benito cereno-第6章

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ommand　but　the　name。　　　　　〃I　should　think；　Don　Benito；〃　he　now　said；　glancing　toward　the　oakum…picker　who　had　sought　to　interfere　with　the　boys；　〃that　you　would　find　it　advantageous　to　keep　all　your　blacks　employed；　especially　the　younger　ones；　no　matter　at　what　useless　task；　and　no　matter　what　happens　to　the　ship。　Why；　even　with　my　little　band；　I　find　such　a　course　indispensable。　I　once　kept　a　crew　on　my　quarterdeck　thrumming　mats　for　my　cabin；　when；　for　three　days；　I　had　given　up　my　ship…　mats；　men；　and　all…　for　a　speedy　loss；　owing　to　the　violence　of　a　gale　in　which　we　could　do　nothing　but　helplessly　drive　before　it。〃　　　　　〃Doubtless；　doubtless；〃　muttered　Don　Benito。　　　　　〃But；〃　continued　Captain　Delano；　again　glancing　upon　the　oakum…pickers　and　then　at　the　hatchet…polishers；　near　by；　〃I　see　you　keep　some　at　least　of　your　host　employed。〃　　　　　〃Yes；〃　was　again　the　vacant　response。　　　　　〃Those　old　men　there；　shaking　their　pows　from　their　pulpits；〃　continued　Captain　Delano；　pointing　to　the　oakum…pickers；　〃seem　to　act　the　part　of　old　dominies　to　the　rest；　little　heeded　as　their　admonitions　are　at　times。　Is　this　voluntary　on　their　part；　Don　Benito；　or　have　you　appointed　them　shepherds　to　your　flock　of　black　sheep？〃　　　　　〃What　posts　they　fill；　I　appointed　them；〃　rejoined　the　Spaniard　in　an　acrid　tone；　as　if　resenting　some　supposed　satiric　reflection。　　　　　〃And　these　others；　these　Ashantee　conjurors　here；〃　continued　Captain　Delano；　rather　uneasily　eyeing　the　brandished　steel　of　the　hatchet…polishers；　where　in　spots　it　had　been　brought　to　a　shine；　〃this　seems　a　curious　business　they　are　at；　Don　Benito？〃　　　　　〃In　the　gales　we　met；〃　answered　the　Spaniard；　〃what　of　our　general　cargo　was　not　thrown　overboard　was　much　damaged　by　the　brine。　Since　coming　into　calm　weather；　I　have　had　several　cases　of　knives　and　hatchets　daily　brought　up　for　overhauling　and　cleaning。〃　　　　　〃A　prudent　idea；　Don　Benito。　You　are　part　owner　of　ship　and　cargo；　I　presume；　but　not　of　the　slaves；　perhaps？〃　　　　　〃I　am　owner　of　all　you　see；〃　impatiently　returned　Don　Benito；　〃except　the　main　company　of　blacks；　who　belonged　to　my　late　friend；　Alexandro　Aranda。〃　　　　　As　he　mentioned　this　name；　his　air　was　heart…broken；　his　knees　shook；　his　servant　supported　him。　　　　　Thinking　he　divined　the　cause　of　such　unusual　emotion；　to　confirm　his　surmise；　Captain　Delano；　after　a　pause；　said；　〃And　may　I　ask；　Don　Benito；　whether…　since　awhile　ago　you　spoke　of　some　cabin　passengers…　the　friend；　whose　loss　so　afflicts　you；　at　the　outset　of　the　voyage　accompanied　his　blacks？〃　　　　　〃Yes。〃　　　　　〃But　died　of　the　fever？〃　　　　　〃Died　of　the　fever。…　Oh；　could　I　but…〃　　　　　Again　quivering；　the　Spaniard　paused。　　　　　〃Pardon　me；〃　said　Captain　Delano　slowly；　〃but　I　think　that；　by　a　sympathetic　experience；　I　conjecture；　Don　Benito；　what　it　is　that　gives　the　keener　edge　to　your　grief。　It　was　once　my　hard　fortune　to　lose　at　sea　a　dear　friend；　my　own　brother；　then　supercargo。　Assured　of　the　welfare　of　his　spirit；　its　departure　I　could　have　borne　like　a　man；　but　that　honest　eye；　that　honest　hand…　both　of　which　had　so　often　met　mine…　and　that　warm　heart；　all；　all…　like　scraps　to　the　dogs…　to　throw　all　to　the　sharks！　It　was　then　I　vowed　never　to　have　for　fellow…voyager　a　man　I　loved；　unless；　unbeknown　to　him；　I　had　provided　every　requisite；　in　case　of　a　fatality；　for　embalming　his　mortal　part　for　interment　on　shore。　Were　your　friend's　remains　now　on　board　this　ship；　Don　Benito；　not　thus　strangely　would　the　mention　of　his　name　affect　you。〃　　　　　〃On　board　this　ship？〃　echoed　the　Spaniard。　Then；　with　horrified　gestures；　as　directed　against　some　spectre；　he　unconsciously　fell　into　the　ready　arms　of　his　attendant；　who；　with　a　silent　appeal　toward　Captain　Delano；　seemed　beseeching　him　not　again　to　broach　a　theme　so　unspeakably　distressing　to　his　master。　　　　　This　poor　fellow　now；　thought　the　pained　American；　is　the　victim　of　that　sad　superstition　which　associates　goblins　with　the　deserted　body　of　man；　as　ghosts　with　an　abandoned　house。　How　unlike　are　we　made！　What　to　me；　in　like　case；　would　have　been　a　solemn　satisfaction；　the　bare　suggestion；　even；　terrifies　the　Spaniard　into　this　trance。　Poor　Alexandro　Aranda！　what　would　you　say　could　you　see　your　friend…　who；　on　former　voyages；　when　you　for　months　were　left　behind；　has；　I　dare　say；　often　longed；　and　longed；　for　one　peep　at　you…　now　transported　with　terror　at　the　least　thought　of　having　you　anyway　nigh　him。　　　　　At　this　moment；　with　a　dreary　graveyard　toll；　betokening　a　flaw；　the　ship's　forecastle　bell；　smote　by　one　of　the　grizzled　oakum…pickers；　proclaimed　ten　o'clock　through　the　leaden　calm；　when　Captain　Delano's　attention　was　caught　by　the　moving　figure　of　a　gigantic　black；　emerging　from　the　general　crowd　below；　and　slowly　advancing　toward　the　elevated　poop。　An　iron　collar　was　about　his　neck；　from　which　depended　a　chain；　thrice　wound　round　his　body；　the　terminating　links　padlocked　together　at　a　broad　band　of　iron；　his　girdle。　　　　　〃How　like　a　mute　Atufal　moves；〃　murmured　the　servant。　　　　　The　black　mounted　the　steps　of　the　poop；　and；　like　a　brave　prisoner；　brought　up　to　receive　sentence；　stood　in　unquailing　muteness　before　Don　Benito；　now　recovered　from　his　attack。　　　　　At　the　first　glimpse　of　his　approach；　Don　Benito　had　started；　a　resentful　shadow　swept　over　his　face；　and；　as　with　the　sudden　memory　of　bootless　rage；　his　white　lips　glued　together。　　　　　This　is　some　mulish　mutineer；　thought　Captain　Delano；　surveying；　not　without　a　mixture　of　admiration；　the　colossal　form　of　the　Negro。　　　　　〃See；　he　waits　your　question；　master；〃　said　the　servant。　　　　　Thus　reminded；　Don　Benito；　nervously　averting　his　glance；　as　if　shunning；　by　anticipation；　some　rebellious　response；　in　a　disconcerted　voice；　thus　spoke：　　　　　〃Atufal；　will　you　ask　my　pardon　now？〃　　　　　The　black　was　silent。　　　　　〃Again；　master；〃　murmured　the　servant；　with　bitter　upbraiding　eyeing　his　countryman。　〃Again；　master；　he　will　bend　to　master　yet。〃　　　　　〃Answer；〃　said　Don　Benito；　still　averting　his　glance；　〃say　but　the　one　word　pardon；　and　your　chains　shall　be　off。〃　　　　　Upon　this；　the　black；　slowly　raising　both　arms；　let　them　lifelessly　fall；　his　links　clanking；　his　head　bowed；　as　much　as　to　say；　〃No；　I　am　content。〃　　　　　〃Go；〃　said　Don　Benito；　with　inkept　and　unknown　emotion。　　　　　Deliberately　as　he　had　come；　the　black　obeyed。　　　　　〃Excuse　me；　Don　Benito；〃　said　Captain　Delano；　〃but　this　scene　surprises　me；　what　means　it；　pray？〃　　　　　〃It　means　that　that　Negro　alone；　of　all　the　band；　has　given　me　peculiar　cause　of　offence。　I　have　put　him　in　chains；　I…〃　　　　　Here　he　paused；　his　hand　to　his　head；　as　if　there　were　a　swimming　there；　or　a　sudden　bewilderment　of　memory　had　come　over　him；　but　meeting　his　servant's　kindly　glance　seemed　reassured；　and　proceeded：　　　　　〃I　could　not　scourge　such　a　form。　But　I　told　him　he　must　ask　my　pardon。　As　yet　he　has　not。　At　my　command；　every　two　hours　he　stands　before　me。〃　　　　　〃And　how　long　has　this　been？〃　　　　　〃Some　sixty　days。〃　　　　　〃And　obedient　in　all　else？　And　respectful？〃　　　　　〃Yes。〃　　　　　〃Upon　my　conscience；　then；〃　exclaimed　Captain　Delano；　impulsively；　〃he　has　a　royal　spirit　in　him；　this　fellow。〃　　　　　〃He　may　have　some　right　to　it；〃　bitterly　returned　Don　Benito；　〃he　says　he　was　king　in　his　own　land。〃　　　　　〃Yes；〃