Дванадцять років рабства

           Finally,inSeptember,whenthebusyseasonofcottonpickingwasathand,Iwasunabletoleavemycabin. UptothistimeIhadreceivednomedicine,noranyattentionfrommymasterormistress. Theoldcookvisitedmeoccasionally,preparingmecorn-coffee,andsometimesboilingabitofbacon,whenIhadgrowntoofeebletoaccomplishitmyself. 

           WhenitwassaidthatIwoulddie,MasterEpps,unwillingtobeartheloss,whichthedeathofananimalworthathousanddollarswouldbringuponhim,concludedtoincurtheexpenseofsendingtoHolmesvilleforDr.Wines. HeannouncedtoEppsthatitwastheeffectoftheclimate,andtherewasaprobabilityofhislosingme. Hedirectedmetoeatnomeat,andtopartakeofnomorefoodthanwasabsolutelynecessarytosustainlife. Severalweekselapsed,duringwhichtime,underthescantydiettowhichIwassubjected,Ihadpartiallyrecovered. Onemorning,longbeforeIwasinaproperconditiontolabor,Eppsappearedatthecabindoor,and,presentingmeasack,orderedmetothecottonfield. AtthistimeIhadhadnoexperiencewhateverincottonpicking. Itwasanawkwardbusinessindeed. Whileothersusedbothhands,snatchingthecottonanddepositingitinthemouthofthesack,withaprecisionanddexteritythatwasincomprehensibletome,Ihadtoseizethebollwithonehand,anddeliberatelydrawoutthewhite,gushingblossomwiththeother. 

           Depositingthecottoninthesack,moreover,wasadifficultythatdemandedtheexerciseofbothhandsandeyes.