CHAPTER 40

DuringthetimethatRobertJordanhadsleptthrough,thetimehehadspentplanningthedestructionofthebridgeandthetimethathehadbeenwithMaria,Andréshadmadeslowprogress.UntilhehadreachedtheRepublicanlineshehadtravelledacrosscountryandthroughthefascistlinesasfastasacountrymaningoodphysicalconditionwhoknewthecountrywellcouldtravelinthedark.ButonceinsidetheRepublicanlinesitwentveryslowly.

Intheoryheshouldonlyhavehadtoshowthesafe-conductgivenhimbyRobertJordanstampedwiththesealoftheS.I.M.andthedispatchwhichborethesamesealandbepassedalongtowardhisdestinationwiththegreatestspeed.Butfirsthehadencounteredthecompanycommanderinthefrontlinewhohadregardedthewholemissionwithowlishlygravesuspicion.

Hehadfollowedthiscompanycommandertobattalionheadquarterswherethebattalioncommander,whohadbeenabarberbeforethemovement,wasfilledwithenthusiasmonhearingtheaccountofhismission.Thiscommander,whowasnamedGomez,cursedthecompanycommanderforhisstupidity,pattedAndrésontheback,gavehimadrinkofbadbrandyandtoldhimthathehimself,theex-barber,hadalwayswantedtobeaguerrillero.Hehadthenrousedhisadjutant,turnedoverthebattaliontohim,andsenthisorderlytowakeupandbringhismotorcyclist.InsteadofsendingAndrésbacktobrigadeheadquarterswiththemotorcyclist,Gomezhaddecidedtotakehimtherehimselfinordertoexpeditethingsand,withAndrésholdingtightontotheseataheadofhim,theyroared,bumpingdowntheshell-pockedmountainroadbetweenthedoublerowofbigtrees,theheadlightofthemotorcycleshowingtheirwhitewashedbasesandtheplacesonthetrunkswherethewhitewashandthebarkhadbeenchippedandtornbyshellfragmentsandbulletsduringthefightingalongthisroadinthefirstsummerofthemovement.Theyturnedintothelittlesmashedroofedmountain-resorttownwherebrigadeheadquarterswasandGomezhadbrakedthemotorcyclelikeadirt-trackracerandleaneditagainstthewallofthehousewhereasleepysentrycametoattentionasGomezpushedbyhimintothebigroomwherethewallswerecoveredwithmapsandaverysleepyofficerwithagreeneyeshadesatatadeskwithareadinglamp,twotelephonesandacopyofMundoObrero.

ThisofficerlookedupatGomezandsaid,“Whatdoestthouhere?Haveyouneverheardofthetelephone?”

“ImustseetheLieutenant-Colonel,”Gomezsaid.

“Heisasleep,”theofficersaid.“Icouldseethelightsofthatbicycleofthineforamilecomingdowntheroad.Dostwishtobringonashelling?”

“CalltheLieutenant-Colonel,”Gomezsaid.“Thisisamatteroftheutmostgravity.”

“Heisasleep,Itellthee,”theofficersaid.“Whatsortofabanditisthatwiththee?”henoddedtowardAndrés.

“HeisaguerrillerofromtheothersideofthelineswithadispatchoftheutmostimportancefortheGeneralGolzwhocommandstheattackthatistobemadeatdawnbeyondNavacerrada,”Gomezsaidexcitedlyandearnestly.“RousetheTenienteCoronelfortheloveofGod.”

Theofficerlookedathimwithhisdroopyeyesshadedbythegreencelluloid.

“Allofyouarecrazy,”hesaid.“IknowofnoGeneralGolznorofnoattack.Takethissportsmanandgetbacktoyourbattalion.”

“RousetheTeniente-Coronel,Isay,”GomezsaidandAndréssawhismouthtightening.

“Goobscenityyourself,”theofficersaidtohimlazilyandturnedaway.

Gomeztookhisheavy9mm.Starpistoloutofitsholsterandshoveditagainsttheofficer’sshoulder.

“Rousehim,youfascistbastard,”hesaid.“RousehimorI’llkillyou.”

“Calmyourself,”theofficersaid.“Allyoubarbersareemotional.”

AndréssawGomez’sfacedrawwithhateinthelightofthereadinglamp.Butallhesaidwas,“Rousehim.”

“Orderly,”theofficercalledinacontemptuousvoice.

Asoldiercametothedoorandsalutedandwentout.

“Hisfiancéeiswithhim,”theofficersaidandwentbacktoreadingthepaper.“Itiscertainhewillbedelightedtoseeyou.”

“Itisthoseliketheewhoobstructallefforttowinthiswar,”Gomezsaidtothestaffofficer.

Theofficerpaidnoattentiontohim.Then,ashereadon,heremarked,asthoughtohimself,“Whatacuriousperiodicalthisis!”

“Whydon’tyoureadElDebatethen?Thatisyourpaper,”GomezsaidtohimnamingtheleadingCatholic-ConservativeorganpublishedinMadridbeforethemovement.

“Don’tforgetIamthysuperiorofficerandthatareportbymeontheecarriesweight,”theofficersaidwithoutlookingup.“IneverreadElDebate.Donotmakefalseaccusations.”

“No.YoureadA.B.C.,”Gomezsaid.“Thearmyisstillrottenwithsuchasthee.Withprofessionalssuchasthee.Butitwillnotalwaysbe.Wearecaughtbetweentheignorantandthecynical.Butwewilleducatetheoneandeliminatetheother.”

“‘Purge’isthewordyouwant,”theofficersaid,stillnotlookingup.“HereitreportsthepurgingofmoreofthyfamousRussians.Theyarepurgingmorethantheepsomsaltsinthisepoch.”

“Byanyname,”Gomezsaidpassionately.“Byanynamesothatsuchastheeareliquidated.”

“Liquidated,”theofficersaidinsolentlyasthoughspeakingtohimself.“AnothernewwordthathaslittleofCastilianinit.”

“Shot,then,”Gomezsaid.“ThatisCastilian.Canstunderstandit?”

“Yes,man,butdonottalksoloudly.ThereareothersbesidetheTeniente-CoronelasleepinthisBrigadeStaffandthyemotionboresme.ItwasforthatreasonthatIalwaysshavedmyself.Ineverlikedtheconversation.”

GomezlookedatAndrésandshookhishead.Hiseyeswereshiningwiththemoistnessthatrageandhatredcanbring.Butheshookhisheadandsaidnothingashestoreditallawayforsometimeinthefuture.HehadstoredmuchintheyearandahalfinwhichhehadrisentothecommandofabattalionintheSierraandnow,astheLieutenant-Colonelcameintotheroominhispajamashedrewhimselfstiffandsaluted.

TheLieutenant-ColonelMiranda,whowasashort,gray-facedman,whohadbeeninthearmyallhislife,whohadlosttheloveofhiswifeinMadridwhilehewaslosinghisdigestioninMorocco,andbecomeaRepublicanwhenhefoundhecouldnotdivorcehiswife(therewasneveranyquestionofrecoveringhisdigestion),hadenteredthecivilwarasaLieutenant-Colonel.Hehadonlyoneambition,tofinishthewarwiththesamerank.HehaddefendedtheSierrawellandhewantedtobeleftalonetheretodefenditwheneveritwasattacked.Hefeltmuchhealthierinthewar,probablyduetotheforcedcurtailmentofthenumberofmeatcourses,hehadanenormousstockofsodium-bicarbonate,hehadhiswhiskeyintheevening,histwenty-three-year-oldmistresswashavingababy,aswerenearlyalltheothergirlswhohadstartedoutasmilicianasintheJulyoftheyearbefore,andnowhecameintotheroom,noddedinanswertoGomez’ssaluteandputouthishand.

“Whatbringsthee,Gomez?”heaskedandthen,totheofficeratthedeskwhowashischiefofoperation,“Givemeacigarette,please,Pepe.”

GomezshowedhimAndrés’spapersandthedispatch.TheLieutenant-ColonellookedattheSalvoconductoquickly,lookedatAndrés,noddedandsmiled,andthenlookedatthedispatchhungrily.Hefeltoftheseal,testeditwithhisforefinger,thenhandedboththesafe-conductanddispatchbacktoAndrés.

“Isthelifeveryhardthereinthehills?”heasked.

“No,myLieutenant-Colonel,”Andréssaid.

“DidtheytelltheewherewouldbetheclosestpointtofindGeneralGolz’sheadquarters?”

“Navacerrada,myLieutenant-Colonel,”Andréssaid.“TheIngléssaiditwouldbesomewhereclosetoNavacerradabehindthelinestotherightofthere.”

“WhatInglés?”theLieutenant-Colonelaskedquietly.

“TheIngléswhoiswithusasadynamiter.”

TheLieutenant-Colonelnodded.Itwasjustanothersuddenunexplainedrarityofthiswar.“TheIngléswhoiswithusasadynamiter.”

“Youhadbettertakehim,Gomez,onthemotor,”theLieutenant-Colonelsaid.“WritethemaverystrongSalvoconductototheEstadoMayorofGeneralGolzformetosign,”hesaidtotheofficerinthegreencelluloideyeshade.“Writeitonthemachine,Pepe.Herearethedetails,”hemotionedforAndréstohandoverhissafeconduct,“andputontwoseals.”HeturnedtoGomez.“Youwillneedsomethingstrongtonight.Itisrightlyso.Peopleshouldbecarefulwhenanoffensiveisprojected.IwillgiveyousomethingasstrongasIcanmakeit.”ThentoAndrés,verykindly,hesaid,“Dostwishanything?Toeatortodrink?”

“No,myLieutenant-Colonel,”Andréssaid.“Iamnothungry.Theygavemecognacatthelastplaceofcommandandmorewouldmakemeseasick.”

“Didyouseeanymovementoractivityoppositemyfrontasyoucamethrough?”theLieutenant-ColonelaskedAndréspolitely.

“Itwasasusual,myLieutenant-Colonel.Quiet.Quiet.”

“DidInotmeettheeinCercedillaaboutthreemonthsback?”theLieutenantColonelasked.

“Yes,myLieutenant-Colonel.”

“Ithoughtso,”theLieutenant-Colonelpattedhimontheshoulder.“YouwerewiththeoldmanAnselmo.Howishe?”

“Heiswell,myLieutenant-Colonel,”Andréstoldhim.

“Good.Itmakesmehappy,”theLieutenant-Colonelsaid.Theofficershowedhimwhathehadtypedandhereaditoverandsignedit.“Youmustgonowquickly,”hesaidtoGomezandAndrés.“Becarefulwiththemotor,”hesaidtoGomez.“Useyourlights.Nothingwillhappenfromasinglemotorandyoumustbecareful.MycomplimentstoComradeGeneralGolz.WemetafterPeguerinos.”Heshookhandswiththemboth.“Buttonthepapersinsidethyshirt,”hesaid.“Thereismuchwindonamotor.”

Aftertheywentouthewenttoacabinet,tookoutaglassandabottle,andpouredhimselfsomewhiskeyandpouredplainwaterintoitfromanearthenwarecrockthatstoodontheflooragainstthewall.ThenholdingtheglassandsippingthewhiskeyveryslowlyhestoodinfrontofthebigmaponthewallandstudiedtheoffensivepossibilitiesinthecountryaboveNavacerrada.

“IamgladitisGolzandnotme,”hesaidfinallytotheofficerwhosatatthetable.TheofficerdidnotanswerandlookingawayfromthemapandattheofficertheLieutenant-Colonelsawhewasasleepwithhisheadonhisarms.TheLieutenantColonelwentovertothedeskandpushedthetwophonesclosetogethersothatonetouchedtheofficer’sheadoneitherside.Thenhewalkedtothecupboard,pouredhimselfanotherwhiskey,putwaterinit,andwentbacktothemapagain.

Andrés,holdingtightontotheseatwhereGomezwasforkingthemotor,benthisheadagainstthewindasthemotorcyclemoved,noisilyexploding,intothelightsplitdarknessofthecountryroadthatopenedaheadsharpwiththehighblackofthepoplarsbesideit,dimmedandyellow-softnowastheroaddippedintothefogalongastreambed,sharpeninghardagainastheroadroseand,aheadofthematthecrossroads,theheadlightshowedthegraybulkoftheemptytruckscomingdownfromthemountains.