Chapter 3

           Somethreehourselapsed,duringwhichtimeIremainedseatedonthelowbench,absorbedinpainfulmeditations. AtlengthIheardthecrowingofacock,andsoonadistantrumblingsound,asofcarriageshurryingthroughthestreets,cametomyears,andIknewthatitwasday. Norayoflight,however,penetratedmyprison. Finally,Iheardfootstepsimmediatelyoverhead,asofsomeonewalkingtoandfro. ItoccurredtomethenthatImustbeinanundergroundapartment,andthedamp,mouldyodorsoftheplaceconfirmedthesupposition. Thenoiseabovecontinuedforatleastanhour,when,atlast,Iheardfootstepsapproachingfromwithout. Akeyrattledinthelock—astrongdoorswungbackuponitshinges,admittingafloodoflight,andtwomenenteredandstoodbeforeme. Oneofthemwasalarge,powerfulman,fortyyearsofage,perhaps,withdark,chestnut-coloredhair,slightlyinterspersedwithgray. Hisfacewasfull,hiscomplexionflush,hisfeaturesgrosslycoarse,expressiveofnothingbutcrueltyandcunning. Hewasaboutfivefeettenincheshigh,offullhabit,and,withoutprejudice,Imustbeallowedtosay,wasamanwhosewholeappearancewassinisterandrepugnant. HisnamewasJamesH.Burch,asIlearnedafterwards—awell-knownslave-dealerinWashington;andthen,orlately,connectedinbusiness,asapartner,withTheophilusFreeman,ofNew-Orleans. Thepersonwhoaccompaniedhimwasasimplelackey,namedEbenezerRadburn,whoactedmerelyinthecapacityofturnkey. BothofthesemenstillliveinWashington,ordid,atthetimeofmyreturnthroughthatcityfromslaveryinJanuarylast. 

           ThelightadmittedthroughtheopendoorenabledmetoobservetheroominwhichIwasconfined. Itwasabouttwelvefeetsquare—thewallsofsolidmasonry. Thefloorwasofheavyplank. Therewasonesmallwindow,crossedwithgreatironbars,withanoutsideshutter,securelyfastened.