О мышах и людях

           An’ifafren’comealong,whywe’dhaveanextrabunk,an’we’dsay,‘Whydon’tyouspen’thenight?’an’byGodhewould.We’dhaveasetterdogandacouplestripecats,butyougottawatchoutthemcatsdon’tgetthelittlerabbits.»

           Lenniebreathedhard.«Youjus’let‘emtrytogettherabbits.I’llbreaktheirGoddamnnecks.I’ll...I’llsmash‘emwithastick.»Hesubsided,grumblingtohimself,threateningthefuturecatswhichmightdaretodisturbthefuturerabbits.

           Georgesatentrancedwithhisownpicture.

           WhenCandyspoketheybothjumpedasthoughtheyhadbeencaughtdoingsomethingreprehensible.Candysaid,«Youknowwhere’saplacelikethat?»

           Georgewasonguardimmediately.«S’poseIdo,"hesaid.«What’sthattoyou?»

           «Youdon’tneedtotellmewhereit’sat.Mightbeanyplace.»

           «Sure,"saidGeorge.«That’sright.Youcouldn’tfinditinahundredyears.»

           Candywentonexcitedly,«Howmuchtheywantforaplacelikethat?»

           Georgewatchedhimsuspiciously.«Well—Icouldgetitforsixhundredbucks.Theol’peoplethatownsitisflatbustan’theol’ladyneedsanoperation.Say—what’sittoyou?Yougotnothingtodowithus.»

           Candysaid,«Iain’tmuchgoodwithon’yonehand.Ilostmyhandrighthereonthisranch.That’swhytheygivemeajobswampin’.An’theygivemetwohunderdan’fiftydollars‘causeIlos’myhand.An’Igotfiftymoresaveduprightinthebank,rightnow.Tha’sthreehunderd,andIgotfiftymorecomin’theendathemonth.