VOA慢速英語:《貝尼托·塞萊諾》第二章，赫爾曼·麥爾維爾著

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Today, we continue the story "Benito Cereno." It was written by Herman Melville.

Last week, we told how African slaves on a Spanishship rebelled in seventeen ninety-nine. They killed mostof the Spanish sailors. Only the captain, Benito Cereno, and a few others were left alive.

The leader of the rebellion was a slave named Babo. He ordered Captain Cereno to sail the ship back toSenegal, the slaves' homeland. But food and waterwere low. So the ship stopped at an island off the coastof Chile to get the needed supplies.

When it arrived, an American ship was in the harbor. The American captain, Amoso Delano, thought theSpanish ship might be in trouble. He would offer help.

Babo decided to remain close to Captain Cereno andact as if he were the captain's slave. Babo would killhim if he told Captain Delano the truth about whathappened.

Now, here is Shep O'Neal to continue our story.

Actors in Benito Cereno

As Captain Delano came up in his whale boat, he sawthat the other ship needed scraping, tarring andbrushing. It looked old and decayed. He climbed upthe side and came aboard. He was quickly surroundedby a crowd of black men. Captain Delano lookedaround for the man who commanded the ship. TheSpanish captain stood a little away off against the mainmast. He was young looking, richly dressed butseemed troubled and tired with the spirit gone out ofhim. He looked unhappily toward his Americanvisitor. At the Spanish's captain side stood a smallblack man with a rough face.

Captain Delano struggled forward through the crowd,went up to the Spaniard and greeted him. He offered tohelp him in any way he could. Captain Benito Cerenoreturned the American's greeting politely, but withoutwarmth. Captain Delano pushed his way back throughthe crowd to the gangway. He told his men to go andbring back as much water as they could, also bread,pumpkins, sugar and a dozen of his private bottles of cider. The whale boatpushed off.

Left alone, Captain Delano again observed with fresh surprise the generaldisorder aboard the ship. Some of the men were fighting. There were no deckofficers to discipline or control the violent ones. And everyone seemed to doas he pleased. Captain Delano could not fully understand how this could havehappened. What could explain such a break down of order andresponsibility? He asked Don Benito to give him the full story of his ship'smisfortunes. Don Benito did not answer. He just kept looking at his Americanvisitor as if he heard nothing.

This angered Captain Delano, who suddenly turned away and walked forwardto one of the Spanish seamen for his answer. But he had hardly gone fivesteps when Don Benito called him back. "It is now a hundred and ninetydays," Don Benito began, "that the ship sailed from Buenos Aires for Limawith a general cargo. Pedigree, tea, and the like, and a number of Negros,now not more than a hundred and fifty as you see, but then numbering overthree hundred souls. The ship was officered and well-manned, with severalcabin passengers. Some fifty Spaniards in all.

Off Cape Horn we had heavy gales." Captain Cereno coughed suddenly andalmost collapsed. He fell heavily against his body servant. "His mindwanders," said Babo. "He was thinking of the disease that followed thegales. My poor, poor master. Be patient señor, these attacks do not last long.Master will soon be himself."

Don Benito recovered, and in a broken voice continued his story. "My shipwas tossed about many days in storms off Cape Horn. And then there was an outbreak of scurvy. The disease carried off many whites and blacks. Mostof my surviving seaman had become so sick that they could not handle thesails well. For days and nights we could not control the ship. It was blownnorth-westward. The wind suddenly left us in unknown waters withoppressive hot calms. Most of our water was gone.

And we suffered terribly, especially after a deadly fever broke out among us.Whole families of blacks and many Spaniards, including every officer butmyself, were killed by the disease."

Don Benito paused. He looked down at the black manat his side. Babo seemed satisfied. The Spanishcaptain saw him take his hand from the knife hiddenunder his shirt.

Captain Delano saw nothing. His mind was filled withthe terrible tale he had just heard. Now he couldunderstand why the other captain seemed so shaken. He took Don Benito's hand and promised to give him allthe help possible. He would give him a largepermanent supply of water, and some sailsand equipment for sailing the ship. And he alsopromised to let Don Benito have three of his bestseamen for temporary deck officers. In this way, the San Dominick couldwithout delay start for Concepcion. There the ship could be fixed andprepared for its voyage to Lima.

Don Benito's face lighted up. He seemed excited by Captain Delano'sgenerous offer. But, Babo appeared troubled. "This excitement is bad formaster," Babo whispered, taking Don Benito's arm and with soothing wordsgently drawing him aside. When Don Benito returned, Captain Delanoobserved that his excitement was gone.

Captain Delano decided to talk of other matters. But the Spanish captainshowed no further interest. He answered Captain Delano's questions withsharp words and suddenly with an angry movement he walked back to Babo.

Captain Delano watched the two men whispering together in low voices. Itmade an ugly picture, which Captain Delano found so extremely unpleasantthat he turned his face to the other side of the ship. Their actions made Delanosuspicious of Captain Cereno. He began to wonder about him. His behavior.His coughing attacks. His weakness. His empty wild looks. Was he really halfmad or a faker playing a part? One moment Captain Delano had the worstsuspicions of Don Benito. But the next he would feel guilty and ashamed ofhimself for having such doubts about the man.

Presently, Don Benito moved back toward his guest, still supported by hisservant. His pale face twitched. He seemed more nervous than usual. Andthere was a strange tone in his husky whisper as he spoke. "May I ask howmany men you have on board, señor?" Captain Delano became uneasy, butanswered. "About twenty-five all total." "And at present, señor, all on board?" "All on board," Captain Delano answered. "And will be tonight, señor?"

At this last question, Captain Delano looked very seriously at Don Benito, whocould not return the look but dropped his eyes to the deck. Captain Delanocould think of only one reason for such a question. But no, it was foolish tothink that these weak and starving men could have any idea of seizing hisship. But still he remained silent. "And will they be aboard tonight?" Again thequestion from Don Benito. Captain Delano decided to answer truthfully. Someof his men had talked of going off on a fishing party about midnight. And hetold Don Benito this.

As he answered, Captain Delano again looked straight at Don Benito. But theSpanish captain refused to meet his eyes. Then as before, he suddenlywithdrew with his servant. And again the two men began whispering to eachother in low voices. Captain Delano tried to push the worry from his mind. Butwhat were those two strange men discussing? That will be our story nextweek.

You have been listening to American Stories. Your narrator was ShepO'Neal. We invite you to listen again next week for the final part of "BenitoCereno" by Herman Melville.

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Words in This Story

collapse - v. to fall down or become unconscious because you are sick orexhausted

señor - n. a title or form of address used of or to a Spanish-speaking man,corresponding to Mr.or sir.

recover - v. to become healthy after an illness or injury : to return to normalhealth

scurvy - n. a disease that is caused by not eating enough fruits or vegetablesthat contain vitamin C

survive - v. to remain alive; to continue to live

equipment - n. supplies or tools needed for a special purpose

temporary - adj. continuing for a limited amount of time : not permanent

faker - n. a person pretending to be something they are not