6.3 和 Arab 人相拍

6.3 Hām Arab-lâng sio-phah

Arab-lâng bān-bān kiâⁿ, m̄-koh í-keng lâi kàu chiâⁿ chiap-kīn ah. Goán kha-pō͘ bô piàn, m̄-koh Raymond kóng:

"Nā ū siáⁿ mâ-hoân, Masson, lí kò͘ iáu chi̍t-ê, góa lâi tùi-hù góa hit-ê lâng. Meursault, nā koh ū-lâng chhut-hiān, he tō hō͘ lí kò͘."

Góa kóng, "Hó," iah Masson kā siang-chhiú chhah tī khò͘-tē-á ni̍h.

Góa khòaⁿ he sio-thǹg-thǹg ê soa ná chhiūⁿ piàn âng-sek ê. Goán sūn-sūn ǹg Arab-lâng kiâⁿ khì. Goán tiong-kan ê kī-lī lú lâi lú kīn. Kàu kī-lī kan-ta kúi-pō͘ ê sî, Arab-lâng tòng-tiām. Masson hām góa pàng bān. Raymond ti̍t-ti̍t ǹg i hit-ê lâng kiâⁿ khì. Góa thiaⁿ bē-tio̍h i kap i kóng siáⁿ, m̄-koh hit-lâng chò-sè boeh kō͘ thâu kā lòng. Raymond sûi chhut-chhiú tō kā bok, koh hoah Masson óa lâi. Masson tō óa-khì hit-ê í-keng hun-phòe hō͘ i ê, chhut-chhiú tōa-tōa-la̍t kā bok nn̄g-ē. Hit-lâng tō tó lo̍h chúi ni̍h, bīn ǹg ē, tī hia kúi-ā bió-cheng, thâu-khak sì-piⁿ chúi-pho bo̍k-bo̍k but. Kāng hit-sî, Raymond mā koh cheng chhut-khì, hit-ê Arab-lâng ê bīn teh lâu-hoeh. Raymond oa̍t-thâu kā góa kóng:

"Tán leh. Góa sió kā kà-sī chi̍t-ē."

Góa hoah-siaⁿ, "Chù-ì, i ū to-á!"

M̄-koh Raymond ê chhiú-chat í-keng khì hō͘ koah tio̍h, chhùi-kak mā khì hō͘ sut tio̍h.

Masson thiàu ǹg chêng. M̄-koh iáu hit-ê Arab-lâng í-keng peh-khí, cháu khì gia̍h to-á hit-lâng ê āu-piah. Goán m̄-káⁿ kiâⁿ tāng. In bān-bān tò-lu, ba̍k-chiu kā goán kò͘ tiâu-tiâu, kō͘ to-á hō͘ goán mài sóa-tāng. Kàu in jīn-ûi í-keng lī ū-kàu hn̄g ê sî, in tō khí-pō͘ kín cháu, goán tiām-tiām khiā tī goân-tē pha̍k ji̍t-thâu, Raymond chhun-chhiú tēⁿ-ân teh lâu-hoeh ê chhiú-chat.

Masson sûi kóng, koân-tē hia ū chi̍t-ê i-seng lé-pài ē lâi. Raymond boeh kín khì khoaⁿ hit-ê i-seng. M̄-koh, i nā kóng-ōe, chhùi tō ū hoeh pho.

Góa hû i, chīn-liōng khah kín tńg-khì Masson in tau. Kàu-tè ê sî, Raymond kóng, put-kò sī gōa-phôe ê siong, i ē-tàng ka-tī khì khòaⁿ i-seng.

I hām Masson chhut-hoat khì, góa lâu lo̍h-lâi, boeh kā tāi-chì kái-soeh hō͘ cha-bó͘-lâng thiaⁿ. Masson Hu-jîn teh khàu, Marie bīn-á pe̍h sún-sún. Góa bô ài koh kái-soeh, tō tiām-tiām ná pok-hun, ná khòaⁿ gōa-kháu ê hái.

Raymond hām Masson tī tāi-khài tiám-pòaⁿ ê sî tńg-lâi. I ê chhiú-chat pa̍k hô-tái, chhùi-kak tah chi̍t-tè ko-io̍h. I-seng kā kóng che bô siáⁿ iàu-kín, m̄-koh Raymond ê bīn-sek iu-iu. Masson siūⁿ boeh lāng i chhiò, m̄-koh i iáu sī tiām-tiām bô siaⁿ.

Āu-lâi i kóng Raymond boeh khì soa-po͘, góa mn̄g i boeh khì soa-po͘ ê tó-ūi. I kóng, i boeh khì tháu chi̍t-ē-á khùi. Masson hām góa kóng, goán hām lí tâng-chê khì. M̄-koh án-ne soah jiá i siū-khì, i khui-chhùi kàn-kiāu. Masson kóng, mài kap i kè-kàu lah, m̄-koh góa iáu sī tòe i chhut-khì.

Goán tī soa-po͘ kiâⁿ chin kú. Chit-sî ê ji̍t-thâu hóe-le̍k chiâu-khui, kim sih-sih chiò tī soa kap chúi ê téng-bīn. Góa kám-kak Raymond ná-chhiūⁿ chai-iáⁿ i boeh khì toh, m̄-koh hoān-sè góa ioh m̄-tio̍h.

Kàu hn̄g-hn̄g hit thâu ê hái-than, goán chóng-sǹg lâi kàu chi̍t-ê sió-sió ê chúi-chôaⁿ ùi chi̍t-lia̍p tōa chio̍h-thâu āu-piah ê soa-á phāng lâu chhut-lâi. Tī hia, goán tú tio̍h hit nn̄g-ê Arab-lâng. In chhēng he poān iû o͘-mà-mà ê tà-saⁿ tó leh. In khòaⁿ tio̍h chin tìn-chēng, ká-ná mā chin móa-ì. Goán lâi, bô kái-piàn in siáⁿ-mih. Kong-kek Raymond hit-ê it-ti̍t khòaⁿ i, bô kóng siáⁿ. Lēng-gōa chi̍t-ê chi̍t-piàn koh chi̍t-piàn teh pûn chi̍t-ki lô͘-tek-kóng, kō͘ ba̍k-kak chù-ì teh khòaⁿ goán. I tiông-ho̍k pûn i pûn ē chhut ê hit saⁿ ê im-tiāu.

Hit-ê sî-chūn, kui-ê só͘-chāi siáⁿ to bô, kan-ta ji̍t-thâu kap tiām-chēng, iáu-koh chúi-chôaⁿ ê but-siaⁿ hām hit saⁿ ê im-tiāu. Lo̍h-bóe, Raymond kā chhiú chhun ji̍p āu-piah khǹg chhèng ê khò͘-tē-á, m̄-koh hiah-ê lâng bô tín-tāng, in kan-ta hō͘-siong khòaⁿ lâi khòaⁿ khì. Góa chù-ì tio̍h, pûn phín-á hit-lâng ê kha-chéng-thâu-á khí kín-tiuⁿ.

Ba̍k-chiu tèng-tiâu tùi-chhiú, Raymond kā góa kóng, "Góa tio̍h kā tōaⁿ bô?"

Góa siūⁿ, góa nā kóng mài, i tō ē khí chheⁿ-kông, tō tiāⁿ-tio̍h ē kā tōaⁿ. Só͘-í góa kan-ta kóng:

"I iáu bô kóng siáⁿ. Nā án-ne tō khui-chhèng, ká-ná chin liáu-jiân."

Hit-sî, tī chhim-chhim ê che̍k-chēng kap sio-joa̍h tiong-kan, góa iáu thiaⁿ ē tio̍h chúi siaⁿ kap phín-á siaⁿ.

Raymond tō kóng, "Nā án-ne, góa seng khui-chhùi kā kiāu, i nā ìn-chhùi, góa tō kā tōaⁿ."

Góa kóng, "Tio̍h. M̄-koh i nā bô gia̍h to-á chhut-lâi, lí m̄-thang khui chhèng." Raymond khai-sí sim-kông hóe-to̍h. Lēng-gōa hit-ê Arab-lâng kè-sio̍k pûn phín-á, in nn̄g-ê lóng teh chù-ì Raymond ê múi chi̍t-ê tōng-chok.

"Mài lah," góa kā Raymond kóng, "chhiú-chhèng hō͘ góa, lí kap i tèng-ko͘-ki. Iáu chi̍t-ê nā lâi chhap, a̍h-sī i thiu to-á chhut-lâi, góa tō kā tōaⁿ."

Ji̍t-thâu-kng sih chi̍t-ē, hoán-siā Raymond kau hō͘ góa ê chhèng. M̄-koh góa iáu sī tiām-tiām khiā leh, bē-su khì hō͘ sì-kho͘-liàn-tńg ê mi̍h-kiāⁿ sok-pa̍k tio̍h. Goán, ba̍k-chiu bô nih, hō͘-siong khòaⁿ lâi khòaⁿ khì, it-chhè lóng tiām khì, tī hái, soa, kap ji̍t-thâu tiong-kan, iah phín-á kap chúi mā lóng tiām khì. Góa lí-kái, tī hit-lō sî-chūn, lí khó-lêng ē tōaⁿ-chhèng mā khó-lêng bô tōaⁿ-chhèng.

M̄-koh hut-jiân, Arab-lâng tò-thè, liu tùi chio̍h-thâu āu-piah khì. Chū án-ne, Raymond hām góa oa̍t-sin, kiâⁿ tńg goán lâi ê só͘-chāi. I ê bīn-sek ke chin hó, koh kóng-khí chē básuh tńg-khì ê tāi-chì.

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6.3 和 Arab 人相拍

Arab 人慢慢行, m̄-koh 已經來到誠接近 ah. 阮跤步無變, m̄-koh Raymond 講:

"若有啥麻煩, Masson, 你顧猶一个, 我來對付我彼个人. Meursault, 若 koh 有人出現, he tō 予你顧."

我講, "好," iah Masson kā 雙手插 tī 褲袋仔 ni̍h.

我看 he 燒燙燙 ê 沙 ná 像變紅色 ê. 阮順順 ǹg Arab 人行去. 阮中間 ê 距離 lú 來 lú 近. 到距離干焦幾步 ê 時, Arab 人擋恬. Masson 和我放慢. Raymond 直直 ǹg 伊彼个人行去. 我聽袂著伊 kap 伊講啥, m̄-koh 彼人做勢欲 kō͘ 頭 kā 挵. Raymond 隨出手 tō kā bok, koh 喝 Masson 倚來. Masson tō 倚去彼个已經分配予伊 ê, 出手大大力 kā bok 兩下. 彼人 tō 倒落水 ni̍h, 面 ǹg 下, tī hia 幾 ā 秒鐘, 頭殼四邊水泡 bo̍k-bo̍k but. 仝彼時, Raymond mā koh 舂出去, 彼个 Arab 人 ê 面 teh 流血. Raymond 越頭 kā 我講:

"等 leh. 我小 kā 教示一下."

我喝聲, "注意, 伊有刀仔!"

M̄-koh Raymond ê 手節已經去予割著, 喙角 mā 去予 sut 著.

Masson 跳 ǹg 前. M̄-koh 猶彼个 Arab 人已經 peh 起, 走去攑刀仔彼人 ê 後壁. 阮毋敢 kiâⁿ tāng. In 慢慢倒攄, 目睭 kā 阮顧牢牢, kō͘ 刀仔予阮莫徙動. 到 in 認為已經離有夠遠 ê 時, in tō 起步緊走, 阮恬恬徛 tī 原地曝日頭, Raymond 伸手捏絚 teh 流血 ê 手節.

Masson 隨講, 懸地遐有一个醫生禮拜會來. Raymond 欲緊去看彼个醫生. M̄-koh, 伊若講話, 喙 tō 有血泡.

我扶伊, 盡量較緊轉去 Masson in 兜. 到地 ê 時, Raymond 講, 不過是外皮 ê 傷, 伊會當家己去看醫生.

伊和 Masson 出發去, 我留落來, 欲 kā 代誌解說予查某人聽. Masson 夫人 teh 哭, Marie 面仔白 sún-sún. 我無愛 koh 解說, tō 恬恬 ná 噗薰, ná 看外口 ê 海.

Raymond 和 Masson tī 大概點半 ê 時轉來. 伊 ê 手節縛 hô-tái, 喙角貼一塊膏藥. 醫生 kā 講這無啥要緊, m̄-koh Raymond ê 面色憂憂. Masson 想欲弄伊笑, m̄-koh 伊猶是恬恬無聲.

後來伊講 Raymond 欲去沙埔, 我問伊欲去沙埔 ê 佗位. 伊講, 伊欲去敨一下仔氣. Masson 和我講, 阮和你同齊去. M̄-koh án-ne 煞惹伊受氣, 伊開喙 kàn 撟. Masson 講, 莫 kap 伊計較 lah, m̄-koh 我猶是綴伊出去.

阮 tī 沙埔行真久. 這時 ê 日頭火力齊開, 金 sih-sih 照 tī 沙 kap 水 ê 頂面. 我感覺 Raymond ná 像知影伊欲去佗, m̄-koh 凡勢我臆毋著.

到遠遠彼頭 ê 海灘, 阮總算來到一个小小 ê 水泉 ùi 一粒大石頭後壁 ê 沙仔縫流出來. Tī 遐, 阮拄著彼兩个 Arab 人. In 穿 he 拌油烏 mà-mà ê 罩衫倒 leh. In 看著真鎮靜, ká-ná mā 真滿意. 阮來, 無改變 in 啥物. 攻擊 Raymond 彼个一直看伊, 無講啥. 另外一个一遍 koh 一遍 teh 歕一支蘆竹管, kō͘ 目角注意 teh 看阮. 伊重複歕伊歕會出 ê 彼三个音調.

彼个時陣, 規个所在啥 to 無, 干焦日頭 kap 恬靜, 猶 koh 水泉 ê but 聲和彼三个音調. 落尾, Raymond kā 手伸入後壁囥銃 ê 褲袋仔, m̄-koh hiah-ê 人無振動, in 干焦互相看來看去. 我注意著, 歕品仔彼人 ê 跤指頭仔起緊張.

目睭釘牢對手, Raymond kā 我講, "我著 kā 彈無?"

我想, 我若講莫, 伊 tō 會起青狂, tō 定著會 kā 彈. 所以我干焦講:

"伊猶無講啥. 若 án-ne tō 開銃, ká-ná 真了然."

彼時, tī 深深 ê 寂靜 kap 燒熱中間, 我猶聽會著水聲 kap 品仔聲.

Raymond tō 講, "若 án-ne, 我先開喙 kā 撟, 伊若應喙, 我 tō kā 彈."

我講, "著. M̄-koh 伊若無攑刀仔出來, 你毋通開銃." Raymond 開始心狂火著. 另外彼个 Arab 人繼續歕品仔, in 兩个 lóng teh 注意 Raymond ê 每一个動作.

"莫 lah," 我 kā Raymond 講, "手銃予我, 你 kap 伊釘孤枝. 猶一个若來 chhap, a̍h 是伊抽刀仔出來, 我 tō kā 彈."

日頭光 sih 一下, 反射 Raymond 交予我 ê 銃. M̄-koh 我猶是恬恬徛 leh, 袂輸去予四箍輾轉 ê 物件束縛著. 阮, 目睭無 nih, 互相看來看去, 一切 lóng 恬去, tī 海, 沙, kap 日頭中間, iah 品仔 kap 水 mā lóng 恬去. 我理解, tī hit-lō 時陣, 你可能會彈銃 mā 可能無彈銃.

M̄-koh 忽然, Arab 人倒退, 溜對石頭後壁去. 自 án-ne, Raymond 和我越身, 行轉阮來 ê 所在. 伊 ê 面色加真好, koh 講起坐 básuh 轉去 ê 代誌.

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6.3

The Arabs were walking slowly, but they were already much closer. We didn't change our pace, but Raymond said, "If there's any trouble, Masson, you take the other one. I'll take care of my man. Meursault, if another one shows up, he's yours." I said, "Yes," and Masson put his hands in his pockets. The blazing sand looked red to me now. We moved steadily toward the Arabs. The distance between us was getting shorter and shorter. When we were just a few steps away from each other, the Arabs stopped. Masson and I slowed down. Raymond went right up to his man. I couldn't hear what he said to him, but the other guy made a move as though he were going to butt him. Then Raymond struck the first blow and called Masson right away. Masson went for the one that had been pointed out as his and hit him twice, as hard as he could. The Arab fell Aat in the water, facedown, and lay there for several seconds with bubbles bursting on the surface around his head. Meanwhile Raymond had landed one too, and the other Arab's face was bleeding. Raymond turned to me and said, "Watch this. I'm gonna let him have it now." I shouted, "Look out, he's got a knife!" But Raymond's arm had already been cut open and his mouth slashed. Masson lunged forward. But the other Arab had gotten back up and gone around behind the one with the knife. We didn't dare move. They started backing off slowly, without taking their eyes off us, keeping us at bay with the knife. When they thought they were far enough away, they took off running as fast as they could while we stood there motionless in the sun and Raymond clutched at his arm dripping with blood.

Masson immediately said there was a doctor who spent his Sundays up on the plateau. Raymond wanted to go see him right away. But every time he tried to talk the blood bubbled in his mouth. We steadied him and made our way back to the bungalow as quickly as we could. Once there, Raymond said that they were only flesh wounds and that he could make it to the doctor's. He left with Masson and I stayed to explain to the women what had happened. Madame Masson was crying and Marie was very pale. I didn't like having to explain to them, so I just shut up, smoked a cigarette, and looked at the sea.

Raymond came back with Masson around one-thirty. His arm was bandaged up and he had an adhesive plaster on the comer of his mouth. The doctor had told him that it was nothing, but Raymond looked pretty grim. Masson tried to make him laugh. But he still wouldn't say anything. When he said he was going down to the beach, I asked him where he was going. He said he wanted to get some air. Masson and I said we'd go with him. But that made him angry and he swore at us. Masson said not to argue with him. I followed him anyway.

We walked on the beach for a long time. By now the sun was overpowering. It shattered into little pieces on the sand and water. I had the impression that Raymond knew where he was going, but I was probably wrong. At the far end of the beach we finally came to a little spring running down through the sand behind a large rock. There we found our two Arabs. They were lying down, in their greasy overalls. They seemed perfectly calm and almost content. Our coming changed nothing. The one who had attacked Raymond was looking at him without saying anything. The other one was blowing through a little reed over and over again, watching us out of the comer of his eye. He kept repeating the only three notes he could get out of his instrument.

The whole time there was nothing but the sun and the silence, with the low gurgling from the spring and the three notes. Then Raymond put his hand in his hip pocket, but the others didn't move, they just kept looking at each other. I noticed that the toes on the one playing the flute were tensed. But without taking his eyes off his adversary, Raymond asked me, "Should I let him have it?" I thought that if I said no he'd get himself all worked up and shoot for sure. All I said was, "He hasn't said anything yet. It'd be pretty lousy to shoot him like that." You could still hear the sound of the water and the flute deep within the silence and the heat. Then Raymond said, "So I'll call him something and when he answers back, I'll let him have it." I answered, "Right. But if he doesn't draw his knife, you can't shoot." Raymond started getting worked up. The other Arab went on playing, and both of them were watching every move Raymond made. "No," I said to Raymond, "take him on man to man and give me your gun. If the other one moves in, or if he draws his knife, I'll let him have it."

The sun glinted off Raymond's gun as he handed it to me. But we just stood there motionless, as if everything had closed in around us. We stared at each other without blinking, and everything carne to a stop there between the sea, the sand, and the sun, and the double silence of the flute and the water. It was then that I realized that you could either shoot or not shoot. But all of a sudden, the Arabs, backing away, slipped behind the rock. So Raymond and I turned and headed back the way we'd come. He seemed better and talked about the bus back.

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