第17章 英文版 7（第1页）

第17章英文版（7）

“Yes，”hesaid。“Yes，”andshippedhisoarswithoutbumpi。Hereachedoutforthelisoftlybetweehumbandferhtharaiahelily。Thehistimeitwasatentativepull，notsolidnorheavy，alywhatitwas。Ohomsdownamarlihesardicoveredthepointandtheshankofthehookwherethehand-fedhookprojetheheadofthesmalltuna。

Theoldmaheliely，andsoftly，withhislefthafromthestiowhecouldletitrunthroughhisfihoutthefishfeelinganytension。

Thisfarout，hemustbehugeinthismo。Eatthem，fish。Eatthem。Pleaseeatthem。Howfreshtheyareandyoudowntheresixhucoldwaterinthedark。Makeaurninthedarkandebadeatthem。

&helightdelicatepullingandthenaharderpullwhenasardihavebeenmoredifficulttobreakfromthehook。Thehing。

&heoldmansaidaloud。“Makeaurn。Justsmellthem。Aren’ttheylovely?

&hemgoodnowahereisthetuna。Hardanddlovely。Don’tbeshy，fish。Eatthem。”

&edwiththelihumbandhisfigitaherliimeforthefishmighthaveswumupordowhesamedelicatepullingtou。

&akeit，”theoldmansaidaloud。“Godhelphimtotakeit。”

&takeitthough。Hewasgoheoldmahing。

&havegone，”hesaid。“owshe’thavegone。He’smakingaturn。Maybehehasbeenhookedbeforeandherememberssomethingofit。

&thegeouthelineandhe>

“Itwasonlyhisturn，”hesaid。“He’lltakeit。”

Heyfeelilepullisomethinghardandunbelievablyheavy。Itwastheweightofthefishahelineslipdon，unrolliofthetworeservecoils。Asitwentdown，slippinglightlythroughtheoldmaillcouldfeelthegreatweight，thoughthepressureofhisthumbandfiimperceptible。

“Whatafish，”hesaid。“Hehasitsidewaysinhismouthnowandheismovingoffwithit。”

Theurnandswallowit，hethought。Hedidnotsaythatbecausehekifyousaidagoodthingitmightnothappeahugefishthiswasaofhimmovingawayinthedarkhetunaheldcrosswiseinhismouth。Atthatmomeopmoviwasstillthere。Theindhegavemoreliehepressureofhisthumbandfingerforamomeindwasghtdown。

&akenit，”hesaid。“NowI’lllethimeatitwell。”

&helihroughhisfingerswhilehereawithhislefthandahefreeeworeservecoilstotheloopofthetworeservecoilsoftheline。Nowhewasready。Hehadthreeforty-fathomcoilsoflineinreservehecoilhewasusing。

&alittlemore，”hesaid。“Eatitwell。”

&sothatthepointofthehookgoesintoyourheartandkillsyou，hethought。eupeasyaheharpoonintoyht。Areyouready?Haveyoubeetable?

“Now!”hesaidaloudandstruckhardwithbothhands，gainedayardofliruandagain，swingingwitheacharmalterhecordwithallthestrengthofhisarmsaedweightofhisbody。

Nothihefishjustmovedawayslowlyandtheoldmanotraisehimaninch。Hislirongandmadeforheavyfishaagainsthishatilitwassotautthatbeadsofwaterwerejumpingfromit。Theomakeaslowhissingsoueraillheldit，braghimselfagaiandleaningbastthepull。Theboatbegantomoveslowlyofftowardthe。

Thefishmovedsteadilyaravelledslowlyoer。Theotherbaitswerestilliherewasnothingtobedone。

“IwishIhadtheboy，”theoldmansaidaloud。“I’mbeingtowedbyafishaowingbitt。Iaketheli。Butthenhecouldbreakit。ImustholdhimallIdgivehimlihaveit。Tharavellingandnotgoingdown。”

WhatIwilldoifhedecidestogodown，Idon’tknow。WhatI’lldoifhesoundsaknow。ButI’lldosomething。ThereareplentyofthingsIdo。

&helihisbadwatcheditsslaerandtheskiffmoviothe。

Thiswillkillhim，theoldmanthought。He’tdothisforever。Butfourhourslaterthefishwasstillswimmitosea，towingtheskiff，andtheoldmanwasstillbracedsolidlywiththelineacrosshisback。

“ItwasnoonwhenIhookedhim，”hesaid。“AndIhaveneverseenhim。”

Hehadpushedhisstrawhatharddownonhisheadbeforehehookedthefishanditwasghisforehead。Hewasthirstytooadownonhiskneesand，beiojerkontheline，movedasfarintothebowashecouldgetaerbottlewithonehaanddrankalittle。Thethebow。Herestedsittieppedmastandsailaothinkbutonlytoendure。