О мышах и людях

           «Idon’twanttohurtyou,"hesaid,«butGeorge’llbemadifyouyell.»Whenshedidn’tanswernormovehebentcloselyoverher.Heliftedherarmandletitdrop.Foramomentheseemedbewildered.Andthenhewhisperedinfright,«Idoneabadthing.Idoneanotherbadthing.»

           Hepawedupthehayuntilitpartlycoveredher.

           Fromoutsidethebarncameacryofmenandthedoubleclangofshoesonmetal.ForthefirsttimeLenniebecameconsciousoftheoutside.Hecroucheddowninthehayandlistened.«Idonearealbadthing,"hesaid.«Ishouldn’tofdidthat.George’llbemad.An’...hesaid...an’hideinthebrushtillhecome.He’sgonnabemad.Inthebrushtillhecome.Tha’swhathesaid.»Lenniewentbackandlookedatthedeadgirl.Thepuppylayclosetoher.Lenniepickeditup.«I’llthrowhimaway,"hesaid.«It’sbadenoughlikeitis.»Heputthepupunderhiscoat,andhecrepttothebarnwallandpeeredoutbetweenthecracks,towardthehorseshoegame.Andthenhecreptaroundtheendofthelastmangeranddisappeared.

           Thesunstreakswerehighonthewallbynow,andthelightwasgrowingsoftinthebarn.Curley’swifelayonherback,andshewashalfcoveredwithhay.

           Itwasveryquietinthebarn,andthequietoftheafternoonwasontheranch.Eventheclangofthepitchedshoes,eventhevoicesofthemeninthegame,seemedtogrowmorequiet.Theairinthebarnwasduskyinadvanceoftheoutsideday.Apigeonflewinthroughtheopenhaydoorandcircledandflewoutagain.Aroundthelaststallcameashepherdbitch,leanandlong,withheavy,hangingdugs.HalfwaytothepackingboxwherethepuppieswereshecaughtthedeadscentofCurley’swife,andthehairarosealongherspine.Shewhimperedandcringedtothepackingbox,andjumpedinamongthepuppies.