О мышах и людях

           «Youdoneit,di’n’tyou?Is’poseyou’reglad.Ever’bodyknowedyou’dmessthingsup.Youwasn’tnogood.Youain’tnogoodnow,youlousytart.»Hesniveled,andhisvoiceshook.«Icouldofhoedinthegardenandwasheddishesforthemguys.»Hepaused,andthenwentoninasingsong.Andherepeatedtheoldwords:«Iftheywasacircusorabaseballgame...wewouldofwenttoher...jus’said‘tahellwithwork,’an’wenttoher.Neverastnobody’ssayso.An’they’dofbeenapigandchickens...an’inthewinter...thelittlefatstove...an’theraincomin’...an’usjes’settin’there.»Hiseyesblindedwithtearsandheturnedandwentweaklyoutofthebarn,andherubbedhisbristlywhiskerswithhiswriststump.

           Outsidethenoiseofthegamestopped.Therewasariseofvoicesinquestion,adrumofrunningfeetandthemenburstintothebarn.SlimandCarlsonandyoungWhitandCurley,andCrookskeepingbackoutofattentionrange.Candycameafterthem,andlastofallcameGeorge.Georgehadputonhisbluedenimcoatandbuttonedit,andhisblackhatwaspulleddownlowoverhiseyes.Themenracedaroundthelaststall.TheireyesfoundCurley’swifeinthegloom,theystoppedandstoodstillandlooked.

           ThenSlimwentquietlyovertoher,andhefeltherwrist.Oneleanfingertouchedhercheek,andthenhishandwentunderherslightlytwistedneckandhisfingersexploredherneck.Whenhestoodupthemencrowdednearandthespellwasbroken.

           Curleycamesuddenlytolife.«Iknowwhodoneit,"hecried.«Thatbigson-of-a-bitchdoneit.Iknowhedoneit.Why—ever’bodyelsewasoutthereplayin’horseshoes.»Heworkedhimselfintoafury.«I’mgonnagethim.I’mgoingformyshotgun.I’llkillthebigson-of-a-bitchmyself.I’llshoot‘imintheguts.Comeon,youguys.»Heranfuriouslyoutofthebarn.Carlsonsaid,«I’llgetmyLuger,"andheranouttoo.