第15章 英文版 (5) 文 / 歐內斯特·海明威

    Theboyhadgivenhimtwofreshsmalltunas,oralbacores,whichhungonthetwodeepestlineslikeplummetsand,ontheothers,hehadabigbluerunnerandayellowjackthathadbeenusedbefore;buttheywereingoodconditionstillandhadtheexcellentsardinestogivethemscentandattractiveness.Eachline,asthickaroundasabigpencil,wasloopedontoagreen-sappedsticksothatanypullortouchonthebaitwouldmakethestickdipandeachlinehadtwoforty-fathomcoilswhichcouldbemadefasttotheothersparecoilssothat,ifitwasnecessary,afishcouldtakeoutoverthreehundredfathomsofline.

    Nowthemanwatchedthedipofthethreesticksoverthesideoftheskiffandrowedgentlytokeepthelinesstraightupanddownandattheirproperdepths.Itwasquitelightandanymomentnowthesunwouldrise.

    Thesunrosethinlyfromtheseaandtheoldmancouldseetheotherboats,lowonthewaterandwellintowardtheshore,spreadoutacrossthecurrent.Thenthesunwasbrighterandtheglarecameonthewaterandthen,asitroseclear,theflatseasentitbackathiseyessothatithurtsharplyandherowedwithoutlookingintoit.Helookeddownintothewaterandwatchedthelinesthatwentstraightdownintothedarkofthewater.Hekeptthemstraighterthananyonedid,sothatateachlevelinthedarknessofthestreamtherewouldbeabaitwaitingexactlywherehewishedittobeforanyfishthatswamthere.Othersletthemdriftwiththecurrentandsometimestheywereatsixtyfathomswhenthefishermenthoughttheywereatahundred.

    But,hethought,Ikeepthemwithprecision.OnlyIhavenoluckanymore.Butwhoknows?Maybetoday.Everydayisanewday.Itisbettertobelucky.ButIwouldratherbeexact.Thenwhenluckcomesyouareready.

    Thesunwastwohourshighernowanditdidnothurthiseyessomuchtolookintotheeast.Therewereonlythreeboatsinsightnowandtheyshowedverylowandfarinshore.

    Allmylifetheearlysunhashurtmyeyes,hethought.Yettheyarestillgood.IntheeveningIcanlookstraightintoitwithoutgettingtheblackness.Ithasmoreforceintheeveningtoo.Butinthemorningitispainful.

    Justthenhesawaman-of-warbirdwithhislongblackwingscirclingintheskyaheadofhim.Hemadeaquickdrop,slantingdownonhisback-sweptwings,andthencircledagain.

    「He』sgotsomething,」theoldmansaidaloud.「He』snotjustlooking.」

    Herowedslowlyandsteadilytowardwherethebirdwascircling.Hedidnothurryandhekepthislinesstraightupanddown.Buthecrowdedthecurrentalittlesothathewasstillfishingcorrectlythoughfasterthanhewouldhavefishedifhewasnottryingtousethebird.

    Thebirdwenthigherintheairandcircledagain,hiswingsmotionless.Thenhedovesuddenlyandtheoldmansawflyingfishspurtoutofthewaterandsaildesperatelyoverthesurface.

    「Dolphin,」theoldmansaidaloud.「Bigdolphin.」

    Heshippedhisoarsandbroughtasmalllinefromunderthebow.Ithadawireleaderandamedium-sizedhookandhebaiteditwithoneofthesardines.Heletitgooverthesideandthenmadeitfasttoaringboltinthestern.Thenhebaitedanotherlineandleftitcoiledintheshadeofthebow.Hewentbacktorowingandtowatchingthelong-wingedblackbirdwhowasworking,now,lowoverthewater.

    Ashewatchedthebirddippedagainslantinghiswingsforthediveandthenswingingthemwildlyandineffectuallyashefollowedtheflyingfish.Theoldmancouldseetheslightbulgeinthewaterthatthebigdolphinraisedastheyfollowedtheescapingfish.Thedolphinwerecuttingthroughthewaterbelowtheflightofthefishandwouldbeinthewater,drivingatspeed,whenthefishdropped.Itisabigschoolofdolphin,hethought.Theyarewidespreadandtheflyingfishhavelittlechance.Thebirdhasnochance.Theflyingfisharetoobigforhimandtheygotoofast.

    Hewatchedtheflyingfishburstoutagainandagainandtheineffectualmovementsofthebird.Thatschoolhasgottenawayfromme,hethought.Theyaremovingouttoofastandtoofar.ButperhapsIwillpickupastrayandperhapsmybigfishisaroundthem.Mybigfishmustbesomewhere.

    Thecloudsoverthelandnowroselikemountainsandthecoastwasonlyalonggreenlinewiththegraybluehillsbehindit.Thewaterwasadarkbluenow,sodarkthatitwasalmostpurple.Ashelookeddownintoithesawtheredsiftingoftheplanktoninthedarkwaterandthestrangelightthesunmadenow.Hewatchedhislinestoseethemgostraightdownoutofsightintothewaterandhewashappytoseesomuchplanktonbecauseitmeantfish.Thestrangelightthesunmadeinthewater,nowthatthesunwashigher,meantgoodweatherandsodidtheshapeofthecloudsovertheland.Butthebirdwasalmostoutofsightnowandnothingshowedonthesurfaceofthewaterbutsomepatchesofyellow,sun-bleachedSargassoweedandthepurple,formalized,iridescent,gelatinousbladderofaPortugueseman-of-warfloatingdosebesidetheboat.Itturnedonitssideandthenrighteditself.Itfloatedcheerfullyasabubblewithitslongdeadlypurplefilamentstrailingayardbehinditinthewater.

    「Aguamala,」themansaid.「Youwhore.」

    Fromwhereheswunglightlyagainsthisoarshelookeddownintothewaterandsawthetinyfishthatwerecolouredlikethetrailingfilamentsandswambetweenthemandunderthesmallshadethebubblemadeasitdrifted.Theywereimmunetoitspoison.Butmenwerenotandwhensameofthefilamentswouldcatchonalineandrestthereslimyandpurplewhiletheoldmanwasworkingafish,hewouldhaveweltsandsoresonhisarmsandhandsofthesortthatpoisonivyorpoisonoakcangive.Butthesepoisoningsfromtheaguamalacamequicklyandstrucklikeawhiplash.