第9章 溪流垂钓的一天 (2)
“I have to tell you something,” he said. “This has been one of the best days of my life. The reason I’m telling you is, I wasn’t supposed to be here right now. I’ve been very sick, and my doctors didn’t think I was going to make it. I wasn’t sure I was going to make it, but I’ve been well since last autumn, and everything is fine now. My wife gave me this equipment because I’ve always wanted to fly-fish, and this trip is kind of a celebration for our family. This really has been one of the best days of my life.”
I could not speak. I looked into his eyes and nodded. He smiled at me and cast again. We left the creek only after hearing the triangle ringing for dinner in the distance.
Down the dirt road my four-wheel drive bounced over rots and rocks as I followed the creek that had given us “fantastic”, “beautiful”, “amazing” trout. The next day there would be a new fisherman to meet. And I would not let stiff, expensive clothes or a backward-mounted reel deceive me into thinking he had nothing to teach me.
我从汽车上下来,去见我的客户和他的妻子。他身体强壮结实,看起来就像户外运动宣传册上的模特。崭新的钓竿笔挺,所有的器具都闪着光泽,从未被使用过。他把它们挂在胸前,就像搁置在工具房里的工具。他背上挂着一个手工编制的渔网,水靴上的毛毡像雪一样洁白。钓竿从没弄湿过,更别说钓过鱼了,钓鱼线因为没有用过而闪闪发光,卷线轴装反了。
“典型的新手”,我想,根据我的经验,他跟所有的富人一样,有钱,但可能苛刻。
我伸出手去跟他握手,他有力地回握。
他的妻子,是一个自信迷人的女士。她为我们照了一张合影后,就向我们挥手道别了,她举起来的手臂上带着一个缀满了绿松石的手镯。
首先,我把他的卷线轴转了过来,他笑了,耸了耸肩。然后,在房子后面的草坪上,我们开始练习抛钩。
让我惊讶不已的是,他是那种少有的几乎是立刻入门的人,从一开始,他就抛得很到位。草坪上倒映着他的影子,他看到钓线魔术般地飞过他的影子上方时,不禁欢呼雀跃。
“我可以整天站在这儿抛线,”他笑着说。
我们没有走很远,就找到了水源。因为我早上来的时候,就有一条绝好的小溪从那条肮脏、有车辙的路的最后九公里处流过。温暖的阳光使水温上升,沉睡在水底的虹鱼和凶猛的鳟鱼都活跃起来了,水面上,活蹦乱跳的石蛾随处可见。
对于这水深齐踝的小溪来说,我们穿着长及臀部的水靴,似乎有些夸张。于是,我们走进水里,走到小溪中央,面对着小溪的上游。我的客户开始抛线,我指出钓线应该飞到的地方。
“噢,嘿,看看那个,”当钓上第一条鱼时,他这样说道,他对此的确充满了敬畏。钓上来的第二条鱼是鳟鱼,他充满惊奇而又快乐的呼声传遍了整条小溪。之后,我们开始收线,一条闪闪发光的虹鱼足有20厘米长,挣扎着,被钓上来了。
“太美了,不是吗?”他轻轻地说道。此后的每一条鳟鱼,都被他称为漂亮的、不可思议的、令人惊异的、神奇的。一条小鳟鱼被钓上来了,我抓紧它,这样,我的客户就可以看见鱼身上桔色斑点周围的蓝圈儿。
“这是我见过的最漂亮的小家伙。”他真诚地说道。
一个人可以如此珍视做事的每一时刻,与他在一起,让我觉得自己好像还是第一次来钓鱼。我向他演示,如何不让鱼饵受到拖拽,如何在水较深的地方钓鱼。他全神贯注地听我讲解原因和操作方法。他赞美钓到的每一条鱼,不管是15厘米还是25厘米,好像它们都是珍贵的宝石一样。
下午晚些时候,温和的阳光已经有些灼痛皮肤了。我的客户停了下来,他垂下肩膀,看着水面、树木,最后,他看着我。
“有些事我要告诉您,”他说,“这是我生命中最开心的日子之一。我要告诉你,是因为本来今天我不能在这儿,我曾经病得很严重,我的医生认为我不行了,我也不相信自己能活下来,但是,从去年秋天开始,我渐渐恢复,现在一切都正常了。我的妻子送给我这套渔具,因为我一直想钓鱼,这次出行也算我们全家的一种庆典。今天,真的是我生命最开心的日子之一。”
我无言以对,直视着他的眼睛,点点头。他对我笑了笑,又继续抛线。直到听见远处传来用餐提示铃声,我们才离开小溪。
我开车沿着那条带给我们“神奇的”、“漂亮的”、“不可思议”的鳟鱼的小溪往下走,在那条肮脏不平的路上颠簸着。明天,又会有一个新的垂钓者要去面对,不过,我不会再让笔挺、昂贵的衣服或装反的卷线轴误导,而认为从他那儿没什么可学的了。
1. To my , he was one of those rare people who connected with a rod almost immediately. It just looked from the beginning, and he was charmed by the way the line seemed to magically flow his silhouette on the lawn.
3. The day there would be a new fisherman to meet. And I would not let stiff, expensive clothes a backward-mounted reel deceive me _______thinking he had nothing to teach me.
1. 一个人可以如此珍视做事的每一时刻,与他在一起,让我觉得自己好像还是第一次来钓鱼。
2. 下午晚些时候,温和的阳光已经有些灼痛皮肤了。
3. 直到听见远处传来用餐提示铃声,我们才离开小溪。
1. ...the caddis flies were dancing their erratic dance, here and there, over the water.
here and there:各处;到处
2. ...his shouts of surprise and joy rang up and down the creek, and we happily reeled in a sparkling, 20-centimetre wild rainbow.
up and down:上上下下;到处;前前后后;来来往往