Дванадцять років рабства

           Eppscalledaloud,buttherewasnoanswer. Noonehadobservedherleavingtheyard,anditwasawonderwithuswhithershehadgone. InthecourseofacoupleofhoursshewasseenapproachingfromthedirectionofShaw’s. Thisman,ashasbeenintimated,wasanotoriousprofligate,andwithalnotonthemostfriendlytermswithEpps. Harriet,hisblackwife,knowingPatsey’stroubles,waskindtoher,inconsequenceofwhichthelatterwasinthehabitofgoingovertoseehereveryopportunity. Hervisitswerepromptedbyfriendshipmerely,butthesuspiciongraduallyenteredthebrainofEpps,thatanotherandabaserpassionledherthither—thatitwasnotHarrietshedesiredtomeet,butrathertheunblushinglibertine,hisneighbor. Patseyfoundhermasterinafearfulrageonherreturn. Hisviolencesoalarmedherthatatfirstsheattemptedtoevadedirectanswerstohisquestions,whichonlyservedtoincreasehissuspicions. Shefinally,however,drewherselfupproudly,andinaspiritofindignationboldlydeniedhischarges. 

           "Missusdon’tgivemesoaptowashwith,asshedoestherest,"saidPatsey,"andyouknowwhy. IwentovertoHarriet’stogetapiece,"andsayingthis,shedrewitforthfromapocketinherdressandexhibitedittohim. "That’swhatIwenttoShaw’sfor,MassaEpps,"continuedshe;"theLordknowsthatwasall." 

           "Youlie,youblackwench!"shoutedEpps. 

           "Idon’tlie,massa.Ifyoukillme,I’llsticktothat." 

           "Oh!I’llfetchyoudown.I’lllearnyoutogotoShaw’s.I’lltakethestarchoutofye,"hemutteredfiercelythroughhisshutteeth.