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.