О мышах и людях

           Lenniedabbledhisbigpawinthewaterandwiggledhisfingerssothewateraroseinlittlesplashes; ringswidenedacrossthepooltotheothersideandcamebackagain. Lenniewatchedthemgo. «Look,George. LookwhatIdone.» 

           Georgekneltbesidethepoolanddrankfromhishandwithquickscoops. «Tastesallright,"headmitted. «Don’treallyseemtoberunning,though. Youneveroughtadrinkwaterwhenitain’trunning,Lennie,"hesaidhopelessly. «You’ddrinkoutofagutterifyouwasthirsty.» Hethrewascoopofwaterintohisfaceandrubbeditaboutwithhishand,underhischinandaroundthebackofhisneck. Thenhereplacedhishat,pushedhimselfbackfromtheriver,drewuphiskneesandembracedthem. Lennie,whohadbeenwatching,imitatedGeorgeexactly. Hepushedhimselfback,drewuphisknees,embracedthem,lookedovertoGeorgetoseewhetherhehaditjustright. Hepulledhishatdownalittlemoreoverhiseyes,thewayGeorge’shatwas. 

           Georgestaredmoroselyatthewater. Therimsofhiseyeswereredwithsunglare. Hesaidangrily, «Wecouldjustaswellofrodecleartotheranchifthatbastardbusdriverknewwhathewastalkin’about. ‘Jes’alittlestretchdownthehighway,’hesays.‘Jes’alittlestretch.’ Goddamnnearfourmiles,that’swhatitwas! Didn’twantastopattheranchgate,that’swhat. TooGoddamnlazytopullup. Wonderheisn’ttoodamngoodtostopinSoledadatall. Kicksusoutandsays‘Jes’alittlestretchdowntheroad. ’Ibetitwasmorethanfourmiles. Damnhotday.» 

           Lennielookedtimidlyovertohim. «George?» 

           «Yeah,whatyawant?»