19.4 Góa ê châi-sán lóng í-keng tī góa sin-piⁿ
Taⁿ, góa ē-sái kóng, góa bē-su Sèng-keng lāi ê Job, Sîn sù hō͘ góa ê, pí khí-thâu koh-khah chē. Hoat-hiān góa ê châi-sán lóng í-keng tī góa sin-piⁿ ê sî, góa si̍t-chāi bô hoat-tō͘ biô-siá góa kek-tōng ê sim. Brazil chûn-tūi kàu-ūi ê sî, chài phe hō͘ góa ê chûn, mā chài góa ê hòe. Góa chhiú the̍h phe teh tha̍k ê sî, góa ê hòe mā í-keng pêng-an ji̍p káng. Chóng-kóng, góa kek-tōng kah bīn hoán-pe̍h, kui-sin bē chū-chāi. Nā m̄-sī lāu sian-siⁿ kín cháu khì the̍h tiⁿ io̍h-chiú, góa siong-sìn chit-ê hut-jiân lâi ê kiaⁿ-hí, tiāⁿ-tio̍h hō͘ góa khí-siáu, tong-tiûⁿ sí-khì. M̄-nā án-ne, lim io̍h-chiú liáu-āu, góa iáu-sī kám-kak bô sóng-khoài, keng-kòe kúi-ā tiám-cheng. Lo̍h-bóe, chhiáⁿ lâi chi̍t-ê i-seng, chai-iáⁿ góa phòa-pēⁿ ê goân-in liáu-āu, i kā góa pàng hoeh. Án-ne liáu-āu, góa chiah kám-kak khah khin-sang, bān-bān hó khí-lâi. Góa siong-sìn, hit-sî kek-tōng ê sim-chêng nā bô kō͘ chit-chióng hong-sek pâi-kái, góa tiāⁿ-tio̍h chá tō sí ah.
Taⁿ, góa hiông-hiông ū 5,000 Eng-pōng ê hiān-kim, tī Brazil koh ū chi̍t-hūn sán-gia̍p, múi-nî ū chhiau-kòe 1,000 Eng-pōng ê siu-ji̍p, he hām tī Eng-kok ê tē-sán pêⁿ khó-khò. Chóng-kóng, góa chit-sî ê sin-kè ka-tī mā iáu sa bô liâu-á mn̂g, koh-khah m̄-chai án-chóaⁿ ún-sim-á hióng-siū.
Góa chò ê tē-it hāng tāi-chì, tō sī pò-tap góa tong-chho͘ ê un-jîn, its hit-ê hó-sim ê lāu chûn-tiúⁿ. Tong-chho͘ góa siū-lān, i tùi góa chin jîn-chû, ùi thâu kàu bóe lóng tùi góa siān-liông, tiong-si̍t. Góa hō͘ i khòaⁿ só͘-ū góa siu tio̍h ê mi̍h-kiāⁿ. Góa kā i kóng, góa ē ū kin-á-ji̍t, tî-liáu Thiⁿ-kong ê an-pâi í-gōa, choân sī i ê kong-lô. Taⁿ góa ū lêng-le̍k pò-tap i, góa boeh hêng i 100 pōe. Chŏaⁿ, góa kā i hō͘ góa ê 100 kim-pè hêng i. Jiân-āu, góa koh chhiàⁿ chi̍tê kong-chèng lâng, chhiáⁿ i gí chi̍t-hūn jī-kì, kā lāu chûn-tiúⁿ sêng-jīn khiàm góa ê 470 kim-pè, kō͘ chòe thiat-té, chòe khó-khò ê hong-sek kā choân-pō͘ chhú-siau a̍h bián-tî.
Jiân-āu, góa koh chhiáⁿ i gí chi̍t-hūn úi-thok su, úi-thok lāu chûn-tiúⁿ chò góa ê chèng-choh hn̂g múi-nî lī-ek ê koán-lí lâng, koh chí-tēng góa ê ha̍p-kó͘ lâng hiòng i pò-kò siàu-ba̍k, kā góa eng-kai tit-tio̍h ê siu-ji̍p kau hō͘ tn̂g-nî óng-lâi tī Brazil kap Lisbon ê chûn-tūi chah lâi kau hō͘ i. Úi-thok su ê chòe-āu chi̍t-ê tiâu-khoán sī, lāu chûn-tiúⁿ chāi-sè ê sî, múi-nî ùi góa ê siu-ji̍p sàng i 100 kim-pè. Tī i sí liáu-āu, múi-nî sàng hō͘ in hāu-seⁿ 50 kim-pè. Kō͘ án-ne, góa pò-tap chit-ūi lāu sian-siⁿ.
Chit-chūn góa tio̍h khó-lī koh-lâi án-chóaⁿ kiâⁿ, í-ki̍p án-chóaⁿ chhú-lí Lāu-thiⁿ sù hō͘ góa ê tē-sán. Kóng si̍t-chāi, pí khí tī hái-tó seng-oa̍h, taⁿ góa su-iàu chhau-sim ê tāi-chì ke chin chē. Tī tó-siōng, tî-liáu góa ū-ê, góa bô siáⁿ iau-kiû; tî-liáu góa su-iàu ê, góa siáⁿ to bô. Á taⁿ neh, góa ū tōa chek-jīm, tio̍h hó-hó pó-koán góa ê ke-hóe. Taⁿ, góa bô soaⁿ-tōng thang chhàng góa ê kim-chîⁿ, mā bô só͘-chāi ē-sái khǹg chîⁿ bián só, bián só-sî. Tī tó-siōng, chîⁿ khǹg kah seⁿ-sian chhiūⁿ-phú, bô lâng ē khì kā tāng. Á taⁿ neh, góa soah m̄-chai boeh kā chîⁿ khǹg tó-ūi, m̄-chai boeh kau siáng koán-lí. Kan-ta chûn-tiúⁿ, góa ê lāu un-jîn, sī chi̍t-ê tiong-si̍t khó-khò ê lâng, mā sī ûi-it góa ē-tàng sìn-thok ê lâng.
Lēng-gōa, góa tī Brazil ê lī-ek ká-ná mā su-iàu góa khì kiâⁿ chi̍t-chōa. M̄-koh, nā bô seng kā chia ê tāi-chì liāu-lí hó-sè, kā góa ê châi-sán kau hō͘ khó-khò ê lâng koán-lí, góa ná ū khó-lêng su-khó khì hia ê tāi-chì? Khí-chho͘, góa siūⁿ tio̍h hit-ê lāu pêng-iú, its hit-ê kóa-hū. Góa chai, yi chò-lâng sêng-si̍t khó-khò, it-tēng bē ko͘-hū góa. M̄-koh, taⁿ yi ū-hòe ah, koh chin sàn. Góa thiaⁿ kóng, yi ū khiàm-chè. Chóng-kóng, góa bô pa̍t-ê hoat-tō͘, chí-hó kā ke-hóe chah leh, chhin-sin tńg-khì Eng-kok.
Put-jî-kò, tio̍h keng-kòe kúi-ā kò goe̍h, góa chiah kā tāi-chì koat-tēng lo̍h-lâi. Kì-jiân góa í-keng chhiong-hun pò-tap í-chêng ê un-chêng lâng, hit-ê lāu chûn-tiúⁿ, i mā kám-kak chin móa-ì. Taⁿ góa khai-sí siūⁿ tio̍h hit-ê khó-liân ê lāu kóa-hū. Yin ang sī góa tē-it ê un-jîn; jî-chhiáⁿ tī yi ū lêng-le̍k ê sî, it-ti̍t sī goán tau tiong-si̍t ê koán-ke, mā kā góa khan-kà.
Chŏaⁿ, góa chò ê tē-it hāng tāi-chì sī, chhiáⁿ tī Lisbon ê chi̍t-ê seng-lí lâng siá-phe hō͘ i tī London ê liân-lo̍k lâng, tî-liáu chhiáⁿ i thè góa kā hōe-phiò ōaⁿ chò hiān-kim, koh chhiáⁿ i chhin-sin khì chhōe yi, thè góa kā 100 Eng-pōng ê hiān-kim kau hō͘ yi. Góa mā chhiáⁿ i tio̍h kap yi kau-tâm, in-ūi yi taⁿ chin sàn, hó-hó kā yi an-ùi, kā yi kóng, chí-iàu góa oa̍h tī sè-kan, góa ē kè-sio̍k kā yi pang-chān. Lēng-gōa, góa koh kià hō͘ nn̄g-ê tòa tī chng-kha ê sió-mōe, múi-lâng 100 Eng-pōng. Yin, sui-jiân m̄-sī sàn, m̄-koh chōng-hóng mā bô kài hó. Chi̍t-ê sió-mōe í-keng kiat-hun, taⁿ chiú-kóa; lēng-gōa chi̍t-ê, yin ang bô kóng tùi yi chin hó.
M̄-koh, tī góa só͘-ū ê chhin-chiâⁿ a̍h pêng-iú tiong-kan, góa iáu sī chhōe bô chi̍t-ê ē-tit oân-choân sìn-jīm ê lâng, kā góa ê châi-sán kau hō͘ i koán-kò͘, hó-thang an-sim khì Brazil, m̄-bián kòa-lī. Chit-hāng tāi-chì it-ti̍t hō͘ góa chin khùn-jiáu.
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19.4 我 ê 財產 lóng 已經 tī 我身邊
今, 我會使講, 我袂輸聖經內 ê Job, 神賜予我 ê, 比起頭 koh-khah 濟. 發現我 ê 財產 lóng 已經 tī 我身邊 ê 時, 我實在無法度描寫我激動 ê 心. Brazil 船隊到位 ê 時, 載批予我 ê 船, mā 載我 ê 貨. 我手提批 teh 讀 ê 時, 我 ê 貨 mā 已經平安入港. 總講, 我激動 kah 面反白, 規身袂自在. 若毋是老先生緊走去提甜藥酒, 我相信這个忽然來 ê 驚喜, 定著予我起痟, 當場死去. 毋但 án-ne, 啉藥酒了後, 我猶是感覺無爽快, 經過幾若點鐘. 落尾, 請來一个醫生, 知影我破病 ê 原因了後, 伊 kā 我放血. Án-ne 了後, 我才感覺較輕鬆, 慢慢好起來. 我相信, 彼時激動 ê 心情若無 kō͘ 這種方式排解, 我定著早 tō 死 ah.
Taⁿ, 我雄雄有 5,000 英鎊 ê 現金, tī Brazil koh 有一份產業, 每年有超過 1,000 英鎊 ê 收入, he hām tī 英國 ê 地產平可靠. 總講, 我這時 ê 身價家己 mā 猶 sa 無寮仔門, koh-khah 毋知按怎穩心仔享受.
我做 ê 第一項代誌, tō 是報答我當初 ê 恩人, its 彼个好心 ê 老船長. 當初我受難, 伊對我真仁慈, ùi 頭到尾 lóng 對我善良, 忠實. 我予伊看所有我收著 ê 物件. 我 kā 伊講, 我會有今仔日, 除了天公 ê 安排以外, 全是伊 ê 功勞. Taⁿ 我有能力報答伊, 我欲還伊 100 倍. Chŏaⁿ, 我 kā 伊予我 ê 100 金幣還伊. 然後, 我 koh 倩一个公證人, 請伊擬一份字據, kā 老船長承認欠我 ê 470 金幣, kō͘ 最徹底, 最可靠 ê 方式 kā 全部取消 a̍h 免除.
然後, 我 koh 請伊擬一份委託書, 委託老船長做我 ê 種作園每年利益 ê 管理人, koh 指定我 ê 合股人向伊報告數目, kā 我應該得著 ê 收入交予長年往來 tī Brazil kap Lisbon ê 船隊扎來交予伊. 委託書 ê 最後一个條款是, 老船長在世 ê 時, 每年 ùi 我 ê 收入送伊 100 金幣. Tī 伊死了後, 每年送予 in 後生 50 金幣. Kō͘ án-ne, 我報答這位老先生.
這陣我著考慮 koh 來按怎行, 以及按怎處理老天賜予我 ê 地產. 講實在, 比起 tī 海島生活, taⁿ 我需要操心 ê 代誌加真濟. Tī 島上, 除了我有 ê, 我無啥要求; 除了我需要 ê, 我啥 to 無. Á 今 neh, 我有大責任, 著好好保管我 ê 家伙. 今, 我無山洞 thang 藏我 ê 金錢, mā 無所在會使囥錢免鎖, 免鎖匙. Tī 島上, 錢囥 kah 生鉎 chhiūⁿ 殕, 無人會去 kā 動. Á 今 neh, 我煞毋知欲 kā 錢囥佗位, 毋知欲交 siáng 管理. 干焦船長, 我 ê 老恩人, 是一个忠實可靠 ê 人, mā 是唯一我會當信託 ê 人.
另外, 我 tī Brazil ê 利益 ká-ná mā 需要我去行一逝. M̄-koh, 若無先 kā chia ê 代誌料理好勢, kā 我 ê 財產交予可靠 ê 人管理, 我那有可能思考去 hia ê 代誌? 起初, 我想著彼个老朋友, its 彼个寡婦. 我知, 她做人誠實可靠, 一定袂辜負我. M̄-koh, taⁿ 她有歲 ah, koh 真 sàn. 我聽講, 她有欠債. 總講, 我無別个法度, 只好 kā 家伙扎 leh, 親身轉去英國.
不而過, 著經過幾若個月, 我才 kā 代誌決定落來. 既然我已經充分報答以前 ê 恩情人, 彼个老船長, 伊 mā 感覺真滿意. Taⁿ 我開始想著彼个可憐 ê 老寡婦. 姻翁是我第一个恩人; 而且 tī 她有能力 ê 時, 一直是阮兜忠實 ê 管家, mā kā 我牽教.
Chŏaⁿ, 我做 ê 第一項代誌是, 請 tī Lisbon ê 一个生理人寫批予伊 tī London ê 連絡人, 除了請伊替我 kā 匯票換做現金, koh 請伊親身去揣她, 替我 kā 100 英鎊 ê 現金交予她. 我 mā 請伊著 kap 她交談, 因為她 taⁿ 真 sàn, 好好 kā 她安慰, kā 她講, 只要我活 tī 世間, 我會繼續 kā 她幫贊. 另外, 我 koh 寄予兩个蹛 tī 庄跤 ê 小妹, 每人 100 英鎊. 姻, 雖然毋是 sàn, m̄-koh 狀況 mā 無 kài 好. 一个小妹已經結婚, taⁿ 守寡; 另外一个, 姻翁無講對她真好.
M̄-koh, tī 我所有 ê 親 chiâⁿ a̍h 朋友中間, 我猶是揣無一个會得完全信任 ê 人, kā 我 ê 財產交予伊管顧, hó-thang 安心去 Brazil, 毋免掛慮. 這項代誌一直予我真困擾.
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19.4
I might well say now, indeed, that the latter end of Job was better than the beginning. It is impossible to express the flutterings of my very heart when I found all my wealth about me; for as the Brazil ships come all in fleets, the same ships which brought my letters brought my goods: and the effects were safe in the river before the letters came to my hand. In a word, I turned pale, and grew sick; and, had not the old man run and fetched me a cordial, I believe the sudden surprise of joy had overset nature, and I had died upon the spot: nay, after that I continued very ill, and was so some hours, till a physician being sent for, and something of the real cause of my illness being known, he ordered me to be let blood; after which I had relief, and grew well: but I verily believe, if I had not been eased by a vent given in that manner to the spirits, I should have died.
I was now master, all on a sudden, of above five thousand pounds sterling in money, and had an estate, as I might well call it, in the Brazils, of above a thousand pounds a year, as sure as an estate of lands in England: and, in a word, I was in a condition which I scarce knew how to understand, or how to compose myself for the enjoyment of it. /
The first thing I did was to recompense my original benefactor, my good old captain, who had been first charitable to me in my distress, kind to me in my beginning, and honest to me at the end. I showed him all that was sent to me; I told him that, next to the providence of Heaven, which disposed all things, it was owing to him; and that it now lay on me to reward him, which I would do a hundred-fold: so I first returned to him the hundred moidores I had received of him; then I sent for a notary, and caused him to draw up a general release or discharge from the four hundred and seventy moidores, which he had acknowledged he owed me, in the fullest and firmest manner possible. /
After which I caused a procuration to be drawn, empowering him to be the receiver of the annual profits of my plantation: and appointing my partner to account with him, and make the returns, by the usual fleets, to him in my name; and by a clause in the end, made a grant of one hundred moidores a year to him during his life, out of the effects, and fifty moidores a year to his son after him, for his life: and thus I requited my old man.
I had now to consider which way to steer my course next, and what to do with the estate that Providence had thus put into my hands; and, indeed, I had more care upon my head now than I had in my state of life in the island where I wanted nothing but what I had, and had nothing but what I wanted; whereas I had now a great charge upon me, and my business was how to secure it. I had not a cave now to hide my money in, or a place where it might lie without lock or key, till it grew mouldy and tarnished before anybody would meddle with it; on the contrary, I knew not where to put it, or whom to trust with it. My old patron, the captain, indeed, was honest, and that was the only refuge I had. /
In the next place, my interest in the Brazils seemed to summon me thither; but now I could not tell how to think of going thither till I had settled my affairs, and left my effects in some safe hands behind me. At first I thought of my old friend the widow, who I knew was honest, and would be just to me; but then she was in years, and but poor, and, for aught I knew, might be in debt: so that, in a word, I had no way but to go back to England myself and take my effects with me.
It was some months, however, before I resolved upon this; and, therefore, as I had rewarded the old captain fully, and to his satisfaction, who had been my former benefactor, so I began to think of the poor widow, whose husband had been my first benefactor, and she, while it was in her power, my faithful steward and instructor. /
So, the first thing I did, I got a merchant in Lisbon to write to his correspondent in London, not only to pay a bill, but to go find her out, and carry her, in money, a hundred pounds from me, and to talk with her, and comfort her in her poverty, by telling her she should, if I lived, have a further supply: at the same time I sent my two sisters in the country a hundred pounds each, they being, though not in want, yet not in very good circumstances; one having been married and left a widow; and the other having a husband not so kind to her as he should be. /
But among all my relations or acquaintances I could not yet pitch upon one to whom I durst commit the gross of my stock, that I might go away to the Brazils, and leave things safe behind me; and this greatly perplexed me.
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