一老一少的对话，👴的爱与骚年的关心，还是挺温暖的。

268'

When the wind was in the east a smell came across the harbour from the shark factory; but today there was only the faint edge of the odour because the wind had backed into the north and then dropped off and it was pleasant and sunny on the Terrace.
　　“Santiago,“ the boy said.
　　“Yes,“ the old man said. He was holding his glass and thinking of many years ago.
　　“Can I go out to get sardines for you for tomorrow?“
　　“No. Go and play baseball. I can still row and Rogelio will throw the net.“
　　“I would like to go. If I cannot fish with you, I would like to serve in some way.“
　　“You bought me a beer,“ the old man said. “You are already a man.“
　　“How old was I when you first took me in a boat?“
　　“Five and you nearly were killed when I brought the fish in too green and he nearly tore the boat to pieces. Can you remember?“
　　“I can remember the tail slapping and banging and the thwart breaking and the noise of the clubbing. I can remember you throwing me into the bow where the wet coiled lines were and feeling the whole boat shiver and the noise of you clubbing him like chopping a tree down and the sweat blood smell all over me.“
　　“Can you really remember that or did I just tell it to you?“
　　“I remember everything from when we first went together.“
　　The old man looked at him with his sun-burned, confident loving eyes.
　　“If you were my boy I’d take you out and gamble,“ he said. “But you are your father’s and your mother’s and you are in a lucky boat.“
　　“May I get the sardines? I know where I can get four baits too.“
　　“I have mine left from today. I put them in salt in the box.“
　　“Let me get four fresh ones.“
　　“One,“ the old man said. His hope and his confidence had never gone. But now they were freshening as when the breeze rises.
　　“Two,“ the boy said.
　　“Two,“ the old man agreed. “You didn’t steal them?“
　　“I would,“ the boy said. “But I bought these.“
　　“Thank you,“ the old man said. He was too simple to wonder when he had attained humility. But he knew he had attained it and he knew it was not disgraceful and it carried no loss of true pride.
　　“Tomorrow is going to be a good day with this current,“ he said.
　　“Where are you going?“ the boy asked.
　　“Far out to come in when the wind shifts. I want to be out before it is light.“
　　“I’ll try to get him to work far out,“ the boy said. “Then if you hook something truly big we can come to your aid.“
　　“He does not like to work too far out.“
　　“No,“ the boy said. “But I will see something that he cannot see such as a bird working and get him to come out after dolphin.“
　　“Are his eyes that bad?“
　　“He is almost blind.“
　　“It is strange,“ the old man said. “He never went turtle-ing. That is what kills the eyes.“
　　“But you went turtle-ing for years off the Mosquito Coast and your eyes are good.“
　　“I am a strange old man.“
　　“But are you strong enough now for a truly big fish?“
　　“I think so. And there are many tricks.“
　　“Let us take the stuff home,“ the boy said. “So I can get the cast net and go after the sardines.“