Дванадцять років рабства

           Lawsonsuggestedthatitmightbe,overseerChapinwouldbeappointedtoinflictthepunishment,inwhichcaseitwouldnotbesevere,whereuponMary,Rachel,Bristol,andothershopeditwouldbeMasterFord,andthenitwouldbenowhippingatall. Theyallpitiedmeandtriedtoconsoleme,andweresadinviewofthecastigationthatawaitedme,exceptKentuckyJohn. Therewerenoboundstohislaughter; hefilledthecabinwithcachinnations,holdinghissidestopreventanexplosion,andthecauseofhisnoisymirthwastheideaofmyoutstrippingthehounds. Somehow,helookedatthesubjectinacomicallight. "Iknow’ddeywould’ntcotchhim,whenheruncrossdeplantation. O,delor’,did’ntPlattpickhisfeetrightup,tho’,hey? Whendemdogsgotwharhewas,hewas’ntdar—haw,haw,haw! O,delor’a’mity!"—andthenKentuckyJohnrelapsedintoanotherofhisboisterousfits. 

           Earlythenextmorning,Tibeatslefttheplantation. Inthecourseoftheforenoon,whilesaunteringaboutthegin-house,atall,good-lookingmancametome,andinquiredifIwasTibeats’boy,thatyouthfulappellationbeingappliedindiscriminatelytoslaveseventhoughtheymayhavepassedthenumberofthreescoreyearsandten. Itookoffmyhat,andansweredthatIwas. 

           "Howwouldyouliketoworkforme?"heinquired. 

           "Oh,Iwouldliketo,verymuch,"saidI,inspiredwithasuddenhopeofgettingawayfromTibeats.