CHAPTER41

pablostoppedanddismountedinthedark.robertjordanheardthecreakingandtheheavybreathingastheyalldismountedandtheclinkingofabridleasahorsetossedhishead.hesmelledthehorsesandtheunwashedandsourslept-in-clothingsmellofthenewmenandthewood-smokysleep-stalesmelloftheotherswhohadbeeninthecave.pablowasstandingclosetohimandhesmelledthebrassy,deadwinesmellthatcamefromhimlikethetasteofacoppercoininyourmouth.helitacigarette,cuppinghishandtohidethelight,pulleddeeponit,andheardpablosayverysoftly,“getthegrenadesack,pilar,whilewehobblethese.”“agustin,”robertjordansaidinawhisper,“youandanselmocomenowwithmetothebridge.haveyouthesackofpansforthe?”

“yes,”agustinsaid.“whynot?”

robertjordanwentovertowherepilarwasunpackingoneofthehorseswiththehelpofprimitivo.

“listen,woman,”hesaidsoftly.

“whatnow?”shewhisperedhuskily,swingingacinchhookclearfromunderthehorse’sbelly.

“thouunderstandestthatthereistobenoattackonthepostuntilthouhearestthefallingofthebombs?”

“howmanytimesdostthouhavetotellme?”pilarsaid.“youaregettinglikeanoldwoman,inglés.”

“onlytocheck,”robertjordansaid.“andafterthedestructionofthepostyoufallbackontothebridgeandcovertheroadfromaboveandmyleftflank.”

“thefirsttimethououtlineditiunderstooditaswellasiwilleverunderstandit,”pilarwhisperedtohim.“gettheeaboutthybusiness.”

“thatnooneshouldmakeamovenorfireashotnorthrowabombuntilthenoiseofthebombardmentcomes,”robertjordansaidsoftly.

“donotmolestmemore,”pilarwhisperedangrily.“ihaveunderstoodthissincewewereatsordo’s.”

robertjordanwenttowherepablowastyingthehorses.“ihaveonlyhobbledthosewhichareliabletopanic,”pablosaid.“thesearetiedsoapulloftheropewillreleasethem,see?”

“good.”

“iwilltellthegirlandthegypsyhowtohandlethem,”pablosaid.hisnewmenwerestandinginagroupbythemselvesleaningontheircarbines.

“dostunderstandall?”robertjordanasked.

“whynot?”pablosaid.“destroythepost.cutthewire.fallbackonthebridge.coverthebridgeuntilthoublowest.”

“andnothingtostartuntilthecommencementofthebombardment.”

“thusitis.”

“wellthen,muchluck.”

pablogrunted.thenhesaid,“thouwiltcoveruswellwiththemáquinaandwiththysmallmáquinawhenwecomeback,eh,inglés?”

“delaprimera,”robertjordansaid.“offthetopofthebasket.”

“then,”pablosaid.“nothingmore.butinthatmomentthoumustbeverycareful,inglés.itwillnotbesimpletodothatunlessthouartverycareful.”

“iwillhandlethemáquinamyself,”robertjordansaidtohim.

“hastthoumuchexperience?foriamofnomindtobeshotbyagustinwithhisbellyfullofgoodintentions.”

“ihavemuchexperience.truly.andifagustinuseseithermáquinaiwillseethathekeepsitwayabovethee.above,aboveandabove.”

“thennothingmore,”pablosaid.thenhesaidsoftlyandconfidentially,“thereisstillalackofhorses.”

thesonofabitch,robertjordanthought.ordoeshethinkididnotunderstandhimthefirsttime.

“igoonfoot,”hesaid.“thehorsesarethyaffair.”

“nay,therewillbeahorseforthee,inglés,”pablosaidsoftly.“therewillbehorsesforallofus.”

“thatisthyproblem,”robertjordansaid.“thoudostnothavetocountme.hastenoughroundsforthynewmáquina?”

“yes,”pablosaid.“allthatthecavalrymancarried.ihavefiredonlyfourtotryit.itriedityesterdayinthehighhills.”

“wegonow,”robertjordansaid.“wemustbethereearlyandwellhidden.”

“weallgonow,”pablosaid.“suerte,inglés.”

iwonderwhatthebastardisplanningnow,robertjordansaid.butiamprettysureiknow.well,thatishis,notmine.thankgodidonotknowthesenewmen.

heputhishandoutandsaid,“suerte,pablo,”andtheirtwohandsgrippedinthedark.

robertjordan,whenheputhishandout,expectedthatitwouldbelikegraspingsomethingreptilianortouchingaleper.hedidnotknowwhatpablo’shandwouldfeellike.butinthedarkpablo’shandgrippedhishardandpresseditfranklyandhereturnedthegrip.pablohadagoodhandinthedarkandfeelingitgaverobertjordanthestrangestfeelinghehadfeltthatmorning.wemustbealliesnow,hethought.therewasalwaysmuchhandshakingwithallies.nottomentiondecorationsandkissingonbothcheeks,hethought.i’mgladwedonothavetodothat.isupposeallalliesarelikethis.theyalwayshateeachotheraufond.butthispabloisastrangeman.

“suerte,pablo,”hesaidandgrippedthestrange,firm,purposefulhandhard.“iwillcovertheewell.donotworry.”

“iamsorryforhavingtakenthymaterial,”pablosaid.“itwasanequivocation.”

“butthouhasbroughtwhatweneeded.”

“idonotholdthisofthebridgeagainstthee,inglés,”pablosaid.“iseeaessfulterminationforit.”

“whatareyoutwodoing?becomingmaricones?”pilarsaidsuddenlybesidetheminthedark.“thatisallthouhastlacked,”shesaidtopablo.“getalong,inglés,andcutthygood-bysshortbeforethisonestealstherestofthyexplosive.”

“thoudostnotunderstandme,woman,”pablosaid.“theinglésandiunderstandoneanother.”

“nobodyunderstandsthee.neithergodnorthymother,”pilarsaid.“norieither.getalong,inglés.makethygood-byswiththycroppedheadandgo.mecagoentupadre,butibegintothinkthouartafraidtoseethebullcomeout.”

“thymother,”robertjordansaid.

“thouneverhadstone,”pilarwhisperedcheerfully.“nowgo,becauseihaveagreatdesiretostartthisandgetitoverwith.gowiththypeople,”shesaidtopablo.“whoknowshowlongtheirsternresolutionisgoodfor?thouhastacouplethatiwouldnottradetheefor.takethemandgo.”

robertjordanslunghispackonhisbackandwalkedovertothehorsestofindmaria.

“good-by,guapa,”hesaid.“iwillseetheesoon.”

hehadanunrealfeelingaboutallofthisnowasthoughhehadsaiditallbeforeorasthoughitwereatrainthatweregoing,especiallyasthoughitwereatrainandhewasstandingontheplatformofarailwaystation.

“good-by,roberto,”shesaid.“takemuchcare.”

“ofcourse,”hesaid.hebenthisheadtokissherandhispackrolledforwardagainstthebackofhisheadsothathisforeheadbumpedhershard.asthishappenedheknewthishadhappenedbeforetoo.