7.3 Marta kóng lí su-iàu chhōe kóa chu-liāu
Grant tng teh tuh-ku, sim-chêng ū kīn-lâi lân-tit ê pêng-chēng. Tō ná Hō͘-lí Tiúⁿ só͘ kóng ê, le̍k-sú sī hō͘ lán chai-iáⁿ tāi-chì lí-lō͘ ê hó hoat-tō͘. Khok-mn̂g siaⁿ té koh kín, Grant siūⁿ-kóng sī i thiaⁿ m̄-tio̍h khì. Pēⁿ-īⁿ ê khok-mn̂g siaⁿ bē hiah té koh hiah kín. M̄-koh, i iáu sī khui-chhùi kóng: “Ji̍p-lâi!” Chhut-hiān tī mn̂g-kháu ê, chiàⁿx tō͘ sī Marta ê mô͘ chhàngx iûⁿ-ko neh, Grant khòaⁿ-tio̍h chhiò kah kiông boeh tòng bē-tiâu.
Siàu-liân-ke khòaⁿ khí-lâi chin pháiⁿ-sè, sîn-chêng kín-tiuⁿ ko͘h chhiòx, kō͘ chi̍t-ki tn̂gx chéng-thâu-á kā phīⁿ-thâu téng ê ba̍k-kiàⁿ thuh chi̍t-ē, chheng chi̍t-ē nâ-âu, sòa-lo̍h kóng:
“Grant Ss? Góa kiò-chò Carradine. Brent Carradine. Hi-bāng góa bô kiáu-jiáu lí ê hioh-khùn.”
“Bē, bē. Chhiáⁿ ji̍p-lâi, Carradine Ss. Chin hoaⁿ-hí khòaⁿ-tio̍h lí.”
“Marta – iā tō sī Hallard Sc – kiò góa lâi. Yi kóng góa ē-tàng tùi lí ū pang-chān.”
“Yi ū kóng án-chóaⁿ pang-chān bô? Chhiáⁿ chē..lo̍h-lâi. Mn̂g āu-bīn hia ū í-á. Kā the̍h..kòe-lâi.” I sī chi̍t-ê lò-kha hāu-seⁿ-á, bô tì bō-á, jiû-nńg kim thâu-mo͘ khiûx khàm tī koân hia̍h-thâu, siuⁿ tōa ê chho͘-hoe nî gōa-thò jiâux, phòngx ûi tī sin-khu, Bí-kok sek táⁿ-pān. Khak-si̍t, chin bêng-hián i tek-khak sī Bí-kok lâng. I kā í-á the̍h kòe-lâi, chē tiāⁿ tī hia, gōa-thò ná hông-phâu án-ne khàm tī sì-chiu, jiân-āu kō͘ chi̍t-tùi siān-liông ê chang-sek ba̍k-chiu khòaⁿ Grant, kim sihx ê gán-sîn gû-kak-kheng cha̍h bē-tiāu.
“Marta – iā tō sī Hallard Sc – kóng lí su-iàu chhiau-chhōe kóa chu-liāu.”
“Lí sī chhiau-chhōe chu-liāu ê jîn-oân?”
“Góa teh chò gián-kiù, tī London chia. Góa teh chò le̍k-sú gián-kiù. Yi kóng lí ká-ná su-iàu chit hong-bīn ê pang-chān. Yi chai góa tōa pō͘-hūn chá-khí sî lóng tī B.M. bô-êng. Grant Ss, góa chin lo̍k-ì ūi lí chò jīm-hô góa chò ē-kàu ê pang-chān.”
“Lí án-ne chiâⁿ hó; chin ê, chiâⁿ kám-siā. Lí tng-teh bô-êng siáⁿ-hòe? Góa sī kóng, lí ê gián-kiù chú-tê.”
“Lông-bîn Po̍k-tōng.”
“Oh, Richard II.”
“Tio̍h.”
“Lí tùi siā-hōe chōng-hóng ū chhù-bī?”
Siàu-liân-ke hut-jiân chhùi gix teh chhiò, bô sêng ha̍k-seng khoán, jiân-āu kóng: “Bô, góa chhù-bī ê sī lâu tī England.”
“Nā bô chò gián-kiù, lí kám bē-tit lâu tī England?”
“Bô kài kán-tan. Góa tio̍h ài ū chi̍t-ê chioh-kháu. Goán Pâ jīn-ûi góa tio̍h chiap-koán ka-têng sū-gia̍p. He sī ka-kū. Ka-kū tōa-bē. Lí kō͘ iû-piān tēng-hòe. Khòaⁿ bo̍k-lo̍k. Grant Ss, chhiáⁿ m̄-thang gō͘-hōe: he sī chin hó ê ka-kū. Iōng chi̍t sì-lâng bē hāi. Put-jî-kò, góa kò-jîn tùi chong-hông ka-kū bô siáⁿ chhù-bī.”
“Só͘-tì, tî-liáu Ke̍k-tē thàm-hiám í-gōa, British Museum sī lí siūⁿ ē-kàu ê siōng-hó ê chhàng-sin só͘-chāi neh.”
“Hmh, hia chiâⁿ un-loán. Jî-chhiáⁿ, góa chin-chiàⁿ kah-ì le̍k-sú. He sī góa ê chú-siu. Jî-chhiáⁿ – hmh, Grant Ss, ká-sú lí chin-chiàⁿ ài-boeh chai-iáⁿ, góa ná-ē tòe Atlanta Shergold lâi England. Yi ián kim-mo͘ gōng cha-bó͘ tī Marta ê – its Hallard Sc ê hì-kio̍k lāi-té. Góa sī kóng, yi poaⁿ-ián hit-ê kim-mo͘ gōng cha-bó͘. Yi kin-pún to bē gōng, Atlanta.”
“Bē, khak-si̍t. Sī chi̍t-ê khak-si̍t ū thian-hūn ê siàu-liân cha-bó͘.”
“Lí khòaⁿ kòe yi piáu-ián?”
“Góa siūⁿ, tī London eng-kai bô lâng bô khòaⁿ kòe yi pah.”
“Tio̍h, góa mā án-ne siūⁿ. He hì teh kè-sio̍k ián lo̍h-khì, kám m̄-sī. Goán bô siūⁿ tio̍h – Atlanta kap góa – he hì ē ián chhiau-kòe kúi-nā lé-pài, só͘-í goán kan-ta sī hō͘-siong ia̍t-chhiú kò-pia̍t, kóng: Āu kò-goe̍h chhe chài-kiàn! It-ti̍t kàu goán hoat-hiān he hì bô hān-kî kè-sio̍k teh ián, góa chiah tio̍h chhōe chi̍t-ê lí-iû lâi-kàu England.”
“Atlanta kám bô-kàu chò chi̍t-ê lí-iû?”
“Tùi goán pâ bô-hāu! Goán chhù-lāi lâng tùi Atlanta chiok khok, iû-kî sī goán Pâ. Ta̍k-pái i kóng-tio̍h yi, chóng sī kóng 'lí bat ê hit-ê siàu-liân pâi-iu.' Lí khòaⁿ, goán Pâ sī Carradine III, á Atlanta yin lāu-pē bē-su sī Shergold I. Kóng si̍t-chāi, i tī Main Ke khui chi̍t-keng kám-á tiàm. Ká-sú i ū chhù-bī, i sī sè-kan siōng siān-liông ê lâng. Tong-jiân Atlanta tī Bí-kok pēng bô siáⁿ sêng-chiū. Góa sī kóng, tī bú-tâi téng. Che sī yi tē-it pái tōa sêng-kong. In-ūi án-ne, yi bô-ài ûi-iok tńg-khì chhù ni̍h. Kóng si̍t-chāi, boeh pek yi tńg-chhù ē chin chhia-piàⁿ. Yi kóng, goán chū-lâi tō bô him-sióng yi.”
“Só͘-í, lí lâi chò gián-kiù?”
“Lí khòaⁿ, góa tio̍h siūⁿ kóa kan-ta tī London chiah ē-tàng chò ê tāi-chì. Jî-chhiáⁿ, góa bat tī tāi-ha̍k chò kòe chi̍t-kóa gián-kiù. Chŏaⁿ B.M. chiâⁿ-chò lí só͘-kóng ê, chin ha̍h góa ê kháu-bī. Góa ē-tit siau-iâu chū-chāi, koh hō͘ lāu-pē khòaⁿ góa ū teh kang-chok, it kiam jī kò͘.”
“Sī ah. He sī góa khòaⁿ-kòe siōng-hó ê chioh-kháu. Sūn-sòa mn̄g chi̍t-ē, sī án-chóaⁿ gián-kiù Lông-bîn Po̍k-tōng?”
“Hmh, he sī chhù-bī ê sî-tāi. Jî-chhiáⁿ góa siūⁿ, goán Pâ ē hoaⁿ-hí.”
“I tùi siā-hōe kái-kek ū chhù-bī?”
“M̄-sī, m̄-koh i thó-ià kok-ông.”
“Carradine III?”
“Tio̍h. He kài hó-chhiò, kám m̄-sī? Góa ioh, i tiāⁿ-tio̍h ū chi̍t-téng ông-koan khǹg tī i ê pó-hiám kūi. Góa tó͘, ū-sî i ē chah he pau-ho̍k-á thaux khì Tiong-iang Chhia-chām ê piān-só͘ keng chhì tì. Khióng-kiaⁿ góa hō͘ lí ià-siān ah, Grant Ss; án-ne bô thêng-khùn teh kóng góa ê su-sū. Góa m̄-sī ūi che lâi ê. Góa lâi sī boeh...”
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7.3 Marta 講 你需要揣寡資料
Grant tng teh tuh-ku, 心情有 近來 難得 ê 平靜. Tō ná 護理長 所講 ê, 歷史是 hō͘ 咱知影 代誌理路 ê 好法度. 硞門聲 短 koh 緊, Grant 想講 是伊 聽毋著去. 病院 ê 硞門聲 袂 hiah 短 koh hiah 緊. 毋過, 伊猶是 開喙講: “入來!” 出現 tī 門口 ê, chiàⁿx tō͘ 是 Marta ê 毛 chhàngx 羊羔 neh, Grant 看著 笑 kah 強欲 擋袂牢.
少年家 看起來 真歹勢, 神情緊張 koh chhiòx, kō͘ 一支 tn̂gx 指頭仔 kā 鼻頭頂 ê 目鏡 thuh 一下, 清一下 嚨喉, 紲落講:
“Grant Ss? 我叫做 Carradine. Brent Carradine. 希望 我無 攪擾 你 ê 歇睏.”
“袂, 袂. 請入來, Carradine Ss. 真歡喜 看著你.”
“Marta - 也 tō 是 Hallard Sc - 叫我來. 她講 我會當 對你 有幫贊.”
“她有講 按怎幫贊 無? 請坐..落來. 門後面 hia 有椅仔. Kā 提..過來.”
伊是 一个躼跤 後生仔, 無戴帽仔, 柔軟 金頭毛 khiûx 崁 tī 懸額頭, siuⁿ 大 ê 粗花呢 外套 jiâux, phòngx 圍 tī 身軀, 美國式 打扮. 確實, 真明顯 伊的確 是美國人. 伊 kā 椅仔 提過來, 坐定 tī hia, 外套 ná 皇袍 án-ne 崁 tī 四周, 然後 kō͘ 一對 善良 ê 棕色目睭 看 Grant, 金 sihx ê 眼神 牛角框 閘袂掉.
“Marta - 也 tō 是 Hallard Sc - 講 你需要 搜揣寡 資料.”
“你是 搜揣資料 ê 人員?”
“我 teh 做研究, tī London chia. 我 teh 做 歷史研究. 她講 你 ká-ná 需要 這方面 ê 幫贊. 她知 我大部份 早起時 lóng tī B.M. 無閒. Grant Ss, 我真樂意 為你 做任何 我做會到 ê 幫贊.”
“你 án-ne 誠好; 真 ê, 誠感謝. 你 tng-teh 無閒啥貨? 我是講, 你 ê 研究主題.”
“農民暴動.”
“Oh, Richard II.”
“著.”
“你對 社會狀況 有趣味?”
少年家 忽然 喙 gix teh 笑, 無成 學生款, 然後講: “無, 我趣味 ê 是留 tī England.”
“若 無做研究, 你敢 袂得 留 tī England?”
“無 kài 簡單. 我著 愛有 一个借口. 阮 Pâ 認為 我著接管 家庭事業. He 是家具. 家具大賣. 你 kō͘ 郵便訂貨. 看目錄. Grant Ss, 請毋通 誤會: he 是真好 ê 家具. 用一世人 袂害. 不而過, 我個人 對 裝潢家具 無啥趣味.”
“所致, 除了 極地探險 以外, British Museum 是你 想會到 ê 上好 ê 藏身所在 neh.”
“Hmh, hia 誠溫暖. 而且, 我真正 佮意歷史. He 是我 ê 主修. 而且 - hmh, Grant Ss, 假使 你真正 愛欲 知影, 我那會 綴 Atlanta Shergold 來 England. 她演 金毛 戇查某 tī Marta ê - its Hallard Sc ê 戲劇內底. 我是講, 她搬演 彼个金毛 戇查某. 她根本 to 袂戇, Atlanta.”
“袂, 確實. 是一个 確實 有天份 ê 少年查某.”
“你看過 她表演?”
“我想, tī London 應該 無人無 看過她 pah.”
“著, 我 mā án-ne 想. He 戲 teh 繼續 演落去, 敢毋是. 阮無想著 - Atlanta kap 我 - he 戲 ē 演超過 幾若禮拜, 所以 阮干焦是 互相擛手 告別, 講: 後個月初 再見! 一直到 阮發現 he戲 無限期 繼續 teh 演, 我才著 揣一个 理由 來到 England.”
“Atlanta 敢無夠 做一个 理由?”
“對阮 pâ 無效! 阮厝內人 對 Atlanta 足酷, 尤其是 阮 Pâ. 逐擺 伊講著她, 總是講 '你 bat ê 彼个 少年俳優.' 你看, 阮 Pâ 是 Carradine III, á Atlanta 姻老爸 袂輸是 Shergold I. 講實在, 伊 tī Main 街 開一間 kám-á 店. 假使 你有趣味, 伊是世間 上善良 ê 人. 當然 Atlanta tī 美國 並無啥 成就. 我是講, tī舞台頂. 這是 她第一擺 大成功. 因為 án-ne, 她無愛 違約 轉去厝 ni̍h. 講實在, 欲逼她 轉厝 會真捙拚. 她講, 阮自來 tō 無欣賞她.”
“所以, 你來 做研究?”
“你看, 我著 想寡 干焦 tī London 才會當做 ê 代誌. 而且, 我 bat tī 大學 做過 一寡研究. Chŏaⁿ B.M. 成做 你所講 ê, 真 ha̍h 我 ê 口味. 我會得 逍遙自在, koh hō͘ 老爸看我 有 teh 工作, 一兼二顧.”
“是 ah. 彼是 我看過 上好 ê 借口. 順紲 問一下, 是按怎 研究 農民暴動?”
“Hmh, he 是趣味 ê 時代. 而且 我想, 阮 Pâ 會歡喜.”
“伊對 社會改革 有趣味?”
“毋是, 毋過 伊討厭 國王.”
“Carradine III?”
“著. He kài 好笑, 敢毋是? 我臆, 伊定著 有一頂 王冠 囥 tī 伊 ê 保險櫃. 我賭, 有時 伊會 扎 he 包袱仔 thaux 去 中央車站 ê 便所間 試戴. 恐驚 我 hō͘ 你厭僐 ah, Grant Ss; án-ne 無停睏 teh 講 我 ê 私事. 我毋是 為 che 來 ê. 我來 是欲...”
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7.3
Grant had been dozing, more at peace with the world than he had been for some time; history was, as Matron had pointed out, an excellent way of acquiring a sense of perspective. The tap at his door was so tentative that he had decided that he had imagined it. Taps on hospital doors are not apt to be tentative. But something made him say: ‘Come in!’ and there in the opening was something that was so unmistakably Marta’s woolly lamb that Grant laughed aloud before he could stop himself.
The young man looked abashed, smiled nervously, propped the spectacles on his nose with a long thin forefinger, cleared his throat, and said:
‘Mr Grant? My name is Carradine. Brent Carradine. I hope I haven’t disturbed you when you were resting.’
[Pg 91]‘No, no. Come in, Mr Carradine. I am delighted to see you.’
‘Marta—Miss Hallard, that is—sent me. She said I could be of some help to you.’
‘Did she say how? Do sit down. You’ll find a chair over there behind the door. Bring it over.’
He was a tall boy, hatless, with soft fair curls crowning a high forehead and a much too big tweed coat hanging unfastened round him in negligent folds, American-wise. Indeed, it was obvious that he was in fact American. He brought over the chair, planted himself on it with the coat spread round him like some royal robe and looked at Grant with kind brown eyes whose luminous charm not even the horn-rims could dim.
‘Marta—Miss Hallard, that is—said that you wanted something looked up.’
‘And are you a looker-upper?’
‘I’m doing research, here in London. Historical research, I mean. And she said something about your wanting something in that line. She knows I work at the B.M. most mornings. I’d be very pleased, Mr Grant, to do anything I can to help you.’
‘That’s very kind of you; very kind indeed. What is it that you are working on? Your research, I mean.’
‘The Peasant’s Revolt.’
‘Oh. Richard II.’
‘Yes.’
‘Are you interested in social conditions?’
The young man grinned suddenly in a very unstudent-like way and said: ‘No, I’m interested in staying in England.’
‘And can’t you stay in England without doing research?’
[Pg 92]‘Not very easily. I’ve got to have an alibi. My pop thinks I should go into the family business. It’s furniture. Wholesale furniture. You order it by mail. Out of a book. Don’t misunderstand me, Mr Grant: it’s very good furniture. Lasts for ever. It’s just that I can’t take much interest in furnishing-units.’
‘And, short of Polar exploration, the British Museum was the best hideaway you could think of.’
‘Well, it’s warm. And I really do like history. I majored in it. And—well, Mr Grant, if you really want to know, I just had to follow Atlanta Shergold to England. She’s the dumb blonde in Marta’s—I mean: in Miss Hallard’s play. I mean she plays the dumb blonde. She’s not at all dumb, Atlanta.’
‘No, indeed. A very gifted young woman indeed.’
‘You’ve seen her?’
‘I shouldn’t think there is anyone in London who hasn’t seen her.’
‘No, I suppose not. It does go on and on, doesn’t it. We didn’t think—Atlanta and me—that it would run for more than a few weeks, so we just waved each other goodbye and said: See you at the beginning of the month! It was when we found that it was going on indefinitely that I just had to find an excuse to come to England.’
‘Wasn’t Atlanta sufficient excuse?’
‘Not for my pop! The family are very snooty about Atlanta, but Pop is the worst of the bunch. When he can bring himself to mention her he refers to her as “that young actress acquaintance of yours.” You see, Pop is Carradine the Third, and Atlanta’s father is very much Shergold the First. A little grocery store on Main Street,[Pg 93] as a matter of fact. And the salt of the earth, in case you’re interested. And of course Atlanta hadn’t really done very much, back in the States. I mean, on the stage. This is her first big success. That is why she didn’t want to break her contract and come back home. As a matter of fact it’ll be quite a fight to get her back home at all. She says we never appreciated her.’
‘So you took to research.’
‘I had to think of something that I could do only in London, you see. And I had done some research at college. So the B.M. seemed to be what you call my cup of tea. I could enjoy myself and yet show my father that I was really working, both at the same time.’
‘Yes. It’s as nice an alibi as ever I met with. Why the Peasant’s Revolt, by the way?’
‘Well, it’s an interesting time. And I thought it would please Pop.’
‘Is he interested in social reform, then?’
‘No, but he hates kings.’
‘Carradine the Third?’
‘Yes, it’s a laugh, isn’t it. I wouldn’t put it past him to have a crown in one of his safe-deposit boxes. I bet he takes out the parcel every now and then and sneaks over to Grand Central and tries it on in the men’s washroom. I’m afraid I’m tiring you, Mr Grant; gabbing on about my own affairs like this. I didn’t come for that. I came to——’
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