Chapter 10

           Asapathyhadfallenonthemen.Theysatstaringinfrontofthem.Theyseemednottohavetheenergytotalk,andamongthemthebedraggled,discontentedwomensat.Theywerelistlessandstale.Theygnawedthoughtfullyattheirmeat,andwhenitwasfinished,wipedtheirhandsontheirclothes.Theairwasfulloftheirapathy,andfulloftheirdiscontent.

           Mac,walkingthroughthecampwithJim,grewdiscontented,too."Theyoughttobedoingsomething,"Maccomplained."Idon’tcarewhatitis.Wecan’tlet’emsitaroundlikethis.Ourstrike’llgorightoutfromunderus.Christ,what’sthematterwith’em?Theyhadamankilledthismorning;thatoughttokeep’emgoing.Nowit’sjustafternoon,andthey’reslumpedalready.Wegottogetthemworkingatsomething.Lookattheireyes,Jim."

           "They’renotlookingatanything—they’rejuststaring."

           "Yeah,they’rethinkingofthemselves.Everymanthereisthinkin’howhurtheis,orhowmuchmoneyhemadeduringthewar.JustlikeAnderson.They’refallingapart."

           "Well,let’sdosomething.Let’smakethemmove.Whatistheretodo?"

           "Idon’tknow.Ifwecouldmake’emdigahole,it’dbeasgoodasanythingelse.Ifwecanjustget’emallpushingonsomething,orliftingsomething,orallwalkinginonedirection—doesn’tmatterahellofalot.They’llstartfightingeachotherifwedon’tmove’em.They’llbegintogetmean,prettysoon."

           London,hurryingpast,caughtthelastwords."Who’sgoin’togetmean?"

           Macturnedaround."Hello,London.Webeentalkin’aboutthesehereguys.They’reallfallin’topieces."