Дванадцять років рабства

           Theyembracedme,andwithtearsflowingdowntheircheeks,hunguponmyneck. ButIdrawaveiloverascenewhichcanbetterbeimaginedthandescribed. 

           Whentheviolenceofouremotionshadsubsidedtoasacredjoy—whenthehouseholdgatheredroundthefire,thatsentoutitswarmandcracklingcomfortthroughtheroom, weconversedofthethousandeventsthathadoccurred—thehopesandfears,thejoysandsorrows,thetrialsandtroubleswehadeachexperiencedduringthelongseparation. AlonzowasabsentinthewesternpartoftheState. Theboyhadwrittentohismotherashorttimeprevious,oftheprospectofhisobtainingsufficientmoneytopurchasemyfreedom. Fromhisearliestyears,thathadbeenthechiefobjectofhisthoughtsandhisambition. TheyknewIwasinbondage. Theletterwrittenonboardthebrig,andClemRayhimself,hadgiventhemthatinformation. ButwhereIwas,untilthearrivalofBass’letter,wasamatterofconjecture. ElizabethandMargaretoncereturnedfromschool—soAnneinformedme—weepingbitterly. Oninquiringthecauseofthechildren’ssorrow,itwasfoundthat,whilestudyinggeography,theirattentionhadbeenattractedtothepictureofslavesworkinginthecotton-field,andanoverseerfollowingthemwithhiswhip. Itremindedthemofthesufferingstheirfathermightbe,and,asithappened,actuallywas,enduringintheSouth.