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第4章 The Big Fish Bit the Hook（第1页）

Justthen，watchinghislines，hesawoneoftheprojectinggreensticksdipsharply.

“Yes，”

hesaid.“Yes，”

andshippedhisoarswithoutbumpingtheboat.Hereachedoutforthelineandhelditsoftlybetweenthethumbandforefingerofhisrighthand.Hefeltnostrainnorweightandheheldthelinelightly.Thenitcameagain.Thistimeitwasatentativepull，notsolidnorheavy，andheknewexactlywhatitwas.Onehundredfathomsdownamarlinwaseatingthesardinesthatcoveredthepointandtheshankofthehookwherethehand-forgedhookprojectedfromtheheadofthesmalltuna.

Theoldmanheldthelinedelicately，andsoftly，withhislefthand，unleasheditfromthestick.Nowhecouldletitrunthroughhisfingerswithoutthefishfeelinganytension.

Thisfarout，hemustbehugeinthismonth，hethought.Eatthem，fish.Eatthem.Pleaseeatthem.Howfreshtheyareandyoudowntheresixhundredfeetinthatcoldwaterinthedark.Makeanotherturninthedarkandcomebackandeatthem.

Hefeltthelightdelicatepullingandthenaharderpullwhenasardinesheadmusthavebeenmoredifficulttobreakfromthehook.Thentherewasnothing.

“Comeon，”

theoldmansaidaloud.“Makeanotherturn.Justsmellthem.Arenttheylovely?Eatthemgoodnowandthenthereisthetuna.Hardandcoldandlovely.Dontbeshy，fish.Eatthem.”

Hewaitedwiththelinebetweenhisthumbandhisfinger，watchingitandtheotherlinesatthesametimeforthefishmighthaveswumupordown.Thencamethesamedelicatepullingtouchagain.

“Helltakeit，”

theoldmansaidaloud.“Godhelphimtotakeit.”

Hedidnottakeitthough.Hewasgoneandtheoldmanfeltnothing.

“Hecanthavegone，”

hesaid.“Christknowshecanthavegone.Hesmakingaturn.Maybehehasbeenhookedbeforeandherememberssomethingofit.”

Thenhefeltthegentletouchonthelineandhewashappy.

“Itwasonlyhisturn，”

hesaid.“Helltakeit.”

Hewashappyfeelingthegentlepullingandthenhefeltsomethinghardandunbelievablyheavy.Itwastheweightofthefishandheletthelineslipdown，down，down，unrollingoffthefirstofthetworeservecoils.Asitwentdown，slippinglightlythroughtheoldmansfingers，hestillcouldfeelthegreatweight，thoughthepressureofhisthumbandfingerwerealmostimperceptible.

“Whatafish，”

hesaid.“Hehasitsidewaysinhismouthnowandheismovingoffwithit.”

Thenhewillturnandswallowit，hethought.Hedidnotsaythatbecauseheknewthatifyousaidagoodthingitmightnothappen.Heknewwhatahugefishthiswasandhethoughtofhimmovingawayinthedarknesswiththetunaheldcrosswiseinhismouth.Atthatmomenthefelthimstopmovingbuttheweightwasstillthere.Thentheweightincreasedandhegavemoreline.Hetightenedthepressureofhisthumbandfingerforamomentandtheweightincreasedandwasgoingstraightdown.

“Hestakenit，”

hesaid.“NowIlllethimeatitwell.”

Heletthelineslipthroughhisfingerswhilehereacheddownwithhislefthandandmadefastthefreeendofthetworeservecoilstotheloopofthetworeservecoilsofthenextline.Nowhewasready.Hehadthreeforty-fathomcoilsoflineinreservenow，aswellasthecoilhewasusing.

“Eatitalittlemore，”

hesaid.“Eatitwell.”