Двенадцать лет рабства
Chapter 22
Hefurthertestified,withasmuchunconcernasifitwasthetruth,thatIrepresentedIwasbornandbredinGeorgia;thatoneoftheyoungmenwithmewasmymaster;thatIexhibitedagreatdealofregretatpartingwithhim,andhebelieved"gotintotears!" —nevertheless,thatIinsistedmymasterhadarighttosellme;thatheoughttosellme;andtheremarkablereasonIgavewas,accordingtoShekels,becausehe,mymaster,"hadbeengamblingandonaspree!"
Hecontinued,inthesewords,copiedfromtheminutestakenontheexamination: "Burchinterrogatedtheboyintheusualmanner,toldhimifhepurchasedhimheshouldsendhimsouth. Theboysaidhehadnoobjection,thatinfacthewouldliketogosouth. Burchpaid$650forhim,tomyknowledge. Idon’tknowwhatnamewasgivenhim,butthinkitwasnotSolomon. Didnotknowthenameofeitherofthetwomen. Theywereinmytaverntwoorthreehours,duringwhichtimetheboyplayedontheviolin. Thebillofsalewassignedinmybar-room. Itwasaprintedblank,filledupbyBurch. Before1838Burchwasmypartner. Ourbusinesswasbuyingandsellingslaves. AfterthattimehewasapartnerofTheophilusFreeman,ofNew-Orleans. Burchboughthere—Freemansoldthere!"
Shekels,beforetestifying,hadheardmyrelationofthecircumstancesconnectedwiththevisittoWashingtonwithBrownandHamilton,andtherefore,itwas,undoubtedly,hespokeof"twomen,"andofmyplayingontheviolin.