CHAPTER33

itwastwoo’clockinthemorningwhenpilarwakedhim.asherhandtouchedhimhethought,atfirst,itwasmariaandherolledtowardherandsaid,“rabbit.”thenthewoman’sbighandshookhisshoulderandhewassuddenly,completelyandabsolutelyawakeandhishandwasaroundthebuttofthepistolthatlayalongsideofhisbarerightlegandallofhimwasascockedasthepistolwithitssafetycatchslippedoff.

inthedarkhesawitwaspilarandhelookedatthedialofhiswristwatchwiththetwohandsshiningintheshortangleclosetothetopandseeingitwasonlytwo,hesaid,“whatpasseswiththee,woman?”“pabloisgone,”thebigwomansaidtohim.

robertjordanputonhistrousersandshoes.mariahadnotwaked.

“when?”heasked.

“itmustbeanhour.”

“and?”

“hehastakensomethingofthine,”thewomansaidmiserably.

“so.what?”

“idonotknow,”shetoldhim.“comeandsee.”

inthedarktheywalkedovertotheentranceofthecave,duckedundertheblanketandwentin.robertjordanfollowedherinthedead-ashes,bad-airandsleeping-mensmellofthecave,shininghiselectrictorchsothathewouldnotsteponanyofthosewhoweresleepingonthefloor.anselmowokeandsaid,“isittime?”

“no,”robertjordanwhispered.“sleep,oldone.”

thetwosackswereattheheadofpilar’sbedwhichwasscreenedoffwithahangingblanketfromtherestofthecave.thebedsmeltstaleandsweat-driedandsickly-sweetthewayanindian’sbeddoesasrobertjordankneltonitandshonethetorchonthetwosacks.therewasalongslitfromtoptobottomineachone.holdingthetorchinhislefthand,robertjordanfeltinthefirstsackwithhisrighthand.thiswastheonethathecarriedhisrobeinanditshouldnotbeveryfull.itwasnotveryfull.therewassomewireinitstillbutthesquarewoodenboxoftheexploderwasgone.sowasthecigarboxwiththecarefullywrappedandpackeddetonators.sowasthescrew-toptinwiththefuseandthecaps.

robertjordanfeltintheothersack.itwasstillfullofexplosive.theremightbeonepacketmissing.

hestoodupandturnedtothewoman.thereisahollowemptyfeelingthatamancanhavewhenheiswakedtooearlyinthemorningthatisalmostlikethefeelingofdisasterandhehadthismultipliedathousandtimes.

“andthisiswhatyoucallguardingone’smaterials,”hesaid.

“isleptwithmyheadagainstthemandonearmtouchingthem,”pilartoldhim.

“yousleptwell.”

“listen,”thewomansaid.“hegotupinthenightandisaid,‘wheredoyougo,pablo?’‘tourinate,woman,’hetoldmeandisleptagain.wheniwokeagainididnotknowwhattimehadpassedbutithought,whenhewasnotthere,thathehadgonedowntolookatthehorsesaswashiscustom.then,”shefinishedmiserably,“whenhedidnotcomeiworriedandwheniworriedifeltofthesackstobesureallwaswellandthereweretheslitplacesandicametothee.”

“comeon,”robertjordansaid.

theywereoutsidenowanditwasstillsonearthemiddleofthenightthatyoucouldnotfeelthemorningcoming.

“canhegetoutwiththehorsesotherwaysthanbythesentry?”

“twoways.”

“who’satthetop?”

“eladio.”

robertjordansaidnothingmoreuntiltheyreachedthemeadowwherethehorseswerestakedouttofeed.therewerethreehorsesfeedinginthemeadow.thebigbayandthegrayweregone.

“howlongagodoyouthinkitwasheleftyou?”

“itmusthavebeenanhour.”

“thenthatisthat,”robertjordansaid.“igotogetwhatisleftofmysacksandgobacktobed.”

“iwillguardthem.”

“quéva,youwillguardthem.you’veguardedthemoncealready.”

“inglé,”thewomansaid,“ifeelinregardtothisasyoudo.thereisnothingiwouldnotdotobringbackthyproperty.youhavenoneedtohurtme.wehavebothbeenbetrayedbypablo.”

asshesaidthisrobertjordanrealizedthathecouldnotaffordtheluxuryofbeingbitter,thathecouldnotquarrelwiththiswoman.hehadtoworkwiththiswomanonthatdaythatwasalreadytwohoursandmoregone.

heputhishandonhershoulder.“itisnothing,pilar,”hetoldher.“whatisgoneisofsmallimportance.weshallimprovisesomethingthatwilldoaswell.”

“butwhatdidhetake?”

“nothing,woman.someluxuriesthatonepermitsoneself.”

“wasitpartofthymechanismfortheexploding?”

“yes.butthereareotherwaystodotheexploding.tellme,didpablonothavecapsandfuse?surelytheywouldhaveequippedhimwiththose?”

“hehastakenthem,”shesaidmiserably.“ilookedatonceforthem.theyaregone,too.”

theywalkedbackthroughthewoodstotheentranceofthecave.

“getsomesleep,”hesaid.“wearebetteroffwithpablogone.”

“igotoseeeladio.”

“hewillhavegoneanotherway.”

“igoanyway.ihavebetrayedtheewithmylackofsmartness.”

无一错一首一发一内一容一在一6一9一书一吧一看！

“nay,”hesaid.“getsomesleep,woman.wemustbeunderwayatfour.”

hewentintothecavewithherandbroughtoutthetwosacks,carryingthemheldtogetherinbotharmssothatnothingcouldspillfromtheslits.

“letmesewthemup.”

“beforewestart,”hesaidsoftly.“itakethemnotagainstyoubutsothaticansleep.”

“imusthavethemearlytosewthem.”

“youshallhavethemearly,”hetoldher.“getsomesleep,woman.”