第23章 英文版 (13) 文 / 歐內斯特·海明威

    Justbeforeitwasdark,astheypassedagreatislandofSargassoweedthatheavedandswunginthelightseaasthoughtheoceanweremakinglovewithsomethingunderayellowblanket,hissmalllinewastakenbyadolphin.Hesawitfirstwhenitjumpedintheair,truegoldinthelastofthesunandbendingandflappingwildlyintheair.Itjumpedagainandagainintheacrobaticsofitsfearandheworkedhiswaybacktothesternandcrouchingandholdingthebiglinewithhisrighthandandarm,hepulledthedolphininwithhislefthand,steppingonthegainedlineeachtimewithhisbareleftfoot.Whenthefishwasatthestem,plungingandcuttingfromsidetosideindesperation,theoldmanleanedoverthesternandliftedtheburnishedgoldfishwithitspurplespotsoverthestem.Itsjawswereworkingconvulsivelyinquickbitesagainstthehookanditpoundedthebottomoftheskiffwithitslongflatbody,itstailanditsheaduntilheclubbeditacrosstheshininggoldenheaduntilitshiveredandwasstill.

    Theoldmanunhookedthefish,re-baitedthelinewithanothersardineandtosseditover.Thenheworkedhiswayslowlybacktothebow.Hewashedhislefthandandwipeditonhistrousers.Thenheshiftedtheheavylinefromhisrighthandtohisleftandwashedhisrighthandintheseawhilehewatchedthesungointotheoceanandtheslantofthebigcord.

    「Hehasn』tchangedatall,」hesaid.Butwatchingthemovementofthewateragainsthishandhenotedthatitwasperceptiblyslower.

    「I』lllashthetwooarstogetheracrossthesternandthatwillslowhiminthenight,」hesaid.

    「He』sgoodforthenightandsoamI.」

    Itwouldbebettertogutthedolphinalittlelatertosavethebloodinthemeat,hethought.Icandothatalittlelaterandlashtheoarstomakeadragatthesametime.Ihadbetterkeepthefishquietnowandnotdisturbhimtoomuchatsunset.Thesettingofthesunisadifficulttimeforallfish.Helethishanddryintheairthengraspedthelinewithitandeasedhimselfasmuchashecouldandallowedhimselftobepulledforwardagainstthewoodsothattheboattookthestrainasmuch,ormore,thanhedid.

    I』mlearninghowtodoit,hethought.Thispartofitanyway.Thentoo,rememberhehasn』teatensincehetookthebaitandheishugeandneedsmuchfood.Ihaveeatenthewholebonito.TomorrowIwilleatthedolphin.Hecalleditdorado.PerhapsIshouldeatsomeofitwhenIcleanit.Itwillbehardertoeatthanthebonito.But,then,nothingiseasy.

    「Howdoyoufeel,fish?」heaskedaloud.「IfeelgoodandmylefthandisbetterandIhavefoodforanightandaday.Pulltheboat,fish.」

    Hedidnottrulyfeelgoodbecausethepainfromthecordacrosshisbackhadalmostpassedpainandgoneintoadullnessthathemistrusted.ButIhavehadworsethingsthanthat,hethought.Myhandisonlycutalittleandthecrampisgonefromtheother.Mylegsareallright.AlsonowIhavegainedonhiminthequestionofsustenance.

    ItwasdarknowasitbecomesdarkquicklyafterthesunsetsinSeptember.Helayagainstthewornwoodofthebowandrestedallthathecould.Thefirststarswereout.HedidnotknowthenameofRigelbuthesawitandknewsoontheywouldallbeoutandhewouldhaveallhisdistantfriends.

    「Thefishismyfriendtoo,」hesaidaloud.「Ihaveneverseenorheardofsuchafish.ButImustkillhim.Iamgladwedonothavetotrytokillthestars.」

    Imagineifeachdayamanmusttrytokillthemoon,hethought.Themoonrunsaway.Butimagineifamaneachdayshouldhavetotrytokillthesun?Wewerebornlucky,hethought.

    Thenhewassorryforthegreatfishthathadnothingtoeatandhisdeterminationtokillhimneverrelaxedinhissorrowforhim.Howmanypeoplewillhefeed,hethought.Butaretheyworthytoeathim?No,ofcoursenot.Thereisnooneworthyofeatinghimfromthemannerofhisbehaviourandhisgreatdignity.

    Idonotunderstandthesethings,hethought.Butitisgoodthatwedonothavetotrytokillthesunorthemoonorthestars.Itisenoughtoliveontheseaandkillourtruebrothers.

    Now,hethought,Imustthinkaboutthedrag.Ithasitsperilsanditsmerits.ImaylosesomuchlinethatIwilllosehim,ifhemakeshiseffortandthedragmadebytheoarsisinplaceandtheboatlosesallherlightness.Herlightnessprolongsbothoursufferingbutitismysafetysincehehasgreatspeedthathehasneveryetemployed.NomatterwhatpassesImustgutthedolphinsohedoesnotspoilandeatsomeofhimtobestrong.

    NowIwillrestanhourmoreandfeelthatheissolidandsteadybeforeImovebacktothesterntodotheworkandmakethedecision.InthemeantimeIcanseehowheactsandifheshowsanychanges.Theoarsareagoodtrick;Butithasreachedthetimetoplayforsafety.HeismuchfishstillandIsawthatthehookwasinthecornerofhismouthandhehaskepthismouthtightshut.Thepunishmentofthehookisnothing.Thepunishmentofhunger,andthatheisagainstsomethingthathedoesnotcomprehend,iseverything.Restnow,oldman,andlethimworkuntilyournextdutycomes.

    Herestedforwhathebelievedtobetwohours.Themoondidnotrisenowuntillateandhehadnowayofjudgingthetime.Norwashereallyrestingexceptcomparatively.Hewasstillbearingthepullofthefishacrosshisshouldersbutheplacedhislefthandonthegunwaleofthebowandconfidedmoreandmoreoftheresistancetothefishtotheskiffitself.

    HowsimpleitwouldbeifIcouldmakethelinefast,hethought.Butwithonesmalllurchhecouldbreakit.Imustcushionthepullofthelinewithmybodyandatalltimesbereadytogivelinewithbothhands.

    「Butyouhavenotsleptyet,oldman,」hesaidaloud.「Itishalfadayandanightandnowanotherdayandyouhavenotslept.Youmustdeviseawaysothatyousleepalittleifheisquietandsteady.Ifyoudonotsleepyoumightbecomeunclearinthehead.」