CHAPTER 21

Awarmwindcamewithdaylightandhecouldhearthesnowmeltinginthetreesandtheheavysoundofitsfalling.Itwasalatespringmorning.Heknewwiththefirstbreathhedrewthatthesnowhadbeenonlyafreakstorminthemountainsanditwouldbegonebynoon.Thenheheardahorsecoming,thehoofsballedwiththewetsnowthumpingdullyasthehorsemantrotted.Heheardthenoiseofacarbinescabbardslappinglooselyandthecreakofleather.

“Maria,”hesaid,andshookthegirl’sshouldertowakenher.“Keepthyselfundertherobe,”andhebuttonedhisshirtwithonehandandheldtheautomaticpistolintheotherlooseningthesafetycatchwithhisthumb.Hesawthegirl’scroppedheaddisappearwithajerkundertherobeandthenhesawthehorsemancomingthroughthetrees.Hecrouchednowintherobeandholdingthepistolinbothhandsaimeditatthemanasherodetowardhim.Hehadneverseenthismanbefore.

Thehorsemanwasalmostoppositehimnow.Hewasridingabiggraygeldingandheworeakhakiberet,ablanketcapelikeaponcho,andheavyblackboots.Fromthescabbardontherightofhissaddleprojectedthestockandthelongoblongclipofashortautomaticrifle.Hehadayoung,hardfaceandatthismomenthesawRobertJordan.

Hereachedhishanddowntowardthescabbardandasheswunglow,turningandjerkingatthescabbard,RobertJordansawthescarletoftheformalizeddeviceheworeontheleftbreastofhiskhakiblanketcape.

Aimingatthecenterofhischest,alittlelowerthanthedevice,RobertJordanfired.

Thepistolroaredinthesnowywoods.

Thehorseplungedasthoughhehadbeenspurredandtheyoungman,stilltuggingatthescabbard,slidovertowardtheground,hisrightfootcaughtinthestirrup.Thehorsebrokeoffthroughthetreesdragginghim,bumping,facedownward,andRobertJordanstoodupholdingthepistolnowinonehand.

Thebiggrayhorsewasgallopingthroughthepines.Therewasabroadswathinthesnowwherethemandraggedwithascarletstreakalongonesideofit.Peoplewerecomingoutofthemouthofthecave.RobertJordanreacheddownandunrolledhistrousersfromthepillowandbegantoputthemon.

“Gettheedressed,”hesaidtoMaria.

Overheadheheardthenoiseofaplaneflyingveryhigh.Throughthetreeshesawwherethegrayhorsehadstoppedandwasstanding,hisriderstillhangingfacedownfromthestirrup.

“Gocatchthathorse,”hecalledtoPrimitivowhohadstartedovertowardhim.Then,“Whowasonguardatthetop?”

“Rafael,”Pilarsaidfromthecave.Shestoodthere,herhairstilldownherbackintwobraids.

“There’scavalryout,”RobertJordansaid.“Getyourdamnedgunupthere.”

HeheardPilarcall,“Agustín,”intothecave.Thenshewentintothecaveandthentwomencamerunningout,onewiththeautomaticriflewithitstripodswungonhisshoulder;theotherwithasackfulofthepans.

“Getuptherewiththem,”RobertJordansaidtoAnselmo.“Youliebesidethegunandholdthelegsstill,”hesaid.

Thethreeofthemwentupthetrailthroughthewoodsatarun.

ThesunhadnotyetcomeupoverthetopsofthemountainsandRobertJordanstoodstraightbuttoninghistrousersandtighteninghisbelt,thebigpistolhangingfromthelanyardonhiswrist.Heputthepistolinitsholsteronhisbeltandslippedtheknotdownonthelanyardandpassedtheloopoverhishead.

Somebodywillchokeyouwiththatsometime,hethought.Well,thishasdoneit.Hetookthepistoloutoftheholster,removedtheclip,insertedoneofthecartridgesfromtherowalongsideoftheholsterandshovedtheclipbackintothebuttofthepistol.

HelookedthroughthetreestowherePrimitivo,holdingthereinsofthehorse,wastwistingtherider’sfootoutofthestirrup.ThebodylayfacedowninthesnowandashewatchedPrimitivowasgoingthroughthepockets.

“Comeon,”hecalled.“Bringthehorse.”

Asheknelttoputonhisrope-soledshoes,RobertJordancouldfeelMariaagainsthisknees,dressingherselfundertherobe.Shehadnoplaceinhislifenow.

Thatcavalrymandidnotexpectanything,hewasthinking.Hewasnotfollowinghorsetracksandhewasnotevenproperlyalert,letalonealarmed.Hewasnotevenfollowingthetracksuptothepost.Hemusthavebeenoneofapatrolscatteredoutinthesehills.Butwhenthepatrolmisseshimtheywillfollowhistrackshere.Unlessthesnowmeltsfirst,hethought.Unlesssomethinghappenstothepatrol.

“Youbettergetdownbelow,”hesaidtoPablo.

Theywerealloutofthecavenow,standingtherewiththecarbinesandwithgrenadesontheirbelts.PilarheldaleatherbagofgrenadestowardRobertJordanandhetookthreeandputtheminhispocket.Heduckedintothecave,foundhistwopacks,openedtheonewiththesubmachineguninitandtookoutthebarrelandstock,slippedthestockontotheforwardassemblyandputoneclipintothegunandthreeinhispockets.Helockedthepackandstartedforthedoor.I’vegottwopocketsfullofhardware,hethought.Ihopetheseamshold.HecameoutofthecaveandsaidtoPablo,“I’mgoingupabove.CanAgustínshootthatgun?”

“Yes,”Pablosaid.HewaswatchingPrimitivoleadingupthehorse.

“Miraquécaballo,”hesaid.“Look,whatahorse.”

ThebiggraywassweatingandshiveringalittleandRobertJordanpattedhimonthewithers.

“Iwillputhimwiththeothers,”Pablosaid.

“No,”RobertJordansaid.“Hehasmadetracksintohere.Hemustmakethemout.”

“True,”agreedPablo.“Iwillridehimoutandwillhidehimandbringhiminwhenthesnowismelted.Thouhastmuchheadtoday,Inglés.”

“Sendsomeonebelow,”RobertJordansaid.“We’vegottogetupthere.”

“Itisnotnecessary,”Pablosaid.“Horsemencannotcomethatway.Butwecangetout,bythereandbytwootherplaces.Itisbetternottomaketracksifthereareplanescoming.Givemethebotawithwine,Pilar.”

“Togooffandgetdrunk,”Pilarsaid.“Here,taketheseinstead.”Hereachedoverandputtwoofthegrenadesinhispockets.

“Quéva,togetdrunk,”Pablosaid.“Thereisgravityinthesituation.Butgivemethebota.Idonotliketodoallthisonwater.”

Hereachedhisarmsup,tookthereinsandswungupintothesaddle.Hegrinnedandpattedthenervoushorse.RobertJordansawhimrubhislegalongthehorse’sflankaffectionately.

“Quécaballomásbonito,”hesaidandpattedthebiggrayagain.“Quécaballomásbonito.Comeon.Thefasterthisgetsoutofherethebetter.”

Hereacheddownandpulledthelightautomaticriflewithitsventilatedbarrel,reallyasubmachinegunbuilttotakethe9mm.pistolcartridge,fromthescabbard,andlookedatit.“Lookhowtheyarearmed,”hesaid.“Lookatmoderncavalry.”

“There’smoderncavalryoverthereonhisface,”RobertJordansaid.“Vamonos.”

“Doyou,Andrés,saddleandholdthehorsesinreadiness.Ifyouhearfiringbringthemuptothewoodsbehindthegap.Comewiththyarmsandleavethewomentoholdthehorses.Fernando,seethatmysacksarebroughtalso.Aboveall,thatmysacksarebroughtcarefully.Thoutolookaftermysacks,too,”hesaidtoPilar.“Thoutoverifythattheycomewiththehorses.Vamonos,”hesaid.“Letusgo.”

“TheMariaandIwillprepareallforleaving,”Pilarsaid.ThentoRobertJordan,“Lookathim,”noddingatPabloonthegrayhorse,sittinghimintheheavy-thighedherdsmanmanner,thehorse’snostrilswideningasPabloreplacedtheclipintheautomaticrifle.“Seewhatahorsehasdoneforhim.”

“ThatIshouldhavetwohorses,”RobertJordansaidfervently.

“Dangeristhyhorse.”

“Thengivemeamule,”RobertJordangrinned.

“Stripmethat,”hesaidtoPilarandjerkedhisheadtowardwherethemanlayfacedowninthesnow.“Andbringeverything,allthelettersandpapers,andputthemintheoutsidepocketofmysack.Everything,understand?”

“Yes.”

“Vamonos,”hesaid.

Pablorodeaheadandthetwomenfollowedinasinglefileinordernottotrackupthesnow.RobertJordancarriedthesubmachinegunmuzzledown,carryingitbyitsforwardhandgrip.Iwishittookthesameammunitionthatsaddleguntakes,hethought.Butitdoesn’t.ThisisaGermangun.ThiswasoldKashkin’sgun.

Thesunwascomingoverthemountainsnow.Awarmwindwasblowingandthesnowwasmelting.Itwasalovelylatespringmorning.

RobertJordanlookedbackandsawMarianowstandingwithPilar.Thenshecamerunningupthetrail.HedroppedbehindPrimitivotospeaktoher.

“Thou,”shesaid.“CanIgowiththee?”

“No.HelpPilar.”

Shewaswalkingbehindhimandputherhandonhisarm.

“I’mcoming.”

“Nay.”

Shekeptonwalkingclosebehindhim.

“IcouldholdthelegsoftheguninthewaythoutoldAnselmo.”

“Thouwiltholdnolegs.Neitherofgunsnorofnothing.”

Walkingbesidehimshereachedforwardandputherhandinhispocket.

“No,”hesaid.“Buttakegoodcareofthyweddingshirt.”

“Kissme,”shesaid,“ifthougoest.”

“Thouartshameless,”hesaid.

“Yes,”shesaid.“Totally.”

“Gettheebacknow.Thereismuchworktodo.Wemayfighthereiftheyfollowthesehorsetracks.”

“Thou,”shesaid.“Didsttheeseewhatheworeonhischest?”

“Yes.Whynot?”

“ItwastheSacredHeart.”

“Yes.AllthepeopleofNavarrewearit.”

“Andthoushotforthat?”

“No.Belowit.Gettheebacknow.”

“Thou,”shesaid.“Isawall.”

“Thousawnothing.Oneman.Onemanfromahorse.Vete.Gettheeback.”

“Saythatyouloveme.”

“No.Notnow.”

“Notlovemenow?”

“Déjamos.Gettheeback.Onedoesnotdothatandloveallatthesamemoment.”

“Iwanttogotoholdthelegsofthegunandwhileitspeakslovetheeallinthesamemoment.”

“Thouartcrazy.Gettheebacknow.”

“Iamcrazy,”shesaid.“Ilovethee.”

“Thengettheeback.”

“Good.Igo.Andifthoudostnotloveme,Ilovetheeenoughforboth.”

Helookedatherandsmiledthroughhisthinking.

“Whenyouhearfiring,”hesaid,“comewiththehorses.AidthePilarwithmysacks.Itispossibletherewillbenothing.Ihopeso.”

“Igo,”shesaid.“LookwhatahorsePablorides.”

Thebiggraywasmovingaheadupthetrail.

“Yes.Butgo.”

“Igo.”

Herfist,clenchedtightinhispocket,beathardagainsthisthigh.Helookedatherandsawthereweretearsinhereyes.Shepulledherfistoutofhispocketandputbotharmstightaroundhisneckandkissedhim.

“Igo,”shesaid.“Mevoy.Igo.”

Helookedbackandsawherstandingthere,thefirstmorningsunlightonherbrownfaceandthecropped,tawny,burned-goldhair.Sheliftedherfistathimandturnedandwalkedbackdownthetrail,herheaddown.

Primitivoturnedaroundandlookedafterher.

“Ifshedidnothaveherhaircutsoshortshewouldbeaprettygirl,”hesaid.

“Yes,”RobertJordansaid.Hewasthinkingofsomethingelse.

“Howissheinthebed?”Primitivoasked.

“What?”

“Inthebed.”

“Watchthymouth.”

“Oneshouldnotbeoffendedwhen—”

“Leaveit,”RobertJordansaid.Hewaslookingattheposition.