Двенадцать лет рабства

           Iftheywereinnocent,mysuddendisappearancemusthavebeenunaccountableindeed; butrevolvinginmymindalltheattendingcircumstances,Ineveryetcouldindulge,towardsthem,socharitableasupposition. 

           Afterreceivingthemoneyfromthem,ofwhichtheyappearedtohaveanabundance,theyadvisedmenottogointothestreetsthatnight,inasmuchasIwasunacquaintedwiththecustomsofthecity. Promisingtoremembertheiradvice,Ileftthemtogether,andsoonafterwasshownbyacoloredservanttoasleepingroominthebackpartofthehotel,onthegroundfloor. Ilaiddowntorest,thinkingofhomeandwife,andchildren,andthelongdistancethatstretchedbetweenus,untilIfellasleep. Butnogoodangelofpitycametomybedside,biddingmetofly—novoiceofmercyforewarnedmeinmydreamsofthetrialsthatwerejustathand. 

           ThenextdaytherewasagreatpageantinWashington. Theroarofcannonandthetollingofbellsfilledtheair,whilemanyhouseswereshroudedwithcrape,andthestreetswereblackwithpeople. Asthedayadvanced,theprocessionmadeitsappearance,comingslowlythroughtheAvenue,carriageaftercarriage,inlongsuccession,whilethousandsuponthousandsfollowedonfoot—allmovingtothesoundofmelancholymusic. TheywerebearingthedeadbodyofHarrisontothegrave. 

           Fromearlyinthemorning,IwasconstantlyinthecompanyofHamiltonandBrown. TheyweretheonlypersonsIknewinWashington. Westoodtogetherasthefuneralpomppassedby. Irememberdistinctlyhowthewindowglasswouldbreakandrattletotheground,aftereachreportofthecannontheywerefiringintheburialground.