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第3章 The Old Man on the Sea（第1页）

Sometimessomeonewouldspeakinaboat.Butmostoftheboatsweresilentexceptforthedipoftheoars.Theyspreadapartaftertheywereoutofthemouthoftheharborandeachoneheadedforthepartoftheoceanwherehehopedtofindfish.Theoldmanknewhewasgoingfaroutandheleftthesmellofthelandbehindandrowedoutintothecleanearlymorningsmelloftheocean.HesawthephosphorescenceoftheGulfweedinthewaterasherowedoverthepartoftheoceanthatthefishermencalledthegreatwellbecausetherewasasuddendeepofsevenhundredfathomswhereallsortsoffishcongregatedbecauseoftheswirlthecurrentmadeagainstthesteepwallsoftheflooroftheocean.Heretherewereconcentrationsofshrimpandbaitandsometimesschoolsofsquidinthedeepestholesandtheseroseclosetothesurfaceatnightwhereallthewanderingfishfedonthe

Inthedarktheoldmancouldfeelthemorningcomingandasherowedheheardthetremblingsoundasflyingfishleftthewaterandthehissingthattheirstiffsetwingsmadeastheysoaredawayinthedarkness.Hewasveryfondofflyingfishastheywerehisprincipalfriendsontheocean.Hewassorryforthebirds，especiallythesmalldelicatedarkternsthatwerealwaysflyingandlookingandalmostneverfinding，andhethought，“Thebirdshaveaharderlifethanwedoexceptfortherobberbirdsandtheheavystrongones.Whydidtheymakebirdssodelicateandfineasthoseseaswallowswhentheoceancanbesocruel?Sheiskindandverybeautiful.Butshecanbesocruelanditcomessosuddenlyandsuchbirdsthatfly，dippingandhunting，withtheirsmallsadvoicesaremadetoodelicatelyforthesea.”

HealwaysthoughtoftheseaaslamarwhichiswhatpeoplecallherinSpanishwhentheyloveher.Sometimesthosewholovehersaybadthingsofherbuttheyarealwayssaidasthoughshewereawoman.Someoftheyoungerfishermen，thosewhousedbuoysasfloatsfortheirlinesandhadmotorboats，boughtwhenthesharklivershadbroughtmuchmoney，spokeofheraselmarwhichismasculine.Theyspokeofherasacontestantoraplaceorevenanenemy.Buttheoldmanalwaysthoughtofherasfeminineandassomethingthatgaveorwithheldgreatfavors，andifshedidwildorwickedthingsitwasbecauseshecouldnothelptheThemoonaffectsherasitdoesawoman，hethought.

Hewasrowingsteadilyanditwasnoeffortforhimsincehekeptwellwithinhisspeedandthesurfaceoftheoceanwasflatexceptfortheoccasionalswirlsofthecurrent.Hewaslettingthecurrentdoathirdoftheworkandasitstartedtobelighthesawhewasalreadyfurtheroutthanhehadhopedtobeatthishour.

Iworkedthedeepwellsforaweekanddidnothing，hethought.TodayIllworkoutwheretheschoolsofbonitaandalbacoreareandmaybetherewillbeabigonewiththe

Beforeitwasreallylighthehadhisbaitsoutandwasdriftingwiththecurrent.Onebaitwasdownfortyfathoms.Thesecondwasatseventy-fiveandthethirdandfourthweredowninthebluewateratonehundredandonehundredandtwenty-fivefathoms.Eachbaithungheaddownwiththeshankofthehookinsidethebaitfish，tiedandsewedsolidandalltheprojectingpartofthehook，thecurveandthepoint，wascoveredwithfreshsardines.Eachsardinewashookedthroughbotheyessothattheymadeahalf-garlandontheprojectingsteel.Therewasnopartofthehookthatagreatfishcouldfeelwhichwasnotsweetsmellingandgoodtasting.

Theboyhadgivenhimtwofreshsmalltunas，oralbacores，whichhungonthetwodeepestlineslikeplummetsand，ontheothers，hehadabigbluerunnerandayellowjackthathadbeenusedbefore;buttheywereingoodconditionstillandhadtheexcellentsardinestogivethemscentandattractiveness.Eachline，asthickaroundasabigpencil，wasloopedontoagreen-sappedsticksothatanypullortouchonthebaitwouldmakethestickdipandeachlinehadtwoforty-fathomcoilswhichcouldbemadefasttotheothersparecoilssothat，ifitwerenecessary，afishcouldtakeoutoverthreehundredfathomsofline.

Nowthemanwatchedthedipofthethreesticksoverthesideoftheskiffandrowedgentlytokeepthelinesstraightupanddownandattheirproperdepths.Itwasquitelightandanymomentnowthesunwouldrise.

Thesunrosethinlyfromtheseaandtheoldmancouldseetheotherboats，lowonthewaterandwellintowardtheshore，spreadoutacrossthecurrent.Thenthesunwasbrighterandtheglarecameonthewaterandthen，asitroseclear，theflatseasentitbackathiseyessothatithurtsharplyandherowedwithoutlookingintoit.Helookeddownintothewaterandwatchedthelinesthatwentstraightdownintothedarkofthewater.Hekeptthemstraighterthananyonedid，sothatateachlevelinthedarknessofthestreamtherewouldbeabaitwaitingexactlywherehewishedittobeforanyfishthatswamthere.Othersletthemdriftwiththecurrentandsometimestheywereatsixtyfathomswhenthefishermenthoughttheywereatahundred.

But，hethought，Ikeepthemwithprecision.OnlyIhavenoluckanymore.Butwhoknows?Maybetoday.Everydayisanewday.Itisbettertobelucky.ButIwouldratherbeexact.Thenwhenluckcomesyouareready.

Thesunwastwohourshighernowanditdidnothurthiseyessomuchtolookintotheeast.Therewereonlythreeboatsinsightnowandtheyshowedverylowandfarinshore.

Allmylifetheearlysunhashurtmyeyes，hethought.Yettheyarestillgood.IntheeveningIcanlookstraightintoitwithoutgettingtheblackness.Ithasmoreforceintheeveningtoo.Butinthemorningitispainful.

Justthenhesawaman-of-warbirdwithhislongblackwingscirclingintheskyaheadofhiHemadeaquickdrop，slantingdownonhisbacksweptwings，andthencircledagain.

“Hesgotsomething，”theoldmansaidaloud.“Hesnotjustlooking.”

Herowedslowlyandsteadilytowardwherethebirdwascircling.Hedidnothurryandhekepthislinesstraightupanddown.Buthecrowdedthecurrentalittlesothathewasstillfishingcorrectlythoughfasterthanhewouldhavefishedifhewasnottryingtousethebird.

Thebirdwenthigherintheairandcircledagain，hiswingsmotionless.Thenhedovesuddenlyandtheoldmansawflyingfishspurtoutofthewaterandsaildesperatelyoverthesurface.

“Dolphin，”theoldmansaidaloud.“Bigdolphin.”

Heshippedhisoarsandbroughtasmalllinefromunderthebow.Ithadawireleaderandamedium-sizedhookandhebaiteditwithoneofthesardines.Heletitgooverthesideandthenmadeitfasttoaringboltinthestern.Thenhebaitedanotherlineandleftitcoiledintheshadeofthebow.Hewentbacktorowingandtowatchingthelongwingedblackbirdwhowasworking，now，lowoverthewater.

Ashewatchedthebirddippedagainslantinghiswingsforthediveandthenswingingthemwildlyandineffectuallyashefollowedtheflyingfish.Theoldmancouldseetheslightbulgeinthewaterthatthebigdolphinraisedastheyfollowedtheescapingfish.Thedolphinwerecuttingthroughthewaterbelowtheflightofthefishandwouldbeinthewater，drivingatspeed，whenthefishdropped.Itisabigschoolofdolphin，hethought.Theyarewidespreadandtheflyingfishhavelittlechance.Thebirdhasnochance.Theflyingfisharetoobigforhimandtheygotoofast.

Hewatchedtheflyingfishburstoutagainandagainandtheineffectualmovementsofthebird.Thatschoolhasgottenawayfromme，hethought.Theyaremovingouttoofastandtoofar.ButperhapsIwillpickupastrayandperhapsmybigfishisaroundtheMybigfishmustbesomewhere.

Thecloudsoverthelandnowroselikemountainsandthecoastwasonlyalonggreenlinewiththegraybluehillsbehindit.Thewaterwasadarkbluenow，sodarkthatitwasalmostpurple.Ashelookeddownintoithesawtheredsiftingoftheplanktoninthedarkwaterandthestrangelightthesunmadenow.Hewatchedhislinestoseethemgostraightdownoutofsightintothewaterandhewashappytoseesomuchplanktonbecauseitmeantfish.Thestrangelightthesunmadeinthewater，nowthatthesunwashigher，meantgoodweatherandsodidtheshapeofthecloudsovertheland.Butthebirdwasalmostoutofsightnowandnothingshowedonthesurfaceofthewaterbutsomepatchesofyellow，sun-bleachedSargassoweedandthepurple，formalized，iridescent，gelatinousbladderofaPortugueseman-of-warfloatingclosebesidetheboat.Itturnedonitssideandthenrighteditself.Itfloatedcheerfullyasabubblewithitslongdeadlypurplefilamentstrailingayardbehinditinthewater.

“Aguamala，”themansaid.“Youwhore.”

Fromwhereheswunglightlyagainsthisoarshelookeddownintothewaterandsawthetinyfishthatwerecoloredlikethetrailingfilamentsandswambetweenthemandunderthesmallshadethebubblemadeasitdrifted.Theywereimmunetoitspoison.Butmenwerenotandwhensomeofthefilamentswouldcatchonalineandrestthereslimyandpurplewhiletheoldmanwasworkingafish，hewouldhaveweltsandsoresonhisarmsandhandsofthesortthatpoisonivyorpoisonoakcangive.Butthesepoisoningsfromtheaguamalacamequicklyandstrucklikeawhiplash.

Theiridescentbubbleswerebeautiful.ButtheywerethefalsestthingintheseaandtheoldmanlovedtoseethebigseaturtleseatingtheTheturtlessawthem，approachedthemfromthefront，thenshuttheireyessotheywerecompletelycarapacedandatethemfilamentsandall.Theoldmanlovedtoseetheturtleseatthemandhelovedtowalkonthemonthebeachafterastormandhearthempopwhenhesteppedonthemwiththehornysolesofhisfeet.

Helovedgreenturtlesandhawks-billswiththeireleganceandspeedandtheirgreatvalueandhehadafriendlycontemptforthehuge，stupidloggerheads，yellowintheirarmor-plating，strangeintheirlove-making，andhappilyeatingthePortuguesemen-of-warwiththeireyesshut.Hehadnomysticismaboutturtlesalthoughhehadgoneinturtleboatsformanyyears.Hewassorryforthemall，eventhegreattrunkbacksthatwereaslongastheskiffandweighedaton.Mostpeopleareheartlessaboutturtlesbecauseaturtlesheartwillbeatforhoursafterhehasbeencutupandbutchered.Buttheoldmanthought，Ihavesuchahearttooandmyfeetandhandsareliketheirs.Heatethewhiteeggstogivehimselfstrength.HeatethemallthroughMaytobestronginSeptemberandOctoberforthetrulybigfish.

Healsodrankacupofsharkliveroileachdayfromthebigdrumintheshackwheremanyofthefishermenkepttheirgear.Itwasthereforallfishermenwhowantedit.Mostfishermenhatedthetaste.Butitwasnoworsethangettingupatthehoursthattheyroseanditwasverygoodagainstallcoldsandgrippesanditwasgoodfortheeyes.

Nowtheoldmanlookedupandsawthatthebirdwascirclingagain.

“Hesfoundfish，”hesaidaloud.Noflyingfishbrokethesurfaceandtherewasnoscatteringofbaitfish.Butastheoldmanwatched，asmalltunaroseintheair，turnedanddroppedheadfirstintothewater.Thetunashonesilverinthesunandafterhehaddroppedbackintothewateranotherandanotherroseandtheywerejumpinginalldirections，churningthewaterandleapinginlongjumpsafterthebait.Theywerecirclingitanddrivingit.

IftheydonttraveltoofastIwillgetintothem，theoldmanthought，andhewatchedtheschoolworkingthewaterwhiteandthebirdnowdroppinganddippingintothebaitfishthatwereforcedtothesurfaceintheirpanic.

“Thebirdisagreathelp，”theoldmansaid.Justthenthesternlinecametautunderhisfoot，wherehehadkeptaloopoftheline，andhedroppedhisoarsandfelttheweightofthesmalltunasshiveringpullasheheldthelinefirmandcommencedtohaulitin.Theshiveringincreasedashepulledinandhecouldseethebluebackofthefishinthewaterandthegoldofhissidesbeforeheswunghimoverthesideandintotheboat.Helayinthesterninthesun，compactandbulletshaped，hisbig，unintelligenteyesstaringashethumpedhislifeoutagainsttheplankingoftheboatwiththequickshiveringstrokesofhisneat，fast-movingtail.Theoldmanhithimontheheadforkindnessandkickedhim，hisbodystillshuddering，undertheshadeofthestern.

“Albacore，”hesaidaloud.“Hellmakeabeautifulbait.Hellweightenpounds.”

Hedidnotrememberwhenhehadfirststartedtotalkaloudwhenhewasbyhimself.Hehadsungwhenhewasbyhimselfintheolddaysandhehadsungatnightsometimeswhenhewasalonesteeringonhiswatchinthesmacksorintheturtleboats.Hehadprobablystartedtotalkaloud，whenalone，whentheboyhadleft.Buthedidnotremember.Whenheandtheboyfishedtogethertheyusuallyspokeonlywhenitwasnecessary.Theytalkedatnightorwhentheywerestormboundbybadweather.Itwasconsideredavirtuenottotalkunnecessarilyatseaandtheoldmanhadalwaysconsidereditsoandrespectedit.Butnowhesaidhisthoughtsaloudmanytimessincetherewasnoonethattheycouldannoy.

“IftheothersheardmetalkingoutloudtheywouldthinkthatIamcrazy，”hesaidaloud.“ButsinceIamnotcrazy，Idonotcare.Andtherichhaveradiostotalktothemintheirboatsandtobringthemthebaseball.”

Nowisnotimetothinkofbaseball，hethought.Nowisthetimetothinkofonlyonething.ThatwhichIwasbornfor.Theremightbeabigonearoundthatschool，hethought.Ipickeduponlyastragglerfromthealbacorethatwerefeeding.Buttheyareworkingfaroutandfast.Everythingthatshowsonthesurfacetodaytravelsveryfastandtothenortheast.Canthatbethetimeofday?OrisitsomesignofweatherthatIdonotknow?

Hecouldnotseethegreenoftheshorenowbutonlythetopsofthebluehillsthatshowedwhiteasthoughtheyweresnow-cappedandthecloudsthatlookedlikehighsnowmountainsabovetheTheseawasverydarkandthelightmadeprismsinthewater.Themyriadflecksoftheplanktonwereannullednowbythehighsunanditwasonlythegreatdeepprismsinthebluewaterthattheoldmansawnowwithhislinesgoingstraightdownintothewaterthatwasamiledeep.

Thetuna，thefishermencalledallthefishofthatspeciestunaandonlydistinguishedamongthembytheirpropernameswhentheycametosellthemortotradethemforbaits，weredownagain.Thesunwashotnowandtheoldmanfeltitonthebackofhisneckandfeltthesweattrickledownhisbackasherowed.

Icouldjustdrift，hethought，andsleepandputabightoflinearoundmytoetowakeme.Buttodayiseighty-fivedaysandIshouldfishthedaywell.

请勿开启浏览器阅读模式，否则将导致章节内容缺失及无法阅读下一章。

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