benito cereno-第17部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


ery　near　the　American　ship；　Bachelor's　Delight；　which　lay　in　the　same　bay；　commanded　by　the　generous　Captain　Amasa　Delano；　but　at　six　o'clock　in　the　morning；　they　had　already　descried　the　port；　and　the　Negroes　became　uneasy；　as　soon　as　at　distance　they　saw　the　ship；　not　having　expected　to　see　one　there；　that　the　Negro　Babo　pacified　them；　assuring　them　that　no　fear　need　be　had；　that　straightway　he　ordered　the　figure　on　the　bow　to　be　covered　with　canvas；　as　for　repairs；　and　had　the　decks　a　little　set　in　order；　that　for　a　time　the　Negro　Babo　and　the　Negro　Atufal　conferred；　that　the　Negro　Atufal　was　for　sailing　away；　but　the　Negro　Babo　would　not；　and；　by　himself；　cast　about　what　to　do；　that　at　last　he　came　to　the　deponent；　proposing　to　him　to　say　and　do　all　that　the　deponent　declares　to　have　said　and　done　to　the　American　captain；。。。　that　the　Negro　Babo　warned　him　that　if　he　varied　in　the　least；　or　uttered　any　word；　or　gave　any　look　that　should　give　the　least　intimation　of　the　past　events　or　present　state；　he　would　instantly　kill　him；　with　all　his　companions；　showing　a　dagger；　which　he　carried　hid；　saying　something　which；　as　he　understood　it；　meant　that　that　dagger　would　be　alert　as　his　eye；　that　the　Negro　Babo　then　announced　the　plan　to　all　his　companions；　which　pleased　them；　that　he　then；　the　better　to　disguise　the　truth；　devised　many　expedients；　in　some　of　them　uniting　deceit　and　defence；　that　of　this　sort　was　the　device　of　the　six　Ashantees　before　named；　who　were　his　bravos；　that　them　he　stationed　on　the　break　of　the　poop；　as　if　to　clean　certain　hatchets　（in　cases；　which　were　part　of　the　cargo）；　but　in　reality　to　use　them；　and　distribute　them　at　need；　and　at　a　given　word　he　told　them　that；　among　other　devices；　was　the　device　of　presenting　Atufal；　his　right…hand　man；　as　chained；　though　in　a　moment　the　chains　could　be　dropped；　that　in　every　particular　he　informed　the　deponent　what　part　he　was　expected　to　enact　in　every　device；　and　what　story　he　was　to　tell　on　every　occasion；　always　threatening　him　with　instant　death　if　he　varied　in　the　least；　that；　conscious　that　many　of　the　Negroes　would　be　turbulent；　the　Negro　Babo　appointed　the　four　aged　Negroes；　who　were　caulkers；　to　keep　what　domestic　order　they　could　on　the　decks；　that　again　and　again　he　harangued　the　Spaniards　and　his　companions；　informing　them　of　his　intent；　and　of　his　devices；　and　of　the　invented　story　that　this　deponent　was　to　tell；　charging　them　lest　any　of　them　varied　from　that　story；　that　these　arrangements　were　made　and　matured　during　the　interval　of　two　or　three　hours；　between　their　first　sighting　the　ship　and　the　arrival　on　board　of　Captain　Amasa　Delano；　that　this　happened　at　about　half…past　seven　in　the　morning；　Captain　Amasa　Delano　coming　in　his　boat；　and　all　gladly　receiving　him；　that　the　deponent；　as　well　as　he　could　force　himself；　acting　then　the　part　of　principal　owner；　and　a　free　captain　of　the　ship；　told　Captain　Amasa　Delano；　when　called　upon；　that　he　came　from　Buenos　Ayres；　bound　to　Lima；　with　three　hundred　Negroes；　that　off　Cape　Horn；　and　in　a　subsequent　fever；　many　Negroes　had　died；　that　also；　by　similar　casualties；　all　the　sea　officers　and　the　greatest　part　of　the　crew　had　died。

　　　　＇And　so　the　deposition　goes　on；　circumstantially　recounting　the　fictitious　story　dictated　to　the　deponent　by　Babo；　and　through　the　deponent　imposed　upon　Captain　Delano；　and　also　recounting　the　friendly　offers　of　Captain　Delano；　with　other　things；　but　all　of　which　is　here　omitted。　After　the　fictitious；　strange　story；　etc。；　the　deposition　proceeds：＇

　　　　…That　the　generous　Captain　Amasa　Delano　remained　on　board　all　the　day；　till　he　left　the　ship　anchored　at　six　o'clock　in　the　evening；　deponent　speaking　to　him　always　of　his　pretended　misfortunes；　under　the　fore…mentioned　principles；　without　having　had　it　in　his　power　to　tell　a　single　word；　or　give　him　the　least　hint；　that　he　might　know　the　truth　and　state　of　things；　because　the　Negro　Babo；　performing　the　office　of　an　officious　servant　with　all　the　appearance　of　submission　of　the　humble　slave；　did　not　leave　the　deponent　one　moment；　that　this　was　in　order　to　observe　the　deponent's　actions　and　words；　for　the　Negro　Babo　understands　well　the　Spanish；　and　besides；　there　were　thereabout　some　others　who　were　constantly　on　the　watch；　and　likewise　understood　the　Spanish；。。。　that　upon　one　occasion；　while　deponent　was　standing　on　the　deck　conversing　with　Amasa　Delano；　by　a　secret　sign　the　Negro　Babo　drew　him　（the　deponent）　aside；　the　act　appearing　as　if　originating　with　the　deponent；　that　then；　he　being　drawn　aside；　the　Negro　Babo　proposed　to　him　to　gain　from　Amasa　Delano　full　particulars　about　his　ship；　and　crew；　and　arms；　that　the　deponent　asked　〃For　what？〃　that　the　Negro　Babo　answered　he　might　conceive；　that；　grieved　at　the　prospect　of　what　might　overtake　the　generous　Captain　Amasa　Delano；　the　deponent　at　first　refused　to　ask　the　desired　questions；　and　used　every　argument　to　induce　the　Negro　Babo　to　give　up　this　new　design；　that　the　Negro　Babo　showed　the　point　of　his　dagger；　that；　after　the　information　had　been　obtained；　the　Negro　Babo　again　drew　him　aside；　telling　him　that　that　very　night　he　（the　deponent）　would　be　captain　of　two　ships　instead　of　one；　for　that；　great　part　of　the　American's　ship's　crew　being　to　be　absent　fishing；　the　six　Ashantees；　without　any　one　else；　would　easily　take　it；　that　at　this　time　he　said　other　things　to　the　same　purpose；　that　no　entreaties　availed；　that　before　Amasa　Delano's　coming　on　board；　no　hint　had　been　given　touching　the　capture　of　the　American　ship；　that　to　prevent　this　project　the　deponent　was　powerless；。。。　…that　in　some　things　his　memory　is　confused；　he　cannot　distinctly　recall　every　event；。。。　…that　as　soon　as　they　had　cast　anchor　at　six　of　the　clock　in　the　evening；　as　has　before　been　stated；　the　American　captain　took　leave　to　return　to　his　vessel；　that　upon　a　sudden　impulse；　which　the　deponent　believes　to　have　come　from　God　and　his　angels；　he；　after　the　farewell　had　been　said；　followed　the　generous　Captain　Amasa　Delano　as　far　as　the　gunwale；　where　he　stayed；　under　the　pretence　of　taking　leave；　until　Amasa　Delano　should　have　been　seated　in　his　boat；　that　on　shoving　off；　the　deponent　sprang　from　the　gunwale；　into　the　boat；　and　fell　into　it；　he　knows　not　how；　God　guarding　him；　that…

　　　　　＇Here；　in　the　original；　follows　the　account　of　what　further　happened　at　the　escape；　and　how　the　〃San　Dominick〃　was　retaken；　and　of　the　passage　to　the　coast；　including　in　the　recital　many　expressions　of　〃eternal　gratitude〃　to　the　〃generous　Captain　Amasa　Delano。〃　The　deposition　then　proceeds　with　recapitulatory　remarks；　and　a　partial　renumeration　of　the　Negroes；　making　record　of　their　individual　part　in　the　past　events；　with　a　view　to　furnishing；　according　to　command　of　the　court；　the　data　whereon　to　found　the　criminal　sentences　to　be　pronounced。　From　this　portion　is　the　following：＇

　　　　…That　he　believes　that　all　the　Negroes；　though　not　in　the　first　place　knowing　to　the　design　of　revolt；　when　it　was　accomplished；　approved　it。。。。　That　the　Negro；　Jose；　eighteen　years　old；　and　in　the　personal　service　of　Don　Alexandro；　was　the　one　who　communicated　the　information　to　the　Negro　Babo；　about　the　state　of　things　in　the　cabin；　before　the　revolt；　that　this　is　known；　because；　in　the　preceding　midnight；　lie　used　to　come　from　his　berth；　which　was　under　his　master's；　in　the　cabin；　to　the　deck　where　the　ringleader　and　his　associates　were；　and　had　secret　conversations　with　the　Negro　Babo；　in　which　he　was　several　times　seen　by　the　mate；　that；　one　night；　the　mate　drove　him　away　twice；。。。　that　this　same　Negro　Jose；　was　the　one　who；　without　being　commanded　to　do　so　by　the　Negro　Babo；　as　Lecbe　and　Martinqui　were；　stabbed　his　master；　Don　Alexandro；　after　he　had　been　dragged　half…lifeless　to　the　deck；。。。　that　the　mulatto　steward；　Francesco；　was　of　the　first　band　of　revolters；　that　he　was；　in　all　things；　the　creature　and　tool　of　the　Negro　Babo；　that；　to　make　his　court；　he；　just　before　a　repast　in　the　cabin；　proposed；　to　the　Negro　Babo；　poisoning　a　dish　for　the　generous　Captain　Amasa　Delano；　this　is　known　and　believed；　because　the　Negroes　have　said　it；　but　that　the　Negro　Babo；　having　another　design；　forbade　Francesco；。。。　that　the　Ashantee　Lecbe　was　one　of　the　worst　of　them；　for　that；　on　the　day　the　ship　was　retaken；　he　assisted　in　the　defence　of　her；　with　a　hatchet　in　each　hand；　with　one　of　which　he　wounded；　in　the　breast；　the　chief　mate　of　Amasa　Delano；　in　the　first　act　of　boarding；　this　all　knew；　that；　in　sight　of　the　deponent；　Lecbe　struck；　with　a　hatchet；　Don　Francisco　Masa　when；　by　the　Negro　Babo's　orders；　he　was　carrying　him　to　throw　him　overboard；　alive；　beside　participating　in　the　murder；　before　mentioned；　of　Don　Alexandro　Aranda；　and　others　of　the　cabin…passengers；　that；　owing　to　the　fury　with　which　the　Ashantees　fought　in　the　engagement　with　the　boats；　but　this　Lecbe　and　Yan　survived；　that　Yan　was　bad　as　Lecbe；　that　Yan　was　the　man　who；　by　Babo's　command；　willingly　prepared　the　skeleton　of　Don　Alexandro；　in　a　way　the　Negroes　afterwards　told　the　deponent；　but　which　he；　so　long　as　reason　is　left　him；　can　never　divulge；　that　Yan　and　Lecbe　were　the　two　who；　in　a　calm　by　night；　riveted　the　skeleton　to　the　bow；　this　also　the　Negroes　told　him；　that　the　Negro　Babo　was　he　who　traced　the　inscription　below　it；　that　the　Negro　Babo　was　the　plotter　from　first　to　last；　he　ordered　every　murder；　and　was　the　helm　and　keel　of　the　revolt；　that　Atufal　was　his　lieutenant　in　all；　but　Atufal；　with　his　own　hand；　committed　no　murder；　nor　did　the　Negro　Babo；。。。　that　Atufal　was　shot；　being　killed　in　the　fight　with　the　boats；　ere　boarding；。。。　that　the　Negresses；　of　age；　were　knowing　to　the　revolt；　and　testified　themselves　satisfied　at　the　death　of　their　master；　Don　Alexandro；　that；　had　the　Negroes　not　restrained　them；　they　would　have　tortured　to　death；　instead　of　simply　killing；　the　Spaniards　slain　by　command　of　the　Negro　Babo；　that　the　Negresses　used　their　utmost　influence　to　have　the　deponent　made　away　with；　that；　in　the　various　acts　of　murder；　they　sang　songs　and　danced…　not　gaily；　but　solemnly；　and　before　the　engagement　with　the　boats；　as　well　as　during　the　action；　they　sang　melancholy　songs　to　the　Negroes；　and　that　this　melancholy　tone　was　more　inflaming　than　a