Двенадцать лет рабства

           Itrottedsilentlyattheirhorses’heels,listeningtotheirconversation. FordinformedhimofmyarrivalinthePineWoodsthreedaysbefore,ofthesadplightIwasin,andofthedifficultiesanddangersIhadencountered. 

           "Well,"exclaimedTibeats,omittinghisusualoathsinthepresenceofFord,"Ineversawsuchrunningbefore. I’llbethimagainstahundreddollars,he’llbeatanyniggerinLouisiana. IofferedJohnDavidCheneytwenty-fivedollarstocatchhim,deadoralive,butheoutranhisdogsinafairrace. ThemCheneydogsain’tmuch,afterall. Dunwoodie’shoundswouldhavehadhimdownbeforehetouchedthepalmettoes. Somehowthedogsgotoffthetrack,andwehadtogiveupthehunt. Werodethehorsesasfaraswecould,andthenkeptonfoottillthewaterwasthreefeetdeep. Theboyssaidhewasdrowned,sure. IallowIwantedashotathimmightily. Eversince,Ihavebeenridingupanddownthebayou,buthad’ntmuchhopeofcatchinghim—thoughthewasdead,sartin. Oh,he’sacusstorun—thatniggeris!" 

           InthiswayTibeatsranon,describinghissearchintheswamp,thewonderfulspeedwithwhichIhadfledbeforethehounds,andwhenhehadfinished,MasterFordrespondedbysaying,Ihadalwaysbeenawillingandfaithfulboywithhim; thathewassorrywehadsuchtrouble;that,accordingtoPlatt’sstory,hehadbeeninhumanlytreated,andthathe,Tibeats,washimselfinfault. Usinghatchetsandbroad-axesuponslaveswasshameful,andshouldnotbeallowed,heremarked.