8.2 Morton ê Chhiám-á: Tudor Ông-tiâu ê lián-chîⁿ kap chō-iâu kang-kū
Ū-lâng khinx khok-mn̂g, Grant chhiaⁿ i ji̍p-lâi, Brent Carradine chhut-hiān, chiàu-siông sī lom khoahx ê gōa-thò.
“Oh, góa ká-ná kâng kiáu-jiáu tio̍h. Góa m̄-chai lí tī chia, Hallard Sc. Góa tī cháu-lông hia tú-tio̍h Chū-iû Lú-sîn Siōng, kóng lí ká-ná ka-tī tī-leh, Grant Ss.”
Grant sûi chai-iáⁿ he Chū-iû Lú-sîn Siōng sī kóng siáng. Martha kóng yi tit-boeh lī-khui ah, jî-chhiáⁿ bô-lūn án-chóaⁿ, kīn-lâi ê Brent pí yi koh-khah siū hoan-gêng. Yi ē hō͘ in pêng-chēng kè-sio̍k khì chhōe sat-jîn hoān ê lêng-hûn.
Tán Brent hó-lé sàng yi kàu mn̂g-kháu, jiân-āu tńg-lâi chē tī hit-tè hóng-kheh í-á, he chiàⁿx tō sī England cha-po͘ sàng lú-sū lī-se̍k liáu, chē lo̍h-lâi lim port-chiú ê hit-khoán khì-hun. Grant hòⁿ-kî, kám-kóng hit-ê hō͘ cha-bó͘ koán tiâux ê Bí-kok-á sim-lāi mā kám-kak tī kan-ta cha-po͘ ê party khah chū-chāi?
Brent mn̄g i, Oliphant ê chheh tha̍k-liáu án-chóaⁿ, Grant ìn kóng, i jīn-ûi Cuthbert siá kah kài chheng-chhó.
“Lēng-gōa, góa í-keng hoat-hiān Niau kap Chhí sī siáng. In sī lângx chun-kèng ê ông-kok khî-sū: William Catesby kap Richard Ratcliffe. Catesby sī Ē Gī-īⁿ Īⁿ-tiúⁿ, á Ratcliffe sī Tùi Scotland Hô-pêng Tâm-phòaⁿ Úi-oân chi-it. Chiâⁿ kî-koài, sī án-chóaⁿ tanx he jī-im, tō hō͘ chèng-tī chhùi-gím piàn kah hiah ok-to̍k? Ti (Hog) tong-jiân sī Richard ê hui-chiong. Pe̍h Soaⁿ-ti (White Boar). Lí ū tiāⁿ khì goán Eng-kok chiú-pa bô?
“Tong-jiân. Góa jīn-ûi, he sī lín chò-liáu pí goán khah hó ê tāi-chì chi-it.”
“Ūi-tio̍h lim hit-keng Pe̍h Soaⁿ-ti ê bihlù, lí chiah bô khì-hiâm goán chia ê chúi-tō hē-thóng lo̍k-ngó͘.”
“Kóng bô khì-hiâm siuⁿ kheh-khì. Eng-kai kóng, góa bô kè-kàu lah.”
“Lí kài ū tō͘-liōng. Hmh, iáu-ū pa̍t-hāng tāi-chì lí tio̍h mài kè-kàu. Chià u lí ê lí-lūn, in-ūi hiaⁿ-ko súi, á i ka-tī khiau-ku, Richard chiah chheh i. M̄-koh, kin-kì Cuthbert Sià ê kóng-hoat, he khiau-ku sī chi̍t-ê bê. Chhiú-kut tò-kiu mā sī bê. I khòaⁿ sī bô bêng-hián ê phòa-siùⁿ. Siōng-bô bô giâm-tiōng. I tò-pêng keng-kah-thâu pí chiàⁿ-pêng khah kē, kan-ta án-ne niâ. Lí ū chhōe-tio̍h hit sî-tāi ê le̍k-sú ha̍k-ka sī siáng bô?”
“Chi̍t-ê to bô neh.”
“Lóng bô hioh?”
“Chiū lí ê hit-chióng ì-sù, sī bô. Khak-si̍t ū Richard sî-tāi ê chok-ka, tān tī i sí-liáu in chiah siá-chok. Ūi Tudor siá. Án-ne tō bô sǹg-sī ah. Bó͘ só͘-chāi ū hit sî-tāi ê kàu-sū kō͘ Latin bûn siá ê pian-liân sú, tān góa iáu-bōe the̍h-tio̍h. M̄-koh, góa khak-si̍t hoat-hiān chi̍t-hāng tāi-chì: hit-hūn tùi Richard III ê kì-chài kóng sī Thomas More ê chok-phín, m̄-sī in-ūi i só͘ siá ê, sī in-ūi he chhiú-kó hoat-hiān tī i ê bûn-kiāⁿ. He put-kò sī lēng-hūn oân-chéng kì-chài ê bōe oân-sêng chhau-pún.”
“Án-ne oh!” Grant chhimx su-khó chi̍t-khùn. “Lí sī kóng, he sī More ka-tī ê chhiú-kó chhau-pún?”
“Tio̍h. Sī i ka-tī ê pit-chek. Tāi-khài tī i 35 hòe ê sî siá ê. Hit-sî ìn-soat bô phó͘-phiàn, chhau-pún chheh chin sù-siông.”
“Tio̍h. Só͘-í, ká-sú chu-liāu lâi chū John Morton, sū-si̍t mā sī án-ne, tō chin khó-lêng he mi̍h-kiāⁿ sī Morton siá ê.”
“Tio̍h.”
“Án-ne tong-jiân tō ē-tit kái-soeh bô ha̍h chêng-lí ê só͘-chāi. Chhin-chhiūⁿ Morton chit-chióng iá-sim ê lâng, pōe-āu kóng lâng êng-á ōe, kin-pún bē bīn-âng neh. Lí tùi Morton ū liáu-kái bô?”
“Bô liáu-kái.”
“I sī lu̍t-su chhut-sin, aū-lâi chò sîn-chit jîn-oân, jî-chhiáⁿ sī le̍k-sú-siōng kiam-chit siōng-chē ê lâng. I soán Lancaster Phài, ûi-chhî tī hia it-ti̍t kàu Edward ún-iâⁿ, kio̍k-sè tiāⁿ-tio̍h. Jiân-āu i kap York Phài hô-kái, Edward jīm-bēng i chò Ely ê Chú-kàu. Lēng-gōa, i koh kiam-jīm thiⁿ chiah chai gōa chē ê kàu-khu bo̍k-su. Tān tī Richard chē-ūi liáu-āu, i seng chi-chhî Woodville ka-cho̍k, jiân-āu chi-chhî Henry Tudor, lo̍h-bóe kō͘ âng-saⁿ chú-kàu ê sin-hūn, chiâⁿ-chò Henry VII ê Canterbury Tōa Chú-kàu...”
“Tán leh!” siàu-liân-ke kóng, hèng chhihx. “Tong-jiân góa bat Morton. I tō sī ‘Morton ê Chhiám-á (Morton’s Fork)’ hit-ê Morton. ‘Lí khai hiah chió [tiāⁿ-tio̍h ū chhun], chi̍t-kóa hō͘ Kok-ông án-chóaⁿ; lí khai hiah chē, tiāⁿ-tio̍h chin hó-gia̍h, chi̍t-kóa hō͘ Kok-ông án-chóaⁿ?’”
“Tio̍h. Tō sī hit-ê Morton. I sī Henry siōng-hó ê lián-chîⁿ kang-kū. Jî-chhiáⁿ, góa tú siūⁿ-tio̍h chi̍t-ê goân-in, i khó-lêng tī gín-á bô͘-sat kúx chìn-chêng tō tùi Richard ū su-jîn oàn-hūn ah.”
“Sī oh?”
“Edward ùi Louis XI siu chi̍t tōa-pit o͘-se, kap Franse ta̍t-sêng bô kong-chhái ê hô-pêng. Richard tùi che hui-siông siū-khì – che khak-si̍t sī kiàn-siàu tāi – tō thiat-té kī-choa̍t chham-ú chit-chân tāi. Pau-koat kī-choa̍t siu chi̍t tōa-pit kim-chîⁿ. M̄-koh, Morton hui-siông chàn-sêng chit-ê bé-bē kap hiān-kim. Khak-si̍t, i ū siu Louis ê nî-kim. He sī iû séx ê nî-kim, múi-nî 2,000 crown. Góa siūⁿ, Richard ti̍t-lí ti̍t-lō͘ ê phêng-lūn bē kài hó-thiaⁿ, tō͘-kóng phòe n̂g-kim mā thun bē lo̍h-âu.”
“Bē hó-thiaⁿ. Góa siūⁿ mā sī án-ne.”
“Tong-jiân, tī chiàⁿ-ti̍t ê Richard chhiú-ē, Morton chiong bô koh chhiūⁿ tī hó chò-tīn ê Edward hia tit-tio̍h seng-chhian. Só͘-í, chún-kóng bô bô͘-sat àn, i mā ē khiā tī Woodville hit-pêng.”
“Koan-hē hit-ê bô͘-sat àn...” siàu-liân-ke kóng; jiân-āu thêng lo̍h-lâi.
“Án-chóaⁿ hioh?”
“Koan-hē hit-ê bô͘-sat àn – hit nn̄g-ê cha-po͘ gín-á ê bô͘-sat – kám bē kài kî-koài, ná ē bô lâng tâm-lūn?”
“Lí kóng ê ‘bô lâng tâm-lūn’ sī siáⁿ ì-sù?”
--
8.2 Morton ê 攕仔: Tudor 王朝 ê 撚錢 kap 造謠工具
有人 khinx 硞門, Grant 請伊入來, Brent Carradine 出現, 照常是 lom khoahx ê 外套.
“Oh, 我 ká-ná kâng 攪擾著. 我毋知 你 tī chia, Hallard Sc. 我 tī 走廊 hia 拄著 自由女神像, 講 你 ká-ná ka-tī tī-leh, Grant Ss.”
Grant 隨知影 he 自由女神像 是講 siáng. Martha講 她得欲 離開 ah, 而且 無論按怎, 近來 ê Brent 比她 koh-khah 受歡迎. 她會 hō͘ in 平靜 繼續去揣 殺人犯 ê 靈魂.
等 Brent 好禮送她 到門口, 然後轉來 坐 tī 彼塊 訪客椅仔, he chiàⁿx tō 是 England 查埔 送女士 離席了, 坐落來 啉 port 酒 ê 彼款氣氛. Grant 好奇, 敢講 彼个 hō͘ 查某管 tiâux ê 美國仔 心內 mā 感覺 tī 干焦查埔 ê party 較自在?
Brent 問伊, Oliphant ê 冊 讀了按怎, Grant 應講, 伊認為 Cuthbert 寫 kah kài 清楚.
“另外, 我已經發現 貓 kap 鼠 是 siáng. In 是 lângx 尊敬 ê 王國騎士: William Catesby kap Richard Ratcliffe. Catesby是 下議院 院長, á Ratcliffe 是 對 Scotland 和平談判 委員 之一. 誠奇怪, 是按怎 tanx he 字音, tō hō͘ 政治喙錦 變 kah hiah 惡毒? 豬當然是 Richard ê 徽章. 白山豬 (White Boar). 你有 tiāⁿ 去 阮 英國酒吧 無?
“當然. 我認為, he 是恁 做了 比阮 較好 ê 代誌之一.”
“為著啉 彼間 白山豬 ê bihlù, 你才 無棄嫌 阮 chia ê 水道系統 落伍.”
“講 無棄嫌 siuⁿ 客氣. 應該講, 我無計較 lah.”
“你 kài 有度量. Hmh, 猶有 別項代誌 你著 莫計較. 照你 ê 理論, 因為 兄哥媠, á 伊 ka-tī 曲痀, Richard 才慼伊. 毋過, 根據 Cuthbert Sià ê 講法, he 曲痀是 一个迷. 手骨倒勼 mā 是 迷. 伊看是 無明顯 ê 破相. 上無 無嚴重. 伊 倒爿 肩胛頭 比正爿 較低, 干焦 án-ne niâ. 你有 揣著 hit 時代 ê 歷史學家 是 siáng 無?”
“一个 to 無 neh.”
“Lóng 無 hioh?”
“就你 ê 彼種意思, 是無. 確實有 Richard 時代 ê 作家, 但 tī 伊死了 in 才寫作. 為 Tudor 寫. Án-ne tō 無算是 ah. 某所在 有 hit 時代 ê 教士 kō͘ Latin 文 寫 ê 編年史, 但 我猶未 提著. 毋過, 我確實 發現 一項代誌: hit 份對 Richard III ê 記載 講是 Thomas More ê 作品, 毋是因為 伊所寫 ê, 是因為 he 手稿 發現 tī 伊 ê 文件. He 不過是 另份 完整記載 ê 未完成 抄本.”
“Án-ne oh!” Grant chhimx 思考一睏. “你是講, 彼是 More ka-tī ê 手稿抄本?”
“著. 是伊 ka-tī ê 筆跡. 大概 tī 伊 35 歲 ê 時寫 ê. 彼時 印刷 無普遍, 抄本冊 真四常.”
“著. 所以, 假使 資料來自 John Morton, 事實 mā 是 án-ne, tō 真可能 he 物件 是 Morton 寫 ê.”
“著.”
“Án-ne 當然 tō 會得解說 無合情理 ê 所在. 親像 Morton 這種野心 ê 人, 背後 講人 閒仔話, 根本 袂面紅 neh. 你對 Morton 有了解 無?”
“無了解.”
“伊是 律師出身, 後來做 神職人員, 而且是 歷史上 兼職 siōng 濟 ê 人. 伊選 Lancaster 派, 維持 tī hia 一直到 Edward 穩贏, 局勢定著. 然後 伊 kap York 派 和解, Edward 任命伊 做 Ely ê 主教. 另外, 伊 koh 兼任 天 chiah 知偌濟 ê 教區牧師. 但 tī Richard 坐位了後, 伊先支持 Woodville 家族, 然後 支持 Henry Tudor, 落尾 kō͘ 紅衫主教 ê 身份, 成做 Henry VII ê Canterbury 大主教...”
“等 leh!” 少年家講, 興 chhihx. “當然 我 bat Morton. 伊 tō 是 ‘Morton’s Fork (Morton ê 攕仔’ 彼个 Morton. ‘你開 hiah 少 [定著有賰], 一寡 hō͘ 國王按怎; 你開 hiah 濟, 定著真好額, 一寡 hō͘ 國王按怎?’”
“著. Tō 是彼个 Morton. 伊是 Henry 上好 ê 撚錢工具. 而且, 我拄想著 一个原因, 伊可能 tī 囡仔謀殺 kúx 進前 tō 對 Richard 有 私人怨恨 ah.”
“是 oh?”
“Edward ùi Louis XI 收 一大筆烏西, kap Franse 達成 無光彩 ê 和平. Richard 對 che 非常受氣 - che 確實是 見笑代 - tō 徹底 拒絕參與 chit 層代. 包括 拒絕收 一大筆 金錢. 毋過, Morton 非常贊成 這个買賣 kap 現金. 確實, 伊有收 Louis ê 年金. He 是 油 séx ê 年金, 每年 2,000 crown. 我想, Richard 直理直路 ê 評論 袂 kài 好聽, tō͘ 講 配黃金 mā 吞袂落喉.”
“袂好聽. 我想 mā 是 án-ne.”
“當然, tī 正直 ê Richard 手下, Morton 將無 koh 像 tī 好做陣 ê Edward hia 得著升遷. 所以, 準講 無 謀殺案, 伊 mā 會 徛 tī Woodville 彼爿.”
“關係 彼个 謀殺案...” 少年家講; 然後 停落來.
“按怎 hioh?”
“關係 彼个謀殺案 - hit 兩个 查埔囡仔 ê 謀殺 - 敢袂 kài 奇怪, 那會 無人談論?”
“你講 ê ‘無人談論’ 是啥意思?”
--
8.2
There was a tentative tap at the door, and in answer to Grant’s invitation, Brent Carradine appeared, hung around with topcoat as usual.
‘Oh! I seem to be butting in. I didn’t know you were here, Miss Hallard. I met the Statue of Liberty in the corridor there, and she seemed to think you were alone, Mr Grant.’
Grant identified the Statue of Liberty without difficulty. Marta said that she was in the act of going, and that in any case Brent was a much more welcome visitor than she was nowadays. She would leave them in peace to pursue their search for the soul of a murderer.
When he had bowed her politely to the door Brent came back and sat himself down in the visitor’s chair with exactly the same air that an Englishman wears when he sits down to his port after the women have left the table. Grant wondered if even the female-ridden American[Pg 103] felt a subconscious relief at settling down to a stag party. /
In answer to Brent’s inquiry as to how he was getting on with Oliphant, he said he found Sir Cuthbert admirably lucid.
‘I’ve discovered who the Cat and the Rat were, incidentally. They were entirely respectable knights of the realm: William Catesby and Richard Ratcliffe. Catesby was Speaker of the House of Commons, and Ratcliffe was one of the Commissioners of Peace with Scotland. It’s odd how the very sound of words makes a political jingle vicious. The Hog of course was Richard’s badge. The White Boar. Do you frequent our English pubs?’
‘Sure. They’re one of the things I think you do better than us.’
‘You forgive us our plumbing for the sake of the beer at the Boar.’
‘I wouldn’t go as far as to say I forgive it. I discount it, shall we say.’
‘Magnanimous of you. Well, there’s something else you’ve got to discount. That theory of yours that Richard hated his brother because of the contrast between his beauty and Richard’s hunchbacked state. According to Sir Cuthbert, the hunchback is a myth. So is the withered arm. It appears that he had no visible deformity. At least none that mattered. His left shoulder was lower than his right, that was all. Did you find out who the contemporary historian is?’
‘There isn’t one.’
‘None at all?’
‘Not in the sense that you mean it. There were writers who were contemporaries of Richard, but they wrote after his death. For the Tudors. Which puts them out of[Pg 104] court. There is a monkish chronicle in Latin somewhere that is contemporary, but I haven’t been able to get hold of it yet. One thing I have discovered though: that account of Richard III is called Sir Thomas More’s not because he wrote it but because the manuscript was found among his papers. It was an unfinished copy of an account that appears elsewhere in finished form.’
‘Well!’ Grant considered this with interest. ‘You mean it was More’s own manuscript copy?’
‘Yes. In his own writing. Made when he was about thirty-five. In those days, before printing was general, manuscript copies of books were the usual thing.’
‘Yes. So, if the information came from John Morton, as it did, it is just as likely that the thing was written by Morton.’
‘Yes.’
‘Which would certainly account for the—the lack of sensibility. A climber like Morton wouldn’t be at all abashed by back-stairs gossip. Do you know about Morton?’
‘No.’
‘He was a lawyer turned churchman, and the greatest pluralist on record. He chose the Lancastrian side and stayed with it until it was clear that Edward IV was home and dried. Then he made his peace with the York side and Edward made him Bishop of Ely. And vicar of God knows how many parishes besides. But after Richard’s accession he backed first the Woodvilles and then Henry Tudor and ended up with a cardinal’s hat as Henry VII’s Archbishop of——’
‘Wait a minute!’ said the boy, amused. ‘Of course I know Morton. He was Morton of “Morton’s Fork”.[Pg 105] “You can’t be spending much so how about something for the King; you’re spending such a lot you must be very rich so how about something for the King?”’
‘Yes. That Morton. Henry’s best thumb-screw. And I’ve just thought of a reason why he might have a personal hatred for Richard long before the murder of the boys.’
‘Yes?’
‘Edward took a large bribe from Louis XI to make a dishonourable peace in France. Richard was very angry about that—it really was a disgraceful affair—and washed his hands of the business. Which included refusing a large cash offer. But Morton was very much in favour both of the deal and the cash. Indeed he took a pension from Louis. A very nice pension it was. Two thousand crowns a year. I don’t suppose Richard’s outspoken comments went down very well, even with good gold for a chaser.’
‘No. I guess not.’
‘And of course there would be no preferment for Morton under the straight-laced Richard as there had been under the easy-going Edward. So he would have taken the Woodville side, even if there had been no murder.’
‘About that murder—’ the boy said; and paused.
‘Yes?’
‘About that murder—the murder of those two boys—isn’t it odd that no one talks of it?’
‘How do you mean: no one talks of it?’
--
No comments:
Post a Comment