第26章 英文版 (16) 文 / 歐內斯特·海明威

    Thenthelinewouldnotcomeinanymoreandheheldituntilhesawthedropsjumpingfromitinthesun.Thenitstartedoutandtheoldmankneltdownandletitgogrudginglybackintothedarkwater.

    「Heismakingthefarpartofhiscirclenow,」hesaid.ImustholdallIcan,hethought.Thestrainwillshortenhiscircleeachtime.PerhapsinanhourIwillseehim.NowImustconvincehimandthenImustkillhim.

    Butthefishkeptoncirclingslowlyandtheoldmanwaswetwithsweatandtireddeepintohisbonestwohourslater.Butthecirclesweremuchshorternowandfromthewaythelineslantedhecouldtellthefishhadrisensteadilywhileheswam.

    Foranhourtheoldmanhadbeenseeingblackspotsbeforehiseyesandthesweatsaltedhiseyesandsaltedthecutoverhiseyesandonhisforehead.Hewasnotafraidoftheblackspots.Theywerenormalatthetensionthathewaspullingontheline.Twice,though,hehadfeltfaintanddizzyandthathadworriedhim.

    「Icouldnotfailmyselfanddieonafishlikethis,」hesaid.「NowthatIhavehimcomingsobeautifully,Godhelpmeendure.I』llsayahundredOurFathersandahundredHailMarys.ButIcannotsaythemnow.

    Considerthemsaid,hethought.I』llsaythemlater.Justthenhefeltasuddenbangingandjerkingonthelineheheldwithhistwohands.Itwassharpandhard-feelingandheavy.

    Heishittingthewireleaderwithhisspear,hethought.Thatwasboundtocome.Hehadtodothat.ItmaymakehimjumpthoughandIwouldratherhestayedcirclingnow.Thejumpswerenecessaryforhimtotakeair.Butafterthateachonecanwidentheopeningofthehookwoundandhecanthrowthehook.

    「Don』tjump,fish,」hesaid.「Don』tjump.」

    Thefishhitthewireseveraltimesmoreandeachtimeheshookhisheadtheoldmangaveupalittleline.

    Imustholdhispainwhereitis,hethought.Minedoesnotmatter.Icancontrolmine.Buthispaincoulddrivehimmad.

    Afterawhilethefishstoppedbeatingatthewireandstartedcirclingslowlyagain.Theoldmanwasgaininglinesteadilynow.Buthefeltfaintagain.Heliftedsomeseawaterwithhislefthandandputitonhishead.Thenheputmoreonandrubbedthebackofhisneck.

    「Ihavenocramps,」hesaid.「He』llbeupsoonandIcanlast.Youhavetolast.Don』tevenspeakofit.」

    Hekneeledagainstthebowand,foramoment,slippedthelineoverhisbackagain.I』llrestnowwhilehegoesoutonthecircleandthenstandupandworkonhimwhenhecomesin,hedecided.

    Itwasagreattemptationtorestinthebowandletthefishmakeonecirclebyhimselfwithoutrecoveringanyline.Butwhenthestrainshowedthefishhadturnedtocometowardtheboat,theoldmanrosetohisfeetandstartedthepivotingandtheweavingpullingthatbroughtinallthelinehegained.

    I』mtirederthanIhaveeverbeen,hethought,andnowthetradewindisrising.Butthatwillbegoodtotakehiminwith.Ineedthatbadly.

    「I』llrestonthenextturnashegoesout,」hesaid.「Ifeelmuchbetter.ThenintwoorthreeturnsmoreIwillhavehim.」

    Hisstrawhatwasfaronthebackofhisheadandhesankdownintothebowwiththepullofthelineashefeltthefishturn.

    Youworknow,fish,hethought.I』lltakeyouattheturn.

    Theseahadrisenconsiderably.Butitwasafair-weatherbreezeandhehadtohaveittogethome.

    「I』lljuststeersouthandwest,」hesaid.「Amanisneverlostatseaanditisalongisland.」

    Itwasonthethirdturnthathesawthefishfirst.

    Hesawhimfirstasadarkshadowthattooksolongtopassundertheboatthathecouldnotbelieveitslength.

    「No,」hesaid.「Hecan』tbethatbig.」

    Buthewasthatbigandattheendofthiscirclehecametothesurfaceonlythirtyyardsawayandthemansawhistailoutofwater.Itwashigherthanabigscythebladeandaverypalelavenderabovethedarkbluewater.Itrakedbackandasthefishswamjustbelowthesurfacetheoldmancouldseehishugebulkandthepurplestripesthatbandedhim.Hisdorsalfinwasdownandhishugepectoralswerespreadwide.

    Onthiscircletheoldmancouldseethefish』seyeandthetwograysuckingfishthatswainaroundhim.Sometimestheyattachedthemselvestohim.Sometimestheydartedoff.Sometimestheywouldswimeasilyinhisshadow.Theywereeachoverthreefeetlongandwhentheyswamfasttheylashedtheirwholebodieslikeeels.

    Theoldmanwassweatingnowbutfromsomethingelsebesidesthesun.Oneachcalmplacidturnthefishmadehewasgaininglineandhewassurethatintwoturnsmorehewouldhaveachancetogettheharpoonin.

    ButImustgethimclose,close,close,hethought.Imustn』ttryforthehead.Imustgettheheart.

    「Becalmandstrong,oldman,」hesaid.

    Onthenextcirclethefish』sbeckwasoutbuthewasalittletoofarfromtheboat.Onthenextcirclehewasstilltoofarawaybuthewashigheroutofwaterandtheoldmanwassurethatbygainingsomemorelinehecouldhavehimalongside.

    Hehadriggedhisharpoonlongbeforeanditscoiloflightropewasinaroundbasketandtheendwasmadefasttothebittinthebow.

    Thefishwascominginonhiscirclenowcalmandbeautifullookingandonlyhisgreattailmoving.Theoldmanpulledonhimallthathecouldtobringhimcloser.Forjustamomentthefishturnedalittleonhisside.Thenhestraightenedhimselfandbegananothercircle.

    「Imovedhim,」theoldmansaid.「Imovedhimthen.」