Of Mice and Men Vocab

On one side of the river the golden foothill slopes curve up to the strong and rocky Gabilan Mountains, but on the valley side the water is lined with trees— willows fresh and green with every spring, carrying in their lower leaf junctures the debris of the winter’s flooding; and sycamores with mottled, white, recumbent limbs and branches that arch over the pool.

On one side of the river the golden foothill slopes curve up to the strong and rocky Gabilan Mountains, but on the valley side the water is lined with trees— willows fresh and green with every spring, carrying in their lower leaf junctures the debris of the winter’s flooding; and sycamores with mottled, white, recumbent limbs and branches that arch over the pool.

On one side of the river the golden foothill slopes curve up to the strong and rocky Gabilan Mountains, but on the valley side the water is lined with trees— willows fresh and green with every spring, carrying in their lower leaf junctures the debris of the winter’s flooding; and sycamores with mottled, white, recumbent limbs and branches that arch over the pool.

Rabbits come out of the brush to sit on the sand in the evening, and the damp flats are covered with the night tracks of ‘coons, and with the spreadpads of dogs from the ranches, and with the split-wedge tracks of deer that come to drink in the dark.

There is a path through the willows and among the sycamores, a path beaten hard by boys coming down from the ranches to swim in the deep pool, and beaten hard by tramps who come wearily down from the highway in the evening to jungle-up near water.

A stilted heron labored up into the air and pounded down river.

His huge companion dropped his blankets and flung himself down and drank from the surface of the green pool; drank with long gulps, snorting into the water like a horse.

Lennie dabbled his big paw in the water and wiggled his fingers so the water arose in little splashes; rings widened across the pool to the other side and came back again.

George stared morosely at the water.

Lennie droned to himself softly, “I ain’t gonna say nothin’ .

A water snake slipped along on the pool, its head held up like a little periscope.

But Lennie made an elaborate pantomime of innocence.

Lennie hesitated, backed away, looked wildly at the brush line as though he contemplated running for his freedom.

George’s hand remained outstretched imperiously.

George scoffed.

He looked across the fire at Lennie’s anguished face, and then he looked ashamedly at the flames.

Lennie avoided the bait.

They made their beds on the sand, and as the blaze dropped from the fire the sphere of light grew smaller; the curling branches disappeared and only a faint glimmer showed where the tree trunks were.

And there were medicines on the shelves, and little vials, combs; and from nails on the box sides, a few neckties.

At about ten o’clock in the morning the sun threw a bright dust-laden bar through one of the side windows, and in and out of the beam flies shot like rushing stars.

The door opened and a tall, stoop-shouldered old man came in.

“Says ‘positively kills lice, roaches and other scourges.’

He paused in relish of the memory.

“We . . . . we was diggin’ a cesspool.”

“Damn right he don’t,” said George, slightly mollified, “not if he wants to stay workin’ long.”

He stood his broom against the wall and he rubbed his white bristled cheek with his knuckles.

His glance was at once calculating and pugnacious.

He said ominously, “Well, he better watch out for Lennie.

He’d slough me.

Seems like Curley is cockier’n ever since he got married.”

A sound of jingling harness and the croak of heavy-laden axles sounded from outside.

“I don’t want no trouble,” he said plaintively.

“If he tangles with you, Lennie, we’re gonna get the can.

His face contorted with thought.

Her voice had a nasal, brittle quality.

“An’ I bet he’s eatin’ raw eggs and writin’ to the patent medicine houses.”

If we can get jus’ a few dollars in the poke we’ll shove off and go up the American River and pan gold.

Lennie, who had been following the conversation back and forth with his eyes, smiled complacently at the compliment.

“Ain’t many guys travel around together,” he mused.

His head still dripped water from the scrubbing and dousing.

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.

“’Course Lennie’s a God damn nuisance most of the time,” said George.

“He’s all stiff with rheumatism.

Slim gazed at him for a moment and then looked down at his hands; he subdued one hand with the other, and held it down.

There came a little gnawing sound from under the floor and all the men looked down toward it gratefully.

“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.

He subsided, grumbling to himself, threatening the future cats which might dare to disturb the future rabbits.

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.

I don’t care if you’re the best welter in the country.

Curley was balanced and poised.

Slim smiled wryly.

And he had books, too; a tattered dictionary and a mauled copy of the California civil code for 1905.

And he had books, too; a tattered dictionary and a mauled copy of the California civil code for 1905.

In the stable buck’s room a small electric globe threw a meager yellow light.

Crooks was scornful.

Candy came in, but he was still embarrassed, “You got a nice cozy little place in here,” he said to Crooks.

She turned on him in scorn.

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 perfectly still, his eyes averted, everything that might be hurt drawn in.

She appraised him coolly.

Candy was crestfallen.

From outside came the clang of horseshoes on the playing peg and the shouts of men, playing, encouraging, jeering.

“All the guys got a horseshoe tenement goin’ on.

Then all of Lennie’s woe came back on him.

She consoled him.

Now the light was lifting as the sun went down, and the sun streaks climbed up the wall and fell over the feeding racks and over the heads of the horses.

Her feet battered on the hay and she writhed to be free; and from under Lennie’s hand came a muffled screaming.

He moved his hand a little and her hoarse cry came out.

She whimpered and cringed to the packing box, and jumped in among the puppies.

And the meanness and the plannings and the discontent and the ache for attention were all gone from her face.

He sniveled, and his voice shook.

And when they were gone, Candy squatted down in the hay and watched the face of Curley’s wife.

A silent head and beak lanced down and plucked it out by the head, and the beak swallowed the little snake while its tail waved frantically.

A far rush of wind sounded and a gust drove through the tops of the trees like a wave.

She wore thick bull’s-eye glasses and she wore a huge gingham apron with pockets, and she was starched and clean.

Now Lennie retorted belligerently, “He ain’t neither.