Summary: The Story, Part 7
Margaret returns. She makes Dana read to her, clean her
room, do her laundry, and sleep next to her on the floor. Her old
temper seems to have left her, perhaps because of her opium addiction.
One day, three of the Weylin slaves are tied up and taken away to
be sold. Tess is one of them. Dana tries to talk to her, but Rufus
drags her off to the library. He tells her that his father arranged
the sale before his death and says the slaves are his property.
Dana is heartbroken.
Summary: The Story, Part 8
Dana encounters Carrie, who takes her to her own cabin.
Dana laments that she saved Rufus’s life. Through gestures, Carrie
says that if she had not, they all would have been sold to break
up the estate. Carrie rubs Dana’s cheek and tells her that her black
skin “doesn’t come off,” no matter what others say.
Summary: The Story, Part 9
Rufus tells Dana to write letters for him to his creditors.
She says in her own time, she avoided secretarial work, and he smiles
and says Kevin told him that she was a writer. He offers her some
paper to use as she pleases and says he doesn’t want to sell any
more slaves. He says his father left debts, and he hopes Dana can
forestall the sale of more slaves by writing persuasive letters.
Summary: The Story, Part 10
One night, Dana and Alice are eating dinner in Alice’s
cabin. Rufus comes home drunk and tells them that they are “only
one woman.” He leaves. Alice asks Dana if Rufus ever sleeps with
her, and she says no. Alice says she understands what Rufus means.
He wants Alice to sleep with and Dana to talk to, and the two women
look alike.
Summary: The Story, Part 11
The slaves have a party to husk the corn. Rufus supplies
good food and whiskey. A muscular slave named Sam says that it’s
too bad Dana is spoken for. At Christmas, there is another party.
Rufus asks Dana if she has her eye on someone. Looking at Sam, he
says he would sell anyone she wanted to marry. He says Kevin is
far away. Later, Alice convinces Rufus to let Dana teach their son
Joe to read. Dana tells Rufus that his son is very smart, and Rufus
starts to take an interest in is the boy. Alice wants Rufus to free
Joe, and he says he will—in return for Alice’s affection. Alice
thinks he wants her to be more like Dana. She tells Dana that she
doesn’t trust Rufus, and that she will run away again after she
has the baby she’s carrying. She asks Dana to steal some opium from
Margaret to keep the baby quiet.
Summary: The Story, Part 12
Alice gives birth to a daughter, Hagar. Dana is elated
because Hagar is her ancestor, and she hopes she will no longer
be called to the past to save Rufus’s life. A few weeks later, Alice
asks Dana for the opium. She says she has to escape before she turns
into Dana. Dana threatens to withhold help unless Alice stops speaking
to her like that. Alice says Dana will help her, because she can’t
stand to see herself as a “white nigger.” Dana gives her the opium.
