Гроздья гнева

           Say,’Please,kinwegitabucketawater?’andsay,’Thankyou.’An’carryitbacktogetherhelpin’,an’don’tspillnone.An’ifyouseestickwoodtoburn,bringiton."Thechildrenstampedawaytowardtheshack.

           Bythetentalittleembarrassmenthadsetin,andsocialintercoursehadpausedbeforeitstarted.Pasaid,"Youain’tOklahomyfolks?"

           AndAl,whostoodnearthecar,lookedatthelicenseplates."Kansas,"hesaid.

           Theleanmansaid,"Galena,orrightaboutthere.Wilson,Ivy

           Wilson."

           "We’reJoads,"saidPa."WecomefromrightnearSallisaw."

           "Well,we’reproudtomeetyoufolks,"saidIvyWilson."Sairy,theseisJoads."

           "Iknowedyouwasn’tOklahomyfolks.Youtalkqueerkinda—thatain’tnoblame,youunderstan’."

           "Ever’bodysayswordsdifferent,"saidIvy."Arkansasfolkssays’emdifferent,andOklahomyfolkssays’emdifferent.AndweseenaladyfromMassachusetts,an’shesaid’emdifferentestofall.Couldn’hardlymakeoutwhatshewassayin’."

           NoahandUncleJohnandthepreacherbegantounloadthetruck.TheyhelpedGrampadownandsathimonthegroundandhesatlimply,staringaheadofhim."Yousick,Grampa?"Noahasked.

           "Yougoddamnright,"saidGrampaweakly."Sicker’nhell."

           SairyWilsonwalkedslowlyandcarefullytowardhim."How’dyouliketacomeinourtent?"sheasked."Youkinlaydownonourmattressan’rest."

           Helookedupather,drawnbyhersoftvoice."Comeonnow,"shesaid."You’llgitsomerest.