And Lennie said softly to the puppy, "Why do you got to get killed? You ain’t so little as mice. I didn’t bounce you hard."

I done a bad thing. I done another bad thing.

"God damn you," he cried. "Why do you got to get killed? You ain’t so little as mice." He picked up the pup and hurled it from him.

"George gonna give me hell," he said. "George gonna wish he was alone an' not have me botherin' him."

I done another bad thing.

You’ll jus’ stick around an’ stew the b’Jesus outa George all the time.

Suddenly Lennie appeared out of the brush, and he came as silently as a creeping bear moves.

George came quietly out of the brush and the rabbit scuttled back into Lennie’s brain.

You ain’t worth a greased jack–pin to ram you into hell. Christ knows George done ever’thing he could to jack you outa the sewer, but it don’t do no good.

"I can go right off there an’ find a cave," he said. And he continued sadly, "—an’ never have no ketchup—but I won’t care. If George don’t want me … I’ll go away. I’ll go away."