О мышах и людях

           Candy’svoiceanswered.«Slimwentintown.Say,youseenLennie?»

           «Yameanthebigguy?»

           «Yeah.Seenhimaroundanyplace?»

           «He’sinhere,"Crookssaidshortly.Hewentbacktohisbunkandlaydown.

           Candystoodinthedoorwayscratchinghisbaldwristandlookingblindlyintothelightedroom.Hemadenoattempttoenter.«Tellyawhat,Lennie.Ibeenfiguringoutaboutthemrabbits.»

           Crookssaidirritably,«Youcancomeinifyouwant.»

           Candyseemedembarrassed.«Ido’know.‘Course,ifyawantmeto.»

           «Comeonin.Ifever’body’scomin’in,youmightjustaswell.»ItwasdifficultforCrookstoconcealhispleasurewithanger.

           Candycamein,buthewasstillembarrassed,«Yougotanicecozylittleplaceinhere,"hesaidtoCrooks.«Mustbenicetohavearoomalltoyourselfthisway.»

           «Sure,"saidCrooks.«Andamanurepileunderthewindow.Sure,it’sswell.»

           Lenniebrokein,«Yousaidaboutthemrabbits.»

           Candyleanedagainstthewallbesidethebrokencollarwhilehescratchedthewriststump.«Ibeenherealongtime,"hesaid.«An’Crooksbeenherealongtime.This’sthefirsttimeIeverbeeninhisroom.»

           Crookssaiddarkly,«Guysdon’tcomeintoacoloredman’sroomverymuch.NobodybeenherebutSlim.Sliman’theboss.»