benito cereno-第6章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
eive 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；〃 said the servant； entering a word； 〃those slits in Atufal's ears once held wedges of gold； but poor Babo here； in his own land； was only a poor slave； a black man's slave was Babo； who now is the white's。〃 Somewhat annoyed by these conversational familiarities； Captain Delano turned curiously upon the attendant； then glanced inquiringly at his master； but； as if long wonted to these little informalities； neither master nor man seemed to understand him。 〃What； pray； was Atufal's offence； Don Benito？〃 asked Captain Delano； 〃if it was not something very serious； take a fool's advice； and； in view of his general docility； as well as in some natural respect for his spirit； remit his penalty。〃 〃No； no； master never will do that；〃 here murmured the servant to himself； 〃proud Atufal must first ask master's pardon。 The slave there carries the padlock； but master here carries the key。〃 His attention thus directed； Captain Delano now noticed for the first time that； suspended by a slender silken cord； from Don Benito's neck hung a key。 At once； from the servant's muttered syllables divining the key's purpose； he smiled and said： 〃So； Don Benito… padlock and key… significant symbols； truly。〃 Biting his lip； Don Benito faltered。 Though the remark of Captain Delano； a man of such native simplicity as to be incapable of satire or irony； had been dropped in playful allusion to the Spaniard's singularly evidenced lordship over the black； yet the hypochondriac seemed in some way to have taken it as a malicious reflection upon his confessed inability thus far to break down； at least； on a verbal summons； the entrenched will of the slave。 Deploring this supposed misconception； yet despairing of correcting it； Captain Delano shifted the subject； but finding his companion more than ever withdrawn； as if still slowly digesting the lees of the presumed affront above…mentioned； by…and…by Captain Delano likewise became less talkative； oppressed； against his own will； by what seemed the secret vindictiveness of the morbidly sensitive Spaniard。 But the good sailor himself； of a quite contrary disposition； refrained； on his part； alike from the appearance as from the feeling of resentment； and if silent； was only so from contagion。 Presently the Spaniard； assisted by his servant； somewhat discourteously crossed over from Captain Delano； a procedure which； sensibly enough； might have been allowed to pass for idle caprice of ill…humour； had not master and man； lingering round the corner of the elevated skylight； begun whispering together in low voices。 This was unpleasing。 And more： the moody air of the Spaniard； which at times had not been without a sort of valetudinarian stateliness； now seemed anything but dignified； while the menial familiarity of the servant lost its original charm of simple…hearted attachment。 In his embarrassment； the visitor turned his face to the other side of the ship。 By so doing； his glance accidentally fell on a young Spanish sailor； a coil of rope in his hand； just stepped from the deck to the first round of the mizzen…rigging。 Perhaps the man would not have been particularly noticed； were it not that； during his ascent to one of the yards； he； with a sort of covert intentness； kept his eye fixed on Captain Delano； from whom； presently； it passed； as if by a natural sequence； to the two whisperers。 His own attention thus redirected to that quarter； Captain Delano gave a slight start。 From something in Don Benito's manner just then； it seemed as if the visitor had； at least partly； been the subject of the withdrawn consultation going on… a conjecture as little agreeable to the guest as it was little flattering to the host。 The singular alternations of courtesy and ill…breeding in the Spanish captain were unaccountable； except on one of two suppositions… innocent lunacy； or wicked imposture。 But the first idea； though it might naturally have occurred to an indifferent observer； and； in some respects； had not hitherto been wholly a stranger to Captain Delano's mind； yet； now that； in an incipient way； he began to regard the stranger's conduct something in the light of an intentional affront； of course the idea of lunacy was virtually vacated。 But if not a lunatic； what then？ Under the circumstances； would a gentleman； nay； any honest boor； act the part now acted by his host？ The man was an impostor。 Some lowborn adventurer； masquerading as an oceanic grandee； yet so ignorant of the first requisites of mere gentlemanhood as to be betrayed into the present remarkable indecorum。 That strange ceremoniousness； too； at other times evinced； seemed not uncharacteristic of one playing a part above his real level。 Benito Cereno… Don Benito Cereno… a sounding name。 One； too； at that period； not unknown； in the surname； to supercargoes and sea captains trading along the Spanish Main； as belonging to one of the most enterprising and extensive mercantile families in all those provinces； several members of it having titles； a sort of Castilian Rothschild； with a noble brother； or cousin； in every great trading town of South America。 The alleged Don Benito was in early manhood； about twenty…nine or thirty。 To assume a sort of roving cadetship in the maritime affairs of such a house； what more likely scheme for a young knave of talent and spirit？ But the Spaniard was a pale invalid。 Never mind。 For even to the degree of simulating mortal disease； the craft of some tricksters had been known to attain。 To think that； under the aspect of infantile weakness； the most savage energies might be couched… those velvets of the Spaniard but the velvet paw to his fangs。 From no train of thought did these fancies come； not from within； but from without； suddenly； too； and in one throng； like hoar frost； yet as soon to vanish as the mild sun of Captain Delano's good…nature regained its meridian。 Glancing over once again toward Don Benito… whose side…face； revealed above the skylight； was now turned toward him… Captain Delano was struck by the profile； whose clearness of cut was refined by the thinness incident
