“I wish the boy were here and that I had some salt,”he said aloud.
I wonder what he made that lurch for,he thought.The wire must have slipped on the hill of his back.Certainly his back cannot feel as badly as mine does.But he cannot pull this skiff forever,no matter how great he is.Now everything is cleared away that might make trouble and I have a big reserve of line;all that a man can ask.
“It is a strong full-blooded fish,”he thought.“I was lucky to get him instead of dolphin.Dolphin is too sweet. This is hardly sweet at all and all the strength is still in it.”
“You're feeling it now,fish,”he said.“And so,God knows,am I.”
“Hail Mary full of Grace the Lord is with thee.Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.Holy Mary.Mother of God,pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.”Then he added,“Blessed Virgin,pray for the death of this fish.Wonderful though he is.”
“Fish,”he said softly,aloud,“I'll stay with you until I am dead.”
“I told the boy I was a strange old man,”he said.“ Now is when I must prove it.”
“Now,”he said.“You can let the cord go,hand,and I will handle him with the right arm alone until you stop that nonsense.”He put his left foot on the heavy line that the left hand had held and lay back against the pull against his back.“God help me to have the cramp go,”he said.“ Because I do not know what the fish is going to do.”