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 belly.
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 poised.
He slashed 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 bleated 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.