Heknewhewasbeatennowfinallyandwithoutremedyandhewentbacktothesternandfoundthejaggedendofthetillerwouldfitintheslotoftherudderwellenoughforhimtosteer.Hesettledthesackaroundhisshouldersandputtheskiffonhercourse.Hesailedlightlynowandhehadnothoughtsnoranyfeelingsofanykind.Hewaspasteverythingnowandhesailedtheskifftomakehishomeportaswellandasintelligentlyashecould.Inthenightsharkshitthecarcassassomeonemightpickupcrumbsfromthetable.Theoldmanpaidnoattentiontothemanddidnotpayanyattentiontoanythingexceptsteering.Heonlynoticedhowlightlyandhowwelltheskiffsailednowtherewasnogreatweightbesideher.
Shesgood,hethought.Sheissoundandnotharmedinanywayexceptforthetiller.Thatiseasilyreplaced.
Hecouldfeelhewasinsidethecurrentnowandhecouldseethelightsofthebeachcoloniesalongtheshore.Heknewwherehewasnowanditwasnothingtogethome.
Thewindisourfriend,anyway,hethought.Thenheadded,sometimes.Andthegreatseawithourfriendsandourenemies.Andbed,hethought.Bedismyfriend.Justbed,hethought.Bedwillbeagreatthing.Itiseasywhenyouarebeaten,hethought.Ineverknewhoweasyitwas.Andwhatbeatyou,hethought.
“Nothing,”hesaidaloud.“Iwentouttoofar.”
WhenhesailedintothelittleharborthelightsoftheTerracewereoutandhekneweveryonewasinbed.Thebreezehadrisensteadilyandwasblowingstronglynow.Itwasquietintheharborthoughandhesailedupontothelittlepatchofshinglebelowtherocks.Therewasnoonetohelphimsohepulledtheboatupasfarashecould.Thenhesteppedoutandmadeherfasttoarock.
Heunsteppedthemastandfurledthesailandtiedit.Thenheshoulderedthemastandstartedtoclimb.Itwasthenheknewthedepthofhistiredness.Hestoppedforamomentandlookedbackandsawinthereflectionfromthestreetlightthegreattailofthefishstandingupwellbehindtheskiffsstern.Hesawthewhitenakedlineofhisbackboneandthedarkmassoftheheadwiththeprojectingbillandallthenakednessbetween.
Hestartedtoclimbagainandatthetophefellandlayforsometimewiththemastacrosshisshoulder.
Hetriedtogetup.Butitwastoodifficultandhesattherewiththemastonhisshoulderandlookedattheroad.Acatpassedonthefarsidegoingaboutitsbusinessandtheoldmanwatchedit.Thenhejustwatchedtheroad.
Finallyheputthemastdownandstoodup.Hepickedthemastupandputitonhisshoulderandstarteduptheroad.Hehadtositdownfivetimesbeforehereachedhisshack.
Insidetheshackheleanedthemastagainstthewall.Inthedarkhefoundawaterbottleandtookadrink.Thenhelaydownonthebed.Hepulledtheblanketoverhisshouldersandthenoverhisbackandlegsandhesleptfacedownonthenewspaperswithhisarmsoutstraightandthepalmsofhishandsup.
Hewasasleepwhentheboylookedinthedoorinthemorning.Itwasblowingsohardthatthedrifting-boatswouldnotbegoingoutandtheboyhadsleptlateandthencometotheoldmansshackashehadcomeeachmorning.Theboysawthattheoldmanwasbreathingandthenhesawtheoldmanshandsandhestartedtocry.Hewentoutveryquietlytogotobringsomecoffeeandallthewaydowntheroadhewascrying.
Manyfishermenwerearoundtheskifflookingatwhatwaslashedbesideitandonewasinthewater,histrousersrolledup,measuringtheskeletonwithalengthofline.
Theboydidnotgodown.Hehadbeentherebeforeandoneofthefishermenwaslookingaftertheskiffforhi
“Howishe?”oneofthefishermenshouted.
“Sleeping,”theboycalled.Hedidnotcarethattheysawhimcrying.“Letnoonedisturbhi”
“Hewaseighteenfeetfromnosetotail,”thefishermanwhowasmeasuringhimcalled.
“Ibelieveit,”theboysaid.
HewentintotheTerraceandaskedforacanofcoffee.
“Hotandwithplentyofmilkandsugarinit.”
“Anythingmore?”
“No.AfterwardsIwillseewhathecaneat.”
“Whatafishitwas,”theproprietorsaid.“Therehasneverbeensuchafish.Thoseweretwofinefishyoutookyesterdaytoo.”
“Damnmyfish,”theboysaidandhestartedtocryagain.
“Doyouwantadrinkofanykind?”theproprietorasked.
“No,”theboysaid.“TellthemnottobotherSantiago.Illbeback.”
“TellhimhowsorryIa”
“Thanks,”theboysaid.
Theboycarriedthehotcanofcoffeeuptotheoldmansshackandsatbyhimuntilhewoke.Onceitlookedasthoughhewerewaking.Buthehadgonebackintoheavysleepandtheboyhadgoneacrosstheroadtoborrowsomewoodtoheatthecoffee.
Finallytheoldmanwoke.
“Dontsitup.”theboysaid.“Drinkthis.”Hepouredsomeofthecoffeeinaglass.
Theoldmantookitanddrankit.
“Theybeatme,Manolin,”hesaid.“Theytrulybeatme.”
“Hedidntbeatyou.Notthefish.”
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