The shark closed fast astern and when he hit the fish the old man saw his mouth open and his strange eyes and the clicking chop of the teeth as he drove forward in the meat just above the tail.The shark's head was out of water and his back was coming out and the old man could hear the noise of skin and flesh ripping on the big fish when he rammed the harpoon down onto the shark's head at a spot where the line between his eyes intersected with the line that ran straight back from his nose.There were no such lines.There was only the heavy sharp blue head and the big eyes and the clicking, thrusting all-swallowing jaws.But that was the location of the brain and the old man hit it.He hit it with his blood mushed hands driving a good harpoon with all his strength.He hit it without hope but with resolution and complete malignancy .
“You think too much,old man,”he said aloud.
Now, he said to himself. Look to the lashing on the knife and see if it has been cut.Then get your hand in order because there still is more to come.
“I wish I had a stone for the knife,”the old man said after he had checked the lashing on the oar butt.“I should have brought a stone.”You should have brought many things,he thought.But you did not bring them,old man. Now is no time to think of what you do not have.Think of what you can do with what there is.