benito cereno-第14节

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s　and　warped　yards　were　soon　brought　into　some　trim。　And　no　brace　or　halyard　was　pulled　but　to　the　blithe　songs　of　the　inspirited　Negroes。　　　　　Good　fellows；　thought　Captain　Delano；　a　little　training　would　make　fine　sailors　of　them。　Why　see；　the　very　women　pull　and　sing；　too。　These　must　be　some　of　those　Ashantee　Negresses　that　make　such　capital　soldiers；　I've　heard。　But　who's　at　the　helm？　I　must　have　a　good　hand　there。　　　　　He　went　to　see。　　　　　The　San　Dominick　steered　with　a　cumbrous　tiller；　with　large　horizontal　pulleys　attached。　At　each　pulley…end　stood　a　subordinate　black；　and　between　them；　at　the　tiller…head；　the　responsible　post；　a　Spanish　seaman；　whose　countenance　evinced　his　due　share　in　the　general　hopefulness　and　confidence　at　the　coming　of　the　breeze。　　　　　He　proved　the　same　man　who　had　behaved　with　so　shamefaced　an　air　on　the　windlass。　　　　　〃Ah；…　it　is　you；　my　man；〃　exclaimed　Captain　Delano…　〃well；　no　more　sheep's…eyes　now；…　look　straight　forward　and　keep　the　ship　so。　Good　hand；　I　trust？　And　want　to　get　into　the　harbour；　don't　you？〃　　　　　〃Si　Senor；〃　assented　the　man　with　an　inward　chuckle；　grasping　the　tiller…head　firmly。　Upon　this；　unperceived　by　the　American；　the　two　blacks　eyed　the　sailor　askance。　　　　　Finding　all　right　at　the　helm；　the　pilot　went　forward　to　the　forecastle；　to　see　how　matters　stood　there。　　　　　The　ship　now　had　way　enough　to　breast　the　current。　With　the　approach　of　evening；　the　breeze　would　be　sure　to　freshen。　　　　　Having　done　all　that　was　needed　for　the　present；　Captain　Delano；　giving　his　last　orders　to　the　sailors；　turned　aft　to　report　affairs　to　Don　Benito　in　the　cabin；　perhaps　additionally　incited　to　rejoin　him　by　the　hope　of　snatching　a　moment's　private　chat　while　his　servant　was　engaged　upon　deck。　　　　　From　opposite　sides；　there　were；　beneath　the　poop；　two　approaches　to　the　cabin；　one　further　forward　than　the　other；　and　consequently　communicating　with　a　longer　passage。　Marking　the　servant　still　above；　Captain　Delano；　taking　the　nighest　entrance…　the　one　last　named；　and　at　whose　porch　Atufal　still　stood…　hurried　on　his　way；　till；　arrived　at　the　cabin　threshold；　he　paused　an　instant；　a　little　to　recover　from　his　eagerness。　Then；　with　the　words　of　his　intended　business　upon　his　lips；　he　entered。　As　he　advanced　toward　the　Spaniard；　on　the　transom；　he　heard　another　footstep；　keeping　time　with　his。　From　the　opposite　door；　a　salver　in　hand；　the　servant　was　likewise　advancing。　　　　　〃Confound　the　faithful　fellow；〃　thought　Captain　Delano；　〃what　a　vexatious　coincidence。〃　　　　　Possibly；　the　vexation　might　have　been　something　different；　were　it　not　for　the　buoyant　confidence　inspired　by　the　breeze。　But　even　as　it　was；　he　felt　a　slight　twinge；　from　a　sudden　involuntary　association　in　his　mind　of　Babo　with　Atufal。　　　　　〃Don　Benito；〃　said　he；　〃I　give　you　joy；　the　breeze　will　hold；　and　will　increase。　By　the　way；　your　tall　man　and　time…piece；　Atufal；　stands　without。　By　your　order；　of　course？〃　　　　　Don　Benito　recoiled；　as　if　at　some　bland　satirical　touch；　delivered　with　such　adroit　garnish　of　apparent　good…breeding　as　to　present　no　handle　for　retort。　　　　　He　is　like　one　flayed　alive；　thought　Captain　Delano；　where　may　one　touch　him　without　causing　a　shrink？　　　　　The　servant　moved　before　his　master；　adjusting　a　cushion；　recalled　to　civility；　the　Spaniard　stiffly　replied：　〃You　are　right。　The　slave　appears　where　you　saw　him；　according　to　my　command；　which　is；　that　if　at　the　given　hour　I　am　below；　he　must　take　his　stand　and　abide　my　coming。〃　　　　　〃Ah　now；　pardon　me；　but　that　is　treating　the　poor　fellow　like　an　ex…king　denied。　Ah；　Don　Benito；〃　smiling；　〃for　all　the　license　you　permit　in　some　things；　I　fear　lest；　at　bottom；　you　are　a　bitter　hard　master。〃　　　　　Again　Don　Benito　shrank；　and　this　time；　as　the　good　sailor　thought；　from　a　genuine　twinge　of　his　conscience。　　　　　Conversation　now　became　constrained。　In　vain　Captain　Delano　called　attention　to　the　now　perceptible　motion　of　the　keel　gently　cleaving　the　sea；　with　lack…lustre　eye；　Don　Benito　returned　words　few　and　reserved。　　　　　By…and…by；　the　wind　having　steadily　risen；　and　still　blowing　right　into　the　harbour；　bore　the　San　Dominick　swiftly　on。　Rounding　a　point　of　land；　the　sealer　at　distance　came　into　open　view。　　　　　Meantime　Captain　Delano　had　again　repaired　to　the　deck；　remaining　there　some　time。　Having　at　last　altered　the　ship's　course；　so　as　to　give　the　reef　a　wide　berth；　he　returned　for　a　few　moments　below。　　　　　I　will　cheer　up　my　poor　friend；　this　time；　thought　he。　　　　　〃Better　and　better；　Don　Benito；〃　he　cried　as　he　blithely　re…entered；　〃there　will　soon　be　an　end　to　your　cares；　at　least　for　awhile。　For　when；　after　a　long；　sad　voyage；　you　know；　the　anchor　drops　into　the　haven；　all　its　vast　weight　seems　lifted　from　the　captain's　heart。　We　are　getting　on　famously；　Don　Benito。　My　ship　is　in　sight。　Look　through　this　side…light　here；　there　she　is；　all　a…taunt…o！　The　Bachelor's　Delight；　my　good　friend。　Ah；　how　this　wind　braces　one　up。　Come；　you　must　take　a　cup　of　coffee　with　me　this　evening。　My　old　steward　will　give　you　as　fine　a　cup　as　ever　any　sultan　tasted。　What　say　you；　Don　Benito；　will　you？〃　　　　　At　first；　the　Spaniard　glanced　feverishly　up；　casting　a　longing　look　toward　the　sealer；　while　with　mute　concern　his　servant　gazed　into　his　face。　Suddenly　the　old　ague　of　coldness　returned；　and　dropping　back　to　his　cushions　he　was　silent。　　　　　〃You　do　not　answer。　Come；　all　day　you　have　been　my　host；　would　you　have　hospitality　all　on　one　side？〃　　　　　〃I　cannot　go；〃　was　the　response。　　　　　〃What？　it　will　not　fatigue　you。　The　ships　will　lie　together　as　near　as　they　can；　without　swinging　foul。　It　will　be　little　more　than　stepping　from　deck　to　deck；　which　is　but　as　from　room　to　room。　Come；　come；　you　must　not　refuse　me。〃　　　　　〃I　cannot　go；〃　decisively　and　repulsively　repeated　Don　Benito。　　　　　Renouncing　all　but　the　last　appearance　of　courtesy；　with　a　sort　of　cadaverous　sullenness；　and　biting　his　thin　nails　to　the　quick；　he　glanced；　almost　glared；　at　his　guest；　as　if　impatient　that　a　stranger's　presence　should　interfere　with　the　full　indulgence　of　his　morbid　hour。　Meantime　the　sound　of　the　parted　waters　came　more　and　more　gurglingly　and　merrily　in　at　the　windows；　as　reproaching　him　for　his　dark　spleen；　as　telling　him　that；　sulk　as　he　might；　and　go　mad　with　it；　nature　cared　not　a　jot；　since；　whose　fault　was　it；　pray？　But　the　foul　mood　was　now　at　its　depth；　as　the　fair　wind　at　its　height。　　　　　There　was　something　in　the　man　so　far　beyond　any　mere　unsociality　or　sourness　previously　evinced；　that　even　the　forbearing　good…nature　of　his　guest　could　no　longer　endure　it。　Wholly　at　a　loss　to　account　for　such　demeanour；　and　deeming　sickness　with　eccentricity；　however　extreme；　no　adequate　excuse；　well　satisfied；　too；　that　nothing　in　his　own　conduct　could　justify　it；　Captain　Delano's　pride　began　to　be　roused。　Himself　became　reserved。　But　all　seemed　one　to　the　Spaniard。　Quitting　him；　therefore；　Captain　Delano　once　more　went　to　the　deck。　　　　　The　ship　was　now　within　less　than　two　miles　of　the　sealer。　The　whale…boat　was　seen　darting　over　the　interval。　　　　　To　be　brief；　the　two　vessels；　thanks　to　the　pilot's　skill；　ere　long　in　neighbourly　style　lay　anchored　together。　　　　　Before　returning　to　his　own　vessel；　Captain　Delano　had　intended　communicating　to　Don　Benito　the　practical　details　of　the　proposed　services　to　be　rendered。　But；　as　it　was；　unwilling　anew　to　subject　himself　to　rebuffs；　he　resolved；　now　that　he　had　seen　the　San　Dominick　safely　moored；　immediately　to　quit　her；　without　further　allusion　to　hospitality　or　business。　Indefinitely　postponing　his　ulterior　plans；　he　would　regulate　his　future　actions　according　to　future　circumstances。　His　boat　was　ready　to　receive　him；　but　his　host　still　tarried　below。　Well；　thought　Captain　Delano；　if　he　has　little　breeding；　the　more　need　to　show　mine。　He　descended　to　the　cabin　to　bid　a　ceremonious；　and；　it　may　be；　tacitly　rebukeful　adieu。　But　to　his　great　satisfaction；　Don　Benito；　as　if　he　began　to　feel　the　weight　of　that　treatment　with　which　his　slighted　guest　had；　not　indecorously；　retaliated　upon　him；　now　supported　by　his　servant；　rose　to　his　feet；　and　grasping　Captain　Delano's　hand；　stood　tremulous；　too　much　agitated　to　speak。　But　the　good　augury　hence　drawn　was　suddenly　dashed；　by　his　resuming　all　his　previous　reserve；　with　augmented　gloom；　as；　with　half…averted　eyes；　he　silently　reseated　himself　on　his　cushions。　With　a　corresponding　return　of　his　own　chilled　feelings；　Captain　Delano　bowed　and　withdrew。　　　　　He　was　hardly　midway　in　the　narrow　corridor；　dim　as　a　tunnel；　leading　from　the　cabin　to　the　stairs；　when　a　sound；　as　of　the　tolling　for　execution　in　some　jail…yard；　fell　on　his　ears。　It　was　the　echo　of　the　ship's　flawed　bell；　striking　the　hour；　drearily　reverberated　in　this　subterranean　vault。　Instantly；　by　a　fatality　not　to　be　withstood；　his　mind；　responsive　to　the　portent；　swarmed　with　superstitious　suspicions。　He　paused。　In　images　far　swifter　than　these　sentences；　the　minutest　details　of　all　his　former　distrusts　swept　through　him。　　　　　Hitherto；　credulous　good…nature　had　been　too　ready　to　furnish　excuses　for　reasonable　fears。　Why　was　the　Spaniard；　so　superfluously　punctilious　at　times；　now　heedless　of　common　propriety　in　not　accompanying　to　the　side　his　departing　guest？　Did　indisposit