benito cereno- 第13部分

ng　as　to　present　no　handle　for　retort。　　　　　He　is　like　one　flayed　alive；　thought　Captain　Delano；　where　may　one　touch　him　without　causing　a　shrink？　　　　　The　servant　moved　before　his　master；　adjusting　a　cushion；　recalled　to　civility；　the　Spaniard　stiffly　replied：　〃You　are　right。　The　slave　appears　where　you　saw　him；　according　to　my　command；　which　is；　that　if　at　the　given　hour　I　am　below；　he　must　take　his　stand　and　abide　my　coming。〃　　　　　〃Ah　now；　pardon　me；　but　that　is　treating　the　poor　fellow　like　an　ex…king　denied。　Ah；　Don　Benito；〃　smiling；　〃for　all　the　license　you　permit　in　some　things；　I　fear　lest；　at　bottom；　you　are　a　bitter　hard　master。〃　　　　　Again　Don　Benito　shrank；　and　this　time；　as　the　good　sailor　thought；　from　a　genuine　twinge　of　his　conscience。　　　　　Conversation　now　became　constrained。　In　vain　Captain　Delano　called　attention　to　the　now　perceptible　motion　of　the　keel　gently　cleaving　the　sea；　with　lack…lustre　eye；　Don　Benito　returned　words　few　and　reserved。　　　　　By…and…by；　the　wind　having　steadily　risen；　and　still　blowing　right　into　the　harbour；　bore　the　San　Dominick　swiftly　on。　Rounding　a　point　of　land；　the　sealer　at　distance　came　into　open　view。　　　　　Meantime　Captain　Delano　had　again　repaired　to　the　deck；　remaining　there　some　time。　Having　at　last　altered　the　ship's　course；　so　as　to　give　the　reef　a　wide　berth；　he　returned　for　a　few　moments　below。　　　　　I　will　cheer　up　my　poor　friend；　this　time；　thought　he。　　　　　〃Better　and　better；　Don　Benito；〃　he　cried　as　he　blithely　re…entered；　〃there　will　soon　be　an　end　to　your　cares；　at　least　for　awhile。　For　when；　after　a　long；　sad　voyage；　you　know；　the　anchor　drops　into　the　haven；　all　its　vast　weight　seems　lifted　from　the　captain's　heart。　We　are　getting　on　famously；　Don　Benito。　My　ship　is　in　sight。　Look　through　this　side…light　here；　there　she　is；　all　a…taunt…o！　The　Bachelor's　Delight；　my　good　friend。　Ah；　how　this　wind　braces　one　up。　Come；　you　must　take　a　cup　of　coffee　with　me　this　evening。　My　old　steward　will　give　you　as　fine　a　cup　as　ever　any　sultan　tasted。　What　say　you；　Don　Benito；　will　you？〃　　　　　At　first；　the　Spaniard　glanced　feverishly　up；　casting　a　longing　look　toward　the　sealer；　while　with　mute　concern　his　servant　gazed　into　his　face。　Suddenly　the　old　ague　of　coldness　returned；　and　dropping　back　to　his　cushions　he　was　silent。　　　　　〃You　do　not　answer。　Come；　all　day　you　have　been　my　host；　would　you　have　hospitality　all　on　one　side？〃　　　　　〃I　cannot　go；〃　was　the　response。　　　　　〃What？　it　will　not　fatigue　you。　The　ships　will　lie　together　as　near　as　they　can；　without　swinging　foul。　It　will　be　little　more　than　stepping　from　deck　to　deck；　which　is　but　as　from　room　to　room。　Come；　come；　you　must　not　refuse　me。〃　　　　　〃I　cannot　go；〃　decisively　and　repulsively　repeated　Don　Benito。　　　　　Renouncing　all　but　the　last　appearance　of　courtesy；　with　a　sort　of　cadaverous　sullenness；　and　biting　his　thin　nails　to　the　quick；　he　glanced；　almost　glared；　at　his　guest；　as　if　impatient　that　a　stranger's　presence　should　interfere　with　the　full　indulgence　of　his　morbid　hour。　Meantime　the　sound　of　the　parted　waters　came　more　and　more　gurglingly　and　merrily　in　at　the　windows；　as　reproaching　him　for　his　dark　spleen；　as　telling　him　that；　sulk　as　he　might；　and　go　mad　with　it；　nature　cared　not　a　jot；　since；　whose　fault　was　it；　pray？　But　the　foul　mood　was　now　at　its　depth；　as　the　fair　wind　at　its　height。　　　　　There　was　something　in　the　man　so　far　beyond　any　mere　unsociality　or　sourness　previously　evinced；　that　even　the　forbearing　good…nature　of　his　guest　could　no　longer　endure　it。　Wholly　at　a　loss　to　account　for　such　demeanour；　and　deeming　sickness　with　eccentricity；　however　extreme；　no　adequate　excuse；　well　satisfied；　too；　that　nothing　in　his　own　conduct　could　justify　it；　Captain　Delano's　pride　began　to　be　roused。　Himself　became　reserved。　But　all　seemed　one　to　the　Spaniard。　Quitting　him；　therefore；　Captain　Delano　once　more　went　to　the　deck。　　　　　The　ship　was　now　within　less　than　two　miles　of　the　sealer。　The　whale…boat　was　seen　darting　over　the　interval。　　　　　To　be　brief；　the　two　vessels；　thanks　to　the　pilot's　skill；　ere　long　in　neighbourly　style　lay　anchored　together。　　　　　Before　returning　to　his　own　vessel；　Captain　Delano　had　intended　communicating　to　Don　Benito　the　practical　details　of　the　proposed　services　to　be　rendered。　But；　as　it　was；　unwilling　anew　to　subject　himself　to　rebuffs；　he　resolved；　now　that　he　had　seen　the　San　Dominick　safely　moored；　immediately　to　quit　her；　without　further　allusion　to　hospitality　or　business。　Indefinitely　postponing　his　ulterior　plans；　he　would　regulate　his　future　actions　according　to　future　circumstances。　His　boat　was　ready　to　receive　him；　but　his　host　still　tarried　below。　Well；　thought　Captain　Delano；　if　he　has　little　breeding；　the　more　need　to　show　mine。　He　descended　to　the　cabin　to　bid　a　ceremonious；　and；　it　may　be；　tacitly　rebukeful　adieu。　But　to　his　great　satisfaction；　Don　Benito；　as　if　he　began　to　feel　the　weight　of　that　treatment　with　which　his　slighted　guest　had；　not　indecorously；　retaliated　upon　him；　now　supported　by　his　servant；　rose　to　his　feet；　and　grasping　Captain　Delano's　hand；　stood　tremulous；　too　much　agitated　to　speak。　But　the　good　augury　hence　drawn　was　suddenly　dashed；　by　his　resuming　all　his　previous　reserve；　with　augmented　gloom；　as；　with　half…averted　eyes；　he　silently　reseated　himself　on　his　cushions。　With　a　corresponding　return　of　his　own　chilled　feelings；　Captain　Delano　bowed　and　withdrew。　　　　　He　was　hardly　midway　in　the　narrow　corridor；　dim　as　a　tunnel；　leading　from　the　cabin　to　the　stairs；　when　a　sound；　as　of　the　tolling　for　execution　in　some　jail…yard；　fell　on　his　ears。　It　was　the　echo　of　the　ship's　flawed　bell；　striking　the　hour；　drearily　reverberated　in　this　subterranean　vault。　Instantly；　by　a　fatality　not　to　be　withstood；　his　mind；　responsive　to　the　portent；　swarmed　with　superstitious　suspicions。　He　paused。　In　images　far　swifter　than　these　sentences；　the　minutest　details　of　all　his　former　distrusts　swept　through　him。　　　　　Hitherto；　credulous　good…nature　had　been　too　ready　to　furnish　excuses　for　reasonable　fears。　Why　was　the　Spaniard；　so　superfluously　punctilious　at　times；　now　heedless　of　common　propriety　in　not　accompanying　to　the　side　his　departing　guest？　Did　indisposition　forbid？　Indisposition　had　not　forbidden　more　irksome　exertion　that　day。　His　last　equivocal　demeanour　recurred。　He　had　risen　to　his　feet；　grasped　his　guest's　hand；　motioned　toward　his　hat；　then；　in　an　instant；　all　was　eclipsed　in　sinister　muteness　and　gloom。　Did　this　imply　one　brief；　repentant　relenting　at　the　final　moment；　from　some　iniquitous　plot；　followed　by　remorseless　return　to　it？　His　last　glance　seemed　to　express　a　calamitous；　yet　acquiescent　farewell　to　Captain　Delano　for　ever。　Why　decline　the　invitation　to　visit　the　sealer　that　evening？　Or　was　the　Spaniard　less　hardened　than　the　Jew；　who　refrained　not　from　supping　at　the　board　of　him　whom　the　same　night　he　meant　to　betray？　What　imported　all　those　day…long　enigmas　and　contradictions；　except　they　were　intended　to　mystify；　preliminary　to　some　stealthy　blow？　Atufal；　the　pretended　rebel；　but　punctual　shadow；　that　moment　lurked　by　the　threshold　without。　He　seemed　a　sentry；　and　more。　Who；　by　his　own　confession；　had　stationed　him　there？　Was　the　Negro　now　lying　in　wait？　　　　　The　Spaniard　behind…　his　creature　before：　to　rush　from　darkness　to　light　was　the　involuntary　choice。　　　　　The　next　moment；　with　clenched　jaw　and　hand；　he　passed　Atufal；　and　stood　unarmed　in　the　light。　As　he　saw　his　trim　ship　lying　peacefully　at　her　anchor；　and　almost　within　ordinary　call；　as　he　saw　his　household　boat；　with　familiar　faces　in　it；　patiently　rising　and　falling　on　the　short　waves　by　the　San　Dominick's　side；　and　then；　glancing　about　the　decks　where　he　stood；　saw　the　oakum…pickers　still　gravely　plying　their　fingers；　and　heard　the　low；　buzzing　whistle　and　industrious　hum　of　the　hatchet…polishers；　still　bestirring　themselves　over　their　endless　occupation；　and　more　than　all；　as　he　saw　the　benign　aspect　of　Nature；　taking　her　innocent　repose　in　the　evening；　the　screened　sun　in　the　quiet　camp　of　the　west　shining　out　like　the　mild　light　from　Abraham's　tent；　as　his　charmed　eye　and　ear　took　in　all　these；　with　the　chained　figure　of　the　black；　the　clenched　jaw　and　hand　relaxed。　Once　again　he　smiled　at　the　phantoms　which　had　mocked　him；　and　felt　something　like　a　tinge　of　remorse；　that；　by　indulging　them　even　for　a　moment；　he　should；　by　implication；　have　betrayed　an　almost　atheistic　doubt　of　the　ever…watchful　Providence　above。　　　　　There　was　a　few　minutes'　delay；　while；　in　obedience　to　his　orders；　the　boat　was　being　hooked　along　to　the　gangway。　During　this　interval；　a　sort　of　saddened　satisfaction　stole　over　Captain　Delano；　at　thinking　of　the　kindly　offices　he　had　that　day　discharged　for　a　stranger。　Ah；　thought　he；　after　good　actions　one's　conscience　is　never　ungrateful；　however　much　so　the　benefited　party　may　be。　　　　　Presently；　his　foot；　in　the　first　act　of　descent　into　the　boat；　pressed　the　first　round　of　the　side…ladder；　his　face　presented　inward　upon　the　deck。　In　the　same　moment；　he　heard　his　name　courteously　sounded；　and；　to　his　pleased　surprise；　saw　Don　Benito　advancing…　an　unwonted　energy　in　his　air；　as　if；　at　the　last　moment；　intent　upon　making　amends　for　his　recent　discourtesy。　With　instinctive　good　feeling；　Captain　Delano；　revoking　his　foot；　turned　and　reciprocally　advanced。　As　he　did　so；　the　Spaniard's　nervous　eagerness　increased；　but　his　vital　energy　failed；　so　that；　the　better　to　support　him；　the　servant；　placing　his　master's　hand　on　his　naked　shoulder；　and　gently　holding　it　there；　formed　himself　into　a　sort　of　crutch。　　　　　When　the　two　captains　met；　the　Spaniard　again　fervently　took　the　hand　of　the　American；　at　the　same　time　casting　an　earnest　glance　into　his　eyes；　but；　as　before；　too　much　overcome　to　speak。　　　　　I　have　done　him　wrong；　self…reproachfully　thought　Captain　Delano；　his　apparent　coldness　has　deceived　me；　in　no　instance　has　he　meant　to　offend。　　　　　Meantime；　as　if　fearful　that　the　continuance　of　the　scene　might　too　much　unstring　his　master；　the　servant　seemed　anxious　to　terminate　it。　And　so；　still　presenting　himself　as　a　crutch；　and　walking　between　the　two　captains；　he　advanced　with　them　toward　the　gangway；　while　still；　as　if　full　of　kindly　contrition；　Don　Benito　would　not　let　go