benito cereno-第15节

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now　heedless　of　common　propriety　in　not　accompanying　to　the　side　his　departing　guest？　Did　indisposition　forbid？　Indisposition　had　not　forbidden　more　irksome　exertion　that　day。　His　last　equivocal　demeanour　recurred。　He　had　risen　to　his　feet；　grasped　his　guest's　hand；　motioned　toward　his　hat；　then；　in　an　instant；　all　was　eclipsed　in　sinister　muteness　and　gloom。　Did　this　imply　one　brief；　repentant　relenting　at　the　final　moment；　from　some　iniquitous　plot；　followed　by　remorseless　return　to　it？　His　last　glance　seemed　to　express　a　calamitous；　yet　acquiescent　farewell　to　Captain　Delano　for　ever。　Why　decline　the　invitation　to　visit　the　sealer　that　evening？　Or　was　the　Spaniard　less　hardened　than　the　Jew；　who　refrained　not　from　supping　at　the　board　of　him　whom　the　same　night　he　meant　to　betray？　What　imported　all　those　day…long　enigmas　and　contradictions；　except　they　were　intended　to　mystify；　preliminary　to　some　stealthy　blow？　Atufal；　the　pretended　rebel；　but　punctual　shadow；　that　moment　lurked　by　the　threshold　without。　He　seemed　a　sentry；　and　more。　Who；　by　his　own　confession；　had　stationed　him　there？　Was　the　Negro　now　lying　in　wait？　　　　　The　Spaniard　behind…　his　creature　before：　to　rush　from　darkness　to　light　was　the　involuntary　choice。　　　　　The　next　moment；　with　clenched　jaw　and　hand；　he　passed　Atufal；　and　stood　unarmed　in　the　light。　As　he　saw　his　trim　ship　lying　peacefully　at　her　anchor；　and　almost　within　ordinary　call；　as　he　saw　his　household　boat；　with　familiar　faces　in　it；　patiently　rising　and　falling　on　the　short　waves　by　the　San　Dominick's　side；　and　then；　glancing　about　the　decks　where　he　stood；　saw　the　oakum…pickers　still　gravely　plying　their　fingers；　and　heard　the　low；　buzzing　whistle　and　industrious　hum　of　the　hatchet…polishers；　still　bestirring　themselves　over　their　endless　occupation；　and　more　than　all；　as　he　saw　the　benign　aspect　of　Nature；　taking　her　innocent　repose　in　the　evening；　the　screened　sun　in　the　quiet　camp　of　the　west　shining　out　like　the　mild　light　from　Abraham's　tent；　as　his　charmed　eye　and　ear　took　in　all　these；　with　the　chained　figure　of　the　black；　the　clenched　jaw　and　hand　relaxed。　Once　again　he　smiled　at　the　phantoms　which　had　mocked　him；　and　felt　something　like　a　tinge　of　remorse；　that；　by　indulging　them　even　for　a　moment；　he　should；　by　implication；　have　betrayed　an　almost　atheistic　doubt　of　the　ever…watchful　Providence　above。　　　　　There　was　a　few　minutes'　delay；　while；　in　obedience　to　his　orders；　the　boat　was　being　hooked　along　to　the　gangway。　During　this　interval；　a　sort　of　saddened　satisfaction　stole　over　Captain　Delano；　at　thinking　of　the　kindly　offices　he　had　that　day　discharged　for　a　stranger。　Ah；　thought　he；　after　good　actions　one's　conscience　is　never　ungrateful；　however　much　so　the　benefited　party　may　be。　　　　　Presently；　his　foot；　in　the　first　act　of　descent　into　the　boat；　pressed　the　first　round　of　the　side…ladder；　his　face　presented　inward　upon　the　deck。　In　the　same　moment；　he　heard　his　name　courteously　sounded；　and；　to　his　pleased　surprise；　saw　Don　Benito　advancing…　an　unwonted　energy　in　his　air；　as　if；　at　the　last　moment；　intent　upon　making　amends　for　his　recent　discourtesy。　With　instinctive　good　feeling；　Captain　Delano；　revoking　his　foot；　turned　and　reciprocally　advanced。　As　he　did　so；　the　Spaniard's　nervous　eagerness　increased；　but　his　vital　energy　failed；　so　that；　the　better　to　support　him；　the　servant；　placing　his　master's　hand　on　his　naked　shoulder；　and　gently　holding　it　there；　formed　himself　into　a　sort　of　crutch。　　　　　When　the　two　captains　met；　the　Spaniard　again　fervently　took　the　hand　of　the　American；　at　the　same　time　casting　an　earnest　glance　into　his　eyes；　but；　as　before；　too　much　overcome　to　speak。　　　　　I　have　done　him　wrong；　self…reproachfully　thought　Captain　Delano；　his　apparent　coldness　has　deceived　me；　in　no　instance　has　he　meant　to　offend。　　　　　Meantime；　as　if　fearful　that　the　continuance　of　the　scene　might　too　much　unstring　his　master；　the　servant　seemed　anxious　to　terminate　it。　And　so；　still　presenting　himself　as　a　crutch；　and　walking　between　the　two　captains；　he　advanced　with　them　toward　the　gangway；　while　still；　as　if　full　of　kindly　contrition；　Don　Benito　would　not　let　go　the　hand　of　Captain　Delano；　but　retained　it　in　his；　across　the　black's　body。　　　　　Soon　they　were　standing　by　the　side；　looking　over　into　the　boat；　whose　crew　turned　up　their　curious　eyes。　Waiting　a　moment　for　the　Spaniard　to　relinquish　his　hold；　the　now　embarrassed　Captain　Delano　lifted　his　foot；　to　overstep　the　threshold　of　the　open　gangway；　but　still　Don　Benito　would　not　let　go　his　hand。　And　yet；　with　an　agitated　tone；　he　said；　〃I　can　go　no　further；　here　I　must　bid　you　adieu。　Adieu；　my　dear；　dear　Don　Amasa。　Go…　go！〃　suddenly　tearing　his　hand　loose；　〃go；　and　God　guard　you　better　than　me；　my　best　friend。〃　　　　　Not　unaffected；　Captain　Delano　would　now　have　lingered；　but　catching　the　meekly　admonitory　eye　of　the　servant；　with　a　hasty　farewell　he　descended　into　his　boat；　followed　by　the　continual　adieus　of　Don　Benito；　standing　rooted　in　the　gangway。　　　　　Seating　himself　in　the　stern；　Captain　Delano；　making　a　last　salute；　ordered　the　boat　shoved　off。　The　crew　had　their　oars　on　end。　The　bowsman　pushed　the　boat　a　sufficient　distance　for　the　oars　to　be　lengthwise　dropped。　The　instant　that　was　done；　Don　Benito　sprang　over　the　bulwarks；　falling　at　the　feet　of　Captain　Delano；　at　the　same　time；　calling　towards　his　ship；　but　in　tones　so　frenzied；　that　none　in　the　boat　could　understand　him。　But；　as　if　not　equally　obtuse；　three　Spanish　sailors；　from　three　different　and　distant　parts　of　the　ship；　splashed　into　the　sea；　swimming　after　their　captain；　as　if　intent　upon　his　rescue。　　　　　The　dismayed　officer　of　the　boat　eagerly　asked　what　this　meant。　To　which；　Captain　Delano；　turning　a　disdainful　smile　upon　the　unaccountable　Benito　Cereno；　answered　that；　for　his　part；　he　neither　knew　nor　cared；　but　it　seemed　as　if　the　Spaniard　had　taken　it　into　his　head　to　produce　the　impression　among　his　people　that　the　boat　wanted　to　kidnap　him。　〃Or　else…　give　way　for　your　lives；〃　he　wildly　added；　starting　at　a　clattering　hubbub　in　the　ship；　above　which　rang　the　tocsin　of　the　hatchet…polishers；　and　seizing　Don　Benito　by　the　throat　he　added；　〃this　plotting　pirate　means　murder！〃　Here；　in　apparent　verification　of　the　words；　the　servant；　a　dagger　in　his　hand；　was　seen　on　the　rail　overhead；　poised；　in　the　act　of　leaping；　as　if　with　desperate　fidelity　to　befriend　his　master　to　the　last；　while；　seemingly　to　aid　the　black；　the　three　Spanish　sailors　were　trying　to　clamber　into　the　hampered　bow。　Meantime；　the　whole　host　of　Negroes；　as　if　inflamed　at　the　sight　of　their　jeopardized　captain；　impended　in　one　sooty　avalanche　over　the　bulwarks。　　　　　All　this；　with　what　preceded；　and　what　followed；　occurred　with　such　involutions　of　rapidity；　that　past；　present；　and　future　seemed　one。　　　　　Seeing　the　Negro　coming；　Captain　Delano　had　flung　the　Spaniard　aside；　almost　in　the　very　act　of　clutching　him；　and；　by　the　unconscious　recoil；　shifting　his　place；　with　arms　thrown　up；　so　promptly　grappled　the　servant　in　his　descent；　that　with　dagger　presented　at　Captain　Delano's　heart；　the　black　seemed　of　purpose　to　have　leaped　there　as　to　his　mark。　But　the　weapon　was　wrenched　away；　and　the　assailant　dashed　down　into　the　bottom　of　the　boat；　which　now；　with　disentangled　oars；　began　to　speed　through　the　sea。　　　　　At　this　juncture；　the　left　hand　of　Captain　Delano；　on　one　side；　again　clutched　the　half…reclined　Don　Benito；　heedless　that　he　was　in　a　speechless　faint；　while　his　right　foot；　on　the　other　side；　ground　the　prostrate　Negro；　and　his　right　arm　pressed　for　added　speed　on　the　after　oar；　his　eye　bent　forward；　encouraging　his　men　to　their　utmost。　　　　　But　here；　the　officer　of　the　boat；　who　had　at　last　succeeded　in　beating　off　the　towing　Spanish　sailors；　and　was　now；　with　face　turned　aft；　assisting　the　bowsman　at　his　oar；　suddenly　called　to　Captain　Delano；　to　see　what　the　black　was　about；　while　a　Portuguese　oarsman　shouted　to　him　to　give　heed　to　what　the　Spaniard　was　saying。　　　　　Glancing　down　at　his　feet；　Captain　Delano　saw　the　freed　hand　of　the　servant　aiming　with　a　second　dagger…　a　small　one；　before　concealed　in　his　wool…　with　this　he　was　snakishly　writhing　up　from　the　boat's　bottom；　at　the　heart　of　his　master；　his　countenance　lividly　vindictive；　expressing　the　centred　purpose　of　his　soul；　while　the　Spaniard；　half…choked；　was　vainly　shrinking　away；　with　husky　words；　incoherent　to　all　but　the　Portuguese。　　　　　That　moment；　across　the　long　benighted　mind　of　Captain　Delano；　a　flash　of　revelation　swept；　illuminating　in　unanticipated　clearness　Benito　Cereno's　whole　mysterious　demeanour；　with　every　enigmatic　event　of　the　day；　as　well　as　the　entire　past　voyage　of　the　San　Dominick。　He　smote　Babo's　hand　down；　but　his　own　heart　smote　him　harder。　With　infinite　pity　he　withdrew　his　hold　from　Don　Benito。　Not　Captain　Delano；　but　Don　Benito；　the　black；　in　leaping　into　the　boat；　had　intended　to　stab。　　　　　Both　the　black's　hands　were　held；　as；　glancing　up　toward　the　San　Dominick；　Captain　Delano；　now　with　the　scales　dropped　from　his　eyes；　saw　the　Negroes；　not　in　misrule；　not　in　tumult；　not　as　if　frantically　concerned　for　Don　Benito；　but　with　mask　tom　away；　flourishing　hatchets　and　knives；　in　ferocious　piratical　revolt。