There ensued a short pause in the conversation, and then Ishmael, speaking in a low, calm tone, inquired:
"How long did you remain in that dungeon, Katie?"
"'Deed, Marse Ishmael, chile, I dunno; cause, you see, I hadn't no ways o' keepin' 'count o' de time; for, you see, noonday was jus' as dark as midnight in dat den. So how I gwine tell when day broke, or when night come ag'in? or how many days broke, or how many nights come?"
"Then you have really no idea of how long you remained there?"
"Not a bit! 'Cause, you see, Marse Ishmael, 'pears to me, judging by my feelin's, as I must a stayed dere about seben years. But den I don't s'pose I stayed dat long neider, 'cause I know I nebber had nothin' to eat nor drink all de time I was dere; which, you know I couldn't a' fasted seben years, down dere, could I?"
"Not with safety to life and health, Katie," smiled Ishmael.
"Well, den, if it wasn't seben years, it was as long as ebber anybody could lib dere a-fastin'!"
"How did you get out at last, Katie?"
"Well, now, Marse Ishmael, begging of your pardon, dat was the curiousest t'ing of all! I dunno no more how I come out'n dat dark den, nor de man in de moon! I t'ink it was witchcraft and debbilment, dat's what I t'ink," whispered Katie, rolling her eyes mysteriously.
"Tell us what you do know, however," said Ishmael.