Дванадцять років рабства
Chapter 19
Youhavenomorerighttoyourfreedom,inexactjustice,thanUncleAbramyonder. Talkaboutblackskin,andblackblood; why,howmanyslavesarethereonthisbayouaswhiteaseitherofus? Andwhatdifferenceisthereinthecolorofthesoul? Pshaw! thewholesystemisasabsurdasitiscruel. Youmayownniggersandbehanged,butIwouldn’townoneforthebestplantationinLouisiana."
"Youliketohearyourselftalk,Bass,betterthananymanIknowof. Youwouldarguethatblackwaswhite,orwhiteblack,ifanybodywouldcontradictyou. Nothingsuitsyouinthisworld,andIdon’tbelieveyouwillbesatisfiedwiththenext,ifyoushouldhaveyourchoiceinthem."
Conversationssubstantiallyliketheforegoingwerenotunusualbetweenthetwoafterthis; Eppsdrawinghimoutmoreforthepurposeofcreatingalaughathisexpense,thanwithaviewoffairlydiscussingthemeritsofthequestion. HelookeduponBass,asamanreadytosayanythingmerelyforthepleasureofhearinghisownvoice;assomewhatself-conceited,perhaps,contendingagainsthisfaithandjudgment,inorder,simply,toexhibithisdexterityinargumentation.
HeremainedatEpps’throughthesummer,visitingMarksvillegenerallyonceafortnight. ThemoreIsawofhim,themoreIbecameconvincedhewasamaninwhomIcouldconfide. Nevertheless,mypreviousill-fortunehadtaughtmetobeextremelycautious.
