Дванадцять років рабства

           Bythistimeherbackwascoveredwithlongwelts,intersectingeachotherlikenetwork. Eppswasyetfuriousandsavageasever,demandingifshewouldliketogotoShaw’sagain,andswearinghewouldflogheruntilshewishedshewasinh—l. Throwingdownthewhip,IdeclaredIcouldpunishhernomore. Heorderedmetogoon,threateningmewithasevererfloggingthanshehadreceived,incaseofrefusal. Myheartrevoltedattheinhumanscene,andriskingtheconsequences,Iabsolutelyrefusedtoraisethewhip. Hethenseizedithimself,andapplieditwithten-foldgreaterforcethanIhad. ThepainfulcriesandshrieksofthetorturedPatsey,minglingwiththeloudandangrycursesofEpps,loadedtheair. Shewasterriblylacerated—Imaysay,withoutexaggeration,literallyflayed. Thelashwaswetwithblood,whichfloweddownhersidesanddroppedupontheground. Atlengthsheceasedstruggling. Herheadsanklistlesslyontheground. Herscreamsandsupplicationsgraduallydecreasedanddiedawayintoalowmoan. Shenolongerwrithedandshrankbeneaththelashwhenitbitoutsmallpiecesofherflesh. Ithoughtthatshewasdying! 

           ItwastheSabbathoftheLord. Thefieldssmiledinthewarmsunlight—thebirdschirpedmerrilyamidstthefoliageofthetrees—peaceandhappinessseemedtoreigneverywhere,saveinthebosomsofEppsandhispantingvictimandthesilentwitnessesaroundhim. Thetempestuousemotionsthatwereragingtherewerelittleinharmonywiththecalmandquietbeautyoftheday.