CHAPTER9

theystoodinthemouthofthecaveandwatchedthem.thebomberswerehighnowinfast,uglyarrow-headsbeatingtheskyapartwiththenoiseoftheirmotors.theyareshapedlikesharks,robertjordanthought,thewide-finned,sharp-nosedsharksofthegulfstream.butthese,wide-finnedinsilver,roaring,thelightmistoftheirpropellersinthesun,thesedonotmovelikesharks.theymovelikenothingtherehaseverbeen.theymovelikemechanizeddoom.

yououghttowrite,hetoldhimself.maybeyouwillagainsometime.hefeltmariaholdingtohisarm.shewaslookingupandhesaidtoher,“whatdotheylookliketoyou,guapa?”“idon’tknow,”shesaid.“death,ithink.”

“theylooklikeplanestome,”thewomanofpablosaid.“‘wherearethelittleones?”

“theymaybecrossingatanotherpart,”robertjordansaid.“thosebombersaretoofasttohavetowaitforthemandhavecomebackalone.weneverfollowthemacrossthelinestofight.therearen’tenoughplanestoriskit.”

justthenthreeheinkelfightersinvformationcamelowovertheclearingcomingtowardthem,justoverthetreetops,likeclattering,wing-tilting,pinch-noseduglytoys,toenlargesuddenly,fearfullytotheiractualsize;pouringpastinawhiningroar.theyweresolowthatfromthecavemouthallofthemcouldseethepilots,helmeted,led,ascarfblowingbackfrombehindthepatrolleader’shead.

“thosecanseethehorses,”pablosaid.

“thosecanseethycigarettebutts,”thewomansaid.“letfalltheblanket.”

nomoreplanescameover.theothersmusthavecrossedfartheruptherangeandwhenthedroningwasgonetheywentoutofthecaveintotheopen.

theskywasemptynowandhighandblueandclear.

“itseemsasthoughtheywereadreamthatyouwakefrom,”mariasaidtorobertjordan.therewasnoteventhelastalmostunheardhumthatcomeslikeafingerfaintlytouchingandleavingandtouchingagainafterthesoundisgonealmostpasthearing.

“theyarenodreamandyougoinandcleanup,”pilarsaidtoher.“whataboutit?”sheturnedtorobertjordan.“shouldwerideorwalk?”

pablolookedatherandgrunted.

“asyouwill,”robertjordansaid.

“thenletuswalk,”shesaid.“iwouldlikeitfortheliver.”

“ridingisgoodfortheliver.”

“yes,buthardonthebuttocks.wewillwalkandthou——”sheturnedtopablo.“godownandcountthybeastsandseetheyhavenotflownawaywithany.”

“doyouwantahorsetoride?”pabloaskedrobertjordan.

“no.manythanks.whataboutthegirl?”

“betterforhertowalk,”pilarsaid.“she’llgetstiffintoomanyplacesandservefornothing.”

robertjordanfelthisfacereddening.

“didyousleepwell?”pilarasked.thensaid,“itistruethatthereisnosickness.therecouldhavebeen.iknownotwhytherewasn’t.thereprobablystillisgodafterall,althoughwehaveabolishedhim.goon,”shesaidtopablo.“thisdoesnotconcernthee.thisisofpeopleyoungerthanthee.madeofothermaterial.geton.”thentorobertjordan,“agustinislookingafterthythings.wegowhenhecomes.”

itwasaclear,brightdayandwarmnowinthesun.robertjordanlookedatthebig,brown-facedwomanwithherkind,widelyseteyesandhersquare,heavyface,linedandpleasantlyugly,theeyesmerry,butthefacesaduntilthelipsmoved.helookedatherandthenattheman,heavyandstolid,movingoffthroughthetreestowardthecorral.thewoman,too,waslookingafterhim.

“didyoumakelove?”thewomansaid.

“whatdidshesay?”

“shewouldnottellme.”

“ineither.”

“thenyoumadelove,”thewomansaid.“beascarefulwithherasyoucan.”

“whatifshehasababy?”

“thatwilldonoharm,”thewomansaid.“thatwilldolessharm.”

“thisisnoplaceforthat.”

“shewillnotstayhere.shewillgowithyou.”

“andwherewilligo?ican’ttakeawomanwhereigo.”

“whoknows?youmaytaketwowhereyougo.”

“thatisnowaytotalk.”

“listen,”thewomansaid.“iamnocoward,butiseethingsveryclearlyintheearlymorningandithinktherearemanythatweknowthatarealivenowwhowillneverseeanothersunday.”

“inwhatdayarewe?”

“sunday.”

“quéva,”saidrobertjordan.“anothersundayisveryfar.ifweseewednesdayweareallright.butidonotliketoheartheetalklikethis.”

“everyoneneedstotalktosomeone,”thewomansaid.“beforewehadreligionandothernonsense.nowforeveryonethereshouldbesomeonetowhomonecanspeakfrankly,forallthevalorthatonecouldhaveonebecomesveryalone.”

“wearenotalone.wearealltogether.”

“thesightofthosemachinesdoesthingstoone,”thewomansaid.“wearenothingagainstsuchmachines.”

“yetwecanbeatthem.”

“look,”thewomansaid.“iconfessasadnesstoyou,butdonotthinkilackresolution.nothinghashappenedtomyresolution.”

“thesadnesswilldissipateasthesunrises.itislikeamist.”

“clearly,”thewomansaid.“ifyouwantitthatway.perhapsitcamefromtalkingthatfoolishnessaboutvalencia.andthatfailureofamanwhohasgonetolookathishorses.iwoundedhimmuchwiththestory.killhim,yes.cursehim,yes.butwoundhim,no.”

“howcameyoutobewithhim?”

“howisonewithanyone?inthefirstdaysofthemovementandbeforetoo,hewassomething.somethingserious.butnowheisfinished.theplughasbeendrawnandthewinehasallrunoutoftheskin.”

“idonotlikehim.”

“nordoeshelikeyou,andwithreason.lastnightisleptwithhim.”shesmilednowandshookherhead.“vamosaver,”shesaid.“isaidtohim,‘pablo,whydidyounotkilltheforeigner?’

“‘he’sagoodboy,pilar,’hesaid.‘he’sagoodboy.’