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第10章 The Old Mans Return（第1页）

Heknewhewasbeatennowfinallyandwithoutremedyandhewentbacktothesternandfoundthejaggedendofthetillerwouldfitintheslotoftherudderwellenoughforhimtosteer。Hesettledthesackaroundhisshouldersandputtheskiffonhercourse。Hesailedlightlynowandhehadnothoughtsnoranyfeelingsofanykind。Hewaspasteverythingnowandhesailedtheskifftomakehishomeportaswellandasintelligentlyashecould。Inthenightsharkshitthecarcassassomeonemightpickupcrumbsfromthetable。Theoldmanpaidnoattentiontothemanddidnotpayanyattentiontoanythingexceptsteering。Heonlynoticedhowlightlyandhowwelltheskiffsailednowtherewasnogreatweightbesideher。

Shesgood，hethought。Sheissoundandnotharmedinanywayexceptforthetiller。Thatiseasilyreplaced。

Hecouldfeelhewasinsidethecurrentnowandhecouldseethelightsofthebeachcoloniesalongtheshore。Heknewwherehewasnowanditwasnothingtogethome。

Thewindisourfriend，anyway，hethought。Thenheadded，sometimes。Andthegreatseawithourfriendsandourenemies。Andbed，hethought。Bedismyfriend。Justbed，hethought。Bedwillbeagreatthing。Itiseasywhenyouarebeaten，hethought。Ineverknewhoweasyitwas。Andwhatbeatyou，hethought。

“Nothing，”hesaidaloud。“Iwentouttoofar。”

WhenhesailedintothelittleharborthelightsoftheTerracewereoutandhekneweveryonewasinbed。Thebreezehadrisensteadilyandwasblowingstronglynow。Itwasquietintheharborthoughandhesailedupontothelittlepatchofshinglebelowtherocks。Therewasnoonetohelphimsohepulledtheboatupasfarashecould。Thenhesteppedoutandmadeherfasttoarock。

Heunsteppedthemastandfurledthesailandtiedit。Thenheshoulderedthemastandstartedtoclimb。Itwasthenheknewthedepthofhistiredness。Hestoppedforamomentandlookedbackandsawinthereflectionfromthestreetlightthegreattailofthefishstandingupwellbehindtheskiffsstern。Hesawthewhitenakedlineofhisbackboneandthedarkmassoftheheadwiththeprojectingbillandallthenakednessbetween。

Hestartedtoclimbagainandatthetophefellandlayforsometimewiththemastacrosshisshoulder。

Hetriedtogetup。Butitwastoodifficultandhesattherewiththemastonhisshoulderandlookedattheroad。Acatpassedonthefarsidegoingaboutitsbusinessandtheoldmanwatchedit。Thenhejustwatchedtheroad。

Finallyheputthemastdownandstoodup。Hepickedthemastupandputitonhisshoulderandstarteduptheroad。Hehadtositdownfivetimesbeforehereachedhisshack。

Insidetheshackheleanedthemastagainstthewall。Inthedarkhefoundawaterbottleandtookadrink。Thenhelaydownonthebed。Hepulledtheblanketoverhisshouldersandthenoverhisbackandlegsandhesleptfacedownonthenewspaperswithhisarmsoutstraightandthepalmsofhishandsup。

Hewasasleepwhentheboylookedinthedoorinthemorning。Itwasblowingsohardthatthedrifting-boatswouldnotbegoingoutandtheboyhadsleptlateandthencometotheoldmansshackashehadcomeeachmorning。Theboysawthattheoldmanwasbreathingandthenhesawtheoldmanshandsandhestartedtocry。Hewentoutveryquietlytogotobringsomecoffeeandallthewaydowntheroadhewascrying。

Manyfishermenwerearoundtheskifflookingatwhatwaslashedbesideitandonewasinthewater，histrousersrolledup，measuringtheskeletonwithalengthofline。

Theboydidnotgodown。Hehadbeentherebeforeandoneofthefishermenwaslookingaftertheskiffforhim。

“Howishe?”oneofthefishermenshouted。

“Sleeping，”theboycalled。Hedidnotcarethattheysawhimcrying。“Letnoonedisturbhim。”

“Hewaseighteenfeetfromnosetotail，”thefishermanwhowasmeasuringhimcalled。

“Ibelieveit，”theboysaid。

HewentintotheTerraceandaskedforacanofcoffee。

“Hotandwithplentyofmilkandsugarinit。”

“Anythingmore?”

“No。AfterwardsIwillseewhathecaneat。”

“Whatafishitwas，”theproprietorsaid。“Therehasneverbeensuchafish。Thoseweretwofinefishyoutookyesterdaytoo。”

“Damnmyfish，”theboysaidandhestartedtocryagain。

“Doyouwantadrinkofanykind?”theproprietorasked。

“No，”theboysaid。“TellthemnottobotherSantiago。Illbeback。”

“TellhimhowsorryIam。”

“Thanks，”theboysaid。

Theboycarriedthehotcanofcoffeeuptotheoldmansshackandsatbyhimuntilhewoke。Onceitlookedasthoughhewerewaking。Buthehadgonebackintoheavysleepandtheboyhadgoneacrosstheroadtoborrowsomewoodtoheatthecoffee。

Finallytheoldmanwoke。

“Dontsitup。”theboysaid。“Drinkthis。”Hepouredsomeofthecoffeeinaglass。

Theoldmantookitanddrankit。

“Theybeatme，Manolin，”hesaid。“Theytrulybeatme。”

“Hedidntbeatyou。Notthefish。”