Двенадцать лет рабства

           Afterbeingfed,intheafternoon,wewereagainparadedandmadetodance. Bob,acoloredboy,whohadsometimebelongedtoFreeman,playedontheviolin. Standingnearhim,Imadeboldtoinquireifhecouldplaythe"VirginiaReel." Heansweredhecouldnot,andaskedmeifIcouldplay. Replyingintheaffirmative,hehandedmetheviolin. Istruckupatune,andfinishedit. Freemanorderedmetocontinueplaying,andseemedwellpleased,tellingBobthatIfarexcelledhim—aremarkthatseemedtogrievemymusicalcompanionverymuch. 

           NextdaymanycustomerscalledtoexamineFreeman’s"newlot." Thelattergentlemanwasveryloquacious,dwellingatmuchlengthuponourseveralgoodpointsandqualities. Hewouldmakeusholdupourheads,walkbrisklybackandforth,whilecustomerswouldfeelofourhandsandarmsandbodies,turnusabout,askuswhatwecoulddo,makeusopenourmouthsandshowourteeth,preciselyasajockeyexaminesahorsewhichheisabouttobarterfororpurchase. Sometimesamanorwomanwastakenbacktothesmallhouseintheyard,stripped,andinspectedmoreminutely. Scarsuponaslave’sbackwereconsideredevidenceofarebelliousorunrulyspirit,andhurthissale. 

           Oneoldgentleman,whosaidhewantedacoachman,appearedtotakeafancytome. FromhisconversationwithBurch,Ilearnedhewasaresidentinthecity. Iverymuchdesiredthathewouldbuyme,becauseIconceiveditwouldnotbedifficulttomakemyescapefromNew-Orleansonsomenorthernvessel. Freemanaskedhimfifteenhundreddollarsforme. Theoldgentlemaninsisteditwastoomuch,astimeswereveryhard.