О мышах и людях

           Lennieobeyedhim.Georgelookeddownatthegun.

           Therewerecrashingfootstepsinthebrushnow.Georgeturnedandlookedtowardthem.

           «Goon,George.Whenwegonnadoit?»

           «Gonnadoitsoon.»

           «Mean’you.»

           «You...an’me.Ever’bodygonnabenicetoyou.Ain’tgonnabenomoretrouble.Nobodygonnahurtnobodynorstealfrom‘em.»

           Lenniesaid,«Ithoughtyouwasmadatme,George.»

           «No,"saidGeorge.«No,Lennie.Iain’tmad.Ineverbeenmad,an’Iain’tnow.That’sathingIwantyatoknow.»

           Thevoicescameclosenow.Georgeraisedthegunandlistenedtothevoices.

           Lenniebegged,«Le’sdoitnow.Le’sgetthatplacenow.»

           «Sure,rightnow.Igotta.Wegotta.»

           AndGeorgeraisedthegunandsteadiedit,andhebroughtthemuzzleofitclosetothebackofLennie’shead.Thehandshookviolently,buthisfacesetandhishandsteadied.Hepulledthetrigger.Thecrashoftheshotrolledupthehillsandrolleddownagain.Lenniejarred,andthensettledslowlyforwardtothesand,andhelaywithoutquivering.

           Georgeshiveredandlookedatthegun,andthenhethrewitfromhim,backuponthebank,nearthepileofoldashes.