benito cereno- 第11部分

master　knows　I　never　yet　have　drawn　blood；　though　it's　true；　if　master　will　shake　so；　I　may　some　of　these　times。　Now；　master；〃　he　continued。　〃And　now；　Don　Amasa；　please　go　on　with　your　talk　about　the　gale；　and　all　that；　master　can　hear；　and　between　times　master　can　answer。〃　　　　　〃Ah　yes；　these　gales；〃　said　Captain　Delano；　〃but　the　more　I　think　of　your　voyage；　Don　Benito；　the　more　I　wonder；　not　at　the　gales；　terrible　as　they　must　have　been；　but　at　the　disastrous　interval　following　them。　For　here；　by　your　account；　have　you　been　these　two　months　and　more　getting　from　Cape　Horn　to　St。　Maria；　a　distance　which　I　myself；　with　a　good　wind；　have　sailed　in　a　few　days。　True；　you　had　calms；　and　long　ones；　but　to　be　becalmed　for　two　months；　that　is；　at　least；　unusual。　Why；　Don　Benito；　had　almost　any　other　gentleman　told　me　such　a　story；　I　should　have　been　half　disposed　to　a　little　incredulity。〃　　　　　Here　an　involuntary　expression　came　over　the　Spaniard；　similar　to　that　just　before　on　the　deck；　and　whether　it　was　the　start　he　gave；　or　a　sudden　gawky　roll　of　the　hull　in　the　calm；　or　a　momentary　unsteadiness　of　the　servant's　hand；　however　it　was；　just　then　the　razor　drew　blood；　spots　of　which　stained　the　creamy　lather　under　the　throat；　immediately　the　black　barber　drew　back　his　steel；　and　remaining　in　his　professional　attitude；　back　to　Captain　Delano；　and　face　to　Don　Benito；　held　up　the　trickling　razor；　saying；　with　a　sort　of　half　humorous　sorrow；　〃See；　master；…　you　shook　so…　here's　Babo's　first　blood。〃　　　　　No　sword　drawn　before　James　the　First　of　England；　no　assassination　in　that　timid　King's　presence；　could　have　produced　a　more　terrified　aspect　than　was　now　presented　by　Don　Benito。　　　　　Poor　fellow；　thought　Captain　Delano；　so　nervous　he　can't　even　bear　the　sight　of　barber's　blood；　and　this　unstrung；　sick　man；　is　it　credible　that　I　should　have　imagined　he　meant　to　spill　all　my　blood；　who　can't　endure　the　sight　of　one　little　drop　of　his　own？　Surely；　Amasa　Delano；　you　have　been　beside　yourself　this　day。　Tell　it　not　when　you　get　home；　sappy　Amasa。　Well；　well；　he　looks　like　a　murderer；　doesn't　he？　More　like　as　if　himself　were　to　be　done　for。　Well；　well；　this　day's　experience　shall　be　a　good　lesson。　　　　　Meantime；　while　these　things　were　running　through　the　honest　seaman's　mind；　the　servant　had　taken　the　napkin　from　his　arm；　and　to　Don　Benito　had　said：　〃But　answer　Don　Amasa；　please；　master；　while　I　wipe　this　ugly　stuff　off　the　razor；　and　strop　it　again。〃　　　　　As　he　said　the　words；　his　face　was　turned　half　round；　so　as　to　be　alike　visible　to　the　Spaniard　and　the　American；　and　seemed　by　its　expression　to　hint；　that　he　was　desirous；　by　getting　his　master　to　go　on　with　the　conversation；　considerately　to　withdraw　his　attention　from　the　recent　annoying　accident。　As　if　glad　to　snatch　the　offered　relief；　Don　Benito　resumed；　rehearsing　to　Captain　Delano；　that　not　only　were　the　calms　of　unusual　duration；　but　the　ship　had　fallen　in　with　obstinate　currents　and　other　things　he　added；　some　of　which　were　but　repetitions　of　former　statements；　to　explain　how　it　came　to　pass　that　the　passage　from　Cape　Horn　to　St。　Maria　had　been　so　exceedingly　long；　now　and　then　mingling　with　his　words；　incidental　praises；　less　qualified　than　before；　to　the　blacks；　for　their　general　good　conduct。　　　　　These　particulars　were　not　given　consecutively；　the　servant　now　and　then　using　his　razor；　and　so；　between　the　intervals　of　shaving；　the　story　and　panegyric　went　on　with　more　than　usual　huskiness。　　　　　To　Captain　Delano's　imagination；　now　again　not　wholly　at　rest；　there　was　something　so　hollow　in　the　Spaniard's　manner；　with　apparently　some　reciprocal　hollowness　in　the　servant's　dusky　comment　of　silence；　that　the　idea　flashed　across　him；　that　possibly　master　and　man；　for　some　unknown　purpose；　were　acting　out；　both　in　word　and　deed；　nay；　to　the　very　tremor　of　Don　Benito's　limbs；　some　juggling　play　before　him。　Neither　did　the　suspicion　of　collusion　lack　apparent　support；　from　the　fact　of　those　whispered　conferences　before　mentioned。　But　then；　what　could　be　the　object　of　enacting　this　play　of　the　barber　before　him？　At　last；　regarding　the　notion　as　a　whimsy；　insensibly　suggested；　perhaps；　by　the　theatrical　aspect　of　Don　Benito　in　his　harlequin　ensign；　Captain　Delano　speedily　banished　it。　　　　　The　shaving　over；　the　servant　bestirred　himself　with　a　small　bottle　of　scented　waters；　pouring　a　few　drops　on　the　head；　and　then　diligently　rubbing；　the　vehemence　of　the　exercise　causing　the　muscles　of　his　face　to　twitch　rather　strangely。　　　　　His　next　operation　was　with　comb；　scissors　and　brush；　going　round　and　round；　smoothing　a　curl　here；　clipping　an　unruly　whisker…hair　there；　giving　a　graceful　sweep　to　the　temple…lock；　with　other　impromptu　touches　evincing　the　hand　of　a　master；　while；　like　any　resigned　gentleman　in　barber's　hands；　Don　Benito　bore　all；　much　less　uneasily；　at　least；　than　he　had　done　the　razoring；　indeed；　he　sat　so　pale　and　rigid　now；　that　the　Negro　seemed　a　Nubian　sculptor　finishing　off　a　white　statue…head。　　　　　All　being　over　at　last；　the　standard　of　Spain　removed；　tumbled　up；　and　tossed　back　into　the　flag…locker；　the　Negro's　warm　breath　blowing　away　any　stray　hair　which　might　have　lodged　down　his　master's　neck；　collar　and　cravat　readjusted；　a　speck　of　lint　whisked　off　the　velvet　lapel；　all　this　being　done；　backing　off　a　little　space；　and　pausing　with　an　expression　of　subdued　self…complacency；　the　servant　for　a　moment　surveyed　his　master；　as；　in　toilet　at　least；　the　creature　of　his　own　tasteful　hands。　　　　　Captain　Delano　playfully　complimented　him　upon　his　achievement；　at　the　same　time　congratulating　Don　Benito。　　　　　But　neither　sweet　waters；　nor　shampooing；　nor　fidelity；　nor　sociality；　delighted　the　Spaniard。　Seeing　him　relapsing　into　forbidding　gloom；　and　still　remaining　seated；　Captain　Delano；　thinking　that　his　presence　was　undesired　just　then；　withdrew；　on　pretence　of　seeing　whether；　as　he　had　prophesied；　any　signs　of　a　breeze　were　visible。　　　　　Walking　forward　to　the　mainmast；　he　stood　awhile　thinking　over　the　scene；　and　not　without　some　undefined　misgivings；　when　he　heard　a　noise　near　the　cuddy；　and　turning；　saw　the　Negro；　his　hand　to　his　cheek。　Advancing；　Captain　Delano　perceived　that　the　cheek　was　bleeding。　He　was　about　to　ask　the　cause；　when　the　Negro's　wailing　soliloquy　enlightened　him。　　　　　〃Ah；　when　will　master　get　better　from　his　sickness；　only　the　sour　heart　that　sour　sickness　breeds　made　him　serve　Babo　so；　cutting　Babo　with　the　razor；　because；　only　by　accident；　Babo　had　given　master　one　little　scratch；　and　for　the　first　time　in　so　many　a　day；　too。　Ah；　ah；　ah；〃　holding　his　hand　to　his　face。　　　　　Is　it　possible；　thought　Captain　Delano；　was　it　to　wreak　in　private　his　Spanish　spite　against　this　poor　friend　of　his；　that　Don　Benito；　by　his　sullen　manner；　impelled　me　to　withdraw？　Ah；　this　slavery　breeds　ugly　passions　in　man！　Poor　fellow！　　　　　He　was　about　to　speak　in　sympathy　to　the　Negro；　but　with　a　timid　reluctance　he　now　re…entered　the　cuddy。　　　　　Presently　master　and　man　came　forth；　Don　Benito　leaning　on　his　servant　as　if　nothing　had　happened。　　　　　But　a　sort　of　love…quarrel；　after　all；　thought　Captain　Delano。　　　　　He　accosted　Don　Benito；　and　they　slowly　walked　together。　They　had　gone　but　a　few　paces；　when　the　steward…a　tall；　rajah…looking　mulatto；　orientally　set　off　with　a　pagoda　turban　formed　by　three　or　four　Madras　handkerchiefs　wound　about　his　head；　tier　on　tier…　approaching　with　a　salaam；　announced　lunch　in　the　cabin。　　　　　On　their　way　thither；　the　two　captains　were　preceded　by　the　mulatto；　who；　turning　round　as　he　advanced；　with　continual　smiles　and　bows；　ushered　them　in；　a　display　of　elegance　which　quite　completed　the　insignificance　of　the　small　bare…headed　Babo；　who；　as　if　not　unconscious　of　inferiority；　eyed　askance　the　graceful　steward。　But　in　part；　Captain　Delano　imputed　his　jealous　watchfulness　to　that　peculiar　feeling　which　the　full…blooded　African　entertains　for　the　adulterated　one。　As　for　the　steward；　his　manner；　if　not　bespeaking　much　dignity　of　self…respect；　yet　evidenced　his　extreme　desire　to　please；　which　is　doubly　meritorious；　as　at　once　Christian　and　Chesterfieldian。　　　　　Captain　Delano　observed　with　interest　that　while　the　complexion　of　the　mulatto　was　hybrid；　his　physiognomy　was　European；　classically　so。　　　　　〃Don　Benito；〃　whispered　he；　〃I　am　glad　to　see　this　usher…of…the…golden…rod　of　yours；　the　sight　refutes　an　ugly　remark　once　made　to　me　by　a　Barbados　planter　that　when　a　mulatto　has　a　regular　European　face；　look　out　for　him；　he　is　a　devil。　But　see；　your　steward　here　has　features　more　regular　than　King　George's　of　England；　and　yet　there　he　nods；　and　bows；　and　smiles；　a　king；　indeed…　the　king　of　kind　hearts　and　polite　fellows。　What　a　pleasant　voice　he　has；　too？〃　　　　　〃He　has；　Senor。〃　　　　　〃But；　tell　me；　has　he　not；　so　far　as　you　have　known　him；　always　proved　a　good；　worthy　fellow？〃　said　Captain　Delano；　pausing；　while　with　a　final　genuflexion　the　steward　disappeared　into　the　cabin；　〃come；　for　the　reason　just　mentioned；　I　am　curious　to　know。〃　　　　　〃Francesco　is　a　good　man；〃　rather　sluggishly　responded　Don　Benito；　like　a　phlegmatic　appreciator；　who　would　neither　find　fault　nor　flatter。　　　　　〃Ah；　I　thought　so。　For　it　were　strange　indeed；　and　not　very　creditable　to　us　white…skins；　if　a　little　of　our　blood　mixed　with　the　African's；　should；　far　from　improving　the　latter's　quality；　have　the　sad　effect　of　pouring　vitriolic　acid　into　black　broth；　improving　the　hue；　perhaps；　but　not　the　wholesomeness。〃　　　　　〃Doubtless；　doubtless；　Senor；　but〃…　glancing　at　Babo…　〃not　to　speak　of　Negroes；　your　planter's　remark　I　have　heard　applied　to　the　Spanish　and　Indian　intermixtures　in　our　provinces。　But　I　know　nothing　about　the　matter；〃　he　listlessly　added。　　　　　And　here　they　entered　the　cabin。　　　　　The　lunch　was　a　frugal　one。　Some　of　Captain　Delano's　fresh　fish　and　pumpkins；　biscuit　and　salt　beef；　the　reserved　bottle　of　cider；　and　the　San　Dominick's　last　bottle　of　Canary。　　　　　As　they　entered；　Francesco；　with　two　or　three　coloured　aides；　was　hovering　over　the　table　giving　the　last　adjustments。　Upon　perceiving　their　master　they　withdrew；　Francesco　making　a　smiling　conge；　and　the　Spaniard；　without　condescending　to　notice　it；　fastidiously　remarking　to　his　companion　that　he　relished　not　superfluous　attendance。　　　　　Withou