Nowthathehadseenhimonce,hecouldpicturethefishswimminginthewaterwithhispurplepectoralfinssetwideaswingsandthegreaterecttailslicingthroughthedark.Iwonderhowmuchheseesatthatdepth,theoldmanthought.Hiseyeishugeandahorse,withmuchlesseye,canseeinthedark.OnceIcouldseequitewellinthedark.Notintheabsolutedark.Butalmostasacatsees.
Thesunandhissteadymovementofhisfingershaduncrampedhislefthandnowcompletelyandhebegantoshiftmoreofthestraintoitandheshruggedthemusclesofhisbacktoshiftthehurtofthecordalittle.
「Ifyou』renottired,fish,」hesaidaloud,「youmustbeverystrange.」
Hefeltverytirednowandheknewthenightwouldcomesoonandhetriedtothinkofotherthings.HethoughtoftheBigLeagues,tohimtheyweretheGranLigas,andheknewthattheYankeesofNewYorkwereplayingtheTigresofDetroit.
ThisistheseconddaynowthatIdonotknowtheresultofthejuegos,hethought.ButImusthaveconfidenceandImustbeworthyofthegreatDiMaggiowhodoesallthingsperfectlyevenwiththepainofthebonespurinhisheel.Whatisabonespur?heaskedhimself.Unespueladehueso.Wedonothavethem.Canitbeaspainfulasthespurofafightingcockinone』sheel?IdonotthinkIcouldendurethatorthelossoftheeyeandofbotheyesandcontinuetofightasthefightingcocksdo.Manisnotmuchbesidethegreatbirdsandbeasts.StillIwouldratherbethatbeastdownthereinthedarknessofthesea.
「Unlesssharkscome,」hesaidaloud.「Ifsharkscome,Godpityhimandme.」
DoyoubelievethegreatDiMaggiowouldstaywithafishaslongasIwillstaywiththisone?Hethought.Iamsurehewouldandmoresinceheisyoungandstrong.Alsohisfatherwasafisherman.Butwouldthebonespurhurthimtoomuch?
「Idonotknow,」hesaidaloud.「Ineverhadabonespur.」
Asthesunsetheremembered,togivehimselfmoreconfidence,thetimeinthetavernatCasablancawhenhehadplayedthehandgamewiththegreatnegrofromCienfuegoswhowasthestrongestmanonthedocks.Theyhadgoneonedayandonenightwiththeirelbowsonachalklineonthetableandtheirforearmsstraightupandtheirhandsgrippedtight.Eachonewastryingtoforcetheother』shanddownontothetable.Therewasmuchbettingandpeoplewentinandoutoftheroomunderthekerosenelightsandhehadlookedatthearmandhandofthenegroandatthenegro』sface.Theychangedtherefereeseveryfourhoursafterthefirsteightsothattherefereescouldsleep.Bloodcameoutfromunderthefingernailsofbothhisandthenegro』shandsandtheylookedeachotherintheeyeandattheirhandsandforearmsandthebettorswentinandoutoftheroomandsatonhighchairsagainstthewallandwatched.Thewallswerepaintedbrightblueandwereofwoodandthelampsthrewtheirshadowsagainstthem.Thenegro』sshadowwashugeanditmovedonthewallasthebreezemovedthelamps.
Theoddswouldchangebackandforthallnightandtheyfedthenegrorumandlightedcigarettesforhim.Thenthenegro,aftertherum,wouldtryforatremendouseffortandoncehehadtheoldman,whowasnotanoldmanthenbutwasSantiagoElCampeon,nearlythreeinchesoffbalance.Buttheoldmanhadraisedhishanduptodeadevenagain.Hewassurethenthathehadthenegro,whowasafinemanandagreatathlete,beaten.Andatdaylightwhenthebettorswereaskingthatitbecalledadrawandtherefereewasshakinghishead,hehadunleashedhiseffortandforcedthehandofthenegrodownanddownuntilitrestedonthewood.ThematchhadstartedonaSundaymorningandendedonaMondaymorning.ManyofthebettorshadaskedforadrawbecausetheyhadtogotoworkonthedocksloadingsacksofsugarorattheHavanaCoalCompany.Otherwiseeveryonewouldhavewantedittogotoafinish.Buthehadfinisheditanywayandbeforeanyonehadtogotowork.
ForalongtimeafterthateveryonehadcalledhimTheChampionandtherehadbeenareturnmatchinthespring.ButnotmuchmoneywasbetandhehadwonitquiteeasilysincehehadbrokentheconfidenceofthenegrofromCienfuegosinthefirstmatch.Afterthathehadafewmatchesandthennomore.Hedecidedthathecouldbeatanyoneifhewantedbadlyenoughandhedecidedthatitwasbadforhisrighthandforfishing.Hehadtriedafewpracticematcheswithhislefthand.Buthislefthandhadalwaysbeenatraitorandwouldnotdowhathecalledonittodoandhedidnottrustit.
Thesunwillbakeitoutwellnow,hethought.Itshouldnotcramponmeagainunlessitgetstoocoldinthenight.Iwonderwhatthisnightwillbring.
AnairplanepassedoverheadonitscoursetoMiamiandhewatcheditsshadowscaringuptheschoolsofflyingfish.
「Withsomuchflyingfishthereshouldbedolphin,」hesaid,andleanedbackonthelinetoseeifitwaspossibletogainanyonhisfish.Buthecouldnotanditstayedatthehardnessandwater-dropshiveringthatprecededbreaking.Theboatmovedaheadslowlyandhewatchedtheairplaneuntilhecouldnolongerseeit.
Itmustbeverystrangeinanairplane,hethought.Iwonderwhatthesealookslikefromthatheight?Theyshouldbeabletoseethefishwelliftheydonotflytoohigh.Iwouldliketoflyveryslowlyattwohundredfathomshighandseethefishfromabove.IntheturtleboatsIwasinthecross-treesofthemast-headandevenatthatheightIsawmuch.Thedolphinlookgreenerfromthereandyoucanseetheirstripesandtheirpurplespotsandyoucanseealloftheschoolastheyswim.Whyisitthatallthefast-movingfishofthedarkcurrenthavepurplebacksandusuallypurplestripesorspots?Thedolphinlooksgreenofcoursebecauseheisreallygolden.Butwhenhecomestofeed,trulyhungry,purplestripesshowonhissidesasonamarlin.Canitbeanger,orthegreaterspeedhemakesthatbringsthemout?