Двенадцать лет рабства

           Hewillcalltheoldmantoaccount,andifinhischildishjudgmentitisnecessary,sentencehimtoacertainnumberoflashes,whichheproceedstoinflictwithmuchgravityanddeliberation. Mountedonhispony,heoftenridesintothefieldwithhiswhip,playingtheoverseer,greatlytohisfather’sdelight. Withoutdiscrimination,atsuchtimes,heappliestherawhide,urgingtheslavesforwardwithshouts,andoccasionalexpressionsofprofanity,whiletheoldmanlaughs,andcommendshimasathorough-goingboy. 

           "Thechildisfathertotheman,"andwithsuchtraining,whatevermaybehisnaturaldisposition,itcannotwellbeotherwisethanthat,onarrivingatmaturity,thesufferingsandmiseriesoftheslavewillbelookeduponwithentireindifference. Theinfluenceoftheiniquitoussystemnecessarilyfostersanunfeelingandcruelspirit,eveninthebosomsofthosewho,amongtheirequals,areregardedashumaneandgenerous. 

           YoungMasterEppspossessedsomenoblequalities,yetnoprocessofreasoningcouldleadhimtocomprehend,thatintheeyeoftheAlmightythereisnodistinctionofcolor. Helookedupontheblackmansimplyasananimal,differinginnorespectfromanyotheranimal,saveinthegiftofspeechandthepossessionofsomewhathigherinstincts,and,therefore,themorevaluable. Toworklikehisfather’smules—tobewhippedandkickedandscourgedthroughlife—toaddressthewhitemanwithhatinhand,andeyesbentservilelyontheearth,inhismind,wasthenaturalandproperdestinyoftheslave.