Дванадцять років рабства

Chapter 17

           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. GivemesomemeatI’mstarving." 

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

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