Sometimeshelostthescent.Buthewouldpickitupagain,orhavejustatraceofit,andheswamfastandhardonthecourse.HewasaverybigMakesharkbuilttoswimasfastasthefastestfishintheseaandeverythingabouthimwasbeautifulexcepthisjaws.Hisbackwasasblueasaswordfish』sandhisbellywassilverandhishidewassmoothandhandsome.Hewasbuiltasaswordfishexceptforhishugejawswhichweretightshutnowasheswamfast,justunderthesurfacewithhishighdorsalfinknifingthroughthewaterwithoutwavering.Insidethecloseddoublelipofhisjawsallofhiseightrowsofteethwereslantedinwards.Theywerenottheordinarypyramid-shapedteethofmostsharks.Theywereshapedlikeaman』sfingerswhentheyarecrispedlikeclaws.Theywerenearlyaslongasthefingersoftheoldmanandtheyhadrazor-sharpcuttingedgesonbothsides.Thiswasafishbuilttofeedonallthefishesinthesea,thatweresofastandstrongandwellarmedthattheyhadnootherenemy.Nowhespeededupashesmelledthefresherscentandhisbluedorsalfincutthewater.
Whentheoldmansawhimcomingheknewthatthiswasasharkthathadnofearatallandwoulddoexactlywhathewished.Hepreparedtheharpoonandmadetheropefastwhilehewatchedthesharkcomeon.Theropewasshortasitlackedwhathehadcutawaytolashthefish.
Theoldman』sheadwasclearandgoodnowandhewasfullofresolutionbuthehadlittlehope.Itwastoogoodtolast,hethought.Hetookonelookatthegreatfishashewatchedthesharkclosein.Itmightaswellhavebeenadream,hethought.IcannotkeephimfromhittingmebutmaybeIcangethim.Dentuso,hethought.Badlucktoyourmother.
Thesharkclosedfastasternandwhenhehitthefishtheoldmansawhismouthopenandhisstrangeeyesandtheclickingchopoftheteethashedroveforwardinthemeatjustabovethetail.Theshark』sheadwasoutofwaterandhisbackwascomingoutandtheoldmancouldhearthenoiseofskinandfleshrippingonthebigfishwhenherammedtheharpoondownontotheshark』sheadataspotwherethelinebetweenhiseyesintersectedwiththelinethatranstraightbackfromhisnose.Therewerenosuchlines.Therewasonlytheheavysharpblueheadandthebigeyesandtheclicking,thrustingall-swallowingjaws.Butthatwasthelocationofthebrainandtheoldmanhitit.Hehititwithhisbloodmushedhandsdrivingagoodharpoonwithallhisstrength.Hehititwithouthopebutwithresolutionandcompletemalignancy.
Thesharkswungoverandtheoldmansawhiseyeswasnotaliveandthenheswungoveronceagain,wrappinghimselfintwoloopsoftherope.Theoldmanknewthathewasdeadbutthesharkwouldnotacceptit.Then,onhisback,withhistaillashingandhisjawsclicking,thesharkplowedoverthewaterasaspeedboatdoes.Thewaterwaswhitewherehistailbeatitandthree-quartersofhisbodywasclearabovethewaterwhentheropecametaut,shivered,andthensnapped.Thesharklayquietlyforalittlewhileonthesurfaceandtheoldmanwatchedhim.Thenhewentdownveryslowly.
「Hetookaboutfortypounds,」theoldmansaidaloud.Hetookmyharpoontooandalltherope,hethought,andnowmyfishbleedsagainandtherewillbeothers.
Hedidnotliketolookatthefishanymoresincehehadbeenmutilated.Whenthefishhadbeenhititwasasthoughhehimselfwerehit.
ButIkilledthesharkthathitmyfish,hethought.AndhewasthebiggestdentusothatIhaveeverseen.AndGodknowsthatIhaveseenbigones.
Itwastoogoodtolast,hethought.IwishithadbeenadreamnowandthatIhadneverhookedthefishandwasaloneinbedonthenewspapers.
「Butmanisnotmadefordefeat,」hesaid.「Amancanbedestroyedbutnotdefeated.」IamsorrythatIkilledthefishthough,hethought.NowthebadtimeiscomingandIdonotevenhavetheharpoon.Thedentusoiscruelandableandstrongandintelligent.ButIwasmoreintelligentthanhewas.Perhapsnot,hethought.PerhapsIwasonlybetterarmed.
「Don』tthink,oldman,」hesaidaloud.「Sailonthiscourseandtakeitwhenitcomes.
ButImustthink,hethought.BecauseitisallIhaveleft.Thatandbaseball.IwonderhowthegreatDiMaggiowouldhavelikedthewayIhithiminthebrain?Itwasnogreatthing,hethought.Anymancoulddoit.Butdoyouthinkmyhandswereasgreatahandicapasthebonespurs?Icannotknow.IneverhadanythingwrongwithmyheelexceptthetimethestingraystungitwhenIsteppedonhimwhenswimmingandparalyzedthelowerlegandmadetheunbearablepain.
「Thinkaboutsomethingcheerful,oldman,」hesaid.「Everyminutenowyouareclosertohome.Yousaillighterforthelossoffortypounds.」
Heknewquitewellthepatternofwhatcouldhappenwhenhereachedtheinnerpartofthecurrent.Buttherewasnothingtobedonenow.
「Yesthereis,」hesaidaloud.「Icanlashmyknifetothebuttofoneoftheoars.」
Sohedidthatwiththetillerunderhisarmandthesheetofthesailunderhisfoot.
「Now,」hesaid.「Iamstillanoldman.ButIamnotunarmed.」
Thebreezewasfreshnowandhesailedonwell.Hewatchedonlytheforwardpartofthefishandsomeofhishopereturned.
Itissillynottohope,hethought.BesidesIbelieveitisasin.Donotthinkaboutsin,hethought.Thereareenoughproblemsnowwithoutsin.AlsoIhavenounderstandingofit.