Twicemoreitwasthesameourns.
Idonotknow,theoldmanthought.Hehadbeenonthepointoffeelinghimselfgoeachtime.Idonotknow.ButIwilltryitoncemore.
Hetrieditoncemoreahimselfgoiurhefish.Thefishrightedhimselfandswamoffagainslowlywiththegreattailweavingintheair.
I’lltryitagain,theoldmanpromised,althoughhishandsweremushynowandhecouldonlyseewellinflashes.
Hetrieditagainanditwasthesame.So,hethought,ahimselfgoingbeforehestarted;Iwilltryitonceagain.
Hetookallhispainandwhatwasleftofhisstrengthandhislonggoneprideaitagainstthefish’sagonyandthefishcameoverontohissideandswamgentlyonhisside,hisbillalmosttougtheplankingoftheskiffandstartedtopasstheboat,long,deep,wide,silverandbarredwithpurpleandintermihewater.
Theoldmandroppedthelineandputhisfootonitandliftedtheharpoonashighashecouldanddroveitdownwithallhisstrength,andmorestrengthhehadjustsummoned,intothefish’ssidejustbehindthegreatchestfinthatrosehighiothealtitudeoftheman’schest.Hefelttheirongoinandheleanedonitanddroveitfurtherandthenpushedallhisweightafterit.
Thenthefishcamealive,withhisdeathinhim,androsehighoutofthewatershowingallhisgreatlengthandwidthandallhispowerandhisbeauty.Heseemedtohangintheairabovetheoldmanintheskiff.Thenhefellintothewaterwithacrashthatsentsprayovertheoldmanandoveralloftheskiff.
Theoldmafaintandsidhecouldnotseewell.Butheclearedtheharpoonlinearunslowlythroughhisrawhandsand,whenhecouldsee,hesawthefishwasonhisbackwithhissilverbellyup.Theshaftoftheharpoonrojegatananglefromthefish’sshoulderandtheseawasdiscwiththeredofthebloodfromhisheart.Firstitwasdarkasashoalinthebluewaterthatwasmorethanamiledeep.Thenitspreadlikeacloud.Thefishwassilverandstillandfloatedwiththewaves.
Theoldmanlookedcarefullyintheglimpseofvisionthathehad.Theooktwoturnsoftheharpoonlinearouinthebowandlaidhisheadonhishands.
“Keepmyheadclear,”hesaidagainstthewoodofthebow.“Iamatiredoldman.ButIhavekilledthisfishwhichismybrotherandnowImustdotheslavework.”
NowImustpreparethenoosesand
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