47. 今咱愛 koh 計畫代誌

47. Taⁿ lán ài koh kè-ōe tāi-chì

I thîn kóa kapi tī po-lê poe-á ni̍h. Lāu lâng kā chiap kòe-lâi lim.

"Góa hō͘ in phah-pāi ah, Manolin," i kóng. "In kă phah-pāi lah."

"Hî bô phah-pāi lí. Hî bô."

"Hî bô. Sī sū-āu ê tāi-chì phah-pāi..ê."

"Pedrico teh koán-kò͘ sió-chûn kap ke-si. Hî-thâu boeh chóaⁿ chhú-lí?"

"Hō͘ Pedrico kā phut-phòa, iōng tī hî-lang ni̍h."

"kiàm-chhùi neh?"

"Lí nā ài, hō͘ lí."

"Góa ài," gín-á kóng. "Taⁿ lán ài kè-ōe kî-thaⁿ ê tāi-chì."

"In ū chhōe góa bô?"

"Tong-jiân ū. Phài hái-kéng-tūi kap hoe-lêng-ki khì."

"Hái-iûⁿ siuⁿ tōa, chûn-á siuⁿ sè, chin oh chhōe," lāu lâng kóng. I hoat-hiān, ū lâng thang kóng-ōe pí kan-ta ka-tī kóng a̍h-sī kap hái kóng, sī gōa hó neh. "Góa su-liām lí," i kóng. "Lín ū lia̍h tio̍h siáⁿ?"

"Tē-it kang chi̍t bóe. Tē-jī kang mā chi̍t bóe, tē-saⁿ kang nn̄g bóe."

"Chiâⁿ hó."

"Taⁿ lán koh tâng-chê lia̍h-hî."

"Bē-sái. Góa bô hó-ūn. Góa lóng bô hó-ūn ah."

"Mài chhap he ūn lah," gín-á kóng. "Góa ē chah-lâi hó-ūn."

"Lín pē-bú ē chóaⁿ kóng?"

"Góa m̄-koán. Góa cha-hng lia̍h nn̄g bóe. Taⁿ lán tâng-chê lia̍h-hî, góa ē-tàng o̍h chin chē."

Lán ài khoán chi̍t-ki hó ê hî-pio, sûi-sî khǹg chûn-téng. Lí ē-sái iōng Ford chū-tōng-chhia ê keng-á phìⁿ bôa-chhut pio-to. Lán ē-sái khì Guanabacoa hia bôa. Ài bôa chiam, m̄-bián hôe-hóe, nā bô, kín tn̄g. Góa ê to tn̄g..khì."

"Góa koh khì chhōe to, hām khì bôa keng-á. Chiah tōa ê tang-pak hong ài koh thàu kúi kang?"

"Khó-lêng saⁿ kang. Sīm-chì khah kú."

Góa ē lóng chhoân hó-sè," gín-á kóng. "Lí kā chhiú kò͘ hō͘ hó, lāu..ê."

-- 

47. 今咱愛 koh 計畫代誌

伊酙寡 kapi tī 玻璃杯仔 ni̍h. 老人 kā 接過來啉.

"我予 in 拍敗 ah, Manolin," 伊講. "In kă 拍敗 lah."

"魚無拍敗你. 魚無."

"魚無. 是事後 ê 代誌拍敗 ê."

"Pedrico teh 管顧小船 kap 家私. 魚頭欲怎處理?"

"予 Pedrico kā phut 破, 用 tī 魚籠 ni̍h."

"劍喙 neh?"

"你若愛, 予你."

"我愛," 囡仔講. "今咱愛計畫其他 ê 代誌."

"In 有揣我無?"

"當然有. 派海警隊 kap 飛行機去."

"海洋 siuⁿ 大, 船仔 siuⁿ 細, 真 oh 揣," 老人講. 伊發現, 有人通講話比干焦家己講抑是 kap 海講, 是偌好 neh. "我思念你," 伊講. "恁有掠著啥?"

"第一工一尾. 第二工 mā 一尾, 第三工兩尾."

"誠好."

"今咱 koh 同齊掠魚."

"袂使. 我無好運. 我攏無好運 ah."

"莫 chhap he 運 lah," 囡仔講. "我會扎來好運."

"恁爸母會怎講?"

"我毋管. 我昨昏掠兩尾. 今咱同齊掠魚, 我 ē-tàng 學真濟."

咱愛款一支好 ê 魚鏢, 隨時囥船頂. 你 ē-sái 用 Ford 自動車 ê 弓仔片磨出鏢刀. 咱 ē-sái 去 Guanabacoa 遐磨. 愛磨尖, 毋免回火, 若無, 緊斷. 我 ê 刀斷去."

"我 koh 去揣刀, 和去磨弓仔. chiah 大 ê 東北風愛 koh 透幾工?"

"可能三工. 甚至較久."

我會攏 chhoân 好勢," 囡仔講. "你 kā 手顧 hō͘ 好, 老 ê."

-- 

47.

He poured some of the coffee in a glass. The old man took it and drank it.

“They beat me, Manolin,” he said. “They truly beat me.”

“He didn’t beat you. Not the fish.”

“No. Truly. It was afterwards.”

“Pedrico is looking after the skiff and the gear. What do you want done with the head?”

“Let Pedrico chop it up to use in fish traps.”

“And the spear?”

“You keep it if you want it.”

“I want it,” the boy said. “Now we must make our plans about the other things.”

“Did they search for me?”

“Of course. With coast guard and with planes.”

“The ocean is very big and a skiff is small and hard to see,” the old man said. He noticed how pleasant it was to have someone to talk to instead of speaking only to himself and to the sea. “I missed you,” he said. “What did you catch?”

“One the first day. One the second and two the third.”

“Very good.”

“Now we fish together again.”

“No. I am not lucky. I am not lucky anymore.”

“The hell with luck,” the boy said. “I’ll bring the luck with me.”

“What will your family say?”

“I do not care. I caught two yesterday. But we will fish together now for I still have much to learn.”

“We must get a good killing lance and always have it on board. You can make the blade from a spring leaf from an old Ford. We can grind it in Guanabacoa. It should be sharp and not tempered so it will break. My knife broke.”

“I’ll get another knife and have the spring ground. How many days of heavy brisa have we?”

“Maybe three. Maybe more.”

“I will have everything in order,” the boy said. “You get your hands well old man.”

--

46. 真濟討海人圍 tī 小船

46. Chin chē thó-hái-lâng ûi tī sió-chûn

Chòe-āu, i kā ûi-koaiⁿ khǹg-lo̍h, khiā..khí-lâi. I koh kā ûi-koaiⁿ giâ..khí-lâi, khǹg tī keng-thâu, kè-sio̍k kiâⁿ. Kàu chhù chìn-chêng, i koh chē-lo̍h hioh-khùn gō͘ pái.

Tī chhù-liâu-á lāi-bīn, i kā ûi-koaiⁿ khò tī piah. I bong tio̍h chúi-koàn-á, lim chi̍t-chhùi chúi, tō tó-lo̍h bîn-chhn̂g. I khiú thán-á kòe-lâi khàm keng-thâu hām i ê kha-chiah-phiaⁿ kap siang-kha, sin-khu phak tī sin-bûn téng khùn, siang-chhiú chhun ti̍t-ti̍t, chhiú-té hiòng koân.

Chá-khí, gín-á ùi mn̂g khòaⁿ..ji̍p-lâi ê sî, i iáu bōe chhéⁿ. Hong siuⁿ thàu, pàng-bāng ê chûn bô hoat-tō͘ chhut-hái, gín-á khùn-kàu chin òaⁿ, kap ta̍k-kang kāng-khoán i koh lâi lāu lâng ê liâu-á khòaⁿ. Gín-á khòaⁿ lāu lâng iáu ū teh chhoán-khùi, koh khòaⁿ tio̍h lāu lâng ê chhiú, i chū-án-ne teh khàu. I tiām-tiām chhut-khì, boeh khì the̍h kóa kapi, iân lō͘ i lóng teh khàu.

Chin chē thó-hái-lâng ûi tī sió-chûn khòaⁿ he piⁿ-á pa̍k..ê sī siáⁿ, ū chi̍t-ê, khò͘-kha pih..khí-lâi, tī chúi ni̍h iōng soh-á niû hî ê kut-kè.

Gín-á bô kiâⁿ..loeh. I í-keng khì-kòe hia, ū chi̍t ê thó-hái-lâng teh thè i kò͘ sió-chûn.

"I án-chóaⁿ ah?" chi̍t ê thó-hái-lâng hoah-siaⁿ.

"Teh khùn," gín-á ìn-siaⁿ. I m̄-kiaⁿ in khòaⁿ tio̍h i teh khàu. "Mài khì chhá..i."

"Thâu kàu bóe cha̍p-peh chhioh," niû tn̂g-tō͘ ê thó-hái-lâng kiò..chhut-lâi.

"Góa siong-sìn," gín-á kóng.

I ji̍p-khì Terrace, tiám chi̍t koàn kapi.

"Sio..ê, ke khah chē gû-leng kap thn̂g leh."

"Iáu ài siáⁿ bô?"

"Bián. Liâm-mi góa khòaⁿ i ē-sái chia̍h siáⁿ."

"Chiâⁿ tōa-bóe ê hî ah," láu-pán kóng. "M̄-bat ū hiah tōa-bóe ê. Lí cha-hng lia̍h ê hit nn̄g-bóe mā chin hó."

"Góa he siáⁿ hî ah," gín-á kóng, koh khai-sí khàu.

"Lí boeh lim siáⁿ bô?" láu-pán mn̄g.

"Bián," gín-á kóng. "Kiò in m̄-thang kiáu-jiáu Santiago. Góa sûi tńg..lâi."

"Kā kóng, góa thè i m̄-kam."

"To-siā," gín-á kóng.

Gín-á the̍h hit koàn sio kapi kàu lāu lâng ê liâu-á, chē i piⁿ-á, tán i chhéⁿ. Ū chi̍t-kái, i khòaⁿ-tio̍h ná boeh chhéⁿ..khí-lâi ah, m̄-koh sûi koh khùn kah chin lo̍h-bîn, gín-á tō kòe lō͘ khì chioh kóa chhâ, kā kapi koh hiâⁿ sio.

Choè-āu, lāu lâng chhéⁿ..lâi.

"Mài chē..khí-lâi," gín-á kóng. "Lim che."

-- 

46. 真濟討海人圍 tī 小船

最後, 伊 kā 桅杆囥落, 徛起來. 伊 koh kā 桅杆夯起來, 囥 tī 肩頭, 繼續行. 到厝進前, 伊 koh 坐落歇睏五擺.

Tī 厝寮仔內面, 伊 kā 桅杆靠 tī 壁. 伊摸著水罐仔, 啉一喙水, tō 倒落眠床. 伊搝毯仔過來崁肩頭和伊 ê 尻脊骿 kap 雙跤, 身軀仆 tī 新聞頂睏, 雙手伸直直, 手底向懸.

早起, 囡仔 ùi 門看入來 ê 時, 伊猶未醒. 風 siuⁿ 透, 放網 ê 船無法度出海, 囡仔睏到真晏, kap 逐工仝款伊 koh 來老人 ê 寮仔看. 囡仔看老人猶有 teh 喘氣, koh 看著老人 ê 手, 伊自 án-ne teh 哭. 伊恬恬出去, 欲去提寡 kapi, 沿路伊攏 teh 哭.

真濟討海人圍 tī 小船看 he 邊仔縛 ê 是啥, 有一个, 褲跤 pih 起來, tī 水 ni̍h 用索仔量魚 ê 骨架.

囡仔無行 loeh. 伊已經去過遐, 有一个討海人 teh 替伊顧小船.

"伊按怎 ah?" 一个討海人喝聲.

"Teh 睏," 囡仔應聲. 伊毋驚 in 看著伊 teh 哭. "莫去吵伊."

"頭到尾十八尺," 量長度 ê 討海人叫出來.

"我相信," 囡仔講.

伊入去 Terrace, 點一罐 kapi.

"燒 ê, 加較濟牛奶 kap 糖 leh."

"猶愛啥無?"

"免. Liâm-mi 我看伊 ē-sái 食啥."

"誠大尾 ê 魚 ah," 老闆講. "M̄-bat 有 hiah 大尾 ê. 你昨昏掠 ê 彼兩尾 mā 真好."

"我彼啥魚 ah," 囡仔講, koh 開始哭.

"你欲啉啥無?" 老闆問.

"免," 囡仔講. "叫 in 毋通攪擾 Santiago. 我隨轉來."

"Kā 講, 我替伊毋甘."

"多謝," 囡仔講.

囡仔提彼罐燒 kapi 到老人 ê 寮仔, 坐伊邊仔, 等伊醒. 有一改, 伊看著 ná 欲醒起來 ah, 毋過隨 koh 睏甲真落眠, 囡仔 tō 過路去借寡柴, kā kapi koh 燃燒.

最後, 老人醒來.

"莫坐起來," 囡仔講. "啉這."

-- 

46.

Finally he put the mast down and stood up. He picked the mast up and put it on his shoulder and started up the road. He had to sit down five times before he reached his shack.

Inside the shack he leaned the mast against the wall. In the dark he found a water bottle and took a drink. Then he lay down on the bed. He pulled the blanket over his shoulders and then over his back and legs and he slept face down on the newspapers with his arms out straight and the palms of his hands up.

He was asleep when the boy looked in the door in the morning. It was blowing so hard that the drifting-boats would not be going out and the boy had slept late and then come to the old man’s shack as he had come each morning. The boy saw that the old man was breathing and then he saw the old man’s hands and he started to cry. He went out very quietly to go to bring some coffee and all the way down the road he was crying.

Many fishermen were around the skiff looking at what was lashed beside it and one was in the water, his trousers rolled up, measuring the skeleton with a length of line.

The boy did not go down. He had been there before and one of the fishermen was looking after the skiff for him.

“How is he?” one of the fishermen shouted.

“Sleeping,” the boy called. He did not care that they saw him crying. “Let no one disturb him.”

“He was eighteen feet from nose to tail,” the fisherman who was measuring him called.

“I believe it,” the boy said.

He went into the Terrace and asked for a can of coffee.

“Hot and with plenty of milk and sugar in it.”

“Anything more?”

“No. Afterwards I will see what he can eat.”

“What a fish it was,” the proprietor said. “There has never been such a fish. Those were two fine fish you took yesterday too.”

“Damn my fish,” the boy said and he started to cry again.

“Do you want a drink of any kind?” the proprietor asked.

“No,” the boy said. “Tell them not to bother Santiago. I’ll be back.”

“Tell him how sorry I am.”

“Thanks,” the boy said.

The boy carried the hot can of coffee up to the old man’s shack and sat by him until he woke. Once it looked as though he were waking. But he had gone back into heavy sleep and the boy had gone across the road to borrow some wood to heat the coffee.

Finally the old man woke.

“Don’t sit up,” the boy said. “Drink this.”

--

45. 好好駛船欲轉厝

45. Hó-hó sái-chûn boeh tńg-chhù

Lāu lâng kiông-boeh bē chhoán-khùi, kám-kak chhùi ni̍h ū chi̍t-ê kî-koài ê bī. He ná tâng, koh tiⁿ-tiⁿ, i hoân-ló chi̍t-ē-á. Ka-chài bô chin chē.

I ǹg hái ni̍h phùi, kóng, "Hō͘ lí hàu-ko͘, hoe-phôe. Bîn-bāng kóng lí ū hāi-sí chi̍t-ê lâng."

I chai, chòe-āu i pāi ah, mā bô hoat-tō͘ ah, i tō tńg-khì chûn-bóe, khòaⁿ he tn̄g-khì ê tōa-pèⁿ iáu ē-sái tàu-ji̍p chûn-tōa ê chhah-chô, sái chûn bô būn-tê. I kā phò͘-tē kah hó tī keng-thâu, tō koh sái chûn chiūⁿ-lō͘.

Chûn taⁿ khin-khin sang-sang, i siáⁿ mā bô siūⁿ, mā bô siáⁿ-mi̍h kám-kak. I í-keng khòaⁿ-phòa it-chhè, i kan-ta hó-hó iōng-sim sái-chûn boeh tńg in chhù ê káng. Àm-sî ū soa-hî lâi khè tōa-hî ê kut, ná-chhiūⁿ ū lâng khioh toh-téng ê chhài-sap-á. Lāu lâng bô chhap..in, tî-liáu sái-chûn, siáⁿ lóng bô chhap. I kan-ta chù-ì tio̍h, taⁿ chûn-piⁿ bô thoa tāng ah, chûn kiâⁿ..khí-lâi ke chin khin-sang.

Chûn chin chán, i siūⁿ. I iáu hó-hó, tî-liáu tōa-pèⁿ, lóng bô án-chóaⁿ. M̄-koh he ōaⁿ leh tō ē-sái ah.

I kám-kak i í-keng kiâⁿ-ji̍p hái-lâu, khòaⁿ ē tio̍h hái-hōaⁿ hî-chhun ê teng-kng. I chai, chia sī tó-ūi, boeh tńg-chhù chin kan-tan.

Chóng-kóng, hong sī lán ê pêng-iú, i siūⁿ. M̄-koh i koh ke chi̍t-kù: ū sî-chūn sī. Tōa-hái ni̍h ū lán ê pêng-iú, mā ū lán ê te̍k-jîn. Iáu ū, bîn-chhn̂g, i siūⁿ. Bîn-chhn̂g sī góa ê pêng-iú. Bîn-chhn̂g tō hó, i siūⁿ. Bîn-chhn̂g thōng hó. Chiàn-pāi liáu, ta̍k-hāng lóng khin-sang, i siūⁿ. Kàu taⁿ góa chiah chai, sī chiah khin-sang. Lí hō͘ siáⁿ phah-pāi? i siūⁿ.

"Bô lah," i tōa-siaⁿ kóng. "Góa chhut-hái siuⁿ hn̄g."

I sái-chûn ji̍p sió-káng ê sî, Terrace bô teng-hóe ah, i chai, ta̍k-ê lóng teh khùn ah. Hong bān-bān piàn tōa, taⁿ chhoe-kah chin kiông ah. M̄-koh káng-ni̍h chin an-cheng, i it-ti̍t kā chûn sái kàu chio̍h-thâu-tui ē-kha ê hit-phiàn soa-chio̍h-á tē. Bô lâng pang-bâng, i chīn-liōng kā chûn lu hiòng-chêng. Jiân-āu i lo̍h-chûn, kā chûn pa̍k tī chi̍t-lia̍p chio̍h-thâu.

I pak-lo̍h ûi-koaiⁿ, kā pò͘-phâng kńg..khí-lâi, pa̍k hó, giâ tī keng-thâu, khai-sí peh-kiā. Chit-sî i chiah chai, ka-tī ū gōa thiám. I thêng-khùn, oa̍t-thâu khòaⁿ, khò lō͘-teng ê hoán-siā, khòaⁿ tio̍h hî ê tōa-bóe-liu thêng-thêng khiā tī sió-chûn chûn-bóe ê āu-bīn. I khòaⁿ tio̍h pe̍h-pe̍h ê kha-chiah-kut, àm-bông ê hî-thâu kap chhun-chhut ê tn̂g-chhùi, tiong-kan ê só͘-chāi khang-khang bô siáⁿ.

I koh peh-kiā, kàu téng-koân ê sî, poa̍h chi̍t-tó, chū-án-ne chûn-ûi giâ tī keng-thâu hioh chi̍t-khùn. I siūⁿ boeh peh khí-lâi, m̄-koh bô hoat-tō͘, tō chûn-ûi giâ tī keng-thâu koh chē hia, khòaⁿ lō͘. Chi̍t chiah niau-á hn̄g-hn̄g kiâⁿ..kòe, khì bô-êng i ê tāi-chì, lāu lâng khòaⁿ niau, koh-lâi tō kan-ta khòaⁿ hit tiâu lō͘.

-- 

45. 好好駛船欲轉厝

老人強欲袂喘氣, 感覺喙 ni̍h 有一个奇怪 ê 味. 彼 ná 銅, koh 甜甜, 伊煩惱一下仔. 佳哉無真濟.

伊 ǹg 海 ni̍h 呸, 講, "予你孝孤, 花皮. 眠夢講你有害死一个人."

伊知, 最後伊敗 ah, mā 無法度 ah, 伊 tō 轉去船尾, 看彼斷去 ê 舵柄猶會使 tàu 入船舵 ê 插槽, 駛船無問題. 伊 kā 布袋 kah 好 tī 肩頭, tō koh 駛船上路.

船今輕輕鬆鬆, 伊啥 mā 無想, mā 無啥物感覺. 伊已經看破一切, 伊干焦好好用心駛船欲轉 in 厝 ê 港. 暗時有鯊魚來 khè 大魚 ê 骨, ná 像有人抾桌頂 ê 菜屑仔. 老人無 chhap in, 除了駛船, 啥攏無 chhap. 伊干焦注意著, 今船邊無拖重 ah, 船行起來加真輕鬆.

船真 chán, 伊想. 伊猶好好, 除了舵柄, 攏無按怎. 毋過彼換 leh tō 會使 ah.

伊感覺伊已經行入海流, 看會著海岸漁村 ê 燈光. 伊知, 遮是 tó 位, 欲轉厝真簡單.

總講, 風是咱 ê 朋友, 伊想. 毋過伊 koh 加一句: 有時陣是. 大海 ni̍h 有咱 ê 朋友, mā 有咱 ê 敵人. 猶有, 眠床, 伊想. 眠床是我 ê 朋友. 眠床 tō 好, 伊想. 眠床 thōng 好. 戰敗了, 逐項攏輕鬆, 伊想. 到今我才知, 是 chiah 輕鬆. 你予啥拍敗? 伊想.

"無 lah," 伊大聲講. "我出海 siuⁿ 遠."

伊駛船入小港 ê 時, Terrace 無燈火 ah, 伊知, 逐个攏 teh 睏 ah. 風慢慢變大, 今吹甲真強 ah. 毋過港 ni̍h 真安靜, 伊一直 kā 船駛到石頭堆下跤 ê 彼片沙石仔地. 無人幫忙, 伊盡量 kā 船 lu 向前. 然後伊落船, kā 船縛 tī 一粒石頭.

伊剝落桅杆, kā 布帆捲起來, 縛好, 夯 tī 肩頭, 開始 peh 崎. 這時伊才知, 家己有偌忝. 伊停睏, 越頭看, 靠路燈 ê 反射, 看著魚 ê 大尾溜騰騰徛 tī 小船船尾 ê 後面. 伊看著白白 ê 尻脊骨, 暗茫 ê 魚頭 kap 伸出 ê 長喙, 中間 ê 所在空空無啥.

伊 koh peh 崎, 到頂懸 ê 時, 跋一倒, 自 án-ne 船桅夯 tī 肩頭歇一睏. 伊想欲 peh 起來, 毋過無法度, tō 船桅夯 tī 肩頭 koh 坐遐, 看路. 一隻貓仔遠遠行過, 去無閒伊 ê 代誌, 老人看貓, koh-lâi tō 干焦看彼條路.

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45.

The old man could hardly breathe now and he felt a strange taste in his mouth. It was coppery and sweet and he was afraid of it for a moment. But there was not much of it.

He spat into the ocean and said, “Eat that, galanos. And make a dream you’ve killed a man.”

He knew he was beaten now finally and without remedy and he went back to the stern and found the jagged end of the tiller would fit in the slot of the rudder well enough for him to steer. He settled the sack around his shoulders and put the skiff on her course.

He sailed lightly now and he had no thoughts nor any feelings of any kind. He was past everything now and he sailed the skiff to make his home port as well and as intelligently as he could. In the night sharks hit the carcass as someone might pick up crumbs from the table. The old man paid no attention to them and did not pay any attention to anything except steering. He only noticed how lightly and bow well the skiff sailed now there was no great weight beside her.

She’s good, he thought. She is sound and not harmed in any way except for the tiller. That is easily replaced.

He could feel he was inside the current now and he could see the lights of the beach colonies along the shore. He knew where he was now and it was nothing to get home.

The wind is our friend, anyway, he thought. Then he added, sometimes. And the great sea with our friends and our enemies. And bed, he thought. Bed is my friend. Just bed, he thought. Bed will be a great thing. It is easy when you are beaten, he thought. I never knew how easy it was. And what beat you, he thought.

“Nothing,” he said aloud. “I went out too far.”

When he sailed into the little harbour the lights of the Terrace were out and he knew everyone was in bed. The breeze had risen steadily and was blowing strongly now. It was quiet in the harbour though and he sailed up onto the little patch of shingle below the rocks. There was no one to help him so he pulled the boat up as far as he could. Then he stepped out and made her fast to a rock.

He unstepped the mast and furled the sail and tied it. Then he shouldered the mast and started to climb. It was then he knew the depth of his tiredness. He stopped for a moment and looked back and saw in the reflection from the street light the great tail of the fish standing up well behind the skiff’s stern. He saw the white naked line of his backbone and the dark mass of the head with the projecting bill and all the nakedness between.

He started to climb again and at the top he fell and lay for some time with the mast across his shoulder. He tried to get up. But it was too difficult and he sat there with the mast on his shoulder and looked at the road. A cat passed on the far side going about its business and the old man watched it. Then he just watched the road.

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