Гроздья гнева

           Whenwegetajobwe’llwork,an’whenwedon’tgetajobwe’llsetonourtail.Thisheretalkain’tgonnadonogoodnoway."

           Tomlaybackandfilledhismouthwithwater,andhespurteditintotheairandhelaughed."UncleJohndon’ttalkmuch,buthetalkssense.Yes,byGod!Hetalkssense.Wegoin’ontonight,Pa?"

           "Might’swell.Might’swellgetherover."

           "Well,I’mgoin’upinthebrushan’getsomesleepthen."Tomstoodupandwadedtothesandyshore.Heslippedhisclothesonhiswetbodyandwincedundertheheatofthecloth.Theothersfollowedhim.

           Inthewater,themanandhisboywatchedtheJoadsdisappear.Andtheboysaid,"Liketosee’eminsixmonths.Jesus!"

           Themanwipedhiseyecornerswithhisforefinger."Ishouldn’ofdidthat,"hesaid."Fellaalwayswantstobeawiseguy,wantstotellfolksstuff."

           "Well,Jesus,Pa!Theyaskedforit."

           "Yeah,Iknow.Butlikethatfellasays,they’rea-goin’anyways.Nothin’won’tbechangedfromwhatItol’’em,’ceptthey’llbemis’able’foretheyhafta."

           TOMWALKEDinamongthewillows,andhecrawledintoacaveofshadetoliedown.AndNoahfollowedhim.

           "Gonnasleephere,"Tomsaid.

           "Tom!"

           "Yeah?"

           "Tom,Iain’ta-goin’on."

           Tomsatup."Whatyoumean?"

           "Tom,Iain’ta-gonnaleavethisherewater.I’ma-gonnawalkondownthishereriver."

           "You’recrazy,"Tomsaid.

           "Getmyselfapiecealine.I’llcatchfish.Fellacan’tstarvebesideaniceriver."