О мышах и людях

           Thestablebuckwentondreamily,«IrememberwhenIwasalittlekidonmyoldman’schickenranch.Hadtwobrothers.Theywasalwaysnearme,alwaysthere.Usedtosleeprightinthesameroom,rightinthesamebed—allthree.Hadastrawberrypatch.Hadanalfalfapatch.Usedtoturnthechickensoutinthealfalfaonasunnymorning.Mybrothers’dsetonafencerailan’watch‘em—whitechickenstheywas.»

           GraduallyLennie’sinterestcamearoundtowhatwasbeingsaid.«Georgesayswe’regonnahavealfalfafortherabbits.»

           «Whatrabbits?»

           «We’regonnahaverabbitsan’aberrypatch.»

           «You’renuts.»

           «Wearetoo.YouastGeorge.»

           «You’renuts.»Crookswasscornful.«Iseenhunderdsofmencomebyontheroadan’ontheranches,withtheirbindlesontheirbackan’thatsamedamnthingintheirheads.Hunderdsofthem.Theycome,an’theyquitan’goon;an’everydamnoneof‘em’sgotalittlepieceoflandinhishead.An’neveraGoddamnoneof‘emevergetsit.Justlikeheaven.Ever’bodywantsalittlepieceoflan’.Ireadplentyofbooksouthere.Nobodynevergetstoheaven,andnobodygetsnoland.It’sjustintheirhead.They’reallthetimetalkin’aboutit,butit’sjus’intheirhead.»Hepausedandlookedtowardtheopendoor,forthehorsesweremovingrestlesslyandthehalterchainsclinked.Ahorsewhinnied.«Iguesssomebody’soutthere,"Crookssaid.«MaybeSlim.Slimcomesinsometimestwo,threetimesanight.Slim’sarealskinner.Helooksoutforhisteam.»Hepulledhimselfpainfullyuprightandmovedtowardthedoor.«Thatyou,Slim?»hecalled.