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Chapter 8
Ever’bodywasoutbutElsieGraves,andElsiewasn’tbashfulatall.Willy,hestoodthereturnin’redan’hecouldn’teventalk.Elsiesays,’Iknowwhatyoucomefor;thebull’soutinbackathebarn.’Well,theytooktheheiferouttherean’Willyan’Elsiesatonthefencetowatch.PurtysoonWillygotfeelin’purtyfly.Elsielooksoveran’says,likeshedon’tknow,’What’samatter,Willy?’Willy’ssorandy,hecan’thardlysetstill.’ByGod,’hesays,’byGod,IwishtIwasa-doin’that!’Elsiesays,’Whynot,Willy?It’syourheifer.’"
Thepreacherlaughedsoftly."Youknow,"hesaid,"it’sanicethingnotbein’apreachernomore.Nobodyuse’tatellstorieswhenIwasthere,oriftheydidIcouldn’laugh.An’Icouldn’cuss.NowIcussallIwant,anytimeIwant,an’itdoesafellagoodtocussifhewantsto."
Arednessgrewupoutoftheeasternhorizon,andonthegroundbirdsbegantochirp,sharply."Look!"saidJoad."Rightahead.That’sUncleJohn’stank.Can’tseethewin’mill,butthere’shistank.Seeitagainstthesky?"Hespeededhiswalk."Iwonderifallthefolksarethere."Thehulkofthetankstoodabovearise.Joad,hurrying,raisedacloudofdustabouthisknees."IwonderifMa—"Theysawthetanklegsnow,andthehouse,asquarelittlebox,unpaintedandbare,andthebarn,low-roofedandhuddled.Smokewasrisingfromthetinchimneyofthehouse.
