CHAPTER 12

TheyleftElSordo’saftereatingandstarteddownthetrail.ElSordohadwalkedwiththemasfarasthelowerpost.

“Salud,”hesaid.“Untiltonight.”

“Salud,Camarada,”RobertJordanhadsaidtohimandthethreeofthemhadgoneondownthetrail,thedeafmanstandinglookingafterthem.MariahadturnedandwavedherhandathimandElSordowaveddisparaginglywiththeabrupt,Spanishupwardflickoftheforearmasthoughsomethingwerebeingtossedawaywhichseemsthenegationofallsalutationwhichhasnottodowithbusiness.Throughthemealhehadneverunbuttonedhissheepskincoatandhehadbeencarefullypolite,carefultoturnhisheadtohearandhadreturnedtospeakinghisbrokenSpanish,askingRobertJordanaboutconditionsintheRepublicpolitely;butitwasobvioushewantedtoberidofthem.

Astheyhadlefthim,Pilarhadsaidtohim,“Well,Santiago?”

“Well,nothing,woman,”thedeafmansaid.“Itisallright.ButIamthinking.”

“Me,too,”Pilarhadsaidandnowastheywalkeddownthetrail,thewalkingeasyandpleasantdownthesteeptrailthroughthepinesthattheyhadtoiledup,Pilarsaidnothing.NeitherRobertJordannorMariaspokeandthethreeofthemtravelledalongfastuntilthetrailrosesteeplyoutofthewoodedvalleytocomeupthroughthetimber,leaveit,andcomeoutintothehighmeadow.

ItwashotinthelateMayafternoonandhalfwayupthislaststeepgradethewomanstopped.RobertJordan,stoppingandlookingback,sawthesweatbeadingonherforehead.Hethoughtherbrownfacelookedpallidandtheskinsallowandthatthereweredarkareasunderhereyes.

“Letusrestaminute,”hesaid.“Wegotoofast.”

“No,”shesaid.“Letusgoon.”

“Rest,Pilar,”Mariasaid.“Youlookbadly.”

“Shutup,”thewomansaid.“Nobodyaskedforthyadvice.”

Shestartedonupthetrailbutatthetopshewasbreathingheavilyandherfacewaswetwithperspirationandtherewasnodoubtaboutherpallornow.

“Sitdown,Pilar,”Mariasaid.“Please,pleasesitdown.”

“Allright,”saidPilarandthethreeofthemsatdownunderapinetreeandlookedacrossthemountainmeadowtowherethetopsofthepeaksseemedtojutoutfromtherollofthehighcountrywithsnowshiningbrightonthemnowintheearlyafternoonsun.

“Whatrottenstuffisthesnowandhowbeautifulitlooks,”Pilarsaid.“Whatanillusionisthesnow.”SheturnedtoMaria.“IamsorryIwasrudetothee,guapa.Idon’tknowwhathasheldmetoday.Ihaveaneviltemper.”

“Inevermindwhatyousaywhenyouareangry,”Mariatoldher.“Andyouareangryoften.”

“Nay,itisworsethananger,”Pilarsaid,lookingacrossatthepeaks.

“Thouartnotwell,”Mariasaid.

“Neitherisitthat,”thewomansaid.“Comehere,guapa,andputthyheadinmylap.”

Mariamovedclosetoher,putherarmsoutandfoldedthemasOnedoeswhogoestosleepwithoutapillowandlaywithherheadonherarms.SheturnedherfaceupatPilarandsmiledatherbutthebigwomanlookedonacrossthemeadowatthemountains.Shestrokedthegirl’sheadwithoutlookingdownatherandranabluntfingeracrossthegirl’sforeheadandthenaroundthelineofherearanddownthelinewherethehairgrewonherneck.

“Youcanhaveherinalittlewhile,Inglé,”shesaid.RobertJordanwassittingbehindher.

“Donottalklikethat,”Mariasaid.

“Yes,hecanhavethee,”Pilarsaidandlookedatneitherofthem.“Ihaveneverwantedthee.ButIamjealous.”

“Pilar,”Mariasaid.“Donottalkthus.”

“Hecanhavethee,”Pilarsaidandranherfingeraroundthelobeofthegirl’sear.“ButIamveryjealous.”

“ButPilar,”Mariasaid.“Itwastheeexplainedtometherewasnothinglikethatbetweenus.”

“Thereisalwayssomethinglikethat,”thewomansaid.“Thereisalwayssomethinglikesomethingthatthereshouldnotbe.Butwithmethereisnot.Trulythereisnot.Iwantthyhappinessandnothingmore.”

Mariasaidnothingbutlaythere,tryingtomakeherheadrestlightly.

“Listen,guapa,”saidPilarandranherfingernowabsentlybuttracinglyoverthecontoursofhercheeks.“Listen,guapa,Ilovetheeandhecanhavethee,Iamnotortillerabutawomanmadeformen.Thatistrue.Butnowitgivesmepleasuretosaythus,inthedaytime,thatIcareforthee.”

“Ilovethee,too.”

“Quéva.Donottalknonsense.ThoudostnotknowevenofwhatIspeak.”

“Iknow.”

“Quéva,thatyouknow.YouarefortheInglé.Thatisseenandasitshouldbe.ThatIwouldhave.AnythingelseIwouldnothave.Idonotmakeperversions.Ionlytellyousomethingtrue.Fewpeoplewillevertalktotheetrulyandnowomen.Iamjealousandsayitanditisthere.AndIsayit.”

“Donotsayit,”Mariasaid.“Donotsayit,Pilar.”

“Porqué,donotsayit,”thewomansaid,stillnotlookingateitherofthem.“Iwillsayituntilitnolongerpleasesmetosayit.And,”shelookeddownatthegirlnow,“thattimehascomealready.Idonotsayitmore,youunderstand?”

“Pilar,”Mariasaid.“Donottalkthus.”

“Thouartaverypleasantlittlerabbit,”Pilarsaid.“Andliftthyheadnowbecausethissillinessisover.”

“Itwasnotsilly,”saidMaria.“Andmyheadiswellwhereitis.”

“Nay.Liftit,”Pilartoldherandputherbighandsunderthegirl’sheadandraisedit.“Andthou,Inglé?”shesaid,stillholdingthegirl’sheadasshelookedacrossatthemountains.“Whatcathaseatenthytongue?”

“Nocat,”RobertJordansaid.

“Whatanimalthen?”Shelaidthegirl’sheaddownontheground.

“Noanimal,”RobertJordantoldher.

“Youswallowedityourself,eh?”

“Iguessso,”RobertJordansaid.

“Anddidyoulikethetaste?”Pilarturnednowandgrinnedathim.

“Notmuch.”

“Ithoughtnot,”Pilarsaid.“Ithoughtnot.ButIgiveyoubackourrabbit.NoreverdidItrytotakeyourrabbit.That’sagoodnameforher.Iheardyoucallherthatthismorning.”

RobertJordanfelthisfaceredden.

“Youareaveryhardwoman,”hetoldher.

“No,”Pilarsaid.“ButsosimpleIamverycomplicated.Areyouverycomplicated,Inglé?”

“No.Nornotsosimple.”

“Youpleaseme,Inglé,”Pilarsaid.Thenshesmiledandleanedforwardandsmiledandshookherhead.“NowifIcouldtaketherabbitfromtheeandtaketheefromtherabbit.”

“Youcouldnot.”

“Iknowit,”Pilarsaidandsmiledagain.“NorwouldIwishto.ButwhenIwasyoungIcouldhave.”

“Ibelieveit.”

“Youbelieveit?”

“Surely,”RobertJordansaid.“Butsuchtalkisnonsense.”

“Itisnotlikethee,”Mariasaid.

“Iamnotmuchlikemyselftoday,”Pilarsaid.“Verylittlelikemyself.Thybridgehasgivenmeaheadache,Inglé.”

“WecantellittheHeadacheBridge,”RobertJordansaid.“ButIwilldropitinthatgorgelikeabrokenbirdcage.”

“Good,”saidPilar.“Keepontalkinglikethat.”

“I’lldropitasyoubreakabananafromwhichyouhaveremovedtheskin.”

“Icouldeatabanananow,”saidPilar.“Goon,Inglé.Keepontalkinglargely.”

“Thereisnoneed,”RobertJordansaid.“Letusgettocamp.”

“Thyduty,”Pilarsaid.“Itwillcomequicklyenough.IsaidthatIwouldleavethetwoofyou.”

“No.Ihavemuchtodo.”

“Thatismuchtooanddoesnottakelong.”

“Shutthymouth,Pilar,”Mariasaid.“Youspeakgrossly.”

“Iamgross,”Pilarsaid.“ButIamalsoverydelicate.Soymuydelicada.Iwillleavethetwoofyou.Andthetalkofjealousnessisnonsense.IwasangryatJoaquínbecauseIsawfromhislookhowuglyIam.Iamonlyjealousthatyouarenineteen.Itisnotajealousywhichlasts.Youwillnotbenineteenalways.NowIgo.”

ShestoodupandwithahandononehiplookedatRobertJordan,whowasalsostanding.Mariasatonthegroundunderthetree,herheaddroppedforward.

“Letusallgotocamptogether,”RobertJordansaid.“Itisbetterandthereismuchtodo.”

PilarnoddedwithherheadtowardMaria,whosatthere,herheadturnedawayfromthem,sayingnothing.

Pilarsmiledandshruggedhershouldersalmostimperceptiblyandsaid,“Youknowtheway?”

“Iknowit,”Mariasaid,notraisingherhead.

“Puesmevoy,”Pilarsaid.“ThenIamgoing.We’llhavesomethingheartyforyoutoeat,Inglé.”

Shestartedtowalkoffintotheheatherofthemeadowtowardthestreamthatleddownthroughittowardthecamp.

“Wait,”RobertJordancalledtoher.“Itisbetterthatweshouldallgotogether.”

Mariasatthereandsaidnothing.

Pilardidnotturn.

“Quéva,gotogether,”shesaid.“Iwillseetheeatthecamp.”

RobertJordanstoodthere.

“Issheallright?”heaskedMaria.“Shelookedillbefore.”

“Lethergo,”Mariasaid,herheadstilldown.

“IthinkIshouldgowithher.”

“Lethergo,”saidMaria.“Lethergo!”