rooks, the Negro stable buck1, had his bunk2 in the harness room; a little shed that leaned off the wall of the barn. On one side of the little room there was a square four-paned window, and on the other, a narrow plank3 door leading into the barn. Crooks4’ bunk was a long box filled with straw, on which his blankets were flung. On the wall by the window there were pegs5 on which hung broken harness in process of being mended; strips of new leather; and under the window itself a little bench for leather-working tools, curved knives and needles and balls of linen6 thread, and a small hand riveter7. On pegs were also pieces of harness, a split collar with the horsehair stuffing sticking out, a broken hame, and a trace chain with its leather covering split. Crooks had his apple box over his bunk, and in it a range of medicine bottles, both for himself and for the horses. There were cans of saddle soap and a drippy can of tar8 with its paint brush sticking over the edge. And scattered10 about the floor were a number of personal possessions; for, being alone, Crooks could leave his things about, and being a stable buck and a cripple, he was more permanent than the other men, and he had accumulated more possessions than he could carry on his back.
Crooks possessed11 several pairs of shoes, a pair of rubber boots, a big alarm clock and a single-barreled shotgun. And he had books, too; a tattered12 dictionary and a mauled copy of the California civil code for 1905. There were battered13 magazines and a few dirty books on a special shelf over his bunk. A pair of large gold-rimmed spectacles hung from a nail on the wall above his bed.
This room was swept and fairly neat, for Crooks was a proud, aloof14 man. He kept his distance and demanded that other people keep theirs. His body was bent15 over to the left by his crooked16 spine17, and his eyes lay deep in his head, and because of their depth seemed to glitter with intensity18. His lean face was lined with deep black wrinkles, and he had thin, pain-tightened lips which were lighter19 than his face.
It was Saturday night. Through the open door that led into the barn came the sound of moving horses, of feet stirring, of teeth champing on hay, of the rattle20 of halter chains. In the stable buck’s room a small electric globe threw a meager21 yellow light.
Crooks sat on his bunk. His shirt was out of his jeans in back. In one hand he held a bottle of liniment, and with the other he rubbed his spine. Now and then he poured a few drops of the liniment into his pink-palmed hand and reached up under his shirt to rub again. He flexed22 his muscles against his back and shivered.
Noiselessly Lennie appeared in the open doorway23 and stood there looking in, his big shoulders nearly filling the opening. For a moment Crooks did not see him, but on raising his eyes he stiffened24 and a scowl25 came on his face. His hand came out from under his shirt.
Lennie smiled helplessly in an attempt to make friends.
Crooks said sharply, “You got no right to come in my room. This here’s my room. Nobody got any right in here but me.”
Lennie gulped26 and his smile grew more fawning27. “I ain’t doing nothing,” he said. “Just come to look at my puppy. And I seen your light,” he explained.
“Well, I got a right to have a light. You go on get outa my room. I ain’t wanted in the bunk house, and you ain’t wanted in my room.”
“Why ain’t you wanted?” Lennie asked.
“’Cause I’m black. They play cards in there, but I can’t play because I’m black. They say I stink28. Well, I tell you, you all of you stink to me.”
Lennie flapped his big hands helplessly. “Ever’body went into town,” he said. “Slim an’ George an’ ever’body. George says I gotta stay here an’ not get in no trouble. I seen your light.”
“Well, what do you want?”
“Nothing—I seen your light. I thought I could jus’ come in an’ set.”
Crooks stared at Lennie, and he reached behind him and took down the spectacles and adjusted them over his pink ears and stared again. “I don’t know what you’re doin’ in the barn anyway,” he complained. “You ain’t no skinner. They’s no call for a bucker to come into the barn at all. You ain’t no skinner. You ain’t got nothing to do with the horses.”
“The pup,” Lennie repeated. “I come to see my pup.”
“Well, go see your pup, then. Don’t come in a place where you’re not wanted.”
Lennie lost his smile. He advanced a step into the room, then remembered and backed to the door again. “I looked at ‘em a little. Slim says I ain’t to pet ‘em very much.”
Crooks said, “Well, you been takin’ ‘em out of the nest all the time. I wonder the old lady don’t move ‘em someplace else.”
“Oh, she don’t care. She lets me.” Lennie had moved into the room again.
Crooks scowled29, but Lennie’s disarming30 smile defeated him. “Come on in and set a while,” Crooks said. “’Long as you won’t get out and leave me alone, you might as well set down.” His tone was a little more friendly. “All the boys gone into town, huh?”
“All but old Candy. He just sets in the bunk house sharpening his pencil and sharpening and figuring.”
Crooks adjusted his glasses. “Figuring? What’s Candy figuring about?”
Lennie almost shouted, “’Bout the rabbits.”
“You’re nuts,” said Crooks. “You’re crazy as a wedge. What rabbits you talkin’ about?”
“The rabbits we’re gonna get, and I get to tend ‘em, cut grass an’ give ‘em water, an’ like that.”
“Jus’ nuts,” said Crooks. “I don’t blame the guy you travel with for keepin’ you outa sight.”
Lennie said quietly, “It ain’t no lie. We’re gonna do it. Gonna get a little place an’ live on the fatta the lan’.”
Crooks settled himself more comfortably on his bunk. “Set down,” he invited. “Set down on the nail keg.”
Lennie hunched31 down on the little barrel. “You think it’s a lie,” Lennie said. “But it ain’t no lie. Ever’ word’s the truth, an’ you can ast George.”
Crooks put his dark chin into his pink palm. “You travel aroun’ with George, don’t ya?”
“Sure. Me an’ him goes ever’ place together.”
Crooks continued. “Sometimes he talks, and you don’t know what the hell he’s talkin’ about. Ain’t that so?” He leaned forward, boring Lennie with his deep eyes. “Ain’t that so?”
“Yeah . . . . sometimes.”
“Jus’ talks on, an’ you don’t know what the hell it’s all about?”
“Yeah . . . . sometimes. But . . . . not always.”
Crooks leaned forward over the edge of the bunk. “I ain’t a southern Negro,” he said. “I was born right here in California. My old man had a chicken ranch32, ‘bout ten acres. The white kids come to play at our place, an’ sometimes I went to play with them, and some of them was pretty nice. My ol’ man didn’t like that. I never knew till long later why he didn’t like that. But I know now.” He hesitated, and when he spoke33 again his voice was softer. “There wasn’t another colored family for miles around. And now there ain’t a colored man on this ranch an’ there’s jus’ one family in Soledad.” He laughed. “If I say something, why it’s just a nigger sayin’ it.”
Lennie asked, “How long you think it’ll be before them pups will be old enough to pet?”
Crooks laughed again. “A guy can talk to you an’ be sure you won’t go blabbin’. Couple of weeks an’ them pups’ll be all right. George knows what he’s about. Jus’ talks, an’ you don’t understand nothing.” He leaned forward excitedly. “This is just a nigger talkin’, an’ a busted-back nigger. So it don’t mean nothing, see? You couldn’t remember it anyways. I seen it over an’ over—a guy talkin' to another guy and it don’t make no difference if he don’t hear or understand. The thing is, they’re talkin’, or they’re settin’ still not talkin’. It don’t make no difference, no difference.” His excitement had increased until he pounded his knee with this hand. “George can tell you screwy things, and it don’t matter. It’s just the talking. It’s just bein’ with another guy. That’s all.” He paused.
His voice grew soft and persuasive35. “S’pose George don’t come back no more. S’pose he took a powder and just ain’t coming back. What’ll you do then?”
Lennie’s attention came gradually to what had been said. “What?” he demanded.
“I said s’pose George went into town tonight and you never heard of him no more.” Crooks pressed forward some kind of private victory. “Just s’pose that,” he repeated.
“He won’t do it,” Lennie cried. “George wouldn’t do nothing like that. I been with George a long a time. He’ll come back tonight—” But the doubt was too much for him. “Don’t you think he will?”
Crooks’ face lighted with pleasure in his torture. “Nobody can’t tell what a guy’ll do,” he observed calmly. “Le’s say he wants to come back and can’t. S’pose he gets killed or hurt so he can’t come back.”
Lennie struggled to understand. “George won’t do nothing like that,” he repeated. “George is careful. He won’t get hurt. He ain’t never been hurt, ‘cause he’s careful.”
“Well, s’pose, jus’ s’pose he don’t come back. What’ll you do then?”
Lennie’s face wrinkled with apprehension36. “I don’ know. Say, what you doin’ anyways?” he cried. “This ain’t true. George ain’t got hurt.”
Crooks bored in on him. “Want me ta tell ya what’ll happen? They’ll take ya to the booby hatch. They’ll tie ya up with a collar, like a dog.”
Suddenly Lennie’s eyes centered and grew quiet, and mad. He stood up and walked dangerously toward Crooks. “Who hurt George?” he demanded.
Crooks saw the danger as it approached him. He edged back on his bunk to get out of the way. “I was just supposin’,” he said. “George ain’t hurt. He’s all right. He’ll be back all right.”
Lennie stood over him. “What you supposin’ for? Ain’t nobody goin’ to suppose no hurt to George.”
Crooks removed his glasses and wiped his eyes with his fingers. “Jus’ set down,” he said. “George ain’t hurt.”
Lennie growled37 back to his seat on the nail keg. “Ain’t nobody goin’ to talk no hurt to George,” he grumbled38.
Crooks said gently, “Maybe you can see now. You got George. You know he’s goin’ to come back. S’pose you didn’t have nobody. S’pose you couldn’t go into the bunk house and play rummy ‘cause you was black. How’d you like that? S’pose you had to sit out here an’ read books. Sure you could play horseshoes till it got dark, but then you got to read books. Books ain’t no good. A guy needs somebody—to be near him.” He whined39, “A guy goes nuts if he ain’t got nobody. Don’t make no difference who the guy is, long’s he’s with you. I tell ya,” he cried, “I tell ya a guy gets too lonely an’ he gets sick.”
“George gonna come back,” Lennie reassured40 himself in a frightened voice. “Maybe George come back already. Maybe I better go see.”
Crooks said, “I didn’t mean to scare you. He’ll come back. I was talkin’ about myself. A guy sets alone out here at night, maybe readin’ books or thinkin’ or stuff like that. Sometimes he gets thinkin’, an’ he got nothing to tell him what’s so an’ what ain’t so. Maybe if he sees somethin’, he don’t know whether it’s right or not. He can’t turn to some other guy and ast him if he sees it too. He can’t tell. He got nothing to measure by. I seen things out here. I wasn’t drunk. I don’t know if I was asleep. If some guy was with me, he could tell me I was asleep, an’ then it would be all right. But I jus’ don’t know.” Crooks was looking across the room now, looking toward the window.
Lennie said miserably41, “George wun’t go away and leave me. I know George wun’t do that.”
The stable buck went on dreamily, “I remember when I was a little kid on my old man’s chicken ranch. Had two brothers. They was always near me, always there. Used to sleep right in the same room, right in the same bed—all three. Had a strawberry patch. Had an alfalfa patch. Used to turn the chickens out in the alfalfa on a sunny morning. My brothers’d set on a fence rail an’ watch ‘em—white chickens they was.”
Gradually Lennie’s interest came around to what was being said. “George says we’re gonna have alfalfa for the rabbits.”
“What rabbits?”
“We’re gonna have rabbits an’ a berry patch.”
“You’re nuts.”
“We are too. You ast George.”
“You’re nuts.” Crooks was scornful. “I seen hunderds of men come by on the road an’ on the ranches42, with their bindles on their back an’ that same damn thing in their heads. Hunderds of them. They come, an’ they quit an’ go on; an’ every damn one of ‘em’s got a little piece of land in his head. An’ never a God damn one of ‘em ever gets it. Just like heaven. Ever’body wants a little piece of lan’. I read plenty of books out here. Nobody never gets to heaven, and nobody gets no land. It’s just in their head. They’re all the time talkin’ about it, but it’s jus’ in their head.” He paused and looked toward the open door, for the horses were moving restlessly and the halter chains clinked. A horse whinnied. “I guess somebody’s out there,” Crooks said. “Maybe Slim. Slim comes in sometimes two, three times a night. Slim’s a real skinner. He looks out for his team.” He pulled himself painfully upright and moved toward the door. “That you, Slim?” he called.
Candy’s voice answered. “Slim went in town. Say, you seen Lennie?”
“Ya mean the big guy?”
“Yeah. Seen him around any place?”
“He’s in here,” Crooks said shortly. He went back to his bunk and lay down.
Candy stood in the doorway scratching his bald wrist and looking blindly into the lighted room. He made no attempt to enter. “Tell ya what, Lennie. I been figuring out about them rabbits.”
Crooks said irritably43, “You can come in if you want.”
Candy seemed embarrassed. “I do’ know. ‘Course, if ya want me to.”
“Come on in. If ever’body’s comin’ in, you might just as well.” It was difficult for Crooks to conceal44 his pleasure with anger.
Candy came in, but he was still embarrassed, “You got a nice cozy45 little place in here,” he said to Crooks. “Must be nice to have a room all to yourself this way.”
“Sure,” said Crooks. “And a manure46 pile under the window. Sure, it’s swell47.”
Lennie broke in, “You said about them rabbits.”
Candy leaned against the wall beside the broken collar while he scratched the wrist stump48. “I been here a long time,” he said. “An’ Crooks been here a long time. This’s the first time I ever been in his room.”
Crooks said darkly, “Guys don’t come into a colored man’s room very much. Nobody been here but Slim. Slim an’ the boss.”
Candy quickly changed the subject. “Slim’s as good a skinner as I ever seen.”
Lennie leaned toward the old swamper. “About them rabbits,” he insisted.
Candy smiled. “I got it figured out. We can make some money on them rabbits if we go about it right.”
“But I get to tend ‘em,” Lennie broke in. “George says I get to tend ‘em. He promised.”
Crooks interrupted brutally49. “You guys is just kiddin’ yourself. You’ll talk about it a hell of a lot, but you won’t get no land. You’ll be a swamper here till they take you out in a box. Hell, I seen too many guys. Lennie here’ll quit an’ be on the road in two, three weeks. Seems like ever’ guy got land in his head.”
Candy rubbed his cheek angrily. “You God damn right we’re gonna do it. George says we are. We got the money right now.”
“Yeah?” said Crooks. “An’ where’s George now? In town in a whorehouse. That’s where your money’s goin’. Jesus, I seen it happen too many times. I seen too many guys with land in their head. They never get none under their hand.”
Candy cried, “Sure they all want it. Everybody wants a little bit of land, not much. Jus’ som’thin’ that was his. Som’thin’ he could live on and there couldn’t nobody throw him off of it. I never had none. I planted crops for damn near ever’body in this state, but they wasn’t my crops, and when I harvested ‘em, it wasn’t none of my harvest. But we gonna do it now, and don’t you make no mistake about that. George ain’t got the money in town. That money’s in the bank. Me an’ Lennie an’ George. We gonna have a room to ourself. We’re gonna have a dog an’ rabbits an’ chickens. We’re gonna have green corn an’ maybe a cow or a goat.” He stopped, overwhelmed with his picture.
Crooks asked, “You say you got the money?”
“Damn right. We got most of it. Just a little bit more to get. Have it all in one month. George got the land all picked out, too.”
Crooks reached around and explored his spine with his hand. “I never seen a guy really do it,” he said. “I seen guys nearly crazy with loneliness for land, but ever’ time a whore house or a blackjack game took what it takes.” He hesitated. “ . . . . If you . . . . guys would want a hand to work for nothing—just his keep, why I’d come an’ lend a hand. I ain’t so crippled I can’t work like a son-of-a-bitch if I want to.”
“Any you boys seen Curley?”
They swung their heads toward the door. Looking in was Curley’s wife. Her face was heavily made up. Her lips were slightly parted. She breathed strongly, as though she had been running.
“Curley ain’t been here,” Candy said sourly.
She stood still in the doorway, smiling a little at them, rubbing the nails of one hand with the thumb and forefinger50 of the other. And her eyes traveled from one face to another. “They left all the weak ones here,” she said finally. “Think I don’t know where they all went? Even Curley. I know where they all went.”
Lennie watched her, fascinated; but Candy and Crooks were scowling51 down away from her eyes. Candy said, “Then if you know, why you want to ast us where Curley is at?”
She regarded them amusedly. “Funny thing,” she said. “If I catch any one man, and he’s alone, I get along fine with him. But just let two of the guys get together an’ you won’t talk. Jus’ nothing but mad.” She dropped her fingers and put her hands on her hips52. “You’re all scared of each other, that’s what. Ever’ one of you’s scared the rest is goin’ to get something on you.”
After a pause Crooks said, “Maybe you better go along to your own house now. We don’t want no trouble.”
“Well, I ain’t giving you no trouble. Think I don’t like to talk to somebody ever’ once in a while? Think I like to stick in that house alla time?”
Candy laid the stump of his wrist on his knee and rubbed it gently with his hand. He said accusingly, “You gotta husban’. You got no call foolin’ aroun’ with other guys, causin’ trouble.”
The girl flared53 up. “Sure I gotta husban’. You all seen him. Swell guy, ain’t he? Spends all his time sayin’ what he’s gonna do to guy she don’t like, and he don’t like nobody. Think I’m gonna stay in that two-by-four house and listen how Curley’s gonna lead with his left twicet, and then bring in the ol’ right cross? ‘One-two,’ he says. ‘Jus’ the ol’ one-two an’ he’ll go down.’” She paused and her face lost its sullenness54 and grew interested. “Say—what happened to Curley’s han’?”
There was an embarrassed silence. Candy stole a look at Lennie. Then he coughed. “Why . . . . Curley . . . . he got his han’ caught in a machine, ma’am. Bust34 his han’.”
She watched for a moment, and then she laughed. “Baloney! What you think you’re sellin’ me? Curley started som’pin’ he didn’ finish. Caught in a machine—baloney! Why, he ain’t give nobody the good ol’ one-two since he got his han’ bust. Who bust him?”
Candy repeated sullenly55, “Got it caught in a machine.”
“Awright,” she said contemptuously. “Awright, cover ‘im up if ya wanta. Whatta I care? You bindle bums56 think you’re so damn good. Whatta ya think I am, a kid? I tell ya I could of went with shows. Not jus’ one, neither. An’ a guy tol’ me he could put me in pitchers57 . . . .” She was breathless with indignation. “—Sat’iday night. Ever’body out doin’ som’pin’. Ever’body! An’ what am I doin’? Standin’ here talkin’ to a bunch of bindle stiffs—a nigger an’ a dum-dum and a lousy ol’ sheep—an’ likin’ it because they ain’t nobody else.”
Lennie watched her, his mouth half open. Crooks had retired58 into the terrible protective dignity of the Negro. But a change came over old Candy. He stood up suddenly and knocked his nail keg over backward. “I had enough,” he said angrily. “You ain’t wanted here. We told you you ain’t. An’ I tell ya, you got floozy idears about what us guys amounts to. You ain’t got sense enough in that chicken head to even see that we ain’t stiffs. S’pose you get us canned. S’pose you do. You think we’ll hit the highway an’ look for another lousy two-bit job like this. You don’t know that we got our own ranch to go to, an’ our own house. We ain’t got to stay here. We gotta house and chickens an’ fruit trees an’ a place a hunderd time prettier than this. An’ we got fren’s, that’s what we got. Maybe there was a time when we was scared of gettin’ canned, but we ain’t no more. We got our own lan’, and it’s ours, an’ we c’n go to it.”
Curley’s wife laughed at him. “Baloney,” she said. “I seen too many you guys. If you had two bits in the worl’, why you’d be in gettin’ two shots of corn with it and suckin’ the bottom of the glass. I know you guys.”
Candy’s face had grown redder and redder, but before she was done speaking, he had control of himself. He was the master of the situation. “I might of knew,” he said gently. “Maybe you just better go along an’ roll your hoop59. We ain’t got nothing to say to you at all. We know what we got, and we don’t care whether you know it or not. So maybe you better jus’ scatter9 along now, ‘cause Curley maybe ain’t gonna like his wife out in the barn with us ‘bindle stiffs.’”
She looked from one face to another, and they were all closed against her. And she looked longest at Lennie, until he dropped his eyes in embarrassment60. Suddenly she said, “Where’d you get them bruises61 on your face?”
Lennie looked up guiltily. “Who—me?”
“Yeah, you.”
Lennie looked to Candy for help, and then he looked at his lap again. “He got his han’ caught in a machine,” he said.
Curley’s wife laughed. “O.K., Machine. I’ll talk to you later. I like machines.”
Candy broke in. “You let this guy alone. Don’t you do no messing aroun’ with him. I’m gonna tell George what you says. George won’t have you messin’ with Lennie.”
“Who’s George?” she asked. “The little guy you come with?”
Lennie smiled happily. “That’s him,” he said. “That’s the guy, an’ he’s gonna let me tend the rabbits.”
“Well, if that’s all you want, I might get a couple rabbits myself.”
Crooks stood up from his bunk and faced her. “I had enough,” he said coldly. “You got no rights comin’ in a colored man’s room. You got no rights messing around in here at all. Now you jus’ get out, an’ get out quick. If you don’t, I’m gonna ast the boss not to ever let you come in the barn no more.”
She turned on him in scorn. “Listen, Nigger,” she said. “You know what I can do to you if you open your trap?”
Crooks stared hopelessly at her, and then he sat down on his bunk and drew into himself.
She closed on him. “You know what I could do?”
Crooks seemed to grow smaller, and he pressed himself against the wall. “Yes, ma’am.”
“Well, you keep your place then, Nigger. I could get you strung upon a tree so easy it ain’t even funny.”
Crooks had reduced himself to nothing. There was no personality, no ego—nothing to arouse either like or dislike. He said, “Yes, ma’am,” and his voice was toneless.
For a moment she stood over him as though waiting for him to move so that she could whip at him again; but Crooks sat perfectly62 still, his eyes averted63, everything that might be hurt drawn64 in. She turned at last to the other two.
Old Candy was watching her, fascinated. “If you was to do that, we’d tell,” he said quietly. “We’d tell about you framin’ Crooks.”
“Tell an’ be damned,” she cried. “Nobody’d listen to you, an’ you know it. Nobody’d listen to you.”
Candy subsided65. “No . . . .” he agreed. “Nobody’d listen to us.”
Lennie whined, “I wisht George was here. I wisht George was here.”
Candy stepped over to him. “Don’t you worry none,” he said. “I jus’ heard the guys comin’ in. George’ll be in the bunk house right now, I bet.” He turned to Curley’s wife. “You better go home now,” he said quietly. “If you go right now, we won’t tell Curley you was here.”
She appraised66 him coolly. “I ain’t sure you heard nothing.”
“Better not take no chances,” he said. “If you ain’t sure, you better take the safe way.”
She turned to Lennie. “I’m glad you bust up Curley a little bit. He got it comin’ to him. Sometimes I’d like to bust him myself.” She slipped out the door and disappeared into the dark barn. And while she went through the barn, the halter chains rattled67, and some horses snorted and some stamped their feet.
Crooks seemed to come slowly out of the layers of protection he had put on. “Was that the truth what you said about the guys come back?” he asked.
“Sure. I heard ‘em.”
“Well, I didn’t hear nothing.”
“The gate banged,” Candy said, and he went on, “Jesus Christ, Curley’s wife can move quiet. I guess she had a lot of practice, though.”
Crooks avoided the whole subject now. “Maybe you guys better go,” he said. “I ain’t sure I want you in here no more. A colored man got to have some rights even if he don’t like ‘em.”
Candy said, “That bitch didn’t ought to of said that to you.”
“It wasn’t nothing,” Crooks said dully. “You guys comin’ in an’ settin’ made me forget. What she says is true.”
The horses snorted out in the barn and the chains rang and a voice called, “Lennie. Oh, Lennie. You in the barn?”
“It’s George,” Lennie cried. And he answered, “Here, George. I’m right in here.”
In a second George stood framed in the door, and he looked disapprovingly68 about. “What you doin’ in Crooks’ room? You hadn’t ought to be here.”
Crooks nodded. “I tol’ ‘em, but they come in anyways.”
“Well, why’n’t you kick ‘em out?”
“I di’n’t care much,” said Crooks. “Lennie’s a nice fella.”
Now Candy aroused himself. “Oh, George! I been figurin’ and figurin’. I got it doped out how we can even make some money on them rabbits.”
George scowled. “I thought I tol’ you not to tell nobody about that.”
Candy was crestfallen69. “Didn’t tell nobody but Crooks.”
George said, “Well you guys get outa here. Jesus, seems like I can’t go away for a minute.”
Candy and Lennie stood up and went toward the door. Crooks called, “Candy!”
“Huh?”
“’Member what I said about hoein’ and doin’ odd jobs?”
“Yeah,” said Candy. “I remember.”
“Well, jus’ forget it,” said Crooks. “I didn’t mean it. Jus’ foolin’. I wouldn’ want to go no place like that.”
“Well, O.K., if you feel like that. Good night.”
The three men went out of the door. As they went through the barn the horses snorted and the halter chains rattled.
Crooks sat on his bunk and looked at the door for a moment, and then he reached for the liniment bottle. He pulled out his shirt in back, poured a little liniment in his pink palm and, reaching around, he fell slowly to rubbing his back.
第 四 章
库鲁克斯，这黑鬼，马房长工，有一个铺位在马具房里；这马具房是一间斜靠着畜舍墙壁的小小的棚屋。这小棚屋的一边，开着一扇四块玻璃合起来的方形窗户，另一边是一道通往畜舍的木板门。库鲁克斯的床是一个给麦杆塞满了的匣子，他的铺盖就在那上面摊开着。有很多的挂钉被钉在靠窗口的墙上，在那上面挂着须逐一修理的马具，新的皮带；窗子下面是一张小小的工作台，上面摆满了加工皮革的工具，缝针呀，弯刀呀，麻线捆呀，还有一副手动的钉皮机。挂钉上也有许多诸如此类的马具：一根折断了的轭上的曲棒，一只马鬃毛插了出来的裂了的轭，一条皮包裂开了的挽链。库鲁克斯的铺位上头也有一只小箱子，一排预备给自己和马匹用的药水瓶在那里面摆着。柏油罐旁边搁着好几罐洗马鞍的肥皂水，一小罐柏油，漆帚。散在地板上的是些私人物件；因为在这儿他是一个人住，所以也就用不着收拾东西，可以乱丢；又加上他是个残废的马房长工，和别人比起来总要呆得久长，因此他积集下来的什物，已经把他自己能背得起来的限度超过了。
库鲁克斯有一双长统胶靴，几双鞋子，一只大闹钟，和一支单膛鸟枪。书，他也有：一本给翻得很破烂了的字典，一本翻得残旧了的一九0五年度加里福尼亚州的民事法规。还有几份破损的杂志和几本满是灰尘的书。他的铺位上头另外一个架子上搁着一对阔大的金边眼镜，在他床头墙壁的一枚挂钉上挂着。
这房间是打扫过的，非常洁净，因为库鲁克斯是一个孤僻而骄傲的人。待人他总是保持着他的距离，同样也要求别人保持他们的距离。由于佝偻的脊骨他的身体向左倾斜，眼睛深陷在头壳内，由于它们陷得是那么地深，竟仿佛是在强烈地闪烁着似的，一道道深深的黑色皱纹显现在他瘦削的脸庞上，而他那两片苦痛地绷紧着的、薄薄的嘴唇，倒比脸孔有着一点光亮。
这是星期六晚上。透过敞开着的通往畜舍的门，传来马匹动作的响声，麦草被牙齿咬啮着的咀嚼声，踢脚声以及缰链的嘀嗒声。马房长工的屋子里，一个小而圆的电灯泡散发出发黄的微弱亮光。
库鲁克斯在他的床铺上坐着。他的衬衫后幅从裤头里扯了出来。他的一只手里握着一瓶风湿药水，另一只手正在擦着他的背脊。他不时将几滴药水倒在淡红色的手掌心里，然后将手伸到衬衫下面擦起来。因为要扭过来他的手腕才能擦到背脊，因而肌肉在颤动着。
李奈悄悄地出现在敞开着的门边，他站在那儿往里瞧，那扇门几乎刚好给他宽阔的双肩塞满。好一阵子库鲁克斯都没看见他，但当库鲁克斯抬起头来时，却一下怔住了，突然他脸上现出了一种不快之感。他将手从衬衣底下拔出来。
李奈无助地对他笑了笑，表示他的友意。
库鲁克斯态度严厉地说：“这儿是我的房间，你没有权利进到我的屋里来。除了我，没有人有权利进来。”
李奈屏住气，他的笑容变得更加恳切了起来。“我没做什么，”他说。“我只是到畜舍来看看我的小狗。我瞧见你的灯亮着，”他解释道。
“唔，我有权利把一盏灯打开的。你赶快出去，我不要进你们的宿舍，你也不要到我房里来。”
“为什么你不要呢？”
“因为我是个黑人。他们在那儿玩牌，可我却因为我是黑人，不能玩。他们说我臭。呸，我对你说，在我看来，你们这些人统统都是臭的哩。”
李奈无助地将他那粗大的双手摆动着。“全都进城去了，”他说。“佐治和施琳他们都去了。佐治吩咐我在这儿呆着，不要闹乱子。我看见你屋里的灯亮着。”
“唔，你想怎么样？”
“没什么———我看见你屋里的灯亮着。我想我可以进来坐一会。”
库鲁克斯盯着李奈，他把伸到背后取下他那副挂着的眼镜，将它戴在他那两只赭红的耳朵上，又再仔细往李奈身上看着。“我真不明白你到畜舍里来是干什么的，”他抱怨说。“你又不是马车工。无论怎样他们也不会叫个肩工到畜舍来的。你不是马车工。马匹跟你不相干。”
“小狗，”李奈再次说。“我来看我的小狗。”
“唔，那么就去看你的小狗好了，不需要你进来的地方，你可别进来。”
李奈脸上的笑容消失了。他朝房里踏进了一步，马上想起了什么似的，又退回到门口。“我只看它们一下子。佐治吩咐我别把它们摸得太狠。”
库鲁克斯说：“对啦，你常常从窝里把它们捉出来。那母狗要不给它们搬个地方我看那才怪呢。”
“哦，它不介意的。它随我的便。”李奈又把脚踏进房里来。
库鲁克斯的眉头皱了起来了，但李奈的憨笑消除了他的戒备。“进来坐一会吧，”库鲁克斯说。“你可以坐一会，直到你想出去把我独自一个人留下来。”他的语气略为变得友好一点了。“小伙子们都到镇上去了，呃？”
“都去了，只余下甘德。他在工棚里坐着，削着铅笔，边削边计算着呢。”
库鲁克斯把他的眼镜正了一下。“计算？甘德在计算什么呀？”
李奈差不多是高声叫了起来：“计算着那些兔子呀。”
“你见鬼，”库鲁克斯说。“你傻得跟块死木头似的。什么兔子呀你讲？”
“那些我们就要有着的兔子，它们我管，我割草给它们吃，给它们喂水呀什么的。”
“真是活见鬼，”库鲁克斯说。“怪不得那个和你同来的角儿不让你在他身边跟着。”
李奈平心静气地说：“这是真的。我们就要干起来了。就要有一小块地，靠自己的土地过活了。”
库鲁克斯换了个姿势让自己更舒适地在床位上坐好。“坐下来吧，”他邀请说。“在铁钉桶上坐一会儿。”
李奈弯下身去，坐在了那个小木桶上面。
“你以为这是假的，”李奈说，“这才不是假话哪。句句都是真的，你可以问佐治。”
库鲁克斯把淡红色的手掌支在他那黝黑的下巴上。“你是跟佐治打帮走地方的吧，是不是？”
“嗯。我同他到哪里都是一块儿去的。”
库鲁克斯说下去。“他有时候同你讲话，你听不明白他讲的什么鸟。是不是？”他身体向前倾，用那深陷下去的双眼直刺着李奈。“是不是呢？”
“嗯……是这样的，有时。”
“讲话是白讲，什么鸟意思的你全都听不懂吧？”
“是……有时是这样。但……并不都是这样。”
库鲁克斯把身体更往前倾到了床沿外面。“我不是南方的黑人，”他说。“我就出生在这儿，加里福尼亚。我父亲有个大约十亩左右宽的小养鸡场。白人孩子来我们家玩，有时我也去找他们玩。他们里头有些是挺好的。但这我父亲不喜欢。往后一直好久，我总不明白为什么他不喜欢，但现在我知道了。”他迟疑了一下。再讲下去时声音变得柔和了。“第二家黑人在这儿周围的几哩地内是找不出来的。再也没有一个黑人了这个农场，在梭利戴德也只有一家。”他笑了起来。“倘使有些什么被我说了，唉，那也只是一个黑人说的罢了。”
李奈问道：“你看还得多长时间呢？还得多长时间那些小狗才经得起玩呢？”
库鲁克斯又笑了起来。“天啊，人家跟你讲话，绝不怕你会把它们泄露出去。———过两个星期那些狗儿就玩得啦。佐治到底是怎么着的，他自己知道。他只是讲讲，可你什么鸟也听不懂。”他起劲地把身体往前倾。“这不过是一个黑人，而且是个脊骨折了的黑人说的话。所以这都是些无所谓的话，你懂吗？你不会再记起来的。我见过很多很多的了———一个人跟另一个人谈话，那是没有什么关系的，要是对方听不见或者听不明白。这是说，没有什么不同，都一样。他们谈话也好，在那儿光坐着不谈话也好。”他的兴奋一直在有增无已，直到他用手拍了一下他的膝头。“佐治会对你讲许多有意思的东西，可什么用处也没有。只是白讲罢了。只不过是在对着另一个人谈话罢了。就这么回事。”他顿了一下。
他的声音变得柔和而富于说服力。“也许佐治不回来了。也许他再也不回来了，就此逃掉那你怎么办？”
这句话的意思李奈逐渐地领会到了。“什么”？他问。
“我说，也许今晚佐治进城去，他的下落你就再也听不见了。”库鲁克斯将某种暗自以为的胜利向前推进着。“这只是也许罢了，”他重复说。
“他不会这样，”李奈叫起来。“佐治不会这样做的。很久了我同佐治在一起。今天晚上他一定会回来的……”可是对他来说这个怀疑实在是太可怕了。“你看他会不回来的吗？”
库鲁克斯由于他的恶作剧而高兴得整张脸亮堂起来。“一个人会怎么样谁也说不准，”他平静地评论道。“让我们假设他想回来，可是却回不来。假设他受了伤或被人杀死了，那么他便回不来了。”
李奈拚命地领会着。“佐治不会这样的，”他重复道。“佐治很谨慎。他不会受伤的。他永远不会受伤，因为他很谨慎。”
“唔，假设呀，只是假设他不回来。那你怎么办？”
因为担忧李奈的脸庞上涌起了皱纹。“我弄不懂。喂，你这是什么意思？”他叫嚷道。“这不会是真的。佐治不会受伤的。”
库鲁克斯的眼睛直瞅住他。“要我告诉你到那时会有什么事情发生吗？他们会把你捉去坐牢。会象勒一条狗似的在你的脖子上套上一条铁链把你勒紧。”
突然李奈的眼睛凝住了，并且变得镇静和愤怒起来。他站起身来，危险地向库鲁克斯走过去，诘问道：“谁要伤害佐治？”
库鲁克斯看出危险已迫在眉睫。他一闪退回到了床上，试着把事情转圈。“我只是假设罢了，”他说。“佐治他好好的。并没有受伤。他准会好好地回来的。”
“你假设这个做什么？谁也不会去假设佐治受伤的。”李奈抢到他跟前。
库鲁克斯取下眼镜，用手指擦了擦眼睛。“坐下来吧，”他说。“佐治没有受伤。”
李奈悻悻然回到那个铁钉桶的座位上。“谁也不会去讲佐治受伤的，”他抱怨道。
库鲁克斯慢条斯理地开腔了。“也许现在你会明白过来了吧。你有佐治。他会回来你知道。假如谁你也没有呢？假如因为你是黑种，就不能走到工棚里面去跟别人一起玩牌，那你会怎么样？假如你只好在这外边坐着，看点书。是的，等天黑下来，马蹄铁赛你也可以玩一玩，但跟着你还是只得看书。没有多大好处，书。一个人需要有个谁———靠近着他。”他悲伤了起来。“要是他得不到一个谁和他靠近，一个人会蠢下去的。都一样，不管这个人是谁，和他在一块有多久。我告诉你，”他叫嚷起来，“我告诉你吧，一个人要是太孤独了，他会生病的啊。”
“佐治一定会回来的，”李奈用一个惊魂未定的声音来安抚他自己。“佐治也许已经回来了。也许最好我去瞧瞧看。”
库鲁克斯说：“我不是想吓你。他会回来的。我是在讲我自己。一个人夜里独自在这外边呆着，也许是想点事情或看点书或干别的什么。有时他想了又想，但没有谁告诉他什么是这样，什么不是这样。有时也许有点什么给他瞧了出来，但他不知道对还是不对。他不能找别人问问，这个是不是别人也瞧出来过。他不能谈。他找不到什么东西来给自己对不对做衡量。好些事给我在这外边瞧了出来。我并没喝醉。我可是睡着了我不知道。他会告诉我说我睡着了，要有个谁同我在一块。那么它就会是千真万确的了。但我可一点也不知道。”此刻库鲁克斯的视线是从这房子横穿过去，朝窗口望出去。
李奈凄恻地说：“佐治不会把我丢开自己跑掉的。佐治不会这么做的我知道。”
马房长工做梦似地讲着：“我记得我有两个兄弟，当我还是个孩子，在我老人家的养鸡场上的时候。他们经常靠近我，时常在一块儿。总是同住在一个房间里，同睡在一张床上———三个人在一起。有一块草莓地。有一块紫花苜蓿地。在有太阳光的早上，总是把小鸡赶到紫花苜蓿中间去，我们兄弟们就会在一道篱栅上坐着，看守着那些小鸡———多么洁白的小鸡啊。”
渐渐地李奈对这段话感到有兴味了。“佐治说我们就快要有用来喂兔子的紫花苜蓿啦。”
“什么兔子？”
“我们就要有一块土地和兔子了。”
“你见鬼。”
“真的我们要有哩。你问佐治。”
“你见鬼。”库鲁克斯用着嘲讽的语气。“我见过成百成千人背上驮着个包捆，头脑里却都藏着这么个鬼东西，流荡在路上，来到农场里。千打千的人们。他们走了又来，来了又走，每个角儿的脑袋里都有着一小块土地。可是呢，从来没有见过哪一个鬼人得到过。每个人都想要一小块土地。正象天堂那样。呆在这外边我读过好些书。天堂没有谁去过，土地也没有谁得到过。都不过是在他们的头脑里面藏着罢了。它无时无刻不被他们讲着，但那只是在他们头脑里罢了。”他停了话音，朝那敞开着的门望去，因为马匹不停地骚动起来，缰链在丁当地响着。一匹马嘶叫了起来。“有个谁在外边我料想。”库鲁克斯说。“可能是施琳。施琳有时每天夜里要到畜舍来两三次的。他是个真正的马车工。他时刻关顾着他的牲口的。”他痛苦地将身子直起，朝门口走过去。“施琳，是你吧？”他叫唤道。
回答他的却是甘德的声音。“施琳上镇里去了。喂，李奈你有看见吗？”
“你说的是那个大个子吧？”
“对。在什么地方看见过他吗？”
“他在这儿。”库鲁克斯简洁地回答道。他踱回到自己的床前，躺了下去。
甘德在门口边上站着，搔着他那截秃腕，茫然地往这有灯光的房间里面瞧。他并不准备进去。“李奈，告诉你吧。那些兔子的账我已经把它计算出来了哩。”
库鲁克斯有点着恼地说：“你要进来，就进来好了。”
甘德象是很为难似的。“该不该进来我不知道。当然喽，你要是想我进来，那我就进来吧。”
“进来吧。你也可以进来的，要是谁都进得来。”库鲁克斯很难将他的欢喜用恼怒掩盖住。
甘德进来了，但他还是很难为情的样子。“在这儿你有一个很舒服的小房间呢，”他对库鲁克斯说。“这会是很忄匿意的吧，象这样有一间全归你自己的房间？”
“对了，”库鲁克斯说。“窗口下面还有着一个肥料堆呢。当然这是最漂亮的了。”
他的话被李奈打断了。“你讲那些兔子呀。”
甘德斜凭着墙，在他旁边是一根折了的轭，他一面搔着他那半截的腕一面说：“我在这儿很久了，库鲁克斯在这儿也很久了。这还是头一次，我到他房里来。”
库鲁克斯黯然地说：“除掉施琳，人们都不怎么到一个黑人的房子里来的。除掉施琳跟经理，就没有谁来了。”
甘德赶紧把话题转了出去。“施琳真是所有我见过里面的最好的马车工。”
李奈挨向这个老打杂。“讲那兔子的事情呀，”他紧追不舍。
甘德笑着。“我把它算出来了。是可以在兔子上头捞到一点钱的，要是我们干得好的话。”
“我可是要管兔子的，”李奈插嘴说。“佐治说过兔子归我管。他答应过我的。”
一旁的库鲁克斯煞风景地插了进来。“不过是骗自己，你们这些傻角。就准你们讲得天花乱坠，也不会有什么鸟土地给你们得着。你呢，直到你被他们用个箱子当棺材抬出去，也还是个打杂工。哧，我看见过太多的脚色了。李奈呢，约摸两三个星期的样子，就要溜掉，在公路上流荡了。象每个头脑里有着土地的角儿们一样。”
甘德气愤地擦着他的腮帮子。“我们可是真干得起来的，你别他妈的胡扯。佐治说我们成。钱都预备好了我们。”
“是吗？”库鲁克斯说。“可是佐治现在上哪儿去了啊？到镇上去了，在一个窑子里。你们的钱就在那儿给化个精光了。天啊，我见过太多了这种事。我见过许多脑袋里有一小块土地的脚色。但他们得不着，土地永远也到不了他们手上。”
甘德叫道：“当然他们都想要。一小块地任谁都想要。不想多，只想有一点属于他自己的东西，在那上面他可以过日子，谁也不能赶他出去。我就没有得到过。我为了他妈的这个州几乎所有的人种粮食，但我自己的粮食我却没有，当我收割呢，一星半点儿也不属于我自己的收成。可是呀，你可别看错啦，这回我们真要干起来了。佐治上城去身上没带钱。钱在银行里存着哩。我跟佐治跟李奈，我们就要有一间自己的房子了。我们就要有田里的绿油油的麦子。我们就要有一只狗和好些兔子和小鸡了，没准还会有一头山羊或母牛了。”他停了下来，整个人沉浸到了那幅自己遐想的画幅里去了。
“你们有了钱了你说？”库鲁克斯问道。
“当然。我们有了很多呢，只要再添上一点点就够了。一个月里边就可以全都凑够了。地佐治也找好了的呢，唔。”
库鲁克斯把手伸到脊梁上，四处按探着，摸了又摸。“一个角儿真正干得起来我还从来都没有看见过，”他说。“我看见为了土地，人们自个儿想得几乎要发狂了，可是，每一回总是赌博或者妓馆把什么都搞个精光。”他犹豫了一下。“……要是你们……几个角儿肯要个不求什么，只求能把自己的一张口养活的帮手呢，我也想参加一份。总不会这么孱头，总不能象个狗养的那样干活呀，要是我参加进来。”
“你们几个有谁看见顾利吗？”
他们拧过头来，朝门口一看，原来是顾利老婆正在往屋子里张望哩。她的脸是浓妆艳抹过一番的。两块口唇略略分开。象是才跑完步似的，在费力地透气。
“顾利没在这儿，”甘德酸溜溜地说。
她仍在门口边站着，朝着他们微笑，用自己一只手的食指和拇指轻揉着另一只手的一排指甲。她的目光把他们逐张脸孔地掠了一遍。“残弱的都给他们留在这儿了，”终于她说道。“他们上哪儿去了以为我不知道？连顾利一起。嘿，他们统统到什么地方去了我知道的。”
李奈着了迷似地盯着她，然而库鲁克斯和甘德却垂下眉毛，避开了她的眼睛。甘德说：“既然你知道了，干吗还来问我们顾利在哪儿？”
她很赏心似地定睛望定他们。“多奇怪的事，”她说。“要是随便一个人给我碰着，他自己一个儿，我总跟他玩得挺开心的。但只要有两个角儿在一块，你们就不愿讲话。不过在斗气，没有什么的。”她放下手指，将双手搁在屁股后头。“就这么回事，你们都是互相害怕的。你们谁都怕别的在场的人会搞自己。”
稍停了一会，库鲁克斯说：“此刻你也许还是赶紧回你屋里去的好吧。我们不想找麻烦。”
“啊，我不给你们招麻烦。认为我总不想跟个谁谈一会儿话的？以为我爱一天到晚在那鬼屋子里头呆着？”
甘德的那一截木棒似的腕被他搁在膝盖上，他用手轻缓地抚着它。他用谴责的语气说：“你是有丈夫的呀。你犯不着跟别人耍花枪，惹出事情来。”
忽然这女人发作了起来。“是啦，我有丈夫。他是你们都看见过的。他是漂亮的人儿呀，是吧？整天的时间全都被他花费在讲他要怎样对付那么他不喜欢的角儿，而他呀，没有哪个人是他喜欢的。以为我愿意呆在那两进四开间的屋子里，听顾利吹他怎样把左拳抡起来打了两下，然后又把右拳照老样子带过来？‘一，二，’他说。‘只要照老样子一，二，这么两下，他就要倒到地上去了。’”她煞住话，脸上的愠怒消失了，变得动人起来。“喂，顾利的手是怎么回事？”
一阵难堪的沉默。甘德偷偷地望了李奈一眼。接着他咳嗽了几声。“哦……顾利嘛……他的手碰到一架机器上头哩，太太。他的手给辗断了。”
她不作声地看了他们一会儿，然后大笑了起来。“你胡扯！你想拿什么来骗我？准是有什么事给顾利惹下来，可他又对付不了。碰 到 一 架 机 器 上 头———只 管 瞎 扯！嘿，他 再 不 给 谁‘一，二’这么了不起的两下子了，自从断了手后。他的手是给谁打断的？”
甘德满心不高兴地重复一遍：“给一架机器辗断的。”
“好，好”她傲然地说。“要瞒你们就瞒住好了。我怕什么？你们这群昏蛋，还当自己是这么利索来着呢。你们把我当作什么，当作一个小孩吗？嘿，我跟你们说，我可以跟歌舞班子去演出过的。还不止一个班子呢。还有人跟我说过，他能介绍我拍片子……”她气得快要不能透气。“———一个个到外头耍去了。统统去了！星期六晚上。我在干什么的？站在这儿跟一堆废物讲话———一条大傻瓜，一个黑鬼，一只虱子满身的老绵羊。我还高兴着呢，因为别的人一个也走光了。”
李奈一瞬不瞬地望定她，他的嘴巴半开着。库鲁克斯退归于那种一个黑人的、可怕的、借以自卫的庄严。但甘德却来了一个转变。突然他站起身来，那个充当座位的铁钉桶一下子给他撞到后面去了。“够啦够啦，”他冒火地说。“我们不要你到这儿来。我们告诉你，不要你来。告诉你吧，这也不是你这鸟脑瓜子懂得的，究竟我们这些人算得什么。你那个鸟脑瓜子根本就不配辨别出我们并不是废物。我们也许会被你害得给开除掉。你也许会这么做。你以为我们会流浪到公路上去，再找一个象这里一般饿不死吃不饱的活儿干吧。你不知道我们有了自己的农场可去了，还有自己的房子哩。我们不一定非得在这儿呆着。我们有房子，有果树，有小鸡，有比这儿好百倍的地方。我们还有朋友。有这许多东西，也许我们还会有一次怕给开除，但只有这一次了。以后我们再也不会怕了。我们有自己的土地，它是属于我们的，我们就可以去得的。”
顾利老婆哈哈地大笑了起来。“这才叫人感到好笑呀，”她说。“我见得多了你们这样的角儿。你们要是有了两个铜子的身家，你们就会把它拿去换两杯酒喝，连杯底都会舐得净光。你们这些脚色我晓得的。”
甘德给气得一张脸红了又红，但他是个善于观察形势的人，在她没说完之前，他还是把自己抑制住了。“这我自然懂得，”他慢条斯理地说。“你也许还是走开，去管你自己的事情为妙。总之一句话，我们不想跟你说什么。我们有什么东西我们知道，你知道不知道，我们管不着。你还是快点儿溜开去的好我看，顾利不会高兴他的老婆浪到畜舍里来跟我们这些‘废物’搅和在一起的。”
她把他们逐张脸孔地瞧了一遍，他们都避开不看她。李奈给她瞧得最久，直把李奈难堪得垂下眼睛来。突然她问道：“你脸上的血淤是从哪儿来的？”
李奈作贼心虚地抬起眼来。“谁———我？”
“对，你。”
李奈望向甘德求援，接着，他的眼睛又转回来看着自己的漆头，说：“他的手碰到一架机器上头哩。”
顾利老婆哈哈大笑了起来。“O?K.，机器。迟些我再来告诉你吧。我喜欢机器呢。”
甘德在一旁插进话来。“你别缠上这条汉子。你可别跟他搞什么鬼。回头我告诉佐治去把你的话。佐治不会让你跟李奈搞鬼的。”
“佐治是谁？”她问。“就是那个和你同来的小个子？”
李奈高兴地笑了。“就是他，”他说。“就是那角儿，他答应兔子归我管的。”
“啊，那容易，要是你想要的只是这个，我自己也弄得到一对兔子来给你。”
库鲁克斯从他的床位站起身来盯着她。“我忍不住了，”他冷冷地说。“一个黑人的房间你没有有权利到里面来。你没有权利在这儿招摇生事。你必须马上就出去，赶快滚开。否则，我告诉经理不许你再到畜舍来。”
她把脸转过来，用蔑视的态度朝向库鲁克斯。“听着，黑鬼，”她说。“我能够怎样对付你你是知道的吧？要是你来捣蛋。”
库鲁克斯没有丝毫办法地盯着她，然后在自己的床上坐下来，瑟缩着。
她逼近他跟前。“我会怎么做你是知道的吧？”
霎时间库鲁克斯似乎变得渺小了，他把自己靠着墙壁蜷成一团。“是，太太。”
“嘿，那么你就该识相些，黑鬼。我可以把你吊在一棵树上，还算不得有趣呢，那么便当。”
库鲁克斯被自己退缩到了一无所有的地步了。没有了自我，没有了身份———所有的一切可以将爱或憎唤起来的东西都没有了。他说：“是的，太太，”他的声音是失去了腔调的。
她逼近着他站了好半天，等他一有什么动静就要再次向他示威；但库鲁克斯却是一动不动地在那儿坐着，他的目光是畏避的，所有可能被伤害的一切都蜷缩了进去。终于她把脸转过来朝向另外两个了。
老甘德在迷惘地注视着她。“你要是真这么做呢，我们就把它讲开去，”他恬然地道。“我们准说你打库鲁克斯的主意。”
“顶个屁，随便讲去好了，”她叫道。“没有人会听你的，这你知道。你们的话没有人会听的。”
甘德退缩了回来。“没有，”他表示同意地道。“———我们的话没有人会听的。”
李奈悲嚎起来：“我想要佐治在这儿。我想要佐治在这儿。”
甘德偎近他身边。“你别担心，”他说。“那些角儿们刚才我听见他们回来了。我敢打赌，现在佐治准是在工棚里了哩。”
他转过脸来朝着顾利老婆。“现在你最好是回家去，”他平心静气地说。“你要是现在回去呢，我们便不把你来过这里的事告诉顾利。”
她冷冷地估量他，说：“我不相信你有听见什么。”
“还是不要图侥幸的好，”他说。“还是选稳当的路走的好，即便是你不相信。”
她转过来对着李奈。“我高兴你教训了顾利一下子。他自个儿招来的。我有时真想自己动手来揍他呢。”她从房门溜了出去，隐没在了漆黑的畜舍中。缰链丁当地响了起来，当她打畜舍走过的时候，一匹马在喷鼻，一些马在嗒嗒地顿脚。
库鲁克斯似乎缓缓地从刚才他的防卫布置中解脱出来了。“是真的吗？你说他们回来了。”他问。
“嗯。我听见哩。”
“唔，我什么也没听见。”
“大门给砰的关上哩，”甘德说，接着又讲下去，“天啊，顾利老婆能够静静儿走开。她还会要耍一大堆的赖皮呢，本来我猜想。”
现在整个这个话题库鲁克斯都要避开了。“也许你们还是走开的好吧，”他说。“我不想要你们再在这儿呆着了。即使是他不怎么喜欢，一个黑人总得有一点权利。”
甘德说：“那母狗不该对你讲那样的话。”
“没什么，”库鲁克斯黯然地说。“我有点忘乎所以了，因为你们两个进来坐。都是真的呀她说的话。”
畜舍外边，马打着喷鼻，缰链又一次丁当响起来，一个声音叫喊道：“李奈。啊，李奈。在畜舍里吗，你？&rdquo
收听单词发音 |
1
buck
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| n.雄鹿，雄兔；v.马离地跳跃 | |
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bunk
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| n.(车、船等倚壁而设的)铺位；废话 | |
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plank
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| n.板条，木板，政策要点，政纲条目 | |
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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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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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linen
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| n.亚麻布，亚麻线，亚麻制品；adj.亚麻布制的，亚麻的 | |
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riveter
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| 打铆机； 铆枪； 铆工 | |
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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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9
scatter
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| vt.撒，驱散，散开；散布/播；vi.分散，消散 | |
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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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possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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tattered
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| adj.破旧的，衣衫破的 | |
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battered
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| adj.磨损的；v.连续猛击；磨损 | |
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aloof
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| adj.远离的；冷淡的，漠不关心的 | |
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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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crooked
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| adj.弯曲的；不诚实的，狡猾的，不正当的 | |
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spine
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| n.脊柱，脊椎；(动植物的)刺；书脊 | |
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intensity
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| n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度 | |
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lighter
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| n.打火机，点火器；驳船；v.用驳船运送；light的比较级 | |
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rattle
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| v.飞奔，碰响；激怒；n.碰撞声；拨浪鼓 | |
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meager
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| adj.缺乏的，不足的，瘦的 | |
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flexed
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| adj.[医]曲折的，屈曲v.屈曲( flex的过去式和过去分词 )；弯曲；（为准备大干而）显示实力；摩拳擦掌 | |
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doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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stiffened
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| 加强的 | |
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scowl
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| vi.(at)生气地皱眉，沉下脸，怒视；n.怒容 | |
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26
gulped
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| v.狼吞虎咽地吃，吞咽( gulp的过去式和过去分词 )；大口地吸（气）；哽住 | |
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27
fawning
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| adj.乞怜的，奉承的v.（尤指狗等）跳过来往人身上蹭以示亲热( fawn的现在分词 )；巴结；讨好 | |
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stink
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| vi.发出恶臭；糟透，招人厌恶；n.恶臭 | |
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scowled
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| 怒视，生气地皱眉( scowl的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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disarming
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| adj.消除敌意的，使人消气的v.裁军( disarm的现在分词 )；使息怒 | |
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31
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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ranch
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| n.大牧场，大农场 | |
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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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persuasive
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| adj.有说服力的，能说得使人相信的 | |
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apprehension
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| n.理解，领悟；逮捕，拘捕；忧虑 | |
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37
growled
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| v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说 | |
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grumbled
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| 抱怨( grumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 发牢骚； 咕哝； 发哼声 | |
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whined
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| v.哀号( whine的过去式和过去分词 )；哀诉，诉怨 | |
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reassured
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| adj.使消除疑虑的；使放心的v.再保证，恢复信心( reassure的过去式和过去分词) | |
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miserably
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| adv.痛苦地；悲惨地；糟糕地；极度地 | |
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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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irritably
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| ad.易生气地 | |
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conceal
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
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cozy
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| adj.亲如手足的，密切的，暖和舒服的 | |
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manure
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| n.粪，肥，肥粒；vt.施肥 | |
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swell
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| vi.膨胀，肿胀；增长，增强 | |
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stump
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| n.残株，烟蒂，讲演台；v.砍断，蹒跚而走 | |
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brutally
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| adv.残忍地，野蛮地，冷酷无情地 | |
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forefinger
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| n.食指 | |
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scowling
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| 怒视，生气地皱眉( scowl的现在分词 ) | |
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hips
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| abbr.high impact polystyrene 高冲击强度聚苯乙烯，耐冲性聚苯乙烯n.臀部( hip的名词复数 )；[建筑学]屋脊；臀围（尺寸）；臀部…的 | |
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Flared
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| adj. 端部张开的, 爆发的, 加宽的, 漏斗式的 动词flare的过去式和过去分词 | |
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sullenness
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| n. 愠怒, 沉闷, 情绪消沉 | |
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sullenly
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| 不高兴地，绷着脸，忧郁地 | |
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bums
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| n. 游荡者，流浪汉，懒鬼，闹饮，屁股 adj. 没有价值的，不灵光的，不合理的 vt. 令人失望，乞讨 vi. 混日子，以乞讨为生 | |
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pitchers
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| 大水罐( pitcher的名词复数 ) | |
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retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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hoop
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| n.（篮球）篮圈，篮 | |
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embarrassment
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| n.尴尬；使人为难的人(事物)；障碍；窘迫 | |
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bruises
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| n.瘀伤，伤痕，擦伤( bruise的名词复数 ) | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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averted
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| 防止，避免( avert的过去式和过去分词 )； 转移 | |
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drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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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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appraised
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| v.估价( appraise的过去式和过去分词 )；估计；估量；评价 | |
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rattled
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| 慌乱的，恼火的 | |
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disapprovingly
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| adv.不以为然地，不赞成地，非难地 | |
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crestfallen
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| adj. 挫败的，失望的，沮丧的 | |
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