Дванадцять років рабства

           HisnamewasRobert. Likemyself,hehadbeenbornfree,andhadawifeandtwochildreninCincinnati. Hesaidhehadcomesouthwithtwomen,whohadhiredhiminthecityofhisresidence. Withoutfreepapers,hehadbeenseizedatFredericksburgh,placedinconfinement,andbeatenuntilhehadlearned,asIhad,thenecessityandthepolicyofsilence. HehadbeeninGoodin’spenaboutthreeweeks. TothismanIbecamemuchattached. Wecouldsympathizewith,andunderstandeachother. Itwaswithtearsandaheavyheart,notmanydayssubsequently,thatIsawhimdie,andlookedforthelasttimeuponhislifelessform! 

           Robertandmyself,withClem,Elizaandherchildren,sleptthatnightuponourblankets,inoneofthesmallhousesintheyard. Therewerefourothers,allfromthesameplantation,whohadbeensold,andwerenowontheirwaysouth,whoalsooccupieditwithus. Davidandhiswife,Caroline,bothmulattoes,wereexceedinglyaffected. Theydreadedthethoughtofbeingputintothecaneandcottonfields;buttheirgreatestsourceofanxietywastheapprehensionofbeingseparated. Mary,atall,lithegirl,ofamostjettyblack,waslistlessandapparentlyindifferent. Likemanyoftheclass,shescarcelyknewtherewassuchawordasfreedom. Broughtupintheignoranceofabrute,shepossessedbutlittlemorethanabrute’sintelligence. Shewasoneofthose,andthereareverymany,whofearnothingbuttheirmaster’slash,andknownofurtherdutythantoobeyhisvoice. TheotherwasLethe. Shewasofanentirelydifferentcharacter. Shehadlong,straighthair,andboremoretheappearanceofanIndianthananegrowoman. Shehadsharpandspitefuleyes,andcontinuallygaveutterancetothelanguageofhatredandrevenge. Herhusbandhadbeensold. Sheknewnotwhereshewas. Anexchangeofmasters,shewassure,couldnotbefortheworse.