CHAPTER 25

RobertJordanlookedupatwherePrimitivostoodnowinhislookoutpost,holdinghisrifleandpointing.Henoddedhisheadbutthemankeptpointing,puttinghishandtohisearandthenpointinginsistentlyandasthoughhecouldnotpossiblyhavebeenunderstood.

“Doyoustaywiththisgunandunlessitissure,sure,surethattheyarecomingindonotfire.Andthennotuntiltheyreachthatshrub,”RobertJordanpointed.“Doyouunderstand?”

“Yes.But—”

“Nobut.Iwillexplaintotheelater.IgotoPrimitivo.”

Anselmowasbyhimandhesaidtotheoldman:

“Viejo,staytherewithAgustínwiththegun.”Hespokeslowlyandunhurriedly.“Hemustnotfireunlesscavalryisactuallyentering.Iftheymerelypresentthemselveshemustletthemaloneaswedidbefore.Ifhemustfire,holdthelegsofthetripodfirmforhimandhandhimthepanswhentheyareempty.”

“Good,”theoldmansaid.“AndLaGranja?”

“Later.”

RobertJordanclimbedup,overandaroundthegraybouldersthatwerewetnowunderhishandsashepulledhimselfup.Thesunwasmeltingthesnowonthemfast.Thetopsofthebouldersweredryingandasheclimbedhelookedacrossthecountryandsawthepinewoodsandthelongopengladeandthedipofthecountrybeforethehighmountainsbeyond.ThenhestoodbesidePrimitivoinahollowbehindtwobouldersandtheshort,brownfacedmansaidtohim,“TheyareattackingSordo.Whatisitthatwedo?”

“Nothing,”RobertJordansaid.

Heheardthefiringclearlyhereandashelookedacrossthecountry,hesaw,faroff,acrossthedistantvalleywherethecountryrosesteeplyagain,atroopofcavalryrideoutofthetimberandcrossthesnowysloperidinguphillinthedirectionofthefiring.Hesawtheoblongdoublelineofmenandhorsesdarkagainstthesnowastheyforcedatanangleupthehill.Hewatchedthedoublelinetoptheridgeandgointothefarthertimber.

“Wehavetoaidthem,”Primitivosaid.Hisvoicewasdryandflat.

“Itisimpossible,”RobertJordantoldhim.“Ihaveexpectedthisallmorning.”

“How?”

“Theywenttostealhorseslastnight.Thesnowstoppedandtheytrackedthemupthere.”

“Butwehavetoaidthem,”Primitivosaid.“Wecannotleavethemalonetothis.Thoseareourcomrades.”

RobertJordanputhishandontheotherman’sshoulder.

“Wecandonothing,”hesaid.“IfwecouldIwoulddoit.”

“Thereisawaytoreachtherefromabove.Wecantakethatwaywiththehorsesandthetwoguns.Thisonebelowandthine.Wecanaidthemthus.”

“Listen—”RobertJordansaid.

“ThatiswhatIlistento,”Primitivosaid.

Thefiringwasrollinginoverlappingwaves.Thentheyheardthenoiseofhandgrenadesheavyandsoddeninthedryrollingoftheautomaticriflefire.

“Theyarelost,”RobertJordansaid.“Theywerelostwhenthesnowstopped.Ifwegotherewearelost,too.Itisimpossibletodividewhatforcewehave.”

TherewasagraystubbleofbeardstippledoverPrimitivo’sjaws,hislipandhisneck.Therestofhisfacewasflatbrownwithabroken,flattenednoseanddeep-setgrayeyes,andwatchinghimRobertJordansawthestubbletwitchingatthecornersofhismouthandoverthecordofhisthroat.

“Listentoit,”hesaid.“Itisamassacre.”

“Iftheyhavesurroundedthehollowitisthat,”RobertJordansaid.“Somemayhavegottenout.”

“Comingonthemnowwecouldtakethemfrombehind,”Primitivosaid.“Letfourofusgowiththehorses.”

“Andthenwhat?Whathappensafteryoutakethemfrombehind?”

“WejoinwithSordo.”

“Todiethere?Lookatthesun.Thedayislong.”

Theskywashighandcloudlessandthesunwashotontheirbacks.Therewerebigbarepatchesnowonthesouthernslopeoftheopengladebelowthemandthesnowwasalldroppedfromthepinetrees.Thebouldersbelowthemthathadbeenwetasthesnowmeltedweresteamingfaintlynowinthehotsun.

“Youhavetostandit,”RobertJordansaid.“Hayqueaguantarse.Therearethingslikethisinawar.”

“Butthereisnothingwecando?Truly?”PrimitivolookedathimandRobertJordanknewhetrustedhim.“Thoucouldstnotsendmeandanotherwiththesmallmachinegun?”

“Itwouldbeuseless,”RobertJordansaid.

Hethoughthesawsomethingthathewaslookingforbutitwasahawkthatsliddownintothewindandthenroseabovethelineofthefarthestpinewoods.“Itwouldbeuselessifweallwent,”hesaid.

Justthenthefiringdoubledinintensityandinitwastheheavybumpingofthehandgrenades.

“Oh,obscenitythem,”Primitivosaidwithanabsolutedevoutnessofblasphemy,tearsinhiseyesandhischeekstwitching.“Oh,GodandtheVirgin,obscenitytheminthemilkoftheirfilth.”

“Calmthyself,”RobertJordansaid.“Youwillbefightingthemsoonenough.Herecomesthewoman.”

Pilarwasclimbinguptothem,makingheavygoingofitintheboulders.

Primitivokeptsaying.“Obscenitythem.Oh,GodandtheVirgin,befoulthem,”eachtimeforfiringrolleddownthewind,andRobertJordanclimbeddowntohelpPilarup.

“Quétal,woman,”hesaid,takingholdofbothherwristsandhoistingassheclimbedheavilyoverthelastboulder.

“Thybinoculars,”shesaidandliftedtheirstrapoverherhead.“SoithascometoSordo?”

“Yes.”

“Pobre,”shesaidincommiseration.“PoorSordo.”

ShewasbreathingheavilyfromtheclimbandshetookholdofRobertJordan’shandandgrippedittightinhersasshelookedoutoverthecountry.

“Howdoesthecombatseem?”

“Bad.Verybad.”

“He’sjodido?”

“Ibelieveso.”

“Pobre,”shesaid.“Doubtlessbecauseofthehorses?”

“Probably.”

“Pobre,”Pilarsaid.Then,“Rafaelrecountedmeallofanentirenovelofdungaboutcavalry.Whatcame?”

“Apatrolandpartofasquadron.”

“Uptowhatpoint?”

RobertJordanpointedoutwherethepatrolhadstoppedandshowedherwherethegunwashidden.FromwheretheystoodtheycouldjustseeoneofAgustín’sbootsprotrudingfromtherearoftheblind.

“Thegypsysaidtheyrodetowherethegunmuzzlepressedagainstthechestofthehorseoftheleader,”Pilarsaid.“Whatarace!Thyglasseswereinthecave.”

“Haveyoupacked?”

“Allthatcanbetaken.IstherenewsofPablo?”

“Hewasfortyminutesaheadofthecavalry.Theytookhistrail.”

Pilargrinnedathim.Shestillheldhishand.Nowshedroppedit.“They’llneverseehim,”shesaid.“NowforSordo.Canwedoanything?”

“Nothing.”

“Pobre,”shesaid.“IwasfondofSordo.Thouartsure,surethatheisjodido?”

“Yes.Ihaveseenmuchcavalry.”

“Morethanwerehere?”

“Anotherfulltroopontheirwayupthere.”

“Listentoit,”Pilarsaid.“Pobre,pobreSordo.”

Theylistenedtothefiring.

“Primitivowantedtogoupthere,”RobertJordansaid.

“Artthoucrazy?”Pilarsaidtotheflat-facedman.“Whatkindoflocosareweproducinghere?”

“Iwishtoaidthem.”

“Quéva,”Pilarsaid.“Anotherromantic.Dostthounotbelievethouwiltdiequickenoughherewithoutuselessvoyages?”

RobertJordanlookedather,attheheavybrownfacewiththehighIndiancheekbones,thewide-setdarkeyesandthelaughingmouthwiththeheavy,bitterupperlip.

“Thoumustactlikeaman,”shesaidtoPrimitivo.“Agrownman.Youwithyourgrayhairsandall.”

“Don’tjokeatme,”Primitivosaidsullenly.“Ifamanhasalittleheartandalittleimagination—”

“Heshouldlearntocontrolthem,”Pilarsaid.“Thouwiltdiesoonenoughwithus.Thereisnoneedtoseekthatwithstrangers.Asforthyimagination.Thegypsyhasenoughforall.Whatanovelhetoldme.”

“Ifthouhadstseenitthouwouldstnotcallitanovel,”Primitivosaid.“Therewasamomentofgreatgravity.”

“Quéva,”Pilarsaid.“Somecavalryrodehereandtheyrodeaway.Andyouallmakeyourselvesaheroism.Itistothiswehavecomewithsomuchinaction.”

“AndthisofSordoisnotgrave?”Primitivosaidcontemptuouslynow.HesufferedvisiblyeachtimethefiringcamedownthewindandhewantedeithertogotothecombatorhavePilargoandleavehimalone.

“Total,qué?”Pilarsaid.“Ithascomesoithascome.Don’tlosethycojonesforthemisfortuneofanother.”

“Godefilethyself,”Primitivosaid.“Therearewomenofastupidityandbrutalitythatisinsupportable.”

“Inordertosupportandaidthosemenpoorlyequippedforprocreation,”Pilarsaid,“ifthereisnothingtoseeIamgoing.”

JustthenRobertJordanheardtheplanehighoverhead.Helookedupandinthehighskyitlookedtobethesameobservationplanethathehadseenearlierinthemorning.NowitwasreturningfromthedirectionofthelinesanditwasmovinginthedirectionofthehighcountrywhereElSordowasbeingattacked.

“Thereisthebadluckbird,”Pilarsaid.“Willitseewhatgoesonthere?”

“Surely,”RobertJordansaid.“Iftheyarenotblind.”

Theywatchedtheplanemovinghighandsilveryandsteadyinthesunlight.Itwascomingfromtheleftandtheycouldseetherounddisksoflightthetwopropellersmade.

“Keepdown,”RobertJordansaid.

Thentheplanewasoverhead,itsshadowspassingovertheopenglade,thethrobbingreachingitsmaximumofportent.Thenitwaspastandheadedtowardthetopofthevalley.Theywatcheditgosteadilyonitscourseuntilitwasjustoutofsightandthentheysawitcomingbackinawidedippingcircle,tocircletwiceoverthehighcountryandthendisappearinthedirectionofSegovia.

RobertJordanlookedatPilar.Therewasperspirationonherforeheadandsheshookherhead:Shehadbeenholdingherlowerlipbetweenherteeth.

“Foreachonethereissomething,”shesaid.“Formeitisthose.”

“Thouhastnotcaughtmyfear?”Primitivosaidsarcastically.

“Nay,”sheputherhandonhisshoulder.“Thouhastnofeartocatch.Iknowthat.IamsorryIjokedtooroughlywiththee.Weareallinthesamecaldron.”ThenshespoketoRobertJordan.“Iwillsendupfoodandwine.Dostneedanythingmore?”

“Notinthismoment.Wherearetheothers?”

“Thyreserveisintactbelowwiththehorses,”shegrinned.“Everythingisoutofsight.Everythingtogoisready.Mariaiswiththymaterial.”

“Ifbyanychanceweshouldhaveaviationkeepherinthecave.”

“Yes,myLordInglés,”Pilarsaid.“Thygypsy(Igivehimtothee)Ihavesenttogathermushroomstocookwiththehares.Therearemanymushroomsnowanditseemedtomewemightaswelleattheharesalthoughtheywouldbebettertomorroworthedayafter.”

“Ithinkitisbesttoeatthem,”RobertJordansaid,andPilarputherbighandonhisshoulderwherethestrapofthesubmachineguncrossedhischest,thenreachedupandmussedhishairwithherfingers.“WhatanInglés,”Pilarsaid.“IwillsendtheMariawiththepucherowhentheyarecooked.”

Thefiringfromfarawayandabovehadalmostdiedoutandnowtherewasonlyanoccasionalshot.

“Youthinkitisover?”Pilarasked.

“No,”RobertJordansaid.“Fromthesoundthatwehaveheardtheyhaveattackedandbeenbeatenoff.NowIwouldsaytheattackershavethemsurrounded.Theyhavetakencoverandtheywaitfortheplanes.”

PilarspoketoPrimitivo,“Thou.Dostunderstandtherewasnointenttoinsultthee?”

“Yalosé,”saidPrimitivo.“Ihaveputupwithworsethanthatfromthee.Thouhastaviletongue.Butwatchthymouth,woman.Sordowasagoodcomradeofmine.”

“Andnotofmine?”Pilaraskedhim.“Listen,flatface.Inwaronecannotsaywhatonefeels.WehaveenoughofourownwithouttakingSordo’s.”

Primitivowasstillsullen.

“Youshouldtakeaphysic,”Pilartoldhim.“NowIgotopreparethemeal.”

“Didyoubringthedocumentationoftherequet?”RobertJordanaskedher.

“HowstupidIam,”shesaid.“Iforgotit.IwillsendtheMaria.”