CHAPTER6

insidethecave,robertjordansatononeoftherawhidestoolsinacornerbythefirelisteningtothewoman.shewaswashingthedishesandthegirl,maria,wasdryingthemandputtingthemaway,kneelingtoplacetheminthehollowduginthewallthatwasusedasashelf.

“itisstrange,”shesaid.“thatelsordohasnotcome.heshouldhavebeenhereanhourago.”“didyouadvisehimtocome?”

“no.hecomeseachnight.”

“perhapsheisdoingsomething.somework.”

“itispossible,”shesaid.“ifhedoesnotcomewemustgotoseehimtomorrow.”

“yes.isitfarfromhere?”

“no.itwillbeagoodtrip.ilackexercise.”

“canigo?”mariaasked.“mayigotoo,pilar?”

“yes,beautiful,”thewomansaid,thenturningherbigface,“isn’tshepretty?”sheaskedrobertjordan.“howdoessheseemtothee?alittlethin?”

“tomesheseemsverywell,”robertjordansaid.mariafilledhiscupwithwine.“drinkthat,”shesaid.“itwillmakemeseemevenbetter.itisnecessarytodrinkmuchofthatformetoseembeautiful.”

“thenihadbetterstop,”robertjordansaid.“alreadythouseemestbeautifulandmore.”

“that’sthewaytotalk,”thewomansaid.“youtalklikethegoodones.whatmoredoessheseem?”

“intelligent,”robertjordansaidlamely.marialedandthewomanshookherheadsadly.“howwellyoubeginandhowitends,donroberto.”

“don’tcallmedonroberto.”

“itisajoke.herewesaydonpabloforajoke.aswesaythesefioritamariaforajoke.”

“idon’tjokethatway,”robertjordansaid.“camaradatomeiswhatallshouldbecalledwithseriousnessinthiswar.inthejokingcommencesarottenness.”

“thouartveryreligiousaboutthypolitics,”thewomanteasedhim.“thoumakestnojokes?”

“yes.icaremuchforjokesbutnotintheformofaddress.itislikeaflag.”

“icouldmakejokesaboutaflag.anyflag,”thewomanlaughed.“tomenoonecanjokeofanything.theoldflagofyellowandgoldwecalledpusandblood.theflagoftherepublicwiththepurpleaddedwecallblood,pusandpermanganate.itisajoke.”

“heisacommunist,”mariasaid.“theyareveryseriousgente.”

“areyouacommunist?”

“noiamananti-fascist.”

“foralongtime?”

“sinceihaveunderstoodfascism.”

“howlongisthat?”

“fornearlytenyears.”

“thatisnotmuchtime,”thewomansaid.“ihavebeenarepublicanfortwentyyears.”

“myfatherwasarepublicanallhislife,”mariasaid.“itwasforthattheyshothim.”

“myfatherwasalsoarepublicanallhislife.alsomygrandfather,”robertjordansaid.

“inwhatcountry?”

“theunitedstates.”

“didtheyshootthem?”thewomanasked.

“quéva,”mariasaid.“theunitedstatesisacountryofrepublicans.theydon’tshootyouforbeingarepublicanthere.”

“allthesameitisagoodthingtohaveagrandfatherwhowasarepublican,”thewomansaid.“itshowsagoodblood.”

“mygrandfatherwasontherepublicannationalcommittee,”robertjordansaid.thatimpressedevenmaria.

“andisthyfatherstillactiveintherepublic?”pilarasked.

“no.heisdead.”

“canoneaskhowhedied?”

“heshothimself.”

“toavoidbeingtortured?”thewomanasked.

“yes,”robertjordansaid.“toavoidbeingtortured.”

marialookedathimwithtearsinhereyes.“myfather,”shesaid,“couldnotobtainaweapon.oh,iamverygladthatyourfatherhadthegoodfortunetoobtainaweapon.”

“yes.itwasprettylucky,”robertjordansaid.“shouldwetalkaboutsomethingelse?”

“thenyouandmewearethesame,”mariasaid.sheputherhandonhisarmandlookedinhisface.helookedatherbrownfaceandattheeyesthat,sincehehadseenthem,hadneverbeenasyoungastherestofherfacebutthatnowweresuddenlyhungryandyoungandwanting.

“youcouldbebrotherandsisterbythelook,”thewomansaid.“butibelieveitisfortunatethatyouarenot.”

“nowiknowwhyihavefeltasihave,”mariasaid.“nowitisclear.”

“quéva,”robertjordansaidandreachingover,heranhishandoverthetopofherhead.hehadbeenwantingtodothatalldayandnowhedidit,hecouldfeelhisthroatswelling.shemovedherheadunderhishandandsmiledupathimandhefeltthethickbutsilkyroughnessofthecroppedheadripplingbetweenhisfingers.thenhishandwasonherneckandthenhedroppedit.

“doitagain,”shesaid.“iwantedyoutodothatallday.”

“later,”robertjordansaidandhisvoicewasthick.

“andme,”thewomanofpablosaidinherboomingvoice.“iamexpectedtowatchallthis?iamexpectednottobemoved?onecannot.forfaultofanythingbetter;thatpabloshouldcomeback.”