Дванадцять років рабства

           Theywerealwayswelldressedandwellprovidedfor,leadingapparentlyaneasylife,withbutfewofitsordinarytroublestoperplexthem. ManytimestheyenteredintoconversationwithmeonthesubjectofSlavery. AlmostuniformlyIfoundtheycherishedasecretdesireforliberty. Someofthemexpressedthemostardentanxietytoescape,andconsultedmeonthebestmethodofeffectingit. Thefearofpunishment,however,whichtheyknewwascertaintoattendtheirre-captureandreturn,inallcasesprovedsufficienttodeterthemfromtheexperiment. HavingallmylifebreathedthefreeairoftheNorth,andconsciousthatIpossessedthesamefeelingsandaffectionsthatfindaplaceinthewhiteman’sbreast; conscious,moreover,ofanintelligenceequaltothatofsomemen,atleast,withafairerskin,Iwastooignorant,perhapstooindependent,toconceivehowanyonecouldbecontenttoliveintheabjectconditionofaslave. Icouldnotcomprehendthejusticeofthatlaw,orthatreligion,whichupholdsorrecognizestheprincipleofSlavery; andneveronce,Iamproudtosay,didIfailtocounselanyonewhocametome,towatchhisopportunity,andstrikeforfreedom. 

           IcontinuedtoresideatSaratogauntilthespringof1841. Theflatteringanticipationswhich,sevenyearsbefore,hadseducedusfromthequietfarm-house,ontheeastsideoftheHudson,hadnotbeenrealized. Thoughalwaysincomfortablecircumstances,wehadnotprospered. Thesocietyandassociationsatthatworld-renownedwateringplace,werenotcalculatedtopreservethesimplehabitsofindustryandeconomytowhichIhadbeenaccustomed,but,onthecontrary,tosubstituteothersintheirstead,tendingtoshiftlessnessandextravagance. 

           Atthistimeweweretheparentsofthreechildren—Elizabeth,Margaret,andAlonzo.