Дванадцять років рабства

           Thetravelerstopsatanyhouseandcallsforamealwithasmuchfreedomasifitwasapublictavern. Itisthegeneralcustomofthecountry. Whatevertheirfaultsmaybe,itiscertaintheinhabitantsalongRedRiver,andaroundthebayousintheinteriorofLouisianaarenotwantinginhospitality. 

           IarrivedatFord’splantationtowardsthecloseoftheafternoon,passingtheeveninginEliza’scabin,withLawson,Rachel,andothersofmyacquaintance. WhenweleftWashingtonEliza’sformwasroundandplump. Shestooderect,andinhersilksandjewels,presentedapictureofgracefulstrengthandelegance. Nowshewasbutathinshadowofherformerself. Herfacehadbecomeghastlyhaggard,andtheoncestraightandactiveformwasboweddown,asifbearingtheweightofahundredyears. Crouchingonhercabinfloor,andcladinthecoarsegarmentsofaslave,oldElishaBerrywouldnothaverecognizedthemotherofhischild. Ineversawherafterwards. Havingbecomeuselessinthecotton-field,shewasbarteredforatrifle,tosomemanresidinginthevicinityofPeterCompton’s. Griefhadgnawedremorselesslyatherheart,untilherstrengthwasgone;andforthat,herlastmaster,itissaid,lashedandabusedhermostunmercifully. Buthecouldnotwhipbackthedepartedvigorofheryouth,norstraightenupthatbendedbodytoitsfullheight,suchasitwaswhenherchildrenwerearoundher,andthelightoffreedomwasshiningonherpath.