benito cereno-第20章

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lack　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。　Like　delirious　black　dervishes；　the　six　Ashantees　danced　on　the　poop。　Prevented　by　their　foes　from　springing　into　the　water；　the　Spanish　boys　were　hurrying　up　to　the　topmost　spars；　while　such　of　the　few　Spanish　sailors；　not　already　in　the　sea；　less　alert；　were　descried；　helplessly　mixed　in；　on　deck；　with　the　blacks。　　　　　Meantime　Captain　Delano　hailed　his　own　vessel；　ordering　the　ports　up；　and　the　guns　run　out。　But　by　this　time　the　cable　of　the　San　Dominick　had　been　cut；　and　the　fag…end；　in　lashing　out；　whipped　away　the　canvas　shroud　about　the　beak；　suddenly　revealing；　as　the　bleached　hull　swung　round　toward　the　open　ocean；　death　for　the　figurehead；　in　a　human　skeleton；　chalky　comment　on　the　chalked　words　below；　〃Follow　your　leader。〃　　　　　At　the　sight；　Don　Benito；　covering　his　face；　wailed　out：　〃'Tis　he；　Aranda！　my　murdered；　unburied　friend！〃　　　　　Upon　reaching　the　sealer；　calling　for　ropes；　Captain　Delano　bound　the　Negro；　who　made　no　resistance；　and　had　him　hoisted　to　the　deck。　He　would　then　have　assisted　the　now　almost　helpless　Don　Benito　up　the　side；　but　Don　Benito；　wan　as　he　was；　refused　to　move；　or　be　moved；　until　the　Negro　should　have　been　first　put　below　out　of　view。　When；　presently　assured　that　it　was　done；　he　no　more　shrank　from　the　ascent。　　　　　The　boat　was　immediately　despatched　back　to　pick　up　the　three　swimming　sailors。　Meantime；　the　guns　were　in　readiness；　though；　owing　to　the　San　Dominick　having　glided　somewhat　astern　of　the　sealer；　only　the　aftermost　one　could　be　brought　to　bear。　With　this；　they　fired　six　times；　thinking　to　cripple　the　fugitive　ship　by　bringing　down　her　spars。　But　only　a　few　inconsiderable　ropes　were　shot　away。　Soon　the　ship　was　beyond　the　guns'　range；　steering　broad　out　of　the　bay；　the　blacks　thickly　clustering　round　the　bowsprit；　one　moment　with　taunting　cries　toward　the　whites；　the　next　with　up…thrown　gestures　hailing　the　now　dusky　expanse　of　ocean…　cawing　crows　escaped　from　the　hand　of　the　fowler。　　　　　The　first　impulse　was　to　slip　the　cables　and　give　chase。　But；　upon　second　thought；　to　pursue　with　whale…boat　and　yawl　seemed　more　promising。　　　　　Upon　inquiring　of　Don　Benito　what　firearms　they　had　on　board　the　San　Dominick；　Captain　Delano　was　answered　that　they　had　none　that　could　be　used；　because；　in　the　earlier　stages　of　the　mutiny；　a　cabin…passenger；　since　dead；　had　secretly　put　out　of　order　the　locks　of　what　few　muskets　there　were。　But　with　all　his　remaining　strength；　Don　Benito　entreated　the　American　not　to　give　chase；　either　with　ship　or　boat；　for　the　Negroes　had　already　proved　themselves　such　desperadoes；　that；　in　case　of　a　present　assault；　nothing　but　a　total　massacre　of　the　whites　could　be　looked　for。　But；　regarding　this　warning　as　coming　from　one　whose　spirit　had　been　crushed　by　misery；　the　American　did　not　give　up　his　design。　　　　　The　boats　were　got　ready　and　armed。　Captain　Delano　ordered　twenty…five　men　into　them。　He　was　going　himself　when　Don　Benito　grasped　his　arm。　〃What！　have　you　saved　my　life；　Senor；　and　are　you　now　going　to　throw　away　your　own？〃　　　　　The　officers　also；　for　reasons　connected　with　their　interests　and　those　of　the　voyage；　and　a　duty　owing　to　the　owners；　strongly　objected　against　their　commander's　going。　Weighing　their　remonstrances　a　moment；　Captain　Delano　felt　bound　to　remain；　appointing　his　chief　mate…　an　athletic　and　resolute　man；　who　had　been　a　privateer's　man；　and；　as　his　enemies　whispered；　a　pirate…　to　head　the　party。　The　more　to　encourage　the　sailors；　they　were　told；　that　the　Spanish　captain　considered　his　ship　as　good　as　lost；　that　she　and　her　cargo；　including　some　gold　and　silver；　were　worth　upwards　of　ten　thousand　doubloons。　Take　her；　and　no　small　part　should　be　theirs。　The　sailors　replied　with　a　shout。　　　　　The　fugitives　had　now　almost　gained　an　offing。　It　was　nearly　night；　but　the　moon　was　rising。　After　hard；　prolonged　pulling；　the　boats　came　up　on　the　ship's　quarters；　at　a　suitable　distance　laying　upon　their　oars　to　discharge　their　muskets。　Having　no　bullets　to　return；　the　Negroes　sent　their　yells。　But；　upon　the　second　volley；　Indian…like；　they　hurtled　their　hatchets。　One　took　off　a　sailor's　fingers。　Another　struck　the　whale…boat's　bow；　cutting　off　the　rope　there；　and　remaining　stuck　in　the　gunwale；　like　a　woodman's　axe。　Snatching　it；　quivering　from　its　lodgment；　the　mate　hurled　it　back。　The　returned　gauntlet　now　stuck　in　the　ship's　broken　quarter…gallery；　and　so　remained。　　　　　The　Negroes　giving　too　hot　a　reception；　the　whites　kept　a　more　respectful　distance。　Hovering　now　just　out　of　reach　of　the　hurtling　hatchets；　they；　with　a　view　to　the　close　encounter　which　must　soon　come；　sought　to　decoy　the　blacks　into　entirely　disarming　themselves　of　their　most　murderous　weapons　in　a　hand…to…hand　fight；　by　foolishly　flinging　them；　as　missiles；　short　of　the　mark；　into　the　sea。　But　ere　long　perceiving　the　stratagem；　the　Negroes　desisted；　though　not　before　many　of　them　had　to　replace　their　lost　hatchets　with　handspikes；　an　exchange　which；　as　counted　upon；　proved　in　the　end　favourable　to　the　assailants。　　　　　Meantime；　with　a　strong　wind；　the　ship　still　clove　the　water；