Двенадцать лет рабства

           Sheseemedtobeamazedatfindingherselfinsuchaplaceasthat. Itwasplainlyasuddenandunexpectedturnoffortunethathadbroughtherthere. Fillingtheairwithhercomplainings,shewashustled,withthechildrenandmyself,intothecell. Languagecanconveybutaninadequateimpressionofthelamentationstowhichshegaveincessantutterance. Throwingherselfuponthefloor,andencirclingthechildreninherarms,shepouredforthsuchtouchingwordsasonlymaternalloveandkindnesscansuggest. Theynestledcloselytoher,asifthereonlywasthereanysafetyorprotection. Atlasttheyslept,theirheadsrestinguponherlap. Whiletheyslumbered,shesmoothedthehairbackfromtheirlittleforeheads,andtalkedtothemallnightlong. Shecalledthemherdarlings—hersweetbabes—poorinnocentthings,thatknewnotthemiserytheyweredestinedtoendure. Soontheywouldhavenomothertocomfortthem—theywouldbetakenfromher. Whatwouldbecomeofthem? Oh!shecouldnotliveawayfromherlittleEmmyandherdearboy. Theyhadalwaysbeengoodchildren,andhadsuchlovingways. Itwouldbreakherheart,Godknew,shesaid,iftheyweretakenfromher;andyetsheknewtheymeanttosellthem,and,maybe,theywouldbeseparated,andcouldneverseeeachotheranymore. Itwasenoughtomeltaheartofstonetolistentothepitifulexpressionsofthatdesolateanddistractedmother. HernamewasEliza;andthiswasthestoryofherlife,assheafterwardsrelatedit: 

           ShewastheslaveofElishaBerry,arichman,livingintheneighborhoodofWashington. Shewasborn,Ithinkshesaid,onhisplantation. Yearsbefore,hehadfallenintodissipatedhabits,andquarreledwithhiswife. Infact,soonafterthebirthofRandall,theyseparated. Leavinghiswifeanddaughterinthehousetheyhadalwaysoccupied,heerectedanewonenearby,ontheestate.