Гроздья гнева

           Didtheyhurtyousomuch?Didtheymakeyoumadlikethat?"

           Tom’sheavylipswerepulledrightoverhisteeth.Helookeddownathisbigflathands."No,"hesaid."Iain’tlikethat."Hepausedandstudiedthebrokennails,whichwereridgedlikeclamshells."AllthetimeinstirIkep’awayfromstufflikethat.Iain’somad."

           Shesighed,"ThankGod!"underherbreath.

           Helookedupquickly."Ma,whenIseenwhattheydonetoourhouse—"

           Shecameneartohimthen,andstoodclose;andshesaidpassionately,"Tommy,don’tyougofightin’’emalone.They’llhuntyoudownlikeacoyote.Tommy,Igottothinkin’an’dreamin’an’wonderin’.Theysaythere’sahun’erdthousandofusshovedout.Ifwewasallmadthesameway,Tommy—theywouldn’thuntnobodydown—"Shestopped.

           Tommy,lookingather,graduallydroppedhiseyelids,untiljustashortglittershowedthroughhislashes."Manyfolksfeelthatway?"hedemanded.

           "Idon’tknow.They’rejus’kindastunned.Walkaroun’liketheywashalfasleep."

           Fromoutsideandacrosstheyardcameanancientcreakingbleat."Pu-raiseGawdfurvittory!Pu-raiseGawdfurvittory!"

           Tomturnedhisheadandgrinned."GranmafinallyheardI’mhome.Ma,"hesaid,"youneverwaslikethisbefore!"

           Herfacehardenedandhereyesgrewcold."Ineverhadmyhousepushedover,"shesaid."Ineverhadmyfamblystuckoutontheroad.Ineverhadtosell—ever’thing—Heretheycomenow."