Hefeltfaintagainnowbutheheldonthegreatfishallthestrainthathecould.Imovedhim,hethought.MaybethistimeIcangethimover.Pull,hands,hethought.Holdup,legs.Lastforme,head.Lastforme.Youneverwent.ThistimeI』llpullhimover.
Butwhenheputallofhisefforton,startingitwelloutbeforethefishcamealongsideandpullingwithallhisstrength,thefishpulledpartwayoverandthenrightedhimselfandswamaway.
「Fish,」theoldmansaid.「Fish,youaregoingtohavetodieanyway.Doyouhavetokillmetoo?」
Thatwaynothingisaccomplished,hethought.Hismouthwastoodrytospeakbuthecouldnotreachforthewaternow.Imustgethimalongsidethistime,hethought.Iamnotgoodformanymoreturns.Yesyouare,hetoldhimself.You』regoodforever.
Onthenextturn,henearlyhadhim.Butagainthefishrightedhimselfandswamslowlyaway.Youarekillingme,fish,theoldmanthought.Butyouhavearightto.NeverhaveIseenagreater,ormorebeautiful,oracalmerormorenoblethingthanyou,brother.Comeonandkillme.Idonotcarewhokillswho.
Nowyouaregettingconfusedinthehead,hethought.Youmustkeepyourheadclear.Keepyourheadclearandknowhowtosufferlikeaman.Orafish,hethought.
「Clearup,head,」hesaidinavoicehecouldhardlyhear.「Clearup.」
Twicemoreitwasthesameontheturns.
Idonotknow,theoldmanthought.Hehadbeenonthepointoffeelinghimselfgoeachtime.Idonotknow.ButIwilltryitoncemore.
Hetrieditoncemoreandhefelthimselfgoingwhenheturnedthefish.Thefishrightedhimselfandswamoffagainslowlywiththegreattailweavingintheair.
I』lltryitagain,theoldmanpromised,althoughhishandsweremushynowandhecouldonlyseewellinflashes.
Hetrieditagainanditwasthesame.Sohethought,andhefelthimselfgoingbeforehestarted;Iwilltryitonceagain.
Hetookallhispainandwhatwasleftofhisstrengthandhislonggoneprideandheputitagainstthefish』sagonyandthefishcameoverontohissideandswamgentlyonhisside,hisbillalmosttouchingtheplankingoftheskiffandstartedtopasstheboat,long,deep,wide,silverandbarredwithpurpleandinterminableinthewater.
Theoldmandroppedthelineandputhisfootonitandliftedtheharpoonashighashecouldanddroveitdownwithallhisstrength,andmorestrengthhehadjustsummoned,intothefish』ssidejustbehindthegreatchestfinthatrosehighintheairtothealtitudeoftheman』schest.Hefelttheirongoinandheleanedonitanddroveitfurtherandthenpushedallhisweightafterit.
Thenthefishcamealive,withhisdeathinhim,androsehighoutofthewatershowingallhisgreatlengthandwidthandallhispowerandhisbeauty.Heseemedtohangintheairabovetheoldmanintheskiff.Thenhefellintothewaterwithacrashthatsentsprayovertheoldmanandoveralloftheskiff.
Theoldmanfeltfaintandsickandhecouldnotseewell.Butheclearedtheharpoonlineandletitrunslowlythroughhisrawhandsand,whenhecouldsee,hesawthefishwasonhisbackwithhissilverbellyup.Theshaftoftheharpoonwasprojectingatananglefromthefish』sshoulderandtheseawasdiscolouringwiththeredofthebloodfromhisheart.Firstitwasdarkasashoalinthebluewaterthatwasmorethanamiledeep.Thenitspreadlikeacloud.Thefishwassilveryandstillandfloatedwiththewaves.
Theoldmanlookedcarefullyintheglimpseofvisionthathehad.Thenhetooktwoturnsoftheharpoonlinearoundthebittinthebowandhidhisheadonhishands.
「Keepmyheaddear,」hesaidagainstthewoodofthebow.「Iamatiredoldman.ButIhavekilledthisfishwhichismybrotherandnowImustdotheslavework.」
NowImustpreparethenoosesandtheropetolashhimalongside,hethought.Evenifweweretwoandswampedhertoloadhimandbailedherout,thisskiffwouldneverholdhim.Imustprepareeverything,thenbringhiminandlashhimwellandstepthemastandsetsailforhome.
Hestartedtopullthefishintohavehimalongsidesothathecouldpassalinethroughhisgillsandouthismouthandmakehisheadfastalongsidethebow.Iwanttoseehim,hethought,andtotouchandtofeelhim.Heismyfortune,hethought.ButthatisnotwhyIwishtofeelhim.IthinkIfelthisheart,hethought.WhenIpushedontheharpoonshaftthesecondtime.Bringhiminnowandmakehimfastandgetthenoosearoundhistailandanotheraroundhismiddletobindhimtotheskiff.
「Gettowork,oldman,」hesaid.Hetookaverysmalldrinkofthewater.「Thereisverymuchslaveworktobedonenowthatthefightisover.」
Helookedupattheskyandthenouttohisfish.Helookedatthesuncarefully.Itisnotmuchmorethannoon,hethought.Andthetradewindisrising.Thelinesallmeannothingnow.TheboyandIwillsplicethemwhenwearehome.
「Comeon,fish,」hesaid.Butthefishdidnotcome.
Insteadhelaytherewallowingnowintheseasandtheoldmanpulledtheskiffupontohim.