第13章 英文版 (3) 文 / 歐內斯特·海明威

    Wheredidyouwash?Theboythought.Thevillagewatersupplywastwostreetsdowntheroad.Imusthavewaterhereforhim,theboythought,andsoapandagoodtowel.WhyamIsothoughtless?Imustgethimanothershirtandajacketforthewinterandsomesortofshoesandanotherblanket.

    「Yourstewisexcellent,」theoldmansaid.

    「Tellmeaboutthebaseball,」theboyaskedhim.

    「IntheAmericanLeagueitistheYankeesasIsaid,」theoldmansaidhappily.

    「Theylosttoday,」theboytoldhim.

    「Thatmeansnothing.ThegreatDiMaggioishimselfagain.」

    「Theyhaveothermenontheteam.」

    「Naturally.Buthemakesthedifference.Intheotherleague,betweenBrooklynandPhiladelphiaImusttakeBrooklyn.ButthenIthinkofDickSislerandthosegreatdrivesIntheoldpark.」

    「Therewasnothingeverlikethem.HehitthelongestballIhaveeverseen.」

    「DoyourememberwhenheusedtocometotheTerrace?」

    「IwantedtotakehimfishingbutIwastootimidtoaskhim.ThenIaskedyoutoaskhimandyouweretootimid.」

    「Iknow.Itwasagreatmistake.Hemighthavegonewithus.Thenwewouldhavethatforallofourlives.」

    「IwouldliketotakethegreatDiMaggiofishing,」theoldmansaid.「Theysayhisfatherwasafisherman.Maybehewasaspoorasweareandwouldunderstand.」

    「ThegreatSisler』sfatherwasneverpoorandhe,thefather,wasplayingintheBigLeagueswhenhewasmyage.」

    「WhenIwasyourageIwasbeforethemastonasquareriggedshipthatrantoAfricaandIhaveseenlionsonthebeachesintheevening.」

    「Iknow.Youtoldme.」

    「ShouldwetalkaboutAfricaoraboutbaseball?」

    「BaseballIthink,」theboysaid.「TellmeaboutthegreatJohnJ.McGraw.」HesaidJotaforJ.

    「HeusedtocometotheTerracesometimestoointheolderdays.Buthewasroughandharsh-spokenanddifficultwhenhewasdrinking.Hismindwasonhorsesaswellasbaseball.Atleasthecarriedlistsofhorsesatalltimesinhispocketandfrequentlyspokethenamesofhorsesonthetelephone.」

    「Hewasagreatmanager,」theboysaid.「Myfatherthinkshewasthegreatest.」

    「Becausehecameherethemosttimes,」theoldmansaid.「IfDurocherhadcontinuedtocomehereeachyearyourfatherwouldthinkhimthegreatestmanager.」

    「Whoisthegreatestmanager,really,LuqueorMikeGonzalez?」

    「Ithinktheyareequal.」

    「Andthebestfishermanisyou.」

    「No.Iknowothersbetter.」

    「QueVa,」theboysaid.「Therearemanygoodfishermenandsomegreatones.Butthereisonlyyou.」

    「Thankyou.Youmakemehappy.Ihopenofishwillcomealongsogreatthathewillproveuswrong.」

    「Thereisnosuchfishifyouarestillstrongasyousay.」

    「ImaynotbeasstrongasIthink,」theoldmansaid.「ButIknowmanytricksandIhaveresolution.」

    「Yououghttogotobednowsothatyouwillbefreshinthemorning.IwilltakethethingsbacktotheTerrace.」

    「Goodnightthen.Iwillwakeyouinthemorning.」

    「You』remyalarmclock,」theboysaid.

    「Ageismyalarmclock,」theoldmansaid.「Whydooldmenwakesoearly?Isittohaveonelongerday?」

    「Idon』tknow,」theboysaid.「AllIknowisthatyoungboyssleeplateandhard.」

    「Icanrememberit,」theoldmansaid.「I』llwakeyouintime.」

    「Idonotlikeforhimtowakeme.ItisasthoughIwereinferior.」

    「Iknow.」

    「Sleepwelloldman.」

    Theboywentout.Theyhadeatenwithnolightonthetableandtheoldmantookoffhistrousersandwenttobedinthedark.Herolledhistrousersuptomakeapillow,puttingthenewspaperinsidethem.Herolledhimselfintheblanketandsleptontheotheroldnewspapersthatcoveredthespringsofthebed.

    HewasasleepinashorttimeandhedreamedofAfricawhenhewasaboyandthelonggoldenbeachesandthewhitebeaches,sowhitetheyhurthiseyes,andthehighcapesandthegreatbrownmountains.Helivedalongthatcoastnoweverynightandinhisdreamsheheardthesurfroarandsawthenativeboatscomeridingthroughit.HesmelledthetarandoakumofthedeckashesleptandhesmelledthesmellofAfricathatthelandbreezebroughtatmorning.

    Usuallywhenhesmelledthelandbreezehewokeupanddressedtogoandwaketheboy.ButtonightthesmellofthelandbreezecameveryearlyandheknewitwastooearlyinhisdreamandwentondreamingtoseethewhitepeaksoftheIslandsrisingfromtheseaandthenhedreamedofthedifferentharboursandroadsteadsoftheCanaryIslands.

    Henolongerdreamedofstorms,norofwomen,norofgreatoccurrences,norofgreatfish,norfights,norcontestsofstrength,norofhiswife.Heonlydreamedofplacesnowandofthelionsonthebeach.Theyplayedlikeyoungcatsintheduskandhelovedthemashelovedtheboy.Heneverdreamedabouttheboy.Hesimplywoke,lookedouttheopendooratthemoonandunrolledhistrousersandputthemon.Heurinatedoutsidetheshackandthenwentuptheroadtowaketheboy.Hewasshiveringwiththemorningcold.Butheknewhewouldshiverhimselfwarmandthatsoonhewouldberowing.

    Thedoorofthehousewheretheboylivedwasunlockedandheopeneditandwalkedinquietlywithhisbarefeet.Theboywasasleeponacotinthefirstroomandtheoldmancouldseehimclearlywiththelightthatcameinfromthedyingmoon.Hetookholdofonefootgentlyandheldituntiltheboywokeandturnedandlookedathim.Theoldmannoddedandtheboytookhistrousersfromthechairbythebedand,sittingonthebed,pulledthemon.

    Theoldmanwentoutthedoorandtheboycameafterhim.Hewassleepyandtheoldmanputhisarmacrosshisshouldersandsaid,「Iamsorry.」

    「QuaVa,」theboysaid.「Itiswhatamanmustdo.」

    Theywalkeddowntheroadtotheoldman』sshackandallalongtheroad,inthedark,barefootmenweremoving,carryingthemastsoftheirboats.