In Kindred, Nigel wanted to escape slavery, but accepted it when?

The true horror of
slavery is shown in the way that blacks and whites can play together as children but then, as
they gradually grow older, are forced to lead very different lives that remove them from each
other. This is of course shown in the example of Nigel, who was the playmate of Rufus as a boy.
However, as an adult, he obviously lives and moves in a very different kind of
world....