О мышах и людях

           Wegonnahavearoomtoourself.We’regonnahaveadogan’rabbitsan’chickens.We’regonnahavegreencornan’maybeacoworagoat.»Hestopped,overwhelmedwithhispicture.

           Crooksasked,«Yousayyougotthemoney?»

           «Damnright.Wegotmostofit.Justalittlebitmoretoget.Haveitallinonemonth.Georgegotthelandallpickedout,too.»

           Crooksreachedaroundandexploredhisspinewithhishand.«Ineverseenaguyreallydoit,"hesaid.«Iseenguysnearlycrazywithlonelinessforland,butever’timeawhorehouseorablackjackgametookwhatittakes.»Hehesitated.«...Ifyou...guyswouldwantahandtoworkfornothing—justhiskeep,whyI’dcomean’lendahand.Iain’tsocrippledIcan’tworklikeason-of-a-bitchifIwantto.»

           «AnyyouboysseenCurley?»

           Theyswungtheirheadstowardthedoor.LookinginwasCurley’swife.Herfacewasheavilymadeup.Herlipswereslightlyparted.Shebreathedstrongly,asthoughshehadbeenrunning.

           «Curleyain’tbeenhere,"Candysaidsourly.

           Shestoodstillinthedoorway,smilingalittleatthem,rubbingthenailsofonehandwiththethumbandforefingeroftheother.Andhereyestraveledfromonefacetoanother.«Theyleftalltheweakoneshere,"shesaidfinally.«ThinkIdon’tknowwheretheyallwent?EvenCurley.Iknowwheretheyallwent.»

           Lenniewatchedher,fascinated;butCandyandCrookswerescowlingdownawayfromhereyes.Candysaid,«Thenifyouknow,whyyouwanttoastuswhereCurleyisat?»