CHAPTER32

onthatsamenightinmadridthereweremanypeopleatthehotelgaylord.acarpulledupundertheporte-cochereofthehotel,itsheadlightspaintedoverwithbluecalcimineandalittlemaninblackridingboots,grayridingbreechesandashort,grayhigh-buttonedjacketsteppedoutandreturnedthesaluteofthetwosentriesasheopenedthedoor,noddedtothesecretpolicemanwhosatattheconcierge’sdeskandsteppedintotheelevator.thereweretwosentriesseatedonchairsinsidethedoor,oneoneachsideofthemarbleentrancehall,andtheseonlylookedupasthelittlemanpassedthematthedooroftheelevator.itwastheirbusinesstofeeleveryonetheydidnotknowalongtheflanks,underthearmpits,andoverthehippocketstoseeifthepersonenteringcarriedapistoland,ifhedid,havehimcheckitwiththeconcierge.buttheyknewtheshortmaninridingbootsverywellandtheyhardlylookedupashepassed.

theapartmentwherehelivedingaylord’swascrowdedasheentered.peopleweresittingandstandingaboutandtalkingtogetherasinanydrawingroomandthemenandthewomenweredrinkingvodka,whiskeyandsoda,andbeerfromsmallglassesfilledfromgreatpitchers.fourofthemenwereinuniform.theothersworewindbreakersorleatherjacketsandthreeofthefourwomenweredressedinordinarystreetdresseswhilethefourth,whowasardlythinanddark,woreasortofseverelycutmilitiawoman’suniformwithaskirtwithhighbootsunderit.

whenhecameintotheroom,karkovwentatoncetothewomanintheuniformandbowedtoherandshookhands.shewashiswifeandhesaidsomethingtoherinrussianthatnoonecouldhearandforamomenttheinsolencethathadbeeninhiseyesasheenteredtheroomwasgone.thenitlightedagainashesawthemahoganycoloredheadandthelove-lazyfaceofthewell-constructedgirlwhowashismistressandhestrodewithshort,precisestepsovertoherandbowedandshookherhandinsuchawaythatnoonecouldtellitwasnotamimicryofhisgreetingtohiswife.hiswifehadnotlookedafterhimashewalkedacrosstheroom.shewasstandingwithatall,good-lookingspanishofficerandtheyweretalkingrussiannow.

“yourgreatloveisgettingalittlefat,”karkovwassayingtothegirl.“allofourheroesarefatteningnowasweapproachthesecondyear.”hedidnotlookatthemanhewasspeakingof.

“youaresouglyyouwouldbejealousofatoad,”thegirltoldhimcheerfully.shespokeingerman.“canigowiththeetotheoffensivetomorrow?”“no.noristhereone.”

“everyoneknowsaboutit,”thegirlsaid.“don’tbesomysterious.doloresisgoing.iwillgowithherorcarmen.manypeoplearegoing.”

“gowithwhoeverwilltakeyou,”karkovsaid.“iwillnot.”

thenheturnedtothegirlandaskedseriously,“whotoldtheeofit?beexact.”

“richard,”shesaidasseriously.

karkovedhisshouldersandleftherstanding.

“karkov,”amanofmiddleheightwithagray,heavy,ingface,puffedeyepouchesandapendulousunder-lipcalledtohiminadyspepticvoice.“haveyouheardthegoodnews?”

karkovwentovertohimandthemansaid,“ionlyhaveitnow.nottenminutesago.itiswonderful.alldaythefascistshavebeenfightingamongthemselvesnearsegovia.theyhavebeenforcedtoquellthemutinieswithautomaticrifleandmachine-gunfire.intheafternoontheywerebombingtheirowntroopswithplanes.”

“yes?”askedkarkov.

“thatistrue,”thepuffy-eyedmansaid.“doloresbroughtthenewsherself.shewasherewiththenewsandwasinsuchastateofradiantexultationasihaveneverseen.thetruthofthenewsshonefromherface.thatgreatface——”hesaidhappily.

“thatgreatface,”karkovsaidwithnotoneinhisvoiceatall.

“ifyoucouldhaveheardher,”thepuffy-eyedmansaid.“thenewsitselfshonefromherwithalightthatwasnotofthisworld.inhervoiceyoucouldtellthetruthofwhatshesaid.iamputtingitinanarticleforizvestia.itwasoneofthegreatestmomentsofthewartomewheniheardthereportinthatgreatvoicewherepity,compassionandtruthareblended.goodnessandtruthshinefromherasfromatruesaintofthepeople.notfornothingisshecalledlapasionaria.”

“notfornothing,”karkovsaidinadullvoice.“youbetterwriteitforizvestianow,beforeyouforgetthatlastbeautifullead.”

“thatisawomanthatisnottojokeabout.notevenbyacyniclikeyou,”thepuffyeyedmansaid.“ifyoucouldhavebeenheretohearherandtoseeherface.”

“thatgreatvoice,”karkovsaid.“thatgreatface.writeit,”hesaid.“don’ttellittome.don’twastewholeparagraphsonme.goandwriteitnow.”

“notjustnow.”

“ithinkyou’dbetter,”karkovsaidandlookedathim,andthenlookedaway.thepuffy-eyedmanstoodthereacoupleofminutesmoreholdinghisglassofvodka,hiseyes,puffyastheywere,absorbedinthebeautyofwhathehadseenandheardandthenhelefttheroomtowriteit.

karkovwentovertoanothermanofaboutforty-eight,whowasshort,chunky,jovial-lookingwithpaleblueeyes,thinningblondhairandagaymouthunderabristlyyellowmoustache.thismanwasinuniform.hewasadivisionalcommanderandhewasahungarian.

“wereyouherewhenthedoloreswashere?”karkovaskedtheman.

“yes.”

“whatwasthestuff?”

“somethingaboutthefascistsfightingamongthemselves.beautifuliftrue.”

“youhearmuchtalkoftomorrow.”

“scandalous.allthejournalistsshouldbeshotaswellasmostofthepeopleinthisroomandcertainlytheintriguinggermanunmentionableofarichard.whoevergavethatsundaylercommandofabrigadeshouldbeshot.perhapsyouandmeshouldbeshottoo.itispossible,”thegenerallaughed.“don’testitthough.”

“thatisathingineverliketotalkabout,”karkovsaid.“thatamericanwhocomesheresometimesisoverthere.youknowtheone,jordan,whoiswiththepartizangroup.heistherewherethisbusinesstheyspokeofissupposedtohappen.”

“well,heshouldhaveareportthroughonittonightthen,”thegeneralsaid.“theydon’tlikemedownthereori’dgodownandfindoutforyou.heworkswithgolzonthis,doesn’the?you’llseegolztomorrow.”

“earlytomorrow.”

“keepoutofhiswayuntilit’sgoingwell,”thegeneralsaid.“hehatesyoubastardsasmuchasido.thoughhehasamuchbettertemper.”

“butaboutthis——”

“itwasprobablythefascistshavingmanoeuvres,”thegeneralgrinned.“well,we’llseeifgolzcanmanceuvrethemalittle.letgolztryhishandatit.wemanoeuvredthematguadalajara.”

“ihearyouaretravellingtoo,”karkovsaid,showinghisbadteethashesmiled.thegeneralwassuddenlyangry.

“andmetoo.nowisthemouthonme.andonallofusalways.thisfilthysewingcircleofgossip.onemanwhocouldkeephismouthshutcouldsavethecountryifhebelievedhecould.”

“yourfriendprietocankeephismouthshut.”

无一错一首一发一内一容一在一6一9一书一吧一看！

“buthedoesn’tbelievehecanwin.howcanyouwinwithoutbeliefinthepeople?”

“youdecidethat,”karkovsaid.“iamgoingtogetalittlesleep.”

heleftthesmoky,gossip-filledroomandwentintothebackbedroomandsatdownonthebedandpulledhisbootsoff.hecouldstillhearthemtalkingsoheshutthedoorandopenedthewindow.hedidnotbothertoundressbecauseattwoo’clockhewouldbestartingforthedrivebycolmenar,cerceda,andnavacerradauptothefrontwheregolzwouldbeattackinginthemorning.