or red with hawthorn as the seasons came and went.

For thirty years, over this green uncrowded land, the Wars of the Roses had been fought. But it had been more of a blood feud than a war. A Montague and Capulet affair; of no great concern to the average Englishman. No one pushed in at your door to demand whether you were York or Lancaster and to hale you off to a concentration camp if your answer proved to be the wrong one for the occasion. /

It was a small concentrated war; almost a private party. They fought a battle in your lower meadow, and turned your kitchen into a dressing-station, and then moved off somewhere or other to fight a battle somewhere else, and a few weeks later you would hear what had happened at that battle, and you would have a family row about the result because your wife was probably Lancaster and you were perhaps York, and it was all rather like following rival football teams. /

No one persecuted you for being a Lancastrian or a Yorkist, any more than you would be persecuted for being an Arsenal fan or a Chelsea follower.

He was still thinking of that green England when he fell asleep.

And he was not a whit wiser about the two young Princes and their fate.

[Pg 40]

--

2.4 你身邊 kám 有 歷史冊?

2.4 Lí sin-piⁿ kám ū le̍k-sú chheh?

Múi chi̍t-ê ha̍k-seng hian kòe Richard III ê chòe-āu chi̍t-ia̍h ê sî, lóng ē thò͘ chi̍t-kháu khùi, in-ūi Mûi-kùi Chiàn-cheng (Wars of teh Roses) chóng-sǹg kiat-sok ah, in í-keng ē-tàng kè-sio̍k tha̍k Tudor Ông-tiâu ah, sui-bóng bô-liâu, m̄-koh khah khin-sang tha̍k.

Tán Sè-lia̍p Chí lâi ūi i chún-pī hō͘ i thang khùn ê sî, Grant mn̄g: “Lí kám tú-hó sin-piⁿ ū le̍k-sú chheh?”

“Le̍k-sú chheh? Bô. Góa the̍h le̍k-sú chheh chhòng-siáⁿ?” Che m̄-sī chi̍t-ê būn-tê, só͘-tì Grant bô ì-sù boeh kā hôe-tap. I ê tiām-chēng soah hō͘ yi bē chū-chāi.

“Lí nā chin-chiàⁿ su-iàu le̍k-sú chheh,” yi sûi koh kóng, “lí ē-sái mn̄g Darroll Hō͘-sū, tán yi sàng lí ê àm-tǹg lâi ê sî.  Yi kā  ha̍k-hāu khò-pún lóng khǹg tī pâng-keng ê chheh-kè, chin khó-lêng kî-tiong ū le̍k-sú chheh.”

Grant sim-lāi án-ne siūⁿ: che chiàⁿx sī Amazon ē chò ê tāi-chì, pó-liû ha̍k-hāu ê khò-pún! Yi iáu ē su-liām ha̍k-hāu, tō ná ta̍k-pái chúi-sian khui-hoe, yi tō su-liām kò͘-hiong Gloucester Kūn kāng-khoán. Tī yi bān-pō͘ hoaiⁿh ji̍p-lâi pâng-keng, phâng i ê chhiz pudding kap kûn tāi-hông (stewed rhubarb) ê sî, i kō͘ chi̍t-chióng chiap-kīn chû-pi ê khoan-iông khòaⁿ yi. Yi taⁿ m̄-sī chhoán kah ná thiu-hong pump ê tōa-chhāi cha-bó͘, í-keng piàn-chò chi̍t-ê khó-lêng ē tòa-lâi khoài-lo̍k ê lâng.

Oh, ū, yi kóng, yi ū chi̍t-pún le̍k-sú chheh. Sū-si̍t-siōng, yi kám-kak yi ū 2-pún. Yi pó-liû só͘-ū ê khò-pún, in-ūi yi kah-ì ha̍k-hāu seng-oa̍h.

Grant hiám-á tō mn̄g yi, kám mā ū pó-liû gín-á sî ê pò͘-ang-á, m̄-koh i chek-sî kā ōe jím lo̍h-lâi.

“Lēng-gōa, tong-jiân góa mā kah-ì le̍k-sú,” yi kóng. “He sī góa kah-ì ê kho-bo̍k. ‘Sai-sim Ông Richard’ sī góa ê eng-hiông.”

“Chi̍t-ê hō͘ lâng tòng bē-tiâu ê àu kha-siàu.” Grant kóng.

“Oh, m̄-sī!” yi kóng, ká-ná siū-tio̍h siong-hāi.

“Kah-chōng-sòaⁿ khòng-chìn hit-hêng ê,” Grant kóng kah chin bô-chêng. “Tī tē-bīn chông lâi chông khì, ná chò pháiⁿ khì ê ian-hoe. Lí taⁿ boeh hā-pan ah hioh?”

“Tán góa kā phâng-pôaⁿ siu liáu.”

“E-àm lí ē-tàng pang góa chhōe hit-pún chheh lâi bô?” 

“Lí tio̍h khì khùn neh, m̄-thang piàⁿ-mê tha̍k le̍k-sú.” 

“Nā m̄-sī tha̍k le̍k-sú, góa mā sī khòaⁿ thian-pông – bô kî-thaⁿ ê soán-te̍k lah. Lí ē pang góa the̍h-lâi bô?” 

“Góa bô jīn-ûi, góa ē ūi chi̍t-ê tùi Sai-sim Ông bô-lé ê lâng, choan-kang cháu khì Hō͘-sū Sok-sià koh tńg-lâi.” 

“Hó lah,” i kóng, “Góa mā m̄-sī lia̍t-sū ê liāu lah. Chiū góa khòaⁿ, Sai-sim Ông sī khî-sū tō ê tián-hoān, sī bô kiaⁿ-hiâⁿ, bû khó chek-pī ê khî-sū, chi̍t-ê bô khiàm-tiám ê su-lēng, koh 3-pái tit-tio̍h Kiat-chhut Ho̍k-bū Hun-chiong. Taⁿ lí khéng khì the̍h chheh bô?” 

“Góa khòaⁿ lí khak-si̍t tio̍h tha̍k kóa le̍k-sú,” yi kóng, ná kō͘ he tōa chhiú sūnx kā chhn̂g-toaⁿ ê oat-kak chhu pêⁿ, “só͘-í, góa keng-kòe ê sî ē kā chheh chah lâi hō͘ lí. Hoâiⁿ-ti̍t góa tán-leh boeh khì khòaⁿ tiān-iáⁿ.” 

Chha-put-to 1 tiám-cheng liáu-āu, yi chiah koh chhut-hiān, chhēng chi̍t-niá lo̍k-tô mo͘ tōa gōa-thò. Pâng-keng ê teng í-keng chhiat ah, yi chhut-hiān tī tha̍k-chheh teng-kng ē-bīn, ná chi̍t-ê chhin-chhiat ê cheng-lêng.

“Góa siūⁿ-kóng lí í-keng khùn-khì ah,” yi kóng. “Góa chin-chiàⁿ jīn-ûi, lí m̄-thang e-àm tō khai-sí tha̍k chiah-ê.”

“Nā ū siáⁿ ē hō͘ góa ài-khùn,” i kóng, “he tāi-khài tō sī Eng-kok le̍k-sú chheh lah. Só͘-tì, lí ē-sái hòng-sim chhiú khan chhiú khì iok-hōe ah.”

“Góa sī kap Burrows Hō͘-sū chò-hóe khì.”

“Lín iáu sī ē-sái chhiú khan chhiú.”

“Góa bô lí ê hoat-tō͘ neh,” yi nāi-sim án-ne kóng, jiân-āu tò-thè siau-sit tī o͘-àm tiong.

Yi chah 2-pún chheh lâi.

Chi̍t-pún sī só͘-ūi “Le̍k-sú Tho̍k-pún” hit-chióng le̍k-sú chheh. Che kap le̍k-sú ê koan-hē tō ná “Sèng-keng Kò͘-sū” kap Sèng-keng ê koan-hē. Canute tī hōaⁿ-piⁿ chí-chek i ê tiâu-têng koaⁿ-oân, Alfred hāi ke-nn̄g ko tio̍h hóe-sio, Raleigh pho͘ hoan-moa hō͘ Elizabeth ta̍h, Nelson tī “Victory (Sèng-lī)” Hō chûn-chhng kap Hardy kò-pia̍t, só͘-ū lóng kō͘ tōax jī ìn kah chin chheng-chhó, chi̍t-tōaⁿ chi̍t-kù. Múi chi̍t-ê chiuⁿ-chat lóng tah-phòe chi̍t-pak choân-ia̍h chhah-tô͘.

Amazon kèng-jiân pó-sioh chit-pún gín-á chheh, che si̍t-chāi hō͘ lâng ì-gōa koh kám-tōng. I hian kàu thâu-ia̍h (fly-leaf), khòaⁿ kám ū yi ê miâ tī hia.

Hui-ia̍h téng-bīn án-ne siá:

// Ella Darroll,

Saⁿ Nî-kip

Newbridge Ko-tiong

Newbridge,

Gloucester Kūn.

England

Europa,

Sè-kài

Ú-tiū. //

Chit-tōaⁿ jī sì-bīn ûi chēx súix ê chhái-sek choán-ìn tah-chóa.

I hòⁿ-kî, kám só͘-ū gín-á lóng án-ne? Án-ne siá in ê miâ, siōng-khò ê sî sńg choán-ìn chóa? I ka-tī mā bat sńg he. Hiah-ê kng-iām goân-sek ê sì-kak hêng, kā i kú-nî m̄-bat ū ê gín-á sî kì-tî koh kiò chhéⁿ. I í-keng bē kì-tit sńg choán-ìn chóa ê chhì-kek ah. Tng lí pak-khui, khòaⁿ-tio̍h tah-chóa oân-bí choán-ìn, hit-chióng bí-miāu ê boán-chiok sî-khek. Tī tōa-lâng ê sè-kài, chin chió ū chiah-nī hō͘ lâng boán-chiok ê tāi-chì. Hoān-sè tī golf kòng chi̍t-ki súi kiû, ē-tit kap che sio-pí. A̍h sī, tī thang-si peⁿ-ân, lí chai ū hî tio̍h-tiàu ê sî.

Chit-pún sió chheh hō͘ i chin hoaⁿ-hí, i ûnx-á kā hian thàu. Chèngx kengx tha̍k múi chi̍t-phiⁿ gín-á kó͘. Pit-kèng, che sī ta̍k-ê tōa-lâng lóng ē kì-tit ê le̍k-sú. Tng tùn-sòe, pōng-sòe, chûn sòe, Laud ê Kî-tó Bûn (Laud’s Liturgy), O͘-be̍h Chhù Im-bô͘ (Rye House Plot), Saⁿ-nî Hoat-àn, í-ki̍p só͘-ū hiah-ê tn̂g-kî hūn-loān ê hun-cheng kap chhá-nāu, tiâu-iok kap pōe-poān lóng ùi in ê ì-sek lāi-bīn siau-thè í-āu, lâu-chûn tī in náu-hái ni̍h ê tō sī chiah-ê kò͘-sū.

I tha̍k kàu Richard III ê kò͘-sū ê sî, he hō-chò “Thah ni̍h ê Ông-chú,” siàu-liân Ella khòaⁿ sī jīn-ûi chit 2-ê ông-chú bô Sai-sim Ông hiah-nī bê-lâng, in-ūi yi kā kò͘-sū lāi-bīn múi chi̍t-ê sió-siá jī-bó O lóng kō͘ iân-pit kā ōe chéng-chê ê o͘-iáⁿ. Hù-tô͘ ni̍h, ji̍t-kng thàu-kòe thih-tiâu thang-á chhiō ji̍p-lâi, 2-ê kim thâu-mo͘ cha-po͘ gín-á chò-hóe teh sńg, ta̍k-ê lóng hông kòa bô ha̍h-sî ê ba̍k-kiàⁿ. Chhah-tô͘ ia̍h khàng-pe̍h ê ūi ū-lâng bat tī hia sńg 9-kiong-keh ê “Khian kap Chhe.” Tùi siàu-liân Ella lâi kóng, chit 2-ê ông-chú kin-pún bô ín-khí chù-ì.

M̄-koh, che chū-té tō sī khip-ín lâng ê sió kò͘-sū. Khióng-pò͘ kah ū-kàu hō͘ gín-á sim-koaⁿ hoaⁿ-hí. Bû-ko͘ ê gín-á; siâ-ok ê a-chek. Kó͘-tián tan-sûn kò͘-sū ê kó͘-tián goân-sò͘.

He mā ū tō-tek ì-gī. Sī chi̍t-ê oân-bí ê kéng-sè kò͘-sū.

M̄-koh, chit-ê Kok-ông mā bô ùi che siâ-ok hêng-ûi tit-tio̍h siáⁿ hó-chhù. England jîn-bîn tùi i ê léng-hoeh chân-khok kám-kak tōa-kiaⁿ, tō koat-tēng bô-ài hō͘ i chò Ông. In phài lâng khì Franse, chhiáⁿ Henry Tudor kòe-lâi chò Ông, i sī Richard ê chi̍t-ê hn̄g-pâng piáu-chhin, tòa tī Franse. Richard tī sûi-āu ê chiàn-tàu tiong eng-ióng chiàn-sí, m̄-koh i ê chhàu-miâ chá tō thoân phiàn choân-kok, chin chē lâng sīm-chì hoán-pōe i, ūi i ê tùi-chhiú chok-chiàn.

Hmh, che kán-tan bêng-pe̍k, bô phòng-hong. Kō͘ chòe kán-té ê hong-sek pò-tō.

--

2.4你身邊 kám有 歷史冊?

每一个 學生 掀過 Richard III ê 最後一頁 ê 時, lóng 會 吐一口氣, 因為 玫瑰戰爭 (Wars of the Roses) 總算結束 ah, in 已經會當 繼續讀 Tudor 王朝 ah, 雖罔無聊, 毋過 較輕鬆 讀.

等 Sè-lia̍p Chí 來 為伊 準備 hō͘ 伊 thang 睏 ê 時, Grant 問: “你 kám 拄好 身邊 有 歷史冊?”

“歷史冊? 無. 我提 歷史冊 創啥?” Che 毋是 一个問題, 所致 Grant 無意思 欲 kā 回答. 伊 ê 恬靜 煞 hō͘ 她 袂自在.

“你 若真正 需要 歷史冊,” 她 隨 koh 講, “你會使 問 Darroll 護士, 等 她送 你 ê 暗頓 來 ê 時.  她 kā  學校課本 lóng 囥 tī 房間 ê 冊架, 真可能 其中 有 歷史冊.”

Grant 心內 án-ne 想: che chiàⁿx sī Amazon 會做 ê 代誌, 保留 學校 ê 課本! 她猶會 思念學校, tō ná 逐擺 水仙開花, 她 tō 思念故鄉 Gloucester 郡 仝款. Tī 她慢步 hoaiⁿh 入來 房間, 捀 伊 ê chhiz pudding kap 𤉙大黃 (stewed rhubarb) ê 時, 伊 kō͘ 一種 接近 慈悲 ê 寬容 看她. 她 今 毋是 喘 kah ná 抽風 pump ê 大 chhāi 查某, 已經 變做 一个 可能 會帶來 快樂 ê 人.

Oh, 有, 她講, 她有 一本 歷史冊. 事實上, 她感覺 她有 2 本. 她保留 所有 ê 課本, 因為 她佮意 學校生活.

Grant 險仔 tō 問她, kám mā 有保留 囡仔時 ê 布尪仔, 毋過 伊 即時 kā 話 忍落來.

“另外, 當然 我 mā 佮意歷史,” 她講. “彼是 我 佮意 ê 科目. ‘獅心王 Richard’ 是 我 ê 英雄.”

“一个 hō͘ 人 擋袂牢 ê 漚跤數.” Grant 講.

“Oh, 毋是!” 她講, ká-ná 受著傷害.

“甲狀線 亢進 hit 型 ê,” Grant 講 kah 真無情. “Tī 地面 傱來傱去, ná 做歹去 ê 煙火. 你今 欲下班 ah hioh?”

“等我 kā 捀盤 收了.”

“下暗 你會當 幫我揣 彼本冊 來 無?”

“你著 去睏 neh, 毋通 拚暝 讀歷史.”

“若毋是 讀歷史, 我 mā 是 看天篷 - 無其他 ê 選擇 lah. 你會幫我 提來 無?”

“我無認為, 我會為 一个 對獅心王 無禮 ê 人, 專工走去 護士宿舍 koh 轉來.”

“好 lah,” 伊講, “我 mā 毋是 烈士 ê 料 lah. 就我看, 獅心王 是騎士道 ê 典範, 是無驚惶, 無可責備 ê 騎士, 一个 無欠點 ê 司令, koh 3 擺 得著 傑出 服務 勳章. 今 你肯去 提冊 無?” 

“我看 你確實 著 讀寡 歷史,” 她講, ná kō͘ he 大手 sūnx kā 床單 ê 斡角 chhu 平, “所以, 我經過 ê 時 會 kā 冊扎來 hō͘ 你. 橫直 我等 leh 欲去 看電影.”

差不多 1 點鐘 了後, 她 才 koh 出現, 穿一領 駱駝毛 大外套. 房間 ê 燈 已經切 ah, 她出現 tī 讀冊 燈光下面, ná 一个 親切 ê 精靈.

“我想講 你已經 睏去 ah,” 她講. “我真正 認為, 你毋通 下暗 tō 開始讀 chiah-ê.”

“若有啥 會 hō͘ 我 愛睏,” 伊講, “he 大概 tō 是 英國 歷史冊 lah. 所致, 你會使 放心 手牽手 去約會 ah.”

“我是 kap Burrows護士 做伙去.”

“恁猶是 會使 手牽手.”

“我無 你 ê 法度 neh,” 她 耐心 án-ne 講, 然後 倒退 消失 tī 烏暗中.

她扎 2 本冊 來.

一本是 所謂 “歷史讀本” 彼種 歷史冊. Che kap 歷史 ê 關係 tō ná “聖經故事” kap 聖經 ê 關係. Canute tī 岸邊指責 伊 ê 朝廷官員, Alfred 害 雞卵糕 著火燒, Raleigh 鋪 番幔 hō͘ Elizabeth 踏, Nelson tī “Victory (勝利)” 號 船艙 kap Hardy 告別, 所有 lóng kō͘ tōax 字 印 kah 真清楚, 一段 一句. 每一个 章節 lóng 搭配 一幅 全頁插圖.

Amazon 竟然 保惜 這本 囡仔冊, che 實在 hō͘ 人 意外 koh 感動. 伊 掀到 頭頁 (fly-leaf), 看 kám 有 她 ê 名 tī hia.

飛頁 頂面 án-ne 寫:

// Ella Darroll,

三年級

Newbridge 高中

Newbridge,

Gloucester 郡.

England

Europa,

世界

宇宙. //

這段字 四面 圍 chēx súix ê 彩色 轉印貼紙.

伊好奇, kám 所有 囡仔 lóng án-ne? Án-ne 寫 in ê 名, 上課 ê 時 耍 轉印紙? 伊 ka-tī mā bat 耍 he. Hiah-ê 光艷原色 ê 四角形, kā 伊 久年 m̄-bat 有 ê 囡仔時 記持 koh 叫醒. 伊已經 袂記得 耍 轉印紙 ê 刺激 ah. Tng 你 剥開, 看著貼紙 完美轉印, 彼種 美妙 ê 滿足時刻. Tī 大人 ê 世界, 真少有 chiah-nī hō͘ 人 滿足 ê 代誌. 凡勢 tī golf 摃 一支 媠球, 會得 kap che 相比. A̍h 是, tī 蟲絲 繃絚, 你知 有魚著吊 ê 時.

這本小冊 hō͘ 伊 真歡喜, 伊 ûnx-á kā 掀透. Chèngx kengx 讀 每一篇 囡仔古. 畢竟, che 是 逐个大人 lóng 會記得 ê 歷史. Tng 頓稅, 磅稅, 船稅, Laud ê 祈禱文 (Laud’s Liturgy), 烏麥厝陰謀 (Rye House Plot), 三年法案, 以及 所有 hiah-ê 長期混亂 ê 紛爭 kap 吵鬧, 條約 kap 背叛 lóng ùi in ê 意識內面 消退以後, 留存 tī in 腦海 ni̍h ê tō 是 chiah-ê 故事.

伊讀到 Richard III ê 故事 ê 時, he 號做 “塔 ni̍h ê 王子,” 少年 Ella 看是 認為 chit 2 个王子 無 獅心王 hiah-nī 迷人, 因為 她 kā 故事內面 每一个 小寫 字母 O lóng kō͘ 鉛筆 kā 畫 整齊 ê 烏影. 附圖 ni̍h, 日光 透過 鐵條窗仔 炤入來, 2 个 金頭毛 查埔囡仔 做伙 teh 耍, 逐个 lóng hông 掛 無合時 ê 目鏡. 插圖頁 空白 ê位 有人 bat tī hia 耍 9 宮格 ê “圈 kap 叉.” 對少年 Ella 來講, chit 2 个王子 根本 無引起 注意.

毋過, che 自底 tō 是 吸引人 ê 小故事. 恐怖 kah 有夠 hō͘ 囡仔 心肝歡喜. 無辜 ê 囡仔; 邪惡 ê 阿叔. 古典 單純故事 ê 古典元素.

He mā 有 道德意義. 是 一个完美 ê 警世故事.

毋過, 這个國王 mā 無 ùi che 邪惡行為 得著 啥好處. England 人民 對 伊 ê 冷血殘酷 感覺 大驚, tō 決定 無愛 hō͘ 依做王. In 派人去 Franse, 請 Henry Tudor 過來 做王, 伊是 Richard ê 一个 遠房表親, 蹛 tī Franse. Richard tī 隨後 ê 戰鬥中 英勇戰死, 毋過 伊 ê 臭名 早 tō 傳遍全國, 真濟人 甚至反背 伊, 為 伊 ê 對手 作戰.

Hmh, che 簡單明白, 無膨風. Kō͘ 最簡短 ê 方式 報導.

--

2.4

Every schoolboy turned over the final page of Richard III with relief, because now at last the Wars of the Roses were over and they could get on to the Tudors, who were dull but easy to follow.

When The Midget came to tidy him up for the night Grant said: ‘You don’t happen to have a history book, by any chance, do you?’

‘A history book? No. What would I be doing with a history book.’ It was not a question, so Grant did not try to provide an answer. His silence seemed to fret her.

‘If you really want a history book,’ she said presently, ‘you could ask Nurse Darroll when she brings your supper. She has all her school-books on a shelf in her room and it’s quite possible she has a history among them.’

[Pg 33]How like The Amazon to keep her school books! he thought. She was still homesick for school as she was homesick for Gloucestershire every time the daffodils bloomed. When she lumbered into the room, bearing his cheese pudding and stewed rhubarb, he looked at her with a tolerance that bordered on the benevolent. She ceased to be a large female who breathed like a suction-pump and became a potential dispenser of delight.

Oh yes, she had a history book, she said. Indeed, she rather thought that she had two. She had kept all her school books because she had loved school.

It was on the tip of Grant’s tongue to ask her if she had kept her dolls, but he stopped himself in time.

‘And of course I loved history,’ she said. ‘It was my favourite subject. Richard the Lionheart was my hero.’

‘An intolerable bounder,’ Grant said.

‘Oh, no!’ she said, looking wounded.

‘A hyperthyroid type,’ Grant said pitilessly. ‘Rocketing to and fro about the earth like a badly made firework. Are you going off duty now?’

‘Whenever I’ve finished my trays.’

‘Could you find that book for me tonight?’

‘You’re supposed to be going to sleep, not staying awake over history books.’

‘I might as well read some history as look at the ceiling—which is the alternative. Will you get it for me?’

‘I don’t think I could go all the way up to the Nurses’ Block and back again tonight for someone who is rude about the Lionheart.’

‘All right,’ he said. ‘I’m not the stuff that martyrs are made of. As far as I’m concerned Coeur-de-Lion is the[Pg 34] pattern of chivalry, the chevalier sans peur et sans reproche, a faultless commander and a triple D.S.O. Now will you get the book?’

‘It seems to me you’ve sore need to read a little history,’ she said, smoothing a mitred sheet-corner with a large admiring hand, ’so I’ll bring you the book when I come past. I’m going out to the pictures anyhow.’

It was nearly an hour before she reappeared, immense in a camel-hair coat. The room lights had been put out and she materialised into the light of his reading-lamp like some kindly genie.

‘I was hoping you’d be asleep,’ she said. ‘I don’t really think you should start on these tonight.’

‘If there is anything that is likely to put me to sleep,’ he said, ‘it would be an English history book. So you can hold hands with a clear conscience.’

‘I’m going with Nurse Burrows.’

‘You can still hold hands.’

‘I’ve no patience with you,’ she said patiently and faded backwards into the gloom.

She had brought two books.

One was the kind of history book known as a Historical Reader. It bore the same relation to history as Stories from the Bible bears to Holy Writ. Canute rebuked his courtiers on the shore, Alfred burned the cakes, Raleigh spread his cloak for Elizabeth, Nelson took leave of Hardy in his cabin on the Victory, all in nice clear large print and one-sentence paragraphs. To each episode went one full-page illustration.

There was something curiously touching in the fact that The Amazon should treasure this childish literature. He turned to the fly-leaf to see if her name was there.

[Pg 35]On the fly-leaf was written:

// Ella Darroll,

Form III

Newbridge High School

Newbridge,

Gloucestershire.

England

Europe,

The World

The Universe.\\

This was surrounded by a fine selection of coloured transfers.

Did all children do that, he wondered? Write their names like that, and spend their time in class making transfers. He certainly had. And the sight of those squares of bright primitive colour brought back his childhood as nothing had for many years. He had forgotten the excitement of transfers. That wonderfully satisfying moment when you began the peeling-off and saw that it was coming perfectly. The adult world held few such gratifications. A clean smacking drive at golf, perhaps, was the nearest. Or the moment when your line tightened and you knew that the fish had struck.

The little book pleased him so much that he went through it at his leisure. Solemnly reading each childish story. This, after all, was the history that every adult remembered. This was what remained in their minds when tonnage and poundage, and ship money, and Laud’s Liturgy, and the Rye House Plot, and the Triennial Acts, and all the long muddle of schism and shindy, treaty and treason, had faded from their consciousness.

[Pg 36]The Richard III story, when he came to it, was called The Princes In The Tower, and it seemed that young Ella had found the Princes a poor substitute for Coeur-de-Lion, since she had filled every small O throughout the tale with neat pencil shading. The two golden-haired boys who played together in the sunbeam from the barred window in the accompanying picture had each been provided with a pair of anachronistic spectacles, and on the blank back of the picture-page someone had been playing Noughts and Crosses. As far as young Ella was concerned the Princes were a dead loss.

And yet it was a sufficiently arresting little story. Macabre enough to delight any child’s heart. The innocent children; the wicked uncle. The classic ingredients in a tale of classic simplicity.

It had also a moral. It was the perfect cautionary tale.

But the King won no profit from this wicked deed. The people of England were shocked by his cold-blooded cruelty and decided that they would no longer have him for King. They sent for a distant cousin of Richard’s, Henry Tudor, who was living in France, to come and be crowned King in his stead. Richard died bravely in the battle which resulted, but he had made his name hated throughout the country and many deserted him to fight for his rival.

Well, it was neat but not gaudy. Reporting at its simplest.

--

2.3 He 目神是 倒勼, 是 無心神

2.3 He ba̍k-sîn sī tò-kiu, sī bô sim-sîn

I kā ōe-siōng péng kòe-lâi chhōe tô͘ ê soat-bêng.

Āu-bīn án-ne ìn: Richard III. Chhut chū Kok-ka Siàu-siōng Ōe-lông. Ōe-ka M̄-chai.

Richard III.

Goân-lâi sī i. Richard III. Khiau-ku..ê. Gín-á kó͘ ni̍h ê koài-bu̍t. Thian-chin ê húi-pāi-chiá. Siâ-ok ê tāi-miâ sû.

I kā chóa péng kòe-lâi, koh kā khòaⁿ. Che tō sī ōe-ka ōe hit-tùi ba̍k-chiu ê sî boeh thoân-ta̍t ê mi̍h hioh? I tī he ba̍k-chiu khòaⁿ-tio̍h ê, sī chi̍t-ê tiòng-siâ ê lâng ê gán-sîn hioh?

I tó-leh, kúx khòaⁿ hit-ê bīn; khòaⁿ hit-tùi te̍k-pia̍t ê ba̍k-chiu. He ba̍k-chiu tn̂g-liau, óa-kīn ba̍k-bâi; ba̍k-bâi, in-ūi ut-chut kap kòe-thâu chīn-chek ê iu-chhiû, sió-khóa kiu óa. Hiôngx khòaⁿ, ba̍k-chiu ká-ná sī teh siòng siáⁿ; tān lí nā chù-ì kā khòaⁿ, lí ē hoat-hiān he ba̍k-sîn sī tò-kiu, cpt sī bô sim-sîn.

Sè-lia̍p Chí tńg-lâi siu phâng-pôaⁿ ê sî, i iáu teh siòng hit-tiuⁿ ōe-siōng. I í-keng kúi-nā nî bô tú-tio̍h chit-khoán mi̍h-kiāⁿ ah. Che hō͘ La Giaconda (Mona Lisa) bē-su sī hái-pò [ê chúi-chún niâ].

Sè-lia̍p Chí kiám-cha he i bô tāng ê tê-poe, kō͘ se̍k-liān ê chhiú bong he unx ê tê-koàn, jiân-āu chhùi khiàux. He piáu-chêng teh kóng, yi ū kî-thaⁿ tāi-chì ài chò, m̄-sī kan-ta phâng-tê lâi soah hông bû-sī.

I kā ōe-siōng tu hō͘ yi.

Yi án-chóaⁿ siūⁿ? Ká-sú che sī yi ê hoān-chiá, yi ē án-chóaⁿ chín-toàn? “Koaⁿ pēⁿ,” yi ti̍t-lí ti̍t-lō͘ kóng, jiân-āu phâng tê-pôaⁿ tùn āu-teⁿ khòng-gī kiâⁿ lī-khui, chè-ho̍k chiuⁿ thêngx, kim-mo͘ khiûx.

M̄-koh, gōa-kho i-su tī yi chhut-khì liáu sûi ji̍p-lâi, chhin-chhiat koh sûi-ì, ū bô-kāng ê khòaⁿ-hoat. Siū Grant ê iau-chhiáⁿ, i khòaⁿ he ōe-siōng, tī siông-sè siòng chi̍t-khùn liáu-āu, kóng:

“Poliomyelitis (chek-kut chhóe hoe-chit iām).” 

“Sió-jî bâ-pì?” Grant kóng; hut-jiân siūⁿ-tio̍h Richard III ū chi̍t-ki chhíu-kut bah kiu-khì.

“He sī siáng,” i-su mn̄g.

“Richard III.”

“Chin ê? Chiâⁿ chhù-bī.”

“Lí chai i ū chi̍t-ki chhiú-kut bah kiu-khì?” 

“Kám án-ne? Góa bē kì-tit. Góa kiò-sī i khiau-ku.” 

“I mā sī [khiau-ku].”

“Góa ē kì-tit ê sī, i chi̍t chhut-sì chhùi-khí tō hoat chiâu ah, koh ē chia̍h oa̍h kap-á. Hmh, góa ê chín-toàn ká-ná hui-siông chún.”

“Chin sîn-kî. Lí sī án-chóaⁿ soán sió-jî bâ-pì?” 

“Góa mā m̄-chai, taⁿ lí kiò góa kóng khak-tēng. Góa siūⁿ, sī he bīn ê khoán pah. He sī lí tī pái-kha gín-á ê bīn ē khòaⁿ-tio̍h ê piáu-chêng. Nā i sī thian-seng khiau-ku, hoān-sè sī he chō-sêng ê, m̄-sī sió-jî bâ-pì. Góa chù-ì tio̍h, ōe-ka kā he khiau-ku séng-khì.” 

“Tio̍h. Kiong-têng ōe-ka tio̍h khiáu. It-ti̍t kàu Cromwell hông ōe ê sî iau-kiû ‘kā só͘-ū ê kì lóng ōe chhut-lâi.’” 

“Jû-kó lí mn̄g góa ê ì-kiàn,” gōa-kho i-su ná kóng, ná sim gōax khòaⁿ Grant kha-thúi ê kiap-pán, “Cromwell khai-sí hit-ê kek pêng-hoân ê hong-khì, kàu taⁿ lán lóng ūi he siū-khó͘. ‘Góa sī phó͘-thong lâng, góa sī, bô ké-sian.’ Mā bô lé-māu, bô iu-ngá, mā bô khóng-khài.” 

I kā Grant ê kha chéng-thâu-á tēⁿ chi̍t-ē, tān bô chù-sim tī hia. “Che sī chi̍t-chióng thoân-jiám pēⁿ. Chi̍t-chióng khó-phà ê hoán-siông. Tī Bí-kok ū-ê só͘-chāi, chiū góa só͘ chai, cha-po͘ lâng nā kat nekutái, chhēng gōa-thò khì kèng-soán, i ê chèng-tī sèⁿ-miā khó-lêng tō hûi-hiám. Án-ne ē hông khòaⁿ-chò ‘ké chèng-keng.’ Lí-sióng ê chò-hoat sī chiâⁿ-chò chi̍t-ê hiaⁿ-tī. Lí kha tōa pû-ong khòaⁿ khí-lâi chin kiān-khong.” I koh pó͘-chhiong kóng, jiân-āu koh chú-tōng se̍h tńg-lâi hit-tiuⁿ hē tī chhn̂g-toaⁿ ê ōe-siōng.

“Chiâⁿ chhù-bī,” i kóng, “koan-hē he sió-jî bâ-pì. Hoān-sè i ū sió-jî bâ-pì, he mā soeh-bêng i chhiú-kut bah kiu-khì.” I kè-sio̍k siūⁿ, bô boeh lī-khui ê ì-sù. “Chóng-sī, che chiâⁿ chhù-bī. Sat-jîn hoān ê ōe-siōng. I ū sêng sat-jîn hoān ê hêng bô, lí án-chóaⁿ khòaⁿ?”

“Pēng bô sat-jîn hoān ê hêng. Lâng thâi-lâng ê lí-iû thài chē leh. M̄-koh, chiū góa ka-tī ê keng-giām, a̍h kin-kì le̍k-sú àn-kiāⁿ, góa bē kì-tit ū jīm-hô sat-jîn hoān chhin-chhiūⁿ i.”

“Tong-jiân, i sī i hit-lūi ê thâu-khám, kám m̄-sī? I bô khó-lêng chai-iáⁿ liông-sim put-an ê ì-sù.”

“Bô m̄-tio̍h.”

“Góa bat khòaⁿ Olivier ián i. He sī chi̍t-tiûⁿ tùi ke̍k-toan siâ-ok ê chòe jia̍t-lia̍t ián-chhut. Chóng sī kiông boeh kòe-thâu hàm-kó͘, m̄-koh bô chhiau-kòe kài-hān.”

“Tī góa hō͘ lí khòaⁿ he ōe-siōng,” Grant kóng, “iáu m̄-chai he sī siáng chìn-chêng, lí kám ū siūⁿ-tio̍h siâ-ok?”

“Bô,” gōa-kho i-su kóng, “bô, góa siūⁿ-tio̍h pēⁿ-chèng.” 

“Chin kî-koài, kám m̄-sī? Góa mā bô siūⁿ-tio̍h siâ-ok. Á taⁿ, góa chai che sī siáng, taⁿ góa í-keng tha̍k āu-bīn ê miâ, tî-liáu siâ-ok, góa siáⁿ to bô siūⁿ.” 

“Góa siūⁿ, siâ-ok tō ná-chhiūⁿ bí-lē, chāi tī khòaⁿ ê lâng ê ba̍k-chiu. Hó lah, óa chiu-boat ê sî góa chiah koh lâi khòaⁿ. Taⁿ bô tó-ūi teh thiàⁿ lah hoⁿh?” 

Jiân-āu i kiâⁿ-khui, tō ná lâi ê sî ê chhin-chhiat koh sûi-ì.

It-ti̍t kàu i tùi chit-pak ōe-siōng koh chìn-hêng koh-khah khùn-he̍k ê su-khó liáu-āu (I tùi ka-tī kā chi̍t-ê le̍k-lâi chòe chhàu-miâ ê sat-jîn hoān lia̍h-chò sī hoat-koaⁿ kám-kak put-boán; kā chi̍t-ê siū-sím ê lâng ùi pī-kò se̍k sóa kàu hoat-koaⁿ se̍k, che sī chi̍t-kiāⁿ kiaⁿ-lâng ê bû-lêng kí-tōng), Grant chiah ì-sek tio̍h, chit-pak ōe-siōng sī boeh hō͘ i chò cheng-thàm àn-kiāⁿ ê lē.

Richard III ū siáⁿ sîn-pì ah?

Jiân-āu, i siūⁿ khí-lâi, Richard bô͘-sat i nn̄g-ê sè-hàn ti̍t-á, m̄-koh bô-lâng chai-iáⁿ i sī án-chóaⁿ chò ê. In kan-ta sī sit-chong khì. I nā bô kì m̄-tio̍h, in sit-chong ê sî, Richard tú-hó bô tī London. Richard phài pa̍t-lâng khì chò chit-ê tāi-chì. M̄-koh gín-á ê si̍t-chè miā-ūn ê bê it-ti̍t bô kái-phòa. Charles II chē-ūi ê sî ū nn̄g-khū kut-hâi pī hoat-hiān – tī chi̍t-ê lâu-thui ē-bīn? – jiân-āu kā he bâi-chòng. Kai tong-jiân lângx jīn-ûi he tō sī hit nn̄g-ê ông-chú ê kut-hâi, tān chiông-lâi bô jīm-hô chèng-kì.

Chi̍t-ê ū hó kàu-io̍k ê lâng, tùi le̍k-sú ê tì-sek kèng-jiân chiah chió. I só͘ chai ê, koan-hē Richard III ê it-chhè, tō sī i sī Edward IV ê sió-tī. Hit-ê Edward sī chi̍t-ê kim thâu-mo͘, koân 6 eng-chhioh [182 cm], ian-thâu hó-khòaⁿ, tùi cha-bó͘ chin ū hoat-tō͘; á Richard sī chi̍t-ê khiau-ku-á, tī in hiaⁿ-ko sí-liáu, i chhoàn-toa̍t ông-ūi, chhú-tāi siàu-liân ti̍t-á ê kè-sêng, koh ūi-tio̍h kiám-séng í-āu ê mâ-hoân, an-pâi hit-ê kè-sêng jîn kap i ê sió-tī ê sí-bông. I mā chai-iáⁿ, Richard sí tī Bosworth chiàn-ia̍h, sí chêng hoah boeh ài chi̍t-phit bé, i sī in ka-cho̍k ê chòe-āu chi̍t-ê. Chòe-āu chi̍t-ê Plantagenet (Kim-chhiok hoe) Ông-tiâu ê sêng-oân.

--

2.3 He 目神是 倒勼, 是 無心神

伊 kā 畫像 péng 過來 揣 圖 ê 說明.

後面 án-ne 印: Richard III. 出自 國家 肖像畫廊. 畫家毋知.

Richard III.

原來是伊. Richard III. 曲痀..ê. 囡仔古 ni̍h ê 怪物. 天真 ê 毀敗者. 邪惡 ê 代名詞.

伊 kā 紙 péng 過來, koh kā 看. Che tō 是 畫家 畫 hit 對目睭 ê 時 欲傳達 ê mi̍h hioh? 伊 tī he 目睭看著 ê, 是一个 中邪 ê 人 ê 眼神 hioh?

伊倒 leh, kúx 看 彼个面; 看 hit 對 特別 ê 目睭. He 目睭 長 liau, 倚近目眉; 目眉, 因為鬱卒 kap 過頭盡責 ê 憂愁, 小可勼倚. Hiôngx 看, 目睭 ká-ná 是 teh相 啥; 但 你若注意 kā 看, 你會發現 he 目神是 倒勼, cpt 是 無心神.

Sè-lia̍p Chí 轉來 收捀盤 ê 時, 伊猶 teh 相 hit 張畫像. 伊已經 幾若年 無拄著 這款物件 ah. Che hō͘ La Giaconda (Mona Lisa) 袂輸是 海報 [ê 水準 niâ].

Sè-lia̍p Chí 檢查 he 伊無動 ê 茶杯, kō͘ 熟練 ê 手 摸 he unx ê 茶罐, 然後 喙 khiàux. He 表情 teh 講, 她有 其他代誌 愛做, 毋是 干焦 捀茶來 煞 hông 無視.

伊 kā 畫像 tu hō͘ 她.

她按怎想? 假使 這是 她 ê 患者, 她會 按怎診斷?

“肝病,” 她 直理直路 講, 然後 捀茶盤 頓後蹬 抗議 行離開, 制服 漿 thêngx, 金毛 khiûx.

毋過, 外科醫師 tī 她出去了 隨入來, 親切 koh 隨意, 有 無仝 ê 看法. 受 Grant ê 邀請, 伊看 he 畫像, tī 詳細相 一睏了後, 講:

“Poliomyelitis (脊骨髓 灰質炎).”

“小兒麻痺?” Grant 講; 忽然想著 Richard III 有 一支手骨 肉勼去.

“He 是 siáng,” 醫師問.

“Richard III.”

“真 ê? 誠趣味.”

“你知 伊有 一支手骨 肉勼去?”

“Kám án-ne? 我袂記得. 我叫是 伊曲痀.”

“伊 mā 是 [曲痀].”

“我會記得 ê 是, 伊 一出世 喙齒 tō 發齊 ah, koh 會食 活蛤仔. Hmh, 我 ê 診斷 ká-ná 非常準.”

“真神奇. 你是按怎 選 小兒麻痺?”

“我 mā 毋知, 今 你叫我 講確定. 我想, 是 he 面 ê 款 pah. 彼是 你 tī 跛跤囡仔 ê 面 會看著 ê 表情. 若 伊是 天生曲痀, 凡勢 是 he 造成 ê, 毋是 小兒麻痺. 我 注意著, 畫家 kā he 曲痀 省去.”

“著. 宮廷畫家 著 巧. 一直到 Cromwell hông 畫 ê時 要求 ‘kā 所有 ê 痣 lóng 畫出來.'”

“如果 你問 我 ê 意見,” 外科醫師 ná 講, ná 心 gōax 看 Grant 跤腿 ê 夾板, “Cromwell 開始彼个 激平凡 ê 風氣, 到今 咱 lóng 為 he 受苦. ‘我是 普通人, 我是, 無假仙.’ Mā 無禮貌, 無優雅, mā 無慷慨.” 

伊 kā Grant ê 跤指頭仔 捏一下, 但 無注心 tī hia. “這是 一種 傳染病. 一種 可怕 ê 反常. Tī 美國 有 ê 所在, 就 我所知, 查埔人 若 kat nekutái, 穿外套 去競選, 伊 ê 政治性命 可能 tō 危險. Án-ne 會 hông 看做 ‘假正經.’ 理想 ê 做法 是 成做 一个兄弟. 你 跤大垺翁 看起來 真健康.” 伊 koh 補充講, 然後 koh 主動 踅轉來 彼張 hē tī 床單 ê 畫像.

“誠趣味,” 伊講, “關係 he 小兒麻痺. 凡勢 伊有 小兒麻痺, he mā 說明 伊手骨 肉勼去.” 伊繼續想, 無 欲離開 ê 意思. “總是, che 誠趣味. 殺人犯 ê 畫像. 伊 有成 殺人犯 ê 型 無, 你 按怎看?”

“並無 殺人犯 ê 型. 人刣人 ê 理由 太濟 leh. 毋過, 就 我 ka-tī ê 經驗, a̍h 根據 歷史案件, 我 袂記得 有任何 殺人犯 親像 伊.” 

“當然, 伊是 伊彼類 ê 頭坎, kám 毋是? 伊 無可能 知影 良心不安 ê 意思.”

“無毋著.”

“我 bat 看 Olivier 演 伊. 彼是 一場 對 極端邪惡 ê 最熱烈 演出. 總是 強欲 過頭譀古, 毋過 無超過 界限.”

“Tī 我 hō͘ 你看 he 畫像,” Grant 講, “猶毋知 彼是 siáng 進前, 你 kám 有想著 邪惡?”

“無,” 外科醫師 講, “無, 我想著 病症.”

“真奇怪, kám 毋是? 我 mā 無想著 邪惡. Á 今, 我知 這是 siáng, 今 我已經 讀後面 ê 名, 除了邪惡, 我啥 to 無想.”

“我想, 邪惡 tō ná 像 美麗, 在 tī 看 ê 人 ê 目睭. 好 lah, 倚週末 ê 時 我 才 koh 來看. 今 無佗位 teh 疼 lah hoⁿh?”

然後 伊行開, tō ná 來 ê 時 ê 親切 koh 隨意.

一直到 伊對 這幅畫像 koh 進行 閣較 困惑 ê 思考了後 (伊對 ka-tī kā 一个 歷來 最臭名 ê 殺人犯 掠做是 法官 感覺不滿; kā 一个受審 ê 人 ùi 被告席 徙到 法官席, 這是 一件 驚人 ê 無能 舉動), Grant 才 意識著, 這幅畫像 是欲 hō͘ 伊做 偵探案件 ê 例.

Richard III 有啥 神祕 ah?

然後, 伊 想起來, Richard 謀殺 伊兩个 細漢 侄仔, 毋過 無人 知影 伊是 按怎做 ê. In 干焦是 失蹤去. 伊若無 記毋著, in 失蹤 ê 時, Richard 拄好 無 tī London. Richard 派別人 去做 這个代誌. 毋過 囡仔 ê 實際命運 ê 迷 一直 無改破. Charles II 坐位 ê 時 有兩具 骨骸 被發現 - tī 一个 樓梯下面? - 然後 kā he 埋葬. 該當然 lângx 認為 he tō 是 hit 兩个王子 ê 骨骸, 但 從來 無任何 證據.

一个 有 好教育 ê 人, 對 歷史 ê 智識 竟然 chiah 少. 伊所知 ê, 關係 Richard III ê 一切, tō 是 伊是 Edward IV ê 小弟. 彼个 Edward 是 一个 金頭毛, 懸 6 英尺 [182 cm], 嫣投好看, 對查某 真 有法度; á Richard 是 一个 曲痀仔, tī in 兄哥死了, 伊 篡奪王位, 取代 少年侄仔 ê 繼承, koh 為著 減省 以後 ê 麻煩, 安排 彼个 繼承人 kap 伊 ê 小弟 ê 死亡. 伊 mā 知影, Richard 死 tī Bosworth 戰役, 死前喝 欲愛 一匹馬, 伊是 in 家族 ê 最後一个. 最後一个 Plantagenet (金雀花) 王朝 ê 成員.

--

2.3

He turned the portrait over to look for a caption.

On the back was printed: Richard the Third. From the portrait in the National Portrait Gallery. Artist Unknown.

Richard the Third.

So that was who it was. Richard the Third. Crouch-back. The monster of nursery stories. The destroyer of innocence. A synonym for villainy.

He turned the paper over and looked again. Was that what the artist had tried to convey when he had painted those eyes? Had what he had seen in those eyes been the look of a man haunted?

He lay a long time looking at that face; at those[Pg 29] extraordinary eyes. They were long eyes, set close under the brows; the brows slightly drawn in that worried, over-conscientious frown. At first glance they appeared to be peering; but as one looked one found that they were in fact withdrawn, almost absent-minded.

When The Midget came back for his tray he was still staring at the portrait. Nothing like this had come his way for years. It made La Giaconda look like a poster.

The Midget examined his virgin teacup, put a practised hand against the teapot’s tepid cheek, and pouted. She had better things to do, she conveyed, than bring him trays for him to ignore.

He pushed the portrait at her.

What did she think of it? If that man were her patient what would be her verdict?

‘Liver,’ she said crisply, and bore away the tray in heel-tapping protest, all starch and blonde curls.

But the surgeon, strolling in against her draught, kindly and casual, had other views. He looked at the portrait, as invited, and said after a moment’s interested scrutiny:

‘Poliomyelitis.’

‘Infantile paralysis?’ Grant said; and remembered all of a sudden that Richard III had a withered arm.

‘Who is it?’ the surgeon asked.

‘Richard the Third.’

‘Really? That’s interesting.’

‘Did you know that he had a withered arm?’

‘Had he? I didn’t remember that. I thought he was a hunchback.’

‘So he was.’

[Pg 30]‘What I do remember is that he was born with a full set of teeth and ate live frogs. Well, my diagnosis seems to be abnormally accurate.’

‘Uncanny. What made you choose polio?’

‘I don’t quite know, now that you ask me to be definitive. Just the look of the face, I suppose. It’s the look one sees on the face of a cripple child. If he was born hunchbacked that probably accounts for it and not polio. I notice the artist has left out the hump.’

‘Yes. Court painters have to have a modicum of tact. It wasn’t until Cromwell that sitters asked for “warts and all”.’

‘If you ask me,’ the surgeon said, absent-mindedly considering the splint on Grant’s leg, ‘Cromwell started that inverted snobbery from which we are all suffering today. “I’m a plain man, I am; no nonsense about me.” And no manners, grace, or generosity, either.’ /

He pinched Grant’s toe with detached interest. ‘It’s a raging disease. A horrible perversion. In some parts of the States, I understand, it’s as much as a man’s political life is worth to go to some constituencies with his tie tied and his coat on. That’s being stuffed-shirt. The beau ideal is to be one of the boys. That’s looking very healthy,’ he added, referring to Grant’s big toe, and came back of his own accord to the portrait lying on the counterpane.

‘Interesting,’ he said, ‘that about the polio. Perhaps it really was polio, and that accounts for the shrunken arm.’ He went on considering it, making no movement to go. ‘Interesting, anyhow. Portrait of a murderer. Does he run to type, would you say?’

‘There isn’t a murder type. People murder for too many different reasons. But I can’t remember any[Pg 31] murderer, either in my own experience, or in case-histories, who resembled him.’

‘Of course he was hors concours in his class, wasn’t he. He couldn’t have known the meaning of scruple.’

‘No.’

‘I once saw Olivier play him. The most dazzling exhibition of sheer evil, it was. Always on the verge of toppling over into the grotesque, and never doing it.’

‘When I showed you the portrait,’ Grant said, ‘before you knew who it was, did you think of villainy?’

‘No,’ said the surgeon, ‘no, I thought of illness.’

‘It’s odd, isn’t it. I didn’t think of villainy either. And now that I know who it is, now that I’ve read the name on the back, I can’t think of it as anything but villainous.’

‘I suppose villainy, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. Well, I’ll look in again towards the end of the week. No pain to speak of now?’

And he went away, kindly and casual as he had come.

It was only after he had given the portrait further puzzled consideration (it piqued him to have mistaken one of the most notorious murderers of all time for a judge; to have transferred a subject from the dock to the bench was a shocking piece of ineptitude) that it occurred to Grant that the portrait had been provided as the illustration to a piece of detection.

What mystery was there about Richard III?

And then he remembered. Richard had murdered his two boy nephews, but no one knew how. They had merely disappeared. They had disappeared, if he remembered rightly, while Richard was away from London. Richard had sent someone to do the deed. But the mystery of the children’s actual fate had never been[Pg 32] solved. Two skeletons had turned up—under some stairs?—in Charles II’s day, and had been buried. It was taken for granted that the skeletons were the remains of the young princes, but nothing had ever been proved.

It was shocking how little history remained with one after a good education. All he knew about Richard III was that he was the younger brother of Edward IV. That Edward was a blond six-footer with remarkable good looks and a still more remarkable way with women; and that Richard was a hunchback who usurped the throne on his brother’s death in place of the boy heir, and arranged the death of that heir and his small brother to save himself any further trouble. He also knew that Richard had died at the battle of Bosworth yelling for a horse, and that he was the last of his line. The last Plantagenet.

--

2.2 伊 ê 選擇 會使講 是直覺

2.2 I ê soán-te̍k ē-sái kóng sī ti̍t-kak

Tī tiām-chēng ê sî, i hoan-thâu su-khó Elizabeth ê Robin. Robin ū siáⁿ sîn-pì? Oh, tio̍h. Tong-jiân sī Amy Robsart.

M̄-koh, i tùi Amy Robsart bô chhù-bī. I bô iàu-ì Amy Robsart án-chóaⁿ ùi lâu-thui siak lo̍h-lâi, a̍h sī ūi siáⁿ-mih.

Hiah-ê chhun ê lâng-bīn hō͘ i tō͘-kòe chi̍t-ê khoài-lo̍k ê ē-tàu. Tī chìn-ji̍p Kéng-kài chin chá í-chêng, i tō tùi lâng-bīn tio̍h-bê, á tī lâi-kàu Yard chit kúi-nî, chit-ê hèng-chhù m̄-nā sī kò-jîn gô͘-lo̍k, mā ū choan-gia̍p ê iu-sè.

Chho͘ lâi ê sî, bat chi̍t-pái hām Tok-chhat Tiúⁿ chham-ka chi̍t-ê lia̍t-tūi chí-jīn. He m̄-sī i ê àn-kiāⁿ, in khì hia sī ūi pa̍t-hāng gia̍p-bū, tān in lâu tī āu-bīn khòaⁿ, chi̍t-ê cha-po͘ kap chi̍t-ê cha-bó͘ hun-pia̍t kiâⁿ kòe chi̍t-lia̍t 12-ê gōa-māu phó͘x bô te̍k-teng ê lâng bīn-chêng, chhōe in boeh jīn ê lâng.

“Tó chi̍t-ê sī ‘Iú..ê,’ lí chai bô?” Tiúⁿ..ê khin-siaⁿ tùi i kóng.

“Góa m̄-chai,” Grant kóng, “m̄-koh góa ē-sái ioh.” 

“Ioh? Lí ioh tó chi̍t-ê?” 

“Tò-pêng sǹg lâi tē-3 ê.”

“I hoān siáⁿ chōe?”

“Góa m̄-chai. Chi̍t sut-á to m̄-chai.”

Chú-koán kō͘ hó-sńg ê gán-sîn lia̍h i khòaⁿ chi̍t-ē. Tān, tán hit-ê cha-po͘ kap cha-bó͘ lóng bô hoat-tō͘ chí-jīn jīm-hô lâng, lī-khui liáu-āu, hit-lia̍t lâng sì-sòaⁿ chò khai-káng ê lâng-tīn, ná chéng-lí ām-niá, tiâu-chéng nekutái, chún-pī boeh tńg-khì ke-lō͘, tī hông tiàu-chi̍p lâi hia̍p-chō͘ Chip-hoat liáu-āu, tńg-khì goân-pún ê ji̍t-siông sè-kài. Ûi-it bô tāng ê, sī ùi tò-pêng sǹg lâi tē-3 hit-ê lâng. Hit-ê tò-pêng tē-3 lâng koaix tī hia tán ah-sàng oân lâi chhōa i tńg-khì kaⁿ-pâng.

“Chán lah!” Tok-chhat Tiúⁿ kóng. “12 hun chi 1 ê ki-hōe, lí chò ū-kàu. Piáu-hiān chin hó. I kā lí ê lâng ùi hit-tīn lâng tiong-kan kéng chhut-lâi,” i hiòng tong-tē ê Tok-chhat kái-soeh kóng.

“Lí kám bat I?” Tok-chhat mn̄g, sió-khóa tio̍h-kiaⁿ. “Chiū goán só͘ chai, i kòe-khì m̄-bat jiá tāi-chì.”

“M̄-bat, góa m̄-bat kìⁿ-kòe i. Góa sīm-chì m̄-chai i hoān siáⁿ chōe.” 

“Nā án-ne, lí ná ē kéng I?”

Grant tiû-tû chi̍t-ē, chiah khai-sí hun-sek ka-tī ê kéng-soán kòe-têng. Chit lāi-bīn bô thui-lí. I bô án-ne kóng:

“Chit-ê lâng ê bīn ū chit-chióng a̍h hit-chióng te̍k-teng, só͘-í i sī hiâm-hoān.” 

I ê soán-te̍k cpt ē-sái kóng sī ti̍t-kak ê; lí-iû chāi tī i ê chiâm ì-sek. Lo̍h-bóe, tī thàm-thó chiâm ì-sek liáu-āu, i hoah chhut-siaⁿ: 

“I sī 12 lâng tiong-kan, ûi-it bīn bô jiâu-hûn ê lâng.” 

Ta̍k-ê thiaⁿ tio̍h lóng chhiò chhut-lâi. Tān Grant, it-tàn kā tāi-chì thiah-bêng, i í-keng khòaⁿ tio̍h ka-tī ê ti̍t-kak án-chóaⁿ ūn-chok, mā jīn-bat pōe-āu ê lí-lō͘.

“Che tiāⁿ-tio̍h chin hàm-kó͘, sū-si̍t m̄-sī án-ne,” i kóng. “Bīn téng choân bô jiâu-hûn ê tōa-lâng, he it-tēng sī pe̍h-chhi.”

“Freeman chiah m̄-sī pe̍h-chhi, góa kā lí kóng,” Tok-chhat chhah-o͘ē kóng. “I sī chi̍t-ê cheng-bêng ê nǹg-cchǹg sió-kiáⁿ, siong-sìn góa.”

“Góa ê ì-sù m̄-sī án-ne. Góa ê ì-sù sī, pe̍h-chhi bô chek-jīm kám. Pe̍h-chhi sī khiàm-khoeh chek-jīm kám ê piau-chún. Tūi-ngó͘ lāi-bīn ê 12-ê lâng, nî-hòe lóng tī 30-thóng, tān kî-tiong kan-ta chi̍t-ê ū bô chek-jīm kám ê bīn. Só͘-í, góa chek-khek kéng i.”

Án-ne liáu-āu, che tō chiâⁿ-chò Yard ê chi̍t-ê sió chhiò-ōe: “Grant khòaⁿ chi̍t-ē tō ē jīn-chhut chōe-hoān.” Chō͘-lí Kéng-bū Chhù-tiúⁿ bat án-ne kún-chhiò kóng:

“Mài kā góa kóng, lí siong-sìn ū ‘chōe-hoān bīn’ chit-chióng mi̍h-kiāⁿ, Tok-chhat.” 

M̄-koh, Grant kóng, bô, i bô hiah-nī thian-chin. “Jû-kó kan-ta ū chi̍t-chióng hoān-chōe, sian-siⁿ, hoān-sè ē-ēng tit. Tān, hoān-chōe ê chéng-lūi kap jîn-sèng pêⁿ to-iūⁿ, kéng-chhat nā siūⁿ boeh kā lâng-bīn hun-lūi, i sûi tō hām-lo̍h khùn-lân. Jīm-hô chi̍t-kang tī 5, 6 tiám tiong-kan, lí khì Bond Ke se̍h chi̍t-liàn, tō ē-tàng khòaⁿ chhut seks kòe-tō͘ cha-bó͘ ê bīn seⁿ-chò siáⁿ-khoán, tān-sī London miâ-siaⁿ siōng thàu ê sek-chêng-kông khòaⁿ khí-lâi soah ná chhiūⁿ léng pengx ê sèng-jîn neh.” 

“Chòe-kīn bô hiah-nī sèng-jîn khoán ah lah; kīn-lâi yi lim siuⁿ chē ah,” Chō͘-lí Chhù-tiúⁿ kóng, chi̍t-ē sûi chai hit-ê lú-sū sī kóng siáng; jiân-āu ōe-tê choán kàu pa̍t-hāng khì.

M̄-koh Grant tùi lâng-bīn ê chhù-bī kè-sio̍k chûn-chāi, koh put-toān khok-tōa, it-ti̍t kàu chiâⁿ-chò chi̍t-ê ū ì-sek ê gián-kiù: chi̍t-chióng kò-àn kì-lo̍k kap pí-kàu ê sū-hāng. Tō ná i só͘ kóng ê, kā bīn kui-lūi sī bô khó-lêng, tān tùi kok-pia̍t lâng-bīn ê te̍k-teng chò biô-siá sī ū khó-lêng. Kí-lē, tī chi̍t-pún chhut-miâ sím-phòaⁿ ê têng-ìn pún ni̍h, ū àn-kiāⁿ lāi-bīn chú-iàu kak-sek ê siòng-phìⁿ hō͘ tāi-chiòng chham-khó, chi̍t-khòaⁿ tō chai-iáⁿ tó chi̍t-ê sī pī-kò, tó chi̍t-ê sī hoat-koaⁿ.

Ū-sî, chiū bīn-māu lâi khòaⁿ, lu̍t-su ká-ná kap pī-kò se̍k ê hoān-lâng tiàu-ōaⁿ só͘-chāi – pit-kèng lu̍t-su sī jîn-sèng ê chi̍t-ê chhiat-bīn, ū in ê kek-chêng kap tam-sim, kap sè-kài ê lângx kāng-khoán. Tān hoat-koaⁿ ū chi̍t-chióng te̍k-chit: chiàⁿ-ti̍t, chhiau-jiân. Só͘-í, sīm-chì bô tì ké thâu-mo͘, lí mā bē kā hoat-koaⁿ hut chò pī-kò se̍k ê lâng, in-ūi pī-kò bô chiàⁿ-ti̍t kap chhiau-jiân.

Marta ê James, hông ùi “sió keh-keng” khiú chhut-lâi, hián-jiân sńg kah chin hoaⁿ-hí, chi̍t tōa tui ê chōe-hoān a̍h siū-hāi-chiá ê siòng-phìⁿ mā hō͘ Grant hóx hiáng-siū kui ē-tàu, it-ti̍t kàu Sè-lia̍p Chí sàng tê ji̍p-lâi. Tī i chéng-lí chiah-ê chóa-phìⁿ, chún-pī khǹg-ji̍p só-kūi ê sî, i ê chhiú bong-tio̍h chi̍t-tiuⁿ liu-lo̍h heng-khám, lak tī chhn̂g-toaⁿ, kui ē-po͘ bô chù-ì tio̍h ê chóa. I kā he khioh khí-lâi khòaⁿ.

He sī chi̍t-tiuⁿ cha-po͘ lâng ōe-siōng. Chi̍t-ê tì thian-gô jiông bō-á, chhēng 15 sè-kí bóe-kî khui-chhe sok-sin té-saⁿ ê cha-po͘ lâng. Chi̍t-ê tāi-iok 35 a̍h 36 hòe ê cha-po͘ lâng, sán-thiu, chhùi-chhiu thì kah chin chheng-khì. I ûi chi̍t-tiâu kòa móa chu-pó ê niá-khian, koh tng-teh kòa chi̍t-kha chhiú-chí kàu i ê chiàⁿ-chhiú bóe chéng-thâu-á. M̄-koh, i bô teh khòaⁿ hit-kha chhiú-chí. I khòaⁿ hiòng khang-hi.

Kui ē-po͘ Grant só͘ khòaⁿ ê ōe-siōng tiong-kan, chit-tiuⁿ siōng te̍k-pia̍t. Bē-su ōe-ka chīn-la̍t boeh kā bó͘-chióng siáⁿ piáu-hiān tī ōe-pò͘ téng-bīn, tān i ê châi-tiāu bô-kàu kā he choán-ōaⁿ chò sek-liāu. Ōe-ka pāi tī he ba̍k-chiu ê gán-sîn – he siōng-kài khip-ín lâng koh to̍k-te̍k ê piáu-chêng. Koh ū he chhùi: i m̄-chai boeh án-chóaⁿ hō͘ he po̍hx koh khoah ê chhùi-tûn khòaⁿ khí-lâi ē tín-tāng, só͘-tì chhùi chhâx, sī chi̍t-ê sit-pāi. I ōe liáu siōng sêng-kong ê pō͘-hūn sī bīn-pō͘ ê kut-kè: kiông-chòng ê koàn-kut, koàn-kut ē-bīn ê lap-o, ē-hâi siuⁿ tōa hián bē-chhut khùi-la̍t.

Grant tī hian chit-tiuⁿ chóa chìn-chêng thêng lo̍h-lâi, koh kā he bīn khòaⁿ chi̍t-ē. Sī hoat-koaⁿ? Kun-jîn? Ông-chú? Sī chi̍t-ê koàn-sì taⁿ tōa chek-jīm, tùi pún-sin khoân-ui hū-chek ê lâng. Kòe-thâu chīn-chek ê lâng. Kāu chhau-hoân; hoān-sè sī oân-bí chú-gī chiá. Chi̍t-ê tùi tōa siat-kè pàng ē-khui, tān tùi sè-chiat kè-kàu ê lâng.

Sī ūi khùi-iông ê khó-lêng hoān-chiá. Mā sī chū gín-á sî sin-thé tō lám ê lâng. I ê bīn ū hit-chióng gín-á sî siū-khó͘ só͘ lâu lo̍h-lâi ê kóng bē-chhut ê, bô hoat-tō͘ biô͘-siá ê hûn-jiah. Sui-bóng bô chhiūⁿ pái-kha-á ê bīn hiah bêng-hián, tān kāng-khoán pī-bián bē tiāu. Chit pō͘-hūn, ōe-ka chin lí-kái, mā kō͘ sek-liāu kā piáu-hiān chhut-lâi ah. Ē-bīn ba̍k-phôe sío-khóa chéng, ná chhiūⁿ khùn siuⁿ kòe-thâu ê gín-á; phôe-hu ê bûn-lí; lāu-lâng sîn-thài hián-chhut tī siàu-liân bīn.

--

2.2 伊 ê 選擇 會使講 是直覺

Tī 恬靜 ê 時, 伊翻頭 思考 Elizabeth ê Robin. Robin 有啥 神祕?

Oh, 著. 當然是 Amy Robsart.

毋過, 伊對 Amy Robsart 無趣味. 伊無要意 Amy Robsart 按怎 ùi 樓梯 siak 落來, 抑是 為啥物.

Hiah-ê 賰 ê 人面 hō͘ 伊 度過一个 快樂 ê 下晝. Tī 進入警界 真早以前, 伊 tō 對人面 著迷, á tī 來到 Yard 這幾年, 這个興趣 毋但 是 個人娛樂, mā 有 專業 ê 優勢. 

初來 ê 時, bat 一擺和督察長 參加一个 列隊指認. He 毋是 伊 ê 案件, in 去 hia 是為別項業務, 但 in 留 tī 後面看, 一个查埔 kap 一个查某 分別行過 一列 12 个 外貌 phó͘x 無特徵 ê 人面前, 揣 in 欲認 ê 人.

“佗一个是 ‘友..ê,’ 你知無?” Tiúⁿ..ê 輕聲 對伊講.

“我毋知,” Grant 講, “毋過 我 ē-sái 臆.”

“臆? 你臆 佗一个?”

“倒爿算來 第 3 个.”

“伊犯 啥罪?”

“我毋知. 一屑仔 to 毋知.”

主管 kō͘ 好耍 ê 眼神 掠伊看一下. 但, 等彼个查埔 kap 查某 lóng 無法度 指認任何人, 離開了後, 彼列人 四散做 開講 ê 人陣, ná 整理頷領, 調整 nekutái, 準備欲 轉去街路, tī hông 召集來 協助執法 了後, 轉去 原本 ê 日常世界. 唯一無動 ê, 是 ùi 倒爿算來 第 3 彼个人. 彼个 倒爿第 3 人 koaix tī hia 等押送員 來𤆬伊 轉去監房.

“讚 lah!” 督察長講. “12 分之 1 ê 機會, 你做有到. 表現真好. 伊 kā 你 ê 人 ùi 彼陣人中間 揀出來,” 伊向當地 ê 督察 解說講.

“你 kám bat 伊?” 督察問, 小可著驚. “就阮所知, 伊過去 m̄-bat 惹代誌.”

“M̄-bat, 我 m̄-bat 見過伊. 我甚至毋知 伊犯啥罪.”

“若 án-ne, 你那會 揀伊?”

Grant 躊躇一下, 才開始分析 ka-tī ê 揀選過程. Chit 內面無推理. 伊無 án-ne 講: 

“這个人 ê 面有 這種 a̍h 彼種特徵, 所以 伊是嫌犯.” 

伊 ê 選擇 cpt 會使講是 直覺 ê; 理由在 tī 伊 ê 潛意識. 落尾, tī 探討 潛意識 了後, 伊喝出聲: 

“伊是 12 人中間, 唯一 面無皺痕 ê 人.”

逐个聽著 lóng 笑出來. 但 Grant, 一旦 kā 代誌拆明, 伊已經看著 ka-tī ê 直覺 按怎運作, mā jīn-bat 背後 ê 理路. 

“這定著 真譀古, 事實 毋是 án-ne,” 伊講. “面頂 全無皺痕 ê 大人, he 一定 是白痴.”

“Freeman 才毋是 白痴, 我 kā 你講,” 督察插話 講. “伊是 一个精明 ê 軁鑽 小囝, 相信我.”

“我 ê 意思毋是 án-ne. 我 ê 意思是, 白痴 無責任感. 白痴是 欠缺 責任感 ê 標準. 隊伍內面 ê 12 个人, 年歲 lóng tī 30 捅, 但 其中 干焦一个 有 無責任感 ê 面. 所以, 我 即刻 揀伊.”

Án-ne 了後, che tō 成做 Yard ê 一个 小笑話: “Grant 看一下 tō 會認出 罪犯.” 助理 警務處長 bat án-ne 滾笑講: 

“莫 kā 我講, 你相信 有 ‘罪犯面’ 這種物件, 督察.”

毋過, Grant 講, 無, 伊無 hiah-nī 天真. “如果 干焦有 一種犯罪, 先生, 凡勢 會用得. 但, 犯罪 ê 種類 kap 人性 平多樣, 警察 若想欲 kā 人面分類, 伊隨 tō 陷落困難. 任何一工 tī 5, 6 點中間, 你去 Bond 街 踅一輾, tō 會當看出 seks 過度 查某 ê 面 生做啥款, 但是 London 名聲 上透 ê 色情狂 看起來 煞 ná 像 冷 pengx ê 聖人 neh.”

“最近無 hiah-nī 聖人款 ah lah; 近來 她啉 siuⁿ 濟 ah,,” 助理處長 講, 一下隨知 彼个女士 是講 siáng; 然後 話題 轉到 別項去.

毋過 Grant 對 人面 ê 趣味 繼續存在, koh 不斷擴大, 一直到 成做 一个 有意識 ê 研究: 一種 個案記錄 kap 比較 ê 事項. Tō ná 伊所講 ê, kā 面歸類 是無可能, 但 對各別 人面 ê 特徵 做描寫 是有可能. 舉例, tī 一本 出名審判 ê 重印本 ni̍h, 有 案件內面 主要角色 ê 相片 hō͘ 大眾參考, 一看 tō 知影 佗一个 是被告, 佗一个 是法官.

有時, 就面貌 來看, 律師 ká-ná kap 被告席 ê 犯人 調換所在 - 畢竟 律師是 人性 ê 一个切面, 有 in ê 激情 kap 擔心, kap 世界 ê lângx 仝款. 但 法官有 一種特質: 正直, 超然. 所以, 甚至 無戴 假頭毛, 你 mā 袂 kā 法官 hut 做 被告席 ê 人, 因為被告 無正直 kap 超然.

Marta ê James, hông ùi “小隔間” 搝出來, 顯然 耍 kah 真歡喜, 一大堆 ê 罪犯 a̍h 受害者 ê 相片 mā hō͘ Grant hóx 享受 規下晝, 一直到 Sè-lia̍p Chí 送茶 入來. Tī 伊整理 chiah-ê 紙片, 準備 囥入鎖櫃 ê 時, 伊 ê 手摸著 一張 溜落胸坎, lak tī 床單, 規下晡 無注意著 ê 紙. 伊 kā he 抾起來看.

彼是 一張 查埔人 畫像. 一个戴 天鵝絨 帽仔, 穿 15 世紀尾期 開叉 束身短衫 ê 查埔人. 一个大約 35 a̍h 36 歲 ê 查埔人, 瘦抽, 喙鬚剃 kah 真清氣. 伊圍 一條 掛滿珠寶 ê 領圈, koh tng-teh 掛 一跤手只 到 伊 ê 正手 尾指頭仔. 毋過, 伊無 teh 看 hit 跤手只. 伊看向 空虛.

規下晡 Grant 所看 ê 畫像中間, 這張 上特別. 袂輸 畫家 盡力欲 kā 某種啥 表現 tī 畫布頂面, 但 伊 ê 才調 無夠 kā he 轉換 做色料. 畫家 敗 tī he 目睭 ê 眼神 - he 上蓋 吸引人 koh 獨特 ê 表情. Koh 有 he 喙: 伊毋知 欲按怎 hō͘ he po̍hx koh 闊 ê 喙唇 看起來 會振動, 所致 喙 chhâx, 是 一个失敗. 伊畫了 上成功 ê 部份 是面部 ê 骨架: 強壯 ê 顴骨, 顴骨下面 ê lap-o, 下頦 siuⁿ 大 顯袂出 氣力.

Grant tī 掀 這張紙 進前 停落來, koh kā he 面 看一下. 是 法官? 軍人? 王子? 是一个 慣勢 擔大責任, 對本身權威 負責 ê 人. 過頭盡責 ê 人. 厚操煩; 凡勢是 完美 主義者. 一个 對大設計 放會開, 但 對細節 計較 ê 人. 

是 胃潰瘍 ê 可能患者. Mā 是 自囡仔時 身體 tō 荏 ê 人. 伊 ê 面 有彼種 囡仔時 受苦 所留落來 ê 講袂出 ê, 無法度 描寫 ê 痕跡. 雖罔 無像 跛跤仔 ê 面 hiah 明顯, 但 仝款 避免袂掉. 這部份, 畫家真理解, mā kō͘ 色料 kā 表現出來 ah. 下面目皮 小可腫, ná 像 睏 siuⁿ 過頭 ê 囡仔; 皮膚 ê 紋理; 老人神態 顯出 tī 少年面.

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2.2

In the silence he went back to considering Elizabeth’s Robin. What mystery was there about Robin?

Oh, yes. Amy Robsart, of course.

Well, he wasn’t interested in Amy Robsart. He didn’t care how she had fallen down stairs, or why.

But he spent a very happy afternoon with the rest of the faces. Long before he had entered the Force he had taken a delight in faces, and in his years at the Yard that interest had proved both a private entertainment and a professional advantage. /

He had once in his early days dropped in with his Superintendent at an identification parade. It was not his case, and they were both there on other business, but they lingered in the background and watched while a man and a woman, separately, walked down the line of twelve nondescript men, looking for the one they hoped to recognise.

‘Which is Chummy, do you know?’ the Super had whispered to him.

‘I don’t know,’ Grant had said, ‘but I can guess.’

‘You can? Which do you make it?’

[Pg 25]‘The third from the left.’

‘What is the charge?’

‘I don’t know. Don’t know anything about it.’

His chief had cast him an amused glance. But when both the man and the woman had failed to identify anyone and had gone away, and the line broke into a chattering group, hitching collars and settling ties preparatory to going back to the street and the world of everyday from which they had been summoned to assist the Law, the one who did not move was the third man from the left. The third man from the left waited submissively for his escort and was led away to his cell again.

‘Strewth!’ the Superintendent had said. ‘One chance out of twelve, and you made it. That was good going. He picked your man out of the bunch,’ he said in explanation to the local Inspector.

‘Did you know him?’ the Inspector said, a little surprised. ‘He’s never been in trouble before, as far as we know.’

‘No, I never saw him before. I don’t even know what the charge is.’

‘Then what made you pick him?’

Grant had hesitated, analysing for the first time his process of selection. It had not been a matter of reasoning. He had not said: /

‘That man’s face has this characteristic or that characteristic, therefore he is the accused person.’ /

His choice had been almost instinctive; the reason was in his subconscious. At last, having delved into his subconscious, he blurted: /

‘He was the only one of the twelve with no lines on his face.’

They had laughed at that. But Grant, once he had pulled the thing into the light, saw how his instinct had[Pg 26] worked and recognised the reasoning behind it. /

‘It sounds silly, but it isn’t,’ he had said. ‘The only adult entirely without face lines is the idiot.’

‘Freeman’s no idiot, take it from me,’ the Inspector broke in. ‘A very wide-awake wide boy he is, believe me.’

‘I didn’t mean that. I mean that the idiot is irresponsible. The idiot is the standard of irresponsibility. All those twelve men in that parade were thirty-ish, but only one had an irresponsible face. So I picked him at once.’

After that it had become a mild joke at the Yard that Grant could ‘pick them at sight’. And the Assistant Commissioner had once said teasingly: /

‘Don’t tell me that you believe that there is such a thing as a criminal face, Inspector.’

But Grant had said no, he wasn’t as simple as that. ‘If there was only one kind of crime, sir, it might be possible; but crimes being as wide as human nature, if a policeman started to put faces into categories he would be sunk. You can tell what the normal run of over-sexed women look like by a walk down Bond Street any day between five and six, and yet the most notorious nymphomaniac in London looks like a cold saint.’

‘Not so saintly of late; she’s drinking too much these days,’ the A.C. had said, identifying the lady without difficulty; and the conversation had gone on to other things.

But Grant’s interest in faces had remained and enlarged until it became a conscious study. A matter of case records and comparisons. It was, as he had said, not possible to put faces into any kind of category, but it was[Pg 27] possible to characterise individual faces. In a reprint of a famous trial, for instance, where photographs of the principal actors in the case were displayed for the public’s interest, there was never any doubt as to which was the accused and which the judge. 

Occasionally, one of the counsel might on looks have changed places with the prisoner in the dock—counsel were after all a mere cross-section of humanity, as liable to passion and greed as the rest of the world, but a judge had a special quality; an integrity and a detachment. So, even without a wig, one did not confuse him with the man in the dock, who had had neither integrity nor detachment.

Marta’s James, having been dragged from his cubby-hole’, had evidently enjoyed himself, and a fine selection of offenders, or their victims, kept Grant entertained until The Midget brought his tea. As he tidied the sheets together to put them away in his locker his hand came in contact with one that had slipped off his chest and had lain all the afternoon unnoticed on the counterpane. He picked it up and looked at it.

It was the portrait of a man. A man dressed in the velvet cap and slashed doublet of the late fifteenth century. A man about thirty-five or thirty-six years old, lean and clean shaven. He wore a rich jewelled collar, and was in the act of putting a ring on the little finger of his right hand. But he was not looking at the ring. He was looking off into space.

Of all the portraits Grant had seen this afternoon this was the most individual. It was as if the artist had striven to put on canvas something that his talent was not sufficient to translate into paint. The expression in the eyes—that most arresting and individual expression—had[Pg 28] defeated him. So had the mouth: he had not known how to make lips so thin and so wide look mobile, so the mouth was wooden and a failure. What he had best succeeded in was in the bone structure of the face: the strong cheekbones, the hollows below them, the chin too large for strength.

Grant paused in the act of turning the thing over, to consider the face a moment longer. A judge? A soldier? A prince? Someone used to great responsibility, and responsible in his authority. Someone too-conscientious. A worrier; perhaps a perfectionist. A man at ease in a large design, but anxious over details. /

A candidate for gastric ulcer. Someone, too, who had suffered ill-health as a child. He had that incommunicable, that indescribable look that childhood suffering leaves behind it; less positive than the look on a cripple’s face, but as inescapable. This the artist had both understood and translated into terms of paint. The slight fullness of the lower eyelid, like a child that has slept too heavily; the texture of the skin; the old-man look in a young face.

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