Of Mice and Men Read Online Free PDF Page A

square table and sat down on one of the boxes. He gathered some of the cards together and shuffled them.

    The old man sat down on another box. "Don’t tell Curley I said none of this. He’d slough me. He just don’t give a damn. Won’t ever get canned ’cause his old man’s the boss."

    George cut the cards and began turning them over, looking at each one and throwing it down on a pile. He said, "This guy Curley sounds like a son-of-a-bitch to me. I don’t like mean little guys."

    "Seems to me like he’s worse lately," said the swamper. "He got married a couple of weeks ago. Wife lives over in the boss’s house.
    Seems like CurIey is cockier’n ever since he got married."

    George grunted, "Maybe he’s showin’ off for his wife."

    The swamper warmed to his gossip. "You seen that glove on his left hand?"

    "Yeah. I seen it."

    "Well, that glove’s fulla vaseline."

    "Vaseline? What the hell for?"

    "Well, I tell ya what - Curley says he’s keepin’ that hand soft for his wife."

    George studied the cards absorbedly. "That’s a dirty thing to tell around," he said.

    The old man was reassured. He had drawn a derogatory statement from George. He felt safe now, and be spoke more confidently. "Wait'll you see Curley's wife."

    George cut the cards again and put out a solitaire lay, slowly and deliberately. "Purty?" he asked casually.

    "Yeah. Purty . . . . but-"

    George studied his cards. "But what?"

    "Well--she got the eye."

    "Yeah? Married two weeks and got the eye? Maybe that's why Curley's pants is full of ants."

    "I seen her give Slim the eye. Slim's a jerkline skinner. Hell of a nice fella. Slim don't need to wear no high-heeled boots on a grain team. I seen her give Slim the eye. Curley never seen it. An' I seen her give Carlson the eye."

    George pretended a lack of interest. "Looks like we was gonna have fun."

    The swamper stood up from his box. "Know what I think?" George did not answer. "Well, I think Curley's married . . . . a tart."

    "He ain't the first," said George. "There's plenty done that."

    The old man moved toward the door, and his ancient dog lifted his head and peered about, and then got painfully to his feet to follow.

    "I gotta be settin' out the wash basins for the guys. The teams'll be in before long. You guys gonna buck barley?"

    "Yeah."

    "You won't tell Curley nothing I said?"

    "Hell no."

    "Well, you look her over, mister. You see if she ain't a tart." He stepped out the door into the brilliant sunshine.

    George laid down his cards thoughtfully, turned his piles of three.
    He built four clubs on his ace pile. The sun square was on the floor now, and the flies whipped through it like sparks. A sound of jingling harness and the croak of heavy-laden axles sounded from outside. From the distance came a clear call. "Stable Buck--ooh, sta-able Buck!" And then, " Where the hell is that God damn nigger?"

    George stared at his solitaire lay, and then he flounced the cards together and turned around to Lennie. Lennie was lying down on the bunk watching him.

    "Look, Lennie! This here ain't no set up. I'm scared. You gonna have trouble with that Curley guy. I seen that kind before. He was kinda feelin' you out. He figures he's got you scared and he's gonna take a sock at you the first chance he gets."

    Lennie's eyes were frightened. "I don't want no trouble," he said plaintively. "Don't let him sock me, George."

    George got up and went over to Lennie's bunk and sat down on it.
    "I hate that kinda bastard," he said. "I seen plenty of 'em. Like the old guy says, Curley don't take no chances. He always wins." He thought for a moment. "If he tangles with you, Lennie, we're gonna get the can. Don't make no mistake about that. He's the boss's son. Look, Lennie. You try to keep away from him, will you?

    Don't never speak to him. If he comes in here you move clear to the other side of the room. Will you do that, Lennie?"

    "I don't want no trouble," Lennie mourned. "I never done nothing