benito cereno-第5章

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en　bounds　at　their　pleasure。〃　　　　　Once　more　the　faintness　returned…　his　mind　roved…　but；　recovering；　he　resumed：　　　　　〃But　it　is　Babo　here　to　whom；　under　God；　I　owe　not　only　my　own　preservation；　but　likewise　to　him；　chiefly；　the　merit　is　due；　of　pacifying　his　more　ignorant　brethren；　when　at　intervals　tempted　to　murmurings。〃　　　　　〃Ah；　master；〃　sighed　the　black；　bowing　his　face；　〃don't　speak　of　me；　Babo　is　nothing；　what　Babo　has　done　was　but　duty。〃　　　　　〃Faithful　fellow！〃　cried　Captain　Delano。　〃Don　Benito；　I　envy　you　such　a　friend；　slave　I　cannot　call　him。〃　　　　　As　master　and　man　stood　before　him；　the　black　upholding　the　white；　Captain　Delano　could　not　but　bethink　him　of　the　beauty　of　that　relationship　which　could　present　such　a　spectacle　of　fidelity　on　the　one　hand　and　confidence　on　the　other。　The　scene　was　heightened　by　the　contrast　in　dress；　denoting　their　relative　positions。　The　Spaniard　wore　a　loose　Chili　jacket　of　dark　velvet；　white　small　clothes　and　stockings；　with　silver　buckles　at　the　knee　and　instep；　a　high…crowned　sombrero；　of　fine　grass；　a　slender　sword；　silver　mounted；　hung　from　a　knot　in　his　sash；　the　last　being　an　almost　invariable　adjunct；　more　for　utility　than　ornament；　of　a　South　American　gentleman's　dress　to　this　hour。　Excepting　when　his　occasional　nervous　contortions　brought　about　disarray；　there　was　a　certain　precision　in　his　attire；　curiously　at　variance　with　the　unsightly　disorder　around；　especially　in　the　belittered　Ghetto；　forward　of　the　main…mast；　wholly　occupied　by　the　blacks。　　　　　The　servant　wore　nothing　but　wide　trousers；　apparently；　from　their　coarseness　and　patches；　made　out　of　some　old　top…sail；　they　were　clean；　and　confined　at　the　waist　by　a　bit　of　unstranded　rope；　which；　with　his　composed；　deprecatory　air　at　times；　made　him　look　something　like　a　begging　friar　of　St。　Francis。　　　　　However　unsuitable　for　the　time　and　place；　at　least　in　the　blunt　thinking　American's　eyes；　and　however　strangely　surviving　in　the　midst　of　all　his　afflictions；　the　toilette　of　Don　Benito　might　not；　in　fashion　at　least；　have　gone　beyond　the　style　of　the　day　among　South　Americans　of　his　class。　Though　on　the　present　voyage　sailing　from　Buenos　Ayres；　he　had　avowed　himself　a　native　and　resident　of　Chili；　whose　inhabitants　had　not　so　generally　adopted　the　plain　coat　and　once　plebeian　pantaloons；　but；　with　a　becoming　modification；　adhered　to　their　provincial　costume；　picturesque　as　any　in　the　world。　Still；　relatively　to　the　pale　history　of　the　voyage；　and　his　own　pale　face；　there　seemed　something　so　incongruous　in　the　Spaniard's　apparel；　as　almost　to　suggest　the　image　of　an　invalid　courtier　tottering　about　London　streets　in　the　time　of　the　plague。　　　　　The　portion　of　the　narrative　which；　perhaps；　most　excited　interest；　as　well　as　some　surprise；　considering　the　latitudes　in　question；　was　the　long　calms　spoken　of；　and　more　particularly　the　ship's　so　long　drifting　about。　Without　communicating　the　opinion；　of　course；　the　American　could　not　but　impute　at　least　part　of　the　detentions　both　to　clumsy　seamanship　and　faulty　navigation。　Eyeing　Don　Benito's　small；　yellow　hands；　he　easily　inferred　that　the　young　captain　had　not　got　into　command　at　the　hawse…hole　but　the　cabin…window；　and　if　so；　why　wonder　at　incompetence；　in　youth；　sickness；　and　aristocracy　united？　Such　was　his　democratic　conclusion。　　　　　But　drowning　criticism　in　compassion；　after　a　fresh　repetition　of　his　sympathies；　Captain　Delano　having　heard　out　his　story；　not　only　engaged；　as　in　the　first　place；　to　see　Don　Benito　and　his　people　supplied　in　their　immediate　bodily　needs；　but；　also；　now　further　promised　to　assist　him　in　procuring　a　large　permanent　supply　of　water；　as　well　as　some　sails　and　rigging；　and；　though　it　would　involve　no　small　embarrassment　to　himself；　yet　he　would　spare　three　of　his　best　seamen　for　temporary　deck　officers；　so　that　without　delay　the　ship　might　proceed　to　Concepcion；　there　fully　to　refit　for　Lima；　her　destined　port。　　　　　Such　generosity　was　not　without　its　effect；　even　upon　the　invalid。　His　face　lighted　up；　eager　and　hectic；　he　met　the　honest　glance　of　his　visitor。　With　gratitude　he　seemed　overcome。　　　　　〃This　excitement　is　bad　for　master；〃　whispered　the　servant；　taking　his　arm；　and　with　soothing　words　gently　drawing　him　aside。　　　　　When　Don　Benito　returned；　the　American　was　pained　to　observe　that　his　hopefulness；　like　the　sudden　kindling　in　his　cheek；　was　but　febrile　and　transient。　　　　　Ere　long；　with　a　joyless　mien；　looking　up　toward　the　poop；　the　host　invited　his　guest　to　accompany　him　there；　for　the　benefit　of　what　little　breath　of　wind　might　be　stirring。　　　　　As　during　the　telling　of　the　story；　Captain　Delano　had　once　or　twice　started　at　the　occasional　cymballing　of　the　hatchet…polishers；　wondering　why　such　an　interruption　should　be　allowed；　especially　in　that　part　of　the　ship；　and　in　the　ears　of　an　invalid；　and；　moreover；　as　the　hatchets　had　anything　but　an　attractive　look；　and　the　handlers　of　them　still　less　so；　it　was；　therefore；　to　tell　the　truth；　not　without　some　lurking　reluctance；　or　even　shrinking；　it　may　be；　that　Captain　Delano；　with　apparent　complaisance；　acquiesced　in　his　host's　invitation。　The　more　so；　since　with　an　untimely　caprice　of　punctilio；　rendered　distressing　by　his　cadaverous　aspect；　Don　Benito；　with　Castilian　bows；　solemnly　insisted　upon　his　guest's　preceding　him　up　the　ladder　leading　to　the　elevation；　where；　one　on　each　side　of　the　last　step；　sat　four　armorial　supporters　and　sentries；　two　of　the　ominous　file。　Gingerly　enough　stepped　good　Captain　Delano　between　them；　and　in　the　instant　of　leaving　them　behind；　like　one　running　the　gauntlet；　he　felt　an　apprehensive　twitch　in　the　calves　of　his　legs。　　　　　But　when；　facing　about；　he　saw　the　whole　file；　like　so　many　organ…grinders；　still　stupidly　intent　on　their　work；　unmindful　of　everything　beside；　he　could　not　but　smile　at　his　late　fidgeting　panic。　　　　　Presently；　while　standing　with　Don　Benito；　looking　forward　upon　the　decks　below；　he　was　struck　by　one　of　those　instances　of　insubordination　previously　alluded　to。　Three　black　boys；　with　two　Spanish　boys；　were　sitting　together　on　the　hatches；　scraping　a　rude　wooden　platter；　in　which　some　scanty　mess　had　recently　been　cooked。　Suddenly；　one　of　the　black　boys；　enraged　at　a　word　dropped　by　one　of　his　white　companions；　seized　a　knife；　and　though　called　to　forbear　by　one　of　the　oakum…pickers；　struck　the　lad　over　the　head；　inflicting　a　gash　from　which　blood　flowed。　　　　　In　amazement；　Captain　Delano　inquired　what　this　meant。　To　which　the　pale　Benito　dully　muttered；　that　it　was　merely　the　sport　of　the　lad。　　　　　〃Pretty　serious　sport；　truly；〃　rejoined　Captain　Delano。　〃Had　such　a　thing　happened　on　board　the　Bachelor's　Delight；　instant　punishment　would　have　followed。〃　　　　　At　these　words　the　Spaniard　turned　upon　the　American　one　of　his　sudden；　staring；　half…lunatic　looks；　then；　relapsing　into　his　torpor；　answered；　〃Doubtless；　doubtless；　Senor。〃　　　　　Is　it；　thought　Captain　Delano；　that　this　helpless　man　is　one　of　those　paper　captains　I've　known；　who　by　policy　wink　at　what　by　power　they　cannot　put　down？　I　know　no　sadder　sight　than　a　commander　who　has　little　of　command　but　the　name。　　　　　〃I　should　think；　Don　Benito；〃　he　now　said；　glancing　toward　the　oakum…picker