Двенадцать лет рабства

           Eppsallowedusthree—othersallowfour,fiveandsixdays,accordingtothemeasureoftheirgenerosity. Itistheonlytimetowhichtheylookforwardwithanyinterestorpleasure. Theyaregladwhennightcomes,notonlybecauseitbringsthemafewhoursrepose,butbecauseitbringsthemonedaynearerChristmas. Itishailedwithequaldelightbytheoldandtheyoung;evenUncleAbramceasestoglorifyAndrewJackson,andPatseyforgetshermanysorrows,amidthegeneralhilarityoftheholidays. Itisthetimeoffeasting,andfrolicking,andfiddling—thecarnivalseasonwiththechildrenofbondage. Theyaretheonlydayswhentheyareallowedalittlerestrictedliberty,andheartilyindeeddotheyenjoyit. 

           Itisthecustomforoneplantertogivea"Christmassupper,"invitingtheslavesfromneighboringplantationstojoinhisownontheoccasion; forinstance,oneyearitisgivenbyEpps,thenextbyMarshall,thenextbyHawkins,andsoon. Usuallyfromthreetofivehundredareassembled,comingtogetheronfoot,incarts,onhorseback,onmules,ridingdoubleandtriple,sometimesaboyandgirl,atothersagirlandtwoboys,andatothersagainaboy,agirlandanoldwoman. UncleAbramastrideamule,withAuntPhebeandPatseybehindhim,trottingtowardsaChristmassupper,wouldbenouncommonsightonBayouBœuf.