第7章 The Old Mans Victory[第1页/共17页]

The moon had been up for a long time but he slept on and the fish pulled on steadily and the boat moved into the tunnel of clouds.

That way nothing is accomplished, he thought. His mouth was too dry to speak but he could not reach for the water now.I must get him alongside this time,he thought.I am not good for many more turns.

The sun was rising for the third time since he had put to sea when the fish started to circle.

Then the line would not come in any more and he held it until he saw the drops jumping from it in the sun. Then it started out and the old man knelt down and let it go grudgingly back into the dark water.

The sea had risen considerably.But it was a fair-weather breeze and he had to have it to get home.

“Come on,fish,”he said.But the fish did not come. Instead he lay there wallowing now in the seas and the old man pulled the skiff up onto him.

Make him pay for the line,he thought.Make him pay for it.

“It is a very big circle,”he said.“ But he is circling.”

He is hitting the wire leader with his spear,he thought. That was bound to come.He had to do that.It may make him jump though and I would rather he stayed circling now. The jumps were necessary for him to take air.But after that each one can widen the opening of the hook wound and he can throw the hook.