Двенадцать лет рабства

           AlldayChapinwalkedbackandforthuponthestoop,butnotonceapproachedme. Heappearedtobeinastateofgreatuneasiness,lookingfirsttowardsme,andthenuptheroad,asifexpectingsomearrivaleverymoment. Hedidnotgotothefield,aswashiscustom. ItwasevidentfromhismannerthathesupposedTibeatswouldreturnwithmoreandbetterarmedassistance,perhaps,torenewthequarrel,anditwasequallyevidenthehadpreparedhismindtodefendmylifeatwhateverhazard. Whyhedidnotrelieveme—whyhesufferedmetoremaininagonythewholewearyday,Ineverknew. Itwasnotforwantofsympathy,Iamcertain. PerhapshewishedFordtoseetheropeaboutmyneck,andthebrutalmannerinwhichIhadbeenbound;perhapshisinterferencewithanother’spropertyinwhichhehadnolegalinterestmighthavebeenatrespass,whichwouldhavesubjectedhimtothepenaltyofthelaw. WhyTibeatswasalldayabsentwasanothermysteryInevercoulddivine. HeknewwellenoughthatChapinwouldnotharmhimunlesshepersistedinhisdesignagainstme. Lawsontoldmeafterwards,that,ashepassedtheplantationofJohnDavidCheney,hesawthethree,andthattheyturnedandlookedafterhimasheflewby. Ithinkhissuppositionwas,thatLawsonhadbeensentoutbyOverseerChapintoarousetheneighboringplanters,andtocallonthemtocometohisassistance. He,therefore,undoubtedly,actedontheprinciple,that"discretionisthebetterpartofvalor,"andkeptaway. 

           Butwhatevermotivemayhavegovernedthecowardlyandmalignanttyrant,itisofnoimportance.