第33章 英文版 (23) 文 / 歐內斯特·海明威

    WhenhesailedintothelittleharbourthelightsoftheTerracewereoutandhekneweveryonewasinbed.Thebreezehadrisensteadilyandwasblowingstronglynow.Itwasquietintheharborthoughandhesailedupontothelittlepatchofshinglebelowtherocks.Therewasnoonetohelphimsohepulledtheboatupasfarashecould.Thenhesteppedoutandmadeherfasttoarock.

    Heunsteppedthemastandfurledthesailandtiedit.Thenheshoulderedthemastandstartedtoclimb.Itwasthenheknewthedepthofhistiredness.Hestoppedforamomentandlookedbackandsawinthereflectionfromthestreetlightthegreattailofthefishstandingupwellbehindtheskiff』sstern.Hesawthewhitenakedlineofhisbackboneandthedarkmassoftheheadwiththeprojectingbillandallthenakednessbetween.

    Hestartedtoclimbagainandatthetophefellandlayforsometimewiththemastacrosshisshoulder.Hetriedtogetup.Butitwastoodifficultandhesattherewiththemastonhisshoulderandlookedattheroad.Acatpassedonthefarsidegoingaboutitsbusinessandtheoldmanwatchedit.Thenhejustwatchedtheroad.

    Finallyheputthemastdownandstoodup.Hepickedthemastupandputitonhisshoulderandstarteduptheroad.Hehadtositdownfivetimesbeforehereachedhisshack.

    Insidetheshackheleanedthemastagainstthewall.Inthedarkhefoundawaterbottleandtookadrink.Thenhelaydownonthebed.Hepulledtheblanketoverhisshouldersandthenoverhisbackandlegsandhesleptfacedownonthenewspaperswithhisarmsoutstraightandthepalmsofhishandsup.

    Hewasasleepwhentheboylookedinthedoorinthemorning.Itwasblowingsohardthatthedrifting-boatswouldnotbegoingoutandtheboyhadsleptlateandthencometotheoldman』sshackashehadcomeeachmorning.Theboysawthattheoldmanwasbreathingandthenhesawtheoldman』shandsandhestartedtocry.Hewentoutveryquietlytogotobringsomecoffeeandallthewaydowntheroadhewascrying.

    Manyfishermenwerearoundtheskifflookingatwhatwaslashedbesideitandonewasinthewater,histrousersrolledup,measuringtheskeletonwithalengthofline.

    Theboydidnotgodown.Hehadbeentherebeforeandoneofthefishermenwaslookingaftertheskiffforhim.

    「Howishe?」oneofthefishermenshouted.

    「Sleeping,」theboycalled.Hedidnotcarethattheysawhimcrying.「Letnoonedisturbhim.」

    「Hewaseighteenfeetfromnosetotail,」thefishermanwhowasmeasuringhimcalled.

    「Ibelieveit,」theboysaid.

    HewentintotheTerraceandaskedforacanofcoffee.

    「Hotandwithplentyofmilkandsugarinit.」

    「Anythingmore?」

    「No.AfterwardsIwillseewhathecaneat.」

    「Whatafishitwas,」theproprietorsaid.「Therehasneverbeensuchafish.Thoseweretwofinefishyoutookyesterdaytoo.」

    「Damnmyfish,」theboysaidandhestartedtocryagain.

    「Doyouwantadrinkofanykind?」theproprietorasked.

    「No,」theboysaid.「TellthemnottobotherSantiago.I』llbeback.」

    「TellhimhowsorryIam.」

    「Thanks,」theboysaid.