Дванадцять років рабства

           ItrequiredacloseinspectiontodistinguishinherfeaturestheslightesttraceofAfricanblood. Astrangerwouldneverhavedreamedthatshewasthedescendantofslaves. Iwassittinginmycabinlateatnight,playingalowaironmyviolin,whenthedooropenedcarefully,andCelestestoodbeforeme. Shewaspaleandhaggard. Hadanapparitionarisenfromtheearth,Icouldnothavebeenmorestartled. 

           "Whoareyou?"Idemanded,aftergazingatheramoment. 

           "I’mhungry;givemesomebacon,"washerreply. 

           Myfirstimpressionwasthatshewassomederangedyoungmistress,who,escapingfromhome,waswandering,sheknewnotwhither,andhadbeenattractedtomycabinbythesoundoftheviolin. Thecoarsecottonslavedressshewore,however,soondispelledsuchasupposition. 

           "Whatisyourname?"Iagaininterrogated. 

           "MynameisCeleste,"sheanswered. "IbelongtoCarey,andhavebeentwodaysamongthepalmettoes. Iamsickandcan’twork,andwouldratherdieintheswampthanbewhippedtodeathbytheoverseer. Carey’sdogswon’tfollowme. Theyhavetriedtosetthemon. There’sasecretbetweenthemandCeleste,andtheywontmindthedevilishordersoftheoverseer. Givemesomemeat—I’mstarving." 

           Idividedmyscantyallowancewithher,andwhilepartakingofit,sherelatedhowshehadmanagedtoescape,anddescribedtheplaceofherconcealment. Intheedgeoftheswamp,nothalfamilefromEpps’house,wasalargespace,thousandsofacresinextent,thicklycoveredwithpalmetto.