“herearemonkeysamongwhiepeopleaswellasbck，whenyoucomeoha，”coollyremarkedbass“iknowsomewhiemenhauseargumensnosensiblemonkeywouldbulehapassheseniggersarehumanbeingsifheydon’knowasmuchasheirmasers，whosefaulisi？heyarenoallowedoknowanyhingyouhavebooksandpapers，andcangowhereyouplease，andgaherinelligenceinahousandwaysbuyoursveshavenoprivilegesyou’dwhiponeofhemifcaughreadingabookheyareheldinbondage，generaionafergeneraion，deprivedofmenalimprovemen，andwhocanexpechemopossessmuchknowledge？ifheyarenobroughdownoalevelwihhebruecreaion，yousveholderswillneverbebmedforiifheyarebaboons，orsandnohigherinhescaleofinelligencehansuchanimals，youandmenlikeyouwillhaveoanswerforihere’sasin，afearfulsin，resingonhisnaion，hawillnogounpunishedforeverherewillbeareckoningye—yes，epps，here’sadaycominghawillburnasanovenimaybesoonerorimaybeer，bui’sacomingassureashelordisjus”

“ifyoulivedupamongheyankeesinnewengnd，”

saidepps，“iexpecyou’dbeoneofhemcursedfanaicshaknowmorehanheconsiuion，andgoaboupeddlingclocksandcoaxingniggersorunaway”

“ifiwasinnewengnd，”reurnedbass，“iwouldbejuswhaiamhereiwouldsayhasverywasaniniquiy，andoughobeabolishediwouldsayherewasnoreasonnorjusiceinhew，orheconsiuionhaallowsonemanoholdanohermaninbondageiwouldbehardforyouoloseyourpropery，obesure，buiwouldn’behalfashardasiwouldbeoloseyourliberyyouhavenomorerighoyourfreedom，inexacjusice，hanuncleabramyonderalkaboubckskin，andbckblood；why，howmanysvesarehereonhisbayouaswhieaseiherofus？andwhadifferenceishereinhecolorofhesoul？pshaw！hewholesysemisasabsurdasiiscruelyoumayownniggersandbehanged，buiwouldn’ownoneforhebespnaioninlouisiana”

“youlikeohearyourselfalk，bass，beerhananymaniknowofyouwouldarguehabckwaswhie，orwhiebck，ifanybodywouldconradicyounohingsuisyouinhisworld，andidon’believeyouwillbesaisfiedwihhenex，ifyoushouldhaveyourchoiceinhem”

conversaionssubsaniallylikeheforegoingwerenounusualbeweenhewoaferhis；eppsdrawinghimoumoreforhepurposeofcreaingaughahisexpense，hanwihaviewoffairlydiscussinghemerisofhequesionhelookeduponbass，asamanreadyosayanyhingmerelyforhepleasureofhearinghisownvoice；assomewhaselfconceied，perhaps，conendingagainshisfaihandjudgmen，inorder，simply，oexhibihisdexeriyinargumenaion

heremainedaepps’hroughhesummer，visiingmarksvillegenerallyonceafornighhemoreisawofhim，hemoreibecameconvincedhewasamaninwhomicouldconfideneverheless，mypreviousillforunehadaughmeobeexremelycauiousiwasnomypceospeakoawhiemanexcepwhenspokeno，buiomiednoopporuniyofhrowingmyselfinhisway，andendeavoredconsanlyineverypossiblema

eroarachisaenioninheearlyparofaugusheandmyselfwereaworkaloneinhehouse，heohercarpenershavinglef，andeppsbeingabseninhefield

nowwasheime，ifever，obroachhesubjec，andiresolvedodoi，andsubmiowhaeverconsequencesmighensuewewerebusilyaworkinheafernoon，whenisoppedsuddenlyandsaid—

“maserbass，iwanoaskyouwhaparofhecounryyoucamefrom？”

“why，p，whapuhainoyourhead？”heanswered

“youwouldn’knowifishouldellyou”aferamomenorwoheadded—“iwasbornincanada；nowguesswherehais”

“oh，iknowwherecanadais，”saidi，“ihavebeenheremyself”

“yes，iexpecyouarewellacquainedallhroughhacounry”，heremarked，ughingincredulously

“assureasilive，maserbass，”ireplied，“ihavebeenhereihavebeeninmonrealandkingson，andqueenson，andagreamanypcesincanada，andihavebeeninyorksae，oo—inbuffalo，androcheser，andalbany，andcanellyouhenamesofhevilgesonheeriecanalandhechampincanal”

bassurnedroundandgazedamealongimewihouueringasylble

“howcameyouhere？”heinquired，alengh，“maserbass，”ianswered，“ifjusicehadbeendone，ineverwouldhavebeenhere”

“well，how’shis？”saidhe“whoareyou？youhavebeenincanadasureenough；iknowallhepcesyoumenionhowdidyouhappenogehere？come，ellmeallaboui”

“ihavenofriendshere，”wasmyreply，“haicanpuconfidenceiniamafraidoellyou，houghidon’believeyouwouldellmasereppsifishould”

heassuredmeearneslyhewouldkeepeverywordimighspeakohimaprofoundsecre，andhiscuriosiywasevidenlysronglyexciediwasalongsory，iinformedhim，andwouldakesomeimeoreei

masereppswouldbebacksoon，buifhewouldseemehanighaferallwereasleep，iwouldrepeaiohimheconsenedreadilyohearrangemen，anddirecedmeocomeinohebuildingwherewewerehenawork，andiwouldfindhimhereaboumidnigh，whenallwassilndquie，icrepcauiouslyfrommycabin，andsilenlyeneringheunfinishedbuilding，foundhimawaiingme

aferfurherassurancesonhisparhaishouldnobeberayed，ibeganareionofhehisoryofmylifeandmisforuneshewasdeeplyineresedaskingnumerousquesionsinreferenceolocaliiesandevens

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