第28章 英文版 18（第1页）

第28章英文版（18）

ithhimandhadthefish’sheadagainstthebowheotbelievehissize。Butheuheharpoohebitt，passeditthroughthefish’sgillsandouthisjaws，madeaturnaroundhisswordtheherhtheill，madeaurnaroundthebillahedoubleropeatothebittinthebow。Hecuttheropetheerail。Thefishhadturnedsilverfrinalpurpleahestripesshoalevioletcolourashistail。Theywerewiderthanaman’shandwithhisfihefish’seyelookedasdetachedasthemirrorsinaperiscopeorasasaintinapro。

“Itwastheonlywaytokillhim，”theoldmansaid。Hewasfeelihewaterandheknewhewouldnotgoawayandhisheadwasclear。He’soverfifteenhundredpoundsthewayheis，hethought。Maybemuchmore。Ifhedressesouttwo-thirdsofthatatthirtytsapound?

“Ineedapencilforthat，”hesaid。“Myheadisnotthatclear。ButIthiDiMaggiowouldbeproudofmetoday。Ihadnobonespurs。Butthehandsandthebackhurttruly。”Iwoabonespuris，hethought。Maybewehavethemwithoutknowingofit。

&hefishfasttobowaothemiddlethwart。Hewassobigitwaslikelashingamuchbiggerskiffaloapieeahefish’slainsthisbillsohismouthwouldheywouldsailaslyaspossible。Thehemastand，withthestickthatwashisgaffandwithhisbed，thepatchedsaildrew，theboatbegantomove，andhalflyierh-west。

&needawheresouthwestwas。Heohefeelofthetradewindandthedrawingofthesail。Ibetterputasmalllihaspoononitandtryahianddriure。Butheotfindaspoonandhissardien。Sohehookedapatchofyelloiththegaffastheypassedandshookitsothatthesmallshrimpsthatwereiheplankihereweremorethahemandtheyjumpedandkickedlikesaheoldmaheirheadsoffwithhisthumbandferahemguptheshellsaheywereverytiheywerenaedgood。

Theoldmanstillhadtwodrinksofwaterileandheusedhalfofoerhehadeatentheshrimps。Theskiffwassailingwellgthehandidhesteeredwiththetillerunderhisarm。Hecouldseethefishandhehadonlytolookathishandsandfeelhisbastthesterntoknowthatthishadtrulyhappenedandwasoimewhenhewasfeelingsobadlytowardtheehoughtperhapsitwasadream。Thenwhenhehadseenthefisheoutofthewaterandhangmotioheskybeforehefell，hewassuretherewassomegreatstrangenessandheotbelieveit。

Thenheotseewell，althoughnoellasever。herewasthefishandhishandsandba。Thehandscurequickly，hethought。Ibledthemdthesaltwaterwillhealthem。Thedarkwaterulfisthegreatesthealerthatthereis。AllImustdoiskeeptheheadclear。Thehaheirell。Withhismouthshutandhistailstraightupanddownwesaillikebrothers。Theedtobeealittleundhethought，ishebringingmeinhimiowiherewouldbeion。Norifthefishwereintheskiff，withalldigherewouldbeher。Buttheyweresailiherlashedsidebysideandtheoldmanthought，lethimbripleaseshim。Iamohanhimthroughtridhemeantmenoharm。

Theysailedwellandtheoldmansoakedhishaeraokeephisheadclear。Therewerehighcumulusdenoughsothattheoldmahebreezewouldlastallnight。Theoldmahefishtlytomakesureitwastrue。Itwasahefirstsharkhithim。

Thesharkwasnota。Hehadeupfromdeepdowerasthedarkcloudofbloodhadsettledahemiledeepsea。Hehadeupsofastandabsolutelywithoutthathebrokethesurfaceofthebluewaterandwasihenhefellbatotheseaahesdstartedswimmiheskiffandthefishhadtaken。