第27章 英文版 (17) 文 / 歐內斯特·海明威

    Hefeltfaintagainnowbutheheldonthegreatfishallthestrainthathecould.Imovedhim,hethought.MaybethistimeIcangethimover.Pull,hands,hethought.Holdup,legs.Lastforme,head.Lastforme.Youneverwent.ThistimeI』llpullhimover.

    Butwhenheputallofhisefforton,startingitwelloutbeforethefishcamealongsideandpullingwithallhisstrength,thefishpulledpartwayoverandthenrightedhimselfandswamaway.

    「Fish,」theoldmansaid.「Fish,youaregoingtohavetodieanyway.Doyouhavetokillmetoo?」

    Thatwaynothingisaccomplished,hethought.Hismouthwastoodrytospeakbuthecouldnotreachforthewaternow.Imustgethimalongsidethistime,hethought.Iamnotgoodformanymoreturns.Yesyouare,hetoldhimself.You』regoodforever.

    Onthenextturn,henearlyhadhim.Butagainthefishrightedhimselfandswamslowlyaway.Youarekillingme,fish,theoldmanthought.Butyouhavearightto.NeverhaveIseenagreater,ormorebeautiful,oracalmerormorenoblethingthanyou,brother.Comeonandkillme.Idonotcarewhokillswho.

    Nowyouaregettingconfusedinthehead,hethought.Youmustkeepyourheadclear.Keepyourheadclearandknowhowtosufferlikeaman.Orafish,hethought.

    「Clearup,head,」hesaidinavoicehecouldhardlyhear.「Clearup.」

    Twicemoreitwasthesameontheturns.

    Idonotknow,theoldmanthought.Hehadbeenonthepointoffeelinghimselfgoeachtime.Idonotknow.ButIwilltryitoncemore.

    Hetrieditoncemoreandhefelthimselfgoingwhenheturnedthefish.Thefishrightedhimselfandswamoffagainslowlywiththegreattailweavingintheair.

    I』lltryitagain,theoldmanpromised,althoughhishandsweremushynowandhecouldonlyseewellinflashes.

    Hetrieditagainanditwasthesame.Sohethought,andhefelthimselfgoingbeforehestarted;Iwilltryitonceagain.

    Hetookallhispainandwhatwasleftofhisstrengthandhislonggoneprideandheputitagainstthefish』sagonyandthefishcameoverontohissideandswamgentlyonhisside,hisbillalmosttouchingtheplankingoftheskiffandstartedtopasstheboat,long,deep,wide,silverandbarredwithpurpleandinterminableinthewater.

    Theoldmandroppedthelineandputhisfootonitandliftedtheharpoonashighashecouldanddroveitdownwithallhisstrength,andmorestrengthhehadjustsummoned,intothefish』ssidejustbehindthegreatchestfinthatrosehighintheairtothealtitudeoftheman』schest.Hefelttheirongoinandheleanedonitanddroveitfurtherandthenpushedallhisweightafterit.

    Thenthefishcamealive,withhisdeathinhim,androsehighoutofthewatershowingallhisgreatlengthandwidthandallhispowerandhisbeauty.Heseemedtohangintheairabovetheoldmanintheskiff.Thenhefellintothewaterwithacrashthatsentsprayovertheoldmanandoveralloftheskiff.

    Theoldmanfeltfaintandsickandhecouldnotseewell.Butheclearedtheharpoonlineandletitrunslowlythroughhisrawhandsand,whenhecouldsee,hesawthefishwasonhisbackwithhissilverbellyup.Theshaftoftheharpoonwasprojectingatananglefromthefish』sshoulderandtheseawasdiscolouringwiththeredofthebloodfromhisheart.Firstitwasdarkasashoalinthebluewaterthatwasmorethanamiledeep.Thenitspreadlikeacloud.Thefishwassilveryandstillandfloatedwiththewaves.

    Theoldmanlookedcarefullyintheglimpseofvisionthathehad.Thenhetooktwoturnsoftheharpoonlinearoundthebittinthebowandhidhisheadonhishands.

    「Keepmyheaddear,」hesaidagainstthewoodofthebow.「Iamatiredoldman.ButIhavekilledthisfishwhichismybrotherandnowImustdotheslavework.」

    NowImustpreparethenoosesandtheropetolashhimalongside,hethought.Evenifweweretwoandswampedhertoloadhimandbailedherout,thisskiffwouldneverholdhim.Imustprepareeverything,thenbringhiminandlashhimwellandstepthemastandsetsailforhome.

    Hestartedtopullthefishintohavehimalongsidesothathecouldpassalinethroughhisgillsandouthismouthandmakehisheadfastalongsidethebow.Iwanttoseehim,hethought,andtotouchandtofeelhim.Heismyfortune,hethought.ButthatisnotwhyIwishtofeelhim.IthinkIfelthisheart,hethought.WhenIpushedontheharpoonshaftthesecondtime.Bringhiminnowandmakehimfastandgetthenoosearoundhistailandanotheraroundhismiddletobindhimtotheskiff.

    「Gettowork,oldman,」hesaid.Hetookaverysmalldrinkofthewater.「Thereisverymuchslaveworktobedonenowthatthefightisover.」

    Helookedupattheskyandthenouttohisfish.Helookedatthesuncarefully.Itisnotmuchmorethannoon,hethought.Andthetradewindisrising.Thelinesallmeannothingnow.TheboyandIwillsplicethemwhenwearehome.

    「Comeon,fish,」hesaid.Butthefishdidnotcome.

    Insteadhelaytherewallowingnowintheseasandtheoldmanpulledtheskiffupontohim.