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The sea had risenconsiderably. But it was a fair-weather breeze and he had to have it to gethome.
海浪大了不少。不过这是晴天吹的微风，他得靠这海浪才能回去。
"I'll juststeer south and west,." he said. "A man is never lost at sea and itis a long island. "
“我只消朝西南航行就成，"他说。"人在海上是决不会迷路的，何况这是个长长的岛屿。"
It was on thethird turn that he saw the fish first.
鱼兜到第三圈，他才第一次看见它。
He saw him firstas a dark shadow that took so long to pass under the boat that he could notbelieve its length.
他起先看见的是一个黑乎乎的影子，它需要那么长的时间从船底下经过，他简直不相信它有这么长。
"No," hesaid. "He can't be that big. "
“不能，"他说。"它哪能这么大啊。”
But he was thatbig and at the end of this circle he came to the surface only thirty yards awayand the man saw his tail out of water.
但是它当真有这么大，这一圈兜到末了，它冒出水来，只有三十码远，老人看见它的尾巴露出在水面上。
It was higher thana big scythe blade and a very pale lavender above the dark blue water.
这尾巴比一把大镰刀的刀刃更高，是极淡的浅紫色，竖在深蓝色的海面上。
It raked back andas the fish swam just below the surface the old man could see his huge bulk andthe purple stripes that banded him. His dorsal fin was down and his hugepectorals were spread wide.
它朝后倾斜着，鱼在水面下游的时候，老人看得见它庞大的身躯和周身的紫色条纹。它的脊鳍朝下耷拉着，巨大的胸鳍大张着。
On this circle theold man could see the fish's eye and the two gray sucking fish that swam aroundhim.
这回鱼兜圈子回来时，老人看见它的眼睛和绕着它游的两条灰色侞鱼。
Sometimes theyattached themselves to him. Sometimes they darted off. Sometimes they wouldswim easily in his shadow.
它们有时候依附在它身上。有时候倏地游开去。有时候会在它的陰影里自在地游着。
They were each over three feet long and whenthey swam fast they lashed their whole bodies like eels.
它们每条都有三英尺多长，游得快时全身猛烈地甩动着，象鳗鱼一般。
The old man wassweating now but from something else besides the sun. On each calm placid turnthe fish made he was gaining line and he was sure that in two turns more hewould have a chance to get the harpoon in.
老人这时在冒汗，但不光是因为晒了太阳，还有别的原因。鱼每回沉着、平静地拐回来时，他总收回一点钓索，所以他确信再兜上两个圈子，就能有机会把鱼叉扎进去了。
But I must get himclose, close, close, he thought. I mustn't try for the head. I must get theheart.
可是我必须把它拉得极近，极近，极近，他想。我千万不能扎它的脑袋。我该扎进它的心脏。
"Be calm andstrong, old man," he said.
“要沉着，要有力，老头儿，"他说。
On the next circlethe fish's back was out but he was a little too far from the boat.
又兜了一圈，鱼的背脊露出来了，不过它离小船还是太远了一点。
On the next circlehe was still too far away but he was higher out of water and the old man wassure that by gaining some more line he could have him alongside.
再兜了一圈，还是太远，但是它露出在水面上比较高些了，老人深信，再收回一些钓索，就可以把它拉到船边来。
He had rigged hisharpoon long before and its coil of light rope was in a round basket and theend was made fast to the bitt in the bow.
他早就把鱼叉准备停当，叉上的那卷细绳子给搁在一只圆筐内，一端紧系在船头的系缆柱上。
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