第34章 英文版 (24) 文 / 歐內斯特·海明威

    Theboycarriedthehotcanofcoffeeuptotheoldman』sshackandsatbyhimuntilhewoke.Onceitlookedasthoughhewerewaking.Buthehadgonebackintoheavysleepandtheboyhadgoneacrosstheroadtoborrowsomewoodtoheatthecoffee.

    Finallytheoldmanwoke.

    「Don』tsitup,」theboysaid.「Drinkthis.」

    Hepouredsomeofthecoffeeinaglass.

    Theoldmantookitanddrankit.

    「Theybeatme,Manolin,」hesaid.「Theytrulybeatme.」

    「Hedidn』tbeatyou.Notthefish.」

    「No.Truly.Itwasafterwards.」

    「Pedricoislookingaftertheskiffandthegear.Whatdoyouwantdonewiththehead?」

    「LetPedricochopituptouseinfishtraps.」

    「Andthespear?」

    「Youkeepitifyouwantit.」

    「Iwantit,」theboysaid.「Nowwemustmakeourplansabouttheotherthings.」

    「Didtheysearchforme?」

    「Ofcourse.Withcoastguardandwithplanes.」

    「Theoceanisverybigandaskiffissmallandhardtosee,」theoldmansaid.Henoticedhowpleasantitwastohavesomeonetotalktoinsteadofspeakingonlytohimselfandtothesea.「Imissedyou,」hesaid.「Whatdidyoucatch?」

    「Onethefirstday.Onethesecondandtwothethird.」

    「Verygood.」

    「Nowwefishtogetheragain.」

    「No.Iamnotlucky.Iamnotluckyanymore.」

    「Thehellwithluck,」theboysaid.「I』llbringtheluckwithme.」

    「Whatwillyourfamilysay?」

    「Idonotcare.Icaughttwoyesterday.ButwewillfishtogethernowforIstillhavemuchtolearn.」

    「Wemustgetagoodkillinglanceandalwayshaveitonboard.YoucanmakethebladefromaspringleaffromanoldFord.WecangrinditinGuanabacoa.Itshouldbesharpandnottemperedsoitwillbreak.Myknifebroke.」

    「I』llgetanotherknifeandhavethespringground.」

    Howmanydaysofheavybrisahavewe?」

    「Maybethree.Maybemore.」

    「Iwillhaveeverythinginorder,」theboysaid.「Yougetyourhandswelloldman.」

    「Iknowhowtocareforthem.InthenightIspatsomethingstrangeandfeltsomethinginmychestwasbroken.」

    「Getthatwelltoo,」theboysaid.「Liedown,oldman,andIwillbringyouyourcleanshirt.Andsomethingtoeat.」

    「BringanyofthepapersofthetimethatIwasgone,」theoldmansaid.

    「YoumustgetwellfastforthereismuchthatIcanlearnandyoucanteachmeeverything.Howmuchdidyousuffer?」

    「Plenty,」theoldmansaid.

    「I』llbringthefoodandthepapers,」theboysaid.「Restwell,oldman.Iwillbringstufffromthedrugstoreforyourhands.」

    「Don』tforgettotellPedricotheheadishis.」

    「No.Iwillremember.」

    Astheboywentoutthedooranddowntheworncoralrockroadhewascryingagain.

    ThatafternoontherewasapartyoftouristsattheTerraceandlookingdowninthewateramongtheemptybeercansanddeadbarracudasawomansawagreatlongwhitespinewithahugetailattheendthatliftedandswungwiththetidewhiletheeastwindblewaheavysteadyseaoutsidetheentrancetotheharbour.

    「What』sthat?」sheaskedawaiterandpointedtothelongbackboneofthegreatfishthatwasnowjustgarbagewaitingtogooutwiththetide.

    「Tiburon,」thewaitersaid.「Shark.」Hewasmeaningtoexplainwhathadhappened.

    「Ididn』tknowsharkshadsuchhandsome,beautifullyformedtails.」

    「Ididn』teither,」hermalecompanionsaid.

    Uptheroad,inhisshack,theoldmanwassleepingagain.Hewasstillsleepingonhisfaceandtheboywassittingbyhimwatchinghim.Theoldmanwasdreamingaboutthelions.