Дванадцять років рабства

           Goodinthenturnedtome,tookholdofmyarm,turnedmepartlyround,lookedatmesharplywiththeairofonewhoconsideredhimselfagoodjudgeofproperty,andasifestimatinginhisownmindabouthowmuchIwasworth. 

           "Well,boy,wheredidyoucomefrom?" 

           Forgettingmyself,foramoment,Ianswered, "FromNew-York." 

           "New-York!H—l!whathaveyoubeendoingupthere?"washisastonishedinterrogatory. 

           ObservingBurchatthismomentlookingatmewithanangryexpressionthatconveyedameaningitwasnotdifficulttounderstand,Iimmediatelysaid, "O,Ihaveonlybeenupthatwayapiece,"inamannerintendedtoimplythatalthoughImighthavebeenasfarasNew-York,yetIwisheditdistinctlyunderstoodthatIdidnotbelongtothatfreeState,nortoanyother. 

           GoodinthenturnedtoClem,andthentoElizaandthechildren,examiningthemseverally,andaskingvariousquestions. HewaspleasedwithEmily,aswaseveryonewhosawthechild’ssweetcountenance. ShewasnotastidyaswhenIfirstbeheldher;herhairwasnowsomewhatdisheveled;butthroughitsunkemptandsoftprofusiontherestillbeamedalittlefaceofmostsurpassingloveliness. "Altogetherwewereafairlot—adevilishgoodlot,"hesaid,enforcingthatopinionwithmorethanoneemphaticadjectivenotfoundintheChristianvocabulary. Thereuponwepassedintotheyard. Quiteanumberofslaves,asmanyasthirtyIshouldsay,weremovingabout,orsittingonbenchesundertheshed. Theywereallcleanlydressed—themenwithhats,thewomenwithhandkerchiefstiedabouttheirheads.