lthough there was evening brightness showing through the windows of the bunk1 house, inside it was dusk. Through the open door came the thuds and occasional clangs of a horseshoe game, and now and then the sound of voices raised in approval or derision.
Slim and George came into the darkening bunk house together. Slim reached up over the card table and turned on the tin-shaded electric light. Instantly the table was brilliant with light, and the cone2 of the shade threw its brightness straight downward, leaving the corners of the bunk house still in dusk. Slim sat down on a box and George took his place opposite.
“It wasn’t nothing,” said Slim. “I would of had to drowned most of ‘em anyways. No need to thank me about that.”
George said, “It wasn’t much to you, maybe, but it was a hell of alot to him. Jesus Christ, I don’t know how we’re gonna get him to sleep in here. He’ll want to sleep right out in the barn with ‘em. We’ll have trouble keepin’ him from getting right in the box with them pups.”
“It wasn’t nothing,” Slim repeated. “Say, you sure was right about him. Maybe he ain’t bright, but I never seen such a worker. He damn near killed his partner buckin’ barley5. There ain’t nobody can keep up with him. God awmighty, I never seen such a strong guy.”
George spoke6 proudly. “Jus’ tell Lennie what to do an’ he’ll do it if it don’t take no figuring. He can’t think of nothing to do himself, but he sure can take orders.”
There was a clang of horseshoe on iron stake outside and a little cheer of voices.
Slim moved back slightly so the light was not on his face. “Funny how you an’ him string along together.” It was Slim’s calm invitation to confidence.
“What’s funny about it?” George demanded defensively.
“Oh, I dunno. Hardly none of the guys ever travel together. I hardly never seen two guys travel together. You know how the hands are, they just come in and get their bunk and work a month, and then they quit and go out alone. Never seem to give a damn about nobody. It jus’ seems kinda funny a cuckoo like him and a smart little guy like you travelin’ together.”
“He ain’t no cuckoo,” said George. “He’s dumb as hell, but he ain’t crazy. An’ I ain’t so bright neither, or I wouldn’t be buckin’ barley for my fifty and found. If I was bright, if I was even a little bit smart, I’d have my own little place, an’ I’d be bringin’ in my own crops, ‘stead of doin’ all the work and not getting what comes up outa the ground.” George fell silent. He wanted to talk. Slim neither encouraged nor discouraged him. He just sat back quiet and receptive.
“It ain’t so funny, him an’ me goin’ aroun’ together,” George said at last. “Him and me was both born in Auburn. I knowed his Aunt Clara. She took him when he was a baby and raised him up. When his Aunt Clara died, Lennie just come along with me out workin’. Got kinda used to each other after a little while.”
“Umm,” said Slim.
George looked over at Slim and saw the calm, Godlike eyes fastened on him. “Funny,” said George. “I used to have a hell of a lot of fun with ‘im. Used to play jokes on ‘im ‘cause he was too dumb to take care of ‘imself. But he was too dumb even to know he had a joke played on him. I had fun. Made me seem God damn smart alongside of him. Why he’d do any damn thing I tol’ him. If I tol’ him to walk over a cliff, over he’d go. That wasn’t so damn much fun after a while. He never got mad about it, neither. I’ve beat the hell outa him, and he coulda bust7 every bone in my body jus’ with his han’s, but he never lifted a finger against me.” George’s voice was taking on the tone of confession8. “Tell you what made me stop that. One day a bunch of guys was standin’ around up on the Sacramento River. I was feelin’ pretty smart. I turns to Lennie and says, ‘Jump in.’ An’ he jumps. Couldn’t swim a stroke. He damn near drowned before we could get him. An’ he was so damn nice to me for pullin’ him out. Clean forgot I told him to jump in. Well, I ain’t done nothing like that no more.”
“He’s a nice fella,” said Slim. “Guy don’t need no sense to be a nice fella. Seems to me sometimes it jus’ works the other way around. Take a real smart guy and he ain’t hardly ever a nice fella.”
George stacked the scattered9 cards and began to lay out his solitaire hand. The shoes thudded on the ground outside. At the windows the light of the evening still made the window squares bright.
“I ain’t got no people,” George said. “I seen the guys that go around on the ranches11 alone. That ain’t no good. They don’t have no fun. After a long time they get mean. They get wantin’ to fight all the time.”
“Yeah, they get mean,” Slim agreed. “They get so they don’t want to talk to nobody.”
“’Course Lennie’s a God damn nuisance most of the time,” said George. “But you get used to goin’ around with a guy an’ you can’t get rid of him.”
“He ain’t mean,” said Slim. “I can see Lennie ain’t a bit mean.”
“’Course he ain’t mean. But he gets in trouble alla time because he’s so God damn dumb. Like what happened in Weed-“ He stopped, stopped in the middle of turning over a card. He looked alarmed and peered over at Slim. “You wouldn’t tell nobody?”
“What’d he do in Weed?” Slim asked calmly.
“You wouldn’ tell? . . . . No, ‘course you wouldn’.”
“What’d he do in Weed?” Slim asked again.
“Well, he seen this girl in a red dress. Dumb bastard12 like he is, he wants to touch ever’thing he likes. Just wants to feel it. So he reaches out to feel this red dress an’ the girl lets out a squawk, and that gets Lennie all mixed up, and he holds on ‘cause that’s the only thing he can think to do. Well, this girl squawks and squawks. I was jus’ a little bit off, and I heard all the yellin’, so I comes running, an’ by that time Lennie’s so scared all he can think to do is jus’ hold on. I socked him over the head with a fence picket14 to make him let go. He was so scairt he couldn’t let go of that dress. And he’s so God damn strong, you know.”
Slim’s eyes were level and unwinking. He nodded very slowly. “So what happens?”
George carefully built his line of solitaire cards. “Well, that girl rabbits in an’ tells the law she been raped15. The guys in Weed start a party out to lynch Lennie. So we sit in a irrigation ditch under water all the rest of that day. Got on’y our heads sticking outa water, an’ up under the grass that sticks out from the side of the ditch. An’ that night we scrammed outa there.”
Slim sat in silence for a moment. “Didn’t hurt the girl none, huh?” he asked finally.
“Hell, no. He just scared her. I’d be scared too if he grabbed me. But he never hurt her. He jus’ wanted to touch that red dress, like he wants to pet them pups all the time.”
“He ain’t mean,” said Slim. “I can tell a mean guy a mile off.”
“’Course he ain’t, and he’ll do any damn thing I—”
Lennie came in through the door. He wore his blue denim16 coat over his shoulders like a cape17, and he walked hunched18 way over.
“Hi, Lennie,” said George. “How you like the pup now?”
Lennie said breathlessly, “He’s brown an’ white jus’ like I wanted.” He went directly to his bunk and lay down and turned his face to the wall and drew up his knees.
George put down his cards very deliberately20. “Lennie,” he said sharply.
Lennie twisted his neck and looked over his shoulder. “Huh? What you want, George?”
“I tol’ you you couldn’t bring that pup in here.”
“What pup, George? I ain’t got no pup.”
George went quickly to him, grabbed him by the shoulder and rolled him over. He reached down and picked the tiny puppy from where Lennie had been concealing21 it against his stomach.
Lennie sat up quickly. “Give ‘um to me, George.”
George said, “You get right up an’ take this pup back to the nest. He’s gotta sleep with his mother. You want to kill him? Just born last night an’ you take him out of the nest. You take him back or I’ll tell Slim not to let you have him.”
Lennie held out his hands pleadingly. “Give ‘um to me, George. I’ll take ‘um back. I didn’t mean no harm, George. Honest I didn’t. I jus’ wanted to pet ‘um a little.”
George handed the pup to him. “Awright. You get him back there quick, and don’t you take him out no more. You’ll kill him, the first thing you know.” Lennie fairly scuttled22 out of the room.
Slim had not moved. His calm eyes followed Lennie out the door. “Jesus,” he said. “He’s jus’ like a kid, ain’t he?”
“Sure he’s jes’ like a kid. There ain’t no more harm in him than a kid neither, except he’s so strong. I bet he won’t come in here to sleep tonight. He’d sleep right alongside that box in the barn. Well—let ‘im. He ain’t doin’ no harm out there.”
It was almost dark outside now. Old Candy, the swamper, came in and went to his bunk, and behind him struggled his old dog. “Hello, Slim. Hello, George. Didn’t neither of you play horseshoes?”
“I don’t like to play ever’ night,” said Slim.
Candy went on, “Either you guys got a slug of whisky? I gotta gut23 ache.”
“I ain’t,” said Slim. “I’d drink it myself if I had, an’ I ain’t got a gut ache neither.”
“Gotta bad gut ache,” said Candy. “Them God damn turnips24 give it to me. I knowed they was going to before I ever eat ‘em.”
The thick-bodied Carlson came in out of the darkening yard. He walked to the other end of the bunk house and turned on the second shaded light. “Darker’n hell in here,” he said. “Jesus, how that nigger can pitch shoes.”
“He’s plenty good,” said Slim.
“Damn right he is,” said Carlson. “He don’t give nobody else a chance to win—” He stopped and sniffed25 the air, and still sniffing26, looked down at the old dog. “God awmighty, that dog stinks27. Get him outa here, Candy! I don’t know nothing that stinks as bad as an old dog. You gotta get him out.”
Candy rolled to the edge of his bunk. He reached over and patted the ancient dog, and he apologized, “I been around him so much I never notice how he stinks.”
“Well, I can’t stand him in here,” said Carlson. “That stink28 hangs around even after he’s gone.” He walked over with his heavy-legged stride and looked down at the dog. “Got no teeth,” he said. “He’s all stiff with rheumatism29. He ain’t no good to you, Candy. An’ he ain’t no good to himself. Why’n’t you shoot him, Candy?”
The old man squirmed uncomfortably. “Well—hell! I had him so long. Had him since he was a pup. I herded31 sheep with him.” He said proudly, “You wouldn’t think it to look at him now, but he was the best damn sheep dog I ever seen.”
George said, “I seen a guy in Weed that had an Airedale could herd30 sheep. Learned it from the other dogs.”
Carlson was not to be put off. “Look, Candy. This ol’ dog jus’ suffers hisself all the time. If you was to take him out and shoot him right in the back of the head—” he leaned over and pointed32, “—right there, why he’d never know what hit him.”
Candy looked about unhappily. “No,” he said softly. “No, I couldn’t do that. I had ‘im too long.”
“He don’t have no fun,” Carlson insisted. “And he stinks to beat hell. Tell you what. I’ll shoot him for you. Then it won’t be you that does it.”
Candy threw his legs off his bunk. He scratched the white stubble whiskers on his cheek nervously33. “I’m so used to him,” he said softly. “I had him from a pup.”
“Well, you ain’t bein’ kind to him keepin’ him alive,” said Carlson. “Look, Slim’s bitch got a litter right now. I bet Slim would give you one of them pups to raise up, wouldn’t you, Slim?”
The skinner had been studying the old dog with his calm eyes. “Yeah,” he said. “You can have a pup if you want to.” He seemed to shake himself free for speech. “Carl’s right, Candy. That dog ain’t no good to himself. I wisht somebody’d shoot me if I get old an’ a cripple.”
Candy looked helplessly at him, for Slim’s opinions were law. “Maybe it’d hurt him,” he suggested. “I don’t mind takin’ care of him.”
Carlson said, “The way I’d shoot him, he wouldn’t feel nothing. I’d put the gun right there.” He pointed with his toe. “Right back of the head. He wouldn’t even quiver.”
Candy looked for help from face to face. It was quite dark outside by now. A young laboring34 man came in. His sloping shoulders were bent35 forward and he walked heavily on his heels, as though he carried the invisible grain bag. He went to his bunk and put his hat on his shelf. Then he picked a pulp36 magazine from his shelf and brought it to the light over the table. “Did I show you this, Slim?” he asked.
“Show me what?”
The young man turned to the back of the magazine, put it down on the table and pointed with his finger. “Right there, read that.” Slim bent over it. “Go on,” said the young man. “Read it out loud.”
“’Dear Editor,’” Slim read slowly. “’I read your mag for six years and I think it is the best on the market. I like stories by Peter Rand. I think he is a whing-ding. Give us more like the Dark Rider. I don’t write many letters. Just thought I would tell you I think your mag is the best dime’s worth I ever spent.’”
Slim looked up questioningly. “What you want me to read that for?”
Whit19 said, “Go on. Read the name at the bottom.”
Slim read, “’Yours for success, William Tenner.’” He glanced up at Whit again. “What you want me to read that for?”
Whit closed the magazine impressively. “Don’t you remember Bill Tenner? Worked here about three months ago?”
Slim thought. . . . . “Little guy?” he asked. “Drove a cultivator?”
“That’s him,” Whit cried. “That’s the guy!”
“You think he’s the guy wrote this letter?”
“I know it. Bill and me was in here one day. Bill had one of them books that just come. He was lookin’ in it and he says, ‘I wrote a letter. Wonder if they put it in the book!’ But it wasn’t there. Bill says, ‘Maybe they’re savin’ it for later.’ An’ that’s just what they done. There it is.”
“Guess you’re right,” said Slim. “Got it right in the book.”
George held out his hand for the magazine. “Let’s look at it?”
Whit found the place again, but he did not surrender his hold on it. He pointed out the letter with his forefinger37. And then he went to his box shelf and laid the magazine carefully in. “I wonder if Bill seen it,” he said. “Bill and me worked in that patch of field peas. Run cultivators, both of us. Bill was a hell of a nice fella.”
During the conversation Carlson had refused to be drawn38 in. He continued to look down at the old dog. Candy watched him uneasily. At last Carlson said, “If you want me to, I’ll put the old devil out of his misery39 right now and get it over with. Ain’t nothing left for him. Can’t eat, can’t see, can’t even walk without hurtin’.”
Candy said hopefully, “You ain’t got no gun.”
“The hell I ain’t. Got a Luger. It won’t hurt him none at all.”
Candy said, “Maybe tomorra. Le’s wait till tomorra.”
“I don’t see no reason for it,” said Carlson. He went to his bunk, pulled his bag from underneath40 it and took out a Luger pistol. “Le’s get it over with,” he said. “We can’t sleep with him stinkin’ around in here.” He put the pistol in his hip41 pocket.
Candy looked a long time at Slim to try to find some reversal. And Slim gave him none. At last Candy said softly and hopelessly, “Awright—take ‘im.” He did not look down at the dog at all. He lay back on his bunk and crossed his arms behind his head and stared at the ceiling.
From his pocket Carlson took a little leather thong42. He stooped over and tied it around the old dog’s neck. All the men except Candy watched him. “Come boy. Come on, boy,” he said gently. And he said apologetically to Candy, “He won’t even feel it.” Candy did not move nor answer him. He twitched43 the thong. “Come on, boy.” The old dog got slowly and stiffly to his feet and followed the gently pulling leash44.
Slim said, “Carlson.”
“Yeah?”
“You know what to do.”
“What ya mean, Slim?”
“Take a shovel,” said Slim shortly.
“Oh, sure! I get you.” He led the dog out into the darkness.
George followed to the door and shut the door and set the latch45 gently in its place. Candy lay rigidly46 on his bed staring at the ceiling.
Slim said loudly, “One of my lead mules47 got a bad hoof48. Got to get some tar13 on it.” His voice trailed off. It was silent outside. Carlson’s footsteps died away. The silence came into the room. And the silence lasted.
George chuckled49, “I bet Lennie’s right out there in the barn with his pup. He won’t want to come in here no more now he’s got a pup.”
Slim said, “Candy, you can have any one of them pups you want.”
Candy did not answer. The silence fell on the room again. It came out of the night and invaded the room. George said, “Anybody like to play a little euchre?”
“I’ll play out a few with you,” said Whit.
They took places opposite each other at the table under the light, but George did not shuffle50 the cards. He rippled51 the edge of the deck nervously, and the little snapping noise drew the eyes of all the men in the room, so that he stopped doing it. The silence fell on the room again. A minute passed, and another minute. Candy lay still, staring at the ceiling. Slim gazed at him for a moment and then looked down at his hands; he subdued52 one hand with the other, and held it down. There came a little gnawing53 sound from under the floor and all the men looked down toward it gratefully. Only Candy continued to stare at the ceiling.
“Sounds like there was a rat under there,” said George. “We ought to get a trap down there.”
Whit broke out, “What the hell’s takin’ him so long? Lay out some cards, why don’t you? We ain’t going to get no euchre played this way.”
George brought the cards together tightly and studied the backs of them. The silence was in the room again.
A shot sounded in the distance. The men looked quickly at the old man. Every head turned toward him.
For a moment he continued to stare at the ceiling. Then he rolled slowly over and faced the wall and lay silent.
George shuffled54 the cards noisily and dealt them. Whit drew a scoring board to him and set the pegs55 to start. Whit said, “I guess you guys really come here to work.”
“How do ya mean?” George asked.
Whit laughed. “Well, ya come on a Friday. You got two days to work till Sunday.”
“I don’t see how you figure,” said George.
Whit laughed again. “You do if you been around these big ranches much. Guy that wants to look over a ranch10 comes in Sat’day afternoon. He gets Sat’day night supper an’ three meals on Sunday, and he can quit Monday mornin’ after breakfast without turning his hand. But you come to work Friday noon. You got to put in a day an’ a half no matter how you figure.”
George looked at him levelly. “We’re gonna stick aroun’ a while,” he said. “Me an’ Lennie’s gonna roll up a stake.”
The door opened quietly and the stable buck4 put in his head; a lean negro head, lined with pain, the eyes patient. “Mr. Slim.”
Slim took his eyes from old Candy. “Huh? Oh! Hello, Crooks56. What’s’ a matter?”
“You told me to warm up tar for that mule’s foot. I got it warm.”
“Oh! Sure, Crooks. I’ll come right out an’ put it on.”
“I can do it if you want, Mr. Slim.”
“No. I’ll come do it myself.” He stood up.
Crooks said, “Mr. Slim.”
“Yeah.”
“That big new guy’s messin’ around your pups out in the barn.”
“Well, he ain’t doin’ no harm. I give him one of them pups.”
“Just thought I’d tell ya,” said Crooks. “He’s takin’ ‘em outa the nest and handlin’ them. That won’t do them no good.”
“He won’t hurt ‘em,” said Slim. “I’ll come along with you now.”
George looked up. “If that crazy bastard’s foolin’ around too much, jus’ kick him out, Slim.”
Slim followed the stable buck out of the room.
George dealt and Whit picked up his cards and examined them. “Seen the new kid yet?” he asked.
“What kid?” George asked.
“Why, Curley’s new wife.”
“Yeah, I seen her.”
“Well, ain’t she a looloo?”
“I ain’t seen that much of her,” said George.
Whit laid down his cards impressively. “Well, stick around an’ keep your eyes open. You’ll see plenty. She ain’t concealin’ nothing. I never seen nobody like her. She got the eye goin’ all the time on everybody. I bet she even gives the stable buck the eye. I don’t know what the hell she wants.”
George asked casually57, “Been any trouble since she got here?”
It was obvious that Whit was not interested in his cards. He laid his hand down and George scooped58 it in. George laid out his deliberate solitaire hand—seven cards, and six on top, and five on top of those.
Whit said, “I see what you mean. No, they ain’t been nothing yet. Curley’s got yella-jackets in his drawers, but that’s all so far. Ever’ time the guys is around she shows up. She’s lookin’ for Curley, or she thought she lef’ somethin’ layin’ around and she’s lookin’ for it. Seems like she can’t keep away from guys. An’ Curley’s pants is just crawlin’ with ants, but they ain’t nothing come of it yet.”
George said, “She’s gonna make a mess. They’s gonna be a bad mess about her. She’s a jail bait all set on the trigger. That Curley got his work cut out for him. Ranch with a bunch of guys on it ain’t no place for a girl, specially59 like her.”
Whit said, “If you got idears, you oughtta come in town with us guys tomorra night.”
“Why? What’s doin’?”
“Jus’ the usual thing. We go in to old Susy’s place. Hell of a nice place. Old Susy’s a laugh—always crackin’ jokes. Like she says when we come up on the front porch las’ Sat’day night. Susy opens the door and then she yells over her shoulder, ‘Get yor coats on, girls, here comes the sheriff.’ She never talks dirty, neither. Got five girls there.”
“What’s it set you back?” George asked.
“Two an’ a half. You can get a shot for two bits. Susy got nice chairs to set in, too. If a guy don’t want a flop60, why he can just set in the chairs and have a couple or three shots and pass the time of day and Susy don’t give a damn. She ain’t rushin’ guys through and kickin’ ‘em out if they don’t want a flop.”
“Might go in and look the joint61 over,” said George.
“Sure. Come along. It’s a hell of a lot of fun—her crackin’ jokes all the time. Like she says one time, she says, ‘I’ve knew people that if they got a rag rug on the floor an’ a kewpie doll lamp on the phonograph they think they’re running a parlor62 house.’ That’s Clara’s house she’s talkin’ about. An’ Susy says, ‘I know what you boys want,’ she says. ‘My girls is clean,’ she says, ‘an’ there ain’t no water in my whisky,’ she says. ‘If any you guys wanta look at a kewpie doll lamp an’ take your own chance gettin’ burned, why you know where to go.’ An’ she says, ‘There’s guys around here walkin’ bow-legged ‘cause they like to look at a kewpie doll lamp.’”
George asked, “Clara runs the other house, huh?”
“Yeah,” said Whit. “We don’t never go there. Clara gets three bucks63 a crack and thirty-five cents a shot, and she don’t crack no jokes. But Susy’s place is clean and she got nice chairs. Don’t let no goo-goos in, neither.”
“Me an’ Lennie’s rollin’ up a stake,” said George. “I might go in an’ set and have a shot, but I ain’t puttin’ out no two and a half.”
“Well, a guy got to have some fun sometime,” said Whit.
The door opened and Lennie and Carlson came in together. Lennie crept to his bunk and sat down, trying not to attract attention. Carlson reached under his bunk and brought out his bag. He didn’t look at old Candy, who still faced the wall. Carlson found a little cleaning rod in the bag and a can of oil. He laid them on his bed and then brought out the pistol, took out the magazine and snapped the loaded shell from the chamber64. Then he fell to cleaning the barrel with the little rod. When the ejector snapped, Candy turned over and looked for a moment at the gun before he turned back to the wall again.
Carlson said casually, “Curley been in yet?”
“No,” said Whit. “What’s eatin’ on Curley?”
Carlson squinted65 down the barrel of his gun. “Lookin’ for his old lady. I seen him going round and round outside.”
Whit said sarcastically66, “He spends half his time lookin’ for her, and the rest of the time she’s lookin’ for him.”
Curley burst into the room excitedly. “Any you guys seen my wife?” he demanded.
“She ain’t been here,” said Whit.
Curley looked threateningly about the room. “Where the hell’s Slim?”
“Went out in the barn,” said George. “He was gonna put some tar on a split hoof.”
Curley’s shoulders dropped and squared. “How long ago’d he go?”
“Five—ten minutes.”
Curley jumped out the door and banged it after him.
Whit stood up. “I guess maybe I’d like to see this,” he said. “Curley’s just spoilin’ or he wouldn’t start for Slim. An’ Curley’s handy, God damn handy. Got in the finals for the Golden Gloves. He got newspaper clippings about it.” He considered. “But jus’ the same, he better leave Slim alone. Nobody don’t know what Slim can do.”
“Thinks Slim’s with his wife, don’t he?” said George.
“Looks like it,” Whit said. “’Course Slim ain’t. Least I don’t think Slim is. But I like to see the fuss if it comes off. Come on, le’s go.”
George said, “I’m stayin’ right here. I don’t want to get mixed up in nothing. Lennie and me got to make a stake.”
Carlson finished the cleaning of the gun and put it in the bag and pushed the bag under his bunk. “I guess I’ll go out and look her over,” he said. Old Candy lay still, and Lennie, from his bunk, watched George cautiously.
When Whit and Carlson were gone and the door closed after them, George turned to Lennie. “What you got on your mind?”
“I ain’t done nothing, George. Slim says I better not pet them pups so much for a while. Slim says it ain’t good for them; so I come right in. I been good, George.”
“I coulda told you that,” said George.
“Well, I wasn’t hurtin’ ‘em none. I jus’ had mine in my lap pettin’ it.”
George asked, “Did you see Slim out in the barn?”
“Sure I did. He tol’ me I better not pet that pup no more.”
“Did you see that girl?”
“You mean Curley’s girl?”
“Yeah. Did she come in the barn?”
“No. Anyways I never seen her.”
“You never seen Slim talkin’ to her?”
“Uh-uh. She ain’t been in the barn.”
“O.K.,” said George. “I guess them guys ain’t gonna see no fight. If there’s any fightin’, Lennie, you keep out of it.”
“I don’t want no fights,” said Lennie. He got up from his bunk and sat down at the table, across from George. Almost automatically George shuffled the cards and laid out his solitaire hand. He used a deliberate, thoughtful slowness.
Lennie reached for a face card and studied it, then turned it upside down and studied it. “Both ends the same,” he said. “George, why is it both ends the same?”
“I don’t know,” said George. “That’s jus’ the way they make ‘em. What was Slim doin’ in the barn when you seen him?”
“Slim?”
“Sure. You seen him in the barn, an’ he tol’ you not to pet the pups so much.”
“Oh, yeah. He had a can a’ tar an’ a paint brush. I don’t know what for.”
“You sure that girl didn’t come in like she come in here today?”
“No. She never come.”
George sighed. “You give me a good whore house every time,” he said. “A guy can go in an’ get drunk and get ever’thing outa his system all at once, an’ no messes. And he knows how much it’s gonna set him back. These here jail baits is just set on the trigger of the hoosegow.”
Lennie followed his words admiringly, and moved his lips a little to keep up. George continued, “You remember Andy Cushman, Lennie? Went to grammar school?”
“The one that his old lady used to make hot cakes for the kids?” Lennie asked.
“Yeah. That’s the one. You can remember anything if there’s anything to eat in it.” George looked carefully at the solitaire hand. He put an ace3 up on his scoring rack and piled a two, three and four of diamonds on it. “Andy’s in San Quentin right now on account of a tart,” said George.
Lennie drummed on the table with his fingers. “George?”
“Huh?”
“George, how long’s it gonna be till we get that little place an’ live on the fatta the lan’—an’ rabbits?”
“I don’t know”, said George. “We gotta get a big stake together. I know a little place we can get cheap, but they ain’t givin’ it away.”
Old Candy turned slowly over. His eyes were wide open. He watched George carefully.
Lennie said, “Tell about that place, George.”
“I jus’ tol’ you, jus’ las’ night.”
“Go on—tell again, George.”
“Well, it’s ten acres,” said George. “Got a little win’mill. Got a little shack67 on it, an’ a chicken run. Got a kitchen, orchard68, cherries, apples, peaches, ‘cots, nuts, got a few berries. They’s a place for alfalfa and plenty water to flood it. They’s a pig pen—”
“An’ rabbits, George.”
“No place for rabbits now, but I could easy build a few hutches and you could feed alfalfa to the rabbits.”
“Damn right, I could,” said Lennie. “You God damn right I could.”
George’s hands stopped working with the cards. His voice was growing warmer. “An’ we could have a few pigs. I could build a smoke house like the one gran’pa had, an’ when we kill a pig we can smoke the bacon and the hams, and make sausage an’ all like that. An’ when the salmon69 run up river we could catch a hundred of ‘em an’ salt ‘em down or smoke ‘em. We could have them for breakfast. They ain’t nothing so nice as smoked salmon. When the fruit come in we could can it—and tomatoes, they’re easy to can. Ever’ Sunday we’d kill a chicken or a rabbit. Maybe we’d have a cow or a goat, and the cream is so God damn thick you got to cut it with a knife and take it out with a spoon.”
Lennie watched him with wide eyes, and old Candy watched him too. Lennie said softly, “We could live offa the fatta the lan’.”
“Sure,” said George. “All kin’s a vegetables in the garden, and if we want a little whisky we can sell a few eggs or something, or some milk. We’d jus’ live there. We’d belong there. There wouldn’t be no more runnin’ round the country and gettin’ fed by a Jap cook. No, sir, we’d have our own place where we belonged and not sleep in no bunk house.”
“Tell about the house, George,” Lennie begged.
“Sure, we’d have a little house an’ a room to ourself. Little fat iron stove, an’ in the winter we’d keep a fire goin’ in it. It ain’t enough land so we’d have to work too hard. Maybe six, seven hours a day. We wouldn’t have to buck no barley eleven hours a day. An’ when we put in a crop, why, we’d be there to take the crop up. We’d know what come of our planting.”
“An’ rabbits,” Lennie said eagerly. “An’ I’d take care of ‘em. Tell how I’d do that, George.”
“Sure, you’d go out in the alfalfa patch an’ you’d have a sack. You’d fill up the sack and bring it in an’ put it in the rabbit cages.”
“They’d nibble70 an’ they’d nibble,” said Lennie, “the way they do. I seen ‘em.”
“Ever’ six weeks or so,” George continued, “them does would throw a litter so we’d have plenty rabbits to eat an’ to sell. An’ we’d keep a few pigeons to go flyin’ around the win’mill like they done when I was a kid.” He looked raptly at the wall over Lennie’s head. “An’ it’d be our own, an’ nobody could can us. If we don’t like a guy we can say, ‘Get the hell out,’ and by God he’s got to do it. An’ if a fren’ come along, why we’d have an extra bunk, an’ we’d say, ‘Why don’t you spen’ the night?’ an’ by God he would. We’d have a setter dog and a couple stripe cats, but you gotta watch out them cats don’t get the little rabbits.”
Lennie breathed hard. “You jus’ let ‘em try to get the rabbits. I’ll break their God damn necks. I’ll . . . . I’ll smash ‘em with a stick.” He subsided71, grumbling72 to himself, threatening the future cats which might dare to disturb the future rabbits.
George sat entranced with his own picture.
When Candy spoke they both jumped as though they had been caught doing something reprehensible73. Candy said, “You know where’s a place like that?”
George was on guard immediately. “S’pose I do,” he said. “What’s that to you?”
“You don’t need to tell me where it’s at. Might be any place.”
“Sure,” said George. “That’s right. You couldn’t find it in a hundred years.”
Candy went on excitedly, “How much they want for a place like that?”
George watched him suspiciously. “Well—I could get it for six hundred bucks. The ol’ people that owns it is flat bust an’ the ol’ lady needs an operation. Say—what’s it to you? You got nothing to do with us.”
Candy said, “I ain’t much good with on’y one hand. I lost my hand right here on this ranch. That’s why they give me a job swampin’. An’ they give me two hunderd an’ fifty dollars ‘cause I los’ my hand. An’ I got fifty more saved up right in the bank, right now. Tha’s three hunderd, and I got fifty more comin’ the end a the month. Tell you what—” He leaned forward eagerly. “S’pose I went in with you guys. Tha’s three hunderd an’ fifty bucks I’d put in. I ain’t much good, but I could cook and tend the chickens and hoe the garden some. How’d that be?”
George half-closed his eyes. “I gotta think about that. We was always gonna do it by ourselves.”
Candy interrupted him, “I’d make a will an’ leave my share to you guys in case I kick off, ‘cause I ain’t got no relatives nor nothing. You guys got any money? Maybe we could do her right now?”
George spat74 on the floor disgustedly. “We got ten bucks between us.” Then he said thoughtfully, “Look, if me an’ Lennie work a month an’ don’t spen’ nothing, we’ll have a hunderd bucks. That’d be four fifty. I bet we could swing her for that. Then you an’ Lennie could go get her started an’ I’d get a job an’ make up the res’, an’ you could sell eggs an’ stuff like that.”
They fell into a silence. They looked at one another, amazed. This thing they had never really believed in was coming true. George said reverently75, “Jesus Christ! I bet we could swing her.” His eyes were full of wonder. “I bet we could swing her,” he repeated softly.
Candy sat on the edge of his bunk. He scratched the stump76 of his wrist nervously. “I got hurt four year ago,” he said. “They’ll can me purty soon. Jus’ as soon as I can’t swamp out no bunk houses they’ll put me on the county. Maybe if I give you guys my money, you’ll let me hoe in the garden even after I ain’t no good at it. An’ I’ll wash dishes an’ little chicken stuff like that. But I’ll be on our own place, an’ I’ll be let to work on our own place.” He said miserably77, “You seen what they done to my dog tonight? They says he wasn’t no good to himself nor nobody else. When they can me here I wisht somebody’d shoot me. But they won’t do nothing like that. I won’t have no place to go, an’ I can’t get no more jobs. I’ll have thirty dollars more comin’, time you guys is ready to quit.”
George stood up. “We’ll do her,” he said. “We’ll fix up that little old place an’ we’ll go live there.” He sat down again. They all sat still, all bemused by the beauty of the thing, each mind was popped into the future when this lovely thing should come about.
George said wonderingly, “S’pose they was a carnival78 or a circus come to town, or a ball game, or any damn thing.” Old Candy nodded in appreciation79 of the idea. “We’d just go to her,” George said. “We wouldn’t ask nobody if we could. Jus’ say, ‘We’ll go to her,’ an’ we would. Jus’ milk the cow and sling80 some grain to the chickens an’ go to her.”
“An’ put some grass to the rabbits,” Lennie broke in. “I wouldn’t never forget to feed them. When we gon’ta do it, George?”
“In one month. Right squack in one month. Know what I’m gon’ta do? I’m gon’ta write to them old people that owns the place that we’ll take it. An’ Candy’ll send a hunderd dollars to bind81 her.”
“Sure will,” said Candy. “They got a good stove there?”
“Sure, got a nice stove, burns coal or wood.”
“I’m gonna take my pup,” said Lennie. “I bet by Christ he likes it there, by Jesus.”
Voices were approaching from outside. George said quickly, “Don’t tell nobody about it. Jus’ us three an’ nobody else. They li’ble to can us so we can’t make no stake. Jus’ go on like we was gonna buck barley the rest of our lives, then all of a sudden some day we’ll go get our pay an’ scram outa here.”
Lennie and Candy nodded, and they were grinning with delight. “Don’t tell nobody,” Lennie said to himself.
Candy said, “George.”
“Huh?”
“I ought to of shot that dog myself, George. I shouldn’t ought to of let no stranger shoot my dog.”
The door opened. Slim came in, followed by Curley and Carlson and Whit. Slim’s hands were black with tar and he was scowling82. Curley hung close to his elbow.
Curley said, “Well, I didn’t mean nothing, Slim. I just ast you.”
Slim said, “Well, you been askin’ me too often. I’m gettin’ God damn sick of it. If you can’t look after your own God damn wife, what you expect me to do about it? You lay offa me.”
“I’m jus’ tryin’ to tell you I didn’t mean nothing,” said Curley. “I jus’ thought you might of saw her.”
“Why’n’t you tell her to stay the hell home where she belongs?” said Carlson. “You let her hang around bunk houses and pretty soon you’re gonna have som’pin on your hands and you won’t be able to do nothing about it.”
Curley whirled on Carlson. “You keep outa this les’ you wanta step outside.”
Carlson laughed. “You God damn punk,” he said. “You tried to throw a scare into Slim, an’ you couldn’t make it stick. Slim throwed a scare into you. You’re yella as a frog belly83. I don’t care if you’re the best welter in the country. You come for me, an’ I’ll kick your God damn head off.”
Candy joined the attack with joy. “Glove fulla vaseline,” he said disgustedly. Curley glared at him. His eyes slipped on past and lighted on Lennie; and Lennie was still smiling with delight at the memory of the ranch.
Curley stepped over to Lennie like a terrier. “What the hell you laughin’ at?”
Lennie looked blankly at him. “Huh?”
Then Curley’s rage exploded. “Come on, ya big bastard. Get up on your feet. No big son-of-a-bitch is gonna laugh at me. I’ll show ya who’s yella.”
Lennie looked helplessly at George, and then he got up and tried to retreat. Curley was balanced and poised84. He slashed85 at Lennie with his left, and then smashed down his nose with a right. Lennie gave a cry of terror. Blood welled from his nose. “George,” he cried. “Make ‘um let me alone, George.” He backed until he was against the wall, and Curley followed, slugging him in the face. Lennie’s hands remained at his sides; he was too frightened to defend himself.
George was on his feet yelling, “Get him, Lennie. Don’t let him do it.”
Lennie covered his face with his huge paws and bleated86 with terror. He cried, “Make ‘um stop, George.” Then Curley attacked his stomach and cut off his wind.
Slim jumped up. “The dirty little rat,” he cried, “I’ll get ‘um myself.”
George put out his hand and grabbed Slim. “Wait a minute,” he shouted. He cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled, “Get ‘im, Lennie!”
Lennie took his hands away from his face and looked about for George, and Curley slashed at his eyes. The big face was covered with blood. George yelled again, “I said get him.”
Curley’s fist was swinging when Lennie reached for it. The next minute Curley was flopping87 like a fish on a line, and his closed fist was lost in Lennie’s big hand. George ran down the room. “Leggo of him, Lennie. Let go.”
But Lennie watched in terror the flopping little man whom he held. Blood ran down Lennie’s face, one of his eyes was cut and closed. George slapped him in the face again and again, and still Lennie held on to the closed fist. Curley was white and shrunken by now, and his struggling had become weak. He stood crying, his fist lost in Lennie’s paw.
George shouted over and over. “Leggo his hand, Lennie. Leggo. Slim, come help me while the guy got any hand left.”
Suddenly Lennie let go his hold. He crouched88 cowering89 against the wall. “You tol’ me to, George,” he said miserably.
Curley sat down on the floor, looking in wonder at his crushed hand. Slim and Carlson bent over him. Then Slim straightened up and regarded Lennie with horror. “We got to get him in to a doctor,” he said. “Looks to me like ever’ bone in his han’ is bust.”
“I didn’t wanta,” Lennie cried. “I didn’t wanta hurt him.”
Slim said, “Carlson, you get the candy wagon90 hitched91 up. We’ll take ‘um into Soledad an’ get ‘um fixed92 up.” Carlson hurried out. Slim turned to the whimpering Lennie. “It ain’t your fault,” he said. “This punk sure had it comin’ to him. But—Jesus! He ain’t hardly got no han’ left.” Slim hurried out, and in a moment returned with a tin cup of water. He held it to Curley’s lips.
George said, “Slim, will we get canned now? We need the stake. Will Curley’s old man can us now?”
Slim smiled wryly93. He knelt down beside Curley. “You got your senses in hand enough to listen?” he asked. Curley nodded. “Well, then listen,” Slim went on. “I think you got your han’ caught in a machine. If you don’t tell nobody what happened, we ain’t going to. But you jus’ tell an’ try to get this guy canned and we’ll tell ever’body, an’ then will you get the laugh.”
“I won’t tell,” said Curley. He avoided looking at Lennie.
Buggy wheels sounded outside. Slim helped Curley up. “Come on now. Carlson’s gonna take you to a doctor.” He helped Curley out the door. The sound of wheels drew away. In a moment Slim came back into the bunk house. He looked at Lennie, still crouched fearfully against the wall. “Le’s see your hands,” he asked.
Lennie stuck out his hands.
“Christ awmighty, I hate to have you mad at me,” Slim said.
George broke in, “Lennie was jus’ scairt,” he explained. “He didn’t know what to do. I told you nobody ought never to fight him. No, I guess it was Candy I told.”
Candy nodded solemnly. “That’s jus’ what you done,” he said. “Right this morning when Curley first lit intil your fren’, you says, ‘He better not fool with Lennie if he knows what’s good for ‘um.’ That’s jus’ what you says to me.”
George turned to Lennie. “It ain’t your fault,” he said. “You don’t need to be scairt no more. You done jus’ what I tol’ you to. Maybe you better go in the wash room an’ clean up your face. You look like hell.”
Lennie smiled with his bruised94 mouth. “I didn’t want no trouble,” he said. He walked toward the door, but just before he came to it, he turned back. “George?”
“What you want?”
“I can still tend the rabbits, George?”
“Sure. You ain’t done nothing wrong.”
“I di’n’t mean no harm, George.”
“Well, get the hell out and wash your face.”
第 三 章
虽然有着黄昏的亮光从工寮的窗户里透了进来，但室内仍是暗黑的。由敞开着的门传来玩马蹄铁戏的粗钝的嗒嗒声，间或又是口当口当声，不时还会有嘲弄或喝采的声音扬起来。
佐治和施琳一道走进了正在暗淡下来的宿舍。施琳走到玩牌的桌子旁，将盖着灯罩的电灯打开。桌面霎时间给照得灿亮起来。圆锥体的光柱直往下照。留下宿舍的四个角落仍然是昏暗的。施琳坐在了一只苹果箱上，佐治则坐在他对面。
“没什么，”施琳说。“反正我总要把其中一些淹死的。用不着谢我这件事。”
佐治说：“也许在你看来是不算什么，但在他可是不得了的了。天，怎样我才能把他拉回来睡觉我不知道。他会跟小狗一块在外面畜舍睡呢。我看这事准会很麻烦，要叫他不和狗儿们一起睡在仓格子里。”
“没什么，”施琳重复这一句。“喂，说他你可说对了。也许他不是个伶俐人，但这样的雇工我从未见过、背起麦袋来没人能敌得过他，没有人能陪得他到底。天，这么壮的汉子我从来没见过。”
佐治觉得脸上有光地说：“用不着动脑子的事，只要给李奈说声做什么，他就会把它们做好。他自己什么也不会想，可是命令他能听从。”
一阵马蹄落在铁桩上的当啷声，和小小的喝采声从外面传了进来。
施琳往后移了点，这样一来灯光就不能照在他脸上。“真怪，你和他一道打帮找活儿。”施琳平静地邀请着对方的信任。佐治防御地反诘道：“这有什么可奇怪的？”
“哦哦，我不明白。打帮的角儿很少有。两个角儿打帮走路我很少见到。这里的雇工是怎么的哩，你猜。他们踏脚进来，得个床位，干上个把月，就呆不住，把工辞掉，独自个儿溜走了。从没见过谁牵累谁的。看起来是有点奇怪，你这么精佻的小伙子和象他这样一只布谷鸟打帮走路。”
“他不是布谷鸟，”佐治说。“死哑巴他是，但他不是白痴。我呢，也不是那么精佻，要不然我就不会那么没出息，为了食宿在外的五十块钱来背麦袋。我要是精佻，我要是有半分儿伶俐，我就该有一小块自己的地，我就该自己收割自己的物料，而犯不着这样整天拚死拚活地干，还沾不到半点地上长出来的东西。”佐治进入缄默了之中。他需要讲话。施琳不泄他的气，也不给他打气。他只是坐在那儿，静静地很有感受地听他接着说下去。
“这并不怎么奇怪，我和他打帮到处流浪，”终于佐治说了。“我们都是在奥班出生的。我认识他姑姑卡莉拉。还是个小孩的时候，他就被她接收了来，把他抚养大。他卡莉拉姑姑死后，李奈只好跟着我到外地找活干。没多久，彼此就习惯了。”
施琳说：“啊口奄。”
佐治瞟了一眼施琳，瞧见那双神仙似的、安详的眼睛正在盯着他看。“有意思极了，”佐治说。“我常常跟他闹出一大堆他妈的笑话。因为他呆头呆脑，照管不了自己。我常拿他来开玩笑。可是呢，他甚至呆到连自己给自己开玩笑也不知道哩。我有得乐。在他身边，我就像是死鬼似的伶俐了起来。嗯，他妈的他都干，我叫他干什么。他会真的走，要是我叫他朝大海边上的悬崖走过去。没过多久后，我可不拿他开那么多玩笑了。倒不是他生气，在这上头他从不生气的。我打过他，他要是回手，我每根骨头能不都碎了吗，可是他从未翘起过一根指头跟我对打过。”佐治的声音转为自我忏悔的语气了。“告诉你我是因为什么不再拿他逗乐。有一天一大群人站在舍其林曼图河岸上。我有点乖觉起来了，将脸转过来对李奈说：‘跳下去吧。’他果真跳了下去。他游不了几步。差一点儿他就淹死了，要不是我们赶快把他捞起来。可他还十分感激我把他打捞了上来呢。是我叫他跳下去的事忘得一干二净。哎，后来这种事我就再也不干了。”
“他是个好人，”施琳说。“一个好人是不用什么聪明也能做得成的。就我看呢，有时候聪明反倒会不对路。他就很难是个好人，随便一个真地精佻的角儿。”
佐治把乱牌叠好，又把他的一手暗牌从里面抽了出来。外面，马蹄铁依然在嗒嗒地震响着。夕阳从窗口中照进来，仍将一小块四方的地面照亮着。
“我没有什么亲人，”佐治说。“到处农场的角儿们都是单身的我看见。那不好，他们没有什么乐趣。混久了人就变得下流了起来。时时刻刻要殴斗。”
“对，他们变得下流，”施琳同意地说。“变成这种样子，他们就不会想跟别人谈心了。”
“当然，大部分时候李奈是死讨人厌的，”佐治说。“可是你就撇不开他了，当你同一个人打帮走惯了后。”
“他下流不，”施琳说。“李奈没有半点下流的地方，这我看得了来。”
“他确实不是下流。可是他呆成那么个鸟样子，时常会要闹出乱子来。比方说在韦地出的事……”他猛地停下来不说话了，这当儿他正在把一张牌翻过来。他脸上现出警戒的神情，两眼盯着施琳。“你可不要对别人说。”
施琳安详地问道：“在韦地他搞出了什么事？”
“你不会把它告诉别人的吧？———不，自然你不会的。”
施琳又问：“他在韦地搞出了什么事呀？”
“嗯，他瞧见个穿红衣服的大姑娘。可真是呆得可怜，他这个杂种凡是他喜欢的东西他都想去摸一下。只是想掂一掂。就这样，他便将手伸出去掂那件红衣服，那姑娘哇的一声叫了起来，这样一来李奈给吓得整个儿就六神无主了，他把那红衣服紧紧地揪在手里不放，因为别的什么办法他想不出来。唉，那大姑娘哇哇的直叫个不住口。我就在附近，我跑了过来，听见喊声。李奈这时就更慌了，他不知如何是好，只知道把那红衣服牢牢地抓着。我用一根篱栅敲他的脑壳，要他放手。他慌成那个样子，哪里还知道要把手松开。他又是死鬼有力气的，你知道。”
施琳一双眼睛一刹不刹，显得十分地安详。他缓缓地点了点头。“后来怎么样？”
佐治把他的暗牌用心地摆成一排。“嚄，那大姑娘跑到法院去，说她被奸污。一大帮韦地人要把李奈抓住，当场把他结果掉。这一来我们给迫得躲在一条水渠里。那一天剩下的时间，我们都在水里浸着。只露出头在水面上，搁在渠边的野草堆中间。天黑了，才偷偷地溜了出来。”
施琳沉默了好一会儿。“他没把那大姑娘弄伤吧，呃？”他终于问道。
“伤个鸟巴。她不过是给他吓怕了罢了。要是是我给他一把抓住，我也会给吓坏的。可他不会去伤她什么。他只不过想摸一下那红衣裳，就跟没个时辰他不想摸一下那些狗儿一样。”
“他不是下流，”施琳说。“隔一哩远我就可以嗅得出来，要是下流的家伙。”
“自然他不是，而且他还什么鸟事都肯干，只要我……”
李奈从门口走了进来。他穿的蓝斜纹布上衣活象一块披肩罩在他的双肩上。他走过来时，背显得有点驼似的。
“喂，李奈，”佐治说。“现在你对那只小狗是多么地喜欢喽？”
李奈气也不透了，说：“它是棕褐色底带白花的，这种的正合我的意呢。”他径直走到自己的铺位，躺了下去，把脸朝向墙壁，将两只膝髁曲起来。”
佐治若有所思地把手中的牌放下。“李奈，”他厉声说道。
李奈把脖子拧过来，从自己的肩头膀上面斜望过去。
“呃？有什么事吗，佐治？”
“不许你把小狗带进这儿来，这我跟你说过的。”
“佐治，什么小狗呀？我没有。”
佐治抢上前去，一把把他的肩膀抓住，把他翻了过来。他将手伸下去，一只很小的狗仔给他搜出来了，李奈把它藏在紧贴肚皮的地方。
李奈倏地爬了起来。“佐治，把它给我。”
佐治说：“你马上起来，把小狗放回它的窝里去。它得跟母狗睡在一起。你想把它弄死吗？昨天夜里才生出来的，你就把它从窝里拿了出来。你快把它放回去，不然我就跟施琳说叫他别给你。”
李奈伸出双手求情似地说：“佐治，把它给我吧。我会放它回去的，我不会伤害它，佐治。我不会，对天说。我只是要摸着玩一会儿。”
佐治把小狗递给他。“对啦。你赶快把它放回窝里去，再也别拿它出来。它会给你弄死的呢，你要知道。”李奈无可奈何地匆匆走了出去。
施琳一直一动不动地坐在那儿他用平静的目光目送李奈出了门口。“天啊，”他说。“他就象个孩子呢，是不是？”
“他真的就象是个孩子。他闯了祸也比小孩的淘气差不了许多，只是他是那么地有力气罢了。今天晚上他不会回来睡觉。我敢打赌。他准会睡在外头狗栏旁边。也好———让他去吧。在那儿也不会有什么祸事给他弄出来的。”
这时，外面天差不多全黑了下来。老甘德，这个打杂工，走了进来，踱到了他的床位前，他的老狗一瘸一跛地跟在他后面。“哈罗，施琳。哈罗，佐治。马蹄铁赛，你们两个都不玩吗？”
“我不爱每天夜里都玩，”施琳说。
甘德接着说：“我肚子痛，你们谁有威士忌酒吗？”
“我没有，”施琳说。“哪怕我肚子并不痛，有我也自己把它喝掉了。”
“肚子痛得好厉害，”甘德说。“都是给那些鸟萝卜害的。还没吃下去我就知道会弄坏肚子的了。”
魁梧的贾尔纯从外面正在黑下来的天井走了进来。他走到寝室的另一头，扭亮第二盏盖着灯罩的电灯。“他妈的这儿黑得可真够呛哩，”他说。“天啊，那个黑鬼可真会掷蹄啊。”
施琳说：“他很行。”
“他真行，妈的，”贾尔纯说。“一次他也不让别人赢了去……”他闭上嘴不说话，嗅着空气，嗅了又嗅，看见那条老狗在下面躺着。“我的天，这条狗好臭。甘德，把它赶出去呀！象这老狗这样臭得难闻的东西我从来就没见过。你快把它赶出去。”
甘德从床上滚了下
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1
bunk
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| n.(车、船等倚壁而设的)铺位；废话 | |
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cone
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| n.圆锥体，圆锥形东西，球果 | |
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ace
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| n.A牌；发球得分；佼佼者；adj.杰出的 | |
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buck
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| n.雄鹿，雄兔；v.马离地跳跃 | |
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barley
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| n.大麦，大麦粒 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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bust
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| vt.打破；vi.爆裂；n.半身像；胸部 | |
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confession
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| n.自白，供认，承认 | |
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scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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ranch
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| n.大牧场，大农场 | |
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ranches
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| 大农场， （兼种果树，养鸡等的）大牧场( ranch的名词复数 ) | |
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bastard
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| n.坏蛋，混蛋；私生子 | |
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tar
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| n.柏油，焦油；vt.涂或浇柏油/焦油于 | |
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picket
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| n.纠察队；警戒哨；v.设置纠察线；布置警卫 | |
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15
raped
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| v.以暴力夺取，强夺( rape的过去式和过去分词 )；强奸 | |
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denim
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| n.斜纹棉布；斜纹棉布裤，牛仔裤 | |
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cape
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| n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风 | |
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hunched
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| （常指因寒冷、生病或愁苦）耸肩弓身的，伏首前倾的 | |
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whit
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| n.一点，丝毫 | |
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deliberately
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| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
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21
concealing
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，遮住( conceal的现在分词 ) | |
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22
scuttled
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| v.使船沉没( scuttle的过去式和过去分词 )；快跑，急走 | |
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gut
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| n.[pl.]胆量；内脏；adj.本能的；vt.取出内脏 | |
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24
turnips
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| 芜青( turnip的名词复数 )； 芜菁块根； 芜菁甘蓝块根； 怀表 | |
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25
sniffed
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| v.以鼻吸气，嗅，闻( sniff的过去式和过去分词 )；抽鼻子（尤指哭泣、患感冒等时出声地用鼻子吸气）；抱怨，不以为然地说 | |
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26
sniffing
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| n.探查法v.以鼻吸气，嗅，闻( sniff的现在分词 )；抽鼻子（尤指哭泣、患感冒等时出声地用鼻子吸气）；抱怨，不以为然地说 | |
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27
stinks
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| v.散发出恶臭( stink的第三人称单数 )；发臭味；名声臭；糟透 | |
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28
stink
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| vi.发出恶臭；糟透，招人厌恶；n.恶臭 | |
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rheumatism
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| n.风湿病 | |
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herd
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| n.兽群，牧群；vt.使集中，把…赶在一起 | |
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herded
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| 群集，纠结( herd的过去式和过去分词 )； 放牧； （使）向…移动 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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nervously
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| adv.神情激动地，不安地 | |
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34
laboring
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| n.劳动，操劳v.努力争取(for)( labor的现在分词 )；苦干；详细分析；（指引擎）缓慢而困难地运转 | |
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bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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pulp
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| n.果肉，纸浆；v.化成纸浆，除去...果肉，制成纸浆 | |
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forefinger
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| n.食指 | |
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38
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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misery
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| n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦 | |
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underneath
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| adj.在...下面，在...底下；adv.在下面 | |
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41
hip
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| n.臀部，髋；屋脊 | |
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thong
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| n.皮带；皮鞭；v.装皮带 | |
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43
twitched
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| vt.& vi.（使）抽动，（使）颤动（twitch的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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44
leash
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| n.牵狗的皮带，束缚；v.用皮带系住 | |
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latch
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| n.门闩，窗闩；弹簧锁 | |
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rigidly
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| adv.刻板地，僵化地 | |
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47
mules
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| 骡( mule的名词复数 )； 拖鞋； 顽固的人； 越境运毒者 | |
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48
hoof
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| n.(马，牛等的)蹄 | |
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49
chuckled
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| 轻声地笑( chuckle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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50
shuffle
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| n.拖著脚走，洗纸牌；v.拖曳，慢吞吞地走 | |
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51
rippled
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| 使泛起涟漪（ripple的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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52
subdued
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| adj. 屈服的，柔和的，减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词 | |
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53
gnawing
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| a.痛苦的，折磨人的 | |
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54
shuffled
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| v.洗（纸牌）( shuffle的过去式和过去分词 )；拖着脚步走；粗心地做；摆脱尘世的烦恼 | |
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55
pegs
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| n.衣夹( peg的名词复数 )；挂钉；系帐篷的桩；弦钮v.用夹子或钉子固定( peg的第三人称单数 )；使固定在某水平 | |
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56
crooks
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| n.骗子( crook的名词复数 )；罪犯；弯曲部分；（牧羊人或主教用的）弯拐杖v.弯成钩形( crook的第三人称单数 ) | |
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57
casually
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| adv.漠不关心地，无动于衷地，不负责任地 | |
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58
scooped
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| v.抢先报道( scoop的过去式和过去分词 )；（敏捷地）抱起；抢先获得；用铲[勺]等挖（洞等） | |
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59
specially
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| adv.特定地；特殊地；明确地 | |
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60
flop
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| n.失败(者)，扑通一声；vi.笨重地行动，沉重地落下 | |
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61
joint
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| adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合 | |
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62
parlor
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| n.店铺，营业室；会客室，客厅 | |
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63
bucks
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| n.雄鹿( buck的名词复数 )；钱；（英国十九世纪初的）花花公子；（用于某些表达方式）责任v.（马等）猛然弓背跃起( buck的第三人称单数 )；抵制；猛然震荡；马等尥起后蹄跳跃 | |
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64
chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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65
squinted
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| 斜视( squint的过去式和过去分词 )； 眯着眼睛； 瞟； 从小孔或缝隙里看 | |
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66
sarcastically
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| adv.挖苦地，讽刺地 | |
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67
shack
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| adj.简陋的小屋，窝棚 | |
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68
orchard
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| n.果园，果园里的全部果树，(美俚)棒球场 | |
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69
salmon
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| n.鲑，大马哈鱼，橙红色的 | |
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70
nibble
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| n.轻咬，啃；v.一点点地咬，慢慢啃，吹毛求疵 | |
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71
subsided
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| v.（土地）下陷（因在地下采矿）( subside的过去式和过去分词 )；减弱；下降至较低或正常水平；一下子坐在椅子等上 | |
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72
grumbling
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| adj. 喃喃鸣不平的, 出怨言的 | |
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73
reprehensible
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| adj.该受责备的 | |
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74
spat
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| n.口角，掌击；v.发出呼噜呼噜声 | |
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75
reverently
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| adv.虔诚地 | |
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76
stump
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| n.残株，烟蒂，讲演台；v.砍断，蹒跚而走 | |
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77
miserably
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| adv.痛苦地；悲惨地；糟糕地；极度地 | |
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78
carnival
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| n.嘉年华会，狂欢，狂欢节，巡回表演 | |
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79
appreciation
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| n.评价；欣赏；感谢；领会，理解；价格上涨 | |
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80
sling
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| vt.扔；悬挂；n.挂带；吊索，吊兜；弹弓 | |
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81
bind
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| vt.捆，包扎；装订；约束；使凝固；vi.变硬 | |
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82
scowling
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| 怒视，生气地皱眉( scowl的现在分词 ) | |
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83
belly
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| n.肚子，腹部；(像肚子一样)鼓起的部分，膛 | |
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84
poised
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| a.摆好姿势不动的 | |
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85
slashed
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| v.挥砍( slash的过去式和过去分词 )；鞭打；割破；削减 | |
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86
bleated
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| v.（羊，小牛）叫( bleat的过去式和过去分词 )；哭诉；发出羊叫似的声音；轻声诉说 | |
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87
flopping
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| n.贬调v.（指书、戏剧等）彻底失败( flop的现在分词 )；（因疲惫而）猛然坐下；（笨拙地、不由自主地或松弛地）移动或落下；砸锅 | |
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88
crouched
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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89
cowering
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| v.畏缩，抖缩( cower的现在分词 ) | |
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90
wagon
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| n.四轮马车，手推车，面包车；无盖运货列车 | |
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91
hitched
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| （免费）搭乘他人之车( hitch的过去式和过去分词 )； 搭便车； 攀上； 跃上 | |
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92
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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93
wryly
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| adv. 挖苦地，嘲弄地 | |
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94
bruised
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| [医]青肿的，瘀紫的 | |
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