Дванадцять років рабства
Chapter 9
OverIwenttoTanner’s,joyfullyenough. Hehadheardofmylatedifficulties—infact,IascertainedthefloggingofTibeatswassoonblazonedfarandwide. Thisaffair,togetherwithmyraftingexperiment,hadrenderedmesomewhatnotorious. MorethanonceIhearditsaidthatPlattFord,nowPlattTibeats—aslave’snamechangeswithhischangeofmaster—was"adevilofanigger." ButIwasdestinedtomakeastillfurthernoise,aswillpresentlybeseen,throughoutthelittleworldofBayouBœuf.
PeterTannerendeavoredtoimpressuponmetheideathathewasquitesevere,thoughIcouldperceivetherewasaveinofgoodhumorintheoldfellow,afterall.
"You’rethenigger,"hesaidtomeonmyarrival—"You’retheniggerthatfloggedyourmaster,eh? You’retheniggerthatkicks,andholdscarpenterTibeatsbytheleg,andwallopshim,areye? I’dliketoseeyouholdmebytheleg—Ishould. You’rea’portantcharacter—you’reagreatnigger—veryremarkablenigger,ain’tye? I’dlashyou—I’dtakethetantrumsoutofye. Jesttakeholdofmyleg,ifyouplease. Noneofyourprankshere,myboy,rememberthat. Nowgotowork,youkickin’rascal,"concludedPeterTanner,unabletosuppressahalf-comicalgrinathisownwitandsarcasm.
Afterlisteningtothissalutation,IwastakenchargeofbyMyers,andlaboredunderhisdirectionforamonth,tohisandmyownsatisfaction.
