О мышах и людях

           «Theytol’meandtol’meyouwasn’t.Idi’n’tknowyou’dgetkilledsoeasy.»Heworkedhisfingersonthepup’slimpear.«MaybeGeorgewon’tcare,"hesaid.«ThishereGoddamnlittleson-of-a-bitchwasn’tnothingtoGeorge.»

           Curley’swifecamearoundtheendofthelaststall.Shecameveryquietly,sothatLenniedidn’tseeher.Sheworeherbrightcottondressandthemuleswiththeredostrichfeathers.Herfacewasmade-upandthelittlesausagecurlswereallinplace.ShewasquiteneartohimbeforeLennielookedupandsawher.

           Inapanicheshoveledhayoverthepuppywithhisfingers.Helookedsullenlyupather.

           Shesaid,«Whatyougotthere,sonnyboy?»

           Lennieglaredather.«GeorgesaysIain’ttohavenothingtodowithyou—talktoyouornothing.»

           Shelaughed.«Georgegivingyouordersabouteverything?»

           Lennielookeddownatthehay.«SaysIcan’ttendnorabbitsifItalktoyouoranything.»

           Shesaidquietly,«He’sscaredCurley’llgetmad.Well,Curleygothisarminasling—an’ifCurleygetstough,youcanbreakhisotherhan’.Youdidn’tputnothingoveronmeaboutgettin’itcaughtinnomachine.»

           ButLenniewasnottobedrawn.«No,sir.Iain’tgonnatalktoyouornothing.»

           Shekneltinthehaybesidehim.«Listen,"shesaid.«Alltheguysgotahorseshoetenementgoin’on.It’son’yaboutfouro’clock.