CHAPTER11

astheycameup,stilldeepintheshadowofthepines,afterdroppingdownfromthehighmeadowintothewoodenvalleyandclimbingupitonatrailthatparalleledthestreamandthenleftittogain,steeply,thetopofarim-rockformation,amanwithacarbinesteppedoutfrombehindatree.

“halt,”hesaid.then,“hola,pilar.whoisthiswiththee?”“aninglé,”pilarsaid.“butwithachristianname——roberto.andwhatanobscenityofsteepnessitistoarrivehere.”

“salud,camarada,”theguardsaidtorobertjordanandputouthishand.“areyouwell?”

“yes,”saidrobertjordan.“andthee?”

“equally,”theguardsaid.hewasveryyoung,withalightbuild,thin,ratherhawknosedface,highcheekbonesandgrayeyes.heworenohat,hishairwasblackandyandhishandclaspwasstrongandfriendly.hiseyeswerefriendlytoo.

“hello,maria,”hesaidtothegirl.“youdidnottireyourself?”

“quéva,joaquin,”thegirlsaid.“wehavesatandtalkedmorethanwehavewalked.”

“areyouthedynamiter?”joaquinasked.“wehaveheardyouwerehere.”

“wepassedthenightatpablo’s,”robertjordansaid.“yes,iamthedynamiter.”

“wearegladtoseeyou,”joaquinsaid.“isitforatrain?”

“wereyouatthelasttrain?”robertjordanaskedandsmiled.

“wasinot,”joaquinsaid.“that’swherewegotthis,”hegrinnedatmaria.“youareprettynow,”hesaidtomaria.“havetheytoldtheehowpretty?”

“shutup,joaquin,andthankyouverymuch,”mariasaid.“you’dbeprettywithahaircut.”

“icarriedthee,”joaquintoldthegirl.“icarriedtheeovermyshoulder.”

“asdidmanyothers,”pilarsaidinthedeepvoice.“whodidn’tcarryher?whereistheoldman?”

“atthecamp.”

“wherewashelastnight?”

“insegovia.”

“didhebringnews?”

“yes,”joaquinsaid,“thereisnews.”

“goodorbad?”

“ibelievebad.”

“didyouseetheplanes?”

“ay,”saidjoaquinandshookhishead.“don’ttalktomeofthat.comradedynamiter,whatplaneswerethose?”

“heinkeloneelevenbombers.heinkelandfiatpursuit,”robertjordantoldhim.

“whatwerethebigoneswiththelowwings?”

“heinkeloneelevens.”

“byanynamestheyareasbad,”joaquinsaid.“butiamdelayingyou.iwilltakeyoutothecommander.”

“thecommander?”pilarasked.

joaquinnoddedseriously.“ilikeitbetterthan‘chief,”hesaid.“itismoremilitary.”

“youaremilitarizingheavily,”pilarsaidandlaughedathim.

“no,”joaquinsaid.“butilikemilitarytermsbecauseitmakesordersclearerandforbetterdiscipline.”

“hereisoneaccordingtothytaste,inglé,”pilarsaid.“averyseriousboy.”

“shouldicarrythee?”joaquinaskedthegirlandputhisarmonhershoulderandsmiledinherface.

“oncewasenough,”mariatoldhim.“thankyoujustthesame.”

“canyourememberit?”joaquinaskedher.i

“icanrememberbeingcarried,”mariasaid.“byyou,no.irememberthegypsybecausehedroppedmesomanytimes.butithankthee,joaquin,andi’llcarrytheesometime.”

“icanrememberitwellenough,”joaquinsaid.“icanrememberholdingthytwolegsandthybellywasonmyshoulderandthyheadovermybackandthyarmshangingdownagainstmyback.”

“thouhastmuchmemory,”mariasaidandsmiledathim.“iremembernothingofthat.neitherthyarmsnorthyshouldersnorthyback.”

“doyouwanttoknowsomething?”joaquinaskedher.

“whatisit?”

“iwasgladthouwerthangingovermybackwhentheshotswerecomingfrombehindus.”

“whataswine,”mariasaid.“andwasitforthisthegypsytoocarriedmesomuch?”

“forthatandtoholdontothylegs.”

“myheroes,”mariasaid.“mysaviors.”

“listen,guapa,”pilartoldher.“thisboycarriedtheemuch,andinthatmomentthylegssaidnothingtoanyone.inthatmomentonlythebulletstalkedclearly.andifhewouldhavedroppedtheehecouldsoonhavebeenoutofrangeofthebullets.”

“ihavethankedhim,”mariasaid.“andiwillcarryhimsometime.allowustojoke.idonothavetocry,doi,becausehecarriedme?”

“i’dhavedroppedthee,”joaquinwentonteasingher.“butiwasafraidpilarwouldshootme.”

“ishootnoone,”pilarsaid.

“nohacefalta,”joaquintoldher.“youdon’tneedto.youscarethemtodeathwithyourmouth.”