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第7章 The Old Mans Victory（第2页）

“Icouldnotfailmyselfanddieonafishlikethis.”

hesaid.“NowthatIhavehimcomingsobeautifully，Godhelpmeendure.IllsayahundredOurFathersandahundredHailMarys.ButIcannotsaythemnow.”

Considerthemsaid，hethought.Illsaythemlater.

Justthenhefeltasuddenbangingandjerkingonthelineheheldwithhistwohands.Itwassharpandhard-feelingandheavy.

Heishittingthewireleaderwithhisspear，hethought.Thatwasboundtocome.Hehadtodothat.ItmaymakehimjumpthoughandIwouldratherhestayedcirclingnow.Thejumpswerenecessaryforhimtotakeair.Butafterthateachonecanwidentheopeningofthehookwoundandhecanthrowthehook.

“Dontjump，fish，”

hesaid.“Dontjump.”

Thefishhitthewireseveraltimesmoreandeachtimeheshookhisheadtheoldmangaveupalittleline.

Imustholdhispainwhereitis，hethought.Minedoesnotmatter.Icancontrolmine.Buthispaincoulddrivehimmad.

Afterawhilethefishstoppedbeatingatthewireandstartedcirclingslowlyagain.Theoldmanwasgaininglinesteadilynow.Buthefeltfaintagain.Heliftedsomeseawaterwithhislefthandandputitonhishead.Thenheputmoreonandrubbedthebackofhisneck.

“Ihavenocramps.”

hesaid.“HellbeupsoonandIcanlast.Youhavetolast.Dontevenspeakofit.”

Hekneeledagainstthebowand，foramoment，slippedthelineoverhisbackagain.Illrestnowwhilehegoesoutonthecircleandthenstandupandworkonhimwhenhecomesin，hedecided.

Itwasagreattemptationtorestinthebowandletthefishmakeonecirclebyhimselfwithoutrecoveringanyline.Butwhenthestrainshowedthefishhadturnedtocometowardtheboat，theoldmanrosetohisfeetandstartedthepivotingandtheweavingpullingthatbroughtinallthelinehegained.

ImtirederthanIhaveeverbeen，hethought，andnowthetradewindisrising.Butthatwillbegoodtotakehiminwith.Ineedthatbadly.

“Illrestonthenextturnashegoesout，”

hesaid.“Ifeelmuchbetter.ThenintwoorthreeturnsmoreIwillhavehim.”

Hisstrawhatwasfaronthebackofhisheadandhesankdownintothebowwiththepullofthelineashefeltthefishturn.

Youworknow，fish，hethought.Illtakeyouattheturn.

Theseahadrisenconsiderably.Butitwasafair-weatherbreezeandhehadtohaveittogethome.

“Illjuststeersouthandwest.”

hesaid.“Amanisneverlostatseaanditisalongisland.”

Itwasonthethirdturnthathesawthefishfirst.

Hesawhimfirstasadarkshadowthattooksolongtopassundertheboatthathecouldnotbelieveitslength.

“No，”

hesaid.“Hecantbethatbig.”

Buthewasthatbigandattheendofthiscirclehecametothesurfaceonlythirtyyardsawayandthemansawhistailoutofwater.Itwashigherthanabigscythebladeandaverypalelavenderabovethedarkbluewater.Itrakedbackandasthefishswamjustbelowthesurfacetheoldmancouldseehishugebulkandthepurplestripesthatbandedhim.Hisdorsalfinwasdownandhishugepectoralswerespreadwide.

Onthiscircletheoldmancouldseethefishseyeandthetwograysuckingfishthatswamaroundhim.Sometimestheyattachedthemselvestohim.Sometimestheydartedoff.Sometimestheywouldswimeasilyinhisshadow.Theywereeachoverthreefeetlongandwhentheyswamfasttheylashedtheirwholebodieslikeeels.

Theoldmanwassweatingnowbutfromsomethingelsebesidesthesun.Oneachcalmplacidturnthefishmadehewasgaininglineandhewassurethatintwoturnsmorehewouldhaveachancetogettheharpoonin.

ButImustgethimclose，close，close，hethought.Imustnttryforthehead.Imustgettheheart.

“Becalmandstrong，oldman，”

hesaid.

Onthenextcirclethefishsbackwasoutbuthewasalittletoofarfromtheboat.Onthenextcirclehewasstilltoofarawaybuthewashigheroutofwaterandtheoldmanwassurethatbygainingsomemorelinehecouldhavehimalongside.

Hehadriggedhisharpoonlongbeforeanditscoiloflightropewasinaroundbasketandtheendwasmadefasttothebittinthebow.

Thefishwascominginonhiscirclenowcalmandbeautifullookingandonlyhisgreattailmoving.Theoldmanpulledonhimallthathecouldtobringhimcloser.Forjustamomentthefishturnedalittleonhisside.Thenhestraightenedhimselfandbegananothercircle.

“Imovedhim，”

theoldmansaid.“Imovedhimthen.”

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