Двенадцать лет рабства

           "Ihavelivedinthisregionlongenough,"hecontinued; "Imayaswellbeinoneplaceasanother. ForalongtimeIhavebeenthinkingofgoingbackoncemoretotheplacewhereIwasborn. I’mtiredofSlaveryaswellasyou. IfIcansucceedingettingyouawayfromhere,itwillbeagoodactthatIshallliketothinkofallmylife. AndIshallsucceed,Platt;I’mboundtodoit. NowletmetellyouwhatIwant. Eppswillbeupsoon,anditwon’tdotobecaughthere. ThinkofagreatmanymenatSaratogaandSandyHill,andinthatneighborhood,whoonceknewyou. Ishallmakeexcusetocomehereagaininthecourseofthewinter,whenIwillwritedowntheirnames. IwillthenknowwhotocallonwhenIgonorth. Thinkofallyoucan. Cheerup! Don’tbediscouraged. I’mwithyou,lifeordeath. Good-bye. Godblessyou,"andsayingthisheleftthecabinquickly,andenteredthegreathouse. 

           ItwasChristmasmorning—thehappiestdayinthewholeyearfortheslave. Thatmorningheneednothurrytothefield,withhisgourdandcotton-bag. Happinesssparkledintheeyesandoverspreadthecountenancesofall. Thetimeoffeastinganddancinghadcome. Thecaneandcottonfieldsweredeserted. Thatdaythecleandresswastobedonned—theredribbondisplayed;thereweretobere-unions,andjoyandlaughter,andhurryingtoandfro. ItwastobeadayoflibertyamongthechildrenofSlavery. Whereforetheywerehappy,andrejoiced. 

           AfterbreakfastEppsandBasssaunteredabouttheyard,conversinguponthepriceofcotton,andvariousothertopics.