Старик и море

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

           "He’stakenit,"hesaid."NowI’lllethimeatitwell." 

           Heletthelineslipthroughhisfingerswhilehereacheddownwithhislefthandandmadefastthefreeendofthetworeservecoilstotheloopofthetworeservecoilsofthenextline. Nowhewasready. Hehadthreeforty-fathomcoilsoflineinreservenow,aswellasthecoilhewasusing. 

           "Eatitalittlemore,"hesaid."Eatitwell." 

           Eatitsothatthepointofthehookgoesintoyourheartandkillsyou,hethought. Comeupeasyandletmeputtheharpoonintoyou. Allright.Areyouready?Haveyoubeenlongenoughattable? 

           "Now!"hesaidaloudandstruckhardwithbothhands,gainedayardofline andthenstruckagainandagain,swingingwitheacharmalternatelyonthecordwithallthestrengthofhisarmsandthepivotedweightofhisbody. 

           Nothinghappened. Thefishjustmovedawayslowlyandtheoldmancouldnotraisehimaninch.