Двенадцать лет рабства

           Thepaddle,asitistermedinslave-beatingparlance,oratleasttheonewithwhichIfirstbecameacquainted,andofwhichInowspeak,wasapieceofhard-woodboard,eighteenortwentyincheslong,mouldedtotheshapeofanold-fashionedpuddingstick,orordinaryoar. Theflattenedportion,whichwasaboutthesizeincircumferenceoftwoopenhands,wasboredwithasmallaugerinnumerousplaces. Thecatwasalargeropeofmanystrands—thestrandsunraveled,andaknottiedattheextremityofeach. 

           Assoonastheseformidablewhipsappeared,Iwasseizedbybothofthem,androughlydivestedofmyclothing. Myfeet,ashasbeenstated,werefastenedtothefloor. Drawingmeoverthebench,facedownwards,Radburnplacedhisheavyfootuponthefetters,betweenmywrists,holdingthempainfullytothefloor. Withthepaddle,Burchcommencedbeatingme. Blowafterblowwasinflicteduponmynakedbody. Whenhisunrelentingarmgrewtired,hestoppedandaskedifIstillinsistedIwasafreeman. Ididinsistuponit,andthentheblowswererenewed,fasterandmoreenergetically,ifpossible,thanbefore. Whenagaintired,hewouldrepeatthesamequestion,andreceivingthesameanswer,continuehiscruellabor. Allthistime,theincarnatedevilwasutteringmostfiendishoaths. Atlengththepaddlebroke,leavingtheuselesshandleinhishand. StillIwouldnotyield. AllhisbrutalblowscouldnotforcefrommylipsthefoulliethatIwasaslave. Castingmadlyonthefloorthehandleofthebrokenpaddle,heseizedtherope. Thiswasfarmorepainfulthantheother. Istruggledwithallmypower,butitwasinvain. Iprayedformercy,butmyprayerwasonlyansweredwithimprecationsandwithstripes. IthoughtImustdiebeneaththelashesoftheaccursedbrute. Evennowthefleshcrawlsuponmybones,asIrecallthescene. Iwasallonfire. MysufferingsIcancomparetonothingelsethantheburningagoniesofhell!