CHAPTER 32

OnthatsamenightinMadridthereweremanypeopleattheHotelGaylord.Acarpulledupundertheporte-cochereofthehotel,itsheadlightspaintedoverwithbluecalcimineandalittlemaninblackridingboots,grayridingbreechesandashort,grayhigh-buttonedjacketsteppedoutandreturnedthesaluteofthetwosentriesasheopenedthedoor,noddedtothesecretpolicemanwhosatattheconcierge’sdeskandsteppedintotheelevator.Thereweretwosentriesseatedonchairsinsidethedoor,oneoneachsideofthemarbleentrancehall,andtheseonlylookedupasthelittlemanpassedthematthedooroftheelevator.Itwastheirbusinesstofeeleveryonetheydidnotknowalongtheflanks,underthearmpits,andoverthehippocketstoseeifthepersonenteringcarriedapistoland,ifhedid,havehimcheckitwiththeconcierge.Buttheyknewtheshortmaninridingbootsverywellandtheyhardlylookedupashepassed.

TheapartmentwherehelivedinGaylord’swascrowdedasheentered.Peopleweresittingandstandingaboutandtalkingtogetherasinanydrawingroomandthemenandthewomenweredrinkingvodka,whiskeyandsoda,andbeerfromsmallglassesfilledfromgreatpitchers.Fourofthemenwereinuniform.Theothersworewindbreakersorleatherjacketsandthreeofthefourwomenweredressedinordinarystreetdresseswhilethefourth,whowashaggardlythinanddark,woreasortofseverelycutmilitiawoman’suniformwithaskirtwithhighbootsunderit.

Whenhecameintotheroom,Karkovwentatoncetothewomanintheuniformandbowedtoherandshookhands.ShewashiswifeandhesaidsomethingtoherinRussianthatnoonecouldhearandforamomenttheinsolencethathadbeeninhiseyesasheenteredtheroomwasgone.Thenitlightedagainashesawthemahoganycoloredheadandthelove-lazyfaceofthewell-constructedgirlwhowashismistressandhestrodewithshort,precisestepsovertoherandbowedandshookherhandinsuchawaythatnoonecouldtellitwasnotamimicryofhisgreetingtohiswife.Hiswifehadnotlookedafterhimashewalkedacrosstheroom.Shewasstandingwithatall,good-lookingSpanishofficerandtheyweretalkingRussiannow.

“Yourgreatloveisgettingalittlefat,”Karkovwassayingtothegirl.“Allofourheroesarefatteningnowasweapproachthesecondyear.”Hedidnotlookatthemanhewasspeakingof.

“Youaresouglyyouwouldbejealousofatoad,”thegirltoldhimcheerfully.ShespokeinGerman.“CanIgowiththeetotheoffensivetomorrow?”

“No.Noristhereone.”

“Everyoneknowsaboutit,”thegirlsaid.“Don’tbesomysterious.Doloresisgoing.IwillgowithherorCarmen.Manypeoplearegoing.”

“Gowithwhoeverwilltakeyou,”Karkovsaid.“Iwillnot.”

Thenheturnedtothegirlandaskedseriously,“Whotoldtheeofit?Beexact.”

“Richard,”shesaidasseriously.

Karkovshruggedhisshouldersandleftherstanding.

“Karkov,”amanofmiddleheightwithagray,heavy,saggingface,puffedeyepouchesandapendulousunder-lipcalledtohiminadyspepticvoice.“Haveyouheardthegoodnews?”

Karkovwentovertohimandthemansaid,“Ionlyhaveitnow.Nottenminutesago.Itiswonderful.AlldaythefascistshavebeenfightingamongthemselvesnearSegovia.Theyhavebeenforcedtoquellthemutinieswithautomaticrifleandmachine-gunfire.Intheafternoontheywerebombingtheirowntroopswithplanes.”

“Yes?”askedKarkov.

“Thatistrue,”thepuffy-eyedmansaid.“Doloresbroughtthenewsherself.ShewasherewiththenewsandwasinsuchastateofradiantexultationasIhaveneverseen.Thetruthofthenewsshonefromherface.Thatgreatface——”hesaidhappily.

“Thatgreatface,”Karkovsaidwithnotoneinhisvoiceatall.

“Ifyoucouldhaveheardher,”thepuffy-eyedmansaid.“Thenewsitselfshonefromherwithalightthatwasnotofthisworld.Inhervoiceyoucouldtellthetruthofwhatshesaid.IamputtingitinanarticleforIzvestia.ItwasoneofthegreatestmomentsofthewartomewhenIheardthereportinthatgreatvoicewherepity,compassionandtruthareblended.Goodnessandtruthshinefromherasfromatruesaintofthepeople.NotfornothingisshecalledLaPasionaria.”

“Notfornothing,”Karkovsaidinadullvoice.“YoubetterwriteitforIzvestianow,beforeyouforgetthatlastbeautifullead.”

“Thatisawomanthatisnottojokeabout.Notevenbyacyniclikeyou,”thepuffyeyedmansaid.“Ifyoucouldhavebeenheretohearherandtoseeherface.”

“Thatgreatvoice,”Karkovsaid.“Thatgreatface.Writeit,”hesaid.“Don’ttellittome.Don’twastewholeparagraphsonme.Goandwriteitnow.”

“Notjustnow.”

“Ithinkyou’dbetter,”Karkovsaidandlookedathim,andthenlookedaway.Thepuffy-eyedmanstoodthereacoupleofminutesmoreholdinghisglassofvodka,hiseyes,puffyastheywere,absorbedinthebeautyofwhathehadseenandheardandthenhelefttheroomtowriteit.

Karkovwentovertoanothermanofaboutforty-eight,whowasshort,chunky,jovial-lookingwithpaleblueeyes,thinningblondhairandagaymouthunderabristlyyellowmoustache.Thismanwasinuniform.HewasadivisionalcommanderandhewasaHungarian.

“WereyouherewhentheDoloreswashere?”Karkovaskedtheman.

“Yes.”

“Whatwasthestuff?”

“Somethingaboutthefascistsfightingamongthemselves.Beautifuliftrue.”

“Youhearmuchtalkoftomorrow.”

“Scandalous.AllthejournalistsshouldbeshotaswellasmostofthepeopleinthisroomandcertainlytheintriguingGermanunmentionableofaRichard.WhoevergavethatSundayfügglercommandofabrigadeshouldbeshot.Perhapsyouandmeshouldbeshottoo.Itispossible,”theGenerallaughed.“Don’tsuggestitthough.”

“ThatisathingIneverliketotalkabout,”Karkovsaid.“ThatAmericanwhocomesheresometimesisoverthere.Youknowtheone,Jordan,whoiswiththepartizangroup.Heistherewherethisbusinesstheyspokeofissupposedtohappen.”

“Well,heshouldhaveareportthroughonittonightthen,”theGeneralsaid.“Theydon’tlikemedownthereorI’dgodownandfindoutforyou.HeworkswithGolzonthis,doesn’the?You’llseeGolztomorrow.”

“Earlytomorrow.”

“Keepoutofhiswayuntilit’sgoingwell,”theGeneralsaid.“HehatesyoubastardsasmuchasIdo.Thoughhehasamuchbettertemper.”

“Butaboutthis——”

“Itwasprobablythefascistshavingmanoeuvres,”theGeneralgrinned.“Well,we’llseeifGolzcanmanceuvrethemalittle.LetGolztryhishandatit.WemanoeuvredthematGuadalajara.”

“Ihearyouaretravellingtoo,”Karkovsaid,showinghisbadteethashesmiled.TheGeneralwassuddenlyangry.

“Andmetoo.Nowisthemouthonme.Andonallofusalways.Thisfilthysewingcircleofgossip.Onemanwhocouldkeephismouthshutcouldsavethecountryifhebelievedhecould.”

“YourfriendPrietocankeephismouthshut.”

“Buthedoesn’tbelievehecanwin.Howcanyouwinwithoutbeliefinthepeople?”

“Youdecidethat,”Karkovsaid.“Iamgoingtogetalittlesleep.”

Heleftthesmoky,gossip-filledroomandwentintothebackbedroomandsatdownonthebedandpulledhisbootsoff.Hecouldstillhearthemtalkingsoheshutthedoorandopenedthewindow.Hedidnotbothertoundressbecauseattwoo’clockhewouldbestartingforthedrivebyColmenar,Cerceda,andNavacerradauptothefrontwhereGolzwouldbeattackinginthemorning.