О мышах и людях

           «Icouldpetitwithmythumbwhilewewalkedalong,"saidLennie. 

           «Well,youain’tpettingnomicewhileyouwalkwithme.Yourememberwherewe’regoin’now?» 

           Lennielookedstartledandtheninembarrassmenthidhisfaceagainsthisknees. «Iforgotagain.» 

           «JesusChrist,"Georgesaidresignedly.«Well—look,we’regonnaworkonaranchliketheonewecomefromupnorth.» 

           «Upnorth?» 

           «InWeed.» 

           «Oh,sure.Iremember.InWeed.» 

           «Thatranchwe’regoin’toisrightdownthereaboutaquartermile.We’regonnagoinan’seetheboss.Now,look—I’llgivehimtheworktickets,butyouain’tgonnasayaword.Youjus’standthereanddon’tsaynothing. Ifhefindsoutwhatacrazybastardyouare,wewon’tgetnojob,butifheseesyaworkbeforehehearsyatalk,we’reset.Yagotthat?» 

           «Sure,George.SureIgotit.» 

           «O.K.Nowwhenwegointoseetheboss,whatyougonnado?» 

           «I...I...»Lenniethought.Hisfacegrewtightwiththought.«I...ain’tgonnasaynothin’.Jus’gonnastan’there.» 

           «Goodboy.That’sswell.Yousaythatovertwo,threetimessoyousurewon’tforgetit.»