Дванадцять років рабства

           Shefellintoamournfulanddespondingmood,andoftentimeswouldstartupinhersleep,andwithraisedhands,pleadformercy. Shebecamemoresilentthanshewas,toilingalldayinourmidst,notutteringaword. Acare-worn,pitifulexpressionsettledonherface,anditwasherhumornowtoweep,ratherthanrejoice. Ifevertherewasabrokenheart—onecrushedandblightedbytherudegraspofsufferingandmisfortune—itwasPatsey’s. 

           Shehadbeenrearednobetterthanhermaster’sbeast—lookeduponmerelyasavaluableandhandsomeanimal—andconsequentlypossessedbutalimitedamountofknowledge. Andyetafaintlightcastitsraysoverherintellect,sothatitwasnotwhollydark. ShehadadimperceptionofGodandofeternity,andastillmoredimperceptionofaSaviourwhohaddiedevenforsuchasher. Sheentertainedbutconfusednotionsofafuturelife—notcomprehendingthedistinctionbetweenthecorporealandspiritualexistence. Happiness,inhermind,wasexemptionfromstripes—fromlabor—fromthecrueltyofmastersandoverseers. Herideaofthejoyofheavenwassimplyrest,andisfullyexpressedintheselinesofamelancholybard: 

           "Iasknoparadiseonhigh, 

           Withcaresonearthoppressed, 

           TheonlyheavenforwhichIsigh, 

           Isrest,eternalrest." 

           Itisamistakenopinionthatprevailsinsomequarters,thattheslavedoesnotunderstandtheterm—doesnotcomprehendtheideaoffreedom.