Гроздья гнева
Chapter 1
Thedawncame,butnoday.Inthegrayskyaredsunappeared,adimredcirclethatgavealittlelight,likedusk;andasthatdayadvanced,theduskslippedbacktowarddarkness,andthewindcriedandwhimperedoverthefallencorn.
Menandwomenhuddledintheirhouses,andtheytiedhandkerchiefsovertheirnoseswhentheywentout,andworegogglestoprotecttheireyes.
Whenthenightcameagainitwasblacknight,forthestarscouldnotpiercethedusttogetdown,andthewindowlightscouldnotevenspreadbeyondtheirownyards.Nowthedustwasevenlymixedwiththeair,anemulsionofdustandair.Houseswereshuttight,andclothwedgedarounddoorsandwindows,butthedustcameinsothinlythatitcouldnotbeseenintheair,anditsettledlikepollenonthechairsandtables,onthedishes.Thepeoplebrusheditfromtheirshoulders.Littlelinesofdustlayatthedoorsills.
Inthemiddleofthatnightthewindpassedonandleftthelandquiet.Thedust-filledairmuffledsoundmorecompletelythanfogdoes.Thepeople,lyingintheirbeds,heardthewindstop.Theyawakenedwhentherushingwindwasgone.Theylayquietlyandlisteneddeepintothestillness.Thentheroosterscrowed,andtheirvoicesweremuffled,andthepeoplestirredrestlesslyintheirbedsandwantedthemorning.Theyknewitwouldtakealongtimeforthedusttosettleoutoftheair.Inthemorningthedusthunglikefog,andthesunwasasredasripenewblood.Alldaythedustsifteddownfromthesky,andthenextdayitsifteddown.Anevenblanketcoveredtheearth.Itsettledonthecorn,pileduponthetopsofthefenceposts,pileduponthewires;itsettledonroofs,blanketedtheweedsandtrees.
Thepeoplecameoutoftheirhousesandsmelledthehotstingingairandcoveredtheirnosesfromit.
