Ihateacramp, ’, hethoughtofitasacalambre, humiliatesoneselfespeciallywhenoneisalone.
Iftheboywereherehecouldrubitformeandloosenitdownfromtheforearm, .
Then, , asheleanedagainstthelineandslappedhislefthandhardandfastagainsthisthighhesawthelineslantingslowlyupward.
“He’scomingup,” hesaid.“.”
-enteredit, smoothly, likeadiverandtheoldmansawthegreatscythe-bladeofhistailgounderandthelinecommencedtoraceout.
“Heistwofeetlongerthantheskiff,” .
HeisagreatfishandImustconvincehim, , thankGod, theyarenotasintelligentaswewhokillthem; Althoughtheyaremorenobleandmoreable.
, , andoutofsightofland, hewasfasttothebiggestfishthathehadeverseenandbiggerthanhehadeverheardof,andhislefthandwasstillastightasthegrippedclawsofaneagle.
Itwilluncrampthough, : .
Iwonderwhyhejumped, , anyway, , hethought, witheverythinghehasagainstonlymywillandmyintelligence.
’slefthandwasuncramped.
“Badnewsforyou, fish,” hesaidandshiftedthelineoverthesacksthatcoveredhisshoulders.
Hewascomfortablebutsuffering, althoughhedidnotadmitthesufferingatall.
“Iamnotreligious,” hesaid.“ButIwillsaytenOurFathersandtenHailMarysthatIshouldcatchthisfish, .”
, hethought.
“, , MotherofGod, .” Thenheadded, “BlessedVirgin, .”
Withhisprayerssaid, andfeelingmuchbetter, butsufferingexactlyasmuch, andperhapsalittlemore, heleanedagainstthewoodofthebowandbegan, mechanically, toworkthefingersofhislefthand.
Thesunwashotnowalthoughthebreezewasrisinggently.
“Ihadbetterre-baitthatlittlelineoutoverthestern,” hesaid.“’’, Ididnotknowhewassobig.”
“I’llkillhimthough,” hesaid.“Inallhisgreatnessandhisglory.”
Althoughitisunjust, .
“ItoldtheboyIwasastrangeoldman,” hesaid.“NowiswhenImustproveit.”
.
Iwishhe’dsleepandIcouldsleepanddreamaboutthelions, ? Don’tthink, oldman, hesaidtohimself, .
.
’.
