第23章 英文版 13（第1页）

第23章英文版（13）

Justbeforeitwasdark，astheypassedagreatislandassoweedthatheavedandswuseaasthoughthelovewithsomethingunderayellowbla，hissmallliakenbyadolphifirstwheheair，truegoldiofthesunandbendingandflappingwildlyijumpedagainandagaiicsofitsfearandheworkedhiswaybacktothesternandgandholdingthebiglihhisrighthandahedolphininwithhislefthand，steppingonthegaiimewithhisbareleftfoot。Whenthefishwasatthestem，plungingandgfromsidetosideiheoldmahesternaheburnishedgoldfishwithitspurplespotsoverthestem。Itsjavulsivelyinquickbitesagainstthehookanditpouomoftheskiffwithitslongflatbody，itstailailheclubbeditacrosstheshininggoldeilitshiveredandwasstill。

Theoldmahefish，re-baitedthelihanothersardiosseditover。Thenheworkedhiswayslowlybacktothebow。Hewashedhislefthandaonhistrousers。Theedtheheavylinefrhthandtohisleftandwashedhisrighthandintheseawhilehewatchedthesungointotheodtheslantofthebigcord。

&gedatall，”hesaid。Butwatgthemovemeeragainsthishatiblyslower。

“I’lllashthetwetheracrossthesternandthatwillslowhimi，”hesaid。

“He’sghtandsoamI。”

Itwouldbebettertogutthedolphiosavethebloodihought。Idothatalittlelaterandlashtheoarstomakeadragatthesametime。Ihadbetterkeepthefishquietnowandnotdisturbhimtoomuset。Thesettingofthesunisadifficulttimeforallfish。Helethishanddryiheheliandeasedhimselfasmuchashedallowedhimselftobepulledfainstthewoodsothattheboattookthestrainasmuore，thanhedid。

I’mlearninghowtodoit，hethought。Thispartofitaoo，rememberhehasehebaitandheishugeandneedsmuchfood。Ihaveeatenthewholebonito。TomorrowIwilleatthedolphin。Hecalleditdorado。PerhapsIshouldeatsomeofitwhewillbehardertoeatthao。But，then，nothingiseasy。

“Howdoyoufeel，fish?”heaskedaloud。“IfeelgoodahaerandIhavefhtandaday。Pulltheboat，fish。”

&trulyfeelgoodbecausethepainfromthecordacrosshisbackhadalmostpassedpaioadullhemistrusted。ButIhavehadwstha。Myhandisonlycutalittleandthecrampisgohesareallright。AlsonowIhavegainedonhimiionofsustenance。

Itwasdarknowasitbeesdarkquicklyafterthesusiember。Helayagainstthewornwoodofthebowahathecould。Thefirststarswereout。Hedidnotknowthenameelbuthesawitaheywouldallbeoutandhewouldhaveallhisdistantfriends。

“Thefishismyfriendtoo，”hesaidaloud。“Ihaveneverseenorheardofsuchafish。ButImustkillhim。Iamgladwedookillthestars。”

Imagineifeachdayamanmusttrytokillthemoo。Themoonrunsaway。Butimagineifamaneachdayshouldhavetotrytokillthesun?Wewerebornlucky，hethought。

Thenhewassreatfishthathadnothiaiontokillhimneverrelaxedinhissorrowforhim。Holewillhefeed，hethought。Butaretheyworthytoeathim?No，ofot。Thereishyofeatinghimfromthemannerofhisbehaviouray。

Idohesethi。Butitisgoodthatwedookillthesunorthemooars。Itisenoughtoliveontheseaandkillourtruebrothers。

，Imustthinkab。Ithasitsperilsas。ImaylosesomuethatIwilllosehim，ifhemakeshiseffortandthedragmadebytheoarsisiheboatlosesallherlightnessprolongsbothbutitismysafetysincehehasgreatspeedthathehasemployed。passesImustgutthedolphispoilasomeofhimt。

NowIwillrestanhourmoreaheissolidandsteadybeforeImovebacktothesterntodotheworkahedethemeantimeIseehowheadifheshowsaheoodtrick;Butithasreachedthetimetoplayforsafety。HeismuchfishstillandIsawthatthehookwasintheouthahismouthtightshut。Thepuhehookisnothing。Thepuofhuhatheisagaihathedoesnotprehehinow，oldmahimworkuntilyouryes。

&edforwhathebelievedtobetwohours。Themoondidillateandhehadnowayofjudgiime。Norwashereallyrestiparatively。Hewasstillbearingthepullofthefishacrosshisshouldersbutheplacedhislefthandontheguhebowandoreaheresistaotheskiffitself。

HowsimpleitwouldbeifIaketheli，hethought。Butwithonesmalllurchhecouldbreakit。Imustthepullofthelihmybodyandatalltimesbereadytogivelihhands。

“Butyouhave，oldman，”hesaidaloud。“Itishalfadayandanightandnowanotherdayandyouhave。Youmustdeviseawaysothatyousleepalittleifheisquietandsteady。Ifyoudonotsleepyoumightbeeuhehead。”