Двенадцать лет рабства

           "Well,how’sthis?"saidhe. "Whoareyou? YouhavebeeninCanadasureenough;Iknowalltheplacesyoumention. Howdidyouhappentogethere? Come,tellmeallaboutit." 

           "Ihavenofriendshere,"wasmyreply,"thatIcanputconfidencein. Iamafraidtotellyou,thoughIdon’tbelieveyouwouldtellMasterEppsifIshould." 

           HeassuredmeearnestlyhewouldkeepeverywordImightspeaktohimaprofoundsecret,andhiscuriositywasevidentlystronglyexcited. Itwasalongstory,Iinformedhim,andwouldtakesometimetorelateit. MasterEppswouldbebacksoon,butifhewouldseemethatnightafterallwereasleep,Iwouldrepeatittohim. Heconsentedreadilytothearrangement,anddirectedmetocomeintothebuildingwherewewerethenatwork,andIwouldfindhimthere. Aboutmidnight,whenallwasstillandquiet,Icreptcautiouslyfrommycabin,andsilentlyenteringtheunfinishedbuilding,foundhimawaitingme. 

           AfterfurtherassurancesonhispartthatIshouldnotbebetrayed,Ibeganarelationofthehistoryofmylifeandmisfortunes. Hewasdeeplyinterested,askingnumerousquestionsinreferencetolocalitiesandevents. HavingendedmystoryIbesoughthimtowritetosomeofmyfriendsattheNorth,acquaintingthemwithmysituation,andbeggingthemtoforwardfreepapers,ortakesuchstepsastheymightconsiderpropertosecuremyrelease. Hepromisedtodoso,butdweltuponthedangerofsuchanactincaseofdetection,andnowimpresseduponmethegreatnecessityofstrictsilenceandsecresy. Beforewepartedourplanofoperationwasarranged.