Hewokewiththejerkofhisrightfistcomingupagainsthisfaceandthelineburningoutthroughhisrighthand.Hehadnofeelingofhislefthandbuthebrakedallhecouldwithhisrightandthelinerushedout.Finallyhislefthandfoundthelineandheleanedbackagainstthelineandnowitburnedhisbackandhislefthand,andhislefthandwastakingallthestrainandcuttingbadly.Helookedbackatthecoilsoflineandtheywerefeedingsmoothly.Justthenthefishjumpedmakingagreatburstingoftheoceanandthenaheavyfall.Thenhejumpedagainandagainandtheboatwasgoingfastalthoughlinewasstillracingoutandtheoldmanwasraisingthestraintobreakingpointandraisingittobreakingpointagainandagain.Hehadbeenpulleddowntightontothebowandhisfacewasinthecutsliceofdolphinandhecouldnotmove.
Thisiswhatwewaitedfor,hethought.Sonowletustakeit.Makehimpayfortheline,hethought.Makehimpayforit.
Hecouldnotseethefish』sjumpsbutonlyheardthebreakingoftheoceanandtheheavysplashashefell.Thespeedofthelinewascuttinghishandsbadlybuthehadalwaysknownthiswouldhappenandhetriedtokeepthecuttingacrossthecallousedpartsandnotletthelineslipintothepalmnorcutthefingers.
Iftheboywasherehewouldwetthecoilsofline,hethought.Yes.Iftheboywerehere.Iftheboywerehere.
Thelinewentoutandoutandoutbutitwasslowingnowandhewasmakingthefishearneachinchofit.Nowhegothisheadupfromthewoodandoutofthesliceoffishthathischeekhadcrushed.Thenhewasonhiskneesandthenheroseslowlytohisfeet.Hewascedinglinebutmoreslowlyallhetime.Heworkedbacktowherehecouldfeelwithhisfootthecoilsoflinethathecouldnotsee.Therewasplentyoflinestillandnowthefishhadtopullthefrictionofallthatnewlinethroughthewater.
Yes,hethought.AndnowhehasjumpedmorethanadozentimesandfilledthesacksalonghisbackwithairandhecannotgodowndeeptodiewhereIcannotbringhimup.HewillstartcirclingsoonandthenImustworkonhim.Iwonderwhatstartedhimsosuddenly?Couldithavebeenhungerthatmadehimdesperate,orwashefrightenedbysomethinginthenight?Maybehesuddenlyfeltfear.Buthewassuchacalm,strongfishandheseemedsofearlessandsoconfident.Itisstrange.
「Youhadbetterbefearlessandconfidentyourself,oldman,」hesaid.「You』reholdinghimagainbutyoucannotgetline.Butsoonhehastocircle.」
Theoldmanheldhimwithhislefthandandhisshouldersnowandstoopeddownandscoopedupwaterinhisrighthandtogetthecrusheddolphinfleshoffofhisface.Hewasafraidthatitmightnauseatehimandhewouldvomitandlosehisstrength.Whenhisfacewascleanedhewashedhisrighthandinthewateroverthesideandthenletitstayinthesaltwaterwhilehewatchedthefirstlightcomebeforethesunrise.He』sheadedalmosteast,hethought.Thatmeansheistiredandgoingwiththecurrent.Soonhewillhavetocircle.Thenourtrueworkbegins.
Afterhejudgedthathisrighthandhadbeeninthewaterlongenoughhetookitoutandlookedatit.
「Itisnotbad,」hesaid.「Andpaindoesnotmattertoaman.」
Hetookholdofthelinecarefullysothatitdidnotfitintoanyofthefreshlinecutsandshiftedhisweightsothathecouldputhislefthandintotheseaontheothersideoftheskiff.
「Youdidnotdosobadlyforsomethingworthless,」hesaidtohislefthand.「ButtherewasamomentwhenIcouldnotfindyou.」
WhywasInotbornwithtwogoodhands?hethought.Perhapsitwasmyfaultinnottrainingthatoneproperly.ButGodknowshehashadenoughchancestolearn.Hedidnotdosobadlyinthenight,though,andhehasonlycrampedonce.Ifhecrampsagainletthelinecuthimoff.
Whenhethoughtthatheknewthathewasnotbeingclear-headedandhethoughtheshouldchewsomemoreofthedolphin.ButIcan』t,hetoldhimself.Itisbettertobelight-headedthantoloseyourstrengthfromnausea.AndIknowIcannotkeepitifIeatitsincemyfacewasinit.Iwillkeepitforanemergencyuntilitgoesbad.Butitistoolatetotryforstrengthnowthroughnourishment.You』restupid,hetoldhimself.Eattheotherflyingfish.
Itwasthere,cleanedandready,andhepickeditupwithhislefthandandateitchewingthebonescarefullyandeatingallofitdowntothetail.
Ithasmorenourishmentthanalmostanyfish,hethought.AtleastthekindofstrengththatIneed.NowIhavedonewhatIcan,hethought.Lethimbegintocircleandletthefightcome.
Thesunwasrisingforthethirdtimesincehehadputtoseawhenthefishstartedtocircle.
Hecouldnotseebytheslantofthelinethatthefishwascircling.Itwastooearlyforthat.Hejustfeltafaintslackeningofthepressureofthelineandhecommencedtopullonitgentlywithhisrighthand.Ittightened,asalways,butjustwhenhereachedthepointwhereitwouldbreak,linebegantocomein.Heslippedhisshouldersandheadfromunderthelineandbegantopullinlinesteadilyandgently.Heusedbothofhishandsinaswingingmotionandtriedtodothepullingasmuchashecouldwithhisbodyandhislegs.Hisoldlegsandshoulderspivotedwiththeswingingofthepulling.
「Itisaverybigcircle,」hesaid.「Butheiscircling.」