Гроздья гнева

           Huddledundersheds,lyinginwethay,thehungerandthefearbredanger.Thenboyswentout,nottobeg,buttosteal;andmenwentoutweakly,totrytosteal.

           Thesheriffssworeinnewdeputiesandorderednewrifles;andthecomfortablepeopleintighthousesfeltpityatfirstandthendistaste,andfinallyhatredforthemigrantpeople.

           Inthewethayofleakingbarnsbabieswereborntowomenwhopantedwithpneumonia.Andoldpeoplecurledupincornersanddiedthatway,sothatthecoronerscouldnotstraightenthem.Atnight,thefranticmenwalkedboldlytohenroostsandcarriedoffthesquawkingchickens.Iftheywereshotat,theydidnotrun,butsplashedsullenlyaway;andiftheywerehit,theysanktiredlyinthemud.

           Therainstopped.Onthefieldsthewaterstood,reflectingthegraysky,andthelandwhisperedwithmovingwater.Andthemencameoutofthebarns,outofthesheds.Theysquattedontheirhamsandlookedoutoverthefloodedland.Andtheyweresilent.Andsometimestheytalkedveryquietly.

           Noworktillspring.Nowork.Andifnowork—nomoney,nofood.Fellahadateamofhorses,hadtouse’emtoplowan’cultivatean’mow,wouldn’thinkaturnin’’emouttostarvewhentheywasn’tworkin’.Them’shorses—we’remen.Thewomenwatchedthemen,watchedtoseewhetherthebreakhadcomeatlast.Thewomenstoodsilentlyandwatched.Andwhereanumberofmengatheredtogether,thefearwentfromtheirfaces,andangertookitsplace