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Ū lâng kóng kiat-hun sı̄ ài-chêng ê khai-sí, tùi in nn̄g-lâng lâi kóng chiâⁿ ha̍h. Sui-jiân chū cha̍p-hoē chò-hoé, m̄-koh, ū chiá-tē-chêng, bô lâm-lú-ài. Kiat-hun liáu, lóng bô-kâng--lo͘h. Nn̄g-lâng ná liâm-thi--leh, kám-chêng hó kah boē kóng--lih. Hoan-tńg-nı̂ seⁿ Éng-siông, soà--lo̍h Chhiu-koan. Jı̍t-seng ang-á-bó͘ tû-liáu sûn-thâu khoàⁿ-boé, seng-lí lóng pàng hō͘ in.
A-eng tı̀n-tiān hoāⁿ-poâⁿ, Sin-thiam piàⁿ goā-kháu. Ta̍h-jı̍p chhit-cha̍p nı̂-tāi ê Tâi-oân, saⁿ-tâi tiān-sı̄-tâi í-keng siau-mô͘ khı̀ chèng-lâng ê hiu-êng seng-oa̍h. Ka-kang-gia̍p khip-khı̀ chin chē lông-chhoan ê lô-le̍k, beh chò bián kiaⁿ bô thang chia̍h, Tâi-oân-lâng koh hiah piàⁿ-sı̀, bô-hêng-tiong ke-ke hō͘-hō͘ châi-hù it-tı̍t lia̍p-chek--khí-lâi. Tùi pháiⁿ-thàn-chia̍h piàⁿ kàu ē-tit-koè, koh piàⁿ kàu chhun--tām-po̍h, seng-oa̍h hong-sek toè kái-piàn--lo͘h. Chhiūⁿ khoàⁿ tiān-sı̄, chı̍t-ki chhùi mā tio̍h tām-sám--a. Chhut-miâ ê “chia̍h boē siān” èng lán lâng ê chhùi koai chiūⁿ-chhı̄--lo͘h. Kok-chióng toā-sè-pâi ê chhùi-chia̍h-mı̍h-á mā tı̍t-tı̍t bùn--chhut-lâi. Khı̀-chúi, khó-lo̍k, kap chiâⁿ chē chhiúⁿ-pâi ê kó-chiap lóng chin chhiúⁿ-chhı̄. Siau-lō͘ hó, tû-liáu ûi-tha-lō͘, Sin-thiam in ke chò chiok chē téng-tiong-poâⁿ. Bô-êng sı̄ bô-êng, thàn-chı̂ⁿ to m̄-bat thiaⁿ hat thiám--e-ko̍h.
Chı̍t-kang, Jı̍t-seng hoaⁿ-thâu hí-bı̄n tńg--lâi, Sin-thiam oan-ná beh koaiⁿ-mn̂g--a. “Khui nn̄g-koàn be̍h-á, êng-àm beh khin-sang--chı̍t-ē.” A-eng khoàⁿ in ta-koaⁿ bı̄n hiah chhun-hong, khui chı̍t-koàn âng-sio-moâ, chhoân chı̍t-phiat-á thô͘-tāu, koh oat jı̍p-khı̀ chhá pn̄g. Chiàn-āu, ta̍k-ê han-chı̂-kho͘ chia̍h kiaⁿ--a, beh toh chhoē pe̍h-bí-pn̄g pá koh khiū hiah hó-chia̍h--ê. Sin-thiam ta̍k-àm káu-tiām-goā sàng-hoè tńg--lâi, chit-tǹg chhá-pn̄g choa̍t-tùi cháu boē khı̀.
Lân-tit sı̄-toā-lâng koh chò-hoé lâi. “Kiò A-eng oá--lâi...”, Jı̍t-seng oē boē soah, A-eng chhá chı̍t-poâⁿ chheⁿ-chhùi-chhùi ê èng-chhài chhut--lâi: “M̄-chai a-pa hiah hoaⁿ-hí, peng-siuⁿ iā bô chhoân thang phoè-chiú--ê.” “Án-ne chin hó--a-lah.” Siù-tin tháu chı̍t-pau “chia̍h boē siān” chē oá--lâi, Sin-thiam kā thı̂n chı̍t-poe be̍h-á. “Kúi-nı̂ chêng ta̍k-ê lóng chai goán chhoā sin-pū,” tán A-eng chē--lo̍h, Jı̍t-seng khui-chhùi: “Bô lâng chai-iáⁿ goán kè cha-bó͘-kiáⁿ.” “Lín a-pa kap goá chham-siông chiâⁿ kú, tú-tio̍h chhiàng-suh, kin-á-jı̍t chiah ū thang pó͘ sàng cha-bó͘-kiáⁿ kè-chng.” “Sı̄ án-ne--lah, lín A-bêng-peh kóng A-chiong beh kap lâng ha̍p-kó͘ khui kang-tiûⁿ chek àn-chih,” Jı̍t-seng tùi lak-tē-á jı̂m jı̄-choá chhut--lâi: “Hit-tè gō͘-hun-chhit-lı̂-goā ê chhân, iang goá kā the̍h--khí-lâi-lah.” “Káⁿ sı̄ kau-piⁿ hit-tè làm-chhân?” Sin-thiam bâi-oàn in a-pa siuⁿ bóng-tóng: “Lí chai-iáⁿ hit-tè tiong-lâng pàng joā kú? Lí soah khı̀ kā sêng--lâi... Aih! Iā boē-hiáu thàm-thiaⁿ khoaⁿ-māi--leh, chı̍t-kah tong siu ū kàu joā chē?” “Hioh! Goá lóng leh gōng leh gōng--a-ko̍h? Taⁿ, pâng-thâu-á sǹg--lâi, jı̄-pâng A-bêng-hiaⁿ in siōng liông-poē, kong-cho̍k-á m̄-sı̄ poaⁿ-soá, tō-sı̄ chhut-goā pun-pho thàn-chia̍h, sǹg-sǹg--leh lán iā m̄-sı̄ chò boē kàu, thài boē iōng tit kā bé--leh.”
“Lín a-pa m̄-kam khoàⁿ A-chiong án-ne chông chı̂ⁿ, siōng-chhiáⁿ iáu-sı̄ beh chò seng-lí, m̄-sı̄ khai iā m̄-sı̄ poa̍h.” Siù-tin toaⁿ-to tı̍t-jı̍p: “Goá khǹg lín a-pa kā bé--khí-lâi-ê-lah.” Khoàⁿ Sin-thiam tiām--khı̀, Siù-tin ta̍uh-ta̍uh-á khui-phoà: “A-hoe pí goá tāi-seng kè--lâi, in A-bêng kāu-pēⁿ kāu-soa-sap, saⁿ-ê cha-bó͘-kiáⁿ iōng chı̂ⁿ chı̍t-ê siong koè chı̍t-ê. Khai-chı̂ⁿ ná teh lâu-chúi--leh, chhun ǹg A-chiong chı̍t-ki chhiú-kut teh thàn. Hō͘ phiⁿ--tām-po̍h-a mā bô kàu toh!” “A-thiam boē-hiáu siūⁿ,” A-eng bı̄n-chêng poe kā in thı̂n chhit, peh-hun tı̄ⁿ: “Kín ná iōng, bô, chhài ē léng--khı̀.” “Sı̄ kóng a-pa, lán káⁿ chò ē khı̀?” A-thiam iáu-boē hòng-sim: “Hâm sam-chhit-ngó͘ hia, ū chiâⁿ-kah-tē--a neh.” “Chit kúi-nı̂ lâi, tû-liáu sàng tiám-sim, tang-sı̂ bat hō͘ lín lo̍h-chhân? Poh tiū-á ū poh-tiū-á-ki, so-chháu ū tı̄-chháu-che, koah tiū-á ū koah-tiū-á-pan, hāng-hāng choan-gia̍p-hoà.” Jı̍t-seng jú kóng jú ū cheng-sı̂n: “Liân chhek-á-pau to kā lí chhia kàu-ūi oh.” “I-seng kóng lín a-pa tio̍h ke-kiám tín-tāng, hō͘ lâu-koāⁿ sip-á siōng-hó.”
Siù-tin ke chān chı̍t-kù: “Ke sûn chı̍t-tè-á chhân-chúi, ke lâu chı̍t-ē koāⁿ, mā ke tn̂g-hoè-siū.” “Thâu-tú-chiah goá kóng boē soah, chit-tè chhân bé hō͘ A-eng,” Jı̍t-seng ka-tiōng gí-khı̀: “Sǹg pó͘-sàng hō͘ cha-bó͘-kiáⁿ kè-chng.” “M̄-sı̄ kāng-khoán hō͘ goán.” Sin-thiam chhiò-chhiò-á ı̀n. “Bô chin kâng oh, koè hō͘ A-eng ê miâ, í-āu lín beh án-choáⁿ hoa̍t-lo̍h, tio̍h-ài A-eng tàm-thâu oh.” Jı̍t-seng chiong jı̄-choá kap ı̀n-á, phō͘-á kau hō͘ A-eng: “Chı̍t-nı̂-tang bí-bú ē jı̍p lí ê phō͘-á-té.” “A-pa bián án-ne--lah,” A-eng nâ-âu-kóng kiōng beh tı̄ⁿ--khí-lâi. Siù-tin chhiú kā khan oá--lâi ni jı̄-choá: “Lí kai tit--ê, lóng sı̄ chit kúi-nı̂ lín ang-á-bó͘ piàⁿ-sı̀ thàn--ê.” “A-pa, ah goá--leh?” “Chiah teh tán lí chit-kù oē niâ.” Jı̍t-seng liâu-liâu-á mn̄g: “Lí ài tı̍h siáⁿ?” Sin-thiam siūⁿ kui-po͘, soah siūⁿ boē chhut ài siáⁿ. “Goá chhiūⁿ lí chit-ê nı̂-hoè, ná chı̍t-chiah chhiah-gû-á--leh, hoè taⁿ--leh Chiang-hoà, Tâi-tiong sı̀-kè khı̀ bé-bē, lóng m̄-chai thiám. Chit-má khoàⁿ A-eng hiah chhau-lô, chiah chai-iáⁿ lín a-bú mā án-ne chhau--koè-lâi.”
Jı̍t-seng khui-lō͘ hō͘ Sin-thiam: “Lín A-khiam-chek in Hok--a tńg phu-leh-suh, tǹg-tiāu nn̄g-cháiⁿ chéng-thâu-á, siūⁿ beh lâi thoā sai-á-kang, lí khoàⁿ án-choáⁿ?” “Káⁿ...káⁿ...mā hó.” “Lâng chai chia̍h chai chò,” Siù-tin thiàⁿ-kiáⁿ jı̍p-sim: “Thàn-chı̂ⁿ ê ke-si boē chhı̀n-chhai--lí. Lán chit-tâi suh-pah-luh ē kò͘-lō͘--a, lâi oāⁿ sin, lín mā chò khah ū khang-khoè, hó--m̄?” Sin-thiam thiaⁿ beh oāⁿ sin-chhia, tong-jiân hoaⁿ-hí kah. “Che sı̄ kut-la̍t, piàⁿ-sı̀ tit--lâi-ê,” hit-àm A-eng tı̄ Sin-thiam hiⁿ-khang-kin liām kúi-lō piàn: “Lán teh chò, a-pa, a-i in lóng khoàⁿ-hiān-hiān--lah.”
Thiⁿ ū put-chhek hong-hûn, lâng ū tàn-se̍k hō-ho̍k! Sè-tō bû-siông, chù-sí--ê, aih! Beh siám mā siám boē koè. A-eng jı̄-káu-hoè, iā-sı̄ Éng-siông kok-hāu jı̍p-ha̍k hit-nı̂. Khoài-lo̍k an-ek, pêng-chēng bû-pho ê seng-oa̍h tu̍t-jiân hō͘ lâng phah-phoà! Chı̍t-tâi hó-sí m̄-sí ê hoè-bu̍t-á, sái siuⁿ hiông, tńg-khah-buh sı̂ tńg boē koè. Soah chhiong koè tiong-iong hun-keh-tó, bı̄n-tùi-bı̄n kiat tùi Sin-thiam sái--lâi ê siuⁿ-á-chhia, pōng...chı̍t-ē! Thoh-lak-khuh un-chiàng kap A-hok pōng sí chāi-tiûⁿ. Sin-thiam kip-sàng pēⁿ-ı̄ⁿ, sui-jiân tiong-kan ū hoê-hûn koè--lâi, “la̍k-cha̍p kong-lí kiat la̍k-cha̍p kong-lí ê sok-tō͘, ngó͘-chōng lio̍k-hú hmh kah soàⁿ-mê-mê, thài kham-ē-tiâu?” Thoa bô saⁿ-kang, Sin-thiam bān-hāng pàng--leh, chò i khı̀--lah.
