Дванадцять років рабства

           Itwasnotyetsunrise,butEppswasonthepiazzaasIleftthehut,andcriedouttomethatitwasaprettytimeofdaytobegettingup. Byextraexertionmyrowwasupwhenhecameoutafterbreakfast. This,however,wasnoexcusefortheoffenceofoversleeping. Biddingmestripandliedown,hegavemetenorfifteenlashes,attheconclusionofwhichheinquiredifIthought,afterthat,Icouldgetupsometimeinthemorning. IexpressedmyselfquitepositivelythatIcould,and,withbackstingingwithpain,wentaboutmywork. 

           Thefollowingday,Sunday,mythoughtswereuponBass,andtheprobabilitiesandhopeswhichhunguponhisactionanddetermination. Iconsideredtheuncertaintyoflife;thatifitshouldbethewillofGodthatheshoulddie,myprospectofdeliverance,andallexpectationofhappinessinthisworld,wouldbewhollyendedanddestroyed. Mysoreback,perhaps,didnothaveatendencytorendermeunusuallycheerful. Ifeltdown-heartedandunhappyalldaylong,andwhenIlaiddownuponthehardboardatnight,myheartwasoppressedwithsuchaloadofgrief,itseemedthatitmustbreak. 

           Mondaymorning,thethirdofJanuary,1853,wewereinthefieldbetimes. Itwasaraw,coldmorning,suchasisunusualinthatregion. Iwasinadvance,UncleAbramnexttome,behindhimBob,PatseyandWiley,withourcotton-bagsaboutournecks. Eppshappened(ararething,indeed,)tocomeoutthatmorningwithouthiswhip. Heswore,inamannerthatwouldshameapirate,thatweweredoingnothing.