Дванадцять років рабства

           AsIbegantorecoverinsomemeasurefromthesuddenandgreatexcitementwhichsooverwhelmedme,Igrewfaintandweak,insomuchitwaswithdifficultyIcouldwalk. Thesherifftookholdofmyarmandassistedme,orIthinkIshouldhavefallen. Asweenteredtheyard,Eppsstoodbythegate,conversingwiththedriver. Thatyoungman,faithfultohisinstructions,wasentirelyunabletogivehimtheleastinformationinanswertohisrepeatedinquiriesofwhatwasgoingon. BythetimewereachedhimhewasalmostasmuchamazedandpuzzledasBoborUncleAbram. 

           Shakinghandswiththesheriff,andreceivinganintroductiontoMr.Northup,heinvitedthemintothehouse,orderingme,atthesametime,tobringinsomewood. ItwassometimebeforeIsucceededincuttinganarmful,having,somehow,unaccountablylostthepowerofwieldingtheaxewithanymannerofprecision. WhenIenteredwithitatlast,thetablewasstrewnwithpapers,fromoneofwhichNorthupwasreading. Iwasprobablylongerthannecessityrequired,inplacingthesticksuponthefire,beingparticularastotheexactpositionofeachindividualoneofthem. Iheardthewords,"thesaidSolomonNorthup,"and"thedeponentfurthersays,"and"freecitizenofNew-York,"repeatedfrequently,andfromtheseexpressionsunderstoodthatthesecretIhadsolongretainedfromMasterandMistressEpps,wasfinallydeveloping.