[Nha^n va^.t] Tu+' dda.i my~ nha^n Sa`i Go`n.

[VIPS <proxy098@hotmail.com>]

Tu+' dda.i my~ nha^n Sa`i Go`n.

Sa`i go`n xu+a dda~ co' ”tu+' dda.i phu'“ (nha^'t Si~, nhi. Phu+o+ng,
tam Xu+o+ng, tu+' DDi.nh), pha?i cha(ng cu~ng co' "tu+' my~ nha^n"? Qua?
la` Sa`i go`n cu~ng tu+`ng co' mo^.t bo^. tu+' ngu+o+`i dde.p nhu+
va^.y.

* Co^ ba "Hoa kho^i mo.i tho+`i ddai.".
Ai dda~ tu+`ng so^'ng o+? Sa`i go`n tru+o+'c tha^.p nie^n 1960 dde^`u
kho^ng the^? kho^ng nghe tie^'ng co^ Ba, ngu+o+`i dde.p tie^u bie^?u
cu?a dda^'t phu+o+ng Nam. Co^ chi'nh la` ngu+o+`i co' cha^n dung
ddu+o+.c in tre^n bao xa` pho`ng hie^.u co^ Ba cu?a Ha~ng Tru+o+ng Va(n
Be^`n. Nhu+ng co^ Ba la` ai ma` xinh dde.p va` ddu+o+.c ngu+o+~ng mo^.
nhu+ va^.y ??
Tha^.t ra, ke^? ca? nhu+~ng ngu+o+`i nay dda~ o+? tuo^?i 70-80, tu+`ng
so^'ng o+? Sa`i go`n, cu~ng kho^ng the^? bie^'t ma(.t tha^.t cu?a
ngu+o+`i dde.p na`y. Vi` co^ la` mo^.t hoa kho^i ddu+o+.c phong chu+'c
danh va`o tha^.p nie^n 90 cu?a the^' ky? XIX.
Kho^ng ai ddu+o+.c bie^'t te^n tuo^?i tha^.t cu?a ngu+o+`i dde.p, chi?
ddu+o+.c truye^`n tu.ng ba(`ng hai tu+` "co^ Ba" dda(.c tru+ng Nam bo^..
Nhu+ng cha('c cha('n mo^.t ddie^`u, co^ la` ngu+o+`i Vie^.t Nam dda^`u
tie^n ddu+o+.c ba^`u la` Hoa ha^.u, ddu+o+.c ghi danh tre^n ba'o chi'
Pha'p ngu+~ o+? Sa`i go`n tho+`i ba^'y gio+` va` ddu+o+.c ngu+o+`i Pha'p
vo^ cu`ng ngu+o+~ng vo.ng bo^'c ngu+o+`i dde.p le^n ta^.n ma^y xanh!
Mo^.t nha` ba'o dda~ vie^'t trong to+` Le Courrier Saigonais ra(`ng,
ne^'u co^ Ba chi.u ddi thi hoa ha^.u the^' gio+'i, thi` cha('c cha('n
se~ co' thu+' ha.ng cao! Ca'c tay phong lu+u ngu+o+`i Pha'p cu~ng dda'nh
ho+i ddu+o+.c ddie^`u ddo', chi'nh thu+'c mo+`i co^ Ba ky' ho+.p ddo^`ng
dde^? mo+`i sang Pha'p, tu+. gio+'i thie^.u vo+'i mo.i ngu+o+`i be^n
kinh ddo^ a'nh sa'ng, ro^`i sau ddo' se~ ta.o ddie^`u kie^.n cho co^ Ba
tham du+. ky` thi hoa ha^.u the^' gio+'i sa('p to^? chu+'c! Nghe no'i
gia ddi`nh co^ Ba dda~ kho^ng ddo^`ng y', co' le~ so+. ma^'t con va`o
tay ma^'y la~o Ta^y ha'o sa('c. Ma` ba?n tha^n co^ Ba cu~ng pha?n
ddo^'i, bo+?i co^ cho ra(`ng mi`nh du+. thi "hoa ha^.u" la` dde^? cho
vui, dde^? mo.i ngu+o+`i ngoa.i quo^'c bie^'t la` ngu+o+`i Vie^.t nam
cu~ng kho^ng thua ke'm ai. Co`n chuye^.n ddi ddua ta`i vo+'i na(m cha^u
thi` co^ chu+a nghi~ to+'i. Co^ cu~ng cho ra(`ng, mo^~i da^n to^.c co'
ca'i dde.p kha'c nhau, do ddo' ddem ra so ta`i thi` kho^ng chua^?n xa'c.
Tha^.t la` mo^.t y' nghi~ kha' tie^'n bo^..
Ve^` tha^n the^' co^ Ba, ngu+o+`i ta chi? ddu+o+.c bie^'t va('n ta('t.
Co^ la` con ga'i thu+' ba cu?a mo^.t vie^n quan chu+'c nho? ngu+o+`i
Vie^.t giu'p vie^.c cho chi'nh quye^`n ba?o ho^., ddu+o+.c go.i la`
tha^`y tho^ng cha'nh. Co^ la` ngu+o+`i con ga'i dde.p kho^ng ai bi`
ki.p, nhu+ lo+`i mo^ ta? cu?a co^' ho.c gia? Vu+o+ng Ho^`ng Se^?n trong
mo^.t quye^?n sa'ch cu?a o^ng : DDe.p tu+. nhie^n, kho^ng ra(ng gia?,
kho^ng ngu+.c keo su nha^n ta.o, to'c da`i cha^'m go't, bo+'i ba vo`ng
mo^.t ngo.n, mu+o+'t mu+o+.t va` tho+m phu+'c da^`u du+`a mo+'i tha('ng,
dde.p kho^ng vi` son pha^'n gia? ta.o, dde.p dde^'n no^~i Nha` nu+o+'c
in hi`nh va`o con tem Nha` Tho+ Da^y The'p (bu+u ddie^.n) va` mo^.t
hie^.u buo^n xa` bo^ng xin phe'p hoa. hi`nh la`m ma^~u rao ha`ng : "Xa`
bo^ng co^ Ba" (tri'ch Sa`i go`n na(m xu+a)..

* Co^ Ba Tra`
Kho^ng bie^'t co' pha?i nga^~u nhie^n hay cha(ng, ngu+o+`i dde.p thu+'
hai trong "tu+' my~ nha^n" la.i cu~ng la` thu+' ba, go.i la` co^ Ba
Tra`. Va`o khoa?ng 1923 dde^'n 1935, ha^`u he^'t da^n cho+i Sa`i go`n
dde^`u nghe danh, bie^'t ma(.t mo^.t ngu+o+`i dde.p ba^.c nha^'t tho+`i
a^'y, ddo' la` co^ Ba Tra`. Thu+?o xu+a, da^n Ga`i Go`n thi'ch go.i ai
ddo' ba(`ng thu+' ke`m vo+'i te^n to^.c, chu+' i't khi go.i "Thu Ho^`ng,
Die^~m Cha^u" nhu+ sau na`y. Danh xu+ng co^ Ba Tra` ha^`u nhu+ na(`m
lo`ng ca'c vu+o+ng to^n co^ng tu+? Ba.c Lie^u, My~ Tho (Ha('c co^ng ty?,
Ba.ch co^ng tu+?). Ngoa`i ra, nhu+~ng ngu+o+`i ddeo ba'm theo sau co^ Ba
Tra` co`n co' ca'c quan chu+'c Pha'p, ca'c tay quan chu+'c ngu+o+`i
Vie^.t nhie^`u tie^`n cu?a va` the^' lu+.c, trong so^' na`y no^?i tro^.i
ho+n he^'t co' co`m-mi Ki'nh, mo^.t tay cho+i co' co+~, tu+`ng me^ va`
ddu+o+.c co^ Ba Tra` me^ la.i. Ho.thu+o+`ng ddi ddo^i kha('p nhu+~ng
no+i a(n cho+i, nhu+~ng cho^'n pho^`n hoa ddo^ ho^.i.
No'i ve^` sa('c dde.p cu?a co^ Ba Tra`, mo^.t to+` ba'o tho+`i a^'y dda~
mo^ ta?:"Mo^~i ca'i nheo ma('t cu?a co^ Ba, thi` ha^`u nhu+ tay cho+i
na`o cu~ng ca?m tha^'y tay cha^n ru.ng ro+`i, mo^~i khi co^ cu+o+`i,
thi` y nhu+ ra(`ng ru+o+.u ro't tra`n, tie^`n tuo^n ra... Ngu+o+`i ta
dda~ kho^ng tie^'c tie^`n cu?a, ke^? ca? nha` cu+?a, ruo^.ng  vu+o+`n
va` ca? sinh ma.ng cu?a mi`nh nu+~a, dde^? chi? ddu+o+.c ke^` ca^.n be^n
ngu+o+`i dde.p nhi`n ngu+o+`i dde.p nheo ma('t, nuo^'t la^'y nu. cu+o+`i
nhu+ hoa no+? cu?a na`ng..."
Na(m 1930, lu'c kinh te^' the^' gio+'i ddang bi. khu?ng khoa?ng, va^.y
ma` nghe no'i chie^`u na`o co^ Ba cu~ng ddu+o+.c ca'c vu+o+ng to^n co^ng
tu+? cho+? tre^n xe Delage mui tra^`n, ddi da.o pho^' Catinat, Bonard
(DDo^`ng Kho+?i va` Le^ Lo+.i nga`y nay) dde^? khoe sa('c, khoe hu+o+ng
loe` thie^n ha.. Nhu+~ng ngu+o+`i cao tuo^?i tu+`ng xo^'ng o+? Sa`i Go`n
tho+`i a^'y ke^? la.i ru+`ng, mo^~i la^`n xe ho. lu+o+.n qua nhu+ va^.y,
thi` o+? phi'a sau co' va`i chu.c chie^'c xe ke'o (mo^.t da.ng xi'ch lo^
do ngu+o+`i ke'o phi'a tru+o+'c, thay vi` ngo^`i dda.p nhu+ ba^y gio+`)
cha.y theo nhu+ mo^.t cuo^.c die^~u ha`nh! Ga(.p bu+~a na`o co^ Ba Tra`
ddi vo+'i Ha('c hay Ba.ch co^ng tu+? thi` coi nhu+ ca'nh xe ke'o "u?ng
ho^. vie^n" tru'ng ma'nh, ca'c co^ng tu+? se~ vu+'t xuo^'ng cho mo^~i
ngu+o+`i va`i ca('c ba.c (mo^.t ca'c ba.c tho+`i a^'y ddu? mo^.t bu+~a
cho+.!).

* Co^ Tu+ Nhi.
Cu`ng tho+`i vo+'i co^ Ba` Tra` co`n co' Tu+ Nhi., Sa'u Hu+o+ng, Hai
Tho+`i... ne^'u so ve^` nhan sa('c thi` kho' no'i ai ho+n ai. Ne^'u co^
Ba Tra` qua' no^?i tie^'ng trong gio+'i vu+o+ng to^n co^ng tu+?, thi`
tra'i la.i, co^ Tu+ Nhi. la.i no^?i tie^'ng ho+n trong gio+'i va(n
nha^n, nghe^. si~. Co^ xua^'t tha^n "tru+o+`ng DDa^`m", co' ba(`ng
diplo^me va` khi ra ddo+`i dda~ ddu+o+.c nhu+~ng nha^n va^.t co' co+~
trong gio+'i ba'o chi' thuo+? a^'y sa(n ddo'n va` mo+`i mo.c ta^.p ta`nh
vie^'t ba'o. Tuy co^ vie^'t kho^ng gio?i, nhu+ng cu~ng ddu+o+.c ke^? la`
ngu+o+`i "bie^'t vie^'t la'ch", ne^n ra^'t ddu+o+.c ne^? nang, mo+`i
mo.c he^'t tie^.c na`y dde^'n le^~ la.t no.. Nghe no'i co^ co' do`ng ho.
vo+'i Le^ Pha't Thanh, mo^.t trie^.u phu' tho+`i dda^`u the^' ky? XX
ta.i Sa`i Go`n, thu+`a hu+o+?ng ca'i gien nhan sa('c cu?a ho. Le^ na`y,
ne^n nhan sa('c cu?a co^ ddu+o+.c vi' vo+'i co^ con ga'i ru+o+.u cu?a
Pha't Thanh tho+`i tru+o+'c. Le^ Pha't Thanh la`m gia`u o+? Sa`i Go`n
va`o nhu+~ng na(m cuo^'i the^' ky? XIX, dda^`u the^' ky? XX, nhu+~ng
na(m ddo' toa`n quye^`n Paul Doimer co`n na('m quye^`n o+? nam Ky`, cho
ne^n vie^.c Pha't Thanh cho+i tha^n vo+'i Doumer dda~ la`m cho su+.
nghie^.p cu?a Thanh the^m vu+~ng. Qua gio+'i thie^.u, mai mo^'i cu?a
Doumer, Le^ Pha't Thanh dda~ ga? co^ con ga'i ru+o+.u cu+.c ky` xinh
dde.p cho mo^.t nha` ba'o Pha'p te^n la` Julien Delpit. Ve^` sau, do
tie^upha vung ma.ng ne^n Delpit pha' ta'n ga^`n he^'t tie^`n ba.c cu?a
bo^' vo+., dde^'n no^~i vo+. cho^`ng pha?i da('t di'u nhau tro^'n qua
La`o dde^? sinh co+ la^.p nghie^.p... Co^ Tu+ Nhi. nho+` quan bie^'t
nhie^`u va(n nha^n, chi'nh tri. gia, ne^n ddu+o+.c ho. ddu+a le^n mo^.t
vi. tri' dda(.c bie^.t ho+n co^ Ba Tra`. Ngu+o+`i ta ddo^`ng ra(`ng Tu+
Nhi. co' tho+`i dda~ la` nha^n ti`nh cu?a vie^n toa`n quye^`n Pha'p.
Ve^` sau (khoa?ng na(m 1940), nghe no'i co^ na`y che^'t trong nghe`o
tu'ng o+? mo^.t xo'm nho? thuo^.c qua^.n 5.

* Co^ Sa'u Hu+o+ng
Chi? sau Ba Tra`, Tu+ Nhi. va`i na(m thi` Sa'u Hu+o+ng no^?i le^n, Co^
na`y ddu+o+.c da^n phong lu+u tho+`i ddo' ta? la.i:"DDe.p nhu+ Ta^y Thi!
Co^ co' nu+o+'c da tra('ng nga^`n, ddo^i ma('t la' lie^~u sa'ng ngo+`i,
bo+` mo^i mo.ng lu'c na`o cu~ng u+o+n u+o+'t va` luo^n mi?m cu+o+`i...".
Sa'u Hu+o+ng cu~ng la` ngu+o+`i co' ho.c, xua^'t tha^n tru+o+`ng a'o
Ti'm (Nguye^~n Thi. Minh Khai nga`y nay) va` co' tho+`i ddu+o+.c to^n
la` "hoa kho^i tru+o+`ng a'o Ti'm". Va`o ddo+`i, co^ may ma('n quen
bie^'t vo+'i mo^.t Pha'p kie^`u gia`, vo^'n la` qua?n ly' cho nha` ha`ng
Continental no^?i tie^'ng, va` ddu+o+.c giu'p ddo+~ vo^'n lie^'ng. Co'
mo^.t giai thoa.i ke^? la.i ra(`ng, lu'c mo+'i quen Sa'u Hu+o+ng, qua'
me^ nhan sa('c cu?a co^, ne^n la~o Pha'p kie^`u dda~ ma.nh da.n hu+'a
he.n se~ nhu+o+.ng nha` ha`ng Continental cho co^ Sa'u!
Tho+`i a^'y, nha` ha`ng Continental la` mo^.t trong hai nha` ha`ng
kha'ch sa.n ba^.c nha^'t cu?a Sa`i Go`n (ca'i kia la` Majestics), ne^n
tru+o+'c vie^.c la~o Ta^y buo^ng ra lo+`i hu+'a nhu+ the^', cha(?ng i't
ngu+o+`i dda~ cu+o+`i va`o mu~i la~o ta, cho la` no'i phe't, nhu+ng la~o
Ta^y gia` dda~ qua? quye^'t:"Ca'c ngu+o+`i kho^ng nho+' la` nga`y
tru+o+'c, khi co^ng tu+o+'c Duc de Montpensier mo+'i sang Sa`i Go`n,
o^ng cu~ng mo+`i ba` co^ng tu+o+'c Comtesse de B. dde^'n a(n va` hu+'a
vo+'i ba` ra(`ng o^ng se~ mua ta(.ng ba` nha` ha`ng Continental ddo',
dda~ ma^'y ai nghi~ la` su+. tha^.t? Va^.y ma` chi? mo^.t na(m sau, o^ng
ta dda~ la`m ddu+o+.c chuye^.n a^'y..."
Lo+`i hu+'a cu?a la~o Pha'p gia` chu+a ddo+.c thu+.c hie^.n, kho^ng
pha?i vi` la~o kho^ng co' tie^`n, ma` do la~o che^'t ddo^.t ngo^.t! Tu+`
ddo', co^ Sa'u Hu+o+ng cha(?ng ca^`n dde^'n ca'i nha` ha`ng Continental
ma` cu~ng gia`u va` no^?i tie^'ng. Bo+?i vi` co^ qua' dde.p. DDe.p
dde^'n no^~i ha^`u he^'t nhu+~ng tay cho+i, nhu+~ng trie^.u phu' dde^`u
me^ say, ddeo ba'm nhu+ ddi?a chung quanh co^. Ho. thi nhau cung phu.ng
cho ngu+o+`i dde.p kho^ng thie^'u mo^.t thu+' gi`, tu+` nha` la^`u, xe
ho+i, cho dde^'n nhu+~ng tru+o+ng mu.c trong nga^n ha`ng. Ngu+o+`i ta
ddo^`n ra(`ng, trong so^' nhu+~ng my~ nha^n tho+`i ddo', chi? co' Sa'u
Hu+o+ng la` gia`u nha^'t! Tuy va^.y, co^ chi? vang danh khoa?n 10 na(m,
ro^`i sau ru't va`o im la(.ng... Chu+`ng nhu+ co^ bie^'t du+`ng la.i
ddu'ng lu'c, tru+o+'c khi nhan sa('c ta`n phai. Co' ngu+o+`i no'i ve^`
sau co^ Sa'u Hu+o+ng so^'ng sung tu'c vo+'i mo^.t ngu+o+`i tha^n o+?
mo^.t  ngo^i bie^.t thu+. vu`ng Ba` Chie^?u...

Thu+o+.ng Ho^`ng