14.3 Henry VII thán-hoâiⁿ kiâⁿ-lō͘, ná chhiūⁿ mô͘-hē
[Grant:] “Góa kài thó-ià chah hit-chióng kò͘-sū chiūⁿ hoat-têng.”
“Góa siūⁿ to bián siūⁿ. He sī góa thiaⁿ-kòe siōng ké ê kò͘-sū.”
“In kám bô kiò Brackenbury lâi khak-jīn a̍h hóⁿ-jīn i ū kau-chhut só-sî ê tāi-chì?”
“Brackenbury tī Bosworth tō chiàn-sí ah.”
“Só͘-í i mā tú-hó sí-khì ah, sī hoⁿh.” I tó-leh, siūⁿ chi̍t-khùn. “Lí chai bô, nā Brackenbury sí tī Bosworth, lán chit-pêng tō koh ke chi̍t-ê sióx ê chèng-kì.”
“Án-chóaⁿ kóng? Siáⁿ chèng-kì?”
“He nā chin-chiàⁿ hoat-seng kòe; góa ì-sù sī, nā só-sî chin-chiàⁿ in-ūi Richard ê bēng-lēng, tī bó͘ chi̍t-àm kau chhut-khì, London Thah ê chēx ki-chân koaⁿ-oân tiāⁿ-tio̍h lóng ē chai-iáⁿ. Tī Henry chiap-koán London Thah ê sî, in tiong-kan soah bô-lâng chhut-lâi kóng chit-ê tāi-chì, che si̍t-chāi chin-oh hō͘-lâng siong-sìn. Iû-kî sī, nā sī gín-á koh sit-chong khì. Brackenbury í-keng sí ah, Richard mā í-keng sí ah. Koh-lâi hit-ê London Thah chí-hui-koaⁿ, it-tēng tio̍h kau-tài gín-á ê hē-lo̍h. I nā bô hoat-tō͘ kau-tài, tō tiāⁿ-tio̍h ē án-ne kóng: ‘Ū chi̍t-àm, chí-hui-koaⁿ kau só-sî chhut-khì, chū hit-sî khí tō bô koh khòaⁿ-tio̍h gín-á ah.’ Jiân-āu, pit-tēng ē tùi hit-ê the̍h só-sî ê lâng hiu koh hoah, chò chòe bô-chêng ê tui-pó͘. I tō ē chiâⁿ-chò chí-khòng Richard ê ‘It-hō Chèng-kì;’ lia̍h-tio̍h i tùi Henry ū ke̍k tōa ê lī-ek.”
“M̄-nā án-ne neh, iū-koh Tyrrel tùi London Thah ê lâng lâi-kóng, bô khó-lêng m̄-bat i. Tī hit-sî ê sió London, i tiāⁿ-tio̍h sī siong-tong chhut-miâ ê lâng ah lah.”
“Tio̍h. Nā hit-ê kò͘-sū sī chin ê, Tyrrel chá tī 1485 nî tō ē in-ūi bô͘-sat gín-á hông kong-khai sím-phòaⁿ koh chhú-koat ah lah. Hit-sî kin-pún bô lâng ē-tit pó-hō͘ i.” I chhun-chhiú khì the̍h i ê hun. “Só͘-í, lán taⁿ khòaⁿ-tio̍h ê sī, Henry tī 1502 nî chhú-koat Tyrrel, jiân-āu thàu-kòe i chhī ê le̍k-sú ha̍k-ka soan-pò͘ kóng, Tyrrel sêng-jīn ka-tī tī 20 nî chêng bô͘-sat hit nn̄g-ê Ông-chú.”
“Tio̍h.”
“Jî-chhiáⁿ, i bô tī jīm-hô só͘-chāi, jīm-hô sî-kan, soeh-bêng sī án-chóaⁿ bô ūi Tyrrel í-keng chū-pe̍k ê chit-kiāⁿ chân-po̍k tāi-chì tùi i sím-phòaⁿ.”
“Bô. Chiū góa chai, sī bô. I chit-ê lâng thán-hoâiⁿ kiâⁿ-lō͘, ná chhiūⁿ mô͘-hē, lí chai lah hoⁿh. Jīm-hô tāi-chì, i m̄-bat ti̍t-lâi ti̍t-khì, liân bô͘-sat mā án-ne. I tio̍h kā he am-khàm kah ná pa̍t-hāng tāi-chì. I tán kúi-nā nî, ūi-tio̍h boeh chhōe chi̍t-ê hoat-lu̍t-tek chioh-kháu, lâi am-khàm bô͘-sat. I ê sim-koaⁿ oan-khiau kah ná chiú-khui-á lô͘-si-ká. Lí chai i chē-ūi chò Henry VII liáu, tē-it ê koaⁿ-hong hêng-tōng sī siáⁿ bô?”
“M̄-chai.”
“I kā tī Bosworth chiàn-ia̍h ūi Richard chhut-chiàn ê chi̍t-kóa lâng, kō͘ poān-kok chōe chhú-sí. Lí chai i án-chóaⁿ kā che piàn-chò hoat-lu̍t-tek poān-kok? I kā i ê thóng-tī ji̍t-kî thê-chêng kàu Bosworth chiàn-ia̍h chêng chi̍t-kang. Ē-tàng pìⁿ chit-chióng àu-pō͘ ê sim-koaⁿ, siáⁿ tāi-chì to chò ē-chhut ah.” I chiap Grant tu hō͘ i ê hun. “Tān, i bô tit-chhiú,” i pó͘-chhiong kóng, àm-tiong hoaⁿ-hí. “Bô, bô leh, chiah bô hō͘ i kòe-bīn khì. Thiⁿ-kong ū pó-pì neh, Eng-kok lâng ūi hit-kiāⁿ tāi-chì oē chi̍t-tiâu âng-sòaⁿ. In kā i kóng, bē-sái chhiau-kòe hit-tiâu sòaⁿ.”
“Án-chóaⁿ chò?”
“In kō͘ hit-chióng lé-māu ê Eng-kok hong-sek, thê-kau hō͘ i chi̍t-hūn Kok-hōe Hoat-àn, kui-tēng ho̍k-bū tī hit-sî Chāi-ūi Kun-chú ê lâng, lóng bē-sái siū poān-kok chōe sím-phòaⁿ, mā bē-sái siū bu̍t-siu a̍h kaⁿ-kìm ê chhú-hoa̍t, jî-chhiáⁿ in pek i tio̍h tông-ì. He sī khióng-pò͘ ê Eng-kok sek, hit-chióng lé-māu kah bô-chêng ê chhiú-tōaⁿ. Bô tī ke-lō͘ hán-hoah a̍h-sī tìm chio̍h-thâu, in-ūi in bô hèng hit-chióng siáu-jîn pō͘. Chí-sī thê-chhut chi̍t-hūn ū lé-sò͘ koh chin ha̍p-lí ê Hoat-àn, ngē kiò i thun lo̍h-khì. Góa káⁿ tó͘, i tùi he it-tēng chiok gêng-sim eh. Ai-ah, góa tio̍h lâi-khì ah. Góa chin hoaⁿ-hí, khòaⁿ lí ē-tàng chē khí-lâi, khai-sí koan-sim àn-chêng. Góa khòaⁿ, lán chin kín tō ē-tàng khì Greenwich se̍h ah. Greenwich hia ū siáⁿ-hòe?”
“Chi̍t-kóa chin chán ê kiàn-tio̍k, koh ū chi̍t-tōaⁿ chán ê thô͘-môe hô.”
“Án-ne niâ?”
“Koh ū chi̍t-kóa bē-bái ê chiú-pa.”
“Lán tio̍h khì Greenwich.”
--
14.3 Henry VII 坦橫行路, ná 像毛蟹
[Grant:] “我 kài 討厭 扎彼種 故事 上法庭.”
“我 想 to 免想. He 是 我聽過 上假 ê 故事.”
“In 敢無 叫 Brackenbury 來確認 a̍h 否認 伊有 交出鎖匙 ê 代誌?”
“Brackenbury tī Bosworth tō 戰死 ah.”
“所以 伊 mā 拄好死去 ah, 是 hoⁿh,” 伊倒 leh, 想一睏. “你知無, 若 Brackenbury 死 tī Bosworth, 咱這爿 tō koh 加一个 sióx ê 證據.”
“按怎講? 啥證據?”
“He 若真正 發生過; 我意思 是, 若鎖匙 真正 因為 Richard ê 命令, tī 某一暗 交出去, London 塔 ê chēx 基層官員 定著 lóng 會知影. Tī Henry 接管 London 塔 ê 時, in 中間 soah 無人 出來講 這个代誌, che 實在 真僫 hō͘ 人 相信. 尤其是, 若是囡仔 koh 失蹤去. Brackenbury 已經死 ah, Richard mā 已經死 ah. 閣來 彼个 London 塔 指揮官, 一定 著交代 囡仔 ê 下落. 伊若 無法度 交代, tō 定著會 án-ne 講: ‘有一暗, 指揮官 交鎖匙 出去, 自彼時起 tō 無 koh 看著 囡仔 ah.’ 然後, 必定會 對彼个 提鎖匙 ê 人 咻 koh 喝, 做 最無情 ê 追捕. 伊 tō 會成做 指控 Richard ê ‘一號證據;’ 掠著伊 對 Henry 有 極大 ê 利益.”
“毋但 án-ne neh, 又閣 Tyrrel 對 London 塔 ê 人 來講, 無可能 毋捌伊. Tī 彼時 ê 小 London, 伊定著是 相當出名 ê 人 ah lah.”
“著. 若彼个故事 是真 ê, Tyrrel 早 tī 1485 年 tō 會因為 謀殺囡仔 hông 公開審判 koh 處決 ah lah. 彼時 根本 無人 會得 保護伊.” 伊伸手 去提 伊 ê 薰. “所以, 咱今 看著 ê 是, Henry tī 1502 年 處決 Tyrrel, 然後 透過 伊飼 ê 歷史學家 宣布講, Tyrrel 承認 ka-tī tī 20 年前 謀殺 hit 兩个王子.”
“著.”
“而且, 伊無 tī 任何 所在, 任何 時間, 說明 是按怎 無為 Tyrrel 已經 自白 ê 這件 殘暴 代誌 對伊 審判.”
“無. 就我知, 是無. 伊 這个人 坦橫行路, ná 像毛蟹, 你知 lah hoⁿh. 任何代誌, 伊 m̄-bat 直來 直去, 連謀殺 mā án-ne. 伊著 kā he 掩崁 kah ná 別項 代誌. 伊等 幾若年, 為著欲 揣一个 法律 tek 借口, 來 掩崁 謀殺. 伊 ê 心肝 彎曲 kah ná 酒開仔 螺絲絞. 你知 伊坐位 做 Henry VII 了, 第一个 官方行動 是啥 無?”
“毋知.”
“伊 kā tī Bosworth 戰役 為 Richard 出戰 ê 一寡人, kō͘ 叛國罪 處死. 你知 伊 按怎 kā che 變做 法律 tek 叛國? 伊 kā 伊 ê 統治日期 提前到 Bosworth 戰役 前一工. 會當 pìⁿ 這種漚步 ê 心肝, 啥代誌 to 做會出 ah.” 伊 接 Grant tu hō͘ 伊 ê 薰. “但, 伊無得手,” 伊 補充講, 暗中歡喜. “無, 無 leh, 才無 hō͘ 伊 過面去. 天公 有保庇 neh, 英國人 為 hit 件代誌 畫一條 紅線. In kā 伊 講, 袂使 超過 hit 條線.”
“按怎做?”
“In kō͘ 彼種禮貌 ê 英國方式, 提交 hō͘ 伊 一份 國會法案, 規定 服務 tī 彼時 在位君主 ê 人, lóng 袂使受 叛國罪 審判, mā 袂使受 沒收 a̍h 監禁 ê 處罰, 而且 in 逼伊 著同意. He 是 恐怖 ê 英國式, 彼種 禮貌 kah 無情 ê 手段. 無 tī 街路 喊喝 抑是 tìm 石頭, 因為 in 無興 彼種 小人步. 只是 提出 一份 有禮數 koh 真合理 ê 法案, 硬叫伊 吞落去. 我 káⁿ 賭, 伊對 he 一定 足凝心 eh. Ai-ah, 我著來去 ah. 我真歡喜, 看你 會當 坐起來, 開始 關心案情. 我看, 咱真緊 tō 會當去 Greenwich 踅 ah. Greenwich hia 有啥貨?”
“一寡 真讚 ê 建築, koh 有 一段 讚 ê 塗糜河.”
“Án-ne niâ?”
“Koh 有 一寡 袂䆀 ê 酒吧.”
“咱著去 Greenwich.”
--
14.3
‘I’d hate to go into court with a story like that.’
‘I wouldn’t even consider it, myself. It’s as phoney a tale as ever I heard.’
‘Didn’t they even bring Brackenbury in to affirm or deny the story of the keys being handed over?’
‘Brackenbury was killed at Bosworth.’
‘So he was conveniently dead too, was he.’ He lay[Pg 183] and thought about it. ‘You know, if Brackenbury died at Bosworth, then we have one more small piece of evidence on our side.’
‘How? What?’
‘If that had really happened; I mean: if the keys were handed over for a night on Richard’s order, then a lot of junior officials at the Tower must have been aware of it. It is quite inconceivable that one or other of them wouldn’t be ready to tell the tale to Henry when he took over the Tower. Especially if the boys were missing. Brackenbury was dead. Richard was dead. The next in command at the Tower would be expected to produce the boys. When they weren’t producible, he must have said: “The Constable handed over the keys, one night, and since then the boys have not been seen.” There would have been the most ruthless hue and cry after the man who had been given the keys. He would have been Exhibit A in the case against Richard, and to produce him would have been a feather in Henry’s cap.’
‘Not only that, but Tyrrel was too well known to the people at the Tower to have passed unrecognised. In the small London of that day he must have been quite a well-known figure.’
‘Yes. If that story were true Tyrrel would have been tried and executed for the boys’ murder, openly, in 1485. He had no one to protect him.’ He reached for his cigarettes. ‘So what we’re left with is that Henry executed Tyrrel in 1502, and then announced by way of his tame historians that Tyrrel had confessed that twenty years before he had murdered the Princes.’
‘Yes.’
‘And he didn’t offer, anywhere, at any time, any reason[Pg 184] for not trying Tyrrel for this atrocious thing he had confessed.’
‘No. Not as far as I can make out. He was sideways as a crab, you know. He never went straight at anything, even murder. It had to be covered up to look like something else. He waited years to find some sort of legal excuse that would camouflage a murder. He had a mind like a corkscrew. Do you know what his first official action as Henry VII was?’
‘No.’
‘To execute some of the men fighting for Richard at Bosworth on a charge of treason. And do you know how he managed to make it legally treason? By dating his reign from the day before Bosworth. A mind that was capable of a piece of sharp practice of that calibre was capable of anything.’ He took the cigarette that Grant was offering him. ‘But he didn’t get away with it,’ he added, with sober joy. ‘Oh, no, he didn’t get away with it. The English, bless them, drew the line at that. They told him where he got off.’
‘How?’
‘They presented him, in that nice polite English way, with an Act of Parliament that said that no one serving the Sovereign Lord of the land for the time being should be convicted of treason or suffer either forfeiture or imprisonment, and they made him consent to it. That’s terribly English, that ruthless politeness. No yelling in the street or throwing stones because they didn’t like his little bit of cheating. Just a nice polite reasonable Act for him to swallow and like it. I bet he did a slow burn about that one. Well, I must be on my way. It’s sure nice to see you sitting up and taking notice. We’ll be[Pg 185] having that trip to Greenwich in no time at all, I see. What’s at Greenwich?’
‘Some very fine architecture and a fine stretch of muddy river.’
‘That all?’
‘And some good pubs.’
‘We’re going to Greenwich.’
--
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