Дванадцять років рабства

           Themanremarkedhewasnotinneedofonesoyoung—thatitwouldbeofnoprofittohim,butsincethemotherwassofondofher,ratherthanseethemseparated,hewouldpayareasonableprice. ButtothishumaneproposalFreemanwasentirelydeaf. Hewouldnotsellherthenonanyaccountwhatever. Therewereheapsandpilesofmoneytobemadeofher,hesaid,whenshewasafewyearsolder. ThereweremenenoughinNew-Orleanswhowouldgivefivethousanddollarsforsuchanextra,handsome,fancypieceasEmilywouldbe,ratherthannotgether. No,no,hewouldnotsellherthen. Shewasabeauty—apicture—adoll—oneoftheregularbloods—noneofyourthick-lipped,bullet-headed,cotton-pickingniggers—ifshewasmighthebed—d. 

           WhenElizaheardFreeman’sdeterminationnottopartwithEmily,shebecameabsolutelyfrantic. 

           "Iwillnotgowithouther. Theyshallnottakeherfromme,"shefairlyshrieked,hershriekscomminglingwiththeloudandangryvoiceofFreeman,commandinghertobesilent. 

           MeantimeHarryandmyselfhadbeentotheyardandreturnedwithourblankets,andwereatthefrontdoorreadytoleave. Ourpurchaserstoodnearus,gazingatElizawithanexpressionindicativeofregretathavingboughtherattheexpenseofsomuchsorrow. Wewaitedsometime,when,finally,Freeman,outofpatience,toreEmilyfromhermotherbymainforce,thetwoclingingtoeachotherwithalltheirmight.