Benito Cereno

Captain Delano is pacing the poop deck when Cereno, still supported by Babo, approaches him and begins questioning him about his ship. Cereno seeks information regarding the number of men on the Bachelor’s Delight, whether Delano’s crew intends to stay aboard tonight, and whether they are armed. Once he has the answers he sought, Cereno goes back to whispering with Babo. Delano, once again unsettled by the captain’s demeanor, notes that he and Babo have “the air of conspirators” (40). Delano lightheartedly remarks that Babo seems more like a privy counselor than an enslaved man. Babo responds with a grin, but Cereno coldly asserts his trust in Babo.

Delano walks off from the two and catches sight of a young Spanish sailor concealing a glittering object. This arouses Delano’s suspicion, as he wonders whether the man stole something and thinks back to Cereno’s strange behavior. The idea that the ship might be a pirate vessel crosses Delano’s mind, and he questions the veracity of Cereno’s narrative. However, he dismisses the idea as too far-fetched, unable to fathom that every person on the ship could be part of an elaborate deception.