Гроздья гнева
Chapter 18
Andnowgraduallythesentencesofexhortationshortened,grewsharper,likecommands;andintotheresponsescameacomplainingnote.Therhythmquickened.Maleandfemalevoiceshadbeenonetone,butnowinthemiddleofaresponseonewoman’svoicewentupandupinawailingcry,wildandfierce,likethecryofabeast;andadeeperwoman’svoiceroseupbesideit,abayingvoice,andaman’svoicetraveledupthescaleinthehowlofawolf.Theexhortationstopped,andonlytheferalhowlingcamefromthetent,andwithitathuddingsoundontheearth.Mashivered.RoseofSharon’sbreathwaspantingandshort,andthechorusofhowlswentonsolongitseemedthatlungsmustburst.
Masaid,"Makesmenervous.Somepinhappenedtome."
Nowthehighvoicebrokeintohysteria,thegabblingscreamsofahyena,thethuddingbecamelouder.Voicescrackedandbroke,andthenthewholechorusfelltoasobbing,gruntingundertone,andtheslapoffleshandthethuddingsontheearth;andthesobbingchangedtoalittlewhining,likethatofalitterofpuppiesatafooddish.
RoseofSharoncriedsoftlywithnervousness.Granmakickedthecurtainoffherlegs,whichlaylikegray,knottedsticks.AndGranmawhinedwiththewhininginthedistance.Mapulledthecurtainbackinplace.AndthenGranmasigheddeeplyandherbreathinggrewsteadyandeasy,andherclosedeyelidsceasedtheirflicking.Shesleptdeeply,andsnoredthroughherhalf-openmouth.Thewhiningfromthedistancewassofterandsofteruntilitcouldnotbeheardatallanymore.
