Старик и море

           "ButIwillsaytenOurFathersandtenHailMarysthatIshouldcatchthisfish, andIpromisetomakeapilgrimagetotheVirgendeCobreifIcatchhim. Thatisapromise." 

           Hecommencedtosayhisprayersmechanically. Sometimeshewouldbesotiredthathecouldnotremembertheprayer andthenhewouldsaythemfastsothattheywouldcomeautomatically. HailMarysareeasiertosaythanOurFathers,hethought. 

           "HailMaryfullofGracetheLordiswiththee. Blessedartthouamongwomenandblessedisthefruitofthywomb,Jesus. HolyMary,MotherofGod,prayforussinnersnowandatthehourofourdeath.Amen." Thenheadded,"BlessedVirgin,prayforthedeathofthisfish. Wonderfulthoughheis." 

           Withhisprayerssaid,andfeelingmuchbetter,butsufferingexactlyasmuch,andperhapsalittlemore, heleanedagainstthewoodofthebowandbegan,mechanically,toworkthefingersofhislefthand. 

           Thesunwashotnowalthoughthebreezewasrisinggently. 

           "Ihadbetterre-baitthatlittlelineoutoverthestern,"hesaid. "IfthefishdecidestostayanothernightIwillneedtoeatagainandthewaterislowinthebottle. Idon’tthinkIcangetanythingbutadolphinhere. ButifIeathimfreshenoughhewon’tbebad. Iwishaflyingfishwouldcomeonboardtonight. ButIhavenolighttoattractthem. AflyingfishisexcellenttoeatrawandIwouldnothavetocuthimup.Imustsaveallmystrengthnow. Christ,Ididnotknowhewassobig." 

           "I’llkillhimthough,"hesaid. "Inallhisgreatnessandhisglory."