Старик и море

           Althoughitisunjust,hethought. ButIwillshowhimwhatamancandoandwhatamanendures. 

           "ItoldtheboyIwasastrangeoldman,"hesaid. "NowiswhenImustproveit." 

           Thethousandtimesthathehadproveditmeantnothing.Nowhewasprovingitagain. Eachtimewasanewtimeandheneverthoughtaboutthepastwhenhewasdoingit. 

           Iwishhe’dsleepandIcouldsleepanddreamaboutthelions,hethought. Whyarethelionsthemainthingthatisleft? Don’tthink,oldman,hesaidtohimself. Restgentlynowagainstthewoodandthinkofnothing.Heisworking. Workaslittleasyoucan. 

           Itwasgettingintotheafternoonandtheboatstillmovedslowlyandsteadily. Buttherewasanaddeddragnowfromtheeasterlybreezeandtheoldmanrodegentlywiththesmallsea andthehurtofthecordacrosshisbackcametohimeasilyandsmoothly. 

           Onceintheafternoonthelinestartedtoriseagain. Butthefishonlycontinuedtoswimataslightlyhigherlevel. Thesunwasontheoldman’sleftarmandshoulderandonhisback. Soheknewthefishhadturnedeastofnorth. 

           Nowthathehadseenhimonce,hecouldpicturethefishswimminginthewater withhispurplepectoralfinssetwideaswingsandthegreaterecttailslicingthroughthedark. Iwonderhowmuchheseesatthatdepth,theoldmanthought. Hiseyeishugeandahorse,withmuchlesseye,canseeinthedark. OnceIcouldseequitewellinthedark. Notintheabsolutedark.Butalmostasacatsees.