9.1 法庭 ni̍h, 人 cha̍t-cha̍t-cha̍t

9

9.1 Hoat-têng ni̍h, lâng cha̍t-cha̍t-cha̍t

M̄-koh góa ē-sái láu-si̍t kóng, sî-kan ùi joa̍h-thiⁿ koh kàu joa̍h-thiⁿ sī chin kín lah. Góa chai-iáⁿ, tng thiⁿ-khì tú-tú koh hoán-joa̍h, iú-koan góa ê tāi-chì tō boeh koh chìn-hêng ah-lah. Góa ê àn-kiāⁿ í-keng an-pâi tī tāng-chōe hoat-têng (Court of Assizes) ê siōng-bóe tiûⁿ sím-lí, iah hit-tiûⁿ tio̍h tī la̍k goe̍h kiat-sok.

Sím-phòaⁿ ê sî, gōa-kháu ji̍t-thâu chhiah-iāⁿ-iāⁿ. Góa ê lu̍t-su sū-sian kā góa pó-chèng kóng, nn̄g-saⁿ kang tō ē kiat-sok. "Hô-hóng," i koh kóng, "hoat-têng mā ū sî-kan ê ap-le̍k. Lí ê àn-kiāⁿ m̄-sī chit-tiûⁿ siōng tiōng-tōa ê àn-kiāⁿ. Tī lí ê āu-piah iáu ū chi̍t-ê thâi lāu-pē ê àn-kiāⁿ."

Hit-kang chá-khí, in tī chhit-tiám-pòaⁿ lâi, kō͘ kaⁿ-ga̍k ê chhia chài góa khì hoat-īⁿ. Hit nn̄g-ê hoat-kéng kā góa chhōa-ji̍p chi̍t-keng àm-sàm ê pâng-keng. Goán chē tī mn̂g-piⁿ tán, thiaⁿ ē-tio̍h gōa-kháu ê kóng-ōe siaⁿ, hoah-hiu siaⁿ, í-á tī thô͘-kha thoa ê siaⁿ, kap chē-chē chhá-chhá nāu-nāu ê siaⁿ, che hō͘ góa siūⁿ-tio̍h siā-khu kòe-cheh ê sî, im-ga̍k-hōe liáu chheng-tiûⁿ boeh ōaⁿ bú-hōe ê chêng-hêng.

Hoat-kéng kóng, goán tio̍h tán hoat-koaⁿ lâi, kî-tiong chi̍t-ê hoat-kéng tu chi̍t-ki hun boeh hō͘ góa, góa bô kā the̍h. Án-ne liáu bô kú, i koh mn̄g góa kóng, góa sī-m̄-sī ē "kín-tiuⁿ." Góa kóng bē -- sū-si̍t siōng, tī bó͘ hong-bīn, góa sīm-chì hèng boeh khòaⁿ sím-phòaⁿ, che í-chêng góa it-ti̍t bô ki-hōe thang khòaⁿ.

"Sī lah," lēng-gōa hit-ê hoat-kéng kóng, "m̄-koh kòe chi̍t-khùn liáu, he tō piàn kah chin bô-liâu."

Kòe bô gōa kú, pâng-keng ni̍h ê chi̍t-ê sè-ê lêng-á hiáng, in tō kā góa ê chhiú-khàu pak lo̍h-lâi, phah-khui mn̂g, chhōa góa kàu pī-kò-se̍k.

Hoat-têng ni̍h lâng chē kah cha̍t-cha̍t-cha̍t. Sui-jiân ū kòa thang-á-lî, kúi-ā ūi iáu-sī ū ji̍t-thâu-kng cháu ji̍p-lâi, sek-lāi ê khong-khì í-keng chin hip, in-ūi thang-á bô phah-khui. Góa chē lo̍h-lâi, nn̄g-ê hoat-kéng khiā tī góa ê siang-pêng.

Chit-sî góa chiah chù-ì tio̍h tùi-bīn ū chi̍t-pâi ê lâng-bīn, in lóng teh khòaⁿ góa: góa chai-iáⁿ, in tō sī pôe-sím-thoân. M̄-koh góa kóng bē-chhut, in ê bīn ū siáⁿ-mih chha-pia̍t. Góa kan-ta ū chi̍t-ê ìn-siōng: ká-ná góa sī tī tiān-chhia ni̍h, tùi-bīn hit-pâi ê sêng-kheh lóng ǹg chit-ê tú chiūⁿ-chhia ê lâng khòaⁿ, siūⁿ boeh khòaⁿ i sī-m̄-sī ū siáⁿ-mih chhù-bī ê só͘-chāi. Góa kám-kak chit-ê siūⁿ-hoat ū-kàu hàm, in-ūi in m̄-sī boeh chhōe siáⁿ-mih chhù-bī, sī boeh chhōe chōe-kò. Che mā bô siáⁿ-mih chha-pia̍t lah -- chóng-kóng, hit-sî góa siūⁿ tio̍h ê tō sī án-ne lah.

Góa mā kám-kak sió-khóa thâu-hîn, hiah chē lâng kheh tī cha̍t-cha̍t ê pâng-keng. Góa koh chi̍t-pái kā hoat-têng sì-kè khòaⁿ-khòaⁿ leh, m̄-koh bô kah chi̍t-lâng góa ē jīn tit. Góa siūⁿ, khí-thâu góa m̄-chai hiah-ê lâng sī choan-kang boeh lâi khòaⁿ góa--ê. Pêng-sî, bô-lâng ē án-chóaⁿ chù-ì tio̍h góa. Góa tio̍h kho̍k-kho̍k siūⁿ chiah lí-kái, góa sī chō-sêng hong-tōng ê in-toaⁿ.

Góa kā hoat-kéng kóng, "Hiah chē lâng!" I kóng, he sī in-ūi sin-bûn, i koh pí chē tī pôe-sím-thoân ē-bīn ê toh-á ê hit-tīn lâng.

I kóng, "In tō sī lah."

Góa mn̄g, "Siáng?" i koh kóng, "Sin-bûn-siā." I bat kî-tiong ê chi̍t-ê kì-chiá, hit-lâng tú-hó khòaⁿ tio̍h i, tō kiâⁿ óa lâi.

I sī chi̍t-ê ū-hòe-thâu, chhin-chhiat ê lâng, kek chi̍t-ê gi-gi bô-chū-jiân ê bīn. I kap hoat-kéng tōa-la̍t ak-chhiú. Hit-sî góa mā chù-ì tio̍h, chē-chē lâng lóng teh ia̍t-chhiú, chio-ho͘ kap kóng-ōe, bē-su tī klub ni̍h tú tio̍h sio-bat ê lâng hiah-nī hoaⁿ-hí. Góa án-ne ka-tī kái-soeh, sī án-chóaⁿ hit-sî góa ū hit-lō kî-koài ê ìn-siōng, kám-kak ka-tī sī chheⁿ-hūn-lâng, sī chông ji̍p-lâi ê lâng.

Hit-ê kì-chiá oa̍t ǹg góa, chhiò-chhiò kap góa kóng-ōe. I kóng, i hi-bāng góa ê tāi-chì ē sūn-lī. Góa kā soeh-siā, i koh kóng:

"Lí chai bô, goán kā lí ê àn-kiāⁿ sió-khóa khoa-tōa. Joa̍h-thiⁿ khah bô siáⁿ sin-bûn thang pò. Kan-ta ū lí ê àn-kiāⁿ kap hit-ê thâi lāu-pē ê àn-kiāⁿ khah ta̍t-tit hùi-sim."

I koh pí ǹg tú-chiah i kiâⁿ-khui ê hit-tīn lâng, kí chi̍t-ê khòaⁿ-tio̍h ná pûi bùn-chhí, kòa o͘-kheng tōa ba̍k-kiàⁿ ê sè-hàn lâng.

I kóng, hit-lâng sī chi̍t-keng Paris pò-siā ê te̍k-phài-oân. "Sū-si̍t, i m̄-sī ūi-tio̍h lí ê àn-kiāⁿ lâi ê. M̄-koh in-ūi in í-keng phài i lâi chhái-hóng thâi lāu-pē àn-kiāⁿ ê sím-phòaⁿ, in mā kiò i sūn-sòa chò iú-koan lí ê àn-kiāⁿ ê chhái-hóng."

Góa hiám-á tō koh kā i soeh-siā, m̄-koh góa kám-kak án-ne si̍t-chāi chin hó-chhiò. I chhin-chhiat iô-chhiú, pì-sù pì-sù kiâⁿ lī-khui goán. Goán koh tī hia tán kúi-ā hun-cheng.

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9

9.1 法庭 ni̍h, 人 cha̍t-cha̍t-cha̍t

M̄-koh 我會使老實講, 時間 ùi 熱天 koh 到熱天是真緊 lah. 我知影, tng 天氣拄拄 koh 反熱, 有關我 ê 代誌 tō 欲 koh 進行 ah-lah. 我 ê 案件已經安排 tī 重罪法庭 (Court of Assizes) ê 上尾場審理, iah 彼場著 tī 六月結束.

審判 ê 時, 外口日頭赤 iāⁿ-iāⁿ. 我 ê 律師事先 kā 我保證講, 兩三工 tō 會結束. "何況," 伊 koh 講, "法庭 mā 有時間 ê 壓力. 你 ê 案件毋是這場上重大 ê 案件. Tī 你 ê 後壁猶有一个刣老爸 ê 案件."

彼工早起, in tī 七點半來, kō͘ 監獄 ê 車載我去法院. 彼兩个法警 kā 我 chhōa 入一間暗毿 ê 房間. 阮坐 tī 門邊等, 聽會著外口 ê 講話聲, 喝咻聲, 椅仔 tī 塗跤拖 ê 聲, kap 濟濟吵吵鬧鬧 ê 聲, che 予我想著社區過節 ê 時, 音樂會了清場欲換舞會 ê 情形.

法警講, 阮著等法官來, 其中一个法警 tu 一支薰欲予我, 我無 kā 提. Án-ne 了無久, 伊 koh 問我講, 我是毋是會 "緊張." 我講袂 -- 事實上, tī 某方面, 我甚至興欲看審判, che 以前我一直無機會通看.

"是 lah," 另外彼个法警講, "m̄-koh 過一睏了, he tō 變 kah 真無聊."

過無偌久, 房間 ni̍h ê 一个細 ê 鈴仔響, in tō kā 我 ê 手銬剝落來, 拍開門, chhōa 我到被告席.

法庭 ni̍h 人坐 kah cha̍t-cha̍t-cha̍t. 雖然有掛窗仔簾, 幾 ā 位猶是有日頭光走入來, 室內 ê 空氣已經真翕, 因為窗仔無拍開. 我坐落來, 兩个法警徛 tī 我 ê 雙爿.

這時我才注意著對面有一排 ê 人面, in lóng teh 看我: 我知影, in tō 是陪審團. M̄-koh 我講袂出, in ê 面有啥物差別. 我干焦有一个印象: ká-ná 我是 tī 電車 ni̍h, 對面彼排 ê 乘客 lóng ǹg 這个拄上車 ê 人看, 想欲看伊是毋是有啥物趣味 ê 所在. 我感覺這个想法有夠譀, 因為 in 毋是欲揣啥物趣味, 是欲揣罪過. 這 mā 無啥物差別 lah -- 總講, 彼時我想著 ê tō 是 án-ne lah.

我 mā 感覺小可頭眩, hiah 濟人 kheh tī cha̍t-cha̍t ê 房間. 我 koh 一擺 kā 法庭四界看看 leh, m̄-koh 無 kah 一人我會認得. 我想, 起頭我毋知 hiah-ê 人是專工欲來看我--ê. 平時, 無人會按怎注意著我. 我著硞硞想才理解, 我是造成轟動 ê 因端.

我 kā 法警講, "Hiah 濟人!" 伊講, he 是因為新聞, 伊 koh 比坐 tī 陪審團下面 ê 桌仔 ê 彼陣人.

伊講, "In tō 是 lah."

我問, "Siáng?" 伊 koh 講, "新聞社." 伊 bat 其中 ê 一个記者, 彼人拄好看著伊, tō 行倚來.

伊是一个有歲頭, 親切 ê 人, 激一个 gi-gi 無自然 ê 面. 伊 kap 法警大力握手. 彼時我 mā 注意著, 濟濟人 lóng teh 擛手, 招呼 kap 講話, 袂輸 tī klub ni̍h 拄著 sio-bat ê 人 hiah-nī 歡喜. 我 án-ne 家己解說, 是按怎彼時我有 hit-lō 奇怪 ê 印象, 感覺家己是生份人, 是傱入來 ê 人.

彼个記者越 ǹg 我, 笑笑 kap 我講話. 伊講, 伊希望我 ê 代誌會順利. 我 kā 說謝, 伊 koh 講:

"你知無, 阮 kā 你 ê 案件小可誇大. 熱天較無啥新聞 thang 報. 干焦有你 ê 案件 kap 彼个刣老爸 ê 案件較值得費心."

伊 koh 比 ǹg 拄才伊行開 ê 彼陣人, 指一个看著 ná 肥鼢鼠, 掛烏框大目鏡 ê 細漢人.

伊講, 彼人是一間 Paris 報社 ê 特派員. "事實, 伊毋是為著你 ê 案件來 ê. M̄-koh 因為 in 已經派伊來採訪刣老爸案件 ê 審判, in mā 叫伊順紲做有關你 ê 案件 ê 採訪."

我險仔 tō koh kā 伊說謝, m̄-koh 我感覺 án-ne 實在真好笑. 伊親切搖手, 閉思閉思行離開阮. 阮 koh tī 遐等幾 ā 分鐘.

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9

9.1

But I can honestly say that the time from summer to summer went very quickly. And I knew as soon as the weather turned hot that something new was in store for me. My case was set down for the last session of the Court of Assizes, and that session was due to end some time in June. The trial opened with the sun glaring outside. My lawyer had assured me that it wouldn't last more than two or three days. "Besides," he had added, "the court will be pressed for time. Yours isn't the most important case of the session. Right after you, there's a parricide corning up."

They carne for me at seven-thirty in the morning and I was driven to the courthouse in the prison van. The two policemen took me into a small room that smelled of darkness. We waited, seated near a door through which we could hear voices, shouts, chairs being dragged across the Roor, and a lot of commotion which made me think of those neighborhood fetes when the hall is cleared for dancing after the concert. The policemen told me we had to wait for the judges and one of them offered me a cigarette, which I turned down. Shortly after that he asked me if I had the "jitters." I said no--and that, in a way, I was even interested in seeing a trial. I'd never had the chance before. "Yeah," said the other policeman, "but it gets a little boring after a while."

A short time later a small bell rang in the room. Then they took my handcuffs off. They opened the door and led me into the dock. The room was packed. Despite the blinds, the sun filtered through in places and the air was already stifling. They hadn't opened the windows. I sat down with the policemen standing on either side of me. It was then that I noticed a row of faces in front of me. They were all looking at me: I realized that they were the jury. But I can't say what distinguished one from another. I had just one impression: I was sitting across from a row of seats on a streetcar and all these anonymous passengers were looking over the new arrival to see if they could find something funny about him. I knew it was a silly idea since it wasn't anything funny they were after but a crime. There isn't much difference, though-in any case that was the idea that came to me.

I was feeling a little dizzy too, with all those people in that stuffy room. I looked around the courtroom again but I couldn't make out a single face. I think that at first I hadn't realized that all those people were crowding in to see me. Usually people didn't pay much attention to me. It took some doing on my part to understand that I was the cause of all the excitement. I said to the policeman, "Some crowd!" He told me it was because of the press and he pointed to a group of men at a table just below the jury box. He said, "That's them." I asked, "Who?" and he repeated, "The press." He knew one of the reporters, who just then spotted him and was making his way toward us. He was an older, friendly man with a twisted little grin on his face. He gave the policeman a warm handshake. I noticed then that everyone was waving and exchanging greetings and talking, as if they were in a club where people are glad to find themselves among others from the same world. That is how I explained to myself the strange impression I had of being odd man out, a kind of intruder. Yet the reporter turned and spoke to me with a smile. He told me that he hoped everything would go well for me. I thanked him and he added, "You know, we've blown your case up a little. Summer is the slow season for the news. And your story and the parricide were the only ones worth bothering about." Then he pointed in the direction of the group he had just left, at a little man who looked like a fattened-up weasel. He told me that the man was a special correspondent for a Paris paper. "Actually, he didn't come because of you. But since they assigned him to cover the parricide trial, they asked him to send a dispatch about your case at the same time." And again I almost thanked him. But I thought that that would be ridiculous. He waved cordially, shyly, and left us. We waited a few more minutes.

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