苗疆小说网

第7章 The Old Mans Victory（第3页）

“Imovedhim，”theoldmansaid。“Imovedhimthen。”

Hefeltfaintagainnowbutheheldonthegreatfishallthestrainthathecould。Imovedhim，hethought。MaybethistimeIcangethimover。Pull，hands，hethought。Holdup，legs。Lastforme，head。Lastforme。Youneverwent。ThistimeIllpullhimover。

Butwhenheputallofhisefforton，startingitwelloutbeforethefishcamealongsideandpullingwithallhisstrength，thefishpulledpartwayoverandthenrightedhimselfandswamaway。

“Fish，”theoldmansaid。“Fish，youaregoingtohavetodieanyway。Doyouhavetokillmetoo?”

Thatwaynothingisaccomplished，hethought。Hismouthwastoodrytospeakbuthecouldnotreachforthewaternow。Imustgethimalongsidethistime，hethought。Iamnotgoodformanymoreturns。

Yesyouare，hetoldhimself。Youregoodforever。

Onthenextturn，henearlyhadhim。Butagainthefishrightedhimselfandswamslowlyaway。

Youarekillingmefish，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。

Illtryitagain，theoldmanpromised，althoughhishandsweremushynowandhecouldonlyseewellinflashes。

Hetrieditagainanditwasthesame。So，hethought，andhefelthimselfgoingbeforehestarted;Iwilltryitonceagain。

Hetookallhispainandwhatwasleftofhisstrengthandhislonggoneprideandheputitagainstthefishsagonyandthefishcameoverontohissideandswamgentlyonhisside，hisbillalmosttouchingtheplankingoftheskiffandstartedtopasstheboat，long，deep，wide，silverandbarredwithpurpleandinterminableinthewater。

Theoldmandroppedthelineandputhisfootonitandliftedtheharpoonashighashecouldanddroveitdownwithallhisstrength，andmorestrengthhehadjustsummoned，intothefishssidejustbehindthegreatchestfinthatrosehighintheairtothealtitudeofthemanschest。Hefelttheirongoinandheleanedonitanddroveitfurtherandthenpushedallhisweightafterit。

Thenthefishcamealive，withhisdeathinhim，androsehighoutofthewatershowingallhisgreatlengthandwidthandallhispowerandhisbeauty。Heseemedtohangintheairabovetheoldmanintheskiff。Thenhefellintothewaterwithacrashthatsentsprayovertheoldmanandoveralloftheskiff。

Theoldmanfeltfaintandsickandhecouldnotseewell。Butheclearedtheharpoonlineandletitrunslowlythroughhisrawhandsand，whenhecouldsee，hesawthefishwasonhisbackwithhissilverbellyup。Theshaftoftheharpoonwasprojectingatananglefromthefishsshoulderandtheseawasdiscoloringwiththeredofthebloodfromhisheart。Firstitwasdarkasashoalinthebluewaterthatwasmorethanamiledeep。Thenitspreadlikeacloud。Thefishwassilverandstillandfloatedwiththewaves。

Theoldmanlookedcarefullyintheglimpseofvisionthathehad。Thenhetooktwoturnsoftheharpoonlinearoundthebittinthebowandlaidhisheadonhishands。

“Keepmyheadclear，”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。

Whenhewasevenwithhimandhadthefishsheadagainstthebowhecouldnotbelievehissize。Butheuntiedtheharpoonropefromthebitt，passeditthroughthefishsgillsandouthisjaws，madeaturnaroundhisswordthenpassedtheropethroughtheothergill，madeanotherturnaroundthebillandknottedthedoubleropeandmadeitfasttothebittinthebow。Hecuttheropethenandwentasterntonoosethetail。Thefishhadturnedsilverfromhisoriginalpurpleandsilver，andthestripesshowedthesamepalevioletcolorashistail。Theywerewiderthanamanshandwithhisfingersspreadandthefishseyelookedasdetachedasthemirrorsinaperiscopeorasasaintinaprocession。

“Itwastheonlywaytokillhim，”theoldmansaid。Hewasfeelingbettersincethewaterandheknewhewouldnotgoawayandhisheadwasclear。Hesoverfifteenhundredpoundsthewayheis，hethought。Maybemuchmore。Ifhedressesouttwo-thirdsofthatatthirtycentsapound?

“Ineedapencilforthat，”hesaid。“Myheadisnotthatclear。ButIthinkthegreatDiMaggiowouldbeproudofmetoday。Ihadnobonespurs。Butthehandsandthebackhurttruly。”Iwonderwhatabonespuris，hethought。Maybewehavethemwithoutknowingofit。

Hemadethefishfasttobowandsternandtothemiddlethwart。Hewassobigitwaslikelashingamuchbiggerskiffalongside。Hecutapieceoflineandtiedthefishslowerjawagainsthisbillsohismouthwouldnotopenandtheywouldsailascleanlyaspossible。Thenhesteppedthemastand，withthestickthatwashisgaffandwithhisboomrigged，thepatchedsaildrew，theboatbegantomove，andhalflyinginthesternhesailedsouthwest。