CHAPTER2

theyhadcomethroughtheheavytimbertothecup-shapedupperendofthelittlevalleyandhesawwherethecampmustbeundertherim-rockthatroseaheadofthemthroughthetrees.

thatwasthecampallrightanditwasagoodcamp.youdidnotseeitatalluntilyouwereuptoitandrobertjordanknewitcouldnotbespottedfromtheair.nothingwouldshowfromabove.itwasaswellhiddenasabear’sden.butitseemedtobelittlebetterguarded.helookedatitcarefullyastheycameup.

therewasalargecaveintherim-rockformationandbesidetheopeningamansatwithhisbackagainsttherock,hislegsstretchedoutonthegroundandhiscarbineleaningagainsttherock.hewascuttingawayonastickwithaknifeandhestaredatthemastheycameup,thenwentonwhittling.

“hola,”saidtheseatedman.“whatisthisthatcomes?”“theoldmanandadynamiter,”pablotoldhimandloweredthepackinsidetheentrancetothecave.anselmoloweredhispack,too,androbertjordanunslungtherifleandleaneditagainsttherock.

“don’tleaveitsoclosetothecave,”thewhittlingman,whohadblueeyesinadark,good-lookinglazygypsyface,thecolorofsmokedleather,said.“there’safireinthere.”

“getupandputitawaythyself,”pablosaid.“putitbythattree.”

thegypsydidnotmovebutsaidsomethingunprintable,then,“leaveitthere.blowthyselfup,”hesaidlazily.“twillcurethydiseases.”

“whatdoyoumake?”robertjordansatdownbythegypsy.thegypsyshowedhim.itwasafigurefourtrapandhewaswhittlingthecrossbarforit.

“forfoxes,”hesaid.“withalogforadead-fall.itbreakstheirbacks.”hegrinnedatjordan.“likethis,see?”hemadeamotionoftheframeworkofthetrapcollapsing,thelogfalling,thenshookhishead,drewinhishand,andspreadhisarmstoshowthefoxwithabrokenback.“verypractical,”heexplained.

“hecatchesrabbits,”anselmosaid.“heisagypsy.soifhecatchesrabbitshesaysitisfoxes.ifhecatchesafoxhewouldsayitwasanelephant.”

“andificatchanelephant?”thegypsyaskedandshowedhiswhiteteethagainandwinkedatrobertjordan.

“you’dsayitwasatank,”anselmotoldhim.

“i’llgetatank,”thegypsytoldhim.“iwillgetatank.andyoucansayitiswhatyouplease.”

“gypsiestalkmuchandkilllittle,”anselmotoldhim.

thegypsywinkedatrobertjordanandwentonwhittling.

pablohadgoneinoutofsightinthecave.robertjordanhopedhehadgoneforfood.hesatonthegroundbythegypsyandtheafternoonsunlightcamedownthroughthetreetopsandwaswarmonhisoutstretchedlegs.hecouldsmellfoodnowinthecave,thesmellofoilandofonionsandofmeatfryingandhisstomachmovedwithhungerinsideofhim.

“wecangetatank,”hesaidtothegypsy.“itisnottoodifficult.”

“withthis?”thegypsypointedtowardthetwosacks.

“yes,”robertjordantoldhim.“iwillteachyou.youmakeatrap.itisnottoodifficult.”

“youandme?”

“sure,”saidrobertjordan.“whynot?”

“hey,”thegypsysaidtoanselmo.“movethosetwosackstowheretheywillbesafe,willyou?they’revaluable.”

anselmogrunted.“iamgoingforwine,”hetoldrobertjordan.robertjordangotupandliftedthesacksawayfromthecaveentranceandleanedthem,oneoneachsideofatreetrunk.heknewwhatwasinthemandheneverlikedtoseethemclosetogether.

“bringacupforme,”thegypsytoldhim.

“istherewine?”robertjordanasked,sittingdownagainbythegypsy.

“wine?whynot?awholeskinful.halfaskinful,anyway.”

“andwhattoeat?”

“everything,man,”thegypsysaid.“weeatlikegenerals.”

“andwhatdogypsiesdointhewar?”robertjordanaskedhim.

“theykeeponbeinggypsies.”

“that’sagoodjob.”

“thebest,”thegypsysaid.“howdotheycallthee?”

“roberto.andthee?”

“rafael.andthisofthetankisserious?”

“surely.whynot?”

anselmocameoutofthemouthofthecavewithadeepstonebasinfullofredwineandwithhisfingersthroughthehandlesofthreecups.“look,”hesaid.“theyhavecupsandall.”pablocameoutbehindthem.

“thereisfoodsoon,”hesaid.“doyouhaveo?”

robertjordanwentovertothepacksandopeningone,feltinsideaninnerpocketandbroughtoutoneoftheflatboxesofrussiancigaretteshehadgottenatgolz’sheadquarters.heranhisthumbnailaroundtheedgeoftheboxand,openingthelid,handedthemtopablowhotookhalfadozen.pablo,holdingtheminoneofhishugehands,pickedoneupandlookedatitagainstthelight.theywerelongnarrowcigaretteswithpasteboardcylindersformouthpieces.

“muchairandlittleo,”hesaid.“iknowthese.theotherwiththerarenamehadthem.”

“kashkin,”robertjordansaidandofferedthecigarettestothegypsyandanselmo,whoeachtookone.

“takemore,”hesaidandtheyeachtookanother.hegavethemeachfourmore,theymakingadoublenodwiththehandholdingthecigarettessothatthecigarettedippeditsendasamansaluteswithasword,tothankhim.

“yes,”pablosaid.“itwasararename.”

“hereisthewine.”anselmodippedacupoutofthebowlandhandedittorobertjordan,thendippedforhimselfandthegypsy.

“istherenowineforme?”pabloasked.theywereallsittingtogetherbythecaveentrance.

anselmohandedhimhiscupandwentintothecaveforanother.comingoutheleanedoverthebowlanddippedthecupfullandtheyalltouchedcupedges.

thewinewasgood,tastingfaintlyresinousfromthewineskin,butexcellent,lightandcleanonhistongue.robertjordandrankitslowly,feelingitspreadwarmlythroughhistiredness.

“thefoodcomesshortly,”pablosaid.“andthisforeignerwiththerarename,howdidhedie?”

“hewascapturedandhekilledhimself.”

“howdidthathappen?”

“hewaswoundedandhedidnotwishtobeaprisoner.”