Старик и море

           Thenhebegantopitythegreatfishthathehadhooked. Heiswonderfulandstrangeandwhoknowshowoldheis,hethought. NeverhaveIhadsuchastrongfishnoronewhoactedsostrangely. Perhapsheistoowisetojump. Hecouldruinmebyjumpingorbyawildrush. Butperhapshehasbeenhookedmanytimesbeforeandheknowsthatthisishowheshouldmakehisfight. Hecannotknowthatitisonlyonemanagainsthim,northatitisanoldman. Butwhatagreatfishheisandwhathewillbringinthemarketifthefleshisgood. Hetookthebaitlikeamaleandhepullslikeamaleandhisfighthasnopanicinit. IwonderifhehasanyplansorifheisjustasdesperateasIam? 

           Herememberedthetimehehadhookedoneofapairofmarlin. Themalefishalwaysletthefemalefishfeedfirstandthehookedfish,thefemale,madeawild,panic-stricken, despairingfightthatsoonexhaustedher,andallthetimethemalehadstayedwithher,crossingthelineandcirclingwithheronthesurface. Hehadstayedsoclosethattheoldmanwasafraidhewouldcutthelinewithhistailwhichwassharpasascytheandalmostofthatsizeandshape. Whentheoldmanhadgaffedherandclubbedher, holdingtherapierbillwithitssandpaperedgeandclubbingheracrossthetopofherhead untilhercolourturnedtoacolouralmostlikethebackingofmirrors, andthen,withtheboy’said,hoistedheraboard,themalefishhadstayedbythesideoftheboat.