Гроздья гнева

           "No,I’mawright.Webeensobusygettin’ready,yousee."

           "Comeoutintheair,"Sairysaid.

           "Yeah,I’malldonehere."Sairyblewoutthecandleandthetwowentout.

           Abrightfireburnedinthebottomofthelittlegulch.AndTom,withsticksandwire,hadmadesupportsfromwhichtwokettleshungandbubbledfuriously,andgoodsteampouredoutunderthelids.RoseofSharonkneltonthegroundoutofrangeoftheburningheat,andshehadalongspooninherhand.ShesawMacomeoutofthetent,andshestoodupandwenttoher.

           "Ma,"shesaid."Igottoask."

           "Scaredagain?"Maasked."Why,youcan’tgetthroughninemonthswithoutsorrow."

           "Butwillit—hurtthebaby?"

           Masaid,"Theyusedtobeasayin’,’Achilebornoutasorrow’llbeahappychile.’Isn’tthatso,Mis’Wilson?"

           "Ihearditlikethat,"saidSairy."An’Iheardtheother:’Bornoutatoomuchjoy’llbeadolefulboy.’"

           "I’malljumpyinside,"saidRoseofSharon.

           "Well,weain’tnoneofusjumpin’forfun,"saidMa."Youjes’keepwatchin’thepots."

           Ontheedgeoftheringoffirelightthemenhadgathered.Fortoolstheyhadashovelandamattock.Pamarkedouttheground—eightfeetlongandthreefeetwide.Theworkwentoninrelays.PachoppedtheearthwiththemattockandthenUncleJohnshoveleditout.AlchoppedandTomshoveled.NoahchoppedandConnieshoveled.Andtheholedrovedown,fortheworkneverdiminishedinspeed.Theshovelsofdirtflewoutoftheholeinquickspurts.