第32章 英文版 22（第1页）

第32章英文版（22）

“Halffish，”hesaid。“Fishthatyouwere。IamsorrythatIwenttoofarout。Iruih。Butwehavekilledmanysharks，youandI，ahers。Howmanydidyoueverkill，oldfish?Youdospearonyourheadf。”

&othinkofthefishandwhathecoulddotoasharkifhewereswimmingfree。Ishouldhavechoppedthebillofftofightthemwith，hethought。Buttherewashentherewasnoknife。

ButifIhad，andcouldhavelashedittoanoarbutt，ohavefoughtthemtogether。Whatwillyoudonowiftheyei?Whatyoudo?

“Fightthem，”hesaid。“I’llfightthemuntilIdie。”

Butinthedarknowandnoglowshowingandnolightsandonlythewieadypullofthesailhefeltthatperhapshewasalreadydead。Heputhistwohaherahepalms。Theywerenotdeadandhegthepainoflifebysimplyopeningand。Heleanedhisbastthesternadead。Hisshoulderstoldhim。

IhaveallthoseprayersIpromisedifIcaughtthefish，hethought。ButIamtootiredtosaythemthesadputitovermyshoulders。

&hesternachedflowtoeinthesky。Ihavehalfofhim，hethought。MaybeI’llhavethelugtheforwardhalfin。Ishouldhavesomeluo，hesaid。Youviolatedyourluyouwenttoofaroutside。

“Don’tbesilly，”hesaidaloud。“Andkeepawakeandsteer。Youmayhavemuchluckyet。”

“I’dliketobuysomeifthere’saheysellit，”hesaid。

WhatcouldIbuyitwith?heaskedhimself。CouldIbuyitwithalostharpoonandabroke>

“Youmight，”hesaid。“Youtriedtobuyitwitheighty-fourdaysatsea。Theynearlysoldittoyoutoo。”

Imustnotthihought。Luckisathingthatanyformsandwhnizeher?Iwouldtakesomethoughinanyformandpaywhattheyasked。IwishIcouldseetheglowfromthelights，hethought。Iwishtoomanythings。ButthatisthethingIwishforosettlemorefortablytosteerandfromhispainhekdead。

&hereflectedglareofthelightsofthecityatwhatmusthavebeenaroundteno’ight。Theywereofirstasthelightisintheskybeforethemooheyweresteadytoseeacrosstheowhichwasroughnowwiththeingbreeze。Hesteerediheglowathatnow，sootheedgeofthestream。

Nowitisover，hethought。Theywillprobablyhitmeagain。Butwhatdoagaihedarkon?

&iffandsorenowandhiswoundsandallofthestraisofhisbodyhurtwiththecoldofthenight。IhopeIdoagai。Ihopesomuothavetofightagain。

Butbymidandthistimehekwasuseless。Theyapadhelyseethelihattheirfiheirphosphoresceastheythrewthemselvesonthefish。Heclubbedatheadsahejawsdtheshakingoftheskiffastheytookholdbelow。Heclubbeddesperatelyatwhathelyfeelandhearahiheditwasgone。

&hetillerfreefromtherudderaa，holdingitinbothhandsanddrivingitdownagainandagain。Buttheywereuptothebowniheraearingoffthepieeatthatshotheseaastheyturoore。

Oneally，agaiselfawasover。Heswuilleracrosstheshark’sheadwherethejawsweretheheavihefish’sheadwhiottear。Heswuwidagaiillerbreakandheluhesharkwiththespli。Hefeltitgoinandknohedroveitinagain。Thesharkletgoahatwasthelastsharkofthepackthatcame。Therewasnothihemtoeat。

Theoldmancouldhardlybreatheastraeinhismouth。Iteryaandhewasafraidofitforamoment。Buttherewasnotmuchofit。

&otheodsaid，“Eatthat，galanos。Andmakeadreamyou’vekilledaman。”

Hekennowfinallyandwithoutremedyaothesternandfoundthejaggedeillerwouldfitioftherudderwellenoughforhimtosteer。Hesettledthesadhisshouldersandputtheskiffonhercourse。Hesailedlightlyhoughtsnoranyfeelingsofanykieverythingheskifftomakehishomeportaswellalyashethenightsharkshitthecarightpickupthetable。Theoldmanpaidothemanddidnotpayaoaeeriicedhowlightlyaheskiffsailednowtherewasbesideher。

She’sgood，hethought。Sheissoundandnotharmedinaforthetiller。Thatiseasilyreplaced。

Hecouldfeelhewasinowandhecouldseethelightsofthebeaiesalongtheshore。Hekneasnowanditwasnothihome。

Thewindisourfriend，a。Theimes。Aseawithourfriendsandourenemies。A。Bedismyfriend。Justbed，hethought。Bedwillbeagreatthing。Itiseasywhee。Ineverkwas。Ayou，hethought。

“Nothing，”hesaidaloud。“Iwentouttoofar。”