Дванадцять років рабства
Chapter 6
"Don’tleaveme,mama—don’tleaveme,"screamedthechild,asitsmotherwaspushedharshlyforward; "Don’tleaveme—comeback,mama,"shestillcried,stretchingforthherlittlearmsimploringly. Butshecriedinvain. Outofthedoorandintothestreetwewerequicklyhurried. Stillwecouldhearhercallingtohermother,"Comeback—don’tleaveme—comeback,mama,"untilherinfantvoicegrewfaintandstillmorefaint,andgraduallydiedaway,asdistanceintervened,andfinallywaswhollylost.
ElizaneveraftersaworheardofEmilyorRandall. Daynornight,however,weretheyeverabsentfromhermemory. Inthecottonfield,inthecabin,alwaysandeverywhere,shewastalkingofthem—oftentothem,asiftheywereactuallypresent. Onlywhenabsorbedinthatillusion,orasleep,didsheeverhaveamoment’scomfortafterwards.
Shewasnocommonslave,ashasbeensaid. Toalargeshareofnaturalintelligencewhichshepossessed,wasaddedageneralknowledgeandinformationonmostsubjects. Shehadenjoyedopportunitiessuchasareaffordedtoveryfewofheroppressedclass. Shehadbeenliftedupintotheregionsofahigherlife. Freedom—freedomforherselfandforheroffspring,formanyyearshadbeenhercloudbyday,herpillaroffirebynight. Inherpilgrimagethroughthewildernessofbondage,witheyesfixeduponthathope-inspiringbeacon,shehadatlengthascendedto"thetopofPisgah,"andbeheld"thelandofpromise." Inanunexpectedmomentshewasutterlyoverwhelmedwithdisappointmentanddespair.
