CHAPTER 36

Andréshadchallengedatthegovernmentposition.Thatis,hehadlaindownwherethegroundfellsharplyawaybelowthetriplebeltofwireandshoutedupattherockandearthparapet.Therewasnocontinualdefensivelineandhecouldeasilyhavepassedthispositioninthedarkandmadehiswayfartherintothegovernmentterritorybeforerunningintosomeonewhowouldchallengehim.Butitseemedsaferandsimplertogetitoverhere.

“Salud!”hehadshouted.“Salud,milicianos!”

Heheardaboltsnickasitwaspulledback.Then,fromfartherdowntheparapet,ariflefired.Therewasacrashingcrackandadownwardstabofyellowinthedark.Andréshadflattenedattheclick,thetopofhisheadhardagainsttheground.

“Don’tshoot,Comrades,”Andrésshouted.“Don’tshoot!Iwanttocomein.”

“Howmanyareyou?”someonecalledfrombehindtheparapet.

“One.Me.Alone.”

“Whoareyou?”

“AndrésLopezofVillaconejos.FromthebandofPablo.Withamessage.”

“Haveyouyourrifleandequipment?”

“Yes,man.”

“Wecantakeinnonewithoutrifleandequipment,”thevoicesaid.“Norinlargergroupsthanthree.”

“Iamalone,”Andrésshouted.“Itisimportant.Letmecomein.”

Hecouldhearthemtalkingbehindtheparapetbutnotwhattheyweresaying.Thenthevoiceshoutedagain,“Howmanyareyou?”

“One.Me.Alone.FortheloveofGod.”

Theyweretalkingbehindtheparapetagain.Thenthevoicecame,“Listen,fascist.”

“Iamnotafascist,”Andrésshouted.“IamaguerrillerofromthebandofPablo.IcomewithamessagefortheGeneralStaff.”

“He’scrazy,”heheardsomeonesay.“Tossabombathim.”

“Listen,”Andréssaid.“Iamalone.Iamcompletelybymyself.IobscenityinthemidstoftheholymysteriesthatIamalone.Letmecomein.”

“HespeakslikeaChristian,”heheardsomeonesayandlaugh.

Thensomeoneelsesaid,“Thebestthingistotossabombdownonhim.”

“No,”Andrésshouted.“Thatwouldbeagreatmistake.Thisisimportant.Letmecomein.”

Itwasforthisreasonthathehadneverenjoyedtripsbackandforthbetweenthelines.Sometimesitwasbetterthanothers.Butitwasnevergood.

“Youarealone?”thevoicecalleddownagain.

“Mecagoenlaleche,”Andrésshouted.“HowmanytimesmustItellthee?IAMALONE.”

“Thenifyoushouldbealonestandupandholdthyrifleoverthyhead.”

Andrésstoodupandputthecarbineabovehishead,holdingitinbothhands.

“Nowcomethroughthewire.Wehavetheecoveredwiththemáquina,”thevoicecalled.

Andréswasinthefirstzigzagbeltofwire.“Ineedmyhandstogetthroughthewire,”heshouted.

“Keepthemup,”thevoicecommanded.

“Iamheldfastbythewire,”Andréscalled.

“Itwouldhavebeensimplertohavethrownabombathim,”avoicesaid.

“Lethimslinghisrifle,”anothervoicesaid.“Hecannotcomethroughtherewithhishandsabovehishead.Usealittlereason.”

“Allthesefascistsarethesame,”theothervoicesaid.“Theydemandoneconditionafteranother.”

“Listen,”Andrésshouted.“IamnofascistbutaguerrillerofromthebandofPablo.We’vekilledmorefasciststhanthetyphus.”

“IhaveneverheardofthebandofPablo,”themanwhowasevidentlyincommandofthepostsaid.“NeitherofPeternorofPaulnorofanyoftheothersaintsnorapostles.Noroftheirbands.Slingthyrifleoverthyshoulderandusethyhandstocomethroughthewire.”

“Beforeweloosethemáquinaonthee,”anothershouted.

“Quépocoamablessois!”Andréssaid.“You’renotveryamiable.”

Hewasworkinghiswaythroughthewire.

“Amables,”someoneshoutedathim.“Weareinawar,man.”

“Itbeginstoappearso,”Andréssaid.

“What’shesay?”

Andrésheardaboltclickagain.

“Nothing,”heshouted.“Isaynothing.DonotshootuntilIgetthroughthisfornicatingwire.”

“Don’tspeakbadlyofourwire,”someoneshouted.“Orwe’lltossabombonyou.”

“Quierodecir,québuenaalambrada,”Andrésshouted.“Whatbeautifulwire.Godinalatrine.Whatlovelywire.SoonIwillbewiththee,brothers.”

“Throwabombathim,”heheardtheonevoicesay.“Itellyouthat’sthesoundestwaytodealwiththewholething.”

“Brothers,”Andréssaid.Hewaswetthroughwithsweatandheknewthebombadvocatewasperfectlycapableoftossingagrenadeatanymoment.“Ihavenoimportance.”

“Ibelieveit,”thebombmansaid.

“Youareright,”Andréssaid.Hewasworkingcarefullythroughthethirdbeltofwireandhewasveryclosetotheparapet.“Ihavenoimportanceofanykind.Buttheaffairisserious.Muy,muyserio.”

“Thereisnomoreseriousthingthanliberty,”thebombmanshouted.“Thouthinkestthereisanythingmoreseriousthanliberty?”heaskedchallengingly.

“No,man,”Andréssaid,relieved.Heknewnowhewasupagainstthecrazies;theoneswiththeblack-and-redscarves.“VivalaLibertad!”

“VivalaF.A.I.VivalaC.N.T.,”theyshoutedbackathimfromtheparapet.“Vivaelanarco-sindicalismoandliberty.”

“Vivanosotros,”Andrésshouted.“Longlifetous.”

“Heisacoreligionaryofours,”thebombmansaid.“AndImighthavekilledhimwiththis.”

HelookedatthegrenadeinhishandandwasdeeplymovedasAndrésclimbedovertheparapet.Puttinghisarmsaroundhim,thegrenadestillinonehand,sothatitrestedagainstAndrés‘sshoulderbladeasheembracedhim,thebombmankissedhimonbothcheeks.

“Iamcontentthatnothinghappenedtothee,brother,”hesaid.“Iamverycontent.”

“Whereisthyofficer?”Andrésasked.

“Icommandhere,”amansaid.“Letmeseethypapers.”

Hetookthemintoadugoutandlookedatthemwiththelightofacandle.TherewasthelittlesquareoffoldedsilkwiththecolorsoftheRepublicandthesealoftheS.I.M.inthecenter.TherewastheSalvoconductoorsafe-conductpassgivinghisname,age,height,birthplaceandmissionthatRobertJordanhadwrittenoutonasheetfromhisnotebookandsealedwiththeS.I.M.rubberstampandtherewerethefourfoldedsheetsofthedispatchtoGolzwhichweretiedaroundwithacordandsealedwithwaxandtheimpressionofthemetalS.I.M.sealthatwassetinthetopendofthewoodenhandleoftherubberstamp.

“ThisIhaveseen,”themanincommandofthepostsaidandhandedbackthepieceofsilk.“Thisyouallhave,Iknow.Butitspossessionprovesnothingwithoutthis.”HeliftedtheSalvoconductoandreaditthroughagain.“Wherewereyouborn?”

“Villaconejos,”Andréssaid.

“Andwhatdotheyraisethere?”

“Melons,”Andréssaid.“Asalltheworldknows.”

“Whodoyouknowthere?”

“Why?Areyoufromthere?”

“Nay.ButIhavebeenthere.IamfromAranjuez.”

“Askmeaboutanyone.”

“DescribeJoséRincon.”

“Whokeepsthebodega?”

“Naturally.”

“Withashavedheadandabigbellyandacastinoneeye.”

“Thenthisisvalid,”themansaidandhandedhimbackthepaper.“Butwhatdoyoudoontheirside?”

“OurfatherhadinstalledhimselfatVillacastínbeforethemovement,”Andréssaid.“Downtherebeyondthemountainsontheplain.Itwasthereweweresurprisedbythemovement.SincethemovementIhavefoughtwiththebandofPablo.ButIaminagreathurry,man,totakethatdispatch.”

“Howgoesitinthecountryofthefascists?”themancommandingasked.Hewasinnohurry.

“Todaywehadmuchtomate,”Andréssaidproudly.“Todaytherewasplentyofdustontheroadallday.TodaytheywipedoutthebandofSordo.”

“AndwhoisSordo?”theotheraskeddeprecatingly.

“Theleaderofoneofthebestbandsinthemountains.”

“AllofyoushouldcomeintotheRepublicandjointhearmy,”theofficersaid.“Thereistoomuchofthissillyguerillanonsensegoingon.AllofyoushouldcomeinandsubmittoourLibertariandiscipline.Thenwhenwewishedtosendoutguerillaswewouldsendthemoutastheyareneeded.”

Andréswasamanendowedwithalmostsupremepatience.Hehadtakenthecominginthroughthewirecalmly.Noneofthisexaminationhadflusteredhim.Hefounditperfectlynormalthatthismanshouldhavenounderstandingofthemnorofwhattheyweredoingandthatheshouldtalkidiocywastobeexpected.Thatitshouldallgoslowlyshouldbeexpectedtoo;butnowhewishedtogo.

“Listen,Compadre,”hesaid.“Itisverypossiblethatyouareright.ButIhaveorderstodeliverthatdispatchtotheGeneralcommandingtheThirty-FifthDivision,whichmakesanattackatdaylightinthesehillsanditisalreadylateatnightandImustgo.”

“Whatattack?Whatdoyouknowofanattack?”

“Nay.Iknownothing.ButImustgonowtoNavacerradaandgoonfromthere.Wiltthousendmetothycommanderwhowillgivemetransporttogoonfromthere?Sendonewithmenowtorespondtohimthattherebenodelay.”

“Idistrustallofthisgreatly,”hesaid.“Itmighthavebeenbettertohaveshottheeasthouapproachedthewire.”

“Youhaveseenmypapers,Comrade,andIhaveexplainedmymission,”Andréstoldhimpatiently.

“Paperscanbeforged,”theofficersaid.“Anyfascistcouldinventsuchamission.IwillgowiththeemyselftotheCommander.”

“Good,”Andréssaid.“Thatyoushouldcome.Butthatweshouldgoquickly.”

“Thou,Sanchez.Thoucommandestinmyplace,”theofficersaid.“ThouknowestthydutiesaswellasIdo.Itakethisso-calledComradetotheCommander.”

TheystarteddowntheshallowtrenchbehindthecrestofthehillandinthedarkAndréssmeltthefoulnessthedefendersofthehillcresthadmadeallthroughthebrackenonthatslope.Hedidnotlikethesepeoplewhowerelikedangerouschildren;dirty,foul,undisciplined,kind,loving,sillyandignorantbutalwaysdangerousbecausetheywerearmed.He,Andrés,waswithoutpoliticsexceptthathewasfortheRepublic.Hehadheardthesepeopletalkmanytimesandhethoughtwhattheysaidwasoftenbeautifulandfinetohearbuthedidnotlikethem.Itisnotlibertynottoburythemessonemakes,hethought.Noanimalhasmorelibertythanthecat;butitburiesthemessitmakes.Thecatisthebestanarchist.UntiltheylearnthatfromthecatIcannotrespectthem.

Aheadofhimtheofficerstoppedsuddenly.

“Youhaveyourcarabinestill,”hesaid.

“Yes,”Andréssaid.“Whynot?”

“Giveittome,”theofficersaid.“Youcouldshootmeinthebackwithit.”

“Why?”Andrésaskedhim.“WhywouldIshoottheeintheback?”

“Oneneverknows,”theofficersaid.“Itrustnoone.Givemethecarbine.”

Andrésunslungitandhandedittohim.

“Ifitpleasestheetocarryit,”hesaid.

“Itisbetter,”theofficersaid.“Wearesaferthatway.”

Theywentondownthehillinthedark.