11.2 是 siáng teh 驚真相?

11.2 Sī siáng teh kiaⁿ chin-siòng?

Richard kóng Ông-chú sī su-seng-chú, hián-jiân ū bó͘-lâng jīn-ûi “chèng-bêng chit-ê chú-tiuⁿ khiā bē-chāi” sī ke̍k tiōng-iàu ê tāi-chì, che choa̍t-tùi sī ha̍p-lí ê ká-siat.

In-ūi Morton, thàu-kòe sîn-sèng More ê pit, só͘ siá ê sī khiā tī Henry VII ê li̍p-tiûⁿ, hit-ê “bó͘-lâng” tāi-khài tō sī Henry VII, its hit-ê siau-húi “Ông-khoân Hoat-àn” koh kìm-chí lâng pó-liû hù-pún ê Henry VII lah.

Carradine kóng-kòe ê ōe koh phû tī i ê náu-hái.

Henry tī bô hông soan-tho̍k Hoat-àn lāi-iông ê chêng-hêng hā, tō ti̍t-chiap kā hùi-tî.

Tùi Henry lâi-kóng, mài hông siūⁿ-khí Hoat-àn lāi-iông sī hiah-nī tiōng-iàu, tì-sú i tio̍h te̍k-pia̍t kui-tēng, tio̍h “choân-pō͘ húi-bia̍t, bô lâu chi̍t-jī pòaⁿ-kù.”

Sī án-chóaⁿ che tùi Henry VII hiah-nī tiōng-iàu? Richard ê kè-sêng khoân tùi Henry ū siáⁿ éng-hióng? Henry bē-sái kóng: “Richard ê kè-sêng khoân sī chhàu-tōaⁿ ê, só͘-í góa ê kè-sêng khoân chiah sī chèng-tong ê.” Henry Tudor he sè kah bô-siá-sì ê khoân-lī sī tī Lancaster hit-thâu, á York chit-thâu ê kè-sêng-jîn kin-pún bô i ê tī-tāi.

Nā án-ne, sī án-chóaⁿ Henry hiah-nī bô kè tāi-kè ài-boeh lâng bē-kì-tit “Ông-khoân Hoat-àn” ê lāi-iông?

Sī án-chóaⁿ boeh chhàng Eleanor Butler, koh kā ōaⁿ-chò pa̍t-ê tah-thâu, he bô-lâng bat kóng ū kap Kok-ông kiat-hun?

Chit-ê būn-tê hō͘ Grant siūⁿ kah ji̍p-sîn, it-ti̍t kàu àm-tǹg chêng, kang-iú sàng chi̍t-tiuⁿ chóa-tiâu ji̍p-lâi hō͘ i.

“Chêng-thiaⁿ ê lâng kóng, lí hit-ê siàu-liân Bí-kok pêng-iú lâu che hō͘ lí,” kang-iú ná kóng ná kau hō͘ i chi̍t-tiuⁿ chih khí-lâi ê chóa.

“To-siā lah,” Grant kóng. “Lí tùi Richard III chai kóa siáⁿ?” 

“Ū chióng-phín bô?” 

“Chióng siáⁿ?”

“Hit-tê kín-mn̄g khoài-tap.”

“Bô, kan-ta hòⁿ-hiân siūⁿ boeh chai. Lí chai Richard III ê siáⁿ tāi-chì?” 

“I sī thâu-hō ê sat-jîn lúi-hoān.”

“Lúi-hoān? Góa siūⁿ kóng kan-ta 2-ê ti̍t-á.” 

“M̄-tio̍h, oh, m̄-tio̍h. Le̍k-sú góa chai bô chē, tān che góa chin chheng-chhó. I thâi in hiaⁿ-ko, in chek-peh chhin, koh-ū tī London Thah ê khó-liân lāu Kok-ông, jiân-āu koh kái-koat i hit nn̄g-ê ti̍t-á. Sī chi̍t-ê tōa-bē hêng ê sat-chhiú.” Grant siūⁿ chi̍t-khùn.

“Góa nā kā lí kóng, i kin-pún bô thâi-kòe jīm-hô lâng, lí ē án-chóaⁿ kóng?” 

“Góa ē kóng, lí ū khoân-lī piáu-ta̍t lí ê ì-kiàn. Ū kóa lâng siong-sìn tē-kiû sī pêⁿ ê. Ū kóa lâng siong-sìn sè-kài boa̍t-ji̍t tī Se-goân 2000 hit-nî. Ū kóa lâng siong-sìn sè-kài khai-sí kàu taⁿ iáu bô 5,000 nî. Tī lé-pài-ji̍t ê Marble Arch hia [its Hyde kong-hn̂g tang-pak ê Ián-káng Kak], lí ē thiaⁿ-tio̍h pí che koh-khah hàm-kó͘ ê tāi-chì.” 

“Só͘-í, lí chi̍t-sut-á to bô kám-kak chit-ê koan-tiám kài chhù-bī?” 

“Góa kám-kak he chin chhù-bī, tān che bô lí só͘ kóng ê ha̍p-lí-sèng, tio̍h bô? M̄-koh, mài hō͘ góa tòng-tio̍h lí ê lō͘. Ōaⁿ chi̍t-ê khah hó ê só͘-chāi khì chhàu-tōaⁿ khòaⁿ-māi. Kéng chi̍t-ê lé-pài-ji̍t, chah che khì Marble Arch, góa káⁿ sio-su, lí ē chhōe-tio̍h chēx sìn-tô͘. Hoān-sè ē-sái hoat-khí chi̍t-ê ūn-tōng.” I chhun-chhiú chhìn-chhái kiâⁿ pòaⁿ-ê lé, tō ná haiⁿ-koa kiâⁿ-khui, an-jiân, bô siū éng-hióng.

Kiù-lâng oh, Grant sim-lāi siūⁿ, góa chha-put-to boeh kàu hit-ê thêng-tō͘ ah. Nā hām-lo̍h koh-khah chhim, góa chin-chiàⁿ ē tī Marble Arch khiā sap-bûn siuⁿ ián-káng.

I tián-khui Carradine lâu ê piān-tiâu, téng-bīn án-ne siá: “Lí kóng lí boeh chai-iáⁿ kî-thaⁿ ê ông-ūi kè-sêng-jîn kám ū tô-kòe Richard ê sat-hāi. Góa sī kóng, tî-liáu hit 2-ê cha-po͘ gín-á í-gōa? Góa bē-kì-tit kóng: kám ē-sái chhiáⁿ lí thè góa lia̍t chi̍t-ê miâ-toaⁿ, hó-thang hō͘ góa khì chhâ. Góa siūⁿ che ē chin tiōng-iàu.”

Hmh, kì-jiân sè-kài chiàu-siông haiⁿ-koa teh ūn-choán, khin-sang, bô kòa-gāi, siōng-bô iáu ū chit-ê “siàu-liân Bí-kok” khiā i chit-pêng.

I pàng-lo̍h sîn-sèng More ê chheh, he lāi-bīn chhiong-móa ná lé-pài-ji̍t chhut-khan ê pat-kòa pò-chóa hit-iūⁿ ê hysteria tiûⁿ-bīn, kap hong-kông chí-khòng. I the̍h-khí hit-pún téng-chin, si̍t-chāi ê ha̍k-seng pán le̍k-sú, hó-thang kā Richard III tī Eng-kok kè-sêng khoân tiong-kan ê khó-lêng kēng-cheng tùi-chhiú lia̍t chhut-lâi.

Pàng-lo̍h More-Morton ê sî, i siūⁿ-khí chi̍t-ê tāi-chì.

More kì-chài ê hit-ê tī London Thah ni̍h Gī-chèng Hōe hoat-seng ê hysteria tiûⁿ-bīn – Richard hut-jiân khí-kông, chí-khòng ū-lâng kō͘ hoat-su̍t hāi i chi̍t-ki chhiú-kut bah kiu-khì – hit-sî i chí-khòng ê tùi-siōng tō sī Jane Shore.

Chheh só͘ kì-chài ê tiûⁿ-bīn, liân tiong-li̍p ê tho̍k-chiá mā kám-kak bô ì-gī, hông hoán-kám, tān hiān-si̍t tiong Richard siá ê, koan-he yi ê phe, chhin-chhiat, khoan-hō͘, koh khin-sang chū-chāi. Che tiong-kan ê tùi-pí si̍t-chāi hō͘ lâng tio̍h-kiaⁿ.

Kiù-lâng oh, i koh án-ne siūⁿ-khí, góa nā su-iàu tī siá hit-tōaⁿ kì-chài ê lâng, kap siá hit-tiuⁿ phe ê lâng tiong-kan chò soán-te̍k, góa ē soán hit-ê siá-phe ê lâng, m̄-koán in lēng-gōa koh chò-kòe siáⁿ tāi-chì.

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11.2 是 siáng teh 驚真相?

Richard 講 王子是 私生子, 顯然 有某人 認為 “證明 這个主張 徛袂在” 是 極重要 ê 代誌, che 絕對是 合理 ê 假設.

因為 Morton, 透過 神聖 More ê 筆, 所寫 ê是 徛 tī Henry VII ê 立場, 彼个 “某人” 大概 tō 是 Henry VII, its 彼个銷毀 “王權法案” koh 禁止人 保留副本 ê Henry VII lah.

Carradine 講過 ê 話 koh 浮 tī 伊 ê 腦海.

Henry tī 無 hông 宣讀 法案內容 ê 情形下, tō 直接 kā 廢除.

對 Henry 來講, 莫 hông 想起 法案內容 是 hiah-nī 重要, 致使伊著 特別規定, 著 “全部毀滅, 無留 一字半句.”

是按怎 che 對 Henry VII hiah-nī重要?

Richard ê 繼承權 對 Henry 有啥影響? Henry 袂使講: “Richard ê繼承權 是臭彈 ê, 所以 我 ê 繼承權 才是 正當 ê.” Henry Tudor he 細 kah 無捨世 ê 權利 是 tī Lancaster 彼頭, á York 這頭 ê 繼承人 根本 無 伊 ê tī-tāi.

若 án-ne, 是按怎 Henry hiah-nī 無計代價 愛欲人 袂記得 “王權法案” ê 內容?

是按怎 欲藏 Eleanor Butler, koh kā 換做 別个搭頭, he 無人 bat 講 有 kap 國王結婚?

這个問題 hō͘ Grant 想 kah 入神, 一直到 暗頓前, 工友送一張紙條 入來 hō͘ 伊.

“前廳 ê 人 講, 你彼个 少年 美國朋友 留 che hō͘ 你,” 工友 ná 講 ná 交 hō͘ 伊 一張 摺起來 ê 紙.

“多謝 lah,” Grant 講. “你 對 Richard III 知寡啥?”

“有獎品無?”

“獎啥?”

“Hit 題 緊問快答.”

“無, 干焦好玄 想欲知. 你知 Richard III ê 啥代誌?”

“伊是 頭號 ê 殺人累犯.”

“累犯? 我想講 干焦 2 个侄仔.”

“毋著, oh, 毋著. 歷史 我知 無濟, 但 che 我真清楚. 伊刣 in 兄哥, in 叔伯親, koh 有 tī London 塔 ê 可憐 老國王, 然後 koh 解決 伊 hit 兩个侄仔. 是一个 大賣型 ê 殺手.”

Grant 想一睏.

“我若 kā 你講, 伊根本無刣過 任何人, 你會按怎講?”

“我會講, 你有 權利 表達 你 ê 意見. 有寡人 相信 地球是平 ê. 有寡人 相信 世界末日 tī 西元 2000 hit 年. 有寡人 相信 世界 開始到今 猶無 5,000 年. Tī 禮拜日 ê Marble Arch hia [its Hyde 公園東北 ê 演講角], 你會聽著 比 che 閣較譀古 ê 代誌.”

“所以, 你 一屑仔 to 無感覺 這个觀點 kài 趣味?”

“我感覺 he 真趣味, 但 che 無 你所講 ê 合理性, 著無? 毋過, 莫 hō͘ 我 擋著 你 ê 路. 換一个 較好 ê 所在 去臭彈 看覓. 揀一个 禮拜日, 扎 che 去 Marble Arch, 我敢相輸, 你會揣著 chēx 信徒. 凡勢會使 發起 一个運動.”

伊伸手 凊彩 行半个禮, tō ná 哼歌 行開, 安然, 無受影響.

救人 oh, Grant 心內想, 我差不多 欲到 彼个程度 ah. 若陷落 閣較深, 我真正會 tī Marble Arch 徛 sap-bûn 箱 演講.

伊展開 Carradine 留 ê 便條, 頂面 án-ne 寫: “你講 你欲知影 其他 ê 王位 繼承人 敢有 逃過 Richard ê 殺害. 我是講, 除了 hit 2 个 查埔囡仔 以外? 我袂記得 講: 敢會使 請你 替我 列一个 名單, hó-thang hō͘ 我 去查. 我想 che 會真重要.”

Hmh, 既然 世界照常 哼歌 teh 運轉, 輕鬆, 無掛礙, 上無 猶有 這个 “少年美國” 徛伊這爿.

伊放落 神聖 More ê 冊, he 內面 充滿 ná 禮拜日 出刊 ê 八卦報紙 彼樣 ê hysteria 場面, kap 慌狂指控. 伊提起 彼本 頂真, 實在 ê 學生版 歷史, hó-thang kā Richard III tī 英國 繼承權 中間 ê 可能 競爭對手 列出來.

放落 More-Morton ê 時, 伊想起 一个代誌.

More 記載 ê 彼个 tī London 塔 ni̍h 議政會 發生 ê hysteria 場面 - Richard 忽然起狂, 指控 有人 kō͘ 法術 害伊 一支手骨 肉勼去 - 彼時 伊指控 ê 對象 tō 是 Jane Shore.

冊所記載 ê 場面, 連中立 ê 讀者 mā 感覺 無意義, hông 反感, 但 現實中 Richard 寫 ê, 關係 她 ê 批, 親切, 寬厚, koh 輕鬆自在. Che 中間 ê 對比 實在 hō͘ 人 著驚.

救人 oh, 伊 koh án-ne 想起, 我若需要 tī 寫 彼段記載 ê 人, kap 寫 彼張批 ê 人中間 做選擇, 我會選 彼个寫批 ê 人, 毋管 in 另外 koh 做過 啥代誌.

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11.2

Surely the presumption was that it was very important to someone or other that Richard’s claim that the children were illegitimate should be shown to be untenable.

And since Morton—in the handwriting of the sainted More—was writing for Henry VII, then that someone was presumably Henry VII. The Henry VII who had destroyed Titulus Regius and forbidden anyone to keep a copy.

Something Carradine had said came back into Grant’s mind.

Henry had caused the Act to be repealed without being read.

It was so important to Henry that the contents of the Act should not be brought to mind that he had specially provided for its unquoted destruction.

Why should it be of such importance to Henry VII?

How could it matter to Henry what Richard’s rights were? It was not as if he could say: Richard’s claim was a trumped-up one, therefore mine is good. Whatever wretched small claim Henry Tudor might have was a[Pg 143] Lancastrian one, and the heirs of York did not enter into the matter.

Then why should it have been of such paramount importance to Henry that the contents of Titulus Regius should be forgotten?

Why hide away Eleanor Butler, and bring in in her place a mistress whom no one ever suggested was married to the King?

This problem lasted Grant very happily till just before supper, when the porter came in with a note for him.

‘The front hall says that young American friend of yours left this for you,’ the porter said, handing him a folded sheet of paper.

‘Thank you,’ said Grant. ‘What do you know about Richard the Third?’

‘Is there a prize?’

‘What for?’

‘The quiz.’

‘No, just the satisfaction of intellectual curiosity. What do you know about Richard III?’

‘He was the first multiple murderer.’

‘Multiple? I thought it was two nephews?’

‘No, oh, no. I don’t know much history but I do know that. Murdered his brother, and his cousin, and the poor old King in the Tower, and then finished off with his little nephews. A wholesale performer.’

Grant considered this.

‘If I told you that he never murdered anyone at all, what would you say?’

‘I’d say that you’re perfectly entitled to your opinion. Some people believe the earth is flat. Some people believe the world is going to end in A.D. 2000. Some people[Pg 144] believe that it began less than five thousand years ago. You’ll hear far funnier things than that at Marble Arch of a Sunday.’

‘So you wouldn’t even entertain the idea for a moment?’

‘I find it entertaining all right, but not what you might call very plausible, shall we say. But don’t let me stand in your way. Try it out on a better bombing range. You take it to Marble Arch one Sunday, and I’ll bet you’ll find followers aplenty. Maybe start a movement.’

He made a gay sketchy half-salute with his hand and went away humming to himself, secure and impervious.

So help me, Grant thought, I’m not far off it. If I get any deeper into this thing I will be standing on a soapbox at Marble Arch.

He unfolded the message from Carradine, and read: ‘You said that you wanted to know whether the other heirs to the throne survived Richard. As well as the boys, I mean. I forgot to say: would you make out a list of them for me, so that I can look them up. I think it’s going to be important.’

Well, if the world in general went on its humming way, brisk and uncaring, at least he had young America on his side.

He put aside the sainted More, with its Sunday-paper accounts of hysterical scenes and wild accusations, and reached for the sober student’s account of history so that he might catalogue the possible rivals to Richard III in the English succession.

And as he put down More-Morton, he was reminded of something.

That hysterical scene during the Council in the Tower which was reported by More, that frantic outburst on[Pg 145] Richard’s part against the sorcery that had withered his arm, had been against Jane Shore.

The contrast between the reported scene, pointless and repellent even to a disinterested reader, and the kind, tolerant, almost casual air of the letter that Richard had actually written about her, was staggering.

So help me, he thought again, if I had to choose between the man who wrote that account and the man who wrote that letter I’d take the man who wrote the letter, whatever either of them had done besides.

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