Bartleby the Scrivener: A Tale of Wall Street

BENITO CERENO 141
Waiting a moment for the Spaniard to relinquish his
hold, the now embarrassed Captain Delano lifted his
foot, to overstep the threshold of the open gangway ;
but still Don Benito would not let go his hand. And
yet, with an agitated tone, he said, '
I can go no further ;
here I must, bid you adieu. Adieu, my dear, dear Don
Amasa. Go— go !
'
suddenly tearing his hand loose,
go, and God guard you better than me, my best
friend.'
Not unaffected, Captain Delano would now have
but catching the meekly admonitory eye of
lingered ;
the servant, with a hasty farewell he descended into his
boat, followed by the continual adieus of Don Benito,
standing rooted in the gangway.
Seating himself in the stern, Captain Delano, making
a last salute, ordered the boat shoved off. The crew
had their oars on end. The bowsmen pushed the boat
a sufficient distance for the oars to be lengthwise
dropped. The instant that was done, Don Benito sprang
over the bulwarks, falling at the feet of Captain Delano ;
at the same time calling toward his ship, but in tones
so frenzied, that none in the boat could understand him.
But, as if not equally obtuse, three sailors, from three I
different and distant parts of the ship, splashed into the \
sea, swimming after their captain, as if intent upon his .
rescue.
The dismayed officer of the boat eagerly
this meant.
asked what
-To which, Captain Delano, turning a disdainful
smile upon the unaccountable Spaniard, answered
that, for his part, he neither knew nor cared ; but it
seemed as if Don Benito had taken it into his head to
produce the impression among his people
that the boat
wanted to kidnap him. ? Or else— give way for your
lives,' he wildly added, starting at a clattering hubbub
in the ship, above which rang the tocsin of the hatchet-