О мышах и людях

           ShelookedcloselyatLennietoseewhethershewasimpressinghim.«Inevergotthatletter,"shesaid.«Ialwaysthoughtmyol’ladystoleit.Well,Iwasn’tgonnastaynoplacewhereIcouldn’tgetnowhereormakesomethingofmyself,an’wheretheystoleyourletters,Iastherifshestoleit,too,an’shesaysno.SoImarriedCurley.MethimouttotheRiversideDancePalacethatsamenight.»Shedemanded,«Youlistenin’?»

           «Me?Sure.»

           «Well,Iain’ttoldthistonobodybefore.MaybeIoughtento.Idon’likeCurley.Heain’tanicefella.»Andbecauseshehadconfidedinhim,shemovedclosertoLennieandsatbesidehim.«Couldabeeninthemovies,an’hadniceclothes—allthemniceclothesliketheywear.An’Icouldasatinthembighotels,an’hadpitcherstookofme.WhentheyhadthempreviewsIcouldawenttothem,an’spokeintheradio,an’itwouldn’tacostmeacentbecauseIwasinthepitcher.An’allthemniceclothesliketheywear.BecausethisguysaysIwasanatural.»ShelookedupatLennie,andshemadeasmallgrandgesturewithherarmandhandtoshowthatshecouldact.Thefingerstrailedafterherleadingwrist,andherlittlefingerstuckoutgrandlyfromtherest.

           Lenniesigheddeeply.Fromoutsidecametheclangofahorseshoeonmetal,andthenachorusofcheers.«Somebodymadearinger,"saidCurley’swife.

           Nowthelightwasliftingasthesunwentdown,andthesunstreaksclimbedupthewallandfelloverthefeedingracksandovertheheadsofthehorses.

           Lenniesaid,«MaybeifItookthispupoutandthrowedhimawayGeorgewouldn’tneverknow.An’thenIcouldtendtherabbitswithoutnotrouble.»

           Curley’swifesaidangrily,«Don’tyouthinkofnothingbutrabbits?»