Двенадцать лет рабства

           Intheorderofevents,Icomenowtotherelationofanoccurrence,whichInevercalltomindbutwithsensationsofregret. IthankGod,whohassincepermittedmetoescapefromthethralldomofslavery,thatthroughhismercifulinterpositionIwaspreventedfromimbruingmyhandsinthebloodofhiscreatures. Letnotthosewhohaveneverbeenplacedinlikecircumstances,judgemeharshly. Untiltheyhavebeenchainedandbeaten—untiltheyfindthemselvesinthesituationIwas,borneawayfromhomeandfamilytowardsalandofbondage—letthemrefrainfromsayingwhattheywouldnotdoforliberty. HowfarIshouldhavebeenjustifiedinthesightofGodandman,itisunnecessarynowtospeculateupon. ItisenoughtosaythatIamabletocongratulatemyselfupontheharmlessterminationofanaffairwhichthreatened,foratime,tobeattendedwithseriousresults. 

           Towardsevening,onthefirstdayofthecalm,Arthurandmyselfwereinthebowofthevessel,seatedonthewindlass. Wewereconversingtogetheroftheprobabledestinythatawaitedus,andmourningtogetheroverourmisfortunes. Arthursaid,andIagreedwithhim,thatdeathwasfarlessterriblethanthelivingprospectthatwasbeforeus. Foralongtimewetalkedofourchildren,ourpastlives,andoftheprobabilitiesofescape. Obtainingpossessionofthebrigwassuggestedbyoneofus. Wediscussedthepossibilityofourbeingable,insuchanevent,tomakeourwaytotheharborofNew-York. Iknewlittleofthecompass;buttheideaofriskingtheexperimentwaseagerlyentertained.