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.