去看看小说网>老人与海出版社 > 第2章 Talking Before the Sea（第2页）
第2章 Talking Before the Sea（第2页）
“Hewasagreatmanager，”theboysaid。“Myfatherthinkshewasthegreatest。”
“Becausehecameherethemosttimes，”theoldmansaid。“IfDurocherhadcontinuedtocomehereeachyearyourfatherwouldthinkhimthegreatestmanager。”
“Whoisthegreatestmanager，really，LuqueorMikeGonzalez?”
“Ithinktheyareequal。”
“Andthebestfishermanisyou。”
“No。Iknowothersbetter。”
“Queva，”theboysaid。“Therearemanygoodfishermenandsomegreatones。Butthereisonlyyou。”
“Thankyou。Youmakemehappy。Ihopenofishwillcomealongsogreatthathewillproveuswrong。”
“Thereisnosuchfishifyouarestillstrongasyousay。”“ImaynotbeasstrongasIthink，”theoldmansaid。“ButIknowmanytricksandIhaveresolution。”
“Yououghttogotobednowsothatyouwillbefreshinthemorning。IwilltakethethingsbacktotheTerrace。”
“Goodnightthen。Iwillwakeyouinthemorning。”
“Youremyalarmclock，”theboysaid。
“Ageismyalarmclock，”theoldmansaid。“Whydooldmenwakesoearly?Isittohaveonelongerday?”
“Idontknow，”theboysaid。“AllIknowisthatyoungboyssleeplateandhard。”
“Icanrememberit，”theoldmansaid。“Illwakenyouintime。”
“Idonotlikeforhimtowakenme。ItisasthoughIwereinferior。”
“Iknow。”
“Sleepwelloldman。”
Theboywentout。Theyhadeatenwithnolightonthetableandtheoldmantookoffhistrousersandwenttobedinthedark。Herolledhistrousersuptomakeapillow，puttingthenewspaperinsidethem。Herolledhimselfintheblanketandsleptontheotheroldnewspapersthatcoveredthespringsofthebed。
HewasasleepinashorttimeandhedreamedofAfricawhenhewasaboyandthelonggoldenbeachesandthewhitebeaches，sowhitetheyhurtyoureyes，andthehighcapesandthegreatbrownmountains。Helivedalongthatcoastnoweverynightandinhisdreamsheheardthesurfroarandsawthenativeboatscomeridingthroughit。HesmelledthetarandoakumofthedeckashesleptandhesmelledthesmellofAfricathatthelandbreezebroughtatmorning。
Usuallywhenhesmelledthelandbreezehewokeupanddressedtogoandwaketheboy。ButtonightthesmellofthelandbreezecameveryearlyandheknewitwastooearlyinhisdreamandwentondreamingtoseethewhitepeaksoftheIslandsrisingfromtheseaandthenhedreamedofthedifferentharborsandroadsteadsoftheCanaryIslands。
Henolongerdreamedofstorms，norofwomen，norofgreatoccurrences，norofgreatfish，norfights，norcontestsofstrength，norofhiswife。Heonlydreamedofplacesnowandofthelionsonthebeach。Theyplayedlikeyoungcatsintheduskandhelovedthemashelovedtheboy。Heneverdreamedabouttheboy。Hesimplywoke，lookedouttheopendooratthemoonandunrolledhistrousersandputthemon。Heurinatedoutsidetheshackandthenwentuptheroadtowaketheboy。Hewasshiveringwiththemorningcold。Butheknewhewouldshiverhimselfwarmandthatsoonhewouldberowing。
Thedoorofthehousewheretheboylivedwasunlockedandheopeneditandwalkedinquietlywithhisbarefeet。Theboywasasleeponacotinthefirstroomandtheoldmancouldseehimclearlywiththelightthatcameinfromthedyingmoon。Hetookholdofonefootgentlyandheldituntiltheboywokeandturnedandlookedathim。Theoldmannoddedandtheboytookhistrousersfromthechairbythebedand，sittingonthebed，pulledthemon。
Theoldmanwentoutthedoorandtheboycameafterhim。Hewassleepyandtheoldmanputhisarmsacrosshisshouldersandsaid，“Iamsorry。”
“Queva。”Theboysaid。“Itiswhatamanmustdo。”
Theywalkeddowntheroadtotheoldmansshackandallalongtheroad，inthedark，barefootmenweremoving，carryingthemastsoftheirboats。
Whentheyreachedtheoldmansshacktheboytooktherollsoflineinthebasketandtheharpoonandgaffandtheoldmancarriedthemastwiththefurledsailonhisshoulder。
“Doyouwantcoffee?”theboyasked。
“Wellputthegearintheboatandthengetsome。”
Theyhadcoffeefromcondensedmilkcansatanearlymorningplacethatservedfishermen。
“Howdidyousleepoldman?”theboyasked。Hewaswakingupnowalthoughitwasstillhardforhimtoleavehissleep。
“Verywell，Manolin，”theoldmansaid。“Ifeelconfidenttoday。”
“SodoI，”theboysaid。“NowImustgetyoursardinesandmineandyourfreshbaits。Hebringsourgearhimself。Heneverwantsanyonetocarryanything。”
“Weredifferent，”theoldmansaid。“Iletyoucarrythingswhenyouwerefiveyearsold。”
“Iknowit，”theboysaid。“Illberightback。Haveanothercoffee。Wehavecredithere。”
Hewalkedoff，barefootedonthecoralrocks，totheicehousewherethebaitswerestored。
Theoldmandrankhiscoffeeslowly。Itwasallhewouldhavealldayandheknewthatheshouldtakeit。Foralongtimenoweatinghadboredhimandhenevercarriedalunch。Hehadabottleofwaterinthebowoftheskiffandthatwasallheneededfortheday。
Theboywasbacknowwiththesardinesandthetwobaitswrappedinanewspaperandtheywentdownthetrailtotheskiff，feelingthepebbledsandundertheirfeet，andliftedtheskiffandslidherintothewater。
“Goodluckoldman。”
“Goodluck，”theoldmansaid。Hefittedtheropelashingsoftheoarsontothetholepinsand，leaningforwardagainstthethrustofthebladesinthewater，hebegantorowoutoftheharborinthedark。Therewereotherboatsfromtheotherbeachesgoingouttoseaandtheoldmanheardthedipandpushoftheiroarseventhoughhecouldnotseethemnowthemoonwasbelowthehills。
