benito cereno-第14章

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sation。　　　　　〃Then　if　master　means　to　talk　more　to　Don　Amasa；〃　said　the　servant；　〃why　not　let　Don　Amasa　sit　by　master　in　the　cuddy；　and　master　can　talk；　and　Don　Amasa　can　listen；　while　Babo　here　lathers　and　strops。〃　　　　　〃Yes；〃　said　Captain　Delano；　not　unpleased　with　this　sociable　plan；　〃yes；　Don　Benito；　unless　you　had　rather　not；　I　will　go　with　you。〃　　　　　〃Be　it　so；　Senor。〃　　　　　As　the　three　passed　aft；　the　American　could　not　but　think　it　another　strange　instance　of　his　host's　capriciousness；　this　being　shaved　with　such　uncommon　punctuality　in　the　middle　of　the　day。　But　he　deemed　it　more　than　likely　that　the　servant's　anxious　fidelity　had　something　to　do　with　the　matter；　inasmuch　as　the　timely　interruption　served　to　rally　his　master　from　the　mood　which　had　evidently　been　coming　upon　him。　　　　　The　place　called　the　cuddy　was　a　light　deck…cabin　formed　by　the　poop；　a　sort　of　attic　to　the　large　cabin　below。　Part　of　it　had　formerly　been　the　quarters　of　the　officers；　but　since　their　death　all　the　partitionings　had　been　thrown　down；　and　the　whole　interior　converted　into　one　spacious　and　airy　marine　hall；　for　absence　of　fine　furniture　and　picturesque　disarray；　of　odd　appurtenances；　somewhat　answering　to　the　wide；　cluttered　hall　of　some　eccentric　bachelor　squire　in　the　country；　who　hangs　his　shooting…jacket　and　tobacco…pouch　on　deer　antlers；　and　keeps　his　fishing…rod；　tongs；　and　walking…stick　in　the　same　corner。　　　　　The　similitude　was　heightened；　if　not　originally　suggested；　by　glimpses　of　the　surrounding　sea；　since；　in　one　aspect；　the　country　and　the　ocean　seem　cousins…german。　　　　　The　floor　of　the　cuddy　was　matted。　Overhead；　four　or　five　old　muskets　were　stuck　into　horizontal　holes　along　the　beams。　On　one　side　was　a　claw…footed　old　table　lashed　to　the　deck；　a　thumbed　missal　on　it；　and　over　it　a　small；　meagre　crucifix　attached　to　the　bulkhead。　Under　the　table　lay　a　dented　cutlass　or　two；　with　a　hacked　harpoon；　among　some　melancholy　old　rigging；　like　a　heap　of　poor　friar's　girdles。　There　were　also　two　long；　sharp…ribbed　settees　of　malacca　cane；　black　with　age；　and　uncomfortable　to　look　at　as　inquisitors'　racks；　with　a　large；　misshapen　arm…chair；　which；　furnished　with　a　rude　barber's　crutch　at　the　back；　working　with　a　screw；　seemed　some　grotesque　Middle　Age　engine　of　torment。　A　flag　locker　was　in　one　corner；　exposing　various　coloured　bunting；　some　rolled　up；　others　half　unrolled；　still　others　tumbled。　Opposite　was　a　cumbrous　washstand；　of　black　mahogany；　all　of　one　block；　with　a　pedestal；　like　a　font；　and　over　it　a　railed　shelf；　containing　combs；　brushes；　and　other　implements　of　the　toilet。　A　tom　hammock　of　stained　grass　swung　near；　the　sheets　tossed；　and　the　pillow　wrinkled　up　like　a　brow；　as　if　whoever　slept　here　slept　but　illy；　with　alternate　visitations　of　sad　thoughts　and　bad　dreams。　　　　　The　further　extremity　of　the　cuddy；　overhanging　the　ship's　stern；　was　pierced　with　three　openings；　windows　or　port…holes；　according　as　men　or　cannon　might　peer；　socially　or　unsocially；　out　of　them。　At　present　neither　men　nor　cannon　were　seen；　though　huge　ring…bolts　and　other　rusty　iron　fixtures　of　the　wood…work　hinted　of　twenty…four…pounders。　　　　　Glancing　toward　the　hammock　as　he　entered；　Captain　Delano　said；　〃You　sleep　here；　Don　Benito？〃　　　　　〃Yes；　Senor；　since　we　got　into　mild　weather。〃　　　　　〃This　seems　a　sort　of　dormitory；　sitting…room；　sail…loft；　chapel；　armoury；　and　private　closet　together；　Don　Benito；〃　added　Captain　Delano；　looking　around。　　　　　〃Yes；　Senor；　events　have　not　been　favourable　to　much　order　in　my　arrangements。〃　　　　　Here　the　servant；　napkin　on　arm；　made　a　motion　as　if　waiting　his　master's　good　pleasure。　Don　Benito　signified　his　readiness；　when；　seating　him　in　the　malacca　arm…chair；　and　for　the　guest's　convenience　drawing　opposite　it　one　of　the　settees；　the　servant　commenced　operations　by　throwing　back　his　master's　collar　and　loosening　his　cravat。　　　　　There　is　something　in　the　Negro　which；　in　a　peculiar　way；　fits　him　for　avocations　about　one's　person。　Most　Negroes　are　natural　valets　and　hair…dressers；　taking　to　the　comb　and　brush　congenially　as　to　the　castanets；　and　flourishing　them　apparently　with　almost　equal　satisfaction。　There　is；　too；　a　smooth　tact　about　them　in　this　employment；　with　a　marvellous；　noiseless；　gliding　briskness；　not　ungraceful　in　its　way；　singularly　pleasing　to　behold；　and　still　more　so　to　be　the　manipulated　subject　of。　And　above　all　is　the　great　gift　of　good　humour。　Not　the　mere　grin　or　laugh　is　here　meant。　Those　were　unsuitable。　But　a　certain　easy　cheerfulness；　harmonious　in　every　glance　and　gesture；　as　though　God　had　set　the　whole　Negro　to　some　pleasant　tune。　　　　　When　to　all　this　is　added　the　docility　arising　from　the　unaspiring　contentment　of　a　limited　mind；　and　that　susceptibility　of　blind　attachment　sometimes　inhering　in　indisputable　inferiors；　one　readily　perceives　why　those　hypochondriacs；　Johnson　and　Byron…　it　may　be　something　like　the　hypochondriac；　Benito　Cereno…　took　to　their　hearts；　almost　to　the　exclusion　of　the　entire　white　race；　their　serving　men；　the　Negroes；　Barber　and　Fletcher。　But　if　there　be　that　in　the　Negro　which　exempts　him　from　the　inflicted　sourness　of　the　morbid　or　cynical　mind；　how；　in　his　most　prepossessing　aspects；　must　he　appear　to　a　benevolent　one？　When　at　ease　with　respect　to　exterior　things；　Captain　Delano's　nature　was　not　only　benign；　but　familiarly　and　humorously　so。　At　home；　he　had　often　taken　rare　satisfaction　in　sitting　in　his　door；　watching　some　free　man　of　colour　at　his　work　or　play。　If　on　a　voyage　he　chanced　to　have　a　black　sailor；　invariably　he　was　on　chatty；　and　half…gamesome　terms　with　him。　In　fact；　like　most　men　of　a　good；　blithe　heart；　Captain　Delano　took　to　Negroes；　not　philanthropically；　but　genially；　just　as　other　men　to　Newfoundland　dogs。　　　　　Hitherto　the　circumstances　in　which　he　found　the　San　Dominick　had　repressed　the　tendency。　But　in　the　cuddy；　relieved　from　his　former　uneasiness；　and；　for　various　reasons；　more　sociably　inclined　than　at　any　previous　period　of　the　day；　and　seeing　the　coloured　servant；　napkin　on　arm；　so　debonair　about　his　master；　in　a　business　so　familiar　as　that　of　shaving；　too；　all　his　old　weakness　for　Negroes　returned。　　　　　Among　other　things；　he　was　amused　with　an　odd　instance　of　the　African　love　of　bright　colours　and　fine　shows；　in　the　black's　informally　taking　from　the　flag…locker　a　great　piece　of　bunting　of　all　hues；　and　lavishly　tucking　it　under　his　master's　chin　for　an　apron。　　　　　The　mode　of　shaving　among　the　Spaniards　is　a　little　different　from　what　it　is　with　other　nations。　They　have　a　basin；　specially　called　a　barber's　basin；　which　on　one　side　is　scooped　out；　so　as　accurately　to　receive　the　chin；　against　which　it　is　closely　held　in　lathering；　which　is　done；　not　with　a　brush；　but　with　soap　dipped　in　the　water　of　the　basin　and　rubbed　on　the　face。　　　　　In　the　present　instance　salt…water　was　used　for　lack　of　better；　and　the　parts　lathered　were　only　the　upper　lip；　and　low　down　under　the　throat；　all　the　rest　being　cultivated　beard。　　　　　These　preliminaries　being　somewhat　novel　to　Captain　Delano　he　sat　curiously　eyeing　them；　so　that　no　conversation　took　place；　nor　for　the　present　did　Don　Benito　appear　disposed　to　renew　any。　　　　　Setting　down　his　basin；　the