Дванадцять років рабства
Chapter 8
"Asforyou,"addressingCookandRamsay,acoupleofoverseersfromneighboringplantations,"asforyou—begone! Ifyouhaveanyregardforyourownsafety,Isay,begone."
CookandRamsay,withoutafurtherword,mountedtheirhorsesandrodeaway. Tibeats,inafewminutes,evidentlyinfear,andoverawedbythedecidedtoneofChapin,sneakedofflikeacoward,ashewas,andmountinghishorse,followedhiscompanions.
IremainedstandingwhereIwas,stillbound,withtheropearoundmyneck. Assoonastheyweregone,ChapincalledRachel,orderinghertoruntothefield,andtellLawsontohurrytothehousewithoutdelay,andbringthebrownmulewithhim,ananimalmuchprizedforitsunusualfleetness. Presentlytheboyappeared.
"Lawson,"saidChapin,"youmustgotothePineWoods. TellyourmasterFordtocomehereatonce—thathemustnotdelayasinglemoment. TellhimtheyaretryingtomurderPlatt. Nowhurry,boy. BeatthePineWoodsbynoonifyoukillthemule."
Chapinsteppedintothehouseandwroteapass. Whenhereturned,Lawsonwasatthedoor,mountedonhismule. Receivingthepass,hepliedthewhiprightsmartlytothebeast,dashedoutoftheyard,andturningupthebayouonahardgallop,inlesstimethanithastakenmetodescribethescene,wasoutofsight.
