CHAPTER 33

Itwastwoo’clockinthemorningwhenPilarwakedhim.Asherhandtouchedhimhethought,atfirst,itwasMariaandherolledtowardherandsaid,“Rabbit.”Thenthewoman’sbighandshookhisshoulderandhewassuddenly,completelyandabsolutelyawakeandhishandwasaroundthebuttofthepistolthatlayalongsideofhisbarerightlegandallofhimwasascockedasthepistolwithitssafetycatchslippedoff.

InthedarkhesawitwasPilarandhelookedatthedialofhiswristwatchwiththetwohandsshiningintheshortangleclosetothetopandseeingitwasonlytwo,hesaid,“Whatpasseswiththee,woman?”

“Pabloisgone,”thebigwomansaidtohim.

RobertJordanputonhistrousersandshoes.Mariahadnotwaked.

“When?”heasked.

“Itmustbeanhour.”

“And?”

“Hehastakensomethingofthine,”thewomansaidmiserably.

“So.What?”

“Idonotknow,”shetoldhim.“Comeandsee.”

Inthedarktheywalkedovertotheentranceofthecave,duckedundertheblanketandwentin.RobertJordanfollowedherinthedead-ashes,bad-airandsleeping-mensmellofthecave,shininghiselectrictorchsothathewouldnotsteponanyofthosewhoweresleepingonthefloor.Anselmowokeandsaid,“Isittime?”

“No,”RobertJordanwhispered.“Sleep,oldone.”

ThetwosackswereattheheadofPilar’sbedwhichwasscreenedoffwithahangingblanketfromtherestofthecave.Thebedsmeltstaleandsweat-driedandsickly-sweetthewayanIndian’sbeddoesasRobertJordankneltonitandshonethetorchonthetwosacks.Therewasalongslitfromtoptobottomineachone.Holdingthetorchinhislefthand,RobertJordanfeltinthefirstsackwithhisrighthand.Thiswastheonethathecarriedhisrobeinanditshouldnotbeveryfull.Itwasnotveryfull.Therewassomewireinitstillbutthesquarewoodenboxoftheexploderwasgone.Sowasthecigarboxwiththecarefullywrappedandpackeddetonators.Sowasthescrew-toptinwiththefuseandthecaps.

RobertJordanfeltintheothersack.Itwasstillfullofexplosive.Theremightbeonepacketmissing.

Hestoodupandturnedtothewoman.Thereisahollowemptyfeelingthatamancanhavewhenheiswakedtooearlyinthemorningthatisalmostlikethefeelingofdisasterandhehadthismultipliedathousandtimes.

“Andthisiswhatyoucallguardingone’smaterials,”hesaid.

“Isleptwithmyheadagainstthemandonearmtouchingthem,”Pilartoldhim.

“Yousleptwell.”

“Listen,”thewomansaid.“HegotupinthenightandIsaid,‘Wheredoyougo,Pablo?’‘Tourinate,woman,’hetoldmeandIsleptagain.WhenIwokeagainIdidnotknowwhattimehadpassedbutIthought,whenhewasnotthere,thathehadgonedowntolookatthehorsesaswashiscustom.Then,”shefinishedmiserably,“whenhedidnotcomeIworriedandwhenIworriedIfeltofthesackstobesureallwaswellandthereweretheslitplacesandIcametothee.”

“Comeon,”RobertJordansaid.

Theywereoutsidenowanditwasstillsonearthemiddleofthenightthatyoucouldnotfeelthemorningcoming.

“Canhegetoutwiththehorsesotherwaysthanbythesentry?”

“Twoways.”

“Who’satthetop?”

“Eladio.”

RobertJordansaidnothingmoreuntiltheyreachedthemeadowwherethehorseswerestakedouttofeed.Therewerethreehorsesfeedinginthemeadow.Thebigbayandthegrayweregone.

“Howlongagodoyouthinkitwasheleftyou?”

“Itmusthavebeenanhour.”

“Thenthatisthat,”RobertJordansaid.“Igotogetwhatisleftofmysacksandgobacktobed.”

“Iwillguardthem.”

“Quéva,youwillguardthem.You’veguardedthemoncealready.”

“Inglé,”thewomansaid,“Ifeelinregardtothisasyoudo.ThereisnothingIwouldnotdotobringbackthyproperty.Youhavenoneedtohurtme.WehavebothbeenbetrayedbyPablo.”

AsshesaidthisRobertJordanrealizedthathecouldnotaffordtheluxuryofbeingbitter,thathecouldnotquarrelwiththiswoman.Hehadtoworkwiththiswomanonthatdaythatwasalreadytwohoursandmoregone.

Heputhishandonhershoulder.“Itisnothing,Pilar,”hetoldher.“Whatisgoneisofsmallimportance.Weshallimprovisesomethingthatwilldoaswell.”

“Butwhatdidhetake?”

“Nothing,woman.Someluxuriesthatonepermitsoneself.”

“Wasitpartofthymechanismfortheexploding?”

“Yes.Butthereareotherwaystodotheexploding.Tellme,didPablonothavecapsandfuse?Surelytheywouldhaveequippedhimwiththose?”

“Hehastakenthem,”shesaidmiserably.“Ilookedatonceforthem.Theyaregone,too.”

Theywalkedbackthroughthewoodstotheentranceofthecave.

“Getsomesleep,”hesaid.“WearebetteroffwithPablogone.”

“IgotoseeEladio.”

“Hewillhavegoneanotherway.”

“Igoanyway.Ihavebetrayedtheewithmylackofsmartness.”

“Nay,”hesaid.“Getsomesleep,woman.Wemustbeunderwayatfour.”

Hewentintothecavewithherandbroughtoutthetwosacks,carryingthemheldtogetherinbotharmssothatnothingcouldspillfromtheslits.

“Letmesewthemup.”

“Beforewestart,”hesaidsoftly.“ItakethemnotagainstyoubutsothatIcansleep.”

“Imusthavethemearlytosewthem.”

“Youshallhavethemearly,”hetoldher.“Getsomesleep,woman.”

“Nay,”shesaid.“IhavefailedtheeandIhavefailedtheRepublic.”

“Gettheesomesleep,woman,”hetoldhergently.“Gettheesomesleep.”