О мышах и людях

           Shemovedclosertohimandshespokesoothingly.«Don’tyouworryabouttalkin’tome.Listentotheguysyelloutthere.Theygotfourdollarsbetinthattenement.Noneofthemain’tgonnaleavetillit’sover.»

           «IfGeorgeseesmetalkin’toyouhe’llgivemehell,"Lenniesaidcautiously.«Hetol’meso.»

           Herfacegrewangry.«Wha’sthematterwithme?»shecried.«Ain’tIgotarighttotalktonobody?WhattatheythinkIam,anyways?You’reaniceguy.Idon’tknowwhyIcan’ttalktoyou.Iain’tdoin’noharmtoyou.»

           «Well,Georgesaysyou’llgetusinamess.»

           «Aw,nuts!»shesaid.«WhatkindaharmamIdoin’toyou?Seemsliketheyain’tnoneofthemcareshowIgottalive.ItellyouIain’tusedtolivin’likethis.Icouldamadesomethin’ofmyself.»Shesaiddarkly,«MaybeIwillyet.»Andthenherwordstumbledoutinapassionofcommunication,asthoughshehurriedbeforeherlistenercouldbetakenaway.«IlivedrightinSalinas,"shesaid.«CometherewhenIwasakid.Well,ashowcomethrough,an’Imetoneoftheactors.HesaysIcouldgowiththatshow.Butmyol’ladywouldn’tletme.ShesaysbecauseIwason’yfifteen.ButtheguysaysIcoulda.IfI’dwent,Iwouldn’tbelivin’likethis,youbet.»

           Lenniestrokedthepupbackandforth.«Wegonnahavealittleplace—an’rabbits,"heexplained.

           Shewentonwithherstoryquickly,beforeshecouldbeinterrupted.«’NothertimeImetaguy,an’hewasinpitchers.WentouttotheRiversideDancePalacewithhim.Hesayshewasgonnaputmeinthemovies.SaysIwasanatural.Soon’shegotbacktoHollywoodhewasgonnawritetomeaboutit.»