Дванадцять років рабства
Chapter 5
Havingbeenunusuallydetained,hewasreturninglateonenighttohishouseinthesuburbsofthecity,whenhewasattackedbyagangofpersonsinanunfrequentedstreet. Hefoughtuntilhisstrengthfailedhim. Overpoweredatlast,hewasgaggedandboundwithropes,andbeaten,untilhebecameinsensible. ForseveraldaystheysecretedhimintheslavepenatNorfolk—averycommonestablishment,itappears,inthecitiesoftheSouth. Thenightbefore,hehadbeentakenoutandputonboardthelighter,which,pushingoutfromshore,hadawaitedourarrival. Forsometimehecontinuedhisprotestations,andwasaltogetherirreconcilable. Atlength,however,hebecamesilent. Hesankintoagloomyandthoughtfulmood,andappearedtobecounselingwithhimself. Therewasintheman’sdeterminedface,somethingthatsuggestedthethoughtofdesperation.
AfterleavingNorfolkthehand-cuffsweretakenoff,andduringthedaywewereallowedtoremainondeck. ThecaptainselectedRobertashiswaiter,andIwasappointedtosuperintendthecookingdepartment,andthedistributionoffoodandwater. Ihadthreeassistants,Jim,CuffeeandJenny. Jenny’sbusinesswastopreparethecoffee,whichconsistedofcornmealscorchedinakettle,boiledandsweetenedwithmolasses. JimandCuffeebakedthehoe-cakeandboiledthebacon.
Standingbyatable,formedofawideboardrestingontheheadsofthebarrels,Icutandhandedtoeachasliceofmeatanda"dodger"ofthebread,andfromJenny’skettlealsodippedoutforeachacupofthecoffee.
