Гроздья гнева

           ButAl’stheon’yautomobilefellahere."

           Tomsaid,"Iknowsome.WorkedsomeinMcAlester.Al’sright.Hedonegood."AndnowAlwasrosywiththecompliment.Tomwenton,"I’dliketosay—well,thatpreacher—hewantstogoalong."Hewassilent.Hiswordslayinthegroup,andthegroupwassilent."He’sanicefella,"Tomadded."We’veknowedhimalongtime.Talksalittlewildsometimes,buthetalkssensible."Andherelinquishedtheproposaltothefamily.

           Thelightwasgoinggradually.Maleftthegroupandwentintothehouse,andtheironclangofthestovecamefromthehouse.Inamomentshewalkedbacktothebroodingcouncil.

           Grampasaid,"Theywastwowaysathinkin’.Somefolksuse’tafiggerthatapreacherwaspoisonluck."

           Tomsaid,"Thisfellasaysheain’tapreachernomore."

           Grampawavedhishandbackandforth."Onceafella’sapreacher,he’salwaysapreacher.That’ssomepinyoucan’tgetshutof.Theywassomefolksfiggereditwasagoodrespectablethingtohaveapreacheralong.Efsomebodydied,preacherburied’em.Weddin’comedue,oroverdue,an’there’syourpreacher.Babycome,an’yougotachristenerrightundertheroof.Me,Ialwayssaidtheywaspreachersan’preachers.Gottopick’em.Ikindalikethisfella.Heain’tstiff."

           Padughisstickintothedustandrolleditbetweenhisfingerssothatitboredalittlehole."They’smoretothisthanishelucky,orisheanicefella,"Pasaid."Wegottofiggerclose.