In the night sharks hit the carcass as someone might pick up crumbs from the table.

夜里有些鲨鱼来咬这死鱼的残骸，就象人从饭桌上捡面包屑吃一样。

The old man paid no attention to them and did not pay any attention to anything except steering.

老人不去理睬它们，除了掌舵以外他什么都不理睬。

He only noticed how lightly and how well the skiff sailed now there was no great weight beside her.

他只留意到船舷边没有什么沉重的东西，小船这时驶来多么轻松，多么出色。

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

船还是好好的，他想。它是完好的，没受一点儿损伤，除了那个舵把。那是容易更换的。

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.

他感觉到已经在湾流中行驶，看得见沿岸那些海滨住宅区的灯光了。他知道此刻到了什么地方，回家是不在话下了。

The wind is our friend, anyway, he thought. Then he added, sometimes.

不管怎么样，风总是我们的朋友，他想。然后他加上一句：有时候是。

And the great sea with our friends and our enemies. And bed, he thought. Bed is my friend. Just bed, he thought.

还有大海，海里有我们的朋友，也有我们的敌人。还有床，他想。床是我的朋友。光是床，他想。床将是样了不起的东西。

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.

吃了败仗，上床是很舒服的，他想。我从来不知道竟然这么舒服。他想，那么是什么把你打败的。"

"Nothing," he said aloud. "I went out too far."

什么也没有，"他说出声来。"只怪我出海太远了。”

When he sailed into the little harbour the lights of the Terrace were out and he knew everyone was in bed.

等他驶进小港，露台饭店的灯光全熄灭了，他知道人们都上床了。

The breeze had risen steadily and was blowing strongly now.

海风一步步加强，此刻刮得很猛了。

It was quiet in the harbour though and he sailed up onto the little patch of shingle below the rocks.

然而港湾里静悄悄的，他直驶到岩石下一小片卵石滩前。

There was no one to help him so he pulled the boat up as far as he could.

没人来帮他的忙，他只好尽自己的力量把船划得紧靠岸边。

Then he stepped out and made her fast to a rock.

然后他跨出船来，把它系在一块岩石上。

He unstepped the mast and furled the sail and tied it. Then he shouldered the mast and started to climb.

他拔下桅杆，把帆卷起，系住。然后他打起桅杆往岸上爬。

It was then he knew the depth of his tiredness.

这时候他才明白自己疲乏到什么程度。

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.

他停了一会儿，回头一望，在街灯的反光中，看见那鱼的大尾巴直竖在小船船梢后边。

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.

他看清它赤露的脊骨象一条白线，看清那带着突出的长嘴的黑糊糊的脑袋，而在这头尾之间却一无所有。

He started to climb again and at the top he fell and lay for some time with the mast across his shoulder.

他再往上爬，到了顶上，摔倒在地，躺了一会儿，桅杆还是横在肩上。

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.

他想法爬起身来。可是太困难了，他就扛着桅杆坐在那儿，望着大路。

A cat passed on the far side going about its business and the old man watched it. Then he just watched the road.

一只猫从路对面走过，去干它自己的事，老人注视着它。然后他只顾望着大路。

Finally he put the mast down and stood up.

末了，他放下桅杆，站起身来。

He picked the mast up and put it on his shoulder and started up the road.

他举起桅杆，扛在肩上，顺着大路走去。

He had to sit down five times before he reached his shack.

他不得不坐下歇了五次，才走到他的窝棚。

Inside the shack he leaned the mast against the wall.

进了窝棚，他把桅杆靠在墙上。

In the dark he found a water bottle and took a drink.

他摸黑找到一只水瓶，喝了一口水。

Then he lay down on the bed.

然后他在床上躺下了。

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.

他拉起毯子，盖住两肩，然后裹住了背部和双腿，他脸朝下躺在报纸上，两臂伸得笔直，手掌向上。