- end_line
- 4601
- extracted_at
- 2026-01-30T07:57:55.409Z
- extracted_by
- structure-extraction-lambda
- start_line
- 4541
- text
- 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 unharmed in the light. As he saw his trim ship lying peacefully
at 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 charmed eye and ear took in all these, with the chained figure
of the black, 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 harboring them even for a moment, he should, by
implication, have betrayed an atheist 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,
withdrawing 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 towards the gangway; while still,
as if full of kindly contrition, Don Benito would not let go the hand
of Captain Delano, but retained it in his, across the black’s body.
- title
- Chunk 26