双语美文之似水流年 （93）老人与海(6)
He held the line against his back and watched its slant in the water and the skiff moving steadily to the north-west.
他攥住了勒在背脊上的钓索，紧盯着它直往水中斜去，小船呢，不停地朝西北方驶去。
This will kill him, the old man thought. He can’t do this forever. But four hours later the fish was still swimming steadily out to sea, towing the skiff, and the old man was still braced solidly with the line across his back.
这样能叫它送命，老人想。它不能一直这样干下去。然而过了四个钟点，那鱼照样拖着这条小船，不停地向大海游去，老人呢，依然紧紧攥着勒在背脊上的钓索。
“It was noon when I hooked him,” he said. “And I have never seen him.”
“我是中午把它钓上的，”他说。“可我始终还没见过它。”
He had pushed his straw hat hard down on his head before he hooked the fish and it was cutting his forehead. He was thirsty too and he got down on his knees and, being careful not to jerk on the line, moved as far into the bow as he could get and reached the water bottle with one hand. He opened it and drank a little. Then he rested against the bow. He rested sitting on the un-stepped mast and sail and tried not to think but only to endure.
他在钓上这鱼以前，把草帽拉下，紧扣在脑瓜上，这时勒得他的脑门好痛。他还觉得口渴，就双膝跪下，小心不让扯动钓索，尽量朝船头爬去，伸手去取水瓶。他打开瓶盖，喝了一点儿，然后靠在船头上休息。他坐在从桅座上拔下的绕着帆的桅杆上，竭力不去想什么，只顾熬下去。
Then he looked behind him and saw that no land was visible. That makes no difference, he thought. I can always come in on the glow from Havana. There are two more hours before the sun sets and maybe he will come up before that. If he doesn’t maybe he will come up with the moon. If he does not do that maybe he will come up with the sunrise. I have no cramps and I feel strong. It is he that has the hook in his mouth. But what a fish to pull like that. He must have his mouth shut tight on the wire. I wish I could see him. I with I could see him only once to know what I have against me.
等他回顾背后时，一看陆地已没有一丝踪影了。这没有关系，他想。我总能靠着哈瓦那的灯火回港的。太阳下去还有两个钟点，也许不到那时鱼就会浮上来。如果它不上来，也许会随着月出浮上来。如果它不这样干，也许会随着日出浮上来。我手脚没有抽筋，我感到身强力壮。是它的嘴给钓住了啊。不过拉力这样大，该是条多大的鱼啊。它的嘴准是死死地咬住了钢丝钓钩。但愿能看到它。但愿能知道我这对手是什么样儿的，哪怕只看一眼也好。
欧内斯特·米勒尔·海明威
美国作家和记者，被认为是20世纪最著名的小说家之一。出生于美国伊利诺伊州芝加哥市郊区的奥克帕克，晚年在爱达荷州凯彻姆的家中自杀身亡。海明威一生中的感情错综复杂，先后结过四次婚，是美国“迷惘的一代”（Lost Generation）作家中的代表人物，作品中对人生、世界、社会都表现出了迷茫和彷徨。
在海明威一生之中曾荣获不少奖项。他在第一次世界大战期间被授予银制勇敢勋章;1953年，他以《老人与海》一书获得普利策奖[4] ；1954年，《老人与海》又为海明威夺得诺贝尔文学奖。2001年，海明威的《太阳照样升起》（The Sun Also Rises）与《永别了，武器》两部作品被美国现代图书馆列入“20世纪中的100部最佳英文小说”中。
海明威一向以文坛硬汉著称，他是美利坚民族的精神丰碑。海明威的作品标志着他独特创作风格的形成，在美国文学史乃至世界文学史上都占有重要地位。
1.smack v. 掴；用掌击
I don’t smack them, but I sometimes think I should, because the elder two have so much attitude.
我不打他们，但有时我真觉得我该打他们，因为那两个大的非常不听管教。
I focus totally on human responses to things; if you smack someone in the face, what would they do?
我关注的完全是人类对事物的反应；如果你掴了某人一巴掌，他们会怎么办？
2.fathom n. 英寻
It is, in general, hard to fathom what he sees or thinks, which is both the point and a bit of a problem.
总之，很难参透他到底在看什么或是想什么，这既是影片的重点却也带来一点问题。
If that’s tough to fathom, consider one of the features already built into the device. Say the wearer goes to the grocery store and picks up a box of cereal from the shelf.
如果这样很难彻底了解，那么请设想一下这套装置已有的一种功能——我们说如果一个使用者到食品店买东西，他从架子上挑了一盒谷类食品。
3.coil n. 线圈；卷
The burnt coil should be renewed.
烧穿的线圈应换新的。
Boil the oil soiled by the coil in the toilet lest it spoil.
把被盥洗室里的线圈弄脏的油煮开,免得它变质。
4.skiff n. 小艇；小型帆船
First we have the “Pilot of some small night-founder’d Skiff,” and the pilot stands ab extra, from outside, in the simile.
首先我们有这句“迷茫深夜中，轻舟的导航人“,并且这个导航人在明喻中，体现为从诗句之外向内眺望。
All lights were out when he sailed into the little harbor and beached his skiff.
当他划进小港，让小船冲上沙滩时，岸上的灯火都已灭了。