Гроздья гнева
Chapter 3
Heblinkedandlookedupanddown.Atlasthestartedtoclimbtheembankment.Frontclawedfeetreachedforwardbutdidnottouch.Thehindfeetkickedhisshellalong,anditscrapedonthegrass,andonthegravel.Astheembankmentgrewsteeperandsteeper,themorefranticweretheeffortsofthelandturtle.Pushinghindlegsstrainedandslipped,boostingtheshellalong,andthehornyheadprotrudedasfarastheneckcouldstretch.Littlebylittletheshellsliduptheembankmentuntilatlastaparapetcutstraightacrossitslineofmarch,theshoulderoftheroad,aconcretewallfourincheshigh.Asthoughtheyworkedindependentlythehindlegspushedtheshellagainstthewall.Theheadupraisedandpeeredoverthewalltothebroadsmoothplainofcement.Nowthehands,bracedontopofthewall,strainedandlifted,andtheshellcameslowlyupandresteditsfrontendonthewall.Foramomenttheturtlerested.Aredantranintotheshell,intothesoftskininsidetheshell,andsuddenlyheadandlegssnappedin,andthearmoredtailclampedinsideways.Theredantwascrushedbetweenbodyandlegs.Andoneheadofwildoatswasclampedintotheshellbyafrontleg.Foralongmomenttheturtlelaystill,andthentheneckcreptoutandtheoldhumorousfrowningeyeslookedaboutandthelegsandtailcameout.Thebacklegswenttowork,straininglikeelephantlegs,andtheshelltippedtoananglesothatthefrontlegscouldnotreachthelevelcementplain.
