Of Mice and Men 人鼠之间.docx
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OfMiceandMen人鼠之间
Chapter1
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fewmilessouthofSoledad,theSalinasRiverdropsinclosetothehillsidebankandrunsdeepandgreen.Thewateriswarmtoo,forithasslippedtwinklingovertheyellowsandsinthesunlightbeforereachingthenarrowpool.OnonesideoftheriverthegoldenfoothillslopescurveuptothestrongandrockyGabilanMountains,butonthevalleysidethewaterislinedwithtrees—willowsfreshandgreenwitheveryspring,carryingintheirlowerleafjuncturesthedebrisofthewinter’sflooding;andsycamoreswithmottled,white,recumbentlimbsandbranchesthatarchoverthepool.Onthesandybankunderthetreestheleavesliedeepandsocrispthatalizardmakesagreatskitteringifherunsamongthem.Rabbitscomeoutofthebrushtositonthesandintheevening,andthedampflatsarecoveredwiththenighttracksof‘coons,andwiththespreadpadsofdogsfromtheranches,andwiththesplit-wedgetracksofdeerthatcometodrinkinthedark.
Thereisapaththroughthewillowsandamongthesycamores,apathbeatenhardbyboyscomingdownfromtheranchestoswiminthedeeppool,andbeatenhardbytrampswhocomewearilydownfromthehighwayintheeveningtojungle-upnearwater.Infrontofthelowhorizontallimbofagiantsycamorethereisanashpilemadebymanyfires;thelimbiswornsmoothbymenwhohavesatonit.
Eveningofahotdaystartedthelittlewindtomovingamongtheleaves.Theshadeclimbedupthehillstowardthetop.Onthesandbankstherabbitssatasquietlyaslittlegraysculpturedstones.Andthenfromthedirectionofthestatehighwaycamethesoundoffootstepsoncrispsycamoreleaves.Therabbitshurriednoiselesslyforcover.Astiltedheronlaboredupintotheairandpoundeddownriver.Foramomenttheplacewaslifeless,andthentwomenemergedfromthepathandcameintotheopeningbythegreenpool.
Theyhadwalkedinsinglefiledownthepath,andevenintheopenonestayedbehindtheother.Bothweredressedindenimtrousersandindenimcoatswithbrassbuttons.Bothworeblack,shapelesshatsandbothcarriedtightblanketrollsslungovertheirshoulders.Thefirstmanwassmallandquick,darkofface,withrestlesseyesandsharp,strongfeatures.Everypartofhimwasdefined:
small,stronghands,slenderarms,athinandbonynose.Behindhimwalkedhisopposite,ahugeman,shapelessofface,withlarge,paleeyes,andwide,slopingshoulders;andhewalkedheavily,dragginghisfeetalittle,thewayabeardragshispaws.Hisarmsdidnotswingathissides,buthungloosely.
Thefirstmanstoppedshortintheclearing,andthefollowernearlyranoverhim.Hetookoffhishatandwipedthesweat-bandwithhisforefingerandsnappedthemoistureoff.Hishugecompaniondroppedhisblanketsandflunghimselfdownanddrankfromthesurfaceofthegreenpool;drankwithlonggulps,snortingintothewaterlikeahorse.Thesmallmansteppednervouslybesidehim.
“Lennie!
”hesaidsharply.“Lennie,forGod’sakesdon’tdrinksomuch.”Lenniecontinuedtosnortintothepool.Thesmallmanleanedoverandshookhimbytheshoulder.“Lennie.Yougonnabesicklikeyouwaslastnight.”
Lenniedippedhiswholeheadunder,hatandall,andthenhesatuponthebankandhishatdrippeddownonhisbluecoatandrandownhisback.“That’sgood,”hesaid.“Youdrinksome,George.Youtakeagoodbigdrink.”Hesmiledhappily.
Georgeunslunghisbindleanddroppeditgentlyonthebank.“Iain’tsureit’sgoodwater,”hesaid.“Lookskindascummy.”
Lenniedabbledhisbigpawinthewaterandwiggledhisfingerssothewateraroseinlittlesplashes;ringswidenedacrossthepooltotheothersideandcamebackagain.Lenniewatchedthemgo.“Look,George.LookwhatIdone.”
Georgekneltbesidethepoolanddrankfromhishandwithquickscoops.“Tastesallright,”headmitted.“Don’treallyseemtoberunning,though.Youneveroughtadrinkwaterwhenitain’trunning,Lennie,”hesaidhopelessly.“You’ddrinkoutofagutterifyouwasthirsty.”Hethrewascoopofwaterintohisfaceandrubbeditaboutwithhishand,underhischinandaroundthebackofhisneck.Thenhereplacedhishat,pushedhimselfbackfromtheriver,drewuphiskneesandembracedthem.Lennie,whohadbeenwatching,imitatedGeorgeexactly.Hepushedhimselfback,drewuphisknees,embracedthem,lookedovertoGeorgetoseewhetherhehaditjustright.Hepulledhishatdownalittlemoreoverhiseyes,thewayGeorge’shatwas.
Georgestaredmoroselyatthewater.Therimsofhiseyeswereredwithsunglare.Hesaidangrily,“Wecouldjustaswellofrodecleartotheranchifthatbastardbusdriverknewwhathewastalkin’about.‘Jes’alittlestretchdownthehighway,’hesays.‘Jes’alittlestretch.’Goddamnnearfourmiles,that’swhatitwas!
Didn’twantastopattheranchgate,that’swhat.TooGoddamnlazytopullup.Wonderheisn’ttoodamngoodtostopinSoledadatall.Kicksusoutandsays‘Jes’alittlestretchdowntheroad.’Ibetitwasmorethanfourmiles.Damnhotday.”
Lennielookedtimidlyovertohim.“George”
“Yeah,whatyawant”
“Wherewegoin’,George”
ThelittlemanjerkeddownthebrimofhishatandscowledoveratLennie.“Soyouforgotthatawready,didyouIgottatellyouagain,doIJesusChrist,you’reacrazybastard!
”
“Iforgot,”Lenniesaidsoftly.“Itriednottoforget.HonesttoGodIdid,George.”
“—.I’lltellyaagain.Iain’tgotnothingtodo.Mightjus’aswellspen’allmytimetellin’youthingsandthenyouforget‘em,andItellyouagain.”
“Triedandtried,”saidLennie,“butitdidn’tdonogood.Irememberabouttherabbits,George.”
“Thehellwiththerabbits.That’sallyouevercanrememberisthemrabbits..!
Nowyoulistenandthistimeyougottoremembersowedon’tgetinnotrouble.Youremembersettin’inthatgutteronHowardStreetandwatchin’thatblackboard”
Lennie’sfacebrokeintoadelightedsmile.“Whysure,George.Irememberthat....but....what’dwedothenIremembersomegirlscomebyandyousays....yousays....”
“ThehellwithwhatIsays.Yourememberaboutusgoin’intoMurrayandReady’s,andtheygiveusworkcardsandbustickets”
“Oh,sure,George.Irememberthatnow.”Hishandswentquicklyintohissidecoatpockets.Hesaidgently,“George....Iain’tgotmine.Imustalostit.”Helookeddownatthegroundindespair.
“Youneverhadnone,youcrazybastard.Igotbothof‘emhere.ThinkI’dletyoucarryyourownworkcard”
Lenniegrinnedwithrelief.“I....IthoughtIputitinmysidepocket.”Hishandwentintothepocketagain.
Georgelookedsharplyathim.“What’dyoutakeoutathatpocket”
“Ain’tathinginmypocket,”Lenniesaidcleverly.
“Iknowthereain’t.Yougotitinyourhand.Whatyougotinyourhand—hidin’it”
“Iain’tgotnothin’,George.Honest.”
“Comeon,giveithere.”
LennieheldhisclosedhandawayfromGeorge’sdirection.“It’son’yamouse,George.”
“AmouseAlivemouse”
“Uh-uh.Jus’adeadmouse,George.Ididn’tkillit.Honest!
Ifoundit.Ifounditdead.”
“Giveithere!
”saidGeorge.
“Aw,leavemehaveit,George.”
“Giveithere!
”
Lennie’sclosedhandslowlyobeyed.Georgetookthemouseandthrewitacrossthepooltotheotherside,amongthebrush.“Whatyouwantofadeadmouse,anyways”
“Icouldpetitwithmythumbwhilewewalkedalong,”saidLennie.
“Well,youain’tpettingnomicewhileyouwalkwithme.Yourememberwherewe’regoin’now”
Lennielookedstartledandtheninembarrassmenthidhisfaceagainsthisknees.“Iforgotagain.”
“JesusChrist,”Georgesaidresignedly.“Well—look,we’regonnaworkonaranchliketheonewecomefromupnorth.”
“Upnorth”
“InWeed.”
“Oh,sure.Iremember.InWeed.”
“Thatranchwe’regoin’toisrightdownthereaboutaquartermile.We’regonnagoinan’seetheboss.Now,look—I’llgivehimtheworktickets,butyouain’tgonnasayaword.Youjus’standthereanddon’tsaynothing.Ifhefindsoutwhatacrazybastardyouare,wewon’tgetnojob,butifheseesyaworkbeforehehearsyatalk,we’reset.Yagotthat”
“Sure,George.SureIgotit.”
“.Nowwhenwegointoseetheboss,whatyougonnado”
“I....I....”Lenniethought.Hisfacegrewtightwiththought.“I....ain’tgonnasaynothin’.Jus’gonnastan’there.”
“Goodboy.That’sswell.Yousaythatovertwo,threetimessoyousurewon’tforgetit.”
Lenniedronedtohimselfsoftly,“Iain’tgonnasaynothin’....Iain’tgonnasaynothin’....Iain’tgonnasaynothin’.”
“.,”saidGeorge.“An’youain’tgonnadonobadthingslikeyoudoneinWeed,neither.”
Lennielookedpuzzled.“LikeIdoneinWeed”
“Oh,soyaforgotthattoo,didyaWell,Iain’tgonnaremindya,fearyadoitagain.”
AlightofunderstandingbrokeonLennie’sface.“TheyrunusoutaWeed,”heexplodedtriumphantly.
“Runusout,hell,”saidGeorgedisgustedly.“Werun.Theywaslookin’forus,buttheydidn’tcatchus.”
Lenniegiggledhappily.“Ididn’tforgetthat,youbet.”
Georgelaybackonthesandandcrossedhishandsunderhishead,andLennieimitatedhim,raisinghisheadtoseewhetherhewasdoingitright.“God,you’realotoftrouble,”saidGeorge.“IcouldgetalongsoeasyandsoniceifIdidn’thaveyouonmytail.Icouldlivesoeasyandmaybehaveagirl.”
ForamomentLennielayquiet,andthenhesaidhopefully,“Wegonnaworkonaranch,George.”
“Awright.Yougotthat.Butwe’regonnasleepherebecauseIgotareason.”
Thedaywasgoingfastnow.OnlythetopsoftheGabilanMountainsflamedwiththelightofthesunthathadgonefr