9.4 Céleste 講, he lóng 是歹運

9.4 Céleste kóng, he lóng sī pháiⁿ-ūn

Lûn kàu Thomas Pérez ê sî, chi̍t-ê chip-hêng-koaⁿ tio̍h hû i khí-lâi koh khan i kàu chèng-jîn-tâi. Pérez kóng, i chin-chiàⁿ bat ê sī goán lāu-bú, i kan-ta tú tio̍h góa chi̍t-kái, tō sī tī song-lé hit-kang. In mn̄g i, hit-kang góa piáu-hiān án-chóaⁿ, i hôe-tap kóng:

"Lí liáu-kái, góa chiâⁿ siong-sim, só͘-í góa siáⁿ mā bô chù-ì. Góa ê siong-sim hō͘ góa bô khó-lêng khì chù-ì jīm-hô mi̍h-kiāⁿ. In-ūi he tùi góa sī chin-chiàⁿ ê tōa siong-sim. Góa sīm-chì hūn khì. Só͘-í góa bô chù-ì tio̍h hit-ê sian-siⁿ."

Kiám-chhat-koaⁿ mn̄g i, siōng-bô i sī-m̄-sī ū khòaⁿ tio̍h góa khàu. Pérez ìn kóng, bô. Kiám-chhat-koaⁿ tō kóng, "Pôe-sím-thoân kok-ūi sian-siⁿ ē chù-ì tio̍h chit-tiám."

M̄-koh, góa ê lu̍t-su chin siū-khì. I kō͘ ná-chhiūⁿ khoa-tōa ê kháu-khì mn̄g Pérez, i kám ū khòaⁿ tio̍h góa lóng bô khàu?

Pérez ìn kóng, "Bô."

Koan-chiòng chhiò chhut-lâi. Chū án-ne, góa ê lu̍t-su kā chi̍t-ê chhiú-ńg pih khí-lâi, kian-koat kóng:

"Chia, lán khòaⁿ tio̍h chit-tiûⁿ koaⁿ-si oân-chéng ê hêng-iáⁿ, ta̍k-hāng lóng sī chin ê, mā bô chi̍t-hāng sī chin ê!"

Kiám-chhat-koaⁿ bīn bô piáu-chêng, kō͘ iân-pit kā i ê tóng-àn thâu-ia̍h thok kúi-ā khang.

Tī hioh-khùn gō͘ hun-cheng tiong-kan, góa ê lu̍t-su kā góa kóng, ta̍k-hāng tāi-chì lóng chin sūn-lī, koh-lâi góa thiaⁿ Céleste ê chèng-sû, i sī pī-kò-hong só͘ thoân ê. "Pī-kò" tō sī góa.

Sî-put-sî Céleste tō ǹg góa chit-pêng gán chi̍t-ē, kā i chhiú the̍h ê Panama bō-á se̍h chi̍t-ē. I chhēng hit-su sin se-chong, he sī ū-sî tī lé-pài i hām góa khì khòaⁿ sài-bé só͘ koàn-sì chhēng ê. M̄-koh góa siūⁿ, i tiāⁿ-tio̍h bē-hù kat ngē-niá, in-ūi i kan-ta iōng tâng-liú kat tiâu siatchuh. In mn̄g i, góa sī-m̄-sī i ê kò͘-kheh, i kóng, "Sī lah, m̄-koh mā sī chi̍t-ê pêng-iú;" lí án-chóaⁿ khòaⁿ i, i ìn kóng góa sī chi̍t-ê lâm-chú-hàn; he sī siáⁿ ì-sù, i kóng ta̍k-ê lóng chai he sī siáⁿ ì-sù; i sī-m̄-sī chù-ì tio̍h góa chin tiām-chēng ko͘-phiah, i kan-ta sêng-jīn góa bē kóng bô su-iàu ê ōe.

Kiám-chhat-koaⁿ mn̄g i góa ē khiàm-siàu bô, Céleste chhiò chi̍t-ē, kóng, "He sī goán nn̄g-lâng ê su-sū." In koh mn̄g i tùi góa ê chōe-hêng ê ì-kiàn. I kā chhiú hōaⁿ tī lân-kan, khòaⁿ khí-lâi i sī ū chún-pī ê. I kóng:

"Chāi góa khòaⁿ, he sī pháiⁿ-ūn. Ta̍k-lâng lóng chai pháiⁿ-ūn sī siáⁿ. He hō͘ lí bô hoat-tō͘ hoán-khòng. Che tō-sī án-ne! Chāi góa khòaⁿ, he tō sī pháiⁿ-ūn."

I boeh koh kóng, m̄-koh hoat-koaⁿ kóng án-ne tō hó, koh kā soeh-siā.

Céleste sió-khóa gông-ngia̍h. M̄-koh i kóng, i iáu ū ōe boeh kóng. In kiò i tio̍h kán-té.

I koh chi̍t-kái kóng he sī pháiⁿ-ūn.

Hoat-koaⁿ tō kóng, "Hó, ē-sái. M̄-koh, goán tī chia tō-sī boeh sím-phòaⁿ chit-khoán pháiⁿ-ūn ê tāi-chì. To-siā lí."

Ká-ná i ê châi-tiāu kap hó-ì lóng chīn-pōng ah, Céleste tō oa̍t-thâu khòaⁿ góa. Chāi góa khòaⁿ, ká-ná i ê ba̍k-chiu teh hoat-kng, i ê chhùi-tûn teh chùn-tāng. I ká-ná sī teh mn̄g góa, koh-lâi i tio̍h án-chóaⁿ.

Góa tiām-tiām bô kóng siáⁿ; góa mā bô piáu-sī siáⁿ, m̄-koh che sī chit sì-lâng í-lâi góa tē-it pái siūⁿ boeh chim chi̍t-ê cha-po͘-lâng.

Hoat-koaⁿ koh kiò i lo̍h-tâi. Céleste kiâⁿ-khui, chē tńg koan-chiòng ê chē-ūi. Chhun ê sî-kan, i lóng chē tī hia, sin-khu àⁿ chêng, chhiú-khiau tú tī kha-thâu-u, chhiú the̍h Panama bō-á, chù-ì thiaⁿ ta̍k-kù ōe.

Marie ji̍p-lâi ah. Yi tì chi̍t-téng bō-á, iáu sī hiah-nī súi. M̄-koh góa khah kah-ì yi kā thâu-mo͘ pàng lo̍h-lâi. Ùi góa chē ê ūi, góa kan-ta ē-tàng khòaⁿ tio̍h yi he sió-khoá phòng ê nn̄g-lia̍p leng, góa mā ē jīn-tit yi he lio̍h-á khiàu ê chhùi-ē-tûn. Yi khòaⁿ-tio̍h ná chin kín-tiuⁿ.

In sûi mn̄g yi í-keng bat góa gōa kú ah. Yi kóng chū-chiông yi lâi goán kong-si siōng-pan khai-sí. Hoat-koaⁿ boeh chai yi kap góa sī siáⁿ koan-hē. Yi kóng yi sī góa ê pêng-iú. Tùi lēng-gōa chi̍t-ê būn-tê, yi ìn kóng, tio̍h, yi boeh hām góa kiat-hun. Kiám-chhat-koaⁿ ná hian tóng-àn hiông-hiông mn̄g yi tang-sî khai-sí hām góa ū "koan-hē". Yi kóng-chhut hit-ê ji̍t-chí. Kiám-chhat-koaⁿ kō͘ léng-tām ê kháu-khì kóng, i nā bô kì m̄-tio̍h, he tō sī Mama sí liáu ê keh-kang. Koh-lâi, kō͘ sió-khóa khau-sé ê siaⁿ-sàu, i kóng m̄-sī i boeh kiông-tiāu chit-chióng bî-miāu ê tāi-chì, i mā oân-choân lí-kái Marie ê kò͘-lī, m̄-koh (tī chia i ê kháu-khì hoán ngē) i sī put-tek-í tio̍h bô kiam-kò͘ lé-gî.

Chū án-ne i kiò Marie kán-té kóng-chhut góa tē-it pái tit-tio̍h yi hit-kang ê chêng-hêng. Marie m̄ kóng, m̄-koh kiám-chhat-koaⁿ kian-chhî, liáu-āu yi chiah kóng-chhut goán khì siû-chúi, khòaⁿ tiān-iáⁿ, koh tńg-khì goán tau. Kiám-chhat-koaⁿ kóng, Marie tī ī-sím án-ne kóng-chhut liáu-āu, i ū khì chhâ hit-kang ián ê tiān-iáⁿ miâ-toaⁿ. I koh kóng, Marie ē kā hoat-têng kóng-chhut teh ián ê sī siáⁿ-mih tiān-iáⁿ. Kō͘ bô koân-kē ê siaⁿ-tiāu, yi tō kóng he sī Fernandel poaⁿ ê tiān-iáⁿ. Yi kóng-liáu ê sî, hoat-têng ni̍h kui-ê lóng tiām-tiām-tiām.

--

9.4 Céleste 講, he lóng 是歹運

輪到 Thomas Pérez ê 時, 一个執行官著扶伊起來 koh 牽伊到證人台. Pérez 講, 伊真正 bat ê 是阮老母, 伊干焦拄著我一改, tō 是 tī 喪禮彼工. In 問伊, 彼工我表現按怎, 伊回答講:

"你了解, 我誠傷心, 所以我啥 mā 無注意. 我 ê 傷心予我無可能去注意任何物件. 因為 he 對我是真正 ê 大傷心. 我甚至昏去. 所以我無注意著彼个先生."

檢察官問伊, 上無伊是毋是有看著我哭. Pérez 應講, 無. 檢察官 tō 講, "陪審團各位先生會注意著這點."

M̄-koh, 我 ê 律師真受氣. 伊 kō͘ ná 像誇大 ê 口氣問 Pérez, 伊敢有看著我 lóng 無哭?

Pérez 應講, "無."

觀眾笑出來. 自 án-ne, 我 ê 律師 kā 一个手䘼 pih 起來, 堅決講:

"遮, 咱看著這場官司完整 ê 形影, 逐項 lóng 是真 ê, mā 無一項是真 ê!"

檢察官面無表情, kō͘ 鉛筆 kā 伊 ê 檔案頭頁 thok 幾 ā 空.

Tī 歇睏五分鐘中間, 我 ê 律師 kā 我講, 逐項代誌 lóng 真順利, koh 來我聽 Céleste ê 證詞, 伊是被告方所傳 ê. "被告" tō 是我.

時不時 Céleste tō ǹg 我這爿眼一下, kā 伊手提 ê Panama 帽仔踅一下. 伊穿彼 su 新西裝, he 是有時 tī 禮拜伊和我去看賽馬所慣勢穿 ê. M̄-koh 我想, 伊定著袂赴結硬領, 因為伊干焦用銅鈕結牢 siatchuh. In 問伊, 我是毋是伊 ê 顧客, 伊講, "是 lah, m̄-koh mā 是一个朋友;" 你按怎看伊, 伊應講我是一个男子漢; he 是啥意思, 伊講逐个 lóng 知 he 是啥意思; 伊是毋是注意著我真恬靜孤癖, 伊干焦承認我袂講無需要 ê 話.

檢察官問伊我會欠數無, Céleste 笑一下, 講, "He 是阮兩人 ê 私事." In koh 問伊對我 ê 罪行 ê 意見. 伊 kā 手扞 tī 欄杆, 看起來伊是有準備 ê. 伊講:

"在我看, he 是歹運. 逐人 lóng 知歹運是啥. He 予你無法度反抗. 這 tō 是 án-ne! 在我看, he tō 是歹運."

伊欲 koh 講, m̄-koh 法官講 án-ne tō 好, koh kā 說謝.

Céleste 小可 gông-ngia̍h. M̄-koh 伊講, 伊猶有話欲講. In 叫伊著簡短.

伊 koh 一改講 he 是歹運.

法官 tō 講, "好, 會使. M̄-koh, 阮 tī 遮 tō 是欲審判這款歹運 ê 代誌. 多謝你."

Ká-ná 伊 ê 才調 kap 好意 lóng 盡磅 ah, Céleste tō 越頭看我. 在我看, ká-ná 伊 ê 目睭 teh 發光, 伊 ê 喙唇 teh 顫動. 伊 ká-ná 是 teh 問我, koh 來伊著按怎.

我恬恬無講啥; 我 mā 無表示啥, m̄-koh 這是這世人以來我第一擺想欲唚一个查埔人.

法官 koh 叫伊落台. Céleste 行開, 坐轉觀眾 ê 坐位. 賰 ê 時間, 伊 lóng 坐 tī 遐, 身軀 àⁿ 前, 手 khiau 拄 tī 跤頭趺, 手提 Panama 帽仔, 注意聽逐句話.

Marie 入來 ah. 她戴一頂帽仔, 猶是 hiah-nī 媠. M̄-koh 我較佮意她 kā 頭毛放落來. Ùi 我坐 ê 位, 我干焦會當看著她 he 小可膨 ê 兩粒奶, 我 mā 會認得她 he 略仔翹 ê 喙下唇. 她看著 ná 真緊張.

In 隨問她已經 bat 我偌久 ah. 她講自從她來阮公司上班開始. 法官欲知她 kap 我是啥關係. 她講她是我 ê 朋友. 對另外一个問題, 她應講, 著, 她欲和我結婚. 檢察官 ná 掀檔案雄雄問她 tang 時開始和我有 "關係". 她講出彼个日子. 檢察官 kō͘ 冷淡 ê 口氣講, 伊若無記毋著, he tō 是 Mama 死了 ê 隔工. Koh 來, kō͘ 小可剾洗 ê 聲嗽, 伊講毋是伊欲強調這種微妙 ê 代誌, 伊 mā 完全理解 Marie ê 顧慮, m̄-koh (tī 遮伊 ê 口氣反硬) 伊是不得已著無兼顧禮儀.

自 án-ne 伊叫 Marie 簡短講出我第一擺得著她彼工 ê 情形. Marie 毋講, m̄-koh 檢察官堅持, 了後她才講出阮去泅水, 看電影, koh 轉去阮兜. 檢察官講, Marie tī 預審 án-ne 講出了後, 伊有去查彼工演 ê 電影名單. 伊 koh 講, Marie 會 kā 法庭講出 teh 演 ê 是啥物電影. Kō͘ 無懸低 ê 聲調, 她 tō 講 he 是 Fernandel 搬 ê 電影. 她講了 ê 時, 法庭 ni̍h 規个 lóng 恬恬恬.

--

9.4

When Thomas Perez's turn came, a bailiff had to hold him up and help him get to the witness stand. Perez said it was really my mother he had known and that he had seen me only once, on the day of the funeral. He was asked how I had acted that day and he replied, "You understand, I was too sad. So I didn't see anything. My sadness made it impossible to see anything. Because for me it was a very great sadness. And I even fainted. So I wasn't able to see monsieur." The prosecutor asked him if he had at least seen me cry. Perez answered no. The prosecutor in turn said, "The gentlemen of the jury will take note." But my lawyer got angry. He asked Perez in what seemed to be an exaggerated tone of voice if he had seen me not cry. Perez said, "No." The spectators laughed. And my lawyer, rolling up one of his sleeves, said with finality, "Here we have a perfect reflection of this entire trial : everything is true and nothing is true!" The prosecutor had a blank expression on his face, and with a pencil he was poking holes in the title page of his case file.

After a five-minute recess, during which my lawyer told me that everything was working out for the best, we heard the testimony of Celeste, who was called by the defense. "The defense" meant me. Every now and then Celeste would glance over in my direction and rotate his panama hat in his hands. He was wearing the new suit he used to put on to go with me to the races sometimes on Sundays. But I think he must not have been able to get his collar on, because he only had a brass stud keeping his shirt fastened. He was asked if I was a customer of his and he said, "Yes, but he was also a friend"; what he thought of me, and he answered that I was a man; what he meant by that, and he stated that everybody knew what that meant; if he had noticed that I was ever withdrawn, and all he would admit was that I didn't speak unless I had something to say. The prosecutor asked him if I kept up with my bill. Celeste laughed and said, "Between us those were just details." He was again asked what he thought about my crime. He put his hands on the edge of the box, and you could tell he had something prepared. He said, "The way I see it, it's bad luck. Everybody knows what bad luck is. It leaves you defenseless. And there it is! The way I see it, it's bad luck." He was about to go on, but the judge told him that that would be all and thanked him. Celeste was a little taken aback. But he stated that he had more to say. He was asked to be brief. He again repeated that it was bad luck. And the judge said, "Yes, fine. But we are here to judge just this sort of bad luck. Thank you." And as if he had reached the end of both his knowledge and his goodwill, Celeste then turned toward me. It looked to me as if his eyes were glistening and his lips were trembling. He seemed to be asking me what else he could do. I said nothing; I made no gesture of any kind, but it was the first time in my life I ever wanted to kiss a man. The judge again instructed him to step down. Celeste went and sat among the spectators. He sat there throughout the entire trial, leaning forward, his elbows on his knees, the panama hat in his hands, listening to everything that was said.

Marie entered. She had put on a hat and she was still beautiful. But I liked her better with her hair loose. From where I was sitting, I could just make out the slight fullness of her breasts, and I recognized the little pout of her lower lip. She seemed very nervous. Right away she was asked how long she had known me. She said since the time she worked in our office. The judge wanted to know what her relation to me was. She said she was my friend. To another question she answered yes, it was true that she was supposed to marry me. Flipping through a file, the prosecutor asked her bluntly when our "liaison" had begun. She indicated the date. The prosecutor remarked indifferently that if he was not mistaken, that was the day after Maman died. Then in a slightly ironic tone he said that he didn't mean to dwell on such a delicate matter, and that he fully appreciated Marie's misgivings, but (and here his tone grew firmer) that he was duty bound to go beyond propriety. So he asked Marie to describe briefly that day when I had first known her. Marie didn't want to, but at the prosecutor's insistence, she went over our swim, the movies, and going back to my place. The prosecutor said that after Marie had given her statements to the examining magistrate, he had consulted the movie listings for that day. He added that Marie herself would tell the court what film was showing. In an almost expressionless voice she did in fact tell the court that it was a Fernandel film. By the time she had finished there was complete silence in the courtroom.

--