苗疆小说网

第3章 The Old Man on the Sea（第1页）

Sometimessomeonewouldspeakinaboat。Butmostoftheboatsweresilentexceptforthedipoftheoars。Theyspreadapartaftertheywereoutofthemouthoftheharborandeachoneheadedforthepartoftheoceanwherehehopedtofindfish。Theoldmanknewhewasgoingfaroutandheleftthesmellofthelandbehindandrowedoutintothecleanearlymorningsmelloftheocean。HesawthephosphorescenceoftheGulfweedinthewaterasherowedoverthepartoftheoceanthatthefishermencalledthegreatwellbecausetherewasasuddendeepofsevenhundredfathomswhereallsortsoffishcongregatedbecauseoftheswirlthecurrentmadeagainstthesteepwallsoftheflooroftheocean。Heretherewereconcentrationsofshrimpandbaitandsometimesschoolsofsquidinthedeepestholesandtheseroseclosetothesurfaceatnightwhereallthewanderingfishfedonthem。

Inthedarktheoldmancouldfeelthemorningcomingandasherowedheheardthetremblingsoundasflyingfishleftthewaterandthehissingthattheirstiffsetwingsmadeastheysoaredawayinthedarkness。Hewasveryfondofflyingfishastheywerehisprincipalfriendsontheocean。Hewassorryforthebirds，especiallythesmalldelicatedarkternsthatwerealwaysflyingandlookingandalmostneverfinding，andhethought，“Thebirdshaveaharderlifethanwedoexceptfortherobberbirdsandtheheavystrongones。Whydidtheymakebirdssodelicateandfineasthoseseaswallowswhentheoceancanbesocruel?Sheiskindandverybeautiful。Butshecanbesocruelanditcomessosuddenlyandsuchbirdsthatfly，dippingandhunting，withtheirsmallsadvoicesaremadetoodelicatelyforthesea。”

HealwaysthoughtoftheseaaslamarwhichiswhatpeoplecallherinSpanishwhentheyloveher。Sometimesthosewholovehersaybadthingsofherbuttheyarealwayssaidasthoughshewereawoman。Someoftheyoungerfishermen，thosewhousedbuoysasfloatsfortheirlinesandhadmotorboats，boughtwhenthesharklivershadbroughtmuchmoney，spokeofheraselmarwhichismasculine。Theyspokeofherasacontestantoraplaceorevenanenemy。Buttheoldmanalwaysthoughtofherasfeminineandassomethingthatgaveorwithheldgreatfavors，andifshedidwildorwickedthingsitwasbecauseshecouldnothelpthem。Themoonaffectsherasitdoesawoman，hethought。

Hewasrowingsteadilyanditwasnoeffortforhimsincehekeptwellwithinhisspeedandthesurfaceoftheoceanwasflatexceptfortheoccasionalswirlsofthecurrent。Hewaslettingthecurrentdoathirdoftheworkandasitstartedtobelighthesawhewasalreadyfurtheroutthanhehadhopedtobeatthishour。

Iworkedthedeepwellsforaweekanddidnothing，hethought。TodayIllworkoutwheretheschoolsofbonitaandalbacoreareandmaybetherewillbeabigonewiththem。

Beforeitwasreallylighthehadhisbaitsoutandwasdriftingwiththecurrent。Onebaitwasdownfortyfathoms。Thesecondwasatseventy-fiveandthethirdandfourthweredowninthebluewateratonehundredandonehundredandtwenty-fivefathoms。Eachbaithungheaddownwiththeshankofthehookinsidethebaitfish，tiedandsewedsolidandalltheprojectingpartofthehook，thecurveandthepoint，wascoveredwithfreshsardines。Eachsardinewashookedthroughbotheyessothattheymadeahalf-garlandontheprojectingsteel。Therewasnopartofthehookthatagreatfishcouldfeelwhichwasnotsweetsmellingandgoodtasting。

Theboyhadgivenhimtwofreshsmalltunas，oralbacores，whichhungonthetwodeepestlineslikeplummetsand，ontheothers，hehadabigbluerunnerandayellowjackthathadbeenusedbefore;buttheywereingoodconditionstillandhadtheexcellentsardinestogivethemscentandattractiveness。Eachline，asthickaroundasabigpencil，wasloopedontoagreen-sappedsticksothatanypullortouchonthebaitwouldmakethestickdipandeachlinehadtwoforty-fathomcoilswhichcouldbemadefasttotheothersparecoilssothat，ifitwerenecessary，afishcouldtakeoutoverthreehundredfathomsofline。

Nowthemanwatchedthedipofthethreesticksoverthesideoftheskiffandrowedgentlytokeepthelinesstraightupanddownandattheirproperdepths。Itwasquitelightandanymomentnowthesunwouldrise。

Thesunrosethinlyfromtheseaandtheoldmancouldseetheotherboats，lowonthewaterandwellintowardtheshore，spreadoutacrossthecurrent。Thenthesunwasbrighterandtheglarecameonthewaterandthen，asitroseclear，theflatseasentitbackathiseyessothatithurtsharplyandherowedwithoutlookingintoit。Helookeddownintothewaterandwatchedthelinesthatwentstraightdownintothedarkofthewater。Hekeptthemstraighterthananyonedid，sothatateachlevelinthedarknessofthestreamtherewouldbeabaitwaitingexactlywherehewishedittobeforanyfishthatswamthere。Othersletthemdriftwiththecurrentandsometimestheywereatsixtyfathomswhenthefishermenthoughttheywereatahundred。

But，hethought，Ikeepthemwithprecision。OnlyIhavenoluckanymore。Butwhoknows?Maybetoday。Everydayisanewday。Itisbettertobelucky。ButIwouldratherbeexact。Thenwhenluckcomesyouareready。

Thesunwastwohourshighernowanditdidnothurthiseyessomuchtolookintotheeast。Therewereonlythreeboatsinsightnowandtheyshowedverylowandfarinshore。

Allmylifetheearlysunhashurtmyeyes，hethought。Yettheyarestillgood。IntheeveningIcanlookstraightintoitwithoutgettingtheblackness。Ithasmoreforceintheeveningtoo。Butinthemorningitispainful。

Justthenhesawaman-of-warbirdwithhislongblackwingscirclingintheskyaheadofhim。Hemadeaquickdrop，slantingdownonhisbacksweptwings，andthencircledagain。

“Hesgotsomething，”theoldmansaidaloud。“Hesnotjustlooking。”

Herowedslowlyandsteadilytowardwherethebirdwascircling。Hedidnothurryandhekepthislinesstraightupanddown。Buthecrowdedthecurrentalittlesothathewasstillfishingcorrectlythoughfasterthanhewouldhavefishedifhewasnottryingtousethebird。

Thebirdwenthigherintheairandcircledagain，hiswingsmotionless。Thenhedovesuddenlyandtheoldmansawflyingfishspurtoutofthewaterandsaildesperatelyoverthesurface。

“Dolphin，”theoldmansaidaloud。“Bigdolphin。”

Heshippedhisoarsandbroughtasmalllinefromunderthebow。Ithadawireleaderandamedium-sizedhookandhebaiteditwithoneofthesardines。Heletitgooverthesideandthenmadeitfasttoaringboltinthestern。Thenhebaitedanotherlineandleftitcoiledintheshadeofthebow。Hewentbacktorowingandtowatchingthelongwingedblackbirdwhowasworking，now，lowoverthewater。

Ashewatchedthebirddippedagainslantinghiswingsforthediveandthenswingingthemwildlyandineffectuallyashefollowedtheflyingfish。Theoldmancouldseetheslightbulgeinthewaterthatthebigdolphinraisedastheyfollowedtheescapingfish。Thedolphinwerecuttingthroughthewaterbelowtheflightofthefishandwouldbeinthewater，drivingatspeed，whenthefishdropped。Itisabigschoolofdolphin，hethought。Theyarewidespreadandtheflyingfishhavelittlechance。Thebirdhasnochance。Theflyingfisharetoobigforhimandtheygotoofast。

Hewatchedtheflyingfishburstoutagainandagainandtheineffectualmovementsofthebird。Thatschoolhasgottenawayfromme，hethought。Theyaremovingouttoofastandtoofar。ButperhapsIwillpickupastrayandperhapsmybigfishisaroundthem。Mybigfishmustbesomewhere。

Thecloudsoverthelandnowroselikemountainsandthecoastwasonlyalonggreenlinewiththegraybluehillsbehindit。Thewaterwasadarkbluenow，sodarkthatitwasalmostpurple。Ashelookeddownintoithesawtheredsiftingoftheplanktoninthedarkwaterandthestrangelightthesunmadenow。Hewatchedhislinestoseethemgostraightdownoutofsightintothewaterandhewashappytoseesomuchplanktonbecauseitmeantfish。Thestrangelightthesunmadeinthewater，nowthatthesunwashigher，meantgoodweatherandsodidtheshapeofthecloudsovertheland。Butthebirdwasalmostoutofsightnowandnothingshowedonthesurfaceofthewaterbutsomepatchesofyellow，sun-bleachedSargassoweedandthepurple，formalized，iridescent，gelatinousbladderofaPortugueseman-of-warfloatingclosebesidetheboat。Itturnedonitssideandthenrighteditself。Itfloatedcheerfullyasabubblewithitslongdeadlypurplefilamentstrailingayardbehinditinthewater。

“Aguamala，”themansaid。“Youwhore。”

Fromwhereheswunglightlyagainsthisoarshelookeddownintothewaterandsawthetinyfishthatwerecoloredlikethetrailingfilamentsandswambetweenthemandunderthesmallshadethebubblemadeasitdrifted。Theywereimmunetoitspoison。Butmenwerenotandwhensomeofthefilamentswouldcatchonalineandrestthereslimyandpurplewhiletheoldmanwasworkingafish，hewouldhaveweltsandsoresonhisarmsandhandsofthesortthatpoisonivyorpoisonoakcangive。Butthesepoisoningsfromtheaguamalacamequicklyandstrucklikeawhiplash。

Theiridescentbubbleswerebeautiful。Buttheywerethefalsestthingintheseaandtheoldmanlovedtoseethebigseaturtleseatingthem。Theturtlessawthem，approachedthemfromthefront，thenshuttheireyessotheywerecompletelycarapacedandatethemfilamentsandall。Theoldmanlovedtoseetheturtleseatthemandhelovedtowalkonthemonthebeachafterastormandhearthempopwhenhesteppedonthemwiththehornysolesofhisfeet。

Helovedgreenturtlesandhawks-billswiththeireleganceandspeedandtheirgreatvalueandhehadafriendlycontemptforthehuge，stupidloggerheads，yellowintheirarmor-plating，strangeintheirlove-making，andhappilyeatingthePortuguesemen-of-warwiththeireyesshut。Hehadnomysticismaboutturtlesalthoughhehadgoneinturtleboatsformanyyears。Hewassorryforthemall，eventhegreattrunkbacksthatwereaslongastheskiffandweighedaton。Mostpeopleareheartlessaboutturtlesbecauseaturtlesheartwillbeatforhoursafterhehasbeencutupandbutchered。Buttheoldmanthought，Ihavesuchahearttooandmyfeetandhandsareliketheirs。Heatethewhiteeggstogivehimselfstrength。HeatethemallthroughMaytobestronginSeptemberandOctoberforthetrulybigfish。

Healsodrankacupofsharkliveroileachdayfromthebigdrumintheshackwheremanyofthefishermenkepttheirgear。Itwasthereforallfishermenwhowantedit。Mostfishermenhatedthetaste。Butitwasnoworsethangettingupatthehoursthattheyroseanditwasverygoodagainstallcoldsandgrippesanditwasgoodfortheeyes。

Nowtheoldmanlookedupandsawthatthebirdwascirclingagain。

“Hesfoundfish，”hesaidaloud。Noflyingfishbrokethesurfaceandtherewasnoscatteringofbaitfish。Butastheoldmanwatched，asmalltunaroseintheair，turnedanddroppedheadfirstintothewater。Thetunashonesilverinthesunandafterhehaddroppedbackintothewateranotherandanotherroseandtheywerejumpinginalldirections，churningthewaterandleapinginlongjumpsafterthebait。Theywerecirclingitanddrivingit。

IftheydonttraveltoofastIwillgetintothem，theoldmanthought，andhewatchedtheschoolworkingthewaterwhiteandthebirdnowdroppinganddippingintothebaitfishthatwereforcedtothesurfaceintheirpanic。

“Thebirdisagreathelp，”theoldmansaid。Justthenthesternlinecametautunderhisfoot，wherehehadkeptaloopoftheline，andhedroppedhisoarsandfelttheweightofthesmalltunasshiveringpullasheheldthelinefirmandcommencedtohaulitin。Theshiveringincreasedashepulledinandhecouldseethebluebackofthefishinthewaterandthegoldofhissidesbeforeheswunghimoverthesideandintotheboat。Helayinthesterninthesun，compactandbulletshaped，hisbig，unintelligenteyesstaringashethumpedhislifeoutagainsttheplankingoftheboatwiththequickshiveringstrokesofhisneat，fast-movingtail。Theoldmanhithimontheheadforkindnessandkickedhim，hisbodystillshuddering，undertheshadeofthestern。

“Albacore，”hesaidaloud。“Hellmakeabeautifulbait。Hellweightenpounds。”

Hedidnotrememberwhenhehadfirststartedtotalkaloudwhenhewasbyhimself。Hehadsungwhenhewasbyhimselfintheolddaysandhehadsungatnightsometimeswhenhewasalonesteeringonhiswatchinthesmacksorintheturtleboats。Hehadprobablystartedtotalkaloud，whenalone，whentheboyhadleft。Buthedidnotremember。Whenheandtheboyfishedtogethertheyusuallyspokeonlywhenitwasnecessary。Theytalkedatnightorwhentheywerestormboundbybadweather。Itwasconsideredavirtuenottotalkunnecessarilyatseaandtheoldmanhadalwaysconsidereditsoandrespectedit。Butnowhesaidhisthoughtsaloudmanytimessincetherewasnoonethattheycouldannoy。

“IftheothersheardmetalkingoutloudtheywouldthinkthatIamcrazy，”hesaidaloud。“ButsinceIamnotcrazy，Idonotcare。Andtherichhaveradiostotalktothemintheirboatsandtobringthemthebaseball。”

Nowisnotimetothinkofbaseball，hethought。Nowisthetimetothinkofonlyonething。ThatwhichIwasbornfor。Theremightbeabigonearoundthatschool，hethought。Ipickeduponlyastragglerfromthealbacorethatwerefeeding。Buttheyareworkingfaroutandfast。Everythingthatshowsonthesurfacetodaytravelsveryfastandtothenortheast。Canthatbethetimeofday?OrisitsomesignofweatherthatIdonotknow?

Hecouldnotseethegreenoftheshorenowbutonlythetopsofthebluehillsthatshowedwhiteasthoughtheyweresnow-cappedandthecloudsthatlookedlikehighsnowmountainsabovethem。Theseawasverydarkandthelightmadeprismsinthewater。Themyriadflecksoftheplanktonwereannullednowbythehighsunanditwasonlythegreatdeepprismsinthebluewaterthattheoldmansawnowwithhislinesgoingstraightdownintothewaterthatwasamiledeep。

Thetuna，thefishermencalledallthefishofthatspeciestunaandonlydistinguishedamongthembytheirpropernameswhentheycametosellthemortotradethemforbaits，weredownagain。Thesunwashotnowandtheoldmanfeltitonthebackofhisneckandfeltthesweattrickledownhisbackasherowed。

Icouldjustdrift，hethought，andsleepandputabightoflinearoundmytoetowakeme。Buttodayiseighty-fivedaysandIshouldfishthedaywell。