天色漸白,翠綠而墨的廊側小園內,有什麼赭褐的供台置於大樹下的石桌上,未幾又有一座佛像安坐其上。
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古鐘漸明,供香與鮮花、乃至香膏逐一供奉。一身素雅卻衣質單薄的黑髮女子一腕纏血絹,恭敬地合十禮拜,掌箋默禱著什麼願望。清風竄入合領短紗衫、直游過主腰與紗籠外的肌膚,陣陣寒意教那絳唇邊唸邊顫動。197Please respect copyright.PENANAFTvXPYyBqk
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最終一切零落,無形無相,晨曦下只餘那漸見清晰的四面佛相與一桌簡樸的供養。
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二月廿五日,正好開光塑繪,藏箋入篋奉予諸佛菩薩,之以成願。197Please respect copyright.PENANAhqQnyP3PzF
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「婚期就訂在四月二十日,迎親擺席的事到時就拜託丹紅姐您了。」「唉喲還說這種客套話!雲芍妳放心好了,就是到時我這老人家不在,有阿綰在,一切定會打點得妥妥當當!」
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「這些事情就不要麻煩綰小姐了吧……」
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大半桌是請期的文書與禮品,璋桃聞言也只有苦笑低喃。她隨手拿過一個白背織金紋的簪筪,打開就見一雙金鳳釵,各伴有一片飾有珍珠與綠松珠的挑牌,牌頭是吉祥的蓮花,精工華美,盡顯大家貴氣。197Please respect copyright.PENANA197dgyRheY
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人家都已經贈送、還為她親手改了雙越禮的鳳釵,還好意思要求更多嗎?
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「還喜歡嗎?」「啊啊綰小姐!」
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璋桃連忙回頭,看見來人就起身施了個禮,再坐後攏袖抬手為座上客斟一杯香茗:「謝謝綰小姐相送,這雙鳳釵真的十分漂亮、還是綰小姐的一番祝福,我喜歡極了。」197Please respect copyright.PENANAvXf7WjRETf
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「是福,璋桃妳喜歡就好……」阿綰本來笑說,句末卻痛苦地緊皺起雙眉,擱案沿欲取茶的左腕不住輕顫。
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「綰小姐妳還好嗎?!是三巡樂禮時所落下的……」197Please respect copyright.PENANAaaLd9OSliZ
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手邊的首飾筪內正好有一錦枕,她馬上取出之、輕抬起女子傷腕枕到那錦枕上。司珍娘只柔眉微笑、搖頭示意無礙,她卻在那自然翻動的傷腕上看見未散的毒瘀和猶新的血跡。
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那教她當下心一驚,隨後就是心疼:與這位綰小姐相識快一年了,打從初見她就深深記住了阿綰的手腕和一雙玉釧、乃至不識時務地開口探聽了阿綰的故事。固中詳情她自是知道的,亦因此當晚小霜回說有關藥膏、煙供之事,她對這位官家碧玉只有更深的同情和感恩——不惜腕傷更重、乃至毒入骨血無靈,阿綰亦為她爭回了三巡樂禮的臉面、證得一個賣藝不賣身的清譽。任人都知道此番付出太多、太多了。
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快一年了,她沒跟小霜說、更沒跟寧雲芍——寧畫娘說,綰小姐之所以是綰小姐,是因為只有作為邢氏可綰,司珍娘才能平靜地活下去;不求相期、但求餘生安懿,就夠了。
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如是就有了可綰娘,一個飄泊無繫的可憐女子。
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「綰小姐,明日就是妳的壽辰了。」「是的。我正打算苟問璋桃妳與小霜會否有空……」
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「今年能否請妳指教一二,該怎樣拜供四面佛呢?」
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飲茶之際阿綰愣了愣,定神看向身邊不過二十的女孩,那雙墨眸清澈得多麽熟悉,竟看不出任何自我的欲望。197Please respect copyright.PENANA9Zstfv8Tpa
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多年輕的愛戀,多幸福的期許。
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「……自是可以。我們走吧?今日是拜供的好日子。」
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幾許清風入室,吹過迴廊,有兩裳紗絹絲羅隨步輕揚。未幾兩名女子各抱鮮花,同踏足廊側小園;花樹下安置了個佛壇,隨和卻不失莊嚴。
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陽光正好溫暖,林蔭正好柔和,葉未深已見佛,自是親切殊勝。
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「璋桃,請吧。」「好的。」
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一庭綠草上,璋桃攏裳而跪,雙掌扣攏一炷線香、兩拇指輕抵眉心,她虔誠默唸起自己的願望。
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阿綰緩緩步到供佛台左側放下兩束鮮花,一束是蘭、一束是槐,惟一的共通點是彼此都柔白無瑕。於那四面寶相莊嚴前,她謙卑地低斂去自己的眼眸,所以琥珀色的目光所及之處是那正面蘭花指間垂掛的袖珍小筪,它隨微風與香息輕晃。197Please respect copyright.PENANAJhILCBLO7s
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生辰前夕後夜,她掛之祈願供奉三日,幾歲蜿蜒入骨。
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「……由此禮讚,是福、是福、是福。」197Please respect copyright.PENANAnO6JbMs3gd
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起身供香後,璋桃後退了幾步合掌禮拜,最後輕拍裙膝恭身退離拜位。就在這時她抬頭看見了正面佛相的指間,轉身就問:「謝謝綰小姐,我拜供好了。話說於這莊嚴佛相前的小筪子是……」
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「那個啊。」197Please respect copyright.PENANACvghusJMMm
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鑲銀畫白的小筪於四面佛指間謙順著,如是阿綰柔撫著腕上的白玉釧,低眉笑說:「無甚特別,純粹雅緻所掛而已。」
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一箋泛黃紙隱於異地佛塔後,似見昭陽,確實雅緻大氣。
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可為何總覺得,那藏箋的佛篋還藏著無言的何物——並非典雅、更非高貴?
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想不通、想不透。
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剎那間古鐘悠然,兩個女子順聲抬頭,看出了樹蔭間流雲飄飄,日光依春風而和熙怡人。
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「時候差不多了,寧畫娘亦該召我回去了。」璋桃說,雙手置腹已備好施禮。「綰小姐的生辰禮,明天我定當親手送到。」197Please respect copyright.PENANACL473vUkj2
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「生辰禮自是可免了,我,無有所求。」197Please respect copyright.PENANAlGOzbXNBg5
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阿綰莞爾擺手,碧青的紗袖與奶白的玉釧順勢褪落手臂,那腕殘破帶血的黥槐盡顯人前。風吹過那黥花,猶隱隱作痛。197Please respect copyright.PENANAf8vPUYX6w1
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「就這樣平平淡淡的,就足夠了。」
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相遇交往,本就應該如當下相知相敬的互相揖別般,平淡如水。
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所以暹羅人又如何呢?
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過客一位而已。
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一念如是,司珍娘抬腕推開了木門,扶提紗籠兩側開襴踏進面客的小堂。她低斂著目光,卻依然無法阻止一小串清幽的白槐映入眼簾。陽光下那是多鮮明而刺眼的存在;大抵這暹羅郎君沒少向昭岸師傅探聽這商談之禮——沒少探聽、可綰娘是個怎樣的人吧。
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不然一個陌生男子,怎可能知道她這樣一個陌生女子、惟愛白槐?
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如是梳理,阿綰靜靜坐到窗邊供客的台座。身邊三幅紗幕外是那暹羅客,那串槐花靜靜躺在紗幕前的半界木几上;正如那套她精工細琢的花簪與掩鬓,亦是靜靜躺在另半份屬客人空間的木几上。一切憑那一線紗幕的陰影劃清界線,乾脆俐落。
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相坐不見,當下寂靜微妙得能聽見另一禪院的鐘聲。197Please respect copyright.PENANALghzHEWkRS
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「โปรดตรวจสอบว่า,สิ่งนี้เป็นที่น่าพอใจสำหรับคุณหรือไม่คะ。」197Please respect copyright.PENANA99BiiOULHH
(還請閣下細閱,此還需更動與否。)
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春風吹進紗幕,猶能映出幕後那人急急轉正、凝止的輪廓。
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大概是她的暹羅語實在太生硬了吧!阿綰默默自嘲,再次啟齒——更緩慢、更溫柔,幾近依書直唸:197Please respect copyright.PENANAHMpOx3oOA8
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「ดิฉันรู้สึกเป็นเกียรติ,ที่จะปรับปรุงมันคะ。」(愚娘萬幸,願再以精工之。)
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禪鐘飄進房室,她乾脆垂首閉眸,等待什麼回應、什麽動靜。大抵她的暹羅語實在過於不堪入耳,幕後的暹羅客才會一直一聲不吭盯著她不放吧!
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只是她本非暹羅人,言語生疏又如何?
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如是阿綰抬正了頭,氣息悠然,又是任由檀香飄渺,沾染過她垂落的鬢絲和單薄的素紗合領衫。
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「明日二月廿六日,正宜祭祀會人。若君有意,亦可到樓下小園拜供四面佛,祈個……今生憶慕、來世相懿罷。」
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她輕輕陳說以暹羅語,擱腿的雙腕受玉釧所制,是以溫潤、平復那蠢蠢欲動得發痛的思憶。驟聽幕後的呼息越發急重,她柔柔嘆息,微微張眸看向紗幕:197Please respect copyright.PENANAOIXeOHGWiX
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「世間男子鮮少深情如戌槐君。既有槐花作誓,尊先夫人、會等君的。」
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只要互有記認,哪怕幾生幾世、都會等吧。
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但這笑有多淡,淡得澀痛,惟她才知。
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「今日愚娘無禮多言,還請君海涵。願君,厚福安寧。」
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沉檀裊裊,送別了溫婉的女子,又隨風繞進了紗幕後的空間。
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午陽之下,那七尺的暹羅男兒緊執一簪杏槐,雙眼通紅。他顫著唇,不斷呢喃一個名字……
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午鐘沉沉,盡碎人心。
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待續。
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