37. Ē-sái tī chia liān-khîm | 會使 tī 遮練琴

37. Ē-sái tī chia liān-khîm

Shimamura siūⁿ-tio̍h lia̍h-liông cha-bó͘ ê ōe, tō kóng, mā ē-sái tī chia liān khîm. Komako thiaⁿ tio̍h, tō khiā khí-lâi, khà tiān-ōe túiⁿ-chhù, kiò lâng kā tn̂g-koa* phō͘ hām thè-ōaⁿ ê saⁿ lóng tâng-chê the̍h lâi. [* tn̂g-koa = 長唄, tôaⁿ-khîm phōaⁿ-chhiùⁿ ê koa]

Ji̍t-sî khòaⁿ ê hit-keng chhù kám ū tiān-ōe? Shimamura tú siūⁿ tio̍h che, thâu-khak-té iū phû-chhut Yoko ê ba̍k-chiu.

"Hit-ê ko͘-niû ē sàng lâi?"

"Khó-lêng sī án-ne."

"Hit-ê hāu-seⁿ ū kā lí kòe-tiāⁿ?"

"Ai-ah. Tang-sî thiaⁿ lâng kóng ê?"

"Cha-huiⁿ."

"Koài-lâng! Thiaⁿ tio̍h tō thiaⁿ tio̍h. Cha-huiⁿ ná m̄-kóng?" M̄-koh chit-kái yi bô chhiūⁿ cha-huiⁿ pìⁿ-bīn, kan-ta chhián-chhián chhiò chi̍t-ē.

"Hit-chióng tāi-chì pháiⁿ khui-chhùi, tî-hui góa khòaⁿ lí bô."

"Kóng hit-lō khang-khak ōe. Tokyo-lâng ài pe̍h-chha̍t, chìn thó-ià!"

"Lí khòaⁿ, góa tú khui-chhùi, lí tō kóng tùi pa̍t-ūi khì." 

"Chiah bô kóng tùi pa̍t-ūi khì. Án-ne kóng, lí kā he tòng-chò chin?"

"Góa kā tòng-chò chin."

"Iū-koh pe̍h-chha̍t ah. Lí bêng-bêng bē kā he tòng-chò chin."

"Tong-jiân, góa kám-kak sió-khóa bē lí-kái. M̄-koh, ū-lâng kóng, lí sī ūi-tio̍h bī-hun-hu ê i-io̍h-hùi, chiah chhut-lâi chò gē-tòaⁿ."

"Thó-ià, bē-su sin-phài ê hì-kio̍k. Kóng goán í-keng kòe-tiāⁿ, he sī o͘-pe̍h kóng. Án-ne siūⁿ ê lâng mā ká-ná bē chió. Góa m̄-sī ūi sáng chiah chò gē-tòaⁿ, m̄-koh chò ē-kàu ê, góa mā ē chò."

"Lí ká-ná tih kóng bī-chhai neh."

"Góa kóng khah pe̍h leh. Sai-hū hoān-sè bat siūⁿ-kóng, hāu-seⁿ ē-sái hām góa chò-tīn, m̄-koh mā kan-ta sim-koaⁿ án-ne siūⁿ, chhùi to lóng m̄-bat kóng kòe. Sai-hū ê chit-chióng sim-su, hāu-seⁿ hām góa lóng sió-khóa ū kám-kak tio̍h. M̄-koh, goán nn̄g-lâng pēng bô sáⁿ-mih te̍k-pia̍t ê tāi-chì. Tō-sī án-ne niā-niā."

"Chìn hó ê gín-á phōaⁿ ah!"

--

37. 會使 tī 遮練琴

Shimamura 想著掠龍查某 ê 話, tō 講, mā 會使 tī 遮練琴. Komako 聽著, tō 徛起來, 敲電話 túiⁿ 厝, 叫人 kā tn̂g-koa* 簿和替換 ê 衫攏同齊提來. [* 長歌 = 長唄, 彈琴伴唱 ê 歌]

日時看 ê 彼間厝敢有電話? Shimamura 拄想著這, 頭殼底又浮出 Yoko ê 目睭.

"彼个姑娘會送來?"

"可能是 án-ne."

"彼个後生有 kā 你過 tiāⁿ?"

"Ai-ah. 當時聽人講 ê?"

"Cha-huiⁿ."

"怪人! 聽著 tō 聽著. Cha-huiⁿ 那毋講?" 毋過這改她無像 cha-huiⁿ pìⁿ 面, 干焦淺淺笑一下.

"彼種代誌歹開喙, 除非我看你無."

"講 hit-lō 空殼話. Tokyo 人愛白賊, 晉討厭!"

"你看, 我拄開喙, 你 tō 講對別位去." 

"才無講對別位去. Án-ne 講, 你 kā 彼當做真?"

"我 kā 當做真."

"又閣白賊 ah. 你明明袂 kā 彼當做真."

"當然, 我感覺小可袂理解. 毋過, 有人講, 你是為著未婚夫 ê 醫藥費, 才出來做藝旦."

"討厭, 袂輸新派 ê 戲劇. 講阮已經過 tiāⁿ, 彼是烏白講. Án-ne 想 ê 人 mā ká-ná 袂少. 我毋是為 sáng 才做藝旦, 毋過做會到 ê, 我 mā 會做."

"你 ká-ná tih 講謎猜 neh."

"我講較白 leh. 師傅凡勢 bat 想講, 後生會使和我做陣, 毋過 mā 干焦心肝 án-ne 想, 喙 to 攏 m̄-bat 講過. 師傅 ê 這種心思, 後生和我攏小可有感覺著. 毋過, 阮兩人並無啥物特別 ê 代誌. Tō 是 án-ne niā-niā."

"晉好 ê 囡仔伴 ah!"

--

37.

Shimamura, remembering what the masseuse had said, suggested that she practice here instead. Immediately she telephoned her house to ask for music and a change of clothes.

So the house he had seen the day before had a telephone, thought Shimamura. The eyes of the other girl, Yoko, floated into his mind.

"That girl will bring your music?" 

"She might."

"You're engaged to the son, are you?"

"Well! When did you hear that?"

"Yesterday."

"Aren't you strange? If you heard it yesterday, why didn't you tell me?" But her tone showed none of the sharpness of the day before. Today there was only a clean smile on her face.

"That son of thing would be eaSIer to talk about if I had less respect for you."

"What are you really thinking, I wonder? That's why I don't like Tokyo people."

"You're trying to change the subject. You haven't answered my question, you know."

"I'm not trying to change the subject. You really believed it?"

"I did."

"You're lying again. You didn't really."

"I couldn't quite believe all of it, as a matter of

fact. But they said you went to work as a geisha to help pay doctors' bills."

"It sounds like something out of a cheap magazine. But it's not true. I was never engaged to him. People seem to think I was, though. It wasn't to help anyone in particular that I became a geisha. But I owe a great deal to his mother, and I had to do what I could."

"You're talking in riddles."

"I'll tell you everything. Very clearly. There does seem to have been a time when his mother thought it would be a good idea for us to get married. But she only thought it. She never said a word. Both of us knew in a vague sort of way what was on her mind, but it went no farther. And that's all there is to tell."

"Childhood friends."

--

36. Yi kha-chhiú liú-lia̍h tih piàⁿ pâng-keng | 她跤手扭掠 tih 摒房間

36. Yi kha-chhiú liú-lia̍h tih piàⁿ pâng-keng

Keh-kang chá-khí, Shimamura chhéⁿ lâi, Komako í-keng ná chi̍t-ki chhiú-kut khòe tī hóe-phûn, ná tī chi̍t-pún kū cha̍p-chì āu-bīn-ia̍h o͘-pe̍h chō.

"Eh, góa m̄-túiⁿ ah. Lú-tiong ū lâi thiⁿ-hóe ah, pháiⁿ-sè kah, hāi góa kóaⁿ-kín peh khí-lâi, ji̍t-thâu í-keng pha̍k kàu thoah-mûi ah. Cha-àm chùi bâng-bâng, khùn kah chìn lo̍h-bîn."

"Kúi tiám?"

"Í-keng peh-tiám ah."

"Lâi-khì sé un-chôaⁿ, hó bô?" Shimamura peh khí-lâi.

"Boaih, tī cháu-lông ē tú-tio̍h lâng." 

Yi ká-ná oân-choân kui-ho̍k ah. Tán Shimamura sé-e̍k tún lâi ê sî, yi í-keng thâu-khak pa̍k chi̍t-tiâu kin-á, kha-chhiú liú-lia̍h tih piàⁿ pâng-keng ah.

Liân toh-á ê kha, hóe-phûn ê tûn, yi mā lóng kā chhit kòe, pê hóe-hu ê tōng-chok koh chiâⁿ se̍k-liān.

Shimamura kā kha chhun ji̍p phōe-lô͘, chheng-chheng êng-êng tih pok-hun. Hun-sái lak-lo̍h ê sî, Komako tō iōng chhiú-kin-á kā chhit-tiāu, koh khì the̍h chi̍t-ê hun khok-á lâi. Shimamura sim-hoe khui tih chhiò. Komako mā chhiò chhut-lâi.

"Lí nā-sī khiā-ke liáu, lín ang tiāⁿ-tio̍h chhêng-chāi hō͘ lí mē."

"Bô sáⁿ hó mē ê lah. Lâng lóng chhiò kóng, góa liân boeh sé ê saⁿ mā chih hó-hó, he sī góa ê pún-sèng lah."

"Ū-lâng kóng, khòaⁿ saⁿ-á-kūi lāi-té, tō chai chit-ê cha-bó͘ ê sèng-keh ah."

Pâng-keng lāi-té chhiong-móa ji̍t-kuiⁿ, sio-ho-ho, siang-lâng tih chia̍h-pūiⁿ.

"Chiâⁿ hó-thiⁿ. Góa khah chá lâi túiⁿ, thang-hó liān khîm. Chit-khoán thiⁿ, im-sek mā bô kāng."

Komako gia̍h-thâu khòaⁿ chheng-lóng ê thiⁿ.

Hūiⁿ soaⁿ ê seh jiû kah ná gû-leng, khòaⁿ-tio̍h ká-ná tà ian-bū. 

--

36. 她跤手扭掠 tih 摒房間

隔工早起, Shimamura 醒來, Komako 已經 ná 一支手骨 khòe tī 火盆, ná tī 一本舊雜誌後面頁烏白皂.

"Eh, 我毋 túiⁿ ah. 女中有來添火 ah, 歹勢 kah, 害我趕緊 peh 起來, 日頭已經曝到挩 mûi ah. 昨暗醉茫茫, 睏 kah 晉落眠."

"幾點?"

"已經八點 ah."

"來去洗溫泉, 好無?" Shimamura peh 起來.

"Boaih, tī 走廊會拄著人." 

她 ká-ná 完全歸服 ah. 等 Shimamura 洗浴 tún 來 ê 時, 她已經頭殼縛一條巾仔, 跤手扭掠 tih 摒房間 ah.

連桌仔 ê 跤, 火盆 ê 唇, 她 mā 攏 kā 拭過, 耙火 hu ê 動作 koh 誠熟練.

Shimamura kā 跤伸入被爐, 清清閒閒 tih 噗薰. 薰屎 lak 落 ê 時, Komako tō 用手巾仔 kā 拭掉, koh 去提一个薰 khok-á 來. Shimamura 心花開 tih 笑. Komako mā 笑出來.

"你若是徛家了, 恁尪定著 chhêng 在予你罵."

"無啥好罵 ê lah. 人攏笑講, 我連欲洗 ê 衫 mā 摺好好, 彼是我 ê 本性 lah."

"有人講, 看衫仔櫃內底, tō 知這个查某 ê 性格 ah."

房間內底充滿日 kuiⁿ, 燒熇熇, 雙人 tih 食 pūiⁿ.

"誠好天. 我較早來 túiⁿ, 通好練琴. 這款天, 音色 mā 無仝."

Komako 攑頭看清朗 ê 天.

Hūiⁿ 山 ê 雪柔 kah ná 牛奶, 看著 ká-ná 罩煙霧. 

--

36.

Her elbow against the brazier, Komako was scribbling something on the back of an old magazine when Shimamura awoke the next morning.

"I can't go home. I jumped up when the maid came to bring charcoal, but it was already broad daylight. The sun was shining in on the door. I was a little drunk last night, and I slept too well."

"What time is it?"

"It's already eight."

"Let's go have a bath." Shimamura got out of bed. "I can't. Someone might see me in the hall."

She was completely tamed. When Shimamura came back from the bath, he found her industriously cleaning the room, a kerchief draped artistically over her head.

She had polished the legs of the table and the edge of the brazier almost too carefully, and sh{ stirred up the charcoal with a practiced hand.

Shimamura sat idly smoking, his feet in the kotatsu. When the ashes dropped from his cigarette Komako took them up in a handkerchief and brought him an ashtray. He laughed, a bright morning laugh. Komako laughed too.

"If you had a husband, you'd spend all your time scolding him."

"I would not. But I'd be laughed at for folding up even my dirty clothes. I can't help it. That's the way I am."

"They say you can tell everything about a woman by looking inside her dresser drawers."

"What a beautiful day." They were having breakfast, and the morning sun flooded the room. "I should have gone home early to practice the samisen. The sound is different on a day like this." She looked up at the crystal-clear sky.

The snow on the distant mountains was soft and creamy, as if veiled in a faint smoke.

--

35. Peh--goe̍h, in-ūi sîn-keng soe-jio̍k | 八月, 因為神經衰弱

35. Peh--goe̍h, in-ūi sîn-keng soe-jio̍k

Āu lâi, yi khin-siaⁿ khai-sí kóng, peh-goe̍h hūn, in-ūi sîn-keng soe-jio̍k, kúi-kò-goe̍h êng-êng bô tāi-chì.

"Góa kiaⁿ-e ē khí-siáu. M̄-chai án-nóa, góa piàⁿ-miā tih siūⁿ, m̄-koh lóng siūⁿ bē thong, liân ka-tī mā siūⁿ-bô. He chiâⁿ khó-phà. Chi̍t tiap-á to khùn bē khì. Kan-ta khì iàn-hōe ê sî, chiah khah chiâⁿ-iūⁿ. Góa chò chióng-chióng ê bāng. Pūiⁿ mā chia̍h bē hó-sè. Joa̍h-thiⁿ-sî, góa gia̍h thâu-mo͘ chiam chhak tatami, chhak lo̍h koh thiu chhut-lâi, thiu liáu koh chhak, bô chi̍t-sî thêng."

"Kúi--goe̍h chhut-lâi chò gē-tòaⁿ ê?"

"La̍k--goe̍h. Nā-bô, hoān-sè góa taⁿ í-keng tī Hamamatsu (浜松) ah."

"Khì hia khiā-ke?"

Komako tìm-thâu. Yi kóng, Hamamatsu hit-ê cha-po͘-lâng tiu-tiu tîⁿ boeh hām yi kiat-hun, m̄-koh yi pēng bô kah-ì i, chin khùn-jiáu.

"Nā bô kah-ì, ná ē khùn-jiáu?"

"M̄-sī án-ne kóng."

"Kiat-hun ū hiah bê-lâng oh?"

"Thó-ià! M̄-sī án-ne lah. Nā bô kā sin-piⁿ ê mi̍h-kiāⁿ an-pâi thò-tòng, góa sī bē hòng-sim ê lah."

"Hmh."

"Lí ê lâng chhìn-chhìn chhái-chhái."

"M̄-koh, lí hām Hamamatsu hit-ê cha-po͘ ū sáⁿ koan-hē?"

"Nā ū, tō bē khùn-jiáu ah-lah." Komako kian-sim kóng. "M̄-koh i kóng, góa nā tī chia, i tō m̄-chún góa hām pa̍t-lâng kiat-hun. Bô-lūn án-nóa, i lóng boeh kă phò-hoāi."

"Chia lī Hamamatsu hiah hūiⁿ, lí ná tio̍h hoân-ló he?"

Komako tiām chi̍t-khùn, tó tī hia hiáng-siū ka-tī hûn-su ê sio-ho. Hut-leh koh nauh chi̍t-kù:

"Hit-chūn góa siūⁿ-kóng ū-sin ah. Heh, heh. Taⁿ koh siūⁿ khí-lâi, chiâⁿ hó-chhiò. Heh, heh, heh."

Ná án-ne chhiò, yi hûn-su kiu-kiu, siang-chhiú tēⁿ tī Shimamura ê saⁿ-á-niá, ná-chhiūⁿ chi̍t-ê gín-á.

Yi he ba̍k-chiu-mo͘ cha̍t koh ba̍t, kheh-kheh ê sî khòaⁿ-tio̍h ká-ná sī ba̍k-chiu sió-khóa peh-khui. 

--

35. 八月, 因為神經衰弱

後來, 她輕聲開始講, 八月份, 因為神經衰弱, 幾個月閒閒無代誌.

"我驚 e 會起痟. 毋知 án-nóa, 我拚命 tih 想, 毋過攏想袂通, 連家治 mā 想無. 彼誠可怕. Chi̍t-tiap-á to 睏袂去. 干焦去宴會 ê 時, 才較成樣. 我做種種 ê 夢. Pūiⁿ mā 食袂好勢. 熱天時, 我攑頭毛簪鑿 tatami, 鑿落 koh 抽出來, 抽了 koh 鑿, 無一時停."

"幾月出來做藝旦 ê?"

"六月. 若無, 凡勢我今已經 tī Hamamatsu (浜松) ah."

"去遐徛家?"

Komako tìm 頭. 她講, Hamamatsu 彼个查埔人 tiu-tiu 纏欲和她結婚, 毋過她並無佮意伊, 真困擾.

"若無佮意, 那會困擾?"

"毋是 án-ne 講."

"結婚有 hiah 迷人 oh?"

"討厭! 毋是 án-ne lah. 若無 kā 身邊 ê 物件安排妥當, 我是袂放心 ê lah."

"Hmh."

"你 ê 人凊凊彩彩."

"毋過, 你和 Hamamatsu 彼个查埔有啥關係?"

"若有, tō 袂困擾 ah-lah." Komako 堅心講. "毋過伊講, 我若 tī 遮, 伊 tō 毋准我和別人結婚. 無論 án-nóa, 伊攏欲 kă 破壞."

"遮離 Hamamatsu hiah hūiⁿ, 你那著煩惱 he?"

Komako 恬一睏, 倒 tī 遐享受家治魂軀 ê 燒熇. 忽 leh koh nauh 一句:

"彼陣我想講有身 ah. Heh, heh. 今 koh 想起來, 誠好笑. Heh, heh, heh."

Ná án-ne 笑, 她魂軀勼勼, 雙手捏 tī Shimamura ê 衫仔領, ná 像一个囡仔.

她 he 目睭毛 cha̍t koh 密, 瞌瞌 ê 時看著 ká-ná 是目睭小可擘開. 

--

35.

All through August she had been near nervous collapse, she told him quietly.

"I thought I'd go mad. I kept brooding over something, and I didn't know myself what it was. It was terrifying. I couldn't sleep. I kept myself under control only when I went out to a party. I had all sorts of dreams, and I lost my appetite. I would sit there jabbing at the floor for hours on end, all through the hottest part of the day."

"When did you first go out as a geisha?"

"In June. I thought for a while I might go to Hamamatsu."

"Get married?"

She nodded. The man had been after her to marry him, but she couldn't like him. She had had great trouble deciding what to do.

"But if you didn't like him, what were you so undecided about?"

"It's not that simple."

"Marriage has so much charm?"

"Don't be nasty. It's more that 1 want to have everything around me tidy and in order." Shimamura grunted.

"You're not a very satisfying person, you know." "Was there something between you and the

man from Hamamatsu?"

She flung out her answer: "If there had been, do you think 1 would have hesitated? But he said that as long as 1 stayed here, he wouldn't let me marry anyone else. He said he would do everything possible to stand in the way."

"But what could he do from as far away as Hamamatsu? You worried about that?"

Komako stretched out for a time, enjoying the warmth of her body. When she spoke again, her tone was quite casual. "I thought 1 was pregnant." She giggled. "It seems ridiculous when 1 look back on it now."

She curled up like a little child, and grabbed at the neck of his kimono with her two fists.

The rich eyelashes again made him think that her eyes were half open.

--

34.Yi í-keng sió-khóa chùi | 她已經小可醉

34. Yi í-keng sió-khóa chùi

Nā koh tú-tio̍h Komako, khí-thâu tō kā kóng "bô-chhái kang", Shimamura án-ne siūⁿ. M̄-koh, tùi i lâi kóng, Komako ê chûn-chāi hō͘ i kám-kak koh-khah sûn-kiat.

Shimamura tiām-tiām tih siūⁿ: tī che hi-ké ê bâ-pì lāi-té, phīⁿ ē-tio̍h bô liâm-thí ê hûi-hiám. Lia̍h-liông cha-bó͘ túiⁿ liáu-āu, i chhìn-chhái tó lo̍h-lâi, kám-kak sim-thâu ná ē liâng-liâng, chù-ì khòaⁿ, goân-lâi thang-á-mûi khui-khui. 

Tī soaⁿ-kheⁿ ji̍t-lo̍h khah chá, hông-hun í-keng léng-sih-sih lâi kàu. Àm-hun tiong, soaⁿ-téng ê seh iáu pha̍k-tio̍h se-chiò-ji̍t ê hūiⁿ-soaⁿ, ká-ná hut-leh óa-kīn lâi. 

Chiām-chiām, in-ūi soaⁿ hām soaⁿ ê hūiⁿ-kīn koân-kē, ka-chhim liáu ta̍k-iân ê im-iáⁿ, kan-ta soaⁿ-bóe-liu iáu ū tām-tām ê ji̍t-hoe, soaⁿ-téng seh ní chi̍t-phiàn âng-hê.

Sì sòaⁿ tī chng-kha ê khe-hōaⁿ, chhu-seh tiûⁿ, sîn-siā téng-téng só͘-chāi ê sam-á-nâ, lóng o͘ khâm-khâm phû-hiān chhut-lâi.

Shimamura tîm tī khang-hi hām ut-chut, chit-sî Komako ji̍p lâi, ká-ná un-loán ê kuiⁿ. 

Yi kóng, kheh-chàn kí-pān hōe-gī, thó-lūn gêng-chiap chhu-seh kheh ê tāi-chì, yi sī lâi chham-ka hōe-āu ê iàn-hōe. Kiu-ji̍p phōe-lô͘, yi hiông-hiông lâi-hôe so Shimamura ê bīn.

"E-àm lí bīn pe̍h-pe̍h. Chiâⁿ kî-koài."

Án-ne liáu, yi koh tēⁿ he núi-núi ê chhùi-phé bah, ká-ná boeh kā liàm khí-lâi, kóng:

"Lí si̍t-chāi chìn gōng."

Yi í-keng sió-khóa chùi. Iàn-hōe liáu, yi chi̍t ji̍p-lâi tō hoah kóng:

"M̄-chai. Lóng m̄-chai lah. Thâu-thiàⁿ, thâu thiàⁿ lah! Ah, kan-khó͘, chin kan-khó͘ lah!" Tó tī se-chng tâi thâu-chêng, hiàn-chhut chi̍t-ê hó-chhiò ê chiú-chùi bīn:

"Góa boeh lim chúi, the̍h chúi hō͘ góa."

Komako siang-chhiú om bīn, thán-chhiò tó lo̍h, bô koán thâu-chang-kòe ē teh pháiⁿ. Kòe chi̍t-ē-á, iū chē khí-lâi, iōng léng-song kā pe̍h-hún chhit tiāu, hiàn-chhut âng-gê ê bīn-phôe, ka-tī mā hoaⁿ-hí kah chhiò gi-gi. Kóng mā kî-koài, chit-kái chiú-chùi chhéⁿ liáu chìn kín. Yi ê keng-thâu chùn chi̍t-ē, ká-ná ē kôaⁿ.

--

34. 她已經小可醉

若 koh 拄著 Komako, 起頭 tō kā 講 "無彩工", Shimamura án-ne 想. 毋過, 對伊來講, Komako ê 存在予伊感覺閣較純潔.

Shimamura 恬恬 tih 想: tī 這虛假 ê 麻痺內底, 鼻會著無廉恥 ê 危險. 掠龍查某 túiⁿ 了後, 伊凊彩倒落來, 感覺心頭那會涼涼, 注意看, 原來窗仔 mûi 開開. 

Tī 山坑日落較早, 黃昏已經冷 sih-sih 來到. 暗分中, 山頂 ê 雪猶曝著西照日 ê hūiⁿ 山, ká-ná 忽 leh 倚近來. 

漸漸, 因為山和山 ê hūiⁿ 近懸低, 加深了逐沿 ê 陰影, 干焦山尾溜猶有淡淡 ê 日花, 山頂雪染一遍紅霞.

四散 tī 庄跤 ê 溪岸, 趨雪場, 神社等等所在 ê 杉仔林, 攏烏 khâm-khâm 浮現出來.

Shimamura 沉 tī 空虛和鬱卒, 這時 Komako 入來, ká-ná 溫暖 ê kuiⁿ. 

她講, 客棧舉辦會議, 討論迎接趨雪客 ê 代誌, 她是來參加會後 ê 宴會. 勼入被爐, 她雄雄來回挲 Shimamura ê 面.

"下暗你面白白. 誠奇怪."

Án-ne 了, 她 koh 捏 he núi-núi ê 喙 phé 肉, ká-ná 欲 kā 捻起來, 講:

"你實在晉戇."

她已經小可醉. 宴會了, 她一入來 tō 喝講:

"毋知. 攏毋知 lah. 頭疼, 頭疼 lah! Ah, 艱苦, 真艱苦 lah!" 倒 tī 梳妝台頭前, 現出一个好笑 ê 酒醉面:

"我欲啉水, 提水予我."

Komako 雙手 om 面, 坦笑倒落, 無管頭鬃髻會硩歹. 過一下仔, 又坐起來, 用冷霜 kā 白粉拭掉, 現出紅牙 ê 面皮, 家治 mā 歡喜 kah 笑 gi-gi. 講 mā 奇怪, 這改酒醉醒了晉緊. 她 ê 肩頭顫一下, ká-ná 會寒.

--

34.

He would accost her with this fact, he would drive it home, when he saw her again, he said to himself; and yet her existence seemed to have become purer and cleaner for this new bit of knowledge.

Aware of a shameful danger lurking in his numbed sense of the false and empty, he lay concentrating on it, trying to feel it, for some time after the masseuse left. He was chilled to the pit of his stomach-but someone had left the windows wide open.

The color of evening had already fallen on the mountain valley, early buried in shadows. Out of the dusk the distant mountains, still reflecting the light of the evening sun, seemed to have come much nearer.

Presently, as the mountain chasms were far and near, high and low, the shadows in them began to deepen, and the sky was red over the snowy mountains, bathed now in but a wan light.

Cedar groves stood out darkly by the river bank, at the ski ground, around the shrine.

Like a warm light, Komako poured in on the empty wretchedness that had assailed Shimamura. There was a meeting at the inn to discuss plans for the ski season. She had been called in for the pany afterwards. She put her hands into the kotatsu, then quickly reached up and stroked Shimamura's cheek.

"You're pale this evening. Very strange." She clutched at the soft flesh of his cheek as if to tear it away. "Aren't you the foolish one, though." 

She already seemed a little drunk. When she came back from the party she collapsed before the mirror, and drunkenness came out on her face to almost comic effect. "I know nothing about it. Nothing. My head aches. I feel terrible. Terrible. I want a drink. Give me water."

She pressed both hands to her face and tumbled over with little concern for her carefully dressed hair. Presently she brought herself up again and began cleaning away the thick powder with cold cream. The face underneath was a brilliant red. She was quite delighted with herself. To Shimamura it was astonishing that drunkenness could pass so quickly. Her shoulders were shaking from the cold.

--

33. Thiaⁿ-kóng í-keng kòe-tiāⁿ ah | 聽講已經過定 ah

33. Thiaⁿ-kóng í-keng kòe-tiāⁿ ah

Shimamura hòⁿ-kî, chheⁿ-mê lâng khòaⁿ-tio̍h ká-ná khah siàu-liân, kóng:

"Góa khak-tēng, lí sè-hàn bat liān kòe."

"Chhiú sui-bóng tih kâng lia̍h-liông, m̄-koh góa ê hīⁿ-khang iáu chin lāi. Gē-tòaⁿ ê samisen tôaⁿ kah chit-lō khoán, thiaⁿ tio̍h kiâng boeh lún bē tiâu. Sī ah, tō ná-chhiūⁿ hit-tong-sî ê góa neh." Án-ne kóng liáu, yi koh chù-ì thiaⁿ:

"Ká-ná sī Izutsuya (井筒屋) ê Fumi Chan tih tôaⁿ. Siāng-hó ê hām siāng-bái ê siāng hó hun-pia̍t."

"Mā ū gâu tôaⁿ ê?"

"Ū chi̍t-ê kiò Komako ê ko͘-niû, sui-bóng siàu-liân, chín í-keng sī se̍k-chhiú ah-lah."

"Chin-ê?"

"Thâu-ke San, lí kám bat yi? Sui-bóng gâu tôaⁿ, m̄-koh sī tī chit-ê soaⁿ-chng lâi kóng ê."

 "Bô, m̄-bat. Cha-àm yin sai-hū ê hāu-seⁿ tún lâi, góa hām i kāng chhia."

"Oh? Sin-thé hó ah, chiah tún lâi hioh?"

"Khòaⁿ khí-lâi m̄-sī án-ne."

"Hăⁿ? Thiaⁿ-kóng yin hāu-seⁿ tī Tokyo pēⁿ chìn kú, Komako ko͘-niû chiah tio̍h chū joa̍h--lâng chhut-lâi chò gē-tòaⁿ, hù pēⁿ-īⁿ ê chîⁿ, m̄-chai āu-lâi án-nóa ah?"

"Hit-ê Komako hioh?"

"Sī ah, sui-bóng kan-ta kòe-tiāⁿ niâ, mā tio̍h chīn-liāng tàu chhut-la̍t, kú-tn̂g lâi..."

"Kòe-tiāⁿ ah, kám chin ê?"

"Sī ah. Thiaⁿ-kóng í-keng kòe-tiāⁿ ah. Góa bô chin chheng-chhó, sī lâng án-ne kóng ê."

Tī un-chôaⁿ kheh-chàn thiaⁿ lia̍h-liông cha-bó͘ kóng gē-tòaⁿ ê sin-sè chin sù-siông, in-ūi sù-siông, tian-tò ì-gōa. Komako ūi tio̍h bī-hun-hu chiah chhut-lâi chò gē-tòaⁿ, pún-chiâⁿ mā sī sù-siông ê tāi-chì, m̄-koh Shimamura tō sī kám-kak bē sóng. Che tāi-khài sī hām tō-tek koan-liām sio tùi-ke̍h ê iân-kò͘ lah.

I goân-pún siūⁿ boeh ke thiaⁿ chi̍t-kóa, m̄-koh lia̍h-liông--ê tiām khì ah.

Komako sī yin sai-hū hāu-seⁿ ê bī-hun-chhe, Yoko sī i ê sin ài-jîn, iah i iū pēⁿ kah tit-boeh sí ah, Shimamura ê thâu-khak lāi iū phû chhut "bô-chhái kang" chit-ê jī-gán. Komako chun-siú hun-in ê iak-sok iā-hó, bē-sin lâi ūi i liâu-iáng iā-hó, che it-chhè m̄-sī bô-chhái kang, sī sáⁿ?

--

33. 聽講已經過定 ah

Shimamura 好奇, 青盲人看著 ká-ná 較少年, 講:

"我確定, 你細漢 bat 練過."

"手雖罔 tih kâng 掠龍, 毋過我 ê 耳空猶真利. 藝旦 ê samisen 彈 kah chit-lō 款, 聽著 kiâng 欲 lún 袂牢. 是 ah, tō ná 像彼當時 ê 我 neh." Án-ne 講了, 她 koh 注意聽:

"Ká-ná 是 Izutsuya (井筒屋) ê Fumi Chan tih 彈. 上好 ê 和上䆀 ê 上好分別."

"Mā 有 gâu 彈 ê?"

"有一个叫 Komako ê 姑娘, 雖罔少年, chín 已經是熟手 ah-lah."

"真 ê?"

"頭家 San, 你敢捌她? 雖罔 gâu 彈, 毋過是 tī 這个山庄來講 ê."

 "無, 毋捌. 昨暗姻師傅 ê 後生 tún 來, 我和伊仝車."

"Oh? 身體好 ah, 才 tún 來 hioh?"

"看起來毋是 án-ne."

"Ha̋ⁿ? 聽講姻後生 tī Tokyo 病晉久, Komako 姑娘才著 chū 熱--人出來做藝旦, 付病院 ê 錢, 毋知後來 án-nóa ah?"

"彼个 Komako hioh?"

"是 ah, 雖罔干焦 kòe-tiāⁿ niâ, mā 著盡 liāng 鬥出力, 久長來..."

"Kòe 定 ah, 敢真 ê?"

"是 ah. 聽講已經過定 ah. 我無真清楚, 是人 án-ne 講 ê."

Tī 溫泉客棧聽掠龍查某講藝旦 ê 身世真四常, 因為四常, 顛倒意外. Komako 為著未婚夫才出來做藝旦, 本成 mā 是四常 ê 代誌, 毋過 Shimamura tō 是感覺袂爽. 這大概是和道德觀念相對 ke̍h ê 緣故 lah.

伊原本想欲加聽一寡, 毋過掠龍 ê 恬去 ah.

Komako 是姻師傅後生 ê 未婚妻, Yoko 是伊 ê 新愛人, iah 伊又病 kah 得欲死 ah, Shimamura ê 頭殼內又浮出 "無彩工" 這个字眼. Komako 遵守婚姻 ê iak 束也好, 賣身來為伊療 iáng 也好, 這一切毋是無彩工, 是啥?

--

33.

Did all blind people look younger than they were? Shimamura wondered.

"But if you learn when you're young, you never forget."

"My hands have changed from qoing this sort of work, but my ear is still good. It makes me very impatient to hear them playing. But then I suppose I felt impatient at my own playing when I was young." She listened for a time. "Fumi at the Izutsuya, maybe. The best ones and the worst are the easiest to tell."

"There are good ones?"

"Komako is very good. She's young, but she's improved a great deal lately."

"Really?"

"You know her, don't you? I say she's good, but you have to remember that our standards here in the mountains are not very high."

"I don't really know her. I was on the train with the music teacher's son last night, though."

"He's well again?"

"Apparently not."

"Oh? He's been sick for a long time in Tokyo,

and they say it was to help pay the doctors' bills that Komako became a geisha last summer. I wonder if it did any good."

"Komako, you say?"

"They were only engaged. But I suppose you

feel better afterwards if you've done everything you can."

"She was engaged to him?"

"So they say. I don't really know, but that's the rumor."

It was almost too ordinary a thing to hear gossip about geisha from the hot-spring masseuse, and that fact had the perverse effect of making the news the more startling; and Komako's having become a geisha to help her fiance was so ordinary a bit of melodrama that he found himself almost refusing to accept it. Perhaps certain moral considerations-questions of the propriety of selling oneself as a geisha-helped the refusal.

Shimamura was beginning to think he would like to go deeper into the story, but the masseuse was silent.

If Komako was the man's fiancee, and Yoko was his new lover, and the man was going to die-the expression "wasted effort" again came into Shimamura's mind. For Komako thus to guard her promise to the end, for her even to sell herself to pay doctors' bills-what was it if not wasted effort?

--

32. Che samisen sī sáng tôaⁿ ê? | 這 samisen 是 sáng 彈 ê?

32. Che samisen sī sáng tôaⁿ ê?

"Sī án-ne oh. Lí kiâⁿ che kiā-lō͘, ē chhu tó bô?"

"Nā lo̍h-hō͘, goán chă-kiáⁿ ē lâi chhōa. Àm-sî góa kā chng lih ê lâng lia̍h-liông, bē lâi chia. Kheh-chàn ê lú-tiong chhêng-chāi chhiò kóng, sī goán thâu-ke m̄-hŏa chhut-lâi, bô hoat-tō͘ ah!"

"Gín-á lóng tōa-hàn ah hioh?"

"Sī ah. Tōa cha-bó͘-kiáⁿ cha̍p-saⁿ hòe." Yi ná kóng, lâi kàu pâng-keng, tiām-tiām kā lia̍h chi̍t-khùn, jiân-āu khi-thâu thiaⁿ he ùi tatami-pâng thoân lâi ê samisen khîm-siaⁿ.

"Sī sáng tih tôaⁿ ah?"

"Thiaⁿ samisen ê siaⁿ, lí ē chai sī tá chi̍t-ê gē-tòaⁿ?"

"Ū-ê thiaⁿ ē chhut, thiaⁿ bē chhut ê mā ū. Thâu-ke San, lí ê chhut-sin tiāⁿ-tio̍h chiâⁿ hó, hûn-su ê kin-bah chiâⁿ jiû-núi."

"Kám bē ngē-chiaⁿ?"

"Ngē-chiaⁿ, ām-kún kin sió-khóa ngē-chiaⁿ. M̄-koh hûn-su sù-thīn, bē pûi bē sán. Lí bô lim-chiú hoⁿh?"

"Lí chiâⁿ chheng-chhó neh."

"Hām Thâu-ke San kāng hêng-thé ê lâng-kheh, góa bat saⁿ ê."

"Che sī chin phó͘-thong ê hêng-thé mah."

"Boeh án-nóa kóng? Bô lim-chiú tō bô chin-chiàⁿ ê thiòng-lo̍k, lim-chiú ē-tàng kái iu-chiû ah."

"Lín thâu-ke ū lim-chhiú hoⁿh?"

"Lim kah chiâⁿ hāi...

"Che kē-lō͘ ê samisen sī sáng tôaⁿ ê?"

"Hm."

"Lí mā ē-hiáu tôaⁿ hoⁿh?"

"Tio̍h. Ùi káu-hòe o̍h kàu jī-cha̍p. Chū-chiông ū thâu-ke, í-keng cha̍p-gō͘-tang bô tôaⁿ ah."

--

32. 這 samisen 是 sáng 彈 ê?

"是 án-ne oh. 你行這崎路, 會趨倒無?"

"若落雨, 阮 chă 囝會來 chhōa. 暗時我 kā 庄 lih ê 人掠龍, 袂來遮. 客棧 ê 女中 chhêng 在笑講, 是阮頭家 m̄-hŏa 出來, 無法度 ah!"

"囡仔攏大漢 ah hioh?"

"是 ah. 大查某囝十三歲." 她 ná 講, 來到房間, 恬恬 kā 掠一睏, 然後 khi 頭聽彼 ùi tatami 房傳來 ê samisen 琴聲.

"是 sáng tih 彈 ah?"

"聽 samisen ê 聲, 你會知是 tá 一个藝旦?"

"有 ê 聽會出, 聽袂出 ê mā 有. 頭家 San, 你 ê 出身定著誠好, 魂軀 ê 筋肉誠柔 núi."

"敢袂硬 chiaⁿ?"

"硬 chiaⁿ, 頷頸筋小可硬 chiaⁿ. 毋過魂軀四伨, 袂肥袂瘦. 你無啉酒 hoⁿh?"

"你誠清楚 neh."

"和頭家 San 仝形體 ê 人客, 我 bat 三个."

"這是真普通 ê 形體 mah."

"欲 án-nóa 講? 無啉酒 tō 無真正 ê 暢樂, 啉酒會當解憂愁 ah."

"恁頭家有啉酒 hoⁿh?"

"啉 kah 誠害...

"這低路 ê samisen 是 sáng 彈 ê?"

"Hm."

"你 mā 會曉彈 hoⁿh?"

"著. Ùi 九歲學到二十. 自從有頭家, 已經十五冬無彈 ah."

--

32.

"You don't find the road a little slippery?" 

"When it rains my daughter comes to call for me. At night I take care of the people in the village, and never come up this far. The maids at the inn are always joking and saying its because my husband won't let me go out at night."

 "Your children are growing up?"

"The oldest girl is twelve." They had reached Shimamura's room, and they were silent for a time as the massaging began. The sound of a samisen came to them from the distance.

"Who would that be, I wonder."

<lyou can always tell which geisha it is by the tone?"

" I can tell some of them. Some I can't. You must not have to work. Feel how nice and soft you are."

"No stiff muscles on me."

"A little stiff here at the base of the neck. But you're just right, not too fat and not too thin. And you don't drink, do you?"

"You can tell that?"

"I have three other customers with physiques exactly like yours."

"A common sort of physique."

"But when you don't drink, you don't know what it is really to enjoy yourself-to forget everything that happens."

"Your husband drinks, does he?"

"Much too much."

"But whoever it is, she's not much of a mUSl-

cian."

"Very poor indeed."

"Do you play yourself?"

"I did when I was young. From the time I was eight till I was nineteen. I haven't played in fifteen years now. Not since I was married."

--

31. Ē-sái kā góa lia̍h-liông bô? | 會使 kā 我掠龍無?

31. Ē-sái kā góa lia̍h-liông bô?

M̄-koh, Yoko kan-ta sut-leh kā Shimamura lió chi̍t-ē, sáⁿ lóng bô kóng tō kiâⁿ kòe thô͘-keng. 

Shimamura kiâⁿ kàu gōa-bīn, m̄-koh Yoko ê gán-sîn ká-ná iáu tī i ê ba̍k-chiu chêng siám-sih. He ná-chhiūⁿ hūiⁿ-hūiⁿ ê teng-hóe léng-léng. Sī án-nóa ē án-ne? Tāi-khài sī in-ūi siūⁿ tio̍h cha-àm ê ìn-siōng. Cha-àm Shimamura khòaⁿ tio̍h Yoko ê bīn phû-hiān tī chhia-thang po-lê, iá-gōa ê teng-hóe siám kòe, teng-hóe hām yi ê ba̍k-chiu sio-tha̍h, bî-bî siám-kuiⁿ, súi kah kóng-bē-chhut, sim-koaⁿ siū tio̍h kám-tōng. Chi̍t-ē siūⁿ tio̍h che, i mā siūⁿ tio̍h Komako phû-chhut tī kiàⁿ lāi-té bâng-bâng pe̍h-seh tiong-kan ê âng bīn.

Chū án-ne, Shimamura ta̍h kín kha-pō͘. Sui-jiân sī pe̍h-pe̍h bah-bah ê kha, hèng-chhù peh-soaⁿ ê Shimamura, ná kiâⁿ ná khòaⁿ soaⁿ, sim-sîn hóng-hut, bô-ì-tiong kha-pō͘ mā piàn kín. Lio̍h-lio̍h-á tō sit-sîn ê i, bô hoat-tō͘ siang-sìn, he chiò hông-hun kéng-tì ê kiàⁿ, hām he chiò chá-khí seh-kéng ê kiàⁿ, kèng-jiân sī jîn-kang ê mi̍h-kiāⁿ. He kám m̄-sī chū-jiân ê mi̍h-kiāⁿ? He tiāⁿ-tio̍h sī sio̍k-tī iâu-oán sè-kài ê mi̍h-kiāⁿ.

Tō liân tú-chiah lī-khui ê Komako ê pâng-keng, mā ká-ná sī sio̍k-tī iâu-oán ê sè-kài. Shimamura ka-tī mā tng-tih tio̍h-kiaⁿ, peh kàu kiā téng ê sî, chi̍t-ê lia̍h-liông cha-bó͘ kiâⁿ lâi. I ká-ná lia̍h tio̍h sáⁿ-hoàiⁿⁿ, hoah-siaⁿ kóng:

"Àn-mô͘ sai, ē-sái kā góa lia̍h-liông bô?"

"Tán chi̍t-ē. Taⁿ kúi-tiám ah?" yi kā tek-koái gia̍p tī kòe-lâng-kha, chiàⁿ-chhiú ùi io-tòa the̍h chhut chi̍t-ê ū-kòa ê sî-pió-á, ná iōng tò-chhiú chéng-thâu-á bong jī-pôaⁿ, ná kóng: "Nn̄g-tiám saⁿ-cha̍p-gō͘ hun, saⁿ-tiám-pòaⁿ góa tio̍h kàu chhia-thâu hit-pêng khì, m̄-koh sió bān chi̍t-ē mā bô iàu-kín."

"Lí ē-tàng tha̍k pió-á ê sî-kan neh."

"Sī ah, in-ūi góa kā po-lê pak-tiāu ah."

"Iōng bong ê tō chai téng-bīn ê jī?"

"M̄-sī bong jī, m̄-koh..." yi ná kóng, koh ná kā hit-ê tùi cha-bó͘ lâi kóng siuⁿ tōa ê gîn sî-pió-á the̍h chhut-lâi, kòa phah-khui, iōng chéng-thâu-á ji̍h hō͘ Shimamura khòaⁿ: Chia sī cha̍p-jī-tiám, chia la̍k-tiám, tiong-ng saⁿ-tiám. "Iōng án-ne hun-koah, sui-jiân m̄-sī chi̍t-hun to bô chha, m̄-koh mā bē cháu-cheng chhiau-kòe nn̄g-hun."

--

31. 會使 kā 我掠龍無?

毋過, Yoko 干焦 sut-leh kā Shimamura 瞭一下, 啥攏無講 tō 行過塗間. 

Shimamura 行到外面, 毋過 Yoko ê 眼神 ká-ná 猶 tī 伊 ê 目睭前閃爍. 彼 ná 像 hūiⁿ-hūiⁿ ê 燈火冷冷. 是 án-nóa 會 án-ne? 大概是因為想著昨暗 ê 印象. 昨暗 Shimamura 看著 Yoko ê 面浮現 tī 車窗玻璃, 野外 ê 燈火閃過, 燈火和她 ê 目睭相疊, 微微閃 kuiⁿ, 媠 kah 講袂出, 心肝受著感動. 一下想著這, 伊 mā 想著 Komako 浮出 tī 鏡內底茫茫白雪中間 ê 紅面.

自 án-ne, Shimamura 踏緊跤步. 雖然是白白肉肉 ê 跤, 興趣 peh 山 ê Shimamura, ná 行 ná 看山, 心神恍惚, 無意中跤步 mā 變緊. 略略仔 tō 失神 ê 伊, 無法度相信, 彼照黃昏景致 ê 鏡, 和彼照早起雪景 ê 鏡, 竟然是人工 ê 物件. 彼敢毋是自然 ê 物件? 彼定著是屬 tī 遙遠世界 ê 物件.

Tō 連拄才離開 ê Komako ê 房間, mā ká-ná 是屬 tī 遙遠 ê 世界. Shimamura 家治 mā 當 tih 著驚, peh 到崎頂 ê 時, 一个掠龍查某行來. 伊 ká-ná 掠著 sáⁿ-hoàiⁿ, 喝聲講:

"按摩師, 會使 kā 我掠龍無?"

"等一下. 今幾點 ah?" 她 kā 竹拐挾 tī 過人跤, 正手 ùi 腰帶提出一个有蓋 ê 時錶仔, ná 用倒手指頭仔摸字盤, ná 講: "兩點三十五分, 三點半我著到車頭彼爿去, 毋過小慢一下 mā 無要緊."

"你會當讀錶仔 ê 時間 neh."

"是 ah, 因為我 kā 玻璃剝掉 ah."

"用摸 ê tō 知頂面 ê 字?"

"毋是摸字, 毋過..." 她 ná 講, koh ná kā 彼个對查某來講 siuⁿ 大 ê 銀時錶仔提出來, 蓋拍開, 用指頭仔揤予 Shimamura 看: 遮是十二點, 遮六點, 中央三點. "用 án-ne 分割, 雖然毋是一分 to 無差, 毋過 mā 袂走精超過兩分."

--

31.

Yoko darted one quick, piercing glance at Shirnamura and went silently out over the earthen floor.

Even when he had left the house, Shimamura was haunted by that glance, burning just in front of his forehead. It was cold as a very distant light, for the inexpressible beauty of it had made his heart rise when, the night before, that light off in the mountains had passed across the girl's face in the train window and lighted her eye for a moment. The impression carne back to Shimamura, and with it the memory of the mirror filled with snow, and Komako's red cheeks floating in the middle of it.

He walked faster. His legs were round and plump, but he was seized with a certain abandon as he walked along gazing at the mountains he was so fond of, and his pace quickened, though he hardly knew it. Always ready to give himself up to reverie, he could not believe that the mirror floating over the evening scenery and the other snowy mirror were really works of man. They were part of nature, and part of some distant world.

And the room he had only this moment left had become part of that same distant world.

Startled at himself, in need of something to cling to, he stopped a blind masseuse at the top of the hill.

"Could you give me a massage?"

"Let me see. What time will it be?" She tucked her cane under her arm and, taking a covered pocket watch from her obi, felt at the face with her left hand. "Two thirty-five. I have an appointment over beyond the station at three-thirty. But I suppose it won't matter if I'm a little late."

"You're very clever to be able to tell the time." 

"It has no glass, and I can feel the hands."

"You can feel the figures?"

"Not the figures." She took the watch out again, a silver one, large for a woman, and flicked open the lid. She laid her fingers across the face with one at twelve and one at six, and a third halfway between at three. "I can tell the time fairly well. I may be a minute off one way or the other, but I never miss by as much as two minutes."

--