第29章 英文版 (19) 文 / 歐內斯特·海明威

    Sometimeshelostthescent.Buthewouldpickitupagain,orhavejustatraceofit,andheswamfastandhardonthecourse.HewasaverybigMakesharkbuilttoswimasfastasthefastestfishintheseaandeverythingabouthimwasbeautifulexcepthisjaws.Hisbackwasasblueasaswordfish』sandhisbellywassilverandhishidewassmoothandhandsome.Hewasbuiltasaswordfishexceptforhishugejawswhichweretightshutnowasheswamfast,justunderthesurfacewithhishighdorsalfinknifingthroughthewaterwithoutwavering.Insidethecloseddoublelipofhisjawsallofhiseightrowsofteethwereslantedinwards.Theywerenottheordinarypyramid-shapedteethofmostsharks.Theywereshapedlikeaman』sfingerswhentheyarecrispedlikeclaws.Theywerenearlyaslongasthefingersoftheoldmanandtheyhadrazor-sharpcuttingedgesonbothsides.Thiswasafishbuilttofeedonallthefishesinthesea,thatweresofastandstrongandwellarmedthattheyhadnootherenemy.Nowhespeededupashesmelledthefresherscentandhisbluedorsalfincutthewater.

    Whentheoldmansawhimcomingheknewthatthiswasasharkthathadnofearatallandwoulddoexactlywhathewished.Hepreparedtheharpoonandmadetheropefastwhilehewatchedthesharkcomeon.Theropewasshortasitlackedwhathehadcutawaytolashthefish.

    Theoldman』sheadwasclearandgoodnowandhewasfullofresolutionbuthehadlittlehope.Itwastoogoodtolast,hethought.Hetookonelookatthegreatfishashewatchedthesharkclosein.Itmightaswellhavebeenadream,hethought.IcannotkeephimfromhittingmebutmaybeIcangethim.Dentuso,hethought.Badlucktoyourmother.

    Thesharkclosedfastasternandwhenhehitthefishtheoldmansawhismouthopenandhisstrangeeyesandtheclickingchopoftheteethashedroveforwardinthemeatjustabovethetail.Theshark』sheadwasoutofwaterandhisbackwascomingoutandtheoldmancouldhearthenoiseofskinandfleshrippingonthebigfishwhenherammedtheharpoondownontotheshark』sheadataspotwherethelinebetweenhiseyesintersectedwiththelinethatranstraightbackfromhisnose.Therewerenosuchlines.Therewasonlytheheavysharpblueheadandthebigeyesandtheclicking,thrustingall-swallowingjaws.Butthatwasthelocationofthebrainandtheoldmanhitit.Hehititwithhisbloodmushedhandsdrivingagoodharpoonwithallhisstrength.Hehititwithouthopebutwithresolutionandcompletemalignancy.

    Thesharkswungoverandtheoldmansawhiseyeswasnotaliveandthenheswungoveronceagain,wrappinghimselfintwoloopsoftherope.Theoldmanknewthathewasdeadbutthesharkwouldnotacceptit.Then,onhisback,withhistaillashingandhisjawsclicking,thesharkplowedoverthewaterasaspeedboatdoes.Thewaterwaswhitewherehistailbeatitandthree-quartersofhisbodywasclearabovethewaterwhentheropecametaut,shivered,andthensnapped.Thesharklayquietlyforalittlewhileonthesurfaceandtheoldmanwatchedhim.Thenhewentdownveryslowly.

    「Hetookaboutfortypounds,」theoldmansaidaloud.Hetookmyharpoontooandalltherope,hethought,andnowmyfishbleedsagainandtherewillbeothers.

    Hedidnotliketolookatthefishanymoresincehehadbeenmutilated.Whenthefishhadbeenhititwasasthoughhehimselfwerehit.

    ButIkilledthesharkthathitmyfish,hethought.AndhewasthebiggestdentusothatIhaveeverseen.AndGodknowsthatIhaveseenbigones.

    Itwastoogoodtolast,hethought.IwishithadbeenadreamnowandthatIhadneverhookedthefishandwasaloneinbedonthenewspapers.

    「Butmanisnotmadefordefeat,」hesaid.「Amancanbedestroyedbutnotdefeated.」IamsorrythatIkilledthefishthough,hethought.NowthebadtimeiscomingandIdonotevenhavetheharpoon.Thedentusoiscruelandableandstrongandintelligent.ButIwasmoreintelligentthanhewas.Perhapsnot,hethought.PerhapsIwasonlybetterarmed.

    「Don』tthink,oldman,」hesaidaloud.「Sailonthiscourseandtakeitwhenitcomes.

    ButImustthink,hethought.BecauseitisallIhaveleft.Thatandbaseball.IwonderhowthegreatDiMaggiowouldhavelikedthewayIhithiminthebrain?Itwasnogreatthing,hethought.Anymancoulddoit.Butdoyouthinkmyhandswereasgreatahandicapasthebonespurs?Icannotknow.IneverhadanythingwrongwithmyheelexceptthetimethestingraystungitwhenIsteppedonhimwhenswimmingandparalyzedthelowerlegandmadetheunbearablepain.

    「Thinkaboutsomethingcheerful,oldman,」hesaid.「Everyminutenowyouareclosertohome.Yousaillighterforthelossoffortypounds.」

    Heknewquitewellthepatternofwhatcouldhappenwhenhereachedtheinnerpartofthecurrent.Buttherewasnothingtobedonenow.

    「Yesthereis,」hesaidaloud.「Icanlashmyknifetothebuttofoneoftheoars.」

    Sohedidthatwiththetillerunderhisarmandthesheetofthesailunderhisfoot.

    「Now,」hesaid.「Iamstillanoldman.ButIamnotunarmed.」

    Thebreezewasfreshnowandhesailedonwell.Hewatchedonlytheforwardpartofthefishandsomeofhishopereturned.

    Itissillynottohope,hethought.BesidesIbelieveitisasin.Donotthinkaboutsin,hethought.Thereareenoughproblemsnowwithoutsin.AlsoIhavenounderstandingofit.