to keep me from being sold after his death with his dogs and horses. I saw my mother sold with her seven children. You, Mr Wilson, I admit, treated me well, you encouraged me to do well, and to learn to read and write, to make something of myself. But now what? Now comes my master and says 1 am only a nigger. And last of all he comes between me and my wife, and says I must give her up. And your laws give the white masters power to do all this.
‘‘When I get to Canada, that will be my country, and its laws I shall obey. But if any man tries to stop me, let him take care, for I’ll fight for my freedom to the last breath I breathe.” The old man looked at him with wonder in his eyes. “Well, George,” he said, “you are changed beyond rec ognition, and not only in appearance. You hold up your head, and speak and move like a new man.”
“Because I’m a free man!” said George proudly. “Yes,sir, I’ve said ‘Master’ for the last time to any man. I’m free!” George stood up, and held out his hand with a proud and independent air. The friendly little old man shook it heartily, and made his way out of the room.
NOTES
1. said George вышеупомянутый Джордж. Эта форма является сокращением от полной the (above-) said George. В объявлениях, как и в заголовках, артикль обычно опу скается.
2. I will give four hundred dollars... Дам четыреста долларов... . Глагол will, употребленный с местоимениями 1-го лица, в современном английском языке употребляется вместо shall как вспомогательный глагол для образования будущего времени.
ACTIVE WORDS AND WORD COMBINATIONS
|
an advertisement (for)
to advertise smth.
to advertise (for)
to announce
an announcement
to be (be left, remain) alive
to give proof
to prove smth.
to prove (to be)
to invent
an inventor
an invention |
to lock a law
to keep (break) the law bitter
at the risk of...
risky ■
to risk smth. ‘
to admit smb.
valuable
value
to master
to be indifferent to |
262
