Дванадцять років рабства

           Finally,atalatehour,theyreachthequarters,sleepyandovercomewiththelongday’stoil. Thenafiremustbekindledinthecabin,thecorngroundinthesmallhand-mill,andsupper,anddinnerforthenextdayinthefield,prepared. Allthatisallowedthemiscornandbacon,whichisgivenoutatthecorncribandsmoke-houseeverySundaymorning. Eachonereceives,ashisweekly,allowance,threeandahalfpoundsofbacon,andcornenoughtomakeapeckofmeal. Thatisall—notea,coffee,sugar,andwiththeexceptionofaveryscantysprinklingnowandthen,nosalt. Icansay,fromatenyears’residencewithMasterEpps,thatnoslaveofhisiseverlikelytosufferfromthegout,superinducedbyexcessivehighliving. MasterEpps’hogswerefedonshelledcorn—itwasthrownouttohis"niggers"intheear. Theformer,hethought,wouldfattenfasterbyshelling,andsoakingitinthewater—thelatter,perhaps,iftreatedinthesamemanner,mightgrowtoofattolabor. MasterEppswasashrewdcalculator,andknewhowtomanagehisownanimals,drunkorsober. 

           Thecornmillstandsintheyardbeneathashelter. Itislikeacommoncoffeemill,thehopperholdingaboutsixquarts. TherewasoneprivilegewhichMasterEppsgrantedfreelytoeveryslavehehad. Theymightgrindtheircornnightly,insuchsmallquantitiesastheirdailywantsrequired,ortheymightgrindthewholeweek’sallowanceatonetime,onSundays,justastheypreferred. AverygenerousmanwasMasterEpps!