1.2 著愛有 文學 ê 暫停令

1.2 Tio̍h ài ū bûn-ha̍k ê chiām-thêng lēng

Hit-pún chheh-phôe ū âng-sek chhèng-hóe siám kòe àm le̍k-sek pōe-kéng ê chheh, sī Oscar Oakley ê siōng-sin chok-phín. Kang-ô͘ hiaⁿ-tī chhùi kóng ê tùi-oē sī put-tap put-chhit ê Bí-kok ōe, he m̄-nā bô chin-si̍t chōng-hóng ê gia̍t-khiat, mā bô hit-lō la̍t-thâu. Kim thâu-mo͘ ê bí-lú, kim sihx ê chiú-pa, kek-lia̍t ê cháu sio-jiok. Chin bêng-hián, he sī pùn-sò.

“Sit-chong Koàn-thâu Khui-á Àn-kiāⁿ,” chok-chiá sī John James Mark, tī thâu-chêng 2-ia̍h tō ū 3-ê pān-àn têng-sū ê chhò-gō͘; che siōng-bô hō͘ Grant tō͘ kòe khoài-lo̍k ê 5 hun-cheng, siá chi̍t-tiuⁿ sióng-siōng ê phe hō͘ chok-chiá.

I bē kì-tit hit-thia̍p siōng ē-bīn, hit-pún chhián-nâ ê po̍h chheh sī siáⁿ. I siūⁿ, he tāi-khài sī siáⁿ chèng-keng thóng-kè ê chheh pah. Sī iú-koan tsetse hô͘-sîn, a̍h jia̍t-liōng, a̍h seks (sex) hêng-ûi, a̍h siáⁿ ê chheh.

Liân hit-chióng chheh, lí mā chai ē chi̍t-ia̍h boeh siá siáⁿ. Tī chit-ê khòng-khoah sè-kài, kám kóng lóng bô ko͘h ū-lâng ū-sî-á ōaⁿ in ê khek-pôaⁿ? Kám kóng taⁿ ta̍k-lâng lóng hō͘ kong-sek pa̍k tiâu tio̍h? Hiān-sî ê chok-ka siá-chok hêng-sek kò͘-tēng, tho̍k-chiá mā án-ne kî-thāi in. Tāi-chiòng tâm-lūn “sin ê Silas Weekley” a̍h “sin ê Lavinia Fitch,” tō ná chhiūⁿ teh tâm-lūn “chi̍t-tè sin chng-á” a̍h “chi̍t-ki sin loa̍h-á.” In chiông-lâi bē kóng iû bó͘x lâng, m̄-koán he sī siáng, só͘ siá ê “chi̍t-pún sin chheh.” In ê hèng-chhù m̄-sī tī chheh, sī tī i ê “sin” chit-ê sū-si̍t. In oân-choân chheng-chhó chit-pún chheh ē sī siáⁿ-khoán.

Grant kā khì-hiâm ê sī-sòaⁿ ùi hit-tha̍h cha̍p chheh sóa-khui, sim-lāi án-ne siūⁿ, ká-sú choân sè-kài ê ìn-soat-ki lóng thêng-khùn chi̍t-ê sè-tāi, he mā sī bē-bái ê tāi-chì. Tio̍h ài ū bûn-ha̍k ê chiām-thêng lēng. Tio̍h ài ū bó͘-mih Chhiau-jîn hoat-bêng chi̍t-chióng siā-sòaⁿ, kā só͘-ū ê ìn-soat-ki tâng-chê thêng-chí. Án-ne liáu, tng lí tó tī chhn̂g ê sî, tō bô-lâng ē sàng lí chēx bô-liâu ê gōng chheh, á he ài koán tang koán sai ê Meissen hûi ang-á mā bē kî-thāi lí khì kā tha̍k.

I thiaⁿ-tio̍h mn̂g khui..khui, m̄-koh bô sóa kòe kā khòaⁿ. I ê bīn hiòng piah, m̄-koán chu-sè a̍h sim-lāi lóng sī án-ne.

I thiaⁿ-tio̍h ū-lâng kiâⁿ óa chhn̂g-piⁿ, tō kā ba̍k-chiu kheh loeh, bián-tit khui-chhùi kau-tâm. Taⁿ i bô su-iàu Gloucester Kūn [its Amazon] ê tông-chêng, mā bô su-iàu Lancaster Kūn [its Sè-lia̍p Chí] ê liú-lia̍h. Tī sòa loeh ê tiām-chēng tiong-kan, ū chi̍t-chióng tāmx ê ín-iú, chi̍t-chūn móax Grasse iá-gōa ê su-liām khì-bī, teh ngiau i ê phīⁿ-khang, se̍h tī i ê thâu-náu. I chim-chiok kā phín-bī, koh ná teh su-khó. Sè-lia̍p Chí phīⁿ khí-lâi sī hun-i chháu (lavender) sóng-sin hún, á Amazon sī sap-bûn kap tián-chiú. Taⁿ tī i phiⁿ-khang phiau-tāng ê sī L’Enclos 5-Hō phang-chúi ê khì-bī. I ê se̍k-sāi lâng tiong-kan, sú-iōng L’Enclos 5-Hō ê kan-ta chi̍t-lâng. Marta Hallard.

I peh-khui chi̍t-lúi ba̍k-chiu, siâx kā khòaⁿ. Yi hián-jiân ū àⁿ-sin khòaⁿ i kám sī khùn khì, taⁿ khiā tī hia bē tiāⁿ-tio̍h – ká-sú Marta chò jīm-hô tāi-chì ê bē tiāⁿ-tio̍h – kā chù-ì-le̍k khǹg tī toh-á téng hit-tha̍h hián-jiân iáu sin tiámx ê chheh. Yi chi̍t-chhiú the̍h nn̄g-pún chheh, lēng-chhiú sī chi̍t tōa sok ê pe̍h-sek teng-hiuⁿ hoe (lilac). I hòⁿ-kî, yi soán pe̍h teng-hiuⁿ, kám sī in-ūi yi jīn-ûi, che sī sek-ha̍p kôaⁿ-thiⁿ sàng ê hoe (tī yi ê kio̍k-tiûⁿ se-chng sek, ùi 12-goe̍h kàu 3-goe̍h lóng chng-thāⁿ chit-chióng hoe), a̍h sī in-ūi che bē toa̍t-cháu yi hit-su o͘ tàu pe̍h ê iûⁿ-chong ê hong-chhái. Yi tì chi̍t-téng sin bō-á, kòa pêng-siông hit-koāⁿ chin-chu phoa̍h-liān; he chin-chu Grant bat pang yi chhōe tò tńg-lâi. Yi khòaⁿ khí-lâi chin súi, hui-siông ū Paris hong-keh, ka-chài yi bô pēⁿ-īⁿ ê khoán-sè.

“Góa kā lí chhá cheng-sîn hioh, Alan?”

“Bô, góa goân-pún tō bô khùn..khì.”

“Góa ká-ná chah ke-gia̍h ê neh,” yi ná kóng ná kā hit 2-pún chheh khǹg tī he hông khòaⁿ-khin ê hit-tha̍h chheh piⁿ-á. “Góa hi-bāng lí kám-kak che pí lí í-keng ū ê hiah-ê khah chhù-bī. Lí kám bô boeh sió chhì khòaⁿ lán Lavinia ê chu-bī?”

“Góa siáⁿ to bô hoat-tō͘ tha̍k.”

“Lí teh kan-khó͘ hioh?”

“Kài giâm-tiōng. M̄-koh m̄-sī kha-thúi, mā m̄-sī kha-chiah-phiaⁿ.” 

“Sī siáⁿ ah?” 

“He tō sī goán piáu-chí Laura só͘ kóng ê ‘chha̍k-tio̍h bô-liâu ê chhì’.” 

“Khó-liân ê Alan. Lín Laura kóng liáu kài tio̍h.” Yi ùi chi̍t-ê tùi chúi-sian siuⁿ-tōa ê po-lê pân thiu-khí hit-sok chúi-sian, kō͘ siōng iu-ngá ê chu-sè kā he tàn tī sé-bīn chô, jiân-āu kā ōaⁿ chò teng-hiuⁿ hoe. “Ū-lâng jīn-ûi bô-liâu sī tōax hō͘ lâng khí ài-khùn ê chêng-sū, tān si̍t-chè-siōngm̄-sī án-ne. He sī chi̍t-chióng tîⁿ-lâng ê sió mi̍h-kiāⁿ.” 

“M̄-sī sió mi̍h-kiāⁿ. Bô án-chóaⁿ tîⁿ-lâng. He bē-su sī chha̍k-tio̍h kā-lâng-niau (nettles).” 

“Lí ná m̄ o̍h chi̍t-ê siáⁿ?” 

“Kái-siān chit-ê n̂g-kim sî-kan?”

“Kái-siān lí ê sim-su. Koh-khah bián kóng lí ê lêng-hûn kap phî-khì. Lí ē-sái gián-kiù bó͘-chióng tiat-ha̍k. Yoka, a̍h hit-lūi ê mi̍h. M̄-koh, góa jīn-ûi, gâu hun-sek ê thâu-náu m̄-sī chòe sek-ha̍p the̍h lâi su-khó thiu-siōng sū-bu̍t.”

“Góa bat siūⁿ boeh koh o̍h tāi-sò͘ neh. Góa án-ne siūⁿ, tī ha̍k-hāu góa bô hóx o̍h tāi-sò͘. M̄-koh góa í-keng tī hit-tè kai-sí ê thian-pông chò siuⁿ chē kí-hô, sió-khóa teh ùi sò͘-ha̍k ah.”

“Hmh, góa siūⁿ, lí chit-khoán chōng-hóng ê lâng, kiàn-gī lí sńg tàu ang-á tô͘ bô-hāu. Tàu jī-sû án-chóaⁿ? Lí nā kah-ì, góa ē-sái thè lí chhōe chi̍t-pún chheh.”

“Chhian-bān m̄-thang.”

“Tong-jiân lí mā ē-sái ka-tī siat-kè. Góa thiaⁿ-kóng, chhut-tê pí kái-tê koh-khah chhù-bī neh.”

“Hoān-sè. M̄-koh, jī-tián tāng-liōng kúi-nā pōng. Hô-hóng, góa it-hiòng thó-ià hian chham-khó chheh chhōe mi̍h-kiāⁿ.”

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1.2  著愛有 文學 ê 暫停令

彼本 冊皮 有紅色 銃火 閃過 暗綠色 背景 ê 冊, 是 Oscar Oakley ê 上新作品. 江湖兄弟 喙講 ê 對話 是 不答不七 ê 美國話, he m̄-nā 無 真實狀況 ê gia̍t-khiat, mā 無 hit-lō 力頭. 金頭毛 ê 美女, 金 sihx ê 酒吧, 激烈 ê 走相逐. 真明顯, 彼是 pùn-sò.

“失蹤 罐頭開仔 案件,” 作者是 John James Mark, tī 頭前 2 頁 tō 有 3 个辦案程序 ê 錯誤; che 上無 hō͘ Grant 度過 快樂 ê 5 分鐘, 寫一張 想像 ê 批 hō͘ 作者.

伊袂記得 彼疊 上下面, 彼本 淺藍 ê 薄冊 是啥. 伊想, he 大概是 啥 正經統計 ê 冊 pah. 是有關 tsetse 胡蠅, a̍h 熱量, a̍h seks (sex) 行為, a̍h 啥 ê 冊.

連彼種冊, 你 mā 知 下一頁 boeh 寫啥. Tī 這个 曠闊世界, kám 講 lóng 無 ko͘h 有人 有時仔 換 in ê 曲盤? Kám 講 taⁿ 逐人 lóng hō͘ 公式 縛牢著? 現時 ê 作家 寫作形式 固定, 讀者 mā án-ne 期待 in. 大眾 談論 “新 ê Silas Weekley” a̍h “新 ê Lavinia Fitch,” tō ná 像 teh 談論 “一塊 新磚仔” a̍h “一支 新捋仔.” In 從來 袂講 由 bó͘x 人, m̄-koán he 是 siáng, 所寫 ê “一本新冊.” In ê 興趣 m̄-sī tī 冊, 是 tī 伊 ê “新” 這个事實. In 完全清楚 這本冊 ē 是 啥款.

Grant kā 棄嫌 ê 視線 ùi 彼疊 雜冊 徙開, 心內 án-ne 想, 假使 全世界 ê 印刷機 lóng停睏 一个世代, he mā 是 bē-bái ê 代誌. 著愛有 文學 ê 暫停令. 著愛有 bó͘-mih 超人 發明 一種射線, kā 所有 ê 印刷機 同齊停止. Án-ne 了, tng 你 倒 tī 床 ê 時, tō 無人 ē 送你 chēx 無聊 ê gōng 冊, á he 愛 管東管西 ê Meissen 瓷尪仔 mā bē 期待 你去 kā 讀.

伊聽著 門開..開, m̄-koh 無徙過 kā 看. 伊 ê 面向壁, m̄-koán 姿勢 a̍h 心內 lóng 是 án-ne.

伊聽著 有人 行倚 床邊, tō kā 目睭瞌 loeh, 免得 開喙交談. Taⁿ 伊無需要 Gloucester Kūn [its Amazon] ê 同情, mā 無需要 Lancaster Kūn [its Sè-lia̍p Chí] ê 扭掠. Tī 紲 loeh ê 恬靜中間, 有一種 tāmx ê 引誘, 一陣 móax Grasse 野外 ê 思念氣味, teh ngiau 伊 ê 鼻空, 踅 tī 伊 ê 頭腦. 伊 chim-chiok kā 品味, koh ná teh 思考. Sè-lia̍p Chí 鼻起來 是 薰衣草 (lavender) 爽身粉, á Amazon 是 sap-bûn kap 碘酒. Taⁿ tī 伊鼻空 飄動 ê 是 L'Enclos 5 號 芳水 ê 氣味. 伊 ê 熟似人 中間, 使用 L'Enclos 5 號 ê kan-ta 一人. Marta Hallard.

伊擘開 一蕊目睭, siâx kā 看. 她顯然有 àⁿ 身看伊 kám 是睏去, taⁿ 徛 tī hia 袂定著 - 假使 Marta 做任何代誌 ē 袂定著 - kā 注意力 囥 tī 桌仔頂 彼疊 顯然 猶新 tiámx ê 冊. 她 一手提 兩本冊, 另手是 一大束 ê 白色丁香花 (lilac). 伊好奇, 她選 白丁香, kám 是 因為 她認為, che 是 適合寒天 送 ê 花 (tī 她 ê 劇場梳妝室, ùi 12 月到 3 月 lóng chng-thāⁿ 這種花), a̍h 是因為 che 袂奪走 她彼軀 烏鬥白 ê 洋裝 ê 風采. 她戴 一頂 新帽仔, 掛 平常彼綰 真珠袚鍊; he 真珠 Grant bat 幫她揣 倒轉來. 她看起來 真媠, 非常有 Paris 風格, 佳哉 她無 病院 ê 款勢.

“我 kā 你吵精神 hioh, Alan?”

“無, 我原本 tō 無睏去.”

“我 ká-ná 扎加額 ê neh,” 她 ná 講 ná kā hit 2 本冊 囥 tī he hông 看輕 ê 彼疊冊 邊仔. “我希望 你感覺 che 比 你已經有 ê hiah-ê khah 趣味. 你 kám 無 boeh 小試看 咱 Lavinia ê 滋味?”

“我 啥 to 無法度 讀.”

“你 teh 艱苦 hioh?”

“Kài 嚴重. M̄-koh m̄-sī 跤腿, mā m̄-sī 尻脊骿.”

“是啥 ah?”

“He tō是 阮表姊 Laura 所講 ê ‘鑿著 無聊 ê 刺.’”

“可憐 ê Alan. 恁 Laura 講了 kài 著.” 她 ùi 一个 tùi 水仙 siuⁿ 大 ê 玻璃瓶 抽起 彼束水仙, kō͘ 上優雅 ê 姿勢 kā he 擲 tī 洗面槽, 然後 kā 換做 丁香花. "有人認為 無聊是 tōax hō͘ 人 起愛睏 ê 情緒, tān 實際上 m̄-sī án-ne. He 是一種纏人 ê 小物件.”

“M̄-sī 小物件. 無 án-chóaⁿ 纏人. He 袂輸是 鑿著 咬人貓 (nettles).”

“你 那 m̄ 學一个啥?”

“改善 這个黃金時間?”

“改善 你 ê 心思. Koh-khah 免講你 ê 靈魂 kap 脾氣. 你 ē-sái 研究 某種哲學. Yoka, a̍h 彼類 ê mi̍h. M̄-koh, 我認為, gâu 分析 ê 頭腦 m̄-sī 最適合 提來思考 抽象事物.”

“我 bat 想 boeh koh 學代數 neh. 我 án-ne 想, tī 學校 我無 hóx 學代數. M̄-koh 我已經 tī 彼塊 該死 ê 天篷 做 siuⁿ chē 幾何, 小可 teh畏 數學 ah.”

“Hmh, 我想, 你這款狀況 ê 人, 建議你 耍鬥尪仔圖 無效. 鬥字詞 án-chóaⁿ? 你若佮意, 我 ē-sái 替你揣 一本冊.”

“千萬 m̄-thang.”

“當然 你 mā ē-sái ka-tī 設計. 我聽講, 出題 比 改題 koh-khah 趣味 neh.”

“凡勢. M̄-koh, 字典重量 kúi-nā 磅. 何況, 我 一向討厭 掀參考冊 揣物件.”

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1.2

The thing with a red gun-flash across a night-green cover was Oscar Oakley’s latest. Toughs talking out of the corners of their mouths in synthetic American that had neither the wit nor the pungency of the real thing. Blondes, chromium bars, breakneck chases. Very remarkably bunk.

The Case of the Missing Tin-opener, by John James Mark, had three errors of procedure in the first two pages, and had at least provided Grant with a pleasant five minutes while he composed an imaginary letter to its author.

He could not remember what the thin blue book at the bottom of the pile was. Something earnest and statistical, he thought. Tsetse flies, or calories, or sex behaviour, or something.

Even in that, you knew what to expect on the next page. Did no one, any more, no one in all this wide world, change their record now and then? Was everyone nowadays thirled to a formula? Authors today wrote so much to a pattern that their public expected it. The public talked about ‘a new Silas Weekley’ or ‘a new Lavinia Fitch’ exactly as they talked about ‘a new brick’ or ‘a new hairbrush’. They never said ‘a new book by’ whoever it might be. Their interest was not in the book[Pg 11] but in its newness. They knew quite well what the book would be like.

It might be a good thing, Grant thought as he turned his nauseated gaze away from the motley pile, if all the presses of the world were stopped for a generation. There ought to be a literary moratorium. Some Superman ought to invent a ray that would stop them all simultaneously. Then people wouldn’t send you a lot of fool nonsense when you were flat on your back, and bossy bits of Meissen wouldn’t expect you to read them.

He heard the door open, but did not stir himself to look. He had turned his face to the wall, literally and metaphorically.

He heard someone come across to his bed, and closed his eyes against possible conversation. He wanted neither Gloucestershire sympathy nor Lancashire briskness just now. In the succeeding pause a faint enticement, a nostalgic breath of all the fields of Grasse, teased his nostrils and swam about his brain. He savoured it and considered. The Midget smelt of lavender dusting powder, and The Amazon of soap and iodoform. What was floating expensively about his nostrils was L’Enclos Numéro Cinq. Only one person of his acquaintance used L’Enclos Number Five. Marta Hallard.

He opened an eye and squinted up at her. She had evidently bent over to see if he was asleep, and was now standing in an irresolute way—if anything Marta did could be said to be irresolute—with her attention on the heap of all too obviously virgin publications on the table. In one arm she was carrying two new books, and in the other a great sheaf of white lilac. He wondered whether she had chosen white lilac because it was her idea of the[Pg 12] proper floral offering for winter (it adorned her dressing-room at the theatre from December to March), or whether she had taken it because it would not detract from her black-and-white chic. She was wearing a new hat and her usual pearls; the pearls which he had once been the means of recovering for her. She looked very handsome, very Parisian, and blessedly unhospital-like.

‘Did I waken you, Alan?’

‘No. I wasn’t asleep.’

‘I seem to be bringing the proverbial coals,’ she said, dropping the two books alongside their despised brethren. ‘I hope you will find these more interesting than you seem to have found that lot. Didn’t you even try a little teensy taste of our Lavinia?’

‘I can’t read anything.’

‘Are you in pain?’

‘Agony. But it’s neither my leg nor my back.’

‘What then?’

‘It’s what my cousin Laura calls “the prickles of boredom”.’

‘Poor Alan. And how right your Laura is.’ She picked a bunch of narcissi out of a glass that was much too large for them, dropped them with one of her best gestures into the wash-basin, and proceeded to substitute the lilac. ‘One would expect boredom to be a great yawning emotion, but it isn’t, of course. It’s a small niggling thing.’

‘Small nothing. Niggling nothing. It’s like being beaten with nettles.’

‘Why don’t you take-up something?’

‘Improve the shining hour?’

‘Improve your mind. To say nothing of your soul and[Pg 13] your temper. You might study one of the philosophies. Yoga, or something like that. But I suppose an analytical mind is not the best kind to bring to the consideration of the abstract.’

‘I did think of going back to algebra. I have an idea that I never did algebra justice, at school. But I’ve done so much geometry on that damned ceiling that I’m a little off mathematics.’

‘Well, I suppose it is no use suggesting jig-saws to someone in your position. How about cross-words? I could get you a book of them, if you like.’

‘God forbid.’

‘You could invent them, of course. I have heard that that is more fun than solving them.’

‘Perhaps. But a dictionary weighs several pounds. Besides, I always did hate looking up something in a reference book.’

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