I have spoken!" He fell silent, crossed his arms upon the bars of the cage that pent him, and laid his head upon them with a motion of weariness.
Something strangely stirred the heart of the woman.

Her hand went out and touched his thick, black hair.
"Be of good cheer," she whispered.

"Though I am ignorant and do not fully understand, as yet, some glimmer of the light has reached my eyes.
I can learn, and I _will_ learn, and dare, and do! All my life I have eaten the bread of this bitter slavery, taken the thing I had no right to take, unknowingly wielded the lash on bleeding backs of men and women and children.
"All my life have I, in ignorance and idleness, done these things.

But never shall I do them again.

That is all past and gone, an evil dream that is no more.