Гроздья гнева
Chapter 24
«SwedesupinDakota—knowwhattheydosometimes?Putpepperonthefloor.Gitsuptheladies’skirtsan’makes’empurtylively—livelyasafillyinseason.Swedesdothatsometimes.»
InthedistancetheJesus-loverswatchedtheirrestivechildren.«Lookonsin,"theysaid.«Themfolksisridin’tohellonapoker.It’sashamethegodlygottoseeit.»Andtheirchildrenweresilentandnervous.
«Onemoreroun’an’thenalittleres’,"thecallerchanted.«Hitherhard,’causewe’regonnastopsoon.»Andthegirlsweredampandflushed,andtheydancedwithopenmouthsandseriousreverentfaces,andtheboysflungbacktheirlonghairandpranced,pointedtheirtoes,andclickedtheirheels.Inandoutthesquaresmoved,crossing,backing,whirling,andthemusicshrilled.
Thensuddenlyitstopped.Thedancersstoodstill,pantingwithfatigue.Andthechildrenbrokefromrestraint,dashedonthefloor,chasedoneanothermadly,ran,slid,stolecaps,andpulledhair.Thedancerssatdown,fanningthemselveswiththeirhands.Themembersofthebandgotupandstretchedthemselvesandsatdownagain.Andtheguitarplayersworkedsoftlyovertheirstrings.
NowWilliecalled,«Chooseagainforanothersquare,ifyoucan.»Thedancersscrambledtotheirfeetandnewdancersplungedforwardforpartners.Tomstoodnearthethreeyoungmen.Hesawthemforcetheirwaythrough,outonthefloor,towardoneoftheformingsquares.HewavedhishandatWillie,andWilliespoketothefiddler.Thefiddlersquawkedhisbowacrossthestrings.
