Гроздья гнева

           S’posewetalk’boutsomeotherstuff."

           "Iwasjus’tellin’yawhatMadone."

           "Iknow—Iknow.But—Iruthernot.Irutherjus’—layonefootdowninfrontatheother."

           Alrelapsedintoaninsulatedsilence."Iwasjus’tryin’totellya,"hesaid,afteramoment.

           Tomlookedathim,andAlkepthiseyesstraightahead.Thelightenedtruckbouncednoisilyalong.Tom’slonglipsdrewupfromhisteethandhelaughedsoftly."Iknowyouwas,Al.MaybeI’mkindastir-nuts.I’lltellyaaboutitsometimemaybe.Yasee,it’sjus’somepinyouwantaknow.Kindainterestin’.ButIgotakindafunnyidearthebes’thing’dbeifIforgetaboutitforawhile.Maybeinalittlewhileitwon’tbethatway.RightnowwhenIthinkaboutitmygutsgetsalldroopyan’nastyfeelin’.Lookhere,Al,I’lltellyaonething—thejailhouseisjus’akindawayadrivin’aguyslowlynuts.See?An’theygonuts,an’yousee’eman’hear’em,an’prettysoonyoudon’knowifyou’renutsornot.Whentheygettoscreamin’inthenightsometimesyouthinkit’syoudoin’thescreamin’—an’sometimesitis."

           Alsaid,"Oh!Iwon’ttalkaboutitnomore,Tom."

           "Thirtydaysisallright,"Tomsaid."An’ahunderdan’eightydaysisallright.Butoverayear—Idunno.There’ssomepinaboutitthatain’tlikenothin’elseintheworl’.Somepinscrewyaboutit,somepinscrewyaboutthewholeideaalockin’peopleup.Oh,thehellwithit!Idon’wannatalkaboutit.