第14章 英文版 (4) 文 / 歐內斯特·海明威

    Whentheyreachedtheoldman』sshacktheboytooktherollsoflineinthebasketandtheharpoonandgaffandtheoldmancarriedthemastwiththefurledsailonhisshoulder.

    「Doyouwantcoffee?」theboyasked.

    「We』llputthegearintheboatandthengetsome.」

    Theyhadcoffeefromcondensedmilkcansatanearlymorningplacedthatservedfishermen.

    「Howdidyousleepoldman?」theboyasked.Hewaswakingupnowalthoughitwasstillhardforhimtoleavehissleep.

    「Verywell,Manolin,」theoldmansaid.「Ifeelconfidenttoday.」

    「SodoI,」theboysaid.「NowImustgetyoursardinesandmineandyourfreshbaits.Hebringsourgearhimself.Heneverwantsanyonetocarryanything.」

    「We』redifferent,」theoldmansaid.「Iletyoucarrythingswhenyouwerefiveyearsold.」

    「Iknowit,」theboysaid.「I』llberightback.Haveanothercoffee.Wehavecredithere.」

    Hewalkedoff,bare-footedonthecoralrocks,totheicehousewherethebaitswerestored.

    Theoldmandrankhiscoffeeslowly.Itwasallhewouldhavealldayandheknewthatheshouldtakeit.Foralongtimenoweatinghadboredhimandhenevercarriedalunch.Hehadabottleofwaterinthebowoftheskiffandthatwasallheneededfortheday.

    Theboywasbacknowwiththesardinesandthetwobaitswrappedinanewspaperandtheywentdownthetrailtotheskiff,feelingthepebbledsandundertheirfeet,andliftedtheskiffandslidherintothewater.

    「Goodluckoldman.」

    「Goodluck,」theoldmansaid.Hefittedtheropelashingsoftheoarsontothetholepinsand,leaningforwardagainstthethrustofthebladesinthewater,hebegantorowoutoftheharbourinthedark.Therewereotherboatsfromtheotherbeachesgoingouttoseaandtheoldmanheardthedipandpushoftheiroarseventhoughhecouldnotseethemnowthemoonwasbelowthehills.

    Sometimessomeonewouldspeakinaboat.Butmostoftheboatsweresilentexceptforthedipoftheoars.Theyspreadapartaftertheywereoutofthemouthoftheharbourandeachoneheadedforthepartoftheoceanwherehehopedtofindfish.Theoldmanknewhewasgoingfaroutandheleftthesmellofthelandbehindandrowedoutintothecleanearlymorningsmelloftheocean.HesawthephosphorescenceoftheGulfweedinthewaterasherowedoverthepartoftheoceanthatthefishermencalledthegreatwellbecausetherewasasuddendeepofsevenhundredfathomswhereallsortsoffishcongregatedbecauseoftheswirlthecurrentmadeagainstthesteepwallsoftheflooroftheocean.Heretherewereconcentrationsofshrimpandbaitfishandsometimesschoolsofsquidinthedeepestholesandtheseroseclosetothesurfaceatnightwhereallthewanderingfishfedonthem.

    Inthedarktheoldmancouldfeelthemorningcomingandasherowedheheardthetremblingsoundasflyingfishleftthewaterandthehissingthattheirstiffsetwingsmadeastheysoaredawayinthedarkness.Hewasveryfondofflyingfishastheywerehisprincipalfriendsontheocean.Hewassorryforthebirds,especiallythesmalldelicatedarkternsthatwerealwaysflyingandlookingandalmostneverfinding,andhethought,thebirdshaveaharderlifethanwedoexceptfortherobberbirdsandtheheavystrongones.Whydidtheymakebirdssodelicateandfineasthoseseaswallowswhentheoceancanbesocruel?Sheiskindandverybeautiful.Butshecanbesocruelanditcomessosuddenlyandsuchbirdsthatfly,dippingandhunting,withtheirsmallsadvoicesaremadetoodelicatelyforthesea.

    HealwaysthoughtoftheseaaslamarwhichiswhatpeoplecallherinSpanishwhentheyloveher.Sometimesthosewholovehersaybadthingsofherbuttheyarealwayssaidasthoughshewereawoman.Someoftheyoungerfishermen,thosewhousedbuoysasfloatsfortheirlinesandhadmotorboats,boughtwhenthesharklivershadbroughtmuchmoney,spokeofheraselmarwhichismasculine.Theyspokeofherasacontestantoraplaceorevenanenemy.Buttheoldmanalwaysthoughtofherasfeminineandassomethingthatgaveorwithheldgreatfavours,andifshedidwildorwickedthingsitwasbecauseshecouldnothelpthem.Themoonaffectsherasitdoesawoman,hethought.

    Hewasrowingsteadilyanditwasnoeffortforhimsincehekeptwellwithinhisspeedandthesurfaceoftheoceanwasflatexceptfortheoccasionalswirlsofthecurrent.Hewaslettingthecurrentdoathirdoftheworkandasitstartedtobelighthesawhewasalreadyfurtheroutthanhehadhopedtobeatthishour.

    Iworkedthedeepwellsforaweekanddidnothing,hethought.TodayI』llworkoutwheretheschoolsofbonitoandalbacoreareandmaybetherewillbeabigonewiththem.

    Beforeitwasreallylighthehadhisbaitsoutandwasdriftingwiththecurrent.Onebaitwasdownfortyfathoms.Thesecondwasatseventy-fiveandthethirdandfourthweredowninthebluewateratonehundredandonehundredandtwenty-fivefathoms.Eachbaithungheaddownwiththeshankofthehookinsidethebaitfish,tiedandsewedsolidandalltheprojectingpartofthehook,thecurveandthepoint,wascoveredwithfreshsardines.Eachsardinewashookedthroughbotheyessothattheymadeahalf-garlandontheprojectingsteel.Therewasnopartofthehookthatagreatfishcouldfeelwhichwasnotsweetsmellingandgoodtasting.