Гроздья гнева

           "It’spurty,"shesaid."Iwishttheycouldofsawit."

           "Iwishtsotoo,"saidPa.

           Tompattedthesteeringwheelunderhishand."Theywastooold,"hesaid."Theywouldn’tofsawnothin’that’shere.Grampawouldabeena-seein’theInjunsan’theprairiecountrywhenhewasayoungfella.An’Granmawouldarememberedan’seenthefirsthomeshelivedin.Theywastoool’.Who’sreallyseein’itisRuthiean’Winfiel’."

           Pasaid,"Here’sTommytalkin’likeagrowed-upman,talkin’likeapreacheralmos’."

           AndMasmiledsadly."Heis.Tommy’sgrowedwayup—wayupsoIcan’tgetaholtof’imsometimes."

           Theypoppeddownthemountain,twistingandlooping,losingthevalleysometimes,andthenfindingitagain.Andthehotbreathofthevalleycameuptothem,withhotgreensmellsonit,andwithresinoussageandtarweedsmells.Thecricketscrackledalongtheroad.ArattlesnakecrawledacrosstheroadandTomhititandbrokeitandleftitsquirming.

           Tomsaid,"Iguesswegottogotothecoroner,whereverheis.Wegottogetherburieddecent.Howmuchmoneymightbelef’,Pa?"

           "’Boutfortydollars,"saidPa.

           Tomlaughed."Jesus,arewegonnastartclean!Wesureain’tbringin’nothin’withus."Hechuckledamoment,andthenhisfacestraightenedquickly.Hepulledthevisorofhiscapdownlowoverhiseyes.Andthetruckrolleddownthemountainintothegreatvalley.