Двенадцать лет рабства

           Theexpeditionwasaboutreadytoproceed,whentheirhidingplacewasdiscovered. LewCheney,becomingconvincedoftheultimatefailureofhisproject,inordertocurryfavorwithhismaster,andavoidtheconsequenceswhichheforesawwouldfollow,deliberatelydeterminedtosacrificeallhiscompanions. Departingsecretlyfromtheencampment,heproclaimedamongtheplantersthenumbercollectedintheswamp,and,insteadofstatingtrulytheobjecttheyhadinview,assertedtheirintentionwastoemergefromtheirseclusionthefirstfavorableopportunity,andmurdereverywhitepersonalongthebayou. 

           Suchanannouncement,exaggeratedasitpassedfrommouthtomouth,filledthewholecountrywithterror. Thefugitivesweresurroundedandtakenprisoners,carriedinchainstoAlexandria,andhungbythepopulace. Notonlythose,butmanywhoweresuspected,thoughentirelyinnocent,weretakenfromthefieldandfromthecabin,andwithouttheshadowofprocessorformoftrial,hurriedtothescaffold. TheplantersonBayouBœuffinallyrebelledagainstsuchrecklessdestructionofproperty,butitwasnotuntilaregimentofsoldiershadarrivedfromsomefortontheTexanfrontier,demolishedthegallows,andopenedthedoorsoftheAlexandriaprison,thattheindiscriminateslaughterwasstayed. LewCheneyescaped,andwasevenrewardedforhistreachery. Heisstillliving,buthisnameisdespisedandexecratedbyallhisracethroughouttheparishesofRapidesandAvoyelles.