Latest / Twelve Years a Slave / 19 - Twelve Years a Slave by Solomon Northup

Transcript

19 - Twelve Years a Slave by Solomon Northup · Twelve Years a Slave

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: Chapter nineteen of twelve Years a Slave by Solomon Northup.
• 0:04
  Speaker 1: This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. In the
• 0:08
  Speaker 1: month of June eighteen fifty two, in pursuance of a
• 0:11
  Speaker 1: previous contract, mister Avery, a carpenter of Bayou Rouge, commenced
• 0:16
  Speaker 1: the erection of a house for Master Epps. It has
• 0:19
  Speaker 1: previously been stated that there are no sellars on Bayou birth.
• 0:23
  Speaker 1: On the other hand, such as the low and swampy
• 0:25
  Speaker 1: nature of the ground, the great houses are usually built
• 0:28
  Speaker 1: upon spiles, and other peculiarity is the rooms are not plastered,
• 0:33
  Speaker 1: but the ceiling and sides are covered with matched cypress
• 0:36
  Speaker 1: boards painted such colour as most pleases the owner's taste. Generally,
• 0:41
  Speaker 1: the plank and boards are swed by slaves with whipsaws,
• 0:44
  Speaker 1: there being no water power upon which mills might be
• 0:47
  Speaker 1: built within many miles. When the planter erects for himself
• 0:51
  Speaker 1: a dwelling, therefore there is plenty of extra work for
• 0:53
  Speaker 1: his slaves. Having had some experience under tibets as a carpenter,
• 0:58
  Speaker 1: I was taken from the field or together on the
• 1:00
  Speaker 1: arrival of Avery and his hands. Among them was one
• 1:04
  Speaker 1: to whom I owe an immeasurable debt of gratitude only
• 1:07
  Speaker 1: for him. In all probability, I should have ended my
• 1:10
  Speaker 1: days in slavery. He was my deliverer, a man whose
• 1:14
  Speaker 1: true heart overflowed with noble and generous emotions. To the
• 1:18
  Speaker 1: last moment of my existence. I shall remember him with
• 1:20
  Speaker 1: feelings of thankfulness. His name was Bass, and at that
• 1:24
  Speaker 1: time he resided in Marksville. It will be difficult to
• 1:27
  Speaker 1: convey a correct impression of his appearance or character. He
• 1:31
  Speaker 1: was a large man between forty and fifty years old,
• 1:34
  Speaker 1: of light complexion and light hair. He was very cool
• 1:38
  Speaker 1: and self possessed, fond of argument, but always speaking with
• 1:42
  Speaker 1: extreme deliberation. He was that kind of person whose peculiarity
• 1:46
  Speaker 1: of manner was such that nothing he uttered ever gave offense.
• 1:50
  Speaker 1: What would be intolerable coming from the lips of another
• 1:53
  Speaker 1: could be said by him with impunity. There was not
• 1:56
  Speaker 1: a man on Red River, perhaps that agreed with him
• 1:59
  Speaker 1: on the subject of politics or religion, and not a man,
• 2:02
  Speaker 1: I venture to say, who discussed either of those subjects
• 2:06
  Speaker 1: half as much. It seemed to be taken for granted
• 2:09
  Speaker 1: that he would espouse the unpopular side of every local question,
• 2:12
  Speaker 1: and it always created amusement rather than displeasure among his
• 2:16
  Speaker 1: auditors to listen to the ingenious and original manner in
• 2:19
  Speaker 1: which he maintained the controversy. He was a bachelor, an
• 2:23
  Speaker 1: old bachelor, according to the true acceptation of the term,
• 2:26
  Speaker 1: having no kindred living as he knew of in the world.
• 2:30
  Speaker 1: Neither had he any permanent abiding place, wandering from one
• 2:34
  Speaker 1: state to another, as his fancy dictated. He had lived
• 2:37
  Speaker 1: in Marksville three or four years, and in the prosecution
• 2:41
  Speaker 1: of his business as a carpenter, and in consequence likewise
• 2:44
  Speaker 1: of his peculiarities, was quite extensively known throughout the parish
• 2:48
  Speaker 1: of avoyel He was liberal to a fault, and his
• 2:52
  Speaker 1: many acts of kindness and transparent goodness of heart rendered
• 2:55
  Speaker 1: him popular in the community, the sentiment of which he
• 2:58
  Speaker 1: unceasingly combated. He was a native of Canada, from whence
• 3:02
  Speaker 1: he had wandered in early life, and after visiting all
• 3:05
  Speaker 1: the principal localities in the northern and western States in
• 3:09
  Speaker 1: the course of his peregrinations, arrived in the unhealthy region
• 3:12
  Speaker 1: of the Red River. His last removal was from Illinois,
• 3:16
  Speaker 1: whither he has gone. Now I regret to be obliged
• 3:18
  Speaker 1: to say is unknown to me. He gathered up his
• 3:21
  Speaker 1: effects and departed quietly from Marksville the day before I
• 3:24
  Speaker 1: did the suspicions of his instrumentality in procuring my liberation,
• 3:29
  Speaker 1: rendering such a step necessary for the commission of a
• 3:32
  Speaker 1: just and righteous act. He would undoubtedly have suffered death
• 3:36
  Speaker 1: had he remained within reach of the slave whipping tribe.
• 3:39
  Speaker 1: On Bayou birth one day, while working on the new house,
• 3:43
  Speaker 1: Bass and Epps became engaged in a controversy to which,
• 3:46
  Speaker 1: as will be readily supposed, I listened with absorbing interest.
• 3:50
  Speaker 1: They were discussing the subject of slavery. I tell you
• 3:54
  Speaker 1: what it is, Epps said Bass. It's all wrong, all wrong, sir.
• 3:58
  Speaker 1: There's no justice nor righteousness in it. I wouldn't own
• 4:01
  Speaker 1: a slave if I was as rich as Criesus, which
• 4:04
  Speaker 1: I'm not, as is perfectly well understood. More, particularly among
• 4:08
  Speaker 1: my creditors, there's another humbug, the credit system. Humbug, sir.
• 4:13
  Speaker 1: No credit, no debt. Credit leaves a man into temptation.
• 4:17
  Speaker 1: Cash down is the only thing that will deliver him
• 4:19
  Speaker 1: from evil. But this question of slavery, what right have
• 4:23
  Speaker 1: you to your niggers? When you come down to the point,
• 4:26
  Speaker 1: What right, said Epps, laughing, Why I bought them and
• 4:30
  Speaker 1: paid for him. Of course you did. The law says
• 4:33
  Speaker 1: you have the right to hold a nigger. But begging
• 4:36
  Speaker 1: the law's pardon, it lies, yes, SEPs. When the law
• 4:40
  Speaker 1: says that it's a liar and the truth is not
• 4:43
  Speaker 1: in it is everything right because the law allows it.
• 4:47
  Speaker 1: Suppose they'd pass a law taking away your liberty and
• 4:50
  Speaker 1: making you a slave. Hold that ain't a supposable case,
• 4:53
  Speaker 1: said Epps, still laughing. Hope you don't compare me to
• 4:57
  Speaker 1: a nigger, Bass Well, Bass answered Grace, No, not exactly.
• 5:02
  Speaker 1: But I have seen niggers before now as good as
• 5:05
  Speaker 1: I am, and I have no acquaintance with any white
• 5:08
  Speaker 1: man in these parts that I consider a whit better
• 5:10
  Speaker 1: than myself now in the sight of God, What is
• 5:14
  Speaker 1: the difference, Epps, between a white man and a black one?
• 5:18
  Speaker 1: All the difference in the world, replied Epps, you might
• 5:21
  Speaker 1: as well ask what the difference is between a white
• 5:23
  Speaker 1: man and a baboon. Now I've seen one of them.
• 5:25
  Speaker 1: Critisis in Orleans, that know, just as much as any
• 5:28
  Speaker 1: nigger I've got. You call them fellow citizens, I suppose,
• 5:32
  Speaker 1: and Epps indulged in a loud laugh at his own wit.
• 5:35
  Speaker 1: Look here, Epps continued his companion, You can't laugh me
• 5:39
  Speaker 1: down in that way. Some men are witty, and some
• 5:42
  Speaker 1: ain't so witty as they think they are. Now let
• 5:45
  Speaker 1: me ask you a question. Are all men created free
• 5:48
  Speaker 1: and equal? As the Declaration of Independence? Holes They are, yes,
• 5:52
  Speaker 1: responded Epps. But all men, niggers and monkeys ain't. And
• 5:57
  Speaker 1: hereupon he broke forth into a more boisterous laugh than before.
• 6:01
  Speaker 1: There are monkeys among white people as well as black
• 6:04
  Speaker 1: When you come to that, coolly remarked bass, I know
• 6:07
  Speaker 1: some white men that use arguments no sensible monkey would,
• 6:11
  Speaker 1: but let that pass. These niggers are human beings. If
• 6:14
  Speaker 1: they don't know as much as their masters, whose fault
• 6:16
  Speaker 1: is it? They're not allowed to know anything. You have
• 6:20
  Speaker 1: books and papers, and can go where you please and
• 6:22
  Speaker 1: gather intelligence in a thousand ways. But your slaves have
• 6:26
  Speaker 1: no privileges. You'd whip one of them if you caught
• 6:28
  Speaker 1: them reading a book. They're held in bondage generation after generation,
• 6:33
  Speaker 1: deprived of mental improvement, and who can expect them to
• 6:36
  Speaker 1: possess much knowledge if they're not brought down to a
• 6:39
  Speaker 1: level with the brute creation. You slaveholders will never be
• 6:42
  Speaker 1: blamed for it. If they are baboons or stand no
• 6:46
  Speaker 1: higher in the scale of intelligence than such animals, You
• 6:49
  Speaker 1: and men like you will have to answer for it.
• 6:51
  Speaker 1: There's a sin, a fearful sin, resting on this nation
• 6:55
  Speaker 1: that will not go unpunished forever. There will be a reckoning. Yet, Yes,
• 7:00
  Speaker 1: there's a day coming that will burn as an oven.
• 7:03
  Speaker 1: It may be sooner or it may be later, but
• 7:05
  Speaker 1: it's a coming as sure as the Lord is just.
• 7:08
  Speaker 1: If you lived up among the Yankees in New England,
• 7:11
  Speaker 1: said Epps, I expect you'd be one of them cursed
• 7:14
  Speaker 1: fanatics that know more than the Constitution and go about
• 7:17
  Speaker 1: peddling clocks and coaxing niggers to run away. If I
• 7:21
  Speaker 1: was in New England, returned Bass, I would be just
• 7:24
  Speaker 1: what I am here. I would say that slavery was
• 7:27
  Speaker 1: an iniquity and ought to be abolished. I would say
• 7:30
  Speaker 1: there was no reason nor justice in the law or
• 7:33
  Speaker 1: the constitution that allows one man to hold another man
• 7:36
  Speaker 1: in bondage. It would be hard for you to lose
• 7:39
  Speaker 1: your property, to be sure, but it wouldn't be half
• 7:42
  Speaker 1: as hard as it would be to lose your liberty.
• 7:44
  Speaker 1: You have no more right to your freedom in exact
• 7:47
  Speaker 1: justice than Uncle Abram Yonder talk about black skin and
• 7:51
  Speaker 1: black blood. Why how many slaves are there on this
• 7:54
  Speaker 1: by you as white as either of us? And what
• 7:57
  Speaker 1: difference is there in the color of the soul? The
• 8:00
  Speaker 1: whole system is as absurd as it is cruel. You
• 8:03
  Speaker 1: may own niggers and be hanged, but I wouldn't own
• 8:06
  Speaker 1: one for the best plantation in Louisiana. You like to
• 8:10
  Speaker 1: hear yourself talk, Bass, better than any man I know of.
• 8:14
  Speaker 1: You would argue that black was white or white black
• 8:17
  Speaker 1: if any body would contradict you. Nothing suits you in
• 8:20
  Speaker 1: this world, and I don't believe you will be satisfied
• 8:22
  Speaker 1: with the next if you should have your choice in them.
• 8:25
  Speaker 1: Conversations substantially like the foregoing were not unusual between the
• 8:29
  Speaker 1: two after this, Epps drawing him out more for the
• 8:32
  Speaker 1: purpose of creating a laugh at his expense than with
• 8:35
  Speaker 1: a view of fairly discussing the merits of the question.
• 8:38
  Speaker 1: He looked upon Bass as a man ready to say
• 8:41
  Speaker 1: anything merely for the pleasure of hearing his own voice,
• 8:44
  Speaker 1: as somewhat self conceited, perhaps contending against his faith and
• 8:48
  Speaker 1: judgment in order simply to exhibit his dexterity in argumentation.
• 8:53
  Speaker 1: He remained at EPP's through the summer, visiting Marksville generally
• 8:57
  Speaker 1: once a fortnight. The more I saw of him, the
• 9:00
  Speaker 1: more I became convinced he was a man in whom
• 9:02
  Speaker 1: I could confide. Nevertheless, my previous ill fortune had taught
• 9:07
  Speaker 1: me to be extremely cautious. It was not my place
• 9:10
  Speaker 1: to speak to a white man except when spoken to.
• 9:13
  Speaker 1: But I omitted no opportunity of throwing myself in his way,
• 9:17
  Speaker 1: and endeavored constantly in every possible manner to attract his attention.
• 9:22
  Speaker 1: In the early part of August, he and myself were
• 9:25
  Speaker 1: at work alone in the house, the other carpenter's having
• 9:27
  Speaker 1: left and EPP's being absent in the field. Now was
• 9:31
  Speaker 1: the time, if ever, to broach the subject, and I
• 9:34
  Speaker 1: resolved to do it and submit to whatever consequences might ensue.
• 9:39
  Speaker 1: We were busily at work in the afternoon when I
• 9:42
  Speaker 1: stopped suddenly and said, Master Bass, I want to ask
• 9:45
  Speaker 1: you what part of the country you came from. Why Platt,
• 9:48
  Speaker 1: What put that into your head? He answered, you wouldn't
• 9:51
  Speaker 1: know if I should tell you. After a moment, or two,
• 9:54
  Speaker 1: he added, I was born in Canada. Now guess where
• 9:58
  Speaker 1: that is? Oh? Nowhere Canada, is said I. I have
• 10:01
  Speaker 1: been there myself. Yes, I expect you are well acquainted
• 10:05
  Speaker 1: all through that country, he remarked, laughing incredulously, as sure
• 10:10
  Speaker 1: as I live, Master bass I replied, I have been there.
• 10:14
  Speaker 1: I've been in Montreal and Kingston and Queenston. And I
• 10:18
  Speaker 1: have been in New York State too, in Buffalo and
• 10:21
  Speaker 1: Rochester and Albany. And can tell you the names of
• 10:24
  Speaker 1: the villagers on the Erie Canal and the Champlain Canal.
• 10:28
  Speaker 1: Bass turned round and gazed at me a long time
• 10:30
  Speaker 1: without uttering a syllable. How came you here? He inquired
• 10:34
  Speaker 1: at length, Master bass I answered, if justice had been done,
• 10:39
  Speaker 1: I never would have been here. Well how's this? Said he?
• 10:43
  Speaker 1: Who are you? You've been in Canada? Sure enough? I
• 10:46
  Speaker 1: know all the places you mention? How did you happen
• 10:49
  Speaker 1: to get here? Come tell me all about it? I
• 10:52
  Speaker 1: have no friends here was my reply that I can
• 10:55
  Speaker 1: put confidence in. I am afraid to tell you, though
• 10:58
  Speaker 1: I don't believe you were Master Reps. If I should,
• 11:02
  Speaker 1: he assured me earnestly, he would keep every word I
• 11:05
  Speaker 1: might speak to him a profound secret, and his curiosity
• 11:08
  Speaker 1: was evidently strongly excited. It was a long story, I
• 11:12
  Speaker 1: informed him, and would take some time to relate it.
• 11:15
  Speaker 1: Master Epps would be back soon, but if he would
• 11:18
  Speaker 1: see me that night, after all were asleep, I would
• 11:21
  Speaker 1: repeat it to him. He consented readily to the arrangement,
• 11:25
  Speaker 1: and directed me to come into the building where we
• 11:27
  Speaker 1: were then at work, and I would find him there.
• 11:31
  Speaker 1: About midnight, when all was still and quiet, I crept
• 11:34
  Speaker 1: cautiously from my cabin, and silently, entering the unfinished building,
• 11:39
  Speaker 1: found him awaiting me. After further assurances on his part
• 11:43
  Speaker 1: that I should not be betrayed, I began a relation
• 11:46
  Speaker 1: of the history of my life and misfortunes. He was
• 11:49
  Speaker 1: deeply interested, asking numerous questions in relation to localities and events.
• 11:55
  Speaker 1: Having ended my story, I besought him to write to
• 11:58
  Speaker 1: some of my friends at the north, painting them with
• 12:00
  Speaker 1: my situation and begging them to forward free papers or
• 12:04
  Speaker 1: take such steps as they might consider proper to secure
• 12:07
  Speaker 1: my release. He promised to do so, but dwelt upon
• 12:11
  Speaker 1: the danger of such an act in case of detection,
• 12:14
  Speaker 1: and now impressed upon me the great necessity of strict
• 12:17
  Speaker 1: silence and secrecy. Before we parted, our plan of cooperation
• 12:21
  Speaker 1: was arranged. We agreed to meet the next night at
• 12:24
  Speaker 1: a specified place among the high weeds on the banks
• 12:27
  Speaker 1: of the Bayoux, some distance from Masters dwelling. There he
• 12:31
  Speaker 1: was to write down on paper the names and address
• 12:33
  Speaker 1: of several persons old friends in the North to whom
• 12:37
  Speaker 1: he would direct letters during his next visit to Marksville.
• 12:40
  Speaker 1: It was not deemed prudent to meet in the new house,
• 12:43
  Speaker 1: inasmuch as the light it would be necessary to use
• 12:46
  Speaker 1: might possibly be discovered in the course of the day.
• 12:49
  Speaker 1: I managed to obtain a few matches and a piece
• 12:52
  Speaker 1: of candle unperceived from the kitchen during a temporary absence
• 12:56
  Speaker 1: of Antphoebe Bass had pencil and paper in his tool chair.
• 13:01
  Speaker 1: At the appointed hour, we met on the Baryu bank
• 13:03
  Speaker 1: and creeping among the high weeds. I lighted the candle
• 13:07
  Speaker 1: while he drew forth pencil and paper and prepared for business.
• 13:11
  Speaker 1: I gave him the names of William Perry, Kephus Parker,
• 13:14
  Speaker 1: and Judge Marvin all of Saratoga Springs, Saratoga County, New York.
• 13:20
  Speaker 1: I had been employed by the latter in the United
• 13:22
  Speaker 1: States hotel, and had transacted business with the former to
• 13:25
  Speaker 1: a considerable extent, and trusted that at least one of
• 13:29
  Speaker 1: them would be still living at that place. He carefully
• 13:32
  Speaker 1: wrote the names, and then remarked, thoughtfully, it is so
• 13:35
  Speaker 1: many years since you left Saratoga. All these men may
• 13:39
  Speaker 1: be dead or may have removed. You say you obtained
• 13:42
  Speaker 1: papers at the custom House in New York. Probably there
• 13:46
  Speaker 1: is a record of them there, and I think it
• 13:48
  Speaker 1: would be well to write and ascertain. I agreed with him,
• 13:51
  Speaker 1: and again repeated the circumstances related heretofore connected with my
• 13:56
  Speaker 1: visit to the custom House with Brown and Hamilton on
• 14:00
  Speaker 1: the bank of the Bayou. An hour or more conversing
• 14:02
  Speaker 1: upon the subject which now engrossed our thoughts, I could
• 14:06
  Speaker 1: no longer doubt his fidelity, and freely spoke to him
• 14:09
  Speaker 1: of the many sorrows I had borne in silence, and
• 14:12
  Speaker 1: so long I spoke of my wife and children, mentioning
• 14:16
  Speaker 1: their names and ages, and dwelling upon the unspeakable happiness
• 14:20
  Speaker 1: it would be to clasp them to my heart once
• 14:22
  Speaker 1: more before I died. I caught him by the hand,
• 14:25
  Speaker 1: and with tears and passionate entreaties, implored him to befriend me,
• 14:30
  Speaker 1: to restore me to my kindred and to liberty, promising
• 14:33
  Speaker 1: I would weary heaven the remainder of my life with
• 14:36
  Speaker 1: prayers that it would bless and prosper him in the
• 14:39
  Speaker 1: enjoyment of freedom, surrounded by the associations of youth, and
• 14:44
  Speaker 1: restored to the bosom of my family. That promise is
• 14:47
  Speaker 1: not yet forgotten, nor shall it ever be, so long
• 14:50
  Speaker 1: as I have strength to raise my imploring eyes on high. Oh,
• 14:54
  Speaker 1: blessings on his kindly voice, and on his silver hair,
• 14:58
  Speaker 1: and blessings on his whole life, long until he meet me.
• 15:01
  Speaker 1: There he overwhelmed me with assurances of friendship and faithfulness,
• 15:06
  Speaker 1: Seeing he had never before taken so deep an interest
• 15:09
  Speaker 1: in the fate of anyone. He spoke of himself in
• 15:12
  Speaker 1: a somewhat mournful tone, as a lonely man, a wanderer
• 15:16
  Speaker 1: about the world, that he was growing old and must
• 15:19
  Speaker 1: soon reach the end of his earthly journey and lie
• 15:22
  Speaker 1: down to his final rest, without kith or kin to
• 15:25
  Speaker 1: mourn for him or to remember him. That his life
• 15:28
  Speaker 1: was of little value to himself, and henceforth should be
• 15:32
  Speaker 1: devoted to the accomplishment of my liberty. And to an
• 15:35
  Speaker 1: unceasing warfare against the accursed shame of slavery. After this
• 15:39
  Speaker 1: time we seldom spoke to or recognized each other. He
• 15:43
  Speaker 1: was moreover less free in his conversation with Epps on
• 15:46
  Speaker 1: the subject of slavery. The remotest suspicion that there was
• 15:50
  Speaker 1: any unusual intimacy, any secret understanding between us, never once
• 15:55
  Speaker 1: entered the mind of Epps or any other person, white
• 15:58
  Speaker 1: or black on the plantation. I am often asked, with
• 16:02
  Speaker 1: an air of incredulity, how I succeeded so many years
• 16:05
  Speaker 1: in keeping from my daily and constant companions the knowledge
• 16:09
  Speaker 1: of my true name and history. The terrible lesson Birch
• 16:12
  Speaker 1: taught me impressed indelibly upon my mind the danger and
• 16:16
  Speaker 1: uselessness of asserting I was a freeman. There was no
• 16:20
  Speaker 1: possibility of any slave being able to assist me, while
• 16:23
  Speaker 1: on the other hand, there was a possibility of his
• 16:26
  Speaker 1: exposing me. When it is recollected, the whole current of
• 16:30
  Speaker 1: my thoughts for twelve years turned to the contemplation of escape.
• 16:34
  Speaker 1: It will not be wondered at that I was always
• 16:37
  Speaker 1: cautious and on my guard. It would have been an
• 16:40
  Speaker 1: act of folly to have proclaimed my right to freedom,
• 16:43
  Speaker 1: it would only have subjected me to severe a scrutiny,
• 16:47
  Speaker 1: probably have consigned me to some more distant and inaccessible
• 16:50
  Speaker 1: region than even by U birth. Edwin Epps was a
• 16:53
  Speaker 1: person utterly regardless of a black man's rights or wrongs,
• 16:57
  Speaker 1: utterly destitute of any natural sins of justice, as I
• 17:01
  Speaker 1: well knew. It was important therefore, not only as regarded
• 17:05
  Speaker 1: my hope of deliverance, but also as regarded the few
• 17:09
  Speaker 1: personal privileges I was permitted to enjoy, to keep from
• 17:12
  Speaker 1: him the history of my life. The Saturday night, subsequent
• 17:16
  Speaker 1: to our interview at the Water's Edge, Bass went home
• 17:19
  Speaker 1: to Marksville. The next day, being Sunday, he employed himself
• 17:24
  Speaker 1: in his own room, writing letters. One he directed to
• 17:28
  Speaker 1: the Collector of Customs at New York, another to Judge Marvin,
• 17:31
  Speaker 1: and another to Messrs Parker and Perry jointly. The latter
• 17:36
  Speaker 1: was the one which led to my recovery. He subscribed
• 17:39
  Speaker 1: my true name, but in the PostScript intimated I was
• 17:42
  Speaker 1: not the writer. The letter itself shows that he considered
• 17:46
  Speaker 1: himself engaged in a dangerous undertaking, no less than running
• 17:50
  Speaker 1: the risk of his life if detected. I did not
• 17:53
  Speaker 1: see the letter before it was mailed, but have since
• 17:56
  Speaker 1: obtained a copy which is here inserted by you Earth
• 18:00
  Speaker 1: August fifteenth, eighteen fifty two. Mister William Perry or mister
• 18:05
  Speaker 1: Keephus Parker, Gentlemen, it having been a long time since
• 18:09
  Speaker 1: I have seen or heard from you, and not knowing
• 18:12
  Speaker 1: that you are living, it is with uncertainty that I
• 18:15
  Speaker 1: write to you. But the necessity of the case must
• 18:18
  Speaker 1: be my excuse. Having been born free just across the
• 18:22
  Speaker 1: river from you, I am certain you must know me,
• 18:25
  Speaker 1: and I am here now a slave. I wish you
• 18:27
  Speaker 1: to obtain free papers for me and forward them to
• 18:30
  Speaker 1: me at Marksville, Louisiana, Parish of avoyel and oblige yours.
• 18:36
  Speaker 1: Solomon Northup the way I came to be a slave,
• 18:40
  Speaker 1: I was taken sick in Washington City and was insensible
• 18:43
  Speaker 1: for a time. When I recovered my reason, I was
• 18:46
  Speaker 1: robbed of my free papers and in irons on my
• 18:49
  Speaker 1: way to this state, and have never been able to
• 18:52
  Speaker 1: get anyone to write for me until now. And he
• 18:55
  Speaker 1: that is writing for me runs the risk of his
• 18:57
  Speaker 1: life if detected. Allusion to myself in the work recently
• 19:02
  Speaker 1: issued entitled A Key to on Uncle Tom's cabin contains
• 19:06
  Speaker 1: the first part of this letter, omitting the PostScript. Neither
• 19:10
  Speaker 1: are the full names of the gentleman to whom it
• 19:12
  Speaker 1: is directed correctly stated, there being a slight discrepancy, probably
• 19:17
  Speaker 1: a typographical error, to the PostScript more than to the
• 19:20
  Speaker 1: body of the communication. Am I indebted for my liberation,
• 19:23
  Speaker 1: as will presently be seen. When Bass returned from Marksville,
• 19:28
  Speaker 1: he informed me of what he had done. We continued
• 19:31
  Speaker 1: our midnight consultations, never speaking to each other through the day,
• 19:36
  Speaker 1: accepting as it was necessary about the work. As nearly
• 19:39
  Speaker 1: as he was able to ascertain, it would require two
• 19:42
  Speaker 1: weeks for the letter to reach Saratoga in due course
• 19:45
  Speaker 1: of mail, and the same length of time for an
• 19:47
  Speaker 1: answer to return. Within six weeks at the farthest, we
• 19:51
  Speaker 1: concluded an answer would arrive, if it arrived at all.
• 19:55
  Speaker 1: A great many suggestions were now made, and a great
• 19:58
  Speaker 1: deal of conversation took place between us as to the
• 20:01
  Speaker 1: most safe and proper course to pursue. On receipt of
• 20:04
  Speaker 1: the free papers. They would stand between him and harm
• 20:08
  Speaker 1: in case we were overtaken and arrested, leaving the country altogether,
• 20:12
  Speaker 1: it would be no infringement of law, however much it
• 20:15
  Speaker 1: might provoke individual hostility to assist the freeman to regain
• 20:19
  Speaker 1: his freedom. At the end of four weeks, he was
• 20:22
  Speaker 1: again at Marksville, but no answer had arrived. I was
• 20:26
  Speaker 1: sorely disappointed, but still reconciled myself with the reflection that
• 20:30
  Speaker 1: sufficient length of time had not yet elapsed, that there
• 20:33
  Speaker 1: might have been delays, and that I could not reasonably
• 20:36
  Speaker 1: expect one so soon. Six, seven, eight, and ten weeks
• 20:41
  Speaker 1: passed by, however, and nothing came. I was in a
• 20:44
  Speaker 1: fever of suspense whenever Bass visited Marksville, and could scarcely
• 20:49
  Speaker 1: close my eyes until his return. Finally, my master's house
• 20:53
  Speaker 1: was finished, and the time came when Bass must leave me.
• 20:57
  Speaker 1: The night before his departure, I was hold given up
• 21:00
  Speaker 1: to despair. I had clung to him as a drowning
• 21:03
  Speaker 1: man clings to the floating spa, knowing if it slips
• 21:07
  Speaker 1: from his grasp, he must forever sink beneath the waves.
• 21:10
  Speaker 1: The all glorious hope upon which I had laid such
• 21:13
  Speaker 1: eager hold was crumbling to ashes in my hands. I
• 21:17
  Speaker 1: felt as if sinking down down amidst the bitter waters
• 21:21
  Speaker 1: of slavery, from the unfathomable depths of which I should
• 21:25
  Speaker 1: never rise again. The generous heart of my friend and
• 21:29
  Speaker 1: benefactor was touched with pity at the sight of my distress.
• 21:32
  Speaker 1: He endeavored to cheer me up, promising to return the
• 21:35
  Speaker 1: day before Christmas, and if no intelligence was received in
• 21:39
  Speaker 1: the meantime, some further step would be undertaken to affect
• 21:43
  Speaker 1: our design. He exhorted me to keep up my spirits,
• 21:46
  Speaker 1: to rely upon his continued efforts in my behalf, assuring
• 21:50
  Speaker 1: me in most earnest and impressive language that my liberation
• 21:54
  Speaker 1: should from thenceforth be the chief object of his thoughts.
• 21:58
  Speaker 1: In his absence, that time passed slowly. Indeed, I looked
• 22:02
  Speaker 1: forward to Christmas with intense anxiety and impatience. I had
• 22:06
  Speaker 1: about given up the expectation of receiving any answer to
• 22:09
  Speaker 1: the letters. They might have miscarried, or might have been misdirected.
• 22:13
  Speaker 1: Perhaps those at Saratoga to whom they had been addressed
• 22:17
  Speaker 1: were all dead, Perhaps engaged in their pursuits, they did
• 22:21
  Speaker 1: not consider the fate of an obscure, unhappy black man
• 22:25
  Speaker 1: of sufficient importance to be noticed. My whole reliance was
• 22:29
  Speaker 1: in Bass, the faith I had in him, was continually
• 22:32
  Speaker 1: reassuring me and enabling me to stand up against the
• 22:36
  Speaker 1: tide of disappointment that had overwhelmed me. So wholly was
• 22:40
  Speaker 1: I absorbed in reflecting upon my situation and prospects that
• 22:44
  Speaker 1: the hands with whom I labored in the field often
• 22:46
  Speaker 1: observed it. Patsy would ask me if I were sick,
• 22:50
  Speaker 1: and Uncle Abram and Bob and Wiley frequently expressed a
• 22:54
  Speaker 1: curiosity to know what I could be thinking about so steadily.
• 22:57
  Speaker 1: But I evaded their inquiries with some light remark and
• 23:01
  Speaker 1: kept my thoughts locked closely in my breast. End of
• 23:05
  Speaker 1: Chapter nineteen