The old man and the sea(23)
For a long time after that everyone had called him the Champion and there had been a return match in the spring. But not much money was bet and he had won it quite easily since he had broken the confidence of the negro from Cienfuegos in the first match. After that he had a few matches and then no more. He decided that he could beat anyone if he wanted to badly enough and he decided that it was bad for his right hand for fishing. He had tried a few practice matches with his left hand. But his left hand had always been a traitor and would not do what he called on it to do and he did not trust it.
自从那件事情以后，有好长一段时间，人家都叫他「冠军」，第二年春天，他又比赛了一次，但这次人们下的赌注不大，他轻而易举地就赢了，因为在头一次比赛时，他就已经把西安弗荷斯来的黑鬼子的信心都击垮了。而后，他还比赛过几次，之后就没有。他深信，只要他有心，他可以战胜任何人。而他决心不再比赛，因为这对于他用来捕鱼的右手不利。他曾经有几次试着用左手练习比腕力，但他的左手像个叛逆者似的，永远不按照他的指挥行事，也难怪他从不信任自己的左手。
The sun will bake it out well now, he thought. It should not cramp on me again unless it gets too cold in the night. I wonder what this night will bring. An airplane passed overhead on its course to Miami and he watched its shadow scaring up the schools of flying fish. "With so much flying fish there should be dolphin," he said, and leaned back on the line to see if it was possible to gain any on his fish.
现在，太阳应该已经把他的左手给烤熟了，他想。除非晚上的气温降得太低，否则它不应该再抽筋了。不晓得今晚又会发生什么事。有架飞机从他头顶飞过，朝着迈阿密的方向飞去，他看着飞机的影子把成群的飞鱼吓得惊慌乱动。「这地方有这么多的飞鱼，那一定有海豚了。」他说。他拉住鱼线，身体往后靠，看看能否把线收回来一些。
But he could not and it stayed at the hardness and waterdrop shivering that preceded breaking. The boat moved ahead slowly and he watched the airplane until he could no longer see it. It must be very strange in an airplane, he thought. I wonder what the sea looks like from that height? They should be able to see the fish well if they do not fly too high. I would like to fly very slowly at two hundred fathoms high and see the fish from above. In the turtle boats I was in the cross-trees of the mast-head and even at that height I saw much.
可是他一点也拉不动，线绳依然绷得紧紧的，一滴滴的水珠在上面抖动，这是绳子断裂的前兆。船缓慢地向前移动，他望着飞机直到它消失在他的视线中。他想，在飞机上的感受一定很奇妙。我真好奇从那种高度往下看，海洋到底会是什么样子呢？如果飞得不太高的话，应该可以很清楚地看到那条鱼。我真想在水面两百啊的高度上缓慢地飞行着，从上方来俯视这条鱼。当年在捕乌龟的船上，我在桅杆顶的横桁上那种高度，就可以看得很清楚了。
The dolphin looks greener from there and you can see their stripes and their purple sports and you can see all of the school as they swim. Why is it that all the fast-moving fish of the dark current have purple backs and usually purple stripes or spots? The dolphin looks green of course because he is really golden. But when he comes to feed, truly hungry, purple stripes show on his sides as on a marlin. Can it be anger, or the greater speed he makes that brings them out?
从那里看海豚，颜色更为青绿，而且你可以看到它们身上的条纹和紫色斑点，也可以看到它们成群地游动。为什么在黑潮中游得快的鱼，背部都呈紫色，而且通常还有紫色的条纹和斑点呢？但由于海豚真正的颜色是金色，当然隔着海水看起来像绿色。当它们饿极了，非去捕食不可的时候，在它们身体两侧便会出现像马林鱼般的紫色条纹。不知它们是否因为愤怒或速度加快了，才使得那些条纹显现出来？
Just before it was dark, as they passed a great island of Sargasso weed that heaved and swung in the light sea as though the ocean were making love with something under a yellow blanket, his small line was taken by a dolphin. He saw it first when it jumped in the air, true gold in the last of the sun and bending and flapping wildly in the air. It jumped again and again in the acrobatics of its fear and he worked his way back to the stern and crouching and holding the big line with his right hand and arm, he pulled the dolphin in with his left hand, stepping on the gained line each time with his bare left foot.
就在天快黑之前，他们经过了堆积成一整座小岛般的马尾藻，覆盖在海面上随着轻波飘浮摇晃，好像海洋正盖着条黄色毯子与不明客缠绵做爱。就在此刻他的小鱼钩被一条海豚咬住了。老人看到它的第一眼是在它跳跃到空中那个剎那，夕阳余晖下天空是一片金黄，它在空中疯狂地扭动挣扎。恐惧得像特技表演似地一跳再跳。老人设法向船尾移动，然后弯起腰，用右手和手臂的力量握住那条粗绳，再用左手把海豚拖过来，同时用赤裸的左脚，踏住每一次拖过来的线绳。
When the fish was at the stern, plunging and cutting from side to side in desperation, the old man leaned over the stern and lifted the burnished gold fish with its purple spots over the stern. Its jaws were working convulsively in quick bites against the hook and it pounded the bottom of the skiff with its long flat body, its tail and its head until he clubbed it across the shining golden head until it shivered and was still.
鱼被拖到船尾的时候，绝望地挣扎，翻来覆去地跳动。老人靠向船尾，把这条金光闪闪又带有紫色斑点的鱼提上船尾。鱼在钩上一阵乱咬，下巴像痉挛似地急速颤动，它用那扁长的身体、尾巴和头用力拍打着船板，老人拿棍子敲打它那金黄色的头，直到它在颤抖中渐渐地平静下来。
The old man unhooked the fish, re-baited the line with another sardine and tossed it over. Then he worked his way slowly back to the bow. He washed his left hand and wiped it on his trousers. Then he shifted the heavy line from his right hand to his left and washed his right hand in the sea while he watched the sun go into the ocean and the slant of the big cord. "He hasn't changed at all," he said. But watching the movement of the water against his hand he noted that it was perceptible slower.
老人将鱼从钩上取下，重新装上沙丁鱼当鱼饵，并将鱼线又抛回海里。然后他慢慢地移回船头，将左手洗了洗，在裤子上擦一擦，然后把这条沉重的线绳从右手移到左手，把右手也放在海里洗洗，他的眼睛望着沈入海中的太阳，以及那根斜斜地插入水中的粗绳。「那条鱼仍然没有改变，」他说。但是从水由他手中流过的动态，便可以察觉出鱼的速度已经明显地减慢了。
"I'll lash the two oars together across the stern and that will slow him in the night," he said. "He's good for the night and so am I." It would be better to gut the dolphin a little later to save the blood in the meat, he thought. I can do that a little later and lash the oars to make a drag at the same time. I had better keep the fish quiet now and not disturb him too much at sunset. The setting of the sun is a difficult time for all fish.
「我得把两枝桨捆起来横在船尾，这样晚上时就可以让它的速度慢下来，」他说。「它擅于夜战，而我也一样。」他想，还是晚一点再将海豚破肚好了，这样就可以保存它肉里的血。我可以晚一点再弄，到时把桨也一起绑好，来拖慢鱼的速度。在这日落下之际，我最好不要惊动这条鱼，让它保持平静，因为日落时分对于所有的鱼都是最难渡过的时刻。
He let his hand dry in the air then grasped the line with it and eased himself as much as he could and allowed himself to be pulled forward against the wood so that the boat took the strain as much, or more, than he did. I'm learning how to do it, he thought. This part of it anyway. Then too, remember he hasn't eaten since he took the bait and he is huge and needs much food. I have eaten the whole bonito. Tomorrow I will eat the dolphin. He called it dorado. Perhaps I should eat some of it when I clean it. It will be harder to eat than the bonito. But, then, nothing is easy.
他把手在空中晾干后，又握住线绳，并尽量地放松，让自己往前靠在木头上让鱼拉着前进，如此船也可以产生一些或更多的阻力。我已经渐渐学会怎么样来对付它了，他想。至少这一部份我学会了。还有，别忘了它从上了钩以来都还没有吃过东西呢，这么庞大的块头是需要很多食物的，而我已经吞下一整条鲣鱼了。明天我就把那条海豚吃了，他用西班牙语称它为「金色的鱼」。或许把它弄干净之后就应该吃一点。海豚比鲣鱼难吃些，但是话说回来，天底下有什么事情容易呢。
"How do you feel, fish?" he asked aloud. "I feel good and my left hand is better and I have food for a night and a day. Pull the boat, fish." He did not truly feel good because the pain from the cord across his back had almost passed pain and gone into a dullness that he mistrusted. But I have had worse things than that, he thought. My hand is only cut a little and the cramp is gone from the other. My legs are all right. Also now I have gained on him in the question of sustenance. It was dark now as it becomes dark quickly after the sun sets in September.
「鱼啊！你感觉如何？」他大声地问。「我感觉好得很，我的左手好多了，而我的食物还够吃一天一夜哩。鱼啊！使命地拉动这条船吧。」然而他并不是真的感觉很舒服，因为绳索横过他的背部造成的疼痛几乎已经疼过了头，变成令他耽忧的麻木状态。但他心想，我还遇过比那更糟的情况呢。现在我的手只不过是有一点点割伤，另一只手的抽筋又已经好了，而且我的双腿都没事。另外就补给品而言，我也比它要占上风。天色已经变暗了，九月天里太阳下山后天很快就黑了。
He lay against the worn wood of the bow and rested all that he could. The first stars were out. He did not know the name of Rigel but he saw it and knew soon they would all be out and he would have all his distant friends. "The fish is my friend too," he said aloud. "I have never seen or heard of such a fish. But I must kill him. I am glad we do not have to try to kill the stars." Imagine if each day a man must try to kill the moon, he thought. The moon runs away. But imagine if a man each day should have to try to kill the sun? We were born lucky, he thought.
他靠在船头破旧的木板上，想好好休息一下。第一群星星已经出来了。他并不晓得瑞吉星这名称，但是他一看到第一颗，就知道其它星星也很快就会出来了，然后他就有这些遥远的朋友作伴了。「这条鱼也是我的朋友，」他大声地说。「我从来没见过也没听说过像这样的一条鱼。但是我必须杀了它。我真高兴人类至少还不必想尽办法捕杀星星。」想想看，如果人每天都必需去捕杀月亮，那会是什么情形呢，他想。月亮大概会逃之夭夭的，再想一想，万一人类得日以继夜地捕杀太阳，又会是怎么样？他想，我们真是幸运。
Then he was sorry for the great fish that had nothing to eat and his determination to kill him never relaxed in his sorrow for him. How many people will he feed, he thought. But are they worthy to eat him? No, of course not. There is no one worthy of eating him from the manner of his behavior and his great dignity. I do not understand these things, he thought. But it is good that we do not have to try to kill the sun or the moon or the stars. It is enough to live on the sea and kill our true brothers.
接下来，他开始同情那条大鱼，没有东西吃，纵然他为它感到悲哀，但杀它的决心却依然丝毫不减。他想，这条鱼的肉不知可供多少人吃。可是，这些人配吃它吗？不，当然不配。由它的行为举止，和它高贵的自尊看来，没有任何人配得上来吃这条鱼。他又想，我不了解人们为何捕杀。但是我们不需要尝试着去捕杀太阳或月亮或星星，倒是件好事。以海为生，还得捕杀自己的好兄弟们，已经是够受的了。
Now, he thought, I must think about the drag. It has its perils and its merits. I may lose so much line that I will lose him, if he makes his effort and the drag made by the oars is in place and the boat loses all her lightness. Her lightness prolongs both our suffering but it is my safety since he has great speed that he has never yet employed. No matter what passes I must gut the dolphin so he does not spoil and eat some of him to be strong. Now I will rest an hour more and feel that he is solid and steady before I move back to the stern to do the work and make the decision.
他想，此刻，我必需想想我的拖延战术了。这有缺点，也有优点。假使鱼继续使力的话，再加上船尾横绑着两枝桨所产生的阻力，这条船将会变得沉重无比，那么我可能就要放出很多线，最后线若没了，我岂不也失去这条鱼了。但是，船如果一直都很轻的话，即使它的速度目前为止还没有对我造成任何危险，但若鱼继续愈游愈快，那只会延长双方的痛苦而已。不过不管怎样，我都得把这条海豚剖腹以免腐坏了，我要吃一点好保持我的体力。现在，就让自己至少休息一个小时，等感觉到那条鱼完全稳定了之后，再回到船尾继续工作，并决定接下来该怎么做。
In the meantime I can see how he acts and if he shows any changes. The oars are a good trick; but it has reached the time to play for safety. He is much fish still and I saw that the hook was in the corner of his mouth and he has kept his mouth tight shut. The punishment of the hook is nothing. The punishment of hunger, and that he is against something that he does not comprehend, is everything. Best now, old man, and let him work until your next duty comes.
同时，我也可以顺便看看它的反应，看它是否有什么变化。这两个桨横在那边倒是好点子，但是在这个时候，该以安全为重。它依然是条了不起的鱼，可以想见鱼钩仍挂在它紧闭的嘴角上。鱼钩对它的痛苦算不了什么，而饥饿的痛苦，还有对现在与它对抗的这个人一点都不了解，才是最够它受的。休息吧！老头子，先让它尽量去挣扎吧，等一下再看你的了。
He rested for what he believed to be two hours. The moon did not rise now until late and he had no way of judging the time. Nor was he really resting except comparatively. He was still bearing the pull of the fish across his shoulders but he placed his left hand on the gunwale of the bow and confided more and more of the resistance to the fish to the skiff itself. How simple it would be if I could make the line fast, he thought. But with one small lurch he could break it. I must cushion the pull of the line with my body and at all times be ready to give line with both hands.
他判断自己大概休息了两个小时。月亮要晚一点才会升起，他没有任何精确判断时辰的依据，其实他并没有真的休息，只是比较起来放松一点就是了。他仍然还在忍受着鱼拖拉的力量在他肩膀造成的痛苦，但他正把左手放在船头的舷上，然后渐渐地把鱼的拖力移转到小船身上。他想，如果我能把这条绳子固定住的话，一切就简单多了。可是鱼只要稍微乱动一下，这条绳子就有可能会断掉。我必须用我的身体缓冲它拉绳子的力道，而且随时准备用两只手放绳。
"But you have not slept yet, old man," he said aloud. "It is half a day and a night and now another day and you have not slept. You must devise a way so that you sleep a little if he is quiet and steady. If you do not sleep you might become unclear in the head." I'm clear enough in the head, he thought. Too clear! I am as clear as the stars that are my brothers. Still I must sleep. They sleep and the moon and the sun sleep and even the ocean sleeps sometimes on certain days when there is no current and a flat calm.
「但是你还没有睡呢！老头。」他大声地说，「已经过了半天和一整夜了，现在又是另外一天，你都还没睡过。趁着它很稳定的时候，你必须想法子睡一会儿，如果你缺乏睡眠的话，可能你头脑就会不清醒了。」但是他心想，我的头脑是够清醒的了，太清醒了，清醒得就像天上的星星一样。它们都是我的兄弟，不过我还是得睡，月亮、太阳它们都睡了，甚至当没有潮流、海面平坦稳定的时候，就连海洋也会睡它个几天呢。
But remember to sleep, he thought. Make yourself do it and devise some simple and sure way about the lines. Now go back and prepare the dolphin. It is too dangerous to rig the oars as a drag if you must sleep. I could go without sleeping, he told himself. But it would be too dangerous. He started to work his way back to the stern on his hands and knees, being careful not to jerk against the fish. He may be half asleep himself, he thought. But I do not want him to rest. He must pull until he dies.
记着要睡觉，他想。想一个简单而可靠的方法控制住那些鱼线，设法让自己睡一觉。现在先移到船尾把海豚剖腹。如果你必须睡觉的话，就不能把桨横绑在那里造成阻力，否则太危险了。他告诉自己，我就算不睡觉也可以撑得住。但是这样太危险了。他开始小心翼翼地地爬回船尾，以免惊动了那条鱼。那条鱼可能已经在半睡眠状态了，他想。可是我不要让它休息，一定要它继续拖着这条船，拖到死为止。
Back in the stern he turned so that his left hand held the strain of the line across his shoulders and drew his knife from its sheath with his right hand. The stars were bright now and he saw the dolphin clearly and he pushed the blade of his knife into his head and drew him out from under the stern. He put one of his feet on the fish and slit him quickly from the vent up to the tip of his lower jaw. Then he put his knife down and gutted him with his right hand, scooping him clean and pulling the gills clear.
爬到船尾以后，他转身回来，用左手握住从肩膀横过来的绳子，然后用右手把刀从刀鞘里抽出。现在星星很亮，他可以很清楚地看见海豚，他把刀子的刃部插进它的头，然后把它从船尾拖出来。他一只脚踩在鱼身上，很快地由肛门往下巴划了一刀，然后把刀放下，用右手把鱼肚里的东西挖干净，并且把鱼鳃掏出来。
He felt the maw heavy and slippery in his hands and he slit it open. There were two flying fish inside. They were fresh and hard and he laid them side by side and dropped the guts and the gills over the stern. They sank leaving a trail of phosphorescence in the water. The dolphin was cold and a leprous gray-white now in the starlight and the old man skinned one side of him while he held his right foot on the fish's head. Then he turned him over and skinned the other side and cut each side off from the head down to the tail.
他的手感觉鱼的内脏沉沉、滑滑的。接下来他它完全剖开来，里头还有两条很新鲜、坚韧的飞鱼，他把两条飞鱼并排着，然后将海豚肚里的内脏和鱼鳃从船尾丢了出去。它们慢慢沈下去，拖着一条发银光的细线在水中。海豚的肉冷了，在星光之下呈现难看的灰白色，老人把它一边的皮剥下来，右脚还一直踏在鱼头上。然后他把它翻过来，再剥另外一边的皮，两边都是从头至尾地割下来。
He slid the carcass overboard and looked to see if there was any swirl in the water. But there was only the light of its slow descent. He turned then and placed the two flying fish inside the two fillets of fish and putting his knife back in its sheath, he worked his way slowly back to the bow. His back was bent with the weight of the line across it and he carried the fish in his right hand. Back in the bow he laid the two fillets of fish out on the wood with the flying fish beside them.
他把鱼的残骸丢到船外，看看水中是否会出现漩涡，却只看见它慢慢下沈的光影。他转过身来，把那两条飞鱼夹在海豚的肉片里，又把刀插回刀鞘，然后慢慢移向船头。由于绳索的重量跨越在肩膀上，他的右手拿着鱼，背部伛偻着。回到船头，他把两片鱼肉放在木板上，把飞鱼放在旁边。
After that he settled the line across his shoulders in a new place and held it again with his left hand resting on the gunwale. Then he leaned over the side and washed the flying fish in the water, noting the speed of the water against his hand. His hand was phosphorescent from skinning the fish and he watched the flow of the water against it. The flow was less strong and as he rubbed the side of his hand against the planking of the skiff, particles of phosphorus floated off and drifted slowly astern.
而后他将肩膀上的绳索挪动一个新的位置，然后用靠在放桨的木栓上的左手握住它。他靠在船边，在水中清洗飞鱼，一面注意着水从他手中流过的速度。他的手因为在去鱼皮时沾了鱼鳞而发出了鳞光，但他仍注视着从手中流过的水，水流已经减弱了。当他在船边的木板上磨擦手时，他看见一片片的鱼鳞缓缓向船尾漂去。