17. 伊是毋是有啥計畫

17. I sī m̄-sī ū siáⁿ kè-ōe

Kui mê, hî lóng bô kái lō͘-sòaⁿ, mā bô piàn hong-hiòng, lāu lâng khòaⁿ chheⁿ tō chai. Ji̍t-lo̍h liáu ē-kôaⁿ, lāu lâng kha-chiah-phiaⁿ, chhiú-kó͘, kap nn̄g ki kha-thúi ê kōaⁿ lóng ta ah, choân-sin léng-ki-ki. Ji̍t-sî i ū the̍h khàm tī khǹg jī ê siuⁿ-á ê pò͘-tē, tián-khui pha̍k-ji̍t. Ji̍t-lo̍h liáu, i kā he kat tī ām-kún, hō͘ i tà lo̍h-khì kha-chiah-phiaⁿ, i sió-sim kā i seh-ji̍p phāiⁿ-kòe keng-thâu ê tiò-sòaⁿ ē-bīn. Pò͘-ē thiap tī tiò-sòaⁿ té, i koh chhōe tio̍h chi̍t ê hong-hoat hiòng-chêng phak tī chûn-thâu hioh-khùn, kám-kak khah sù-sī. Che chu-sè chí-sī khah bô hiah kan-khó͘; m̄-koh i jīn-ûi che ē-sái sǹg sù-sī ah lah.

I nā it-ti̍t án-ne, góa bô i hoat, i mā bô góa hoat, i siūⁿ.

Ū chi̍t-kái i khiā khí-lâi soān-jiō chhut chûn-piⁿ, khòaⁿ thiⁿ-chheⁿ, khak-jīn i ê lō͘-sòaⁿ. Tiò-sòaⁿ ná chhiūⁿ chi̍t sok ê lîn-kng ùi i ê keng-thâu siā-chhut, ti̍t-ti̍t kàu chúi ni̍h. Taⁿ in kiâⁿ khah bān ah, Havana ê teng-kng bô kiông, só͘-tì i chai, hái-lâu it-tēng kā in khiú hiòng tang. Góa nā khòaⁿ bē tio̍h Havana ê teng-kng, tiāⁿ-tio̍h sī koh-khah tang, i án-ne siūⁿ. In-ūi hî ê lō͘-sòaⁿ nā bô piàn, kúi tiám-cheng liáu góa it-tēng iáu khòaⁿ ē tio̍h teng-kng. M̄-chai kin-á-ji̍t tōa liân-bêng ê iá-kiû pí-sài kiat-kó án-chóaⁿ, i siūⁿ. Ū lajíoh thang thiaⁿ it-tēng chán. I koh siūⁿ, sim-thâu lia̍h hō͘ tiāⁿ! Ài siūⁿ taⁿ teh chò ê tāi-chì. M̄-thang chò gōng tāi-chì.

Kòe chi̍t-ē-á, i tōa siaⁿ kóng, "Gín-á nā tī chia tō hó lah. Ē pang-bâng, ē khòaⁿ tio̍h."

Nî-kí tōa bô eng-kai ko͘-to̍k, i siūⁿ. M-koh mā bô hoat-tō͘. Góa ài ē-kì-tit chia̍h hit bóe chhǹg-á, pó-chhî thé-la̍t, m̄-thang khǹg-kah pháiⁿ-khì. Kì tio̍h, m̄-koán lí gōa bô-ài chia̍h, thiⁿ-kng it-tēng ài chia̍h i. Kì tio̍h, i án-ne kā ka-tī kóng.

Àm-sî ū nn̄g chiah chhí-hái-ti (porpoise) lâi chûn-piⁿ, i ū thiaⁿ tio̍h in hoan-sin, phùn-khùi ê siaⁿ. I ē-tàng hun-pia̍t kang..ê khah chho͘ siaⁿ ê phùn-khùi hām bó..ê ná thó͘-tōa-khùi ê siaⁿ.

"In chiâⁿ hó," i kóng. "In teh chò-sńg, teh kún-chhiò, siong-chhin siong-ài. Kap poe-o͘ kāng-khoán, in lóng sī lán ê hiaⁿ-tī."

Hit-sî i soah khai-sí tông-chêng hit chiah i tiò tio̍h ê tōa hî. I chán koh koài, siáng chai i kúi-hòe, i siūⁿ. Góa m̄-bat lia̍h tio̍h chiah ióng ê hî, mā m̄-bat ū tōng-chok chiah koài ê. Sī-m̄-sī i siuⁿ khiáu, m̄-ài thiàu. I nā thiàu a̍h-sī loān chông, góa tō hāi lah. Khó-lêng i chìn-chêng tio̍h-tiàu kúi-nā kái, chai-iáⁿ án-ne lâi kap lâng tak. I bô khó-lêng chai, tùi-hù i ê chí-sī ko͘-chi̍t-ê, koh sī chi̍t ê lāu lâng. M̄-koh i chiah tōa-chiah, hî-bah nā chán, i tī chhī-tiûⁿ ta̍t gōa-chē ah. I chia̍h-jī ná kang..ê, khiú tiò-sòaⁿ ná kang..ê, i sio-tak bô kiaⁿ-hiâⁿ. Góa m̄-chai, i sī-m̄-sī ū siáⁿ kè-ōe, a̍h-sī i kap góa kāng-khoán piàⁿ-bô-pō͘ ah?

--

17. 伊是毋是有啥計畫

規暝, 魚攏無改路線, mā 無變方向, 老人看星 tō 知. 日落了會寒, 老人 kha-chiah-phiaⁿ, 手股, kap 兩支跤腿 ê 汗攏焦 ah, 全身冷吱吱. 日時伊有提崁 tī 囥餌 ê 箱仔 ê 布袋, 展開曝日. 日落了, 伊 kā 彼結 tī 頜頸, 予伊罩落去尻脊骿, 伊小心 kā 伊 seh 入揹過肩頭 ê 釣線下面. 布袋 thiap tī 釣線底, 伊 koh 揣著一个方法向前仆 tī 船頭歇睏, 感覺較四序. 這姿勢只是較無 hiah 艱苦; 毋過伊認為這 ē-sái 算四序 ah lah.

伊若一直 án-ne, 我無伊法, 伊 mā 無我法, 伊想.

有一改伊徛起來漩尿出船邊, 看天星, 確認伊 ê 路線. 釣線 ná 像一束 ê 磷光 ùi 伊 ê 肩頭射出, 直直到水 ni̍h. 今 in 行較慢 ah, Havana ê 燈光無強, 所致伊知, 海流一定 kā in 搝向東. 我若看袂著 Havana ê 燈光, 定著是閣較東, 伊 án-ne 想. 因為魚 ê 路線若無變, 幾點鐘了我一定猶看會著燈光. 毋知今仔日大聯盟 ê 野球比賽結果按怎, 伊想. 有 lajíoh 通聽一定讚. 伊 koh 想, 心神掠 hō͘ 定! 愛想今 teh 做 ê 代誌. 毋通做戇代誌.

過一下仔, 伊大聲講, "囡仔若 tī 遮 tō 好 lah. 會幫忙, 會看著."

年紀大無應該孤獨, 伊想. 毋過 mā 無法度. 我愛會記得食彼尾串仔, 保持體力, 毋通囥甲歹去. 記著, 毋管你偌無愛食, 天光一定愛食伊. 記著, 伊 án-ne kā 家己講.

暗時有兩隻鼠海豬 (porpoise) 來船邊, 伊有聽著 in 翻身, 噴氣 ê 聲. 伊會當分別公 ê 較粗聲 ê 噴氣和母 ê ná 吐大氣 ê 聲.

"In 誠好," 伊講. "In teh 做耍, teh 滾笑, 相親相愛. Kap 飛烏仝款, in 攏是咱 ê 兄弟."

彼時伊煞開始同情彼隻伊釣著 ê 大魚. 伊讚 koh 怪, siáng 知伊幾歲, 伊想. 我 m̄-bat 掠著 chiah 勇 ê 魚, mā m̄-bat 有動作 chiah 怪 ê. 是毋是伊 siuⁿ 巧, 毋愛跳. 伊若跳抑是亂 chông, 我 tō 害 lah. 可能伊進前著吊幾若改, 知影 án-ne 來 kap 人觸. 伊無可能知, 對付伊 ê 只是孤一个, koh 是一个老人. 毋過伊 chiah 大隻, 魚肉若讚, 伊 tī 市場值偌濟 ah. 伊食餌 ná 公 ê, 搝釣線 ná 公 ê, 伊相觸無驚惶. 我毋知, 伊是毋是有啥計畫, 抑是伊 kap 我仝款拚無步 ah?

--

17.

The fish never changed his course nor his direction all that night as far as the man could tell from watching the stars. It was cold after the sun went down and the old man’s sweat dried cold on his back and his arms and his old legs. During the day he had taken the sack that covered the bait box and spread it in the sun to dry. After the sun went down he tied it around his neck so that it hung down over his back and he cautiously worked it down under the line that was across his shoulders now. The sack cushioned the line and he had found a way of leaning forward against the bow so that he was almost comfortable. The position actually was only somewhat less intolerable; but he thought of it as almost comfortable.

I can do nothing with him and he can do nothing with me, he thought. Not as long as he keeps this up.

Once he stood up and urinated over the side of the skiff and looked at the stars and checked his course. The line showed like a phosphorescent streak in the water straight out from his shoulders. They were moving more slowly now and the glow of Havana was not so strong, so that he knew the current must be carrying them to the eastward. If I lose the glare of Havana we must be going more to the eastward, he thought. For if the fish’s course held true I must see it for many more hours. I wonder how the baseball came out in the grand leagues today, he thought. It would be wonderful to do this with a radio. Then he thought, think of it always. Think of what you are doing. You must do nothing stupid.

Then he said aloud, “I wish I had the boy. To help me and to see this.”

No one should be alone in their old age, he thought. But it is unavoidable. I must remember to eat the tuna before he spoils in order to keep strong. Remember, no matter how little you want to, that you must eat him in the morning. Remember, he said to himself.

During the night two porpoises came around the boat and he could hear them rolling and blowing. He could tell the difference between the blowing noise the male made and the sighing blow of the female.

“They are good,” he said. “They play and make jokes and love one another. They are our brothers like the flying fish.”

Then he began to pity the great fish that he had hooked. He is wonderful and strange and who knows how old he is, he thought. Never have I had such a strong fish nor one who acted so strangely. Perhaps he is too wise to jump. He could ruin me by jumping or by a wild rush. But perhaps he has been hooked many times before and he knows that this is how he should make his fight. He cannot know that it is only one man against him, nor that it is an old man. But what a great fish he is and what will he bring in the market if the flesh is good. He took the bait like a male and he pulls like a male and his fight has no panic in it. I wonder if he has any plans or if he is just as desperate as I am?

--

16. 魚勻勻仔拖船出海

16. Hî ûn-ûn-á thoa chûn chhut hái

"Koh chia̍h..kóa," i kóng. "Hó-hó chia̍h."

Chia̍h-lo̍h, hō͘ tiàu-kau chiam chha̍k-ji̍p lí ê sim-koaⁿ, hō͘ lí bô-miā, i siūⁿ. Bān-bān phû..khí-lâi, hō͘ góa iōng hî-chhiuⁿ chhiám-ji̍p lí. Tio̍h. Lí chún-pī hó bōe? Lí chia̍h-pá bōe?

"Lâi!" i tōa siaⁿ kiò, iōng nn̄g chhiú tōa-la̍t le̍k chi̍t-ē, siú chi̍t bā  ê tiò-sòaⁿ tńg-lâi, jiân-āu i kā chhoah koh chhoah, lûn-liû iōng siâng-pêng chhiú-kó͘-la̍t kap thán-tò-hiàⁿ ê sin-khu tāng-liōng piàⁿ-miā khiú tiò-sòaⁿ.

Bô hāu. Hî bān-bān kiâⁿ-khui, lāu lâng khiú i bē tāng. I ê tiò-sòaⁿ chin ióng, m̄-kiaⁿ tōa hî, i kā keng tī kha-chiah-phiaⁿ, keng ân-ân, piak-chhut chúi-chu. Tiò-sòaⁿ tī chúi ni̍h hoat-chhut chùn-tāng ê s~s~ ê siaⁿ, i iáu peⁿ ân-ân, tú tī chē-pang, sin-khu tò-hiàⁿ tōa-la̍t khiú. Chûn-á khai-sí bān-bān-á sóa-ūi hiòng sai-pak khì.

Hî sūn-sūn-á sóa-tāng, in tī pêng-chēng ê chúi-bīn bān-bān-á phiau-tāng. Kî-thaⁿ ê hî-jī iáu tī chúi ni̍h, í-keng kò͘ in bē tio̍h lah.

"Gín-á nā tī chia tō hó ah," lāu lâng kóng chhut-siaⁿ. "Góa taⁿ hō͘ hî-á thoa, góa sī pa̍k tiò-sòaⁿ ê thiāu-á. Góa ē-tàng kā tiò-sòaⁿ pa̍k-sí, m̄-koh i ē kā piak-tn̄g. Góa ài khiú-tiâu tio̍h, i chhut-la̍t ê sî, góa ài pàng kóa tiò-sòaⁿ hō͘ i. Ka-chài i sī teh kiâⁿ, bô tîm lo̍h-khì."

I nā nǹg-chhim lo̍h, góa ài án-chóaⁿ, góa mā m̄-chai. I nā tîm-té, sí khì, góa ài án-chóaⁿ, góa mā m̄-chai. Góa ài chún-pī, ū chin chē thang chò ê.

I iōng kha-chiah-āu keng tiò-sòaⁿ, khòaⁿ tiò-sòaⁿ tī chúi ni̍h ê siâ-tō͘, sió-chûn chin ún-tēng kiâⁿ hiòng sai-pak khì.

Án-ne i ē sí, lāu lâng siūⁿ. I bô khó-lêng it-ti̍t thoa. M̄-koh kòe-liáu sì tiám-cheng, hî iáu sī ún-tēng thoa chûn chhut-hái, lāu lâng mā-sī iōng kha-chiah-phiaⁿ ân-ân keng tiò-sòaⁿ.

"Tiò tio̍h ê sî sī tiong-tàu," i kóng. "Góa iáu bōe khòaⁿ tio̍h i."

Tiò tio̍h hî í-chêng i í-keng kā chháu-bō-á ah kē-kē, taⁿ hia̍h-thâu kám-kak siuⁿ ân. I mā chhùi-ta, só͘-í i kūi lo̍h-lâi, sè-jī mài chhe̍k tio̍h tiò-sòaⁿ, chi̍t chhiú chīn-liōng chhun khì chûn-thâu the̍h chúi-koàn, phah-khui koàn-á, sió-khóa lim leh. Koh-lâi i khò tī chûn-thâu hioh-khùn. I chē tī bô khiā-khí ê ûi-koaiⁿ kap chûn-phâng, siáⁿ lóng bô siūⁿ, chí chai it-tēng ài kian-chhî lo̍h.

Chi̍t khùn liáu, i khòaⁿ āu-piah, í-keng khòaⁿ bô lio̍k-tē. Che bô chha, i siūⁿ. Góa chóng ē-tàng khòaⁿ Havana ê teng-kng tńg..khì. Koh nn̄g tiám-cheng ji̍t-thâu chiah lo̍h-soaⁿ, i khó-lêng ē seng phû khí-lâi. Nā-bô, khó-lêng goe̍h chhut i tō phû ah. Nā-bô, bîn-á-chài ji̍t chhut i tiāⁿ-tio̍h ē phû chhut-lâi. Góa bô kiù-kin, kám-kak ū-la̍t-thâu. Tio̍h-tiàu..ê sī i. I chin bô-kán-tan, ū hoat-tō͘ án-ne khiú. I it-tēng kā thih-sòaⁿ kâm tī chhùi. Nā khòaⁿ ē tio̍h i tō hó ah. Hō͘ góa khòaⁿ chi̍t-ē, hō͘ góa chai-iáⁿ tùi-chhiú seⁿ-chò án-chóaⁿ.

--

16. 魚勻勻仔拖船出海

"Koh 食寡," 伊講. "好好食."

食落, 予釣鉤尖鑿入你 ê 心肝, 予你無命, 伊想. 慢慢浮起來, 予我用魚槍攕入你. 著. 你準備好未? 你食飽未?

"來!" 伊大聲叫, 用兩手大力勒一下, 收一碼 ê 釣線轉來, 然後伊 kā 掣 koh 掣, 輪流用雙爿手股力 kap 坦倒 hiàⁿ ê 身軀重量拚命搝釣線.

無效. 魚慢慢行開, 老人搝伊袂動. 伊 ê 釣線真勇, 毋驚大魚, 伊 kā 弓 tī 尻脊骿, 弓絚絚, piak 出水珠. 釣線 tī 水 ni̍h 發出顫動 ê s~s~ ê 聲, 伊猶繃絚絚, 拄 tī 坐枋, 身軀倒 hiàⁿ 大力搝. 船仔開始慢慢仔徙位向西北去.

魚順順仔徙動, in tī 平靜 ê 水面慢慢仔漂動. 其他 ê 魚餌猶 tī 水 ni̍h, 已經顧 in 袂著 lah.

"囡仔若 tī 遮 tō 好 ah," 老人講出聲. "我今予魚仔拖, 我是縛釣線 ê 柱仔. 我會當 kā 釣線縛死, 毋過伊會 kā 煏斷. 我愛搝牢著, 伊出力 ê 時, 我愛放寡釣線予伊. 佳哉伊是 teh 行, 無沉落去."

伊若 nǹg 深落, 我愛按怎, 我 mā 毋知. 伊若沉底, 死去, 我愛按怎, 我 mā 毋知. 我愛準備, 有真濟通做 ê.

伊用尻脊後弓釣線, 看釣線 tī 水 ni̍h ê 斜度, 小船真穩定行向西北去.

Án-ne 伊會死, 老人想. 伊無可能一直拖. 毋過過了四點鐘, 魚猶是穩定拖船出海, 老人 mā 是用尻脊骿絚絚弓釣線.

"釣著 ê 時是中晝," 伊講. "我猶未看著伊."

釣著魚以前伊已經 kā 草帽仔壓低低, 今額頭感覺 siuⁿ 絚. 伊 mā 喙焦, 所以伊跪落來, 細膩莫 chhe̍k 著釣線, 一手盡量伸去船頭提水罐, 拍開罐仔, 小可啉 leh. 閣來伊靠 tī 船頭歇睏. 伊坐 tī 無徛起 ê 桅杆 kap 船帆, 啥攏無想, 只知一定愛堅持落.

一睏了, 伊看後壁, 已經看無陸地. 這無差, 伊想. 我總會當看 Havana ê 燈光轉去. Koh 兩點鐘日頭才落山, 伊可能會先浮起來. 若無, 可能月出伊 tō 浮 ah. 若無, 明仔載日出伊定著會浮出來. 我無糾筋, 感覺有力頭. 著吊 ê 是伊. 伊真無簡單, 有法度 án-ne 搝. 伊一定 kā 鐵線含 tī 喙. 若看會著伊 tō 好 ah. 予我看一下, 予我知影對手生做按怎.

--

16.

“Eat it a little more,” he said. “Eat it well.”

Eat it so that the point of the hook goes into your heart and kills you, he thought. Come up easy and let me put the harpoon into you. All right. Are you ready? Have you been long enough at table?

“Now!” he said aloud and struck hard with both hands, gained a yard of line and then struck again and again, swinging with each arm alternately on the cord with all the strength of his arms and the pivoted weight of his body.

Nothing happened. The fish just moved away slowly and the old man could not raise him an inch. His line was strong and made for heavy fish and he held it against his hack until it was so taut that beads of water were jumping from it. Then it began to make a slow hissing sound in the water and he still held it, bracing himself against the thwart and leaning back against the pull. The boat began to move slowly off toward the north-west.

The fish moved steadily and they travelled slowly on the calm water. The other baits were still in the water but there was nothing to be done.

“I wish I had the boy” the old man said aloud. “I’m being towed by a fish and I’m the towing bitt. I could make the line fast. But then he could break it. I must hold him all I can and give him line when he must have it. Thank God he is travelling and not going down.”

What I will do if he decides to go down, I don’t know. What I’ll do if he sounds and dies I don’t know. But I’ll do something. There are plenty of things I can do.

He held the line against his back and watched its slant in the water and the skiff moving steadily to the north-west.

This will kill him, the old man thought. He can’t do this forever. But four hours later the fish was still swimming steadily out to sea, towing the skiff, and the old man was still braced solidly with the line across his back.

“It was noon when I hooked him,” he said. “And I have never seen him.”

He had pushed his straw hat hard down on his head before he hooked the fish and it was cutting his forehead. He was thirsty too and he got down on his knees and, being careful not to jerk on the line, moved as far into the bow as he could get and reached the water bottle with one hand. He opened it and drank a little. Then he rested against the bow. He rested sitting on the un-stepped mast and sail and tried not to think but only to endure.

Then he looked behind him and saw that no land was visible. That makes no difference, he thought. I can always come in on the glow from Havana. There are two more hours before the sun sets and maybe he will come up before that. If he doesn’t maybe he will come up with the moon. If he does not do that maybe he will come up with the sunrise. I have no cramps and I feel strong. It is he that has the hook in his mouth. But what a fish to pull like that. He must have his mouth shut tight on the wire. I wish I could see him. I wish I could see him only once to know what I have against me.

--

15. 魚 ah, 緊食 lah

15. Hî ah, kín chia̍h lah

Lāu lâng sè-jī khin-khin kā tiò-sòaⁿ tēⁿ leh, iōng tò-chhiú kā ùi tiò-koaiⁿ tháu lo̍h. Án-ne i ē-sái hō͘ tiò-sòaⁿ tī chéng-thâu-á tiong-kan liu chhut-khì, hî-á bē kám-kak peⁿ-ân.

Chhut-hái chiah-nī hn̄g, koh tī chit kò-goe̍h, i it-tēng sī chin tōa bóe, i siūⁿ. Kín chia̍h, hî ah, kín chia̍h. Hó-hó chia̍h. In chiâⁿ chhiⁿ ah, lí tī la̍k-pah chhioh ē-bīn ê o͘-àm léng-chúi ni̍h, tī o͘-àm tiong koh se̍h chi̍t-lián, hoan-thâu tńg-lâi koh chia̍h lah.

I kám-kak ū khin-khin sè-la̍t teh khiú, koh chi̍t ê khah tōa-la̍t ê, tiāⁿ-tio̍h sī un-á thâu pháiⁿ ùi tiò-kau khiú tn̄g. Koh lâi bô-siau bô-sit.

"Lâi lah," lāu lâng chhut-siaⁿ kóng. "Koh chia̍h lah. Phīⁿ khòaⁿ māi. Bē bái hoⁿh? Un-á seng chia̍h-liáu, iáu ū chhǹg-á. Kiat-si̍t, peng-liâng, koh hó-chia̍h. Bián sè-jī, hî ah. Kín chia̍h lah."

I iōng tōa-pû-ong kap chéng-thâu-á tēⁿ tiò-sòaⁿ, tán leh, ba̍k-chiu tâng-chê khòaⁿ kî-thaⁿ ê tiò-sòaⁿ, khióng-kiaⁿ he hî ē siû koân koh siû kē. Hit-sî, koh ū kāng-khoán ê khin-la̍t khiú chi̍t-ē, kha̍p chi̍t-ē.

"I ē chia̍h jī," lāu lâng chhut-siaⁿ kóng. "Thiⁿ-kong-peh, pó-pì i kín chia̍h."

M̄-koh i bô chia̍h. Cháu..khì ah, lāu lâng kám-kak bô tōng-chēng ah.

"I bô khó-lêng cháu ah," i kóng. "Thiⁿ ah, i bô khó-lêng cháu..khì. I ē hoan-thâu koh lâi. Khó-lêng i bat tio̍h-tiàu, iáu ē-kì-tit."

Hit sî, i koh kám-kak tiò-sòaⁿ khin-khin kha̍p, sim-lāi hoaⁿ-hí.

"I koh tńg-lâi ah," i kóng, "I ē chia̍h."

I kám-kak ū khin-khin khiú ê la̍t, sim-lāi tng-teh hoaⁿ-hí, koh-lâi i kám-kak tio̍h tōa-ē khiú koh chhut-la̍t, kiông-boeh m̄-káⁿ siong-sìn. He sī hî-á ê tāng-liōng, i pàng tiò-sòaⁿ lo̍h, lo̍h, lo̍h, nn̄g khún khiú-oân tē-it khún ah. Tiò-sòaⁿ tī i ê chéng-thâu-á tiong-kan liu chhut-khì, i iáu kám-kak ē tio̍h he tāng-liōng chin tōa, sui-jiân i lóng bô chhut-la̍t tēⁿ tiò-sòaⁿ.

"Che hî chán," i kóng. "Taⁿ i kā jī iōng chhùi kā thán-hoâiⁿ, tng-teh kā-leh siû-cháu."

Koh-lâi i ē oa̍t-sin tō kā thun-lo̍h, i siūⁿ. I bô kóng chhut-lâi, in-ūi i chai, hó-sū kóng-liáu bē èng-giām. I chai, chit bóe hî chin tōa, i teh siūⁿ, i chhùi-ni̍h thán-hoâiⁿ kā chhǹg-á tī o͘-àm tiong siû-khui ê khoán. Chit-sî hî bô tín-tāng, m̄-koh tāng-liōng iáu tī leh. Koh-lâi tāng-liōng cheng-ka, i pàng kóa tiò-sòaⁿ. I sió chhut-la̍t iōng tōa-pû-ong kap chéng-thâu-á tēⁿ tiò-sòaⁿ, tāng-liōng koh cheng-ka, ti̍t-ti̍t lo̍h-khì.

"I kā tio̍h tiò-kau lah," i kóng. "Taⁿ góa boeh hō͘ chia̍h-pá, chia̍h-móa."

I pàng tiò-sòaⁿ liu-koè chéng-thâu-á, chhun tò-chhiú kā nn̄g-khún pī-iōng tiò-sòaⁿ ê bóe-liu, pa̍k-ân tī iáu chi̍t-tiâu mā ū nn̄g-khún pī-iōng tiò-sòaⁿ ê soàn-thâu-khoân. Án-ne i chún-pī thò-tòng. Tî-liáu tng teh iōng ê chit khún, I iáu ū saⁿ khún sì-cha̍p siâm ê tiò-sòaⁿ.

--

15. 魚 ah, 緊食 lah

老人細膩輕輕 kā 釣線捏 leh, 用倒手 kā ùi 釣杆 tháu 落. Án-ne 伊會使予釣線 tī 指頭仔中間溜出去, 魚仔袂感覺繃絚.

出海 chiah-nī 遠, koh tī 這個月, 伊一定是真大尾, 伊想. 緊食, 魚 ah, 緊食. 好好食. In 誠鮮 ah, 你 tī 六百尺下面 ê 烏暗冷水 ni̍h, tī 烏暗中koh se̍h 一輾, 翻頭轉來 koh 食 lah.

伊感覺有輕輕細力 teh 搝, koh 一个較大力 ê, 定著是鰮仔頭歹 ùi 釣鉤搝斷. 閣來無消無息.

"來 lah," 老人出聲講. "Koh 食 lah. 鼻看覓. 袂䆀 hoⁿh? 鰮仔先食了, 猶有串仔. 結實, 冰涼, koh 好食. 免細膩, 魚 ah. 緊食 lah."

伊用大垺翁 kap 指頭仔捏釣線, 等 leh, 目睭同齊看其他 ê 釣線, 恐驚彼魚會泅懸 koh 泅低. 彼時, koh 有仝款 ê 輕力搝一下, 磕一下.

"伊會食餌," 老人出聲講. "天公伯, 保庇伊緊食."

毋過伊無食. 走去 ah, 老人感覺無動靜 ah.

"伊無可能走 ah," 伊講. "天 ah, 伊無可能走去. 伊會翻頭 koh 來. 可能伊 bat 著吊, 猶會記得."

彼時, 伊 koh 感覺釣線輕輕磕, 心內歡喜.

"伊 koh 轉來 ah," 伊講, "伊會食."

伊感覺有輕輕搝 ê 力, 心內 tng-teh 歡喜, 閣來伊感覺著大下搝 koh 出力, 強欲毋敢相信. 彼是魚仔 ê 重量, 伊放釣線落, 落, 落, 兩捆搝完第一捆 ah. 釣線 tī 伊 ê 指頭仔中間溜出去, 伊猶感覺會著彼重量真大, 雖然伊攏無出力捏釣線.

"這魚讚," 伊講. "今伊 kā 餌用喙咬坦橫, tng-teh 咬 leh 泅走."

閣來伊會越身 tō kā 吞落, 伊想. 伊無講出來, 因為伊知, 好事講了袂應驗. 伊知, 這尾魚真大, 伊 teh 想, 伊喙 ni̍h 坦橫咬串仔 tī 烏暗中泅開 ê 款. 這時魚無振動, 毋過重量猶 tī leh. 閣來重量增加, 伊放寡釣線. 伊小出力用大垺翁 kap 指頭仔捏釣線, 重量 koh 增加, 直直落去.

"伊咬著釣鉤 lah," 伊講. "今我欲 hō͘ 食飽, 食滿."

伊放釣線溜過指頭仔, 伸倒手 kā 兩捆備用釣線 ê 尾溜, 縛絚 tī 猶一條 mā 有兩捆備用釣線 ê 線頭環. Án-ne 伊準備妥當. 除了當 teh 用 ê 這捆, 伊猶有三捆四十尋 ê 釣線.

--

15.

The old man held the line delicately, and softly, with his left hand, unleashed it from the stick. Now he could let it run through his fingers without the fish feeling any tension.

This far out, he must be huge in this month, he thought. Eat them, fish. Eat them. Please eat them. How fresh they are and you down there six hundred feet in that cold water in the dark. Make another turn in the dark and come back and eat them.

He felt the light delicate pulling and then a harder pull when a sardine’s head must have been more difficult to break from the hook. Then there was nothing.

“Come on,” the old man said aloud. “Make another turn. Just smell them. Aren’t they lovely? Eat them good now and then there is the tuna. Hard and cold and lovely. Don’t be shy, fish. Eat them.”

He waited with the line between his thumb and his finger, watching it and the other lines at the same time for the fish might have swum up or down. Then came the same delicate pulling touch again.

“He’ll take it,” the old man said aloud. “God help him to take it.”

He did not take it though. He was gone and the old man felt nothing.

“He can’t have gone,” he said. “Christ knows he can’t have gone. He’s making a turn. Maybe he has been hooked before and he remembers something of it."

Then he felt the gentle touch on the line and he was happy.

“It was only his turn,” he said. “He’ll take it.”

He was happy feeling the gentle pulling and then he felt something hard and unbelievably heavy. It was the weight of the fish and he let the line slip down, down, down, unrolling off the first of the two reserve coils. As it went down, slipping lightly through the old man’s fingers, he still could feel the great weight, though the pressure of his thumb and finger were almost imperceptible.

“What a fish,” he said. “He has it sideways in his mouth now and he is moving off with it.”

Then he will turn and swallow it, he thought. He did not say that because he knew that if you said a good thing it might not happen. He knew what a huge fish this was and he thought of him moving away in the darkness with the tuna held crosswise in his mouth. At that moment he felt him stop moving but the weight was still there. Then the weight increased and he gave more line. He tightened the pressure of his thumb and finger for a moment and the weight increased and was going straight down.

“He’s taken it,” he said. “Now I’ll let him eat it well.”

He let the line slip through his fingers while he reached down with his left hand and made fast the free end of the two reserve coils to the loop of the two reserve coils of the next line. Now he was ready. He had three forty-fathom coils of line in reserve now, as well as the coil he was using.

--

14. 袂記當時開始家己講話

14. Bē-kì tang-sî khai-sí ka-tī kóng-ōe

"Chhǹg-á," lāu lâng tōa siaⁿ kóng. "I ē-tàng chò chin súi ê jī, ū cha̍p pōng tāng."

I bē-kì-tit tang-sî khai-sí kap ka-tī chhut-siaⁿ kóng-ōe. Í-chêng, ka-tī chi̍t-ê ê sî i ē chhiùⁿ-koa, ū-sî, tī phâng-chûn a̍h-sī lia̍h-ku ê chûn téng, àm-sî lûn tio̍h i ka-tī hōaⁿ-tōa ê sî, i mā ē chhiùⁿ-koa. Ka-tī chi̍t-ê ê sî khai-sí chhut-siaⁿ kóng-ōe, khó-lêng sī tī gín-á lī-khui liáu-āu. Kóng chin, i mā bē-kì-tit lah. I kap gín-á chò-hóe lia̍h-hî ê sî, kan-ta pit-iàu ê sî in chiah kóng-ōe. Tī àm-sî a̍h-sī tú tio̍h hong-hō͘ bô chhut-chûn ê sî, in ē tap-chhùi-kó͘. It-poaⁿ jīn-ûi, tī hái-siōng, bô pit-iàu tō mài kóng-ōe chiah tio̍h, lāu lâng mā án-ne siūⁿ, án-ne chun-siú. M̄-koh, taⁿ i chhiâng-chāi tōa-siaⁿ kóng chhut i siūⁿ ê, hoán-chèng bē chhá-tio̍h lâng.

Pa̍t-lâng nā thiaⁿ-tio̍h góa chhut-siaⁿ ka-tī kóng-ōe, it-tēng kă tòng-siáu," i kóng. "Sū-si̍t góa bô siáu, bián chhap..i. Ū-chîⁿ ê, chûn ni̍h ū lajíoh kóng-ōe kap pò iá-kiû hō͘ thiaⁿ."

Taⁿ m̄-sī siūⁿ iá-kiû ê sî-chūn, i siūⁿ. Taⁿ kan-ta ài siūⁿ chi̍t ê tāi-chì: miā-tiong chù-tiāⁿ ê tāi-chì. Hit tīn hù-kīn khó-lêng ū tōa-bóe ê, i siūⁿ. Hit tīn teh thó-chia̍h ê chhǹg-á, góa kan-ta khioh tio̍h chi̍t bóe làu-tīn ê. In cháu hn̄g..khì ah, koh kín.

Kin-á-ji̍t chúi-bīn ê hî lóng siû chin kín, koh hiòng tang-pak. Sī sî-kan ê koan-hē? A̍h-sī góa só͘ m̄-chai ê boeh piàn-thiⁿ ê sìn-hō?

Chit-má i khòaⁿ bē-tio̍h chheⁿ-sek ê hái-hōaⁿ, chí khòaⁿ tio̍h nâ-sek ê soaⁿ ná khàm seh ê pe̍h-sek soaⁿ-niā kap in téng-koân ná seh-soaⁿ ê pe̍h-hûn. Hái-sek chhim-chhim, ji̍t-kng tī chúi ni̍h, ná chhái-sek ê tòa. Pan-pan tiám-tiám ê hû-iû seng-bu̍t taⁿ hō͘ ji̍t-thâu chiò-kah í-keng bô..khì, lāu lâng kan-ta tī chheⁿ-lin-lin ê chúi tiong chhái-tòa, khòaⁿ tio̍h i ê tiò-sòaⁿ ti̍t-ti̍t tîm-lo̍h chúi, hia ê chúi chhim-tō͘ ū chi̍t mai.

Hiah-ê chhǹg-á, thó-hái-lâng kā hit lūi ê hî lóng án-ne kiò, kan-ta boeh bē, a̍h-sī boeh ōaⁿ-chò jī ê sî, chiah ē hun-pia̍t in ê choan-sio̍k ê miâ, taⁿ lóng koh chhàng chhim ah. Ji̍t-thâu chin sio, lāu lâng aū-ām kám-kak ē tio̍h, i ná kò-chûn, kōaⁿ ná lâu-lo̍h kha-chiah-phiaⁿ.

Góa ē-sái pàng hō͘ phiau, khùn chi̍t-ē, i siūⁿ, kā kha pa̍k chi̍t liàn tiò-sòaⁿ, thang kiò-chhéⁿ. M̄-koh kin-á-ji̍t peh-cha̍p gō͘ kang, góa ài hó-hó lia̍h-hî.

Hit sî, teh khòaⁿ tiò-sòaⁿ, i khòaⁿ tio̍h chi̍t ki chhun-chhut ê chheⁿ tiò-koaiⁿ ti̍t-ti̍it sìm lo̍h-khì.

"Tio̍h," i kóng. "Tio̍h," tō khin-khin-á kā chiúⁿ khǹg chûn ni̍h. I chhun chiàⁿ-chhiú, iōng tōa-pû-ong kap kí-cháiⁿ khin-khin-á tēⁿ tiò-sòaⁿ, bô kám-kak ū peⁿ-ân a̍h-sī tāng-liōng. Kòe chi̍t ē-á, koh lâi ah. Chit kái ū sió khiú chi̍t-ē, bô bêng-hián, mā bô tōa-la̍t, án-ne i chai, he sī siáⁿ. Chi̍t-pah siâm ē-bīn, ū teng-bán (kî-hî) teh chia̍h un-á, he un-á sī pau tī tiò-kau thó͘-chhut chhǹg-á thâu ê tiò-kau chiam kap pèⁿ, iōng chò gūi-chong.

--

14. 袂記當時開始家己講話

"串仔," 老人大聲講. "伊會當做真媠 ê 餌, 有十磅重."

伊袂記得當時開始 kap 家己出聲講話. 以前, 家己一个 ê 時伊會唱歌, 有時, tī 帆船抑是掠龜 ê 船頂, 暗時輪著伊家己扞舵 ê 時, 伊 mā 會唱歌. 家己一个 ê 時開始出聲講話, 可能是 tī 囡仔離開了後. 講真, 伊 mā 袂記得 lah. 伊 kap 囡仔做伙掠魚 ê 時, 干焦必要 ê 時 in 才講話. Tī 暗時抑是拄著風雨無出船 ê 時, in 會答喙鼓. 一般認為, tī 海上, 無必要 tō 莫講話才著, 老人 mā án-ne 想, án-ne 遵守. 毋過, 今伊常在大聲講出伊想 ê, 反正袂吵著人.

別人若聽著我出聲家己講話, 一定 kă 當痟," 伊講. "事實我無痟, 免 chhap 伊. 有錢 ê, 船 ni̍h 有 lajíoh 講話 kap 報野球予聽."

今毋是想野球 ê 時陣, 伊想. 今干焦愛想一个代誌: 命中註定 ê 代誌. Hit tīn 附近可能有大尾 ê, 伊想. Hit tīn teh 討食 ê 串仔, 我干焦抾著一尾 làu-tīn ê. In 走遠去 ah, koh 緊.

今仔日水面 ê 魚攏泅真緊, koh 向東北. 是時間 ê 關係? 抑是我所毋知 ê 欲變天 ê 信號?

這馬伊看袂著青色 ê 海岸, 只看著藍色 ê 山 ná 崁雪 ê 白色山稜 kap in 頂懸 ná 雪山 ê 白雲. 海色深深, 日光 tī 水 ni̍h, ná 彩色 ê 帶. 斑斑點點 ê 浮游生物今予日頭照甲已經無去, 老人干焦 tī 深藍水中 ê 彩帶, 看著伊 ê 釣線直直沉落水, 遐 ê 水深度有 1 mai.

Hiah-ê 串仔, 討海人 kā 彼類 ê 魚攏 án-ne 叫, 干焦欲賣, 抑是欲換做餌 ê 時,  才會分別 in ê 專屬 ê 名, 今攏 koh 藏深 ah. 日頭真燒, 老人後頷感覺會著, 伊 ná 划船, 汗 ná 流落尻脊骿.

我會使放予漂, 睏一下, 伊想, kā 跤縛一輾釣線, 通叫醒. 毋過今仔日八十五工, 我愛好好掠魚.

彼時, teh 看釣線, 伊看著一支伸出 ê 青釣杆直直 sìm 落去.

"著," 伊講. "著," tō 輕輕仔 kā 槳囥船 ni̍h. 伊伸正手, 用大垺翁 kap kí-cháiⁿ 輕輕仔捏釣線, 無感覺有繃絚抑是重量. 過一下仔, 閣來 ah. 這改有小搝一下, 無明顯, mā 無大力, án-ne 伊知, 彼是啥. 一百尋下面, 有丁挽 (旗魚) teh 食鰮仔, 彼鰮仔是包 tī 釣鉤 thó͘ 出串仔頭 ê 釣鉤尖 kap 柄, 用做偽裝.

--

14.

“Albacore,” he said aloud. “He’ll make a beautiful bait. He’ll weigh ten pounds.”

He did not remember when he had first started to talk aloud when he was by himself. He had sung when he was by himself in the old days and he had sung at night sometimes when he was alone steering on his watch in the smacks or in the turtle boats. He had probably started to talk aloud, when alone, when the boy had left. But he did not remember. When he and the boy fished together they usually spoke only when it was necessary. They talked at night or when they were storm-bound by bad weather. It was considered a virtue not to talk unnecessarily at sea and the old man had always considered it so and respected it. But now he said his thoughts aloud many times since there was no one that they could annoy.

“If the others heard me talking out loud they would think that I am crazy,” he said aloud. “But since I am not crazy, I do not care. And the rich have radios to talk to them in their boats and to bring them the baseball.”

Now is no time to think of baseball, he thought. Now is the time to think of only one thing. That which I was born for. There might be a big one around that school, he thought. I picked up only a straggler from the albacore that were feeding. But they are working far out and fast.

Everything that shows on the surface today travels very fast and to the north-east. Can that be the time of day? Or is it some sign of weather that I do not know?

He could not see the green of the shore now but only the tops of the blue hills that showed white as though they were snow-capped and the clouds that looked like high snow mountains above them. The sea was very dark and the light made prisms in the water. The myriad flecks of the plankton were annulled now by the high sun and it was only the great deep prisms in the blue water that the old man saw now with his lines going straight down into the water that was a mile deep.

The tuna, the fishermen called all the fish of that species tuna and only distinguished among them by their proper names when they came to sell them or to trade them for baits, were down again. The sun was hot now and the old man felt it on the back of his neck and felt the sweat trickle down his back as he rowed.

I could just drift, he thought, and sleep and put a bight of line around my toe to wake me. But today is eighty-five days and I should fish the day well.

Just then, watching his lines, he saw one of the projecting green sticks dip sharply.

“Yes,” he said. “Yes,” and shipped his oars without bumping the boat. He reached out for the line and held it softly between the thumb and forefinger of his right hand. He felt no strain nor weight and he held the line lightly. Then it came again. This time it was a tentative pull, not solid nor heavy, and he knew exactly what it was. One hundred fathoms down a marlin was eating the sardines that covered the point and the shank of the hook where the hand-forged hook projected from the head of the small tuna.

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