12.3 歷史 是 亂 chòaⁿ

12.3 Le̍k-sú sī loān-chòaⁿ

[Carradine:] “Tio̍h. Tio̍h, Che khak-si̍t sī chi̍t-ê tiōng-tiám; Dorset pēng m̄-sī ūi-tio̍h boeh hû kāng-bú bô kāng-pē ê sió-tī ho̍k-ūi jî chiàn. Ká-sú hit-sî England iáu ū chi̍t-sut-á ki-hōe chiap-siū hit-ê cha-po͘ gín-á, i tiāⁿ-tio̍h ē chi-chhî in sió-tī. Góa iáu-koh boeh kā lí kóng lēng-gōa chi̍t-kiāⁿ góa hoat-hiān ê chhù-bī tāi. Ông-hiō kap cha-bó͘-kiáⁿ lóng chin kín tō lī-khui pī-lān-só͘. Sī lí thê-khí yin kiáⁿ Dorset chiah hō͘ góa siūⁿ khí-lâi. Yi m̄-nā lī-khui pī-lān-só͘, koh an-tēng lo̍h-lâi, bē-su siáⁿ to bô hoat-seng kòe. Hiah-ê cha-bó͘-kiáⁿ sīm-chì khì chham-ka Hông-kiong ê khèng-tián. Lí chai siōng hàm ê sī siáⁿ bô?”

“M̄-chai neh?”

“He sī tī nn̄g-ê Ông-chú pī bô͘-sat í-āu ê tāi-chì. Tio̍h, góa koh kā lí kóng lēng-gōa chi̍t-kiāⁿ tāi-chì. Tī hit nn̄g-ê cha-po͘ gín-á hō͘ in siâ-ok ê a-chek hāi-sí liáu-āu, Yi kèng-jiân siá-phe hō͘ tī Franse ê lēng chi̍t-ê kiáⁿ, its Dorset, kiò i tńg-lâi chhù, kap Richard kóng-hô, kóng Richard ē hóx tùi-thāi i.”

Tiām chiuhx.

Kin-á-ji̍t bô chhek-chiáu-á chhix chhāx, kan-ta ū hō͘ pah thang-á ê khin-jiû siaⁿ-im.

“Bô ì-kiàn?” Carradine chòe-āu khui-chhùi mn̄g.

“Lí chai bô,” Grant kóng, “ùi kéng-chhat ê kak-tō͘ lâi khòaⁿ, Richard oân-choân bô hiâm-gî. Góa ê ì-sù khak-si̍t sī án-ne. Che m̄-sī kóng chèng-kì bô-kàu, bô hoat-tō͘ sàng-chiūⁿ hoat-têng. Sī chin-chiàⁿ si̍t-tú-si̍t, oân-choân bô jīm-hô ē-tit chí-khòng i ê chèng-kì.”

“Góa káⁿ kóng tek-khak bô. Iû-kî sī, tán góa kā lí kóng, lí kià hō͘ góa ê miâ-toaⁿ lāi-bīn ta̍k-ê lâng, tī Richard sí tī Bosworth sî, lóng oa̍h kah hóx, hù-kùi koh chū-iû. In m̄-nā chū-iû, koh tit-tio̍h chin hó ê chiàu-kò͘. Edward ê gín-á m̄-nā tī Hông-kiong thiàu-bú, koh ū tin-thiap thang niá. Sīm-chì tī Richard ka-tī chhin-seⁿ kiáⁿ sí āu, i koh chí-tēng chhin-chiâⁿ gín-á tiong-kan chi̍t-lâng chò i ê kè-sêng-jîn.”

“Tó chi̍t-lâng?”

“George ê hāu-seⁿ.”

“Só͘-í, i phah-sǹg boeh thiat-siau in hiaⁿ-ko gín-á ê bu̍t-siu kong-khoân lēng?” 

“Bô m̄-tio̍h. Lí nā ē-kì-tit, tong-chho͘ Richard tùi George hông phòaⁿ-hêng, bat piáu-sī khòng-gī.” 

“Sīm-chì kin-kì sîn-sèng More ê kóng-hoat, i khak-si̍t bat khòng-gī kòe. Só͘-í, tī hit-ê Koài-bu̍t Richard III thóng-tī kî-kan, England ông-ūi ê só͘-ū kè-sêng-jîn lóng oa̍h kah hó liux, chū-iû chū-chāi, bô-sok bô-pa̍k.” 

“M̄-nā án-ne neh. In sī kui-ê siā-hōe thé-chè ê chi̍t pō͘-hūn. Góa ì-sù sī, in sī hông-sek ka-têng kap kok-ka keng-chè ê chi̍t pō͘-hūn. Góa it-ti̍t teh tha̍k chi̍t-ê kiò Davies ê lâng pian-chi̍p ê York Kì-lo̍k. Góa sī kóng York Tìn ê kì-lo̍k, m̄-sī hit-ê York ka-cho̍k. Siàu-liân Warwick (George ê hāu-seⁿ) kap i ê piáu-hiaⁿ Lincoln lóng sī Gī-Hōe ê gī-oân. York Tìn bat siá-phe hō͘ in. He sī tī 1485 nî. Iáu-ū, tī York ê chi̍t-tiûⁿ tōa khèng-tián, Richard chhek-hong khî-sū hō͘ ka-tī hāu-seⁿ ê sî, i mā tông-sî chhek-hong Warwick.” I thêng kúx chi̍t-khùn, jiân-āu piak chi̍t-kù ōe, kóng: “Grant Ss, lí siūⁿ boeh ūi che siá chi̍t-pún chheh bô?” 

“Siá chheh!” Grant tio̍h-kiaⁿ kóng. “Chhian-bān m̄-thang lah. Sī án-chóaⁿ ah?” 

“In-ūi góa siūⁿ boeh siá chi̍t-pún. Che pí siá ‘Lông-bîn’ koh-khah cheng-chhái neh.” 

“Kín khì siá.”

“Lí khòaⁿ, góa tio̍h khoán che siáⁿ hō͘ goán lāu-pē khòaⁿ. Pâ kám-kak góa bô chhut-thoat, in-ūi góa tùi ka-kū, thui-siau, a̍h siau-lō͘ tô͘ lóng bô chhù-bī. Nā hō͘ i chhin-chhiú the̍h chi̍t-pún góa siá ê chheh, i khó-lêng tō ē siong-sìn góa m̄-sī bô-kiù ê m̄-chiâⁿ kiáⁿ. Sū-si̍t-siōng, góa sīm-chì káⁿ sio-su, i ē kái-piàn chok-hong, khai-sí sì-kè phòng-hong tián góa.”

Grant móa-sim jîn-chû khòaⁿ i.

“Góa bē-kì-tit mn̄g lí kám-kak Crosby Place án-chóaⁿ?” i kóng.

“Oh, chán, he chiâⁿ chán. Ká-sú Carradine III [in lāu-pē] khòaⁿ-tio̍h, i it-tēng siūⁿ boeh kā he poaⁿ tńg-khì, koh kā têng-khí tī Adirondack Soaⁿ-khu bó͘ só͘-chāi.”

“Lí nā siá hit-pún koan-hē Richard ê chheh, i tek-khak tō ē án-ne chò. I ē kám-kak ka-tī mā sī kó͘-tong. Lí boeh kā he kiò siáⁿ-mih miâ?”

“Hit-pún chheh?”

“Sī ah.”

“Góa boeh chioh chi̍t-kù Henry Ford kóng-kòe ê ōe, kā kiò chò ‘Le̍k-sú Sī Chhàu-tōaⁿ.’”

“Ū-kàu chán.”

“M̄-koh, khai-sí tāng-pit chìn-chêng, góa iáu ū chēx chheh ài tha̍k, chēx gián-kiù ài chò.”

“He sī tong-jiân ê tāi-chì. Lí iáu-bōe bak-tio̍h chin-chiàⁿ ê būn-tê neh.” 

“He sī siáⁿ?” 

“Tàu-té sī siáng bô͘-sat hit nn̄g-ê gín-á.”

“Tio̍h, tong-jiân sī he.”

“Ká-sú tī Richard chiap-koán London Thah ê sî, hit nn̄g-ê gín-á iáu oa̍h-tio̍h, āu-lâi in hoat-seng siáⁿ tāi-chì?”

“Tio̍h. Góa ē khì chhâ che. Góa iáu-sī boeh chai-iáⁿ, sī án-chóaⁿ am-khàm ‘Ông-khoân Hoat-àn’ ê lāi-iông tùi Henry hiah-nī tiōng-iàu.”

I khí-sin chún-pī boeh lī-khui, chiah chù-ì tio̍h toh-téng hit-tiuⁿ tò-khap ê ōe-siōng. I chhun-chhiú khì kā hit-tiuⁿ siòng-phìⁿ koh chhāi tńg-khì, hó-lé-á kā khò tī hit-tha̍h chheh.

“Lí lâu tī chia tō hó,” i tùi siòng lāi-bīn ê Richard kóng. “Góa boeh kā lí khǹg-hôe lí kai-tong ū ê só͘-chāi.”

Tng i ná teh kiâⁿ chhut mn̂g-kháu ê sî, Grant kóng: “Góa túx siūⁿ-tio̍h chi̍t-tōaⁿ le̍k-sú, he m̄-sī Tonypandy.” 

“Sī oh?” Carradine thêng kha-pō͘, mn̄g.

“Glencoe tōa tô͘-sat.”

“He chin-chiàⁿ ū hoat-seng?”

“Chin-chiáⁿ ū hoat-seng. Jî-chhiáⁿ... Brent!” Brent thàm-thâu ji̍p mn̂g-lāi.

“Án-chóaⁿ hioh?”

“Hā-lēng tô͘-sat hit-ê lâng, sī chi̍t-ê khiân-sêng ê Sè-iok Phài hūn-chú.”

--

12.3 歷史 是 亂 chòaⁿ

[Carradine:] “著. 著, Che 確實是 一个重點; Dorset 並毋是為著 欲扶 仝母 無仝爸 ê 小弟 復位而戰. 假使 彼時 England 猶有 一屑仔機會 接受彼个 查埔囡仔, 伊定著 會支持 in 小弟. 我猶閣 欲 kā 你 講 另外一件 我 發現 ê 趣味代. 王后 kap 查某囝 lóng 真緊 tō 離開 避難所. 是 你提起 姻囝 Dorset 才 hō͘ 我想起來. 她毋但 離開 避難所, koh 安定落來, 袂輸啥 to 無發生過. Hiah-ê 查某囝 甚至 去參加 皇宮 ê 慶典. 你知 上譀 ê 是啥 無?”

“毋知 neh?”

“He 是 tī 兩个王子 被謀殺 以後 ê 代誌. 著, 我 koh kā 你 講 另外 一件代誌. Tī hit 兩个 查埔囡仔 hō͘ in 邪惡 ê 阿叔 害死了後, 她竟然 寫批 hō͘ tī Franse ê 另一个囝, its Dorset, 叫伊 轉來厝, kap Richard 講和, 講 Richard 會 hóx 對待伊.”

恬 chiuhx.

今仔日 無粟鳥仔 chhix chhāx, 干焦有 雨拍窗仔 ê 輕柔聲音.

“無意見?” Carradine 最後 開喙問.

“你知無,” Grant 講, “ùi 警察 ê 角度 來看, Richard 完全 無嫌疑. 我 ê 意思 確實 是 án-ne. Che 毋是講 證據無夠, 無法度 送上法庭. 是 真正 實拄實, 完全無 任何 會得 指控伊 ê 證據.”

“我敢講 的確無. 尤其是, 等我 kā 你 講, 你寄 hō͘ 我 ê 名單內面 逐个人, tī Richard 死 tī Bosworth 時, lóng 活 kah hóx, 富貴 koh 自由. In 毋但自由, koh 得著 真好 ê 照顧. Edward ê 囡仔 毋但 tī 皇宮 跳舞, koh 有津貼 thang 領. 甚至 tī Richard ka-tī 親生囝 死後, 伊 koh 指定 親情囡仔 中間一人 做伊 ê 繼承人.”

“佗一人?”

“George ê 後生.”

“所以, 伊拍算 欲撤銷 in 兄哥囡仔 ê 沒收公權令?”

“無毋著. 你若 會記得, 當初 Richard 對 George hông 判刑, bat 表示抗議.”

“甚至 根據 神聖 More ê 講法, 伊確實 bat 抗議過. 所以, tī 彼个怪物 Richard III 統治期間, England 王位 ê 所有 繼承人 lóng 活 kah 好 liux, 自由自在, 無束無縛.”

“毋但 án-ne neh. In 是 規个 社會體制 ê 一部份. 我意思是, in 是 皇室家庭 kap 國家經濟 ê 一部份. 我一直 teh 讀 一个叫 Davies ê 人 編輯 ê York 記錄. 我是講 York 鎮 ê 記錄, 毋是 彼个 York 家族. 少年 Warwick (George ê 後生) kap 伊 ê 表兄 Lincoln lóng 是 議會 ê 議員. York 鎮 bat 寫批 hō͘ in. 彼是 tī 1485 年. 猶有, tī York ê 一場 大慶典, Richard 冊封騎士 hō͘ ka-tī 後生 ê 時, 伊 mā 同時冊封 Warwick.”

伊停 kúx 一睏, 然後 煏一句話, 講: “Grant Ss, 你想欲 為 che 寫 一本冊 無?”

“寫冊!” Grant 著驚講. “千萬毋通 lah. 是按怎 ah?”

“因為 我想欲 寫一本. 這 比 寫 ‘農民’ 閣較精彩 neh.”

“緊去寫.”

“你看, 我著款 che 啥 hō͘ 阮老爸 看. Pâ 感覺 我無出脫, 因為 我對 家具, 推銷, a̍h 銷路圖 lóng 無趣味. 若 hō͘ 伊 親手提 一本 我寫 ê 冊, 伊可能 tō 會相信 我毋是 無救 ê 毋成囝. 事實上, 我甚至 敢相輸, 伊會 改變作風, 開始 四界膨風 展我.”

Grant 滿心仁慈 看伊.

“我袂記得 問 你感覺 Crosby Place 按怎?” 伊講.

“Oh, 讚, he 誠讚. 假使 Carradine III [in 老爸] 看著, 伊一定 想欲 kā he 搬轉去, koh kā 重起 tī Adirondack 山區 某所在.”

“你若寫 hit 本 關係 Richard ê 冊, 伊的確 tō 會 án-ne 做. 伊會感覺 ka-tī mā 是股東. 你欲 kā he 叫 啥物名?”

“彼本冊?”

“是 ah.”

“我欲借 一句 Henry Ford 講過 ê 話, kā 叫做 ‘歷史是 亂 chòaⁿ.’”

“有夠 讚.”

“毋過, 開始 動筆進前, 我猶有 chēx 冊 愛讀, chēx研究 愛做.”

“彼是 當然 ê 代誌. 你猶未 沐著 真正 ê 問題 neh.”

“彼是啥?”

“到底是 siáng 謀殺 hit 兩个囡仔.”

“著, 當然是 he.”

“假使 tī Richard 接管 London 塔 ê 時, hit 兩个囡仔 猶活著, 後來 in 發生 啥代誌?”

“著. 我會去查 che. 我猶是 欲知影, 是按怎 掩崁 ‘王權法案’ ê 內容 對 Henry hiah-nī 重要.”

伊起身 準備欲 離開, 才注意著 桌頂 hit 張 tò-khap ê 畫像. 伊伸手 去 kā hit 張相片 koh chhāi 轉去, 好禮仔 kā 靠 tī hit 疊冊.

“你留 tī chia tō 好,” 伊 tùi 相內面 ê Richard 講. “我欲 kā 你 囥回 你 該當有 ê 所在.”

Tng 伊 ná teh 行出 門口 ê 時, Grant 講:

“我 túx 想著 一段歷史, he 毋是 Tonypandy.”

“是 oh?” Carradine 停跤步, 問.

“Glencoe 大屠殺.”

“He 真正 有發生?”

“真正 有發生. 而且... Brent!”

Brent 探頭 入門內.

“按怎 hioh?”

“下令屠殺 彼个人, 是一个 虔誠 ê 誓約派 份子.”

--

12.3

‘Yes. Yes, that’s a point, all right; that about Dorset not fighting to restore his half-brother. If there had been a chance at all that England would have accepted the boy, he surely would have backed the boy. I’ll tell you another interesting thing I found. The Queen and her daughters came out of sanctuary quite soon. It’s your talking about her son Dorset that reminded me. She not only came out of sanctuary but settled down as if nothing had happened. Her daughters went to festivities at the Palace. And do you know what the pay-off is?’

‘No?’

‘That was after the Princes had been “murdered”. Yes, and I’ll tell you something else. With her two boys done to death by their wicked uncle, she writes to her other son, in France—Dorset—and asks him to come home and make his peace with Richard, who will treat him well.’

[Pg 158]There was silence.

There were no sparrows to talk today. Only the soft sound of the rain against the window.

‘No comment?’ Carradine said at last.

‘You know,’ Grant said, ‘from the police point of view there is no case against Richard at all. And I mean that literally. It isn’t that the case isn’t good enough. Good enough to bring into court, I mean. There, quite literally, isn’t any case against him at all.’

‘I’ll say there isn’t. Especially when I tell you that every single one of those people whose names you sent me were alive and prosperous, and free, when Richard was killed at Bosworth. They were not only free, they were very well cared for. Edward’s children not only danced at the Palace, they had pensions. He appointed one of the crowd his heir when his own boy died.’

‘Which one?’

‘George’s boy.’

‘So he meant to reverse the attainder on his brother’s children.’

‘Yes. He had protested about his being condemned, if you remember.’

‘According to even the Sainted More, he did. So all the heirs to the throne of England were going about their business, free and unfettered, during the reign of Richard III, the Monster.’

‘They were more. They were part of the general scheme of things. I mean, part of the family and the general economy of the realm. I’ve been reading a collection of York records by a man Davies. Records of the town of York, I mean; not the family. Both young Warwick—George’s son—and his cousin, young Lincoln,[Pg 159] were members of the Council. The town addressed a letter to them. In 1485, that was. What’s more, Richard knighted young Warwick at the same time as he knighted his own son, at a splendid “do” at York.’ /

He paused a long moment, and then blurted out: ‘Mr Grant, do you want to write a book about this?’

‘A book!’ Grant said, astonished. ‘God forbid. Why?’

‘Because I should like to write one. It would make a much better book than the Peasants.’

‘Write away.’

‘You see, I’d like to have something to show my father. Pop thinks I’m no good because I can’t take an interest in furniture, and marketing, and graphs of sales. If he could actually handle a book that I had written he might believe that I wasn’t so hopeless a bet after all. In fact, I wouldn’t put it past him to begin to boast about me for a change.’

Grant looked at him with benevolence.

‘I forgot to ask you what you thought of Crosby Place,’ he said.

‘Oh, fine, fine. If Carradine the Third ever sees it he’ll want to take it back with him and rebuild it in the Adirondacks somewhere.’

‘If you write that book about Richard, he most certainly will. He’ll feel like a part-owner. What are you going to call it?’

‘The book?’

‘Yes.’

‘I’m going to borrow a phrase from Henry Ford, and call it History Is The Bunk.’

‘Excellent.’

[Pg 160]‘However, I’ll have a lot more reading to do and a lot more research, before I can start writing.’

‘Most assuredly you have. You haven’t arrived yet at the real question.’

‘What is that?’

‘Who did murder the boys.’

‘Yes, of course,’

‘If the boys were alive when Henry took over the Tower what happened to them?’

‘Yes. I’ll get on to that. I still want to know why it was so important to Henry to hush up the contents of Titulus Regius.’

He got up to go, and then noticed the portrait that was lying on its face on the table. He reached over and restored the photograph to its original place, propping it with a concerned care against the pile of books.

‘You stay there,’ he said to the painted Richard. ‘I’m going to put you back where you belong.’

As he went out of the door, Grant said:

‘I’ve just thought of a piece of history which is not Tonypandy.’

‘Yes?’ said Carradine, lingering.

‘The massacre of Glencoe.’

‘That really did happen?’

‘That really did happen. And—Brent!’

Brent put his head back inside the door.

‘Yes?’

‘The man who gave the order for it was an ardent Covenanter.’

--

[Pg 161]