13.2 Croyland 記錄 ê shock

13.2 Croyland kì-lo̍k ê shock

[Grant:] “Góa chin khak-tēng, tī Henry kàu London koh chiap-koán London Thah ê sî, hit nn̄g-ê cha-po͘ gín-á iáu oa̍h kah hóx. Nā gín-á í-keng sit-chong, oân-choân bô lí-iû i bē kā chit-chân sū nāu kah thong-lâng chai. Lí kám ū siáⁿ kái-soeh?”

“Bô. Bô, tong-jiân bô. He khak-si̍t bô hoat-tō͘ kái-soeh. Góa it-ti̍t jīn-ûi hit-sî kai tong-jiân nāu kah lāu-jia̍t kúnx. He tiāⁿ-tio̍h sī chí-khòng Richard ê chōe-chn̄g chi-it. Khòaⁿ-lâi lí kap góa hit-chiah mô͘ chhàngx iûⁿ-ko sńg le̍k-sú sńg kah chin sóng-khoài. Tong-chho͘ góa kiàn-gī lí chò kóa sió tiau-cha lâi thâi sî-kan, ah chha̍k-thiàⁿ, oân-choân bô siūⁿ-tio̍h góa sī teh kòng-hiàn têng-siá le̍k-sú. He hō͘ góa siūⁿ-khí, Atlanta Shergold tit-boeh kā lí phah-chhèng ah neh.”

“Ūi-tio̍h góa? Góa liân yi to m̄-bat kìⁿ-kòe neh.” 

“Put-jî-kò, yi chah chhèng boeh chhōe lí neh. Yi kóng, Brent tùi B.M. (British Phok-bu̍t-koán) í-keng ná chia̍h-to̍k..ê tùi to̍k-phín ê thài-tō͘. Yi oân-choân bô hoat-tō͘ kā i ùi hia thoa lī-khui. Tō kóng kā i ê sin-khu thoa-khui, i ê sim iáu sī kui-kang se̍h tńg-khì hia. Chiū Brent lâi kóng, kin-pún to bô iàu-ì yi ê chûn-chāi. I sīm-chì bô koh chē leh khòaⁿ-soah ‘Chē Óaⁿ Chhut-hái’ ah. Lí kám ū chhiâng-chāi khòaⁿ tio̍h I?” 

“Lí lâi chìn-chêng kúi hun-cheng i iáu tī chia. M̄-koh, góa àn-sǹg, koh-lâi kúi-kang góa lóng bē ū i ê siau-sit.” Tān i chit-ê àn-sǹg bô-chún.

Tī àm-tǹg chêng, kang-iú sàng chi̍t-thong tiān-pò lâi.

Grant thàm tōa-pû-ong ji̍p he kan-ta khinx chīⁿ-kòe ê Iû-piān-kio̍k phe-lông, thiu-chhut 2-tiuⁿ tiān-pò chóa. Tiān-pò lâi-chū Brent.

// Kai-sí ah iáu-siū oh hoat-seng chi̍t-ê khó-phà ê tāi-chì (tùn) lí chai góa kóng-kòe hit-pún Latin pian-liân-sú bô (tùn) Croyland Siu-tō-īⁿ ê tō-sū siá ê hit-pún (tùn) ai-ah góa túx khòaⁿ-tio̍h ū liû-giân tī hia liû-giân kóng nn̄g-ê gín-á sí ah (tùn) he sī siá tī Richard sí chêng só͘-í lán hāi ah kám m̄-sī á góa koh-khah hāi hit-pún tōa chok-phín éng-oán bián siá ah lah (tùn) lín chia ê hô chún lâng chū-sat bô a̍h-sī he pó-liû hō͘ Eng-kok lâng

Brent //

Tiāmx bô-siaⁿ tiong-kan, kang-iú kóng: “Che í-keng hù hôe-iû, sian-siⁿ. Lí boeh hôe-phe bô?”

“Siáⁿ-hòe? Oh. Bián. Bo̍k-chêng iáu m̄-bián. Góa liâm-mi chiah sàng lo̍h-khì.” 

“Án-ne chiâⁿ hó, sian-siⁿ,” kang-iú kóng, ná kiong-kèng khòaⁿ hit 2-tiuⁿ tiān-pò chóa – tī kang-iú ê ka-têng, tiān-pò chóng-sī kan-ta chi̍t-tiuⁿ chóa – jiân-āu i kiâⁿ-khui, chit-pái bô haiⁿ-koa.

Grant tîm-su chit-ê siau-sit, kō͘ chit-chióng hāⁿ Atlantic tōa chhut-chhiú ê tiān-pò thong-sìn hong-sek. I koh kā tiān-pò tha̍k chi̍t-piàn.

“Croyland,” i ná kóng ná siūⁿ. Sī án-chóaⁿ che miâ ná bat thiaⁿ-kòe? Tī chit-ê àn-kiāⁿ, bo̍k-chêng ûi-chí bô-lâng bat thê-khí Croyland. Carradine kan-ta bat kóng-khí bó͘ só͘-chāi ū chi̍t-pún tō-sū siá ê pian-liân-sú.

I ū thài chē pái, tī i ê chit-gia̍p ji̍t-siông, tú-tio̍h hit-chióng khòaⁿ tō boeh húi-tiāu kui-ê àn-kiāⁿ ê sū-si̍t, só͘-tì taⁿ i bē kiaⁿ-hiâⁿ. I ê hoán-èng tō hû-ha̍p choan-gia̍p tiau-cha ê hoán-èng: kā hit-ê hō͘ lâng put-an ê sío sè-chiat kéng chhut-lâi koan-chhat. Léng-chēng, bô tāng kám-chêng. Oân-choân bô khó-liân Carradine ê hit-chióng hong-kông kiaⁿ-hiâⁿ.

“Croyland,” i koh liām chi̍t-piàn. Croyland sī Cambridge Kūn ê chi̍t-ê só͘-chāi. A̍h-sī tī Norfolk Kūn? Sī tī pian-kài hit-tah ê pêⁿ-iûⁿ tē-khu.

Sè-lia̍p Chí sàng àm-tǹg ji̍p-lâi, kà-hó he ná óaⁿ ê chhián-pôaⁿ, hó-thang i khah hong-piān chia̍h-pn̄g, m̄-koh i bô chù-ì tio̍h yi.

“Án-ne lí hong-piān khat môe bô?” yi mn̄g. Khòaⁿ i bô ìn, y1i koh mn̄g: “Grant Ss, góa kā môe khǹg piⁿ-á chia, lí khat ē-tio̍h bô?”

“Ely!” i tùi yi hoah chhut-siaⁿ.

“Siáⁿ-hòe?”

“Ely,” i jiûx kóng, khòaⁿ hiòng thian-pông.

“Grant Ss, lí lâng bô sóng-khoài hioh?”

I chù-ì tio̍h Sè-lia̍p Chí hit-ê boah kāu-hún, koh chhiong-móa tam-iu ê sió bīn, chhut-hiān tī i kap se̍k-sāi thian-pông pit-hûn ê tiong-kan.

“Góa chin hó, bô tāi-chì. Chit sì-lâng m̄-bat chiah hó. Sió tán chi̍t-ē, hó ko͘-niû, chhiáⁿ thè góa sàng chi̍t-thong tiān-pò lo̍h-khì. Kā piān-tiâu chóa hō͘ góa. He khì hō͘ bí-ko-môe (rice pudding) cha̍h tio̍h, góa the̍h bē-tio̍h.”

Yi kā piān-tiâu chóa kap iân-pit kau hō͘ i, i tō tī hôe-iû tiān-pò toaⁿ téng-bīn án-ne siá:

// Lí ē-tàng ūi góa chhâ khòaⁿ-māi tī tāi-iok kāng hit-sî Franse sī m̄-sī ū lūi-sū ê liû-giân?

Grant //

Án-ne liáu, i hó ūi-kháu chia̍h-liáu i ê àm-tǹg, koh tîm-lo̍h chi̍t-àm ê hó-bîn. Tng i phû tī he pòaⁿ-khùn pòaⁿ-chhéⁿ ê tiⁿ-bi̍t pòaⁿ-lō͘ ê sî, i tì-kak ū lâng àⁿ-sin teh koan-chhat i. I peh-khui ba̍k-chiu, khòaⁿ he sī siáng, tú-hó khòaⁿ tio̍h Amazon tam-iu, jia̍t-chhiat ê ba̍k-chiu-jîn, tī jiûx teng-kng ē-bīn, he pí pêng-sî khah tōa-lúi, koh-khah sêng sī gû-ba̍k. Yi ê chhiú the̍h chi̍t-ê n̂g-sek phe-lông.

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13.2 Croyland 記錄 ê shock

[Grant:] “我真確定, tī Henry 到 London koh 接管 London 塔 ê 時, hit 兩个 查埔囡仔 猶 活 kah hóx. 若囡仔 已經失蹤, 完全 無理由 伊袂 kā chit 層事 鬧 kah 通人知. 你敢有 啥解說?”

“無. 無, 當然無. He 確實 無法度 解說. 我一直 認為 彼時 該當然 鬧 kah 鬧熱 kúnx. He 定著是 指控 Richard ê 罪狀 之一. 看來 你 kap 我 彼隻 毛 chhàngx 羊羔 耍歷史 耍 kah 真爽快. 當初 我建議你 做寡 小調查 來 刣時間, 壓鑿疼, 完全 無想著 我是 teh 貢獻 重寫 歷史. He hō͘ 我 想起, Atlanta Shergold 得欲 kā 你 拍銃 ah neh.”

“為著我? 我 連 她 to m̄-bat 見過 neh.”

“不而過, 她扎銃 欲揣你 neh. 她講, Brent 對 B.M. (British 博物館) 已經 ná 食毒..ê 對毒品 ê 態度. 她完全 無法度 kā 伊 ùi hia 拖離開. Tō 講 kā 伊 ê 身軀 拖開, 伊 ê 心 猶是 規工 踅轉去 hia. 就 Brent 來講, 根本 to 無要意 她 ê 存在. 伊甚至 無 koh 坐 leh 看煞 ‘坐碗出海’ ah. 你敢有 常在 看著伊?”

“你來進前 幾分鐘 伊 猶 tī chia. 毋過, 我按算, 閣來 幾工 我 lóng 袂有 伊 ê 消息.”

但 伊 這个按算 無準.

Tī 暗頓前, 工友送 一通電報 來.

Grant 探 大垺翁 入 he 干焦 khinx 舐過 ê 郵便局 批囊, 抽出 2 張 電報紙. 電報來自 Brent.

// 該死 ah 夭壽 oh 發生 一个 可怕 ê 代誌 (tùn) 你知 我講過 hit 本 Latin 編年史 無 (tùn) Croyland 修道院 ê 道士 寫 ê 彼本 (tùn) ai-ah 我 túx 看著 有流言 tī hia 流言講 兩个 囡仔死 ah (tùn) he 是 寫 tī Richard 死前 所以 咱害 ah 敢毋是 á 我 閣較害 彼本 大作品 永遠免寫 ah lah (tùn) 恁 chia ê 河 准人 自殺無 抑是 he 保留 hō͘ 英國人

Brent //

Tiāmx 無聲 中間, 工友講: “Che 已經 付回郵, 先生. 你欲 回批 無?”

“啥貨? Oh. 免. 目前 猶毋免. 我 liâm-mi 才送落去.”

“Án-ne 誠好, 先生,” 工友講, ná 恭敬 看 hit 2 張 電報紙 - tī 工友 ê 家庭, 電報 總是 干焦 一張紙 - 然後 伊行開, 這擺 無哼歌.

Grant 沉思 這个消息, kō͘ 這種 迒 Atlantic 大出手 ê 電報 通信 方式. 伊 koh kā 電報 讀一遍.

“Croyland,” 伊 ná 講 ná 想. 是按怎 che 名 ná bat 聽過? Tī 這个案件, 目前為止 無人 bat 提起 Croyland. Carradine 干焦 bat 講起 某所在 有一本 道士 寫 ê 編年史.

伊有 太濟擺, tī 伊 ê 職業日常, 拄著彼種 看 tō 欲毀掉 規个案件 ê 事實, 所致 今 伊袂驚惶. 伊 ê 反應 tō 符合 專業 調查 ê 反應: kā 彼个 hō͘ 人 不安 ê 小細節 揀出來 觀察. 冷靜, 無 動感情. 完全無 可憐 Carradine ê 彼種 慌狂驚惶.

“Croyland,” 伊 koh 念 一遍. Croyland 是 Cambridge 郡 ê 一个所在. 抑是 tī Norfolk 郡? 是 tī 邊界彼搭 ê 平陽地區.

Sè-lia̍p Chí 送暗頓 入來, 架好 he ná 碗 ê 淺盤, hó-thang 伊 khah 方便食飯, m̄-koh 伊 無注意著 她.

“Án-ne 你方便 khat 糜 無?” 她問. 看伊無應, 她 koh 問: “Grant Ss, 我 kā 糜 囥 邊仔 chia, 你 khat 會著 無?”

“Ely!” 伊對她 喝出聲.

“啥貨?”

“Ely,” 伊 jiûx 講, 看向天篷.

“Grant Ss, 你 人無爽快 hioh?”

伊注意著 Sè-lia̍p Chí 彼个 抹厚粉, koh 充滿擔憂 ê 小面, 出現 tī 伊 kap 熟似 天篷必痕 ê 中間.

“我真好, 無代誌. 這世人 m̄-bat chiah 好. 小等一下, 好姑娘, 請替我 送一通 電報落去. Kā 便條紙 hō͘ 我. He 去 hō͘ 米糕糜 (rice pudding) 閘著, 我提袂著.”

她 kā 便條紙 kap 鉛筆 交 hō͘ 伊, 伊 tō tī 回郵 電報單 頂面 án-ne 寫:

// 你會當 為我 查看覓 tī 大約 仝彼時 Franse 是毋是 有 類似 ê 流言?

Grant //

Án-ne 了, 伊 好胃口 食了 伊 ê 暗頓, koh 沉落 一暗 ê 好眠. Tng 伊 浮 tī he 半睏半醒 ê 甜蜜半路 ê 時, 伊致覺 有人 àⁿ-sin teh 觀察伊. 伊擘開 目睭, 看 he 是 siáng, 拄好 看著 Amazon 擔憂, 熱切 ê 目睭仁, tī jiûx 燈光下面, he 比平時 較大蕊, 閣較成是 牛目. 她 ê 手 提一个 黃色批囊.

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13.2

‘I’m quite sure that they were alive and well when Henry took over the Tower on his arrival in London. There is nothing that would explain his omission to make a scandal of it if the boys were missing. Can you think of anything?’

‘No. No, of course not. It is quite inexplicable. I have always taken it for granted that there was a terrific scandal about it. That it would be one of the main accusations against Richard. You and my woolly lamb seem to be having a lovely time with history. When I suggested a little investigation to pass the time and stop the prickles I had no idea that I was contributing to the rewriting of history. Which reminds me, Atlanta Shergold is gunning for you.’

‘For me? I’ve never even met her.’

‘Nevertheless she is looking for you with a gun. She says that Brent’s attitude to the B.M. has become the attitude of an addict to his drug. She can’t drag him away from it. If she takes him away from it physically, he spends the time harking back to it in his mind; so that she mightn’t exist as far as he is concerned. He has even stopped sitting through To Sea in a Bowl. Do you see much of him?’

‘He was here a few minutes before you came. But I don’t expect to hear from him again for some days to come.’

But in that he was wrong.

[Pg 165]Just before supper-time the porter appeared with a telegram.

Grant put his thumb under the dainty Post Office lick on the flap and extracted two sheets of telegram. The telegram was from Brent.

Hell and damnation an awful thing has happened (stop) you know that chronicle in Latin I talked about (stop) the chronicle written by the monk at Croyland Abbey (stop) well I’ve just seen it and the rumour is there the rumour about the boys being dead (stop) the thing is written before Richard’s death so we are sunk arent we and I specially am sunk and that fine book of mine will never be written (stop) is anyone allowed to commit suicide in your river or is it reserved for the British

Brent

Into the silence the voice of the porter said: ‘It’s reply-paid, sir. Do you want to send an answer?’

‘What? Oh. No. Not right away. I’ll send it down presently.’

‘Very good, sir,’ said the porter looking respectfully at the two sheets of telegram—in the porter’s family a telegram was confined to one sheet only—and went away, not humming this time.

Grant considered the news conveyed with such transatlantic extravagance in the matter of telegraphic communication. He read the thing again.

‘Croyland,’ he said, considering. Why did that ring a bell? No one had mentioned Croyland so far in this case. Carradine had talked merely of a monkish chronicle somewhere.

[Pg 166]He had been too often, in his professional life, faced with a fact that apparently destroyed his whole case to be dismayed now. He reacted as he would have reacted in a professional investigation. He took out the upsetting small fact and looked at it. Calmly. Dispassionately. With none of poor Carradine’s wild dismay.

‘Croyland,’ he said again. Croyland was somewhere in Cambridgeshire. Or was it Norfolk? Somewhere on the borders there, in the flat country.

The Midget came in with his supper, and propped the flat bowl-like plate where he could eat from it with a modicum of comfort, but he was not aware of her.

‘Can you reach your pudding easily from there?’ she asked. And as he did not answer: ‘Mr Grant, can you reach your pudding if I leave it on the edge there?’

‘Ely!’ he shouted at her.

‘What?’

‘Ely,’ he said; softly, to the ceiling.

‘Mr Grant, aren’t you feeling well?’

He became conscious of The Midget’s well-powdered and concerned little face as it intruded between him and the familiar cracks.

‘I’m fine, fine. Better than I’ve ever been in my life. Wait just a moment, there’s a good girl, and send a telegram down for me. Give me my writing-pad. I can’t reach it with that mess of rice pudding in the way.’

She gave him the pad and pencil, and on the reply-paid form he wrote:

Can you find me a similar rumour in France at about the same date?

Grant

[Pg 167]After that he ate his supper with a good appetite, and settled down to a good night’s sleep. He was floating in that delicious half-way stage on the way to unconsciousness when he became aware that someone was leaning over to inspect him. He opened his eyes to see who it might be, and looked straight into the anxious yearning brown irises of The Amazon, looking larger and more cowlike than ever in the soft lamplight. She was holding in her hand a yellow envelope.

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