Дванадцять років рабства

           IntheforenoonthesteamerreachedAquiaCreek. Therethepassengerstookstages—Burchandhisfiveslavesoccupyingoneexclusively. Helaughedwiththechildren,andatonestoppingplacewentsofarastopurchasethemapieceofgingerbread. Hetoldmetoholdupmyheadandlooksmart. ThatImight,perhaps,getagoodmasterifIbehavedmyself. Imadehimnoreply. Hisfacewashatefultome,andIcouldnotbeartolookuponit. Isatinthecorner,cherishinginmyheartthehope,notyetextinct,ofsomedaymeetingthetyrantonthesoilofmynativeState. 

           AtFredericksburghweweretransferredfromthestagecoachtoacar,andbeforedarkarrivedinRichmond,thechiefcityofVirginia. Atthiscityweweretakenfromthecars,anddriventhroughthestreettoaslavepen,betweentherailroaddepotandtheriver,keptbyaMr.Goodin. ThispenissimilartoWilliams’inWashington,exceptitissomewhatlarger;andbesides,thereweretwosmallhousesstandingatoppositecornerswithintheyard. Thesehousesareusuallyfoundwithinslaveyards,beingusedasroomsfortheexaminationofhumanchattelsbypurchasersbeforeconcludingabargain. Unsoundnessinaslave,aswellasinahorse,detractsmateriallyfromhisvalue. Ifnowarrantyisgiven,acloseexaminationisamatterofparticularimportancetothenegrojockey. 

           WeweremetatthedoorofGoodin’syardbythatgentlemanhimself—ashort,fatman,witharound,plumpface,blackhairandwhiskers,andacomplexionalmostasdarkassomeofhisownnegroes. Hehadahard,sternlook,andwasperhapsaboutfiftyyearsofage. Burchandhemetwithgreatcordiality. Theywereevidentlyoldfriends. Shakingeachotherwarmlybythehand,Burchremarkedhehadbroughtsomecompany,inquiredatwhattimethebrigwouldleave,andwasansweredthatitwouldprobablyleavethenextdayatsuchanhour.