顶点中文网

手机浏览器扫描二维码访问

第9章 Final Fight（第2页）

Helikedtothinkofthefishandwhathecoulddotoasharkifhewereswimmingfree.Ishouldhavechoppedthebillofftofightthemwith，hethought.Buttherewasnohatchetandthentherewasnoknife.

ButifIhad，andcouldhavelashedittoanoarbutt，whataweapon.Thenwemighthavefoughtthemtogether.Whatwillyoudonowiftheycomeinthenight?Whatcanyoudo?“Fightthem，”

hesaid.“IllfightthemuntilIdie.”

Butinthedarknowandnoglowshowingandnolightsandonlythewindandthesteadypullofthesailhefeltthatperhapshewasalreadydead.Heputhistwohandstogetherandfeltthepalms.Theywerenotdeadandhecouldbringthepainoflifebysimplyopeningandclosingthem.Heleanedhisbackagainstthesternandheknewhewasnotdead.Hisshoulderstoldhim.

IhaveallthoseprayersIpromisedifIcaughtthefish，hethought.ButIamtootiredtosaythemnow.Ibettergetthesackandputitovermyshoulders.

Helayinthesternandsteeredandwatchedfortheglowtocomeinthesky.Ihavehalfofhim，hethought.MaybeIllhavethelucktobringtheforwardhalfin.Ishouldhavesomeluck.No，hesaid.Youviolatedyourluckwhenyouwenttoofaroutside.

“Dontbesilly，”

hesaidaloud.“Andkeepawakeandsteer.Youmayhavemuchluckyet.”

“Idliketobuysomeiftheresanyplacetheysellit，”

hesaid.

WhatcouldIbuyitwith?Heaskedhimself.CouldIbuyitwithalostharpoonandabrokenknifeandtwobadhands?“Youmight，”

hesaid.“Youtriedtobuyitwitheighty-fourdaysatsea.Theynearlysoldittoyoutoo.”

Imustnotthinknonsense，hethought.Luckisathingthatcomesinmanyformsandwhocanrecognizeher?Iwouldtakesomethoughinanyformandpaywhattheyasked.IwishIcouldseetheglowfromthelights，hethought.Iwishtoomanythings.ButthatisthethingIwishfornow.Hetriedtosettlemorecomfortablytosteerandfromhispainheknewhewasnotdead.

Hesawthereflectedglareofthelightsofthecityatwhatmusthavebeenaroundtenoclockatnight.Theywereonlyperceptibleatfirstasthelightisintheskybeforethemoonrises.Thentheyweresteadytoseeacrosstheoceanwhichwasroughnowwiththeincreasingbreeze.Hesteeredinsideoftheglowandhethoughtthatnow，soon，hemusthittheedgeofthestream.

Nowitisover，hethought.Theywillprobablyhitmeagain.Butwhatcanamandoagainsttheminthedarkwithoutaweapon?

Hewasstiffandsorenowandhiswoundsandallofthestrainedpartsofhisbodyhurtwiththecoldofthenight.IhopeIdonothavetofightagain，hethought.IhopesomuchIdonothavetofightagain.

Butbymidnighthefoughtandthistimeheknewthefightwasuseless.Theycameinapackandhecouldonlyseethelinesinthewaterthattheirfinsmadeandtheirphosphorescenceastheythrewthemselvesonthefish.Heclubbedatheadsandheardthejawschopandtheshakingoftheskiffastheytookholdbelow.Heclubbeddesperatelyatwhathecouldonlyfeelandhearandhefeltsomethingseizetheclubanditwasgone.

Hejerkedthetillerfreefromtherudderandbeatandchoppedwithit，holdingitinbothhandsanddrivingitdownagainandagain.Buttheywereuptothebownowanddrivinginoneaftertheotherandtogether，tearingoffthepiecesofmeatthatshowedglowingbelowtheseaastheyturnedtocomeoncemore.

Onecame，finally，againsttheheaditselfandheknewthatitwasover.Heswungthetilleracrossthesharksheadwherethejawswerecaughtintheheavinessofthefishsheadwhichwouldnottear.Heswungitonceandtwiceandagain.Heheardthetillerbreakandhelungedatthesharkwiththesplinteredbutt.Hefeltitgoinandknowingitwassharphedroveitinagain.Thesharkletgoandrolledaway.Thatwasthelastsharkofthepackthatcame.Therewasnothingmoreforthemtoeat.

Theoldmancouldhardlybreathenowandhefeltastrangetasteinhismouth.Itwascopperyandsweetandhewasafraidofitforamoment.Buttherewasnotmuchofit.

Hespatintotheoceanandsaid，“Eatthat，Galanos.Andmakeadreamyouvekilledaman.”