第12章 英文版 (2) 文 / 歐內斯特·海明威

    Theypickedupthegearfromtheboat.Theoldmancarriedthemastonhisshoulderandtheboycarriedthewoodenboatwiththecoiled,hard-braidedbrownlines,thegaffandtheharpoonwithitsshaft.Theboxwiththebaitswasunderthesternoftheskiffalongwiththeclubthatwasusedtosubduethebigfishwhentheywerebroughtalongside.Noonewouldstealfromtheoldmanbutitwasbettertotakethesailandtheheavylineshomeasthedewwasbadforthemand,thoughhewasquitesurenolocalpeoplewouldstealfromhim,theoldmanthoughtthatagaffandaharpoonwereneedlesstemptationstoleaveinaboat.

    Theywalkeduptheroadtogethertotheoldman』sshackandwentinthroughitsopendoor.Theoldmanleanedthemastwithitswrappedsailagainstthewallandtheboyputtheboxandtheothergearbesideit.Themastwasnearlyaslongastheoneroomoftheshack.Theshackwasmadeofthetoughbudshieldsoftheroyalpalmwhichwerecalledguanoandinittherewasabed,atable,onechair,andaplaceonthedirtfloortocookwithcharcoal.Onthebrownwallsoftheflattened,overlappingleavesofthesturdyfiberedguanotherewasapictureincoloroftheSacredHeartofJesusandanotheroftheVirginofCobre.Thesewererelicsofhiswife.Oncetherehadbeenatintedphotographofhiswifeonthewallbuthehadtakenitdownbecauseitmadehimtoolonelytoseeitanditwasontheshelfinthecornerunderhiscleanshirt.

    「Whatdoyouhavetoeat?」theboyasked.

    「Apotofyellowricewithfish.Doyouwantsome?」

    「No.Iwilleatathome.Doyouwantmetomakethefire?」

    「No.Iwillmakeitlateron.OrImayeatthericecold.」

    「MayItakethecastnet?」

    「Ofcourse.」

    Therewasnocastnetandtheboyrememberedwhentheyhadsoldit.Buttheywentthroughthisfictioneveryday.Therewasnopotofyellowriceandfishandtheboyknewthistoo.

    「Eighty-fiveisaluckynumber,」theoldmansaid.「Howwouldyouliketoseemebringoneinthatdressedoutoverathousandpounds?」

    「I』llgetthecastnetandgoforsardines.Willyousitinthesuninthedoorway?」

    「Yes.Ihaveyesterday』spaperandIwillreadthebaseball.」

    Theboydidnotknowwhetheryesterday』spaperwasafictiontoo.Buttheoldmanbroughtitoutfromunderthebed.

    「Pericogaveittomeatthebodega,」heexplained.

    「I』llbebackwhenIhavethesardines.I』llkeepyoursandminetogetheroniceandwecansharetheminthemorning.WhenIcomebackyoucantellmeaboutthebaseball.」

    「TheYankeescannotlose.」

    「ButIfeartheIndiansofCleveland.」

    「HavefaithintheYankeesmyson.ThinkofthegreatDiMaggio.」

    「IfearboththeTigersofDetroitandtheIndiansofCleveland.」

    「BecarefuloryouwillfeareventheRedsofCincinnatiandtheWhiteSaxofChicago.」

    「YoustudyitandtellmewhenIcomeback.」

    「Doyouthinkweshouldbuyaterminalofthelotterywithaneighty-five?Tomorrowistheeighty-fifthday.」

    「Wecandothat,」theboysaid.「Butwhatabouttheeighty-sevenofyourgreatrecord?」

    「Itcouldnothappentwice.Doyouthinkyoucanfindaneighty-five?」

    「Icanorderone.

    「Onesheet.That』stwodollarsandahalf.Whocanweborrowthatfrom?」

    「That』seasy.Icanalwaysborrowtwodollarsandahalf.」

    「IthinkperhapsIcantoo.ButItrynottoborrow.Firstyouborrow.Thenyoubeg.」

    「Keepwarmoldman,」theboysaid.「RememberweareinSeptember.」

    「Themonthwhenthegreatfishcome,」theoldmansaid.「AnyonecanbeafishermaninMay.」

    「Igonowforthesardines,」theboysaid.

    Whentheboycamebacktheoldmanwasasleepinthechairandthesunwasdown.Theboytooktheoldarmyblanketoffthebedandspreaditoverthebackofthechairandovertheoldman』sshoulders.Theywerestrangeshoulders,stillpowerfulalthoughveryold,andtheneckwasstillstrongtooandthecreasesdidnotshowsomuchwhentheoldmanwasasleepandhisheadfallenforward.Hisshirthadbeenpatchedsomanytimesthatitwaslikethesailandthepatcheswerefadedtomanydifferentshadesbythesun.Theoldman』sheadwasveryoldthoughandwithhiseyesclosedtherewasnolifeinhisface.Thenewspaperlayacrosshiskneesandtheweightofhisarmhelditthereintheeveningbreeze.Hewasbarefooted.

    Theboylefthimthereandwhenhecamebacktheoldmanwasstillasleep.

    「Wakeupoldman,」theboysaidandputhishandononeoftheoldman』sknees.

    Theoldmanopenedhiseyesandforamomenthewascomingbackfromalongwayaway.Thenhesmiled.

    「Whathaveyougot?」heasked.

    「Supper,」saidtheboy.「We』regoingtohavesupper.」

    「I』mnotveryhungry.」

    「Comeonandeat.Youcan』tfishandnoteat.」

    「Ihave,」theoldmansaidgettingupandtakingthenewspaperandfoldingit.Thenhestartedtofoldtheblanket.

    「Keeptheblanketaroundyou,」theboysaid.「You』llnotfishwithouteatingwhileI』malive.」

    「Thenlivealongtimeandtakecareofyourself,」theoldmansaid.「Whatareweeating?」

    「Blackbeansandrice,friedbananas,andsomestew.」

    Theboyhadbroughttheminatwo-deckermetalcontainerfromtheTerrace.Thetwosetsofknivesandforksandspoonswereinhispocketwithapapernapkinwrappedaroundeachset.

    「Whogavethistoyou?」

    「Martin.Theowner.」

    「Imustthankhim.」

    「Ithankedhimalready,」theboysaid.「Youdon』tneedtothankhim.」

    「I』llgivehimthebellymeatofabigfish,」theoldmansaid.「Hashedonethisforusmorethanonce?」

    「Ithinkso.」

    「Imustgivehimsomethingmorethanthebellymeatthen.Heisverythoughtfulforus.」

    「Hesenttwobeers.」

    「Ilikethebeerincansbest.」

    「Iknow.Butthisisinbottles,Hatueybeer,andItakebackthebottles.」

    「That』sverykindofyou,」theoldmansaid.「Shouldweeat?」

    「I』vebeenaskingyouto,」theboytoldhimgently.「Ihavenotwishedtoopenthecontaineruntilyouwereready.」

    「I』mreadynow,」theoldmansaid.「Ionlyneededtimetowash.」