e　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something　in　Don　Benito's　manner　just　then；　it　seemed　as　if　the　visitor　had；　at　least　partly；　been　the　subject　of　the　withdrawn　consultation　going　on…　a　conjecture　as　little　agreeable　to　the　guest　as　it　was　little　flattering　to　the　host。　　　　　The　singular　alternations　of　courtesy　and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　to　ill…health；　as　well　as　ennobled　about　the　chin　by　the　beard。　Away　with　suspicion。　He　was　a　true　off…shoot　of　a　true　hidalgo　Cereno。　　　　　Relieved　by　these　and　other　better　thoughts；　the　visitor；　lightly　humming　a　tune；　now　began　indifferently　pacing　the　poop；　so　as　not　to　betray　to　Don　Benito　that　be　had　at　all　mistrusted　incivility；　much　less　duplicity；　for　such　mistrust　would　yet　be　proved　illusory；　and　by　the　event；　though；　for　the　present；　the　circumstance　which　had　provoked　that　distrust　remained　unexplained。　But　when　that　little　mystery　should　have　been　cleared　up；　Captain　Delano　thought　he　might　extremely　regret　it；　did　he　allow　Don　Benito　to　become　aware　that　he　had　indulged　in　ungenerous　surmises。　In　short；　to　the　Spaniard's　black…letter　text；　it　was　best；　for　a　while；　to　leave　open　margin。　　　　　Presently；　his　pale　face　twitching　and　overcast；　the　Spaniard；　still　supported　by　his　attendant；　moved　over　toward　his　guest；　when；　with　even　more　than　usual　embarrassment；　and　a　strange　sort　of　intriguing　intonation　in　his　husky　whisper；　the　following　conversation　began：　　　　　〃Senor；　may　I　ask　how　long　you　have　lain　at　this　isle？〃　　　　　〃Oh；　but　a　day　or　two；　Don　Benito。〃　　　　　〃And　from　what　port　are　you　last？〃　　　　　〃Canton。〃　　　　　〃And　there；　Senor；　you　exchanged　your　seal…skins　for　teas　and　silks；　I　think　you　said？〃　　　　　〃Yes。　Silks；　mostly。〃　　　　　〃And　the　balance　you　took　in　specie；　perhaps？〃　　　　　Captain　Delano；　fidgeting　a　little；　answered…　　　　　〃Yes；　some　silver；　not　a　very　great　deal；　though。〃　　　　　〃Ah…　well。　May　I　ask　how　many　men　have　you　on　board；　Senor？〃　　　　　Captain　Delano　slightly　started；　but　answered：　　　　　〃About　five…and…twenty；　all　told。〃　　　　　〃And　at　present；　Senor；　all　on　board；　I　suppose？〃　　　　　〃All　on　board；　Don　Benito；〃　replied　the　captain　now　with　satisfaction。　　　　　〃And　will　be　to…night；　Senor？〃　　　　　At　this　last　question；　following　so　many　pertinacious　ones；　for　the　soul　of　him　Captain　Delano　could　not　but　look　very　earnestly　at　the　questioner；　who；　instead　of　meeting　the　glance；　with　every　token　of　craven　discomposure　dropped　his　eyes　to　the　deck；　presenting　an　unworthy　contrast　to　his　servant；　who；　just　then；　was　kneeling　at　his　feet　adjusting　a　loose　shoe…buckle；　his　disengaged　face　meantime；　with　humble　curiosity；　turned　openly　up　into　his　master's　downcast　one。　　　　　The　Spaniard；　still　with　a　guilty　shuffle；　repeated　his　question：　　　　　〃And…　and　will　be　to…night；　Senor？〃　　　　　〃Yes；　for　aught　I　know；〃　returned　Captain　Delano；…　〃but　nay；〃　rallying　himself　into　fearless　truth；　〃some　of　them　talked　of　going　off　on　another　fishing　party　about　midnight。〃　　　　　〃Your　ships　generally　go…　go　more　or　less　armed；　I　believe；　Senor？〃　　　　　〃Oh；　a　six…pounder　or　two；　in　case　of　emergency；〃　was　the　intrepidly　indifferent　reply；　〃with　a　small　stock　of　muskets；　sealing…spears；　and　cutlasses；　you　know。〃　　　　　As　he　thus　responded；　Captain　Delano　again　glanced　at　Don　Benito；　but　the　latter's　eyes　were　averted；　while　abruptly　and　awkwardly　shifting　the　subject；　he　made　some　peevish　allusion　to　the　calm；　and　then；　without　apology；　once　more；　with　his　attendant；　withdrew　to　the　opposite　bulwarks；　where　the　whispering　was　resumed。　　　　　At　this　moment；　and　ere　Captain　Delano　could　cast　a　cool　thought　upon　what　had　just　passed；　the　young　Spanish　sailor　before　mentioned　was　seen　descending　from　the　rigging。　In　act　of　stooping　over　to　spring　inboard　to　the　deck；　his　voluminous；　unconfined　frock；　or　shirt；　of　coarse　woollen；　much　spotted　with　tar；　opened　out　far　down　the　chest；　revealing　a　soiled　under…garment　of　what　seemed　the　finest　linen；　edged；　about　the　neck；　with　a　narrow　blue　ribbon；　sadly　faded　and　worn。　At　this　moment　the　young　sailor's　eye　was　again　fixed　on　the　whisperers；　and　Captain　Delano　thought　he　observed　a　lurking　significance　in　it；　as　if　silent　signs　of　some　freemason　sort　had　that　instant　been　interchanged。　　　　　This　once　more　impelled　his　own　glance　in　the　direction　of　Don　Benito；　and；　as　before；　he　could　not　but　infer　that　himself　formed　the　subject　of　the　conference。　He　paused。　The　sound　of　the　hatchet…polishing　fell　on　his　ears。　He　cast　another　swift　side…look　at　the　two。　They　had　the　air　of　conspirators。　In　connection　with　the　late　questionings；　and　the　incident　of　the　young　sailor；　these　things　now　begat　such　return　of　involuntary　suspicion；　that　the　singular　guilelessness　of　the　American　could　not　endure　it。　Plucking　up　a　gay　and　humorous　expression；　he　crossed　over　to　the　two　rapidly；　saying：　〃Ha；　Don　Benito；　your　black　here　seems　high　in　your　trust；　a　sort　of　privy…counsellor；　in　fact。〃　　　　　Upon　this；　the　servant　looked　up　with　a　good…natured　grin；　but　the　master　started　as　from　a　venomous　bite。　It　was　a　moment　or　two　before　the　Spaniard　sufficiently　recovered　himself　to　reply；　which　he　did；　at　last；　with　cold　constraint：　〃Yes；　Senor；　I　have　trust　in　Babo。〃　　　　　Here　Babo；　changing　his　previous　grin　of　mere　animal　humour　into　an　intelligent　smile；　not　ungratefully　eyed　his　master。　　　　　Finding　that　the　Spaniard　now　stood　silent　and　reserved；　as　if　involuntarily；　or　purposely　giving　hint　that　his　guest's　proximity　was　inconvenient　just　then；　Captain　Delano；　unwilling　to　appear　uncivil　even　to　incivility　itself；　made　some　trivial　remark　and　moved　off；　again　and　again　turning　over　in　his　mind　the　mysterious　demeanour　of　Don　Benito　Cereno。　　　　　He　had　descended　from　the　poop；　and；　wrapped　in　thought；　was　passing　near　a　dark　hatchway；　leading　down　into　the　steerage；　when；　perceiving　motion　there；　he　looked　to　see　what　moved。　The　same　instant　there　was　a　sparkle　in　the　shadowy　hatchway；　and　he　saw　one　of　the　Spanish　sailors；　prowling　there；　hurriedly　placing　his　hand　in　the　bosom　of　his　frock；　as　if　hiding　something。　Before　the　man　could　have　been　certain　who　it　was　that　was　passing；　he　slunk　below　out　of　sight。　But　enough　was　seen　of　him　to　make　it　sure　that　he　was　the　same　young　sailor　before　noticed　in　the　rigging。　　　　　What　was　that　which　so　sparkled？　thought　Captain　Delano。　It　was　no　lamp…　no　match…　no　live　coal。　Could　it　have　been　a　jewel？　But　how　come　sailors　with　jewels？…　or　with　silk…trimmed　undershirts　either？　Has　he　been