hemingway, ernest - for whom the bell tolls-第37部分
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g of the bull's head which was; after all; the reason for the celebration of the banquet。
〃I was enjoying myself to such an extent and I was so busy clapping my hands to the playing of Ricardo and aiding to make up a team to clap for the singing of the Nina de los Peines that I did not notice that Finito had filled his own napkin by now; and that he had taken mine。 He was drinking more manzanilla now and his eyes were very bright; and he was nodding very happily to every one。 He could not speak much because at any time; while speaking; he might have to resort to his napkin; but he was giving an appearance of great gayety and enjoyment which; after all; was what he was there for。
〃So the banquet proceeded and the man who sat next to me had been the former manager of Rafael el Gallo and he was telling me a story; and the end of it was; 'So Rafael came to me and said; 〃You are the best friend I have in the world and the noblest。 I love you like a brother and I wish to make you a present。〃 So then he gave me a beautiful diamond stick pin and kissed me on both cheeks and we were both very moved。 Then Rafael el Gallo; having given me the diamond stick pin; walked out of the caf椤nd I said to Retana who was sitting at the table; 〃That dirty gypsy had just signed a contract with another manager。〃'
〃'〃What do you mean?〃 Retana asked。'
〃'I've managed him for ten years and he has never given me a present before;' the manager of El Gallo had said。 'That's the only thing it can mean。' And sure enough it was true and that was how El Gallo left him。
〃But at this point; Pastora intervened in the conversation; not perhaps as much to defend the good name of Rafael; since no one had ever spoken harder against him than she had herself; but because the manager had spoken against the gypsies by employing the phrase; 'Dirty gypsy。' She intervened so forcibly and in such terms that the manager was reduced to silence。 I intervened to quiet Pastora and another _Gitana_ intervened to quiet me and the din was such that no one could distinguish any words which passed except the one great word 'whore' which roared out above all other words until quiet was restored and the three of us who had intervened sat looking down into our glasses and then I noticed that Finito was staring at the bull's head; still draped in the purple cloth; with a look of horror on his face。
〃At this moment the president of the Club commenced the speech which was to precede the unveiling of the head and all through the speech which was applauded with shouts of '_Ole!_' and poundings on the table I was watching Finito who was making use of his; no; my; napkin and sinking further back in his chair and staring with horror and fascination at the shrouded bull's head on the wall opposite him。
〃Toward the end of the speech; Finito began to shake his head and he got further back in the chair all the time。
〃'How are you; little one?' I said to him but when he looked at me he did not recognize me and he only shook his head and said; 'No。 No。 No。'
〃So the president of the Club reached the end of the speech and then; with everybody cheering him; he stood on a chair and reached up and untied the cord that bound the purple shroud over the head and slowly pulled it clear of the head and it stuck on one of the horns and he lifted it clear and pulled it off the sharp polished horns and there was that great yellow bull with black horns that swung Way out and pointed forward; their white tips sharp as porcupine quills; and the head of the bull was as though he were alive; his forehead was curly as in life and his nostrils were open and his eyes were bright and he was there looking straight at Finito。
〃Every one shouted and applauded and Finito sunk further back in the chair and then every one was quiet and looking at him and he said; 'No。 No;' and looked at the bull and pulled further back and then he said; 'No!' very loudly and a big blob of blood came out and he didn't even put up the napkin and it slid down his chin and he was still looking at the bull and he said; 'All season; yes。 To make money; yes。 To eat; yes。 But I can't eat。 Hear me? My stomach's bad。 But now with the season finished! No! No! No!' He looked around at the table and then he looked at the bull's head and said; 'No;' once more and then he put his head down and he put his napkin up to his mouth and then he just sat there like that and said nothing and the banquet; which had started so well; and promised to mark an epoch in hilarity and good fellowship was not a success。〃
〃Then how long after that did he die?〃 Primitivo asked。
〃That winter;〃 Pilar said。 〃He never recovered from that last blow with the flat of the horn in Zaragoza。 They are worse than a goring; for the injury is internal and it does not heal。 He received one almost every time he went in to kill and it was for this reason he was not more successful。 It was difficult for him to get out from over the horn because of his short stature。 Nearly always the side of the horn struck him。 But of course many were only glancing blows。〃
〃If he was so short he should not have tried to be a matador;〃 Primitivo said。
Pilar looked at Robert Jordan and shook her head。 Then she bent over the big iron pot; still shaking her head。
What a people they are; she thought。 What a people are the Spaniards; 〃and if he was so short he should not have tried to be a matador。〃 And I hear it and say nothing。 I have no rage for that and having made an explanation I am silent。 How simple it is when one knows nothing。 _Qu椤encillo!_ Knowing nothing one says; 〃He was not much of a matador。〃 Knowing nothing another says; 〃He was tubercular。〃 And another says; after one; knowing; has explained; 〃If he was so short he should not have tried to be a matador。〃
Now; bending over the fire; she saw on the bed again the naked brown body with the gnarled scars in both thighs; the deep; seared whorl below the ribs on the right side of the chest and the long white welt along the side that ended in the armpit。 She saw the eyes closed and the solemn brown face and the curly black hair pushed back now from the forehead and she was sitting by him on the bed rubbing the legs; chafing the taut muscles of the calves; kneading them; loosening them; and then tapping them lightly with her folded hands; loosening the cramped muscles。
〃How is it?〃 she said to him。 〃How are the legs; little one?〃
〃Very well; Pilar;〃 he would say without opening his eyes。
〃Do you want me to rub the chest?〃
〃Nay; Pilar。 Please do not touch it。〃
〃And the upper legs?〃
〃No。 They hurt too badly。〃
〃But if I rub them and put liniment on; it will warm them and they will be better。〃
〃Nay; Pilar。 Thank thee。 I would rather they were not touched。〃
〃I will wash thee with alcohol。〃
〃Yes。 Do it very lightly。〃
〃You were enormous in the last bull;〃 she would say to him and he would say; 〃Yes; I killed him very well。〃
Then; having washed him and covered him with a sheet; she would lie by him in the bed and he would put a brown hand out and touch her and say; 〃Thou art much woman; Pilar。〃 It was the nearest to a joke he ever made and then; usually; after the fight; he would go to sleep and she would lie there; holding his hand in her two hands and listening to him breathe。
He was often frightened in his sleep and she would feel his hand grip tightly and see the sweat bead on his forehead and if he woke; she said; 〃It's nothing;〃 and he slept again。 She was with him thus five years and never was unfaithful to him; that is almost never; and then after the funeral; she took up with Pablo who led picador horses in the ring and was like all the bulls that Finito had spent his life killing。 But neither bull force nor bull courage lasted; she knew now; and what did last? I last; she thought。 Yes; I have lasted。 But for what?
〃Maria;〃 she said。 〃Pay some attention to what you are doing。 That is a fire to cook with。 Not to burn down a city。〃
Just then the gypsy came in the door。 He was covered with snow and he stood there holding his carbine and stamping the snow from his feet。
Robert Jordan stood up and went over to the door; 〃Well?〃 he said to the gypsy。
〃Six…hour watches; two men at a time on the big bridge;〃 the gypsy said。 〃There are eight men and a corporal at the roadmender's hut。 Here is thy chronometer。〃
〃What about the sawmill post?〃
〃The old man is there。 He can watch that and the road both。〃
〃And the road?〃 Robert Jordan asked。
〃The same movement as always;〃 the gypsy said。 〃Nothing out of the usual。 Several motor cars。〃
The gypsy looked cold; his dark face was drawn with the cold and his hands were red。 Standing in the mouth of the cave he took off his jacket and shook it。
〃I stayed until they changed the watch;〃 he said。 〃It was changed at noon and at six。 That is a long watch。 I am glad I am not in their army。〃
〃Let us go for the old man;〃 Robert Jordan said; putting on his leather coat。
〃Not me;〃 the gypsy said。 〃I go now for the fire and the hot soup。 I will tell one of these where he is and he can guide you。 Hey; loafers;〃 he called to the men who sat at the table。 〃Who wants to guide the _Ingl閟_ to where the old man is watching the road?〃
〃I will go;〃 Fernando rose。 〃Tell me where it is。〃
〃Listen;〃 the gypsy said。 〃It is here〃 and he told him where the old man; Anselmo; was posted。
15
Anselmo was crouched in the lee of the trunk of a big tree and the snow blew past on either side。 He was pressed close against the tree and his hands were inside of the sleeves of his jacket; each hand shoved up into the opposite sleeve; and his head was pulled as far down into the jacket as it would go。 If I stay here much longer I will freeze; he thought; and that will be of no value。 The _Ingl閟_ told me to stay until I was relieved but he did not know then about this storm。 There has been no abnormal movement on the road and I know the dispositions and the habits of this post at the sawmill across the road。 I should go now to the camp。 Anybody with sense would be expecting me to return to the camp。 I will stay a little longer; he thought; and then go to the camp。 It is the fault of the orders; which are too rigid。 There is no allowance for a change in circumstance。 He rubbed his fee