第25章 英文版 (15) 文 / 歐內斯特·海明威

    Hewokewiththejerkofhisrightfistcomingupagainsthisfaceandthelineburningoutthroughhisrighthand.Hehadnofeelingofhislefthandbuthebrakedallhecouldwithhisrightandthelinerushedout.Finallyhislefthandfoundthelineandheleanedbackagainstthelineandnowitburnedhisbackandhislefthand,andhislefthandwastakingallthestrainandcuttingbadly.Helookedbackatthecoilsoflineandtheywerefeedingsmoothly.Justthenthefishjumpedmakingagreatburstingoftheoceanandthenaheavyfall.Thenhejumpedagainandagainandtheboatwasgoingfastalthoughlinewasstillracingoutandtheoldmanwasraisingthestraintobreakingpointandraisingittobreakingpointagainandagain.Hehadbeenpulleddowntightontothebowandhisfacewasinthecutsliceofdolphinandhecouldnotmove.

    Thisiswhatwewaitedfor,hethought.Sonowletustakeit.Makehimpayfortheline,hethought.Makehimpayforit.

    Hecouldnotseethefish』sjumpsbutonlyheardthebreakingoftheoceanandtheheavysplashashefell.Thespeedofthelinewascuttinghishandsbadlybuthehadalwaysknownthiswouldhappenandhetriedtokeepthecuttingacrossthecallousedpartsandnotletthelineslipintothepalmnorcutthefingers.

    Iftheboywasherehewouldwetthecoilsofline,hethought.Yes.Iftheboywerehere.Iftheboywerehere.

    Thelinewentoutandoutandoutbutitwasslowingnowandhewasmakingthefishearneachinchofit.Nowhegothisheadupfromthewoodandoutofthesliceoffishthathischeekhadcrushed.Thenhewasonhiskneesandthenheroseslowlytohisfeet.Hewascedinglinebutmoreslowlyallhetime.Heworkedbacktowherehecouldfeelwithhisfootthecoilsoflinethathecouldnotsee.Therewasplentyoflinestillandnowthefishhadtopullthefrictionofallthatnewlinethroughthewater.

    Yes,hethought.AndnowhehasjumpedmorethanadozentimesandfilledthesacksalonghisbackwithairandhecannotgodowndeeptodiewhereIcannotbringhimup.HewillstartcirclingsoonandthenImustworkonhim.Iwonderwhatstartedhimsosuddenly?Couldithavebeenhungerthatmadehimdesperate,orwashefrightenedbysomethinginthenight?Maybehesuddenlyfeltfear.Buthewassuchacalm,strongfishandheseemedsofearlessandsoconfident.Itisstrange.

    「Youhadbetterbefearlessandconfidentyourself,oldman,」hesaid.「You』reholdinghimagainbutyoucannotgetline.Butsoonhehastocircle.」

    Theoldmanheldhimwithhislefthandandhisshouldersnowandstoopeddownandscoopedupwaterinhisrighthandtogetthecrusheddolphinfleshoffofhisface.Hewasafraidthatitmightnauseatehimandhewouldvomitandlosehisstrength.Whenhisfacewascleanedhewashedhisrighthandinthewateroverthesideandthenletitstayinthesaltwaterwhilehewatchedthefirstlightcomebeforethesunrise.He』sheadedalmosteast,hethought.Thatmeansheistiredandgoingwiththecurrent.Soonhewillhavetocircle.Thenourtrueworkbegins.

    Afterhejudgedthathisrighthandhadbeeninthewaterlongenoughhetookitoutandlookedatit.

    「Itisnotbad,」hesaid.「Andpaindoesnotmattertoaman.」

    Hetookholdofthelinecarefullysothatitdidnotfitintoanyofthefreshlinecutsandshiftedhisweightsothathecouldputhislefthandintotheseaontheothersideoftheskiff.

    「Youdidnotdosobadlyforsomethingworthless,」hesaidtohislefthand.「ButtherewasamomentwhenIcouldnotfindyou.」

    WhywasInotbornwithtwogoodhands?hethought.Perhapsitwasmyfaultinnottrainingthatoneproperly.ButGodknowshehashadenoughchancestolearn.Hedidnotdosobadlyinthenight,though,andhehasonlycrampedonce.Ifhecrampsagainletthelinecuthimoff.

    Whenhethoughtthatheknewthathewasnotbeingclear-headedandhethoughtheshouldchewsomemoreofthedolphin.ButIcan』t,hetoldhimself.Itisbettertobelight-headedthantoloseyourstrengthfromnausea.AndIknowIcannotkeepitifIeatitsincemyfacewasinit.Iwillkeepitforanemergencyuntilitgoesbad.Butitistoolatetotryforstrengthnowthroughnourishment.You』restupid,hetoldhimself.Eattheotherflyingfish.

    Itwasthere,cleanedandready,andhepickeditupwithhislefthandandateitchewingthebonescarefullyandeatingallofitdowntothetail.

    Ithasmorenourishmentthanalmostanyfish,hethought.AtleastthekindofstrengththatIneed.NowIhavedonewhatIcan,hethought.Lethimbegintocircleandletthefightcome.

    Thesunwasrisingforthethirdtimesincehehadputtoseawhenthefishstartedtocircle.

    Hecouldnotseebytheslantofthelinethatthefishwascircling.Itwastooearlyforthat.Hejustfeltafaintslackeningofthepressureofthelineandhecommencedtopullonitgentlywithhisrighthand.Ittightened,asalways,butjustwhenhereachedthepointwhereitwouldbreak,linebegantocomein.Heslippedhisshouldersandheadfromunderthelineandbegantopullinlinesteadilyandgently.Heusedbothofhishandsinaswingingmotionandtriedtodothepullingasmuchashecouldwithhisbodyandhislegs.Hisoldlegsandshoulderspivotedwiththeswingingofthepulling.

    「Itisaverybigcircle,」hesaid.「Butheiscircling.」