苗疆小说网>老人与海海明威 > 第10章 The Old Mans Return（第1页）
第10章 The Old Mans Return（第1页）
Heknewhewasbeatennowfinallyandwithoutremedyandhewentbacktothesternandfoundthejaggedendofthetillerwouldfitintheslotoftherudderwellenoughforhimtosteer。Hesettledthesackaroundhisshouldersandputtheskiffonhercourse。Hesailedlightlynowandhehadnothoughtsnoranyfeelingsofanykind。Hewaspasteverythingnowandhesailedtheskifftomakehishomeportaswellandasintelligentlyashecould。Inthenightsharkshitthecarcassassomeonemightpickupcrumbsfromthetable。Theoldmanpaidnoattentiontothemanddidnotpayanyattentiontoanythingexceptsteering。Heonlynoticedhowlightlyandhowwelltheskiffsailednowtherewasnogreatweightbesideher。
Shesgood，hethought。Sheissoundandnotharmedinanywayexceptforthetiller。Thatiseasilyreplaced。
Hecouldfeelhewasinsidethecurrentnowandhecouldseethelightsofthebeachcoloniesalongtheshore。Heknewwherehewasnowanditwasnothingtogethome。
Thewindisourfriend，anyway，hethought。Thenheadded，sometimes。Andthegreatseawithourfriendsandourenemies。Andbed，hethought。Bedismyfriend。Justbed，hethought。Bedwillbeagreatthing。Itiseasywhenyouarebeaten，hethought。Ineverknewhoweasyitwas。Andwhatbeatyou，hethought。
“Nothing，”hesaidaloud。“Iwentouttoofar。”
WhenhesailedintothelittleharborthelightsoftheTerracewereoutandhekneweveryonewasinbed。Thebreezehadrisensteadilyandwasblowingstronglynow。Itwasquietintheharborthoughandhesailedupontothelittlepatchofshinglebelowtherocks。Therewasnoonetohelphimsohepulledtheboatupasfarashecould。Thenhesteppedoutandmadeherfasttoarock。
Heunsteppedthemastandfurledthesailandtiedit。Thenheshoulderedthemastandstartedtoclimb。Itwasthenheknewthedepthofhistiredness。Hestoppedforamomentandlookedbackandsawinthereflectionfromthestreetlightthegreattailofthefishstandingupwellbehindtheskiffsstern。Hesawthewhitenakedlineofhisbackboneandthedarkmassoftheheadwiththeprojectingbillandallthenakednessbetween。
Hestartedtoclimbagainandatthetophefellandlayforsometimewiththemastacrosshisshoulder。
Hetriedtogetup。Butitwastoodifficultandhesattherewiththemastonhisshoulderandlookedattheroad。Acatpassedonthefarsidegoingaboutitsbusinessandtheoldmanwatchedit。Thenhejustwatchedtheroad。
Finallyheputthemastdownandstoodup。Hepickedthemastupandputitonhisshoulderandstarteduptheroad。Hehadtositdownfivetimesbeforehereachedhisshack。
Insidetheshackheleanedthemastagainstthewall。Inthedarkhefoundawaterbottleandtookadrink。Thenhelaydownonthebed。Hepulledtheblanketoverhisshouldersandthenoverhisbackandlegsandhesleptfacedownonthenewspaperswithhisarmsoutstraightandthepalmsofhishandsup。
Hewasasleepwhentheboylookedinthedoorinthemorning。Itwasblowingsohardthatthedrifting-boatswouldnotbegoingoutandtheboyhadsleptlateandthencometotheoldmansshackashehadcomeeachmorning。Theboysawthattheoldmanwasbreathingandthenhesawtheoldmanshandsandhestartedtocry。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。Illbeback。”
“TellhimhowsorryIam。”
“Thanks，”theboysaid。
Theboycarriedthehotcanofcoffeeuptotheoldmansshackandsatbyhimuntilhewoke。Onceitlookedasthoughhewerewaking。Buthehadgonebackintoheavysleepandtheboyhadgoneacrosstheroadtoborrowsomewoodtoheatthecoffee。
Finallytheoldmanwoke。
“Dontsitup。”theboysaid。“Drinkthis。”Hepouredsomeofthecoffeeinaglass。
Theoldmantookitanddrankit。
“Theybeatme，Manolin，”hesaid。“Theytrulybeatme。”
“Hedidntbeatyou。Notthefish。”
