CHAPTER5

robertjordanpushedasidethesaddleblanketthathungoverthemouthofthecaveand,steppingout,tookadeepbreathofthecoldnightair.themisthadclearedawayandthestarswereout.therewasnowind,and,outsidenowofthewarmairofthecave,heavywithsmokeofbothoandcharcoal,withtheodorofcookedriceandmeat,saffron,pimentos,andoil,thetarry,wine-spilledsmellofthebigskinhungbesidethedoor,hungbytheneckandthefourlegsextended,winedrawnfromaplugfittedinoneleg,winethatspilledalittleontotheearthofthefloor,settlingthedustsmell;outnowfromtheodorsofdifferentherbswhosenameshedidnotknowthathunginbunchesfromtheceiling,withlongropesofgarlic,awaynowfromthecopperpenny,redwineandgarlic,horsesweatandmansweatdriedintheclothing(acridandgraythemansweat,sweetandsicklythedriedbrushed-offlatherofhorsesweat),ofthemenatthetable,robertjordanbreatheddeeplyoftheclearnightairofthemountainsthatsmelledofthepinesandofthedewonthegrassinthemeadowbythestream.dewhadfallenheavilysincethewindhaddropped,but,ashestoodthere,hethoughttherewouldbefrostbymorning.

ashestoodbreathingdeepandthenlisteningtothenight,heheardfirst,firingfaraway,andthenheheardanowlcryinthetimberbelow,wherethehorsecorralwasslung.theninsidethecavehecouldhearthegypsystartingtosingandthesoftchordingofaguitar.

“ihadaninheritancefrommyfather,”theartificiallyhardenedvoiceroseharshlyandhungthere.thenwenton:

“itwasthemoonandthesun

“andthoughiroamallovertheworld

“thespendingofit’sneverdone.”theguitarthuddedwithchordedapplauseforthesinger.“good,”robertjordanheardsomeonesay.“giveusthecatalan,gypsy.”

“no.”

“yes.yes.thecatalan.”

“allright,”thegypsysaidandsangmournfully：

“mynoseisflat,

“myfaceisblack,

“butstilliamaman.”

“olé!”someonesaid.“goon,gypsy!”

thegypsy’svoicerosetragicallyandmockingly:

“thankgodiamanegro,

“andnotacatalan!”

“thereismuchnoise,”pablo’svoicesaid.“shutup,gypsy.”

“yes,”heheardthewoman’svoice.“thereistoomuchnoise.youcouldcalltheguardiacivilwiththatvoiceandstillithasnoquality.”

“iknowanotherverse,”thegypsysaidandtheguitarcommenced

“saveit,”thewomantoldhim.

theguitarstopped.

“iamnotgoodinvoicetonight.sothereisnoloss,”thegypsysaidandpushingtheblanketasidehecameoutintothedark.

robertjordanwatchedhimwalkovertoatreeandthencometowardhim.

“roberto,”thegypsysaidsoftly.

“yes,rafael,”hesaid.heknewthegypsyhadbeenaffectedbythewinefromhisvoice.hehimselfhaddrunkthetwoabsinthesandsomewinebuthisheadwasclearandcoldfromthestrainofthedifficultywithpablo.

“whydidstthounotkillpablo?”thegypsysaidverysoftly.

“whykillhim?”

“youhavetokillhimsoonerorlater.whydidyounotapproveofthemoment?”

“doyouspeakseriously?”

“whatdoyouthinktheyallwaitedfor?whatdoyouthinkthewomansentthegirlawayfor?doyoubelievethatitispossibletocontinueafterwhathasbeensaid?”

“thatyouallshouldkillhim.”

“quéva,”thegypsysaidquietly.“thatisyourbusiness.threeorfourtimeswewaitedforyoutokillhim.pablohasnofriends.”

“ihadtheidea,”robertjordansaid.“butileftit.”

“surelyallcouldseethat.everyonenotedyourpreparations.whydidn’tyoudoit?”

“ithoughtitmightmolestyouothersorthewoman.”

“quéva.andthewomanwaitingasawhorewaitsfortheflightofthebigbird.thouartyoungerthanthouappearest.”

“itispossible.”

“killhimnow,”thegypsyurged.

“thatistoassassinate.”

“evenbetter,”thegypsysaidverysoftly.“lessdanger.goon.killhimnow.”

“icannotinthatway.itisrepugnanttomeanditisnothowoneshouldactforthecause.”

“provokehimthen,”thegypsysaid.“butyouhavetokillhim.thereisnoremedy.”

astheyspoke,theowlflewbetweenthetreeswiththesoftnessofallsilence,droppingpastthem,thenrising,thewingsbeatingquickly,butwithnonoiseoffeathersmovingasthebirdhunted.

“lookathim,”thegypsysaidinthedark.“thusshouldmenmove.”

“andintheday,blindinatreewithcrowsaroundhim,”robertjordansaid.

“rarely,”saidthegypsy.“andthenbyhazard.killhim,”hewenton.“donotletitbecomedifficult.”

“nowthemomentispassed.”

“provokeit,”thegypsysaid.“ortakeadvantageofthequiet.”

theblanketthatclosedthecavedooropenedandlightcameout.someonecametowardwheretheystood.

“itisabeautifulnight,”themansaidinaheavy,dullvoice.“wewillhavegoodweather.”