烈日下,有兩個一模一樣的人影在田裡舉鋤去雜草。麻布粗衣,濃眉大眼,筆直鼻樑,厚唇大嘴。在艱苦生活的鍛鍊下,瘦削的身軀是難以想像的克苦耐勞,翻土鋤地播種施肥灌溉,日日如是。孿生的二弟帶金和三弟長金,早就麻木了,不覺辛勞。323Please respect copyright.PENANA3AJZYH0jg8
323Please respect copyright.PENANAFeKZBI0wdG
平日這個時間,兄長有金早已溜到不知哪裡去玩、去休息。惟十天前,散漫的他,性格完全變了樣,變得勤力、踏實,少說話多做事。問有金是否有心事。他說沒有,然後繼續埋頭苦幹。兩位弟弟不免憂心起來,工作時會不自覺放慢手腳,有意無意地瞥看有金。323Please respect copyright.PENANAVBP7RH8wBN
323Please respect copyright.PENANAfHob7pkxej
長金膽子小,怕是鬼魅作祟。娘親笑答,有金成熟了而已,不需多理會。帶金沒多話,逕自大口大口吃著難得的紅雞蛋。紅雞蛋是寧娣送來的,說小弟今日滿月,所以送來四隻給三姑一家。雞蛋,是村中稀有品,售價不便宜。323Please respect copyright.PENANAvpobuS49Ma
323Please respect copyright.PENANAfdlXAkJR66
帶金知道,寧娣為慶祝小弟的滿月,早在小弟出生之時,就更省吃省用。經常餓得頭暈肚痛,亦照樣辛勤工作,想多賺幾個錢,給予小弟一切美好的。323Please respect copyright.PENANAkRx6w7UXQe
323Please respect copyright.PENANAOLNocWXFVG
曾在挑菜的路上巧遇擔柴的寧娣。她說車柄和輪子壞了,要待老爹空閒時修理。帶金望望寧娣背上的柴枝,不比用木頭車運的少幾多。很擔心寧娣會被壓弓了背。弓了背的女生不好看,難以嫁出。323Please respect copyright.PENANACG0exL8mAA
323Please respect copyright.PENANAcaFA9IfGzB
寧娣笑了,說寧願弓背當老姑婆,也不要挺著腰板嫁個不喜歡的人。簡單的一句話,教帶金吃一大驚,顛覆了他對「嫁娶」的認知。一直以為,女生最好在十六歲時出嫁;若二十歲時還嫁不去,那就沒能找到好人家了。被動的角色,原來可以這麼主動,說要挑對象!323Please respect copyright.PENANAoZEaN6UNHF
323Please respect copyright.PENANA7XahEqo1I9
數日前,寧娣運柴到客棧,在櫃台前等待棧娘付工錢時,數個在客棧投宿的大城女生,正在偏廳一邊吃小菜,一邊高談闊論。她們打扮光鮮,衣著時髦,眼神自信,字字鏗鏘。寧娣好奇,偷偷躲在大柱旁,豎起耳朵,細聽她們的對話:當代女性該在婚姻上抱持何如的態度。323Please respect copyright.PENANAl4lFwYzlLb
323Please respect copyright.PENANAh5ecsRejVz
哇!心頭一顫。原來不一定要聽父母之命、媒妁之言的!可以和喜歡的人長廂廝守…聽得著迷,寧娣全然沒發覺棧娘早已計算好是日工錢,托腮倚著櫃枱,望著她的年輕身影隱隱發笑。323Please respect copyright.PENANAvLAJvGdhaB
323Please respect copyright.PENANABKFwcGyuCj
棧娘也曾如此年輕,對外間一切如此好奇。多年來,跟隨丈夫過天地為家的生活,四處遊歷,不亦樂乎。遇過紅鬚綠眼的人,吃過色香味奇特的香料,見過珍禽異獸,飽覽山景海景雪景。323Please respect copyright.PENANAQP2HM9dJLq
323Please respect copyright.PENANAzEZp4wh6ku
丈夫是個耀眼的人,雙眼閃爍智慧光芒。待人總是和顏悅色,對事總能以開明的角度去觀察。他打開了她的眼界,擴闊了她的視野。世界變得很大,大得花盡畢生時間亦未能走遍。323Please respect copyright.PENANA0fp9JnmRK7
323Please respect copyright.PENANAwn5O80i39r
五年前,棧娘的丈夫,以五十之齡,魂斷於世界方吋之土上,葬於村中亂草之下。漂泊多年,棧娘終於要定下來。買下亂草地,開設客棧。既然丈夫沒能繼續遊走世界,那就讓天下旅人路經此處,放下自己的故事吧…323Please respect copyright.PENANA5RqG1gJRkh
323Please respect copyright.PENANADRCgYB1zuS
散席。大城女生們上樓回房去。她們行經寧娣身邊,向她報以輕輕一笑。笨頭笨腦的寧娣亦禮貌地報以微笑,暗暗讚嘆著大戶人家的禮教。她看不懂笑容背後的意思。棧娘沒有告訴她真相,只是給她工錢,讚她勤力、乖巧。323Please respect copyright.PENANAXG9ZjetUdP
323Please respect copyright.PENANA8bwGzOMLsF
寧娣告訴棧娘,她覺得大城女生們很厲害,內外兼備。若能學著她們一半,那該多好!323Please respect copyright.PENANA1BMPM55PTz
323Please respect copyright.PENANAs9k9gioZBg
「傻丫頭!你也是個好姑娘,不用羨慕他人。」棧娘慈愛地掃掉寧娣臉上的灰塵。「別人那一套,未必適用於你。」她望著不明所以的寧娣:「倒不如花點時間,了解自己的長處和短處。」把話說得明明白白,希望這善良的女生,在人生路上走少一點冤枉路。寧娣似懂非懂的…323Please respect copyright.PENANAK0qChutxej
323Please respect copyright.PENANAbUi3EGvs5M
帶金聽完寧娣的一番話,擔挑上的青菜突然變得異常沉重,彷彿會負累他的人生。說實在的,他對外邊的世界亦十分好奇。大城的人,總是看來高人一等的。精緻的髮型、用料上乘的衣褲、新奇的說話用字和思維…他渴望像大城的人一樣,過更好的生活。到大城闖盪的心,蠢蠢欲動。323Please respect copyright.PENANAyn2q0EMK5L
323Please respect copyright.PENANAvyS0b5M03y
不過,帶金有一個家,有一母一兄一弟。娘跛了左腿,不良於行,不宜到陌生異地生活去;長金膽小,恐怕難以適應陌生環境;有金向來不喜歡大城,甚至鄙視對大城趨之若鶩的村民…要去大城,就必須和他們別離。或去或留?帶金連日苦苦掙扎…323Please respect copyright.PENANAXRvcidMcVm
323Please respect copyright.PENANAY1RddsAPqu
這刻,他覺得自己像手心裡的紅雞蛋。雞蛋被誕下來,本應留在巢裡,等待乖乖被孵化。但它偏離了原先的命運,離巢,變成充滿幸福的紅雞蛋。而紅雞蛋的下場,就是被吃掉。323Please respect copyright.PENANAodWtWzB63Z
323Please respect copyright.PENANAHkNypPaZVA
帶金望著紅雞蛋發呆,覺得紅色染料美麗又魅惑。323Please respect copyright.PENANALEnWAzqBt1
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門外芸芸眾生說-短篇小說系列
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門外芸芸眾生說-短篇小說系列
Author:
天洛卡
ISSUE #5
帶金/寧娣/棧娘
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