CHAPTER40

duringthetimethatrobertjordanhadsleptthrough,thetimehehadspentplanningthedestructionofthebridgeandthetimethathehadbeenwithmaria,andréshadmadeslowprogress.untilhehadreachedtherepublicanlineshehadtravelledacrosscountryandthroughthefascistlinesasfastasacountrymaningoodphysicalconditionwhoknewthecountrywellcouldtravelinthedark.butonceinsidetherepublicanlinesitwentveryslowly.

intheoryheshouldonlyhavehadtoshowthesafe-conductgivenhimbyrobertjordanstampedwiththesealofthes.i.m.andthedispatchwhichborethesamesealandbepassedalongtowardhisdestinationwiththegreatestspeed.butfirsthehadencounteredthecompanycommanderinthefrontlinewhohadregardedthewholemissionwithowlishlygravesuspicion.

hehadfollowedthiscompanycommandertobattalionheadquarterswherethebattalioncommander,whohadbeenabarberbeforethemovement,wasfilledwithenthusiasmonhearingtheaccountofhismission.thiscommander,whowasnamedgomez,cursedthecompanycommanderforhisstupidity,pattedandrésontheback,gavehimadrinkofbadbrandyandtoldhimthathehimself,theex-barber,hadalwayswantedtobeaguerrillero.hehadthenrousedhisadjutant,turnedoverthebattaliontohim,andsenthisorderlytowakeupandbringhismotorcyclist.insteadofsendingandrésbacktobrigadeheadquarterswiththemotorcyclist,gomezhaddecidedtotakehimtherehimselfinordertoexpeditethingsand,withandrésholdingtightontotheseataheadofhim,theyroared,bumpingdowntheshell-pockedmountainroadbetweenthedoublerowofbigtrees,theheadlightofthemotorcycleshowingtheirwhitewashedbasesandtheplacesonthetrunkswherethewhitewashandthebarkhadbeenchippedandtornbyshellfragmentsandbulletsduringthefightingalongthisroadinthefirstsummerofthemovement.theyturnedintothelittlesmashedroofedmountain-resorttownwherebrigadeheadquarterswasandgomezhadbrakedthemotorcyclelikeadirt-trackracerandleaneditagainstthewallofthehousewhereasleepysentrycametoattentionasgomezpushedbyhimintothebigroomwherethewallswerecoveredwithmapsandaverysleepyofficerwithagreeneyeshadesatatadeskwithareadinglamp,twotelephonesandacopyofmundoobrero.

thisofficerlookedupatgomezandsaid,“whatdoestthouhere?haveyouneverheardofthetelephone?”“imustseethelieutenant-colonel,”gomezsaid.

“heisasleep,”theofficersaid.“icouldseethelightsofthatbicycleofthineforamilecomingdowntheroad.dostwishtobringonashelling?”

“callthelieutenant-colonel,”gomezsaid.“thisisamatteroftheutmostgravity.”

“heisasleep,itellthee,”theofficersaid.“whatsortofabanditisthatwiththee?”henoddedtowardandrés.

“heisaguerrillerofromtheothersideofthelineswithadispatchoftheutmostimportanceforthegeneralgolzwhocommandstheattackthatistobemadeatdawnbeyondnavacerrada,”gomezsaidexcitedlyandearnestly.“rousethetenientecoronelfortheloveofgod.”

theofficerlookedathimwithhisdroopyeyesshadedbythegreencelluloid.

“allofyouarecrazy,”hesaid.“iknowofnogeneralgolznorofnoattack.takethissportsmanandgetbacktoyourbattalion.”

“rousetheteniente-coronel,isay,”gomezsaidandandréssawhismouthtightening.

“goobscenityyourself,”theofficersaidtohimlazilyandturnedaway.

gomeztookhisheavy9mm.starpistoloutofitsholsterandshoveditagainsttheofficer’sshoulder.

“rousehim,youfascistbastard,”hesaid.“rousehimori’llkillyou.”

“calmyourself,”theofficersaid.“allyoubarbersareemotional.”

andréssawgomez’sfacedrawwithhateinthelightofthereadinglamp.butallhesaidwas,“rousehim.”

“orderly,”theofficercalledinacontemptuousvoice.

asoldiercametothedoorandsalutedandwentout.

“hisfiancéeiswithhim,”theofficersaidandwentbacktoreadingthepaper.“itiscertainhewillbedelightedtoseeyou.”

“itisthoseliketheewhoobstructallefforttowinthiswar,”gomezsaidtothestaffofficer.

theofficerpaidnoattentiontohim.then,ashereadon,heremarked,asthoughtohimself,“whatacuriousperiodicalthisis!”

“whydon’tyoureadeldebatethen?thatisyourpaper,”gomezsaidtohimnamingtheleadingcatholic-conservativeorganpublishedinmadridbeforethemovement.

“don’tforgetiamthysuperiorofficerandthatareportbymeontheecarriesweight,”theofficersaidwithoutlookingup.“ineverreadeldebate.donotmakefalseaccusations.”

“no.youreada.b.c.,”gomezsaid.“thearmyisstillrottenwithsuchasthee.withprofessionalssuchasthee.butitwillnotalwaysbe.wearecaughtbetweentheignorantandthecynical.butwewilleducatetheoneandeliminatetheother.”

“‘purge’isthewordyouwant,”theofficersaid,stillnotlookingup.“hereitreportsthepurgingofmoreofthyfamousrussians.theyarepurgingmorethantheepsomsaltsinthisepoch.”

“byanyname,”gomezsaidpassionately.“byanynamesothatsuchastheeareliquidated.”

“liquidated,”theofficersaidinsolentlyasthoughspeakingtohimself.“anothernewwordthathaslittleofcastilianinit.”

“shot,then,”gomezsaid.“thatiscastilian.canstunderstandit?”

“yes,man,butdonottalksoloudly.thereareothersbesidetheteniente-coronelasleepinthisbrigadestaffandthyemotionboresme.itwasforthatreasonthatialwaysshavedmyself.ineverlikedtheconversation.”

gomezlookedatandrésandshookhishead.hiseyeswereshiningwiththemoistnessthatrageandhatredcanbring.butheshookhisheadandsaidnothingashestoreditallawayforsometimeinthefuture.hehadstoredmuchintheyearandahalfinwhichhehadrisentothecommandofabattalioninthesierraandnow,asthelieutenant-colonelcameintotheroominhispajamashedrewhimselfstiffandsaluted.

thelieutenant-colonelmiranda,whowasashort,gray-facedman,whohadbeeninthearmyallhislife,whohadlosttheloveofhiswifeinmadridwhilehewaslosinghisdigestionino,andbecomearepublicanwhenhefoundhecouldnotdivorcehiswife(therewasneveranyquestionofrecoveringhisdigestion),hadenteredthecivilwarasalieutenant-colonel.hehadonlyoneambition,tofinishthewarwiththesamerank.hehaddefendedthesierrawellandhewantedtobeleftalonetheretodefenditwheneveritwasattacked.hefeltmuchhealthierinthewar,probablyduetotheforcedcurtailmentofthenumberofmeatcourses,hehadanenormousstockofsodium-bicarbonate,hehadhiswhiskeyintheevening,histwenty-three-year-oldmistresswashavingababy,aswerenearlyalltheothergirlswhohadstartedoutasmilicianasinthejulyoftheyearbefore,andnowhecameintotheroom,noddedinanswertogomez’ssaluteandputouthishand.

“whatbringsthee,gomez?”heaskedandthen,totheofficeratthedeskwhowashischiefofoperation,“givemeacigarette,please,pepe.”

gomezshowedhimandrés’spapersandthedispatch.thelieutenant-colonellookedatthesalvoconductoquickly,lookedatandrés,noddedandsmiled,andthenlookedatthedispatchhungrily.hefeltoftheseal,testeditwithhisforefinger,thenhandedboththesafe-conductanddispatchbacktoandrés.

“isthelifeveryhardthereinthehills?”heasked.

“no,mylieutenant-colonel,”andréssaid.

“didtheytelltheewherewouldbetheclosestpointtofindgeneralgolz’sheadquarters?”

“navacerrada,mylieutenant-colonel,”andréssaid.“theingléssaiditwouldbesomewhereclosetonavacerradabehindthelinestotherightofthere.”

“whatinglés?”thelieutenant-colonelaskedquietly.

“theingléswhoiswithusasadynamiter.”

thelieutenant-colonelnodded.itwasjustanothersuddenunexplainedrarityofthiswar.“theingléswhoiswithusasadynamiter.”

“youhadbettertakehim,gomez,onthemotor,”thelieutenant-colonelsaid.“writethemaverystrongsalvoconductototheestadomayorofgeneralgolzformetosign,”hesaidtotheofficerinthegreencelluloideyeshade.“writeitonthemachine,pepe.herearethedetails,”hemotionedforandréstohandoverhissafeconduct,“andputontwoseals.”heturnedtogomez.“youwillneedsomethingstrongtonight.itisrightlyso.peopleshouldbecarefulwhenanoffensiveisprojected.iwillgiveyousomethingasstrongasicanmakeit.”thentoandrés,verykindly,hesaid,“dostwishanything?toeatortodrink?”

“no,mylieutenant-colonel,”andréssaid.“iamnothungry.theygavemecognacatthelastplaceofcommandandmorewouldmakemeseasick.”

“didyouseeanymovementoractivityoppositemyfrontasyoucamethrough?”thelieutenant-colonelaskedandréspolitely.

“itwasasusual,mylieutenant-colonel.quiet.quiet.”

无一错一首一发一内一容一在一6一9一书一吧一看！

“didinotmeettheeincercedillaaboutthreemonthsback?”thelieutenantcolonelasked.

“yes,mylieutenant-colonel.”

“ithoughtso,”thelieutenant-colonelpattedhimontheshoulder.“youwerewiththeoldmananselmo.howishe?”

“heiswell,mylieutenant-colonel,”andréstoldhim.

“good.itmakesmehappy,”thelieutenant-colonelsaid.theofficershowedhimwhathehadtypedandhereaditoverandsignedit.“youmustgonowquickly,”hesaidtogomezandandrés.“becarefulwiththemotor,”hesaidtogomez.“useyourlights.nothingwillhappenfromasinglemotorandyoumustbecareful.mycomplimentstocomradegeneralgolz.wemetafterpeguerinos.”heshookhandswiththemboth.“buttonthepapersinsidethyshirt,”hesaid.“thereismuchwindonamotor.”