Anglais: étude d'un Texte

Nashville, USA, in the early 19th century. James and Washington, two young Irish immigrants, own a store and have decided to buy a slave to help them. Andrew Jackson, a friend of theirs, has offered to sell them Ephraim, a nine-years-old boy.

Ephraim was thin and scrawny, simply dressed and barefooted. He kept his eyes to the floor.

“There's no need to be frightened of me, “ Washington told him. “I'm not going to beat you.”»

Ephraim nodded, but didn't seem convinced.

“ Are you hungry ? “ Washington asked him.

“Chile bin fed “, Alfred said, but Ephraim looked up at Wasington with large and sorrowful eyes. He had been well fed that morning, but he was always hungry.

“ I'ts allus hungry “, he said.

“Thought so “, Washington said cheerily. “I am too. Why don't you and I find some bread and cheese and get to know each other “.

He led Ephraim to the back of the store, found some fresh bread and a lump of hard cheese, and the two sat together, munching happily, while Washington told Ephraim what was expeced of him.

Alfred came to James, and put some papers on the counter.

“Sign here, Massa”, he instructed James.

James signed where he indicated. It was official. He owned a slave.

“Dat a hunerd dollar you owe Massa Andrew”, he said. “But he take it in kind”.

He tipped his hat, and left the store. James went to join Washington and Ephraim.

“ Where is your mother, Ephraim ?” Washington asked the little slave, who looked at the floor again, because he didn't understand the question.

“Yo' mammy.” Washington had already picked a few words of the slaves' dialect. “Where is she ?”

“Wi' Massa Jackson”, Ephraim whispered. There was a tear in his eyes.

This big white man might be quite friendly, but he was his Massa and Massa could turn on nigger boys at any moment.

And he missed his mammy. Although he had only been parted fromher that morning, he did no expect to see her again.

“Well, I'll take you with me sometimes, wher I go visit Massa Jackson's Farm,” Washington told him, for he missed his mother. “ And you can see your mammy”.

Ephraim looked at him again, as is he couldn't quite believe his ears, or his luck.

“Now, let's go and look at your room”, Washington said, and led Ephraim away.

James stayed in the store, beset by two conflicting emotions. He was quite proud of the fact that he now owned a slave, of some value.

He was becoming a man of property and substance.

But he was also ashamed. It had not occurred to him that Ephraim might miss his mammy. Or even that he had one.

...