Дванадцять років рабства
Chapter 2
Iftheywereinnocent,mysuddendisappearancemusthavebeenunaccountableindeed; butrevolvinginmymindalltheattendingcircumstances,Ineveryetcouldindulge,towardsthem,socharitableasupposition.
Afterreceivingthemoneyfromthem,ofwhichtheyappearedtohaveanabundance,theyadvisedmenottogointothestreetsthatnight,inasmuchasIwasunacquaintedwiththecustomsofthecity. Promisingtoremembertheiradvice,Ileftthemtogether,andsoonafterwasshownbyacoloredservanttoasleepingroominthebackpartofthehotel,onthegroundfloor. Ilaiddowntorest,thinkingofhomeandwife,andchildren,andthelongdistancethatstretchedbetweenus,untilIfellasleep. Butnogoodangelofpitycametomybedside,biddingmetofly—novoiceofmercyforewarnedmeinmydreamsofthetrialsthatwerejustathand.
ThenextdaytherewasagreatpageantinWashington. Theroarofcannonandthetollingofbellsfilledtheair,whilemanyhouseswereshroudedwithcrape,andthestreetswereblackwithpeople. Asthedayadvanced,theprocessionmadeitsappearance,comingslowlythroughtheAvenue,carriageaftercarriage,inlongsuccession,whilethousandsuponthousandsfollowedonfoot—allmovingtothesoundofmelancholymusic. TheywerebearingthedeadbodyofHarrisontothegrave.
Fromearlyinthemorning,IwasconstantlyinthecompanyofHamiltonandBrown. TheyweretheonlypersonsIknewinWashington. Westoodtogetherasthefuneralpomppassedby. Irememberdistinctlyhowthewindowglasswouldbreakandrattletotheground,aftereachreportofthecannontheywerefiringintheburialground.
