О мышах и людях

           Therewerecansofsaddlesoapandadrippycanoftarwithitspaintbrushstickingovertheedge.Andscatteredaboutthefloorwereanumberofpersonalpossessions;for,beingalone,Crookscouldleavehisthingsabout,andbeingastablebuckandacripple,hewasmorepermanentthantheothermen,andhehadaccumulatedmorepossessionsthanhecouldcarryonhisback.

           Crookspossessedseveralpairsofshoes,apairofrubberboots,abigalarmclockandasingle-barreledshotgun.Andhehadbooks,too;atattereddictionaryandamauledcopyoftheCaliforniacivilcodefor1905.Therewerebatteredmagazinesandafewdirtybooksonaspecialshelfoverhisbunk.Apairoflargegold-rimmedspectacleshungfromanailonthewallabovehisbed.

           Thisroomwassweptandfairlyneat,forCrookswasaproud,aloofman.Hekepthisdistanceanddemandedthatotherpeoplekeeptheirs.Hisbodywasbentovertotheleftbyhiscrookedspine,andhiseyeslaydeepinhishead,andbecauseoftheirdepthseemedtoglitterwithintensity.Hisleanfacewaslinedwithdeepblackwrinkles,andhehadthin,pain-tightenedlipswhichwerelighterthanhisface.

           ItwasSaturdaynight.Throughtheopendoorthatledintothebarncamethesoundofmovinghorses,offeetstirring,ofteethchampingonhay,oftherattleofhalterchains.Inthestablebuck’sroomasmallelectricglobethrewameageryellowlight.

           Crookssatonhisbunk.Hisshirtwasoutofhisjeansinback.Inonehandheheldabottleofliniment,andwiththeotherherubbedhisspine.Nowandthenhepouredafewdropsofthelinimentintohispink-palmedhandandreachedupunderhisshirttorubagain.Heflexedhismusclesagainsthisbackandshivered.