CHAPTER 24

NowthemorningwaslateMay,theskywashighandclearandthewindblewwarmonRobertJordan’sshoulders.Thesnowwasgoingfastandtheywereeatingbreakfast.Thereweretwobigsandwichesofmeatandthegoatycheeseapiece,andRobertJordanhadcutthickslicesofonionwithhisclaspknifeandputthemoneachsideofthemeatandcheesebetweenthechunksofbread.

“Youwillhaveabreaththatwillcarrythroughtheforesttothefascists,”Agustínsaid,hisownmouthfull.

“GivemethewineskinandIwillrinsethemouth,”RobertJordansaid,hismouthfullofmeat,cheese,onionandchewedbread.

Hehadneverbeenhungrierandhefilledhismouthwithwine,faintlytarry-tastingfromtheleatherbag,andswallowed.Thenhetookanotherbigmouthfulofwine,liftingthebaguptoletthejetofwinespurtintothebackofhismouth,thewineskintouchingtheneedlesoftheblindofpinebranchesthatcoveredtheautomaticrifleasheliftedhishand,hisheadleaningagainstthepinebranchesashebentitbacktoletthewinerundown.

“Dostthouwantthisothersandwich?”Agustínaskedhim,handingittowardhimacrossthegun.

“No.Thankyou.Eatit.”

“Icannot.Iamnotaccustomedtoeatinthemorning.”

“Youdonotwantit,truly?”

“Nay.Takeit.”

RobertJordantookitandlaiditonhislapwhilehegottheonionoutofhissidejacketpocketwherethegrenadeswereandopenedhisknifetosliceit.Hecutoffathinsliverofthesurfacethathaddirtiedinhispocket,thencutathickslice.Anoutersegmentfellandhepickeditupandbentthecircletogetherandputitintothesandwich.

“Eatestthoualwaysonionsforbreakfast?”Agustínasked.

“Whenthereareany.”

“Doallinthycountrydothis?”

“Nay,”RobertJordansaid.“Itislookedonbadlythere.”

“Iamglad,”Agustínsaid.“IhadalwaysconsideredAmericaacivilizedcountry.”

“Whathastthouagainsttheonion?”

“Theodor.Nothingmore.Otherwiseitisliketherose.”

RobertJordangrinnedathimwithhismouthfull.

“Liketherose,”hesaid.“Mightyliketherose.Aroseisaroseisanonion.”

“Thyonionsareaffectingthybrain,”Agustínsaid.“Takecare.”

“Anonionisanonionisanonion,”RobertJordansaidcheerilyand,hethought,astoneisasteinisarockisaboulderisapebble.

“Rinsethymouthwithwine,”Agustínsaid.“Thouartveryrare,Inglés.Thereisgreatdifferencebetweentheeandthelastdynamiterwhoworkedwithus.”

“Thereisonegreatdifference.”

“Tellittome.”

“Iamaliveandheisdead,”RobertJordansaid.Then:what’sthematterwithyou?hethought.Isthatthewaytotalk?Doesfoodmakeyouthatslaphappy?Whatareyou,drunkononions?Isthatallitmeanstoyou,now?Itnevermeantmuch,hetoldhimselftruly.Youtriedtomakeitmeansomething,butitneverdid.Thereisnoneedtolieinthetimethatisleft.

“No,”hesaid,seriouslynow.“Thatonewasamanwhohadsufferedgreatly.”

“Andthou?Hastthounotsuffered?”

“No,”saidRobertJordan.“Iamofthosewhosufferlittle.”

“Mealso,”Agustíntoldhim.“Therearethosewhosufferandthosewhodonot.Isufferverylittle.”

“Lessbad,”RobertJordantippedupthewineskinagain.“Andwiththis,less.”

“Isufferforothers.”

“Asallgoodmenshould.”

“Butformyselfverylittle.”

“Hastthouawife?”

“No.”

“Meneither.”

“ButnowyouhavetheMaria.”

“Yes.”

“Thereisararething,”Agustínsaid.“SinceshecametousatthetrainthePilarhaskeptherawayfromallasfiercelyasthoughshewereinaconventofCarmelites.Youcannotimaginewithwhatfiercenesssheguardedher.Youcome,andshegiveshertotheeasapresent.Howdoesthatseemtothee?”

“Itwasnotthus.”

“Howwasit,then?”

“Shehasputherinmycare.”

“Andthycareistojoderwithherallnight?”

“Withluck.”

“Whatamannertocareforone.”

“Youdonotunderstandthatonecantakegoodcareofonethus?”

“Yes,butsuchcarecouldhavebeenfurnishedbyanyoneofus.”

“Letusnottalkofitanymore,”RobertJordansaid.“Icareforherseriously.”

“Seriously?”

“Astherecanbenothingmoreseriousinthisworld.”

“Andafterwards?Afterthisofthebridge?”

“Shegoeswithme.”

“Then,”Agustínsaid.“Thatnoonespeaksofitfurtherandthatthetwoofyougowithallluck.”

Heliftedtheleatherwinebagandtookalongpull,thenhandedittoRobertJordan.

“Onethingmore,Inglés,”hesaid.

“Ofcourse.”

“Ihavecaredmuchforher,too.”

RobertJordanputhishandonhisshoulder.

“Much,”Agustínsaid.“Much.Morethanoneisabletoimagine.”

“Icanimagine.”

“Shehasmadeanimpressiononmethatdoesnotdissipate.”

“Icanimagine.”

“Look.Isaythistotheeinallseriousness.”

“Sayit.”

“IhavenevertouchedhernorhadanythingtodowithherbutIcareforhergreatly.Inglés,donottreatherlightly.Becauseshesleepswiththeesheisnowhore.”

“Iwillcareforher.”

“Ibelievethee.Butmore.Youdonotunderstandhowsuchagirlwouldbeiftherehadbeennorevolution.Youhavemuchresponsibility.Thisone,truly,hassufferedmuch.Sheisnotasweare.”

“Iwillmarryher.”

“Nay.Notthat.Thereisnoneedforthatundertherevolution.But——”henoddedhishead——”itwouldbebetter.”

“Iwillmarryher,”RobertJordansaidandcouldfeelhisthroatswellingashesaidit.“Icareforhergreatly.”

“Later,”Agustínsaid.“Whenitisconvenient.Theimportantthingistohavetheintention.”

“Ihaveit.”

“Listen,”Agustínsaid.“IamspeakingtoomuchofamatterinwhichIhavenorighttointervene,buthastthouknownmanygirlsofthiscountry?”

“Afew.”

“Whores?”

“Somewhowerenot.”

“Howmany?”

“Several.”

“Anddidyousleepwiththem?”

“No.”

“Yousee?”

“Yes.”

“WhatImeanisthatthisMariadoesnotdothislightly.”

“NorI.”

“IfIthoughtyoudidIwouldhaveshotyoulastnightasyoulaywithher.Forthiswekillmuchhere.”

“Listen,oldone,”RobertJordansaid.“Itisbecauseofthelackoftimethattherehasbeeninformality.Whatwedonothaveistime.Tomorrowwemustfight.Tomethatisnothing.ButfortheMariaandmeitmeansthatwemustliveallofourlifeinthistime.”

“Andadayandanightislittletime,”Agustínsaid.

“Yes.Buttherehasbeenyesterdayandthenightbeforeandlastnight.”

“Look,”Agustínsaid.“IfIcanaidthee.”

“No.Weareallright.”

“IfIcoulddoanythingfortheeorforthecroppedhead——”

“No.”

“Truly,thereislittleonemancandoforanother.”

“No.Thereismuch.”

“What?”

“Nomatterwhatpassestodayandtomorrowinrespecttocombat,givemethyconfidenceandobeyeventhoughtheordersmayappearwrong.”

“Youhavemyconfidence.Sincethisofthecavalryandthesendingawayofthehorse.”

“Thatwasnothing.Youseethatweareworkingforonething.Towinthewar.Unlesswewin,allotherthingsarefutile.Tomorrowwehaveathingofgreatimportance.Oftrueimportance.Alsowewillhavecombat.Incombattheremustbediscipline.Formanythingsarenotastheyappear.Disciplinemustcomefromtrustandconfidence.”

Agustínspatontheground.

“TheMariaandallsuchthingsareapart,”hesaid.“ThatyouandtheMariashouldmakeuseofwhattimethereisastwohumanbeings.IfIcanaidtheeIamatthyorders.ButforthethingoftomorrowIwillobeytheeblindly.Ifitisnecessarythatoneshoulddieforthethingoftomorrowonegoesgladlyandwiththeheartlight.”

“ThusdoIfeel,”RobertJordansaid.“Buttohearitfromtheebringspleasure.”

“Andmore,”Agustínsaid.“Thatoneabove,”hepointedtowardPrimitivo,“isadependablevalue.ThePilarismuch,muchmorethanthoucanstimagine.TheoldmanAnselmo,also.Andrésalso.Eladioalso.Veryquiet,butadependableelement.AndFernando.Idonotknowhowthouhastappreciatedhim.Itistrueheisheavierthanmercury.Heisfullerofboredomthanasteerdrawingacartonthehighroad.Buttofightandtodoasheistold.Esmuyhombre!Thouwiltsee.”

“Wearelucky.”

“No.Wehavetwoweakelements.ThegypsyandPablo.ButthebandofSordoareasmuchbetterthanweareaswearebetterthangoatmanure.”

“Alliswellthen.”

“Yes,”Agustínsaid.“ButIwishitwasfortoday.”

“Me,too.Tofinishwithit.Butitisnot.”

“Doyouthinkitwillbebad?”

“Itcanbe.”

“Butthouareverycheerfulnow,Inglés.”

“Yes.”

“Mealso.InspiteofthisoftheMariaandall.”

“Doyouknowwhy?”

“No.”

“Meneither.Perhapsitistheday.Thedayisgood.”

“Whoknows?Perhapsitisthatwewillhaveaction.”

“Ithinkitisthat,”RobertJordansaid.“Butnottoday.Ofallthings;ofallimportancewemustavoidittoday.”

Ashespokeheheardsomething.Itwasanoisefaroffthatcameabovethesoundofthewarmwindinthetrees.Hecouldnotbesureandheheldhismouthopenandlistened,glancingupatPrimitivoashedidso.Hethoughthehearditbutthenitwasgone.ThewindwasblowinginthepinesandnowRobertJordanstrainedallofhimselftolisten.Thenhehearditfaintlycomingdownthewind.

“Itisnothingtragicwithme,”heheardAgustínsay.“ThatIshouldneverhavetheMariaisnothing.Iwillgowiththewhoresasalways.”

“Shutup,”hesaid,notlistening,andlyingbesidehim,hisheadhavingbeenturnedaway.Agustínlookedoverathimsuddenly.

“Quépasa?”heasked.

RobertJordanputhishandoverhisownmouthandwentonlistening.Thereitcameagain.Itcamefaint,muted,dryandfaraway.Buttherewasnomistakingitnow.Itwastheprecise,crackling,curlingrollofautomaticriflefire.Itsoundedasthoughpackafterpackofminiaturefirecrackersweregoingoffatadistancethatwasalmostoutofhearing.

RobertJordanlookedupatPrimitivowhohadhisheadupnow,hisfacelookingtowardthem,hishandcuppedtohisear.AshelookedPrimitivopointedupthemountaintowardthehighestcountry.

“TheyarefightingatElSordo’s,”RobertJordansaid.

“Thenletusgotoaidthem,”Agustínsaid.“Collectthepeople.Vamonos.”

“No,”RobertJordansaid.“Westayhere.”