19.2 Siu-hôe chit-pit châi-sán, eng-kai bô būn-tê
Lāu pêng-iú sio-tú, jia̍t-lia̍t kau-tâm kúi-kù liáu-āu, tong-jiân, góa tō kā i mn̄g-khí, góa ê chèng-choh hn̂g kap ha̍p-kó͘ tông-phōaⁿ ê tāi-chì. Lāu-lâng kóng, i í-keng 9 nî bô khì Brazil ah. M̄-koh i kā góa pó-chèng, tī i lī-khui hia ê sî, góa ê ha̍p-kó͘ lâng iáu oa̍h leh. Góa bat úi-thok i hām nn̄g-ūi tāi-lí lâng koán-kò͘ góa ê sán-gia̍p. Sui-bóng hit nn̄g-ê tāi-lí lâng í-keng kòe-sin, i siong-sìn, koan-hē góa ê chèng-choh hn̂g ê siu-ek, góa tiāⁿ-tio̍h ē tit-tio̍h chin hó ê kau-tài. In-ūi hit-sî in siūⁿ-kóng góa lo̍h-chúi im-sí, nn̄g-ūi tāi-lí lâng ū kā góa hit pō͘-hūn chèng-choh hn̂g ê siu-ji̍p pò-kò hō͘ sòe-bū-koaⁿ. Sòe-bū-koaⁿ khióng-kiaⁿ góa éng-oán to bē tńg-lâi chiap chit-pit châi-sán, tō chò án-ne ê chhú-lí: siu-ji̍p ê saⁿ-hūn chi̍t hō͘ kok-ông, saⁿ-hūn nn̄g hō͘ St Augustine kàu-tn̂g, iōng tī kiù-chè sàn-chhiah lâng hām tùi Indian lâng thoân Thian-chú-kàu. Nā góa koh tńg-lâi, a̍h ū-lâng sin-chhéng kè-sêng góa ê ûi-sán, góa ê châi-sán tō hêng góa, m̄-koh í-keng hun-phòe hō͘ chû-siān sū-gia̍p ê pō͘-hūn, sī bē-tàng thó tò-tńg. M̄-koh, i kā góa pó-chèng, chèng-hú hū-chek teng-siu thó͘-tē sòe ê koaⁿ-oân hām siu-tō-īⁿ ê su-sū, it-ti̍t ū teh kàm-tok góa ê ha̍p-kó͘ lâng, kiò i ta̍k-nî tio̍h kau chi̍t-hūn khó-khò ê siàu-ba̍k, koh kiáu-chhut góa ê siu-ji̍p.
Góa mn̄g i, kám chai hit-ê chèng-choh hn̂g ê hoat-tián chêng-hêng? Koh mn̄g i, chāi i khòaⁿ, he kám ta̍t-tit koh keng-êng lo̍h-khì? A̍h-sī kóng, góa nā khì Brazil, boeh siu-hôe góa ê hūn-gia̍h, sī m̄-sī ū siáⁿ khùn-lân?
I kā góa kóng, chèng-choh hn̂g ê si̍t-chè chōng-hóng i mā bô chheng-chhó. M̄-koh i chai-iáⁿ, góa ê ha̍p-kó͘ lâng chiū i ê pō͘-hūn, í-keng chiâⁿ-chò tōa hó-gia̍h lâng. I koh kóng, i iáu ē-kì-tit, kok-ông siu ê, góa kai-tong tit ê hit saⁿ-hūn chi̍t, múi-nî tō chhiau-kòe 200 Portugal kim-pè, chiah-ê chîⁿ ká-ná poah hō͘ lēng chi̍t-ê siu-tō-īⁿ a̍h siáⁿ-mih chong-kàu ki-koan khì ah. I koh kóng, boeh siu-hôe chit-pit châi-sán, eng-kai bô būn-tê, in-ūi góa ê ha̍p-kó͘ lâng iáu oa̍h leh, ē-tàng chèng-bêng góa ê kó͘-khoân, jî-chhiáⁿ góa ê miâ-sèⁿ mā ū teng-kì tī Brazil. I koh kóng, góa hit nn̄g-ê tāi-lí lâng ê kè-sêng lâng, lóng sī kong-chèng sêng-si̍t ê lâng, mā chin hó-gia̍h. I siong-sìn, góa m̄-nā ē tit-tio̍h in ê pang-chān, niá hôe góa ê châi-sán, jî-chhiáⁿ mā ē-tàng ùi in hia the̍h-tio̍h chi̍t tōa-pit sio̍k-tī góa ê hiān-kim, he sī in sûi-lâng ê lāu-pē pó-koán kî-kan góa múi-nî ê siu-ji̍p. Chiàu i ê kì-tî, hit-ê kî-kan tāi-khài 12 nî.
Thiaⁿ i án-ne kóng, góa kám-kak tām-po̍h tam-iu kap put-an. Góa mn̄g lāu chûn-tiúⁿ, góa kì-jiân ū li̍p ûi-chiok, chí-tēng i, its chit-ê Portugal chûn-tiúⁿ, chò góa ê châi-sán ê choân-khoân kè-sêng-jîn, hit nn̄g-ê tāi-lí lâng ná ē án-ne chhú-lí góa ê châi-sán?
I kā góa kóng, án-ne kóng sī bô m̄-tio̍h. M̄-koh, in-ūi bô chèng-kì chèng-bêng góa í-keng sí, só͘-í tī góa ê sí-bông khak-tēng chìn-chêng, i bē-tàng chò góa ê ûi-chiok chip-hêng lâng. Lēng-gōa, i mā bē-giàn chhap-chhiú chit-khoán iâu-oán ê tāi-chì. I koh kóng, i khak-si̍t ū kā góa ê ûi-chiok hiòng iú-koan pō͘-mn̂g teng-kì, mā thê-chhut i ê iau-kiû. Nā ē-tàng the̍h-chhut góa ê sí-bông chèng-bêng, i chá tō kin-kì châi-sán úi-thok khoân, chiap-koán góa ê thn̂g-chhiúⁿ ah, koh phài bo̍k-chêng tī Brazil ê hau-seⁿ khì keng-êng ah.
"M̄-koh," lāu sian-siⁿ koh kóng, "Góa ū chi̍t-kiāⁿ tāi-chì kā lí kóng, che hoān-sè lí bô siáⁿ ài thiaⁿ. Hit-sî, goán siūⁿ-kóng lí í-keng sí ah, ta̍k-ê mā lóng án-ne siūⁿ, lí ê ha̍p-kó͘ lâng kap tāi-lí lâng tō kā lí thâu la̍k/chhit nî ê siu-ji̍p kau hō͘ góa, góa mā kā siu lo̍h-lâi. Tān-sī, hit-sî chèng-choh hn̂g tng-teh hoat-tián, su-iàu khok-chhiong siat-pī, khí thn̂g-chhiúⁿ, bé lô͘-lē, só͘-í siu-ji̍p bô āu-lâi hiah chē. M̄-koán án-chóaⁿ," lāu-lâng koh kóng, "góa it-tēng kā siu-ji̍p kap chi-chhut khui chi̍t-hūn khó-khò ê siàu-toaⁿ kau hō͘ lí."
Āu-lâi góa koh kap chit-ūi lāu pêng-iú thó-lūn kúi-ā kang, i kau hō͘ góa chèng-choh hn̂g thâu-seng 6 nî ê siàu-toaⁿ, téng-bīn ū góa ê ha̍p-kó͘ lâng hām nn̄g-ê tāi-lí lâng ê chhiam-miâ. Hit-sî só͘ kau ê lóng sī hiān-hòe, cck* hun-chháu kúi kńg, thn̂g kúi siuⁿ, mā ū rum-chiú, thn̂g-chiuⁿ téng-téng, he sī thn̂g-chhiúⁿ ê hù sán-phín. Ùi siàu-ba̍k, góa ē-sái khòaⁿ chhut, siu-ji̍p múi-nî lóng ū siong-tong ê cheng-ka. M̄-koh, tō chhiūⁿ téng-bīn só͘ kóng, khí-thâu ê khai-siau chin tōa, si̍t-chè chhun ê bô chē. Put-jî-kò, lāu sian-siⁿ kā góa kóng, i khiàm góa 470 Portugal kim-pè, lēng-gōa 60 siuⁿ thn̂g, 15 tōa khún hun-chháu. Hiah-ê hòe tī i ê chûn khui hiòng Lisbon tô͘-tiong, in-ūi sit-sū lóng sún-sit khì ah. He sī tī góa lī-khui Brazil 11 nî í-āu hoat-seng ê tāi-chì. [* cck = chhin-chhiūⁿ kóng]
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19.2 收回這筆財產, 應該無問題
老朋友相拄, 熱烈交談幾句了後, 當然, 我 tō kā 伊問起, 我 ê 種作園 kap 合股同伴 ê 代誌. 老人講, 伊已經 9 年無去 Brazil ah. M̄-koh 伊 kā 我保證, tī 伊離開 hia ê 時, 我 ê 合股人猶活 leh. 我 bat 委託伊 hām 兩位代理人管顧我 ê 產業. 雖罔 hit 兩个代理人已經過身, 伊相信, 關係我 ê 種作園 ê 收益, 我定著會得著真好 ê 交代. 因為彼時 in 想講我落水淹死, 兩位代理人有 kā 我 hit 部份種作園 ê 收入報告予稅務官. 稅務官恐驚我永遠 to 袂轉來接這筆財產, tō 做 án-ne ê 處理: 收入 ê 三份一予國王, 三份兩予 St Augustine 教堂, 用 tī 救濟散赤人 hām 對 Indian 人傳天主教. 若我 koh 轉來, a̍h 有人申請繼承我 ê 遺產, 我 ê 財產 tō 還我, m̄-koh 已經分配予慈善事業 ê 部份, 是袂當討倒轉. M̄-koh, 伊 kā 我保證, 政府負責徵收土地稅 ê 官員 hām 修道院 ê 司事, 一直有 teh 監督我 ê 合股人, 叫伊逐年著交一份可靠 ê 數目, koh 繳出我 ê 收入.
我問伊, 敢知彼个種作園 ê 發展情形? Koh 問伊, 在伊看, he 敢值得 koh 經營落去? A̍h 是講, 我若去 Brazil, 欲收回我 ê 份額, 是毋是有啥困難?
伊 kā 我講, 種作園 ê 實際狀況伊 mā 無清楚. M̄-koh 伊知影, 我 ê 合股人就伊 ê 部份, 已經成做大好額人. 伊 koh 講, 伊猶會記得, 國王收 ê, 我該當得 ê hit 三份一, 每年 tō 超過 200 Portugal 金幣, chiah-ê 錢 ká-ná 撥予另一个修道院 a̍h 啥物宗教機關去 ah. 伊 koh 講, 欲收回這筆財產, 應該無問題, 因為我 ê 合股人猶活 leh, 會當證明我 ê 股權, 而且我 ê 名姓 mā 有登記 tī Brazil. 伊 koh 講, 我 hit 兩个代理人 ê 繼承人, lóng 是公正誠實 ê 人, mā 真好額. 伊相信, 我毋但會得著 in ê 幫贊, 領回我 ê 財產, 而且 mā 會當 ùi in hia 提著一大筆屬 tī 我 ê 現金, he 是 in 隨人 ê 老爸保管期間我每年 ê 收入. 照伊 ê 記持, 彼个期間大概 12 年.
聽伊 án-ne 講, 我感覺淡薄擔憂 kap 不安. 我問老船長, 我既然有立遺囑, 指定伊, its 這个 Portugal 船長, 做我 ê 財產 ê 全權繼承人, hit 兩个代理人那會 án-ne 處理我 ê 財產?
伊 kā 我講, án-ne 講是無毋著. M̄-koh, 因為無證據證明我已經死, 所以 tī 我 ê 死亡確定進前, 伊袂當做我 ê 遺囑執行人. 另外, 伊 mā bē-giàn 插手這款遙遠 ê 代誌. 伊 koh 講, 伊確實有 kā 我 ê 遺囑向有關部門登記, mā 提出伊 ê 要求. 若會當提出我 ê 死亡證明, 伊早 tō 根據財產委託權, 接管我 ê 糖廠 ah, koh 派目前 tī Brazil ê 後生去經營 ah.
"M̄-koh," 老先生 koh 講, "我有一件代誌 kā 你講, che 凡勢你無啥愛聽. 彼時, 阮想講你已經死 ah, 逐个 mā lóng án-ne 想, 你 ê 合股人 kap 代理人 tō kā 你頭六七年 ê 收入交予我, 我 mā kā 收落來. 但是, 彼時種作園 tng-teh 發展, 需要擴充設備, 起糖廠, 買奴隸, 所以收入無後來 hiah 濟. M̄-koán 按怎," 老人 koh 講, "我一定 kā 收入 kap 支出開一份可靠 ê 數單交予你."
後來我 koh kap 這位老朋友討論幾若工, 伊交予我種作園頭先 6 年 ê 數單, 頂面有我 ê 合股人 hām 兩个代理人 ê 簽名. 彼時所交 ê lóng 是現貨, cck* 薰草幾捲, 糖幾箱, mā 有 rum 酒, 糖漿等等, he 是糖廠 ê 副產品. Ùi 數目, 我會使看出, 收入每年 lóng 有相當 ê 增加. M̄-koh, tō 像頂面所講, 起頭 ê 開銷真大, 實際賰 ê 無濟. 不而過, 老先生 kā 我講, 伊欠我 470 Portugal 金幣, 另外 60 箱糖, 15 大捆薰草. Hiah-ê 貨 tī 伊 ê 船開向 Lisbon 途中, 因為失事 lóng 損失去 ah. He 是 tī 我離開 Brazil 11 年以後發生 ê 代誌. [* cck = chhin-chhiūⁿ kóng]
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19.2
After some passionate expressions of the old acquaintance between us, I inquired, you may be sure, after my plantation and my partner. The old man told me he had not been in the Brazils for about nine years; but that he could assure me that when he came away my partner was living, but the trustees whom I had joined with him to take cognisance of my part were both dead: that, however, he believed I would have a very good account of the improvement of the plantation; for that, upon the general belief of my being cast away and drowned, my trustees had given in the account of the produce of my part of the plantation to the procurator-fiscal, who had appropriated it, in case I never came to claim it, one-third to the king, and two-thirds to the monastery of St. Augustine, to be expended for the benefit of the poor, and for the conversion of the Indians to the Catholic faith: but that, if I appeared, or any one for me, to claim the inheritance, it would be restored; only that the improvement, or annual production, being distributed to charitable uses, could not be restored: but he assured me that the steward of the king’s revenue from lands, and the providore, or steward of the monastery, had taken great care all along that the incumbent, that is to say my partner, gave every year a faithful account of the produce, of which they had duly received my moiety. /
I asked him if he knew to what height of improvement he had brought the plantation, and whether he thought it might be worth looking after; or whether, on my going thither, I should meet with any obstruction to my possessing my just right in the moiety. /
He told me he could not tell exactly to what degree the plantation was improved; but this he knew, that my partner was grown exceeding rich upon the enjoying his part of it; and that, to the best of his remembrance, he had heard that the king’s third of my part, which was, it seems, granted away to some other monastery or religious house, amounted to above two hundred moidores a year: that as to my being restored to a quiet possession of it, there was no question to be made of that, my partner being alive to witness my title, and my name being also enrolled in the register of the country; also he told me that the survivors of my two trustees were very fair, honest people, and very wealthy; and he believed I would not only have their assistance for putting me in possession, but would find a very considerable sum of money in their hands for my account, being the produce of the farm while their fathers held the trust, and before it was given up, as above; which, as he remembered, was for about twelve years.
I showed myself a little concerned and uneasy at this account, and inquired of the old captain how it came to pass that the trustees should thus dispose of my effects, when he knew that I had made my will, and had made him, the Portuguese captain, my universal heir, &c.
He told me that was true; but that as there was no proof of my being dead, he could not act as executor until some certain account should come of my death; and, besides, he was not willing to intermeddle with a thing so remote: that it was true he had registered my will, and put in his claim; and could he have given any account of my being dead or alive, he would have acted by procuration, and taken possession of the ingenio (so they call the sugar-house), and have given his son, who was now at the Brazils, orders to do it. /
“But,” says the old man, “I have one piece of news to tell you, which perhaps may not be so acceptable to you as the rest; and that is, believing you were lost, and all the world believing so also, your partner and trustees did offer to account with me, in your name, for the first six or eight years’ profits, which I received. There being at that time great disbursements for increasing the works, building an ingenio, and buying slaves, it did not amount to near so much as afterwards it produced; however,” says the old man, “I shall give you a true account of what I have received in all, and how I have disposed of it.”
After a few days’ further conference with this ancient friend, he brought me an account of the first six years’ income of my plantation, signed by my partner and the merchant-trustees, being always delivered in goods, viz. tobacco in roll, and sugar in chests, besides rum, molasses, &c., which is the consequence of a sugar-work; and I found by this account, that every year the income considerably increased; but, as above, the disbursements being large, the sum at first was small: however, the old man let me see that he was debtor to me four hundred and seventy moidores of gold, besides sixty chests of sugar and fifteen double rolls of tobacco, which were lost in his ship; he having been shipwrecked coming home to Lisbon, about eleven years after my having the place. /
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