Дванадцять років рабства
Chapter 19
"Well,how’sthis?"saidhe. "Whoareyou? YouhavebeeninCanadasureenough;Iknowalltheplacesyoumention. Howdidyouhappentogethere? Come,tellmeallaboutit."
"Ihavenofriendshere,"wasmyreply,"thatIcanputconfidencein. Iamafraidtotellyou,thoughIdon’tbelieveyouwouldtellMasterEppsifIshould."
HeassuredmeearnestlyhewouldkeepeverywordImightspeaktohimaprofoundsecret,andhiscuriositywasevidentlystronglyexcited. Itwasalongstory,Iinformedhim,andwouldtakesometimetorelateit. MasterEppswouldbebacksoon,butifhewouldseemethatnightafterallwereasleep,Iwouldrepeatittohim. Heconsentedreadilytothearrangement,anddirectedmetocomeintothebuildingwherewewerethenatwork,andIwouldfindhimthere. Aboutmidnight,whenallwasstillandquiet,Icreptcautiouslyfrommycabin,andsilentlyenteringtheunfinishedbuilding,foundhimawaitingme.
AfterfurtherassurancesonhispartthatIshouldnotbebetrayed,Ibeganarelationofthehistoryofmylifeandmisfortunes. Hewasdeeplyinterested,askingnumerousquestionsinreferencetolocalitiesandevents. HavingendedmystoryIbesoughthimtowritetosomeofmyfriendsattheNorth,acquaintingthemwithmysituation,andbeggingthemtoforwardfreepapers,ortakesuchstepsastheymightconsiderpropertosecuremyrelease. Hepromisedtodoso,butdweltuponthedangerofsuchanactincaseofdetection,andnowimpresseduponmethegreatnecessityofstrictsilenceandsecresy. Beforewepartedourplanofoperationwasarranged.