Гроздья гнева

           Le’ssee—saysoneteaspoon.Betterputinalot,couplatablespoons."

           Maopenedthestoveandputakettleinside,downnexttothecoals,andshemeasuredwaterandcoffeeintoit."Havetogiveitto’iminacan,"shesaid."Wegotthecupsallpacked."

           Tomandhisfatherwentbackoutside."Fellagotarighttosaywhathe’sgonnado.Say,who’seatin’spareribs?"saidGrampa."We’veet,"saidTom."Ma’sfixin’youacupacoffeean’somepork."

           Hewentintothehouse,andhedrankhiscoffeeandatehispork.Thegroupoutsideinthegrowingdawnwatchedhimquietly,throughthedoor.Theysawhimyawnandsway,andtheysawhimputhisarmsonthetableandresthisheadonhisarmsandgotosleep.

           "Hewastar’danyways,"saidTom."Leavehimbe."

           Nowtheywereready.Granma,giddyandvague,saying,"What’sallthis?Whatyoudoin’now,soearly?"Butshewasdressedandagreeable.AndRuthieandWinfieldwereawake,butquietwiththepressureoftirednessandstillhalfdreaming.Thelightwassiftingrapidlyovertheland.Andthemovementofthefamilystopped.Theystoodabout,reluctanttomakethefirstactivemovetogo.Theywereafraid,nowthatthetimehadcome—afraidinthesamewayGrampawasafraid.Theysawtheshedtakeshapeagainstthelight,andtheysawthelanternspaleuntiltheynolongercasttheircirclesofyellowlight.Thestarswentout,fewbyfew,towardthewest.