Гроздья гнева

           Alittlecolorcameintotheeasternsky,andalmostimmediatelythelonelydawnlightcreptovertheland.Greenappearedonthecottonplantsandtheearthwasgray-brown.Thefacesofthemenlosttheirgrayishshine.Joad’sfaceseemedtodarkenwiththegrowinglight."Thisisthegoodtime,"Joadsaidsoftly."WhenIwasakidIusedtogetupan’walkaroundbymyselfwhenitwaslikethis.What’sthatahead?"

           Acommitteeofdogshadmetintheroad,inhonorofabitch.Fivemales,shepherdmongrels,colliemongrels,dogswhosebreedshadbeenblurredbyafreedomofsociallife,wereengagedincomplimentingthebitch.Foreachdogsniffeddaintilyandthenstalkedtoacottonplantonstifflegs,raisedahindfootceremoniouslyandwetted,thenwentbacktosmell.Joadandthepreacherstoppedtowatch,andsuddenlyJoadlaughedjoyously."ByGod!"hesaid."ByGod!"Nowalldogsmetandhacklesrose,andtheyallgrowledandstoodstiffly,eachwaitingfortheotherstostartafight.Onedogmountedand,nowthatitwasaccomplished,theothersgavewayandwatchedwithinterest,andtheirtongueswereout,andtheirtonguesdripped.Thetwomenwalkedon."ByGod!"Joadsaid."Ithinkthatup-dogisourFlash.Ithoughthe’dbedead.Come,Flash!"Helaughedagain."Whatthehell,ifsomebodycalledme,Iwouldn’thearhimneither.’MindsmeofastorytheytellaboutWillyFeeleywhenhewasayoungfella.Willywasbashful,awfulbashful.Well,onedayhetakesaheiferovertoGraves’bull.