书墨楼

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第9章 Final Fight（第1页）

HeputhishandsinthewateragaintosoaktheItwasgettinglateintheafternoonandhesawnothingbuttheseaandthesky.Therewasmorewindintheskythantherehadbeen，andsoonhehopedthathewouldseeland.

“Youretired，oldman，”

hesaid.“Youretiredinside.”

Thesharksdidnothithimagainuntiljustbeforesunset.

Theoldmansawthebrownfinscomingalongthewidetrailthefishmustmakeinthewater.Theywerenotevenquarteringonthescent.Theywereheadedstraightfortheskiffswimmingsidebyside.

Hejammedthetiller，madethesheetfastandreachedunderthesternfortheclub.Itwasanoarhandlefromabrokenoarsawedofftoabouttwoandahalffeetinlength.Hecouldonlyuseiteffectivelywithonehandbecauseofthegripofthehandleandhetookgoodholdofitwithhisrighthand，flexinghishandonit，ashewatchedthesharkscome.Theywerebothgalanos.

Imustletthefirstonegetagoodholdandhithimonthepointofthenoseorstraightacrossthetopofthehead，hethought.

Thetwosharksclosedtogetherandashesawtheonenearesthimopenhisjawsandsinkthemintothesilversideofthefish，heraisedtheclubhighandbroughtitdownheavyandslammingontothetopofthesharksbroadhead.Hefelttherubberysolidityastheclubcamedown.Buthefelttherigidityofbonetooandhestruckthesharkoncemorehardacrossthepointofthenoseashesliddownfromthefish.

Theothersharkhadbeeninandoutandnowcameinagainwithhisjawswide.Theoldmancouldseepiecesofthemeatofthefishspillingwhitefromthecornerofhisjawsashebumpedthefishandclosedhisjaws.Heswungathimandhitonlytheheadandthesharklookedathimandwrenchedthemeatloose.Theoldmanswungtheclubdownonhimagainasheslippedawaytoswallowandhitonlytheheavysolidrubberiness.

“Comeon，galano.”

theoldmansaid.“Comeinagain.”

Thesharkcameinarushandtheoldmanhithimasheshuthisjaws.Hehithimsolidlyandfromashighupashecouldraisetheclub.Thistimehefelttheboneatthebaseofthebrainandhehithimagaininthesameplacewhilethesharktorethemeatloosesluggishlyandsliddownfromthefish.

Theoldmanwatchedforhimtocomeagainbutneithersharkshowed.Thenhesawoneonthesurfaceswimmingincircles.Hedidnotseethefinoftheother.

Icouldnotexpecttokillthem，hethought.Icouldhaveinmytime.ButIhavehurtthembothbadlyandneitheronecanfeelverygood.IfIcouldhaveusedabatwithtwohandsIcouldhavekilledthefirstonesurely.Evennow，hethought.

Hedidnotwanttolookatthefish.Heknewthathalfofhimhadbeendestroyed.Thesunhadgonedownwhilehehadbeeninthefightwiththeshark.

“Itwillbedarksoon，”

hesaid.“ThenIshouldseetheglowofHavana.IfIamtoofartotheeastwardIwillseethelightsofoneofthenewbeaches.”

Icannotbetoofaroutnow，hethought.Ihopenoonehasbeentooworried.Thereisonlytheboytoworry，ofcourse.ButIamsurehewouldhaveconfidence.Manyoftheolderfishermenwillworry.Manyotherstoo，hethought.Iliveinagoodtown.

Hecouldnottalktothefishanymorebecausethefishhadbeenruinedtoobadly.Thensomethingcameintohishead.

“Halffish，”

hesaid.“Fishthatyouwere.IamsorrythatIwenttoofarout.Iruinedusboth.Butwehavekilledmanysharks，youandI，andruinedmanyothers.Howmanydidyoueverkill，oldfish?Youdonothavethatspearonyourheadfornothing.”