Гроздья гнева
Chapter 4
Wheneveracrotchcametotheproperheightthewirelayinit,andwheretherewasnocrotchthebarbedwirewaslashedtothepostwithrustybalingwire.Beyondthefence,thecornlaybeatendownbywindandheatanddrought,andthecupswhereleafjoinedstalkwerefilledwithdust.
Joadploddedalong,dragginghiscloudofdustbehindhim.Alittlebitaheadhesawthehigh-domedshellofalandturtle,crawlingslowlyalongthroughthedust,itslegsworkingstifflyandjerkily.Joadstoppedtowatchit,andhisshadowfellontheturtle.Instantlyheadandlegswerewithdrawnandtheshortthicktailclampedsidewaysintotheshell.Joadpickeditupandturneditover.Thebackwasbrown-gray,likethedust,buttheundersideoftheshellwascreamyyellow,cleanandsmooth.Joadshiftedhisbundlehighunderhisarmandstrokedthesmoothundershellwithhisfinger,andhepressedit.Itwassofterthantheback.Thehardoldheadcameoutandtriedtolookatthepressingfinger,andthelegswavedwildly.TheturtlewettedonJoad’shandandstruggleduselesslyintheair.Joadturneditbackuprightandrolleditupinhiscoatwithhisshoes.Hecouldfeelitpressingandstrugglingandfussingunderhisarm.Hemovedaheadmorequicklynow,draggedhisheelsalittleinthefinedust.
Aheadofhim,besidetheroad,ascrawny,dustywillowtreecastaspeckledshade.Joadcouldseeitaheadofhim,itspoorbranchescurvingovertheway,itsloadofleavestatteredandscragglyasamoltingchicken.Joadwassweatingnow.
