hemingway, ernest - for whom the bell tolls-第69部分

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I　had　forgotten　that。〃
〃It　is　of　no　importance；　rabbit；〃　he　said。　〃First　it　may　not　be　true。　That　is　for　a　doctor　to　say。　Then　I　would　not　wish　to　bring　either　a　son　or　a　daughter　into　this　world　as　this　world　is。　And　also　you　take　all　the　love　I　have　to　give。〃
〃I　would　like　to　bear　thy　son　and　thy　daughter；〃　she　told　him。　〃And　how　can　the　world　be　made　better　if　there　are　no　children　of　us　who　fight　against　the　fascists？〃
〃Thou；〃　he　said。　〃I　love　thee。　Hearest　thou？　And　now　we　must　sleep；　rabbit。　For　I　must　be　up　long　before　daylight　and　the　dawn　comes　early　in　this　month。〃
〃Then　it　is　all　right　about　the　last　thing　I　said？　We　can　still　be　married？〃
〃We　are　married；　now。　I　marry　thee　now。　Thou　art　my　wife。　But　go　to　sleep；　my　rabbit；　for　there　is　little　time　now。〃
〃And　we　will　truly　be　married？　Not　just　a　talking？〃
〃Truly。〃
〃Then　I　will　sleep　and　think　of　that　if　I　wake。〃
〃I；　too。〃
〃Good　night；　my　husband。〃
〃Good　night；〃　he　said。　〃Good　night；　wife。〃
He　heard　her　breathing　steadily　and　regularly　now　and　he　knew　she　was　asleep　and　he　lay　awake　and　very　still　not　wanting　to　waken　her　by　moving。　He　thought　of　all　the　part　she　had　not　told　him　and　he　lay　there　hating　and　he　was　pleased　there　would　be　killing　in　the　morning。　But　I　must　not　take　any　of　it　personally；　he　thought。
Though　how　can　I　keep　from　it？　I　know　that　we　did　dreadful　things　to　them　too。　But　it　was　because　we　were　uneducated　and　knew　no　better。　But　they　did　that　on　purpose　and　deliberately。　Those　who　did　that　are　the　last　flowering　of　what　their　education　has　produced。　Those　are　the　flowers　of　Spanish　chivalry。　What　a　people　they　have　been。　What　sons　of　bitches　from　Cortez；　Pizarro；　Men閚dez　de　Avila　all　down　through　Enrique　Lister　to　Pablo。　And　what　wonderful　people。　There　is　no　finer　and　no　worse　people　in　the　world。　No　kinder　people　and　no　crueler。　And　who　understands　them？　Not　me；　because　if　I　did　I　would　forgive　it　all。　To　understand　is　to　forgive。　That's　not　true。　Forgiveness　has　been　exaggerated。　Forgiveness　is　a　Christian　idea　and　Spain　has　never　been　a　Christian　country。　It　has　always　had　its　own　special　idol　worship　within　the　Church。　_Otra　Virgen　m醩_。　I　suppose　that　was　why　they　had　to　destroy　the　virgins　of　their　enemies。　Surely　it　was　deeper　with　them；　with　the　Spanish　religion　fanatics；　than　it　was　with　the　people。　The　people　had　grown　away　from　the　Church　because　the　Church　was　in　the　government　and　the　government　had　always　been　rotten。　This　was　the　only　country　that　the　reformation　never　reached。　They　were　paying　for　the　Inquisition　now；　all　right。
Well；　it　was　something　to　think　about。　Something　to　keep　your　mind　from　worrying　about　your　work。　It　was　sounder　than　pretending。　God；　he　had　done　a　lot　of　pretending　tonight。　And　Pilar　had　been　pretending　all　day。　Sure。　What　if　they　were　killed　tomorrow？　What　did　it　matter　as　long　as　they　did　the　bridge　properly？　That　was　all　they　had　to　do　tomorrow。
It　didn't。　You　couldn't　do　these　things　indefinitely。　But　you　weren't　supposed　to　live　forever。　Maybe　I　have　had　all　my　life　in　three　days；　he　thought。　If　that's　true　I　wish　we　would　have　spent　the　last　night　differently。　But　last　nights　are　never　any　good。　Last　nothings　are　any　good。　Yes；　last　words　were　good　sometimes。　〃_Viva_　my　husband　who　was　Mayor　of　this　town〃　was　good。
He　knew　it　was　good　because　it　made　a　tingle　run　all　over　him　when　he　said　it　to　himself。　He　leaned　over　and　kissed　Maria　who　did　not　wake。　In　English　he　whispered　very　quietly；　〃I'd　like　to　marry　you；　rabbit。　I'm　very　proud　of　your　family。〃




32


On　that　same　night　in　Madrid　there　were　many　people　at　the　Hotel　Gaylord。　A　car　pulled　up　under　the　_porte…cochere_　of　the　hotel；　its　headlights　painted　over　with　blue　calcimine　and　a　little　man　in　black　riding　boots；　gray　riding　breeches　and　a　short；　gray　high…buttoned　jacket　stepped　out　and　returned　the　salute　of　the　two　sentries　as　he　opened　the　door；　nodded　to　the　secret　policeman　who　sat　at　the　concierge's　desk　and　stepped　into　the　elevator。　There　were　two　sentries　seated　on　chairs　inside　the　door；　one　on　each　side　of　the　marble　entrance　hall；　and　these　only　looked　up　as　the　little　man　passed　them　at　the　door　of　the　elevator。　It　was　their　business　to　feel　every　one　they　did　not　know　along　the　flanks；　under　the　armpits；　and　over　the　hip　pockets　to　see　if　the　person　entering　carried　a　pistol　and；　if　he　did；　have　him　check　it　with　the　concierge。　But　they　knew　the　short　man　in　riding　boots　very　well　and　they　hardly　looked　up　as　he　passed。
The　apartment　where　he　lived　in　Gaylord's　was　crowded　as　he　entered。　People　were　sitting　and　standing　about　and　talking　together　as　in　any　drawing　room　and　the　men　and　the　women　were　drinking　vodka；　whiskey　and　soda；　and　beer　from　small　glasses　filled　from　great　pitchers。　Four　of　the　men　were　in　uniform。　The　others　wore　windbreakers　or　leather　jackets。and　three　of　the　four　women　were　dressed　in　ordinary　street　dresses　while　the　fourth；　who　was　haggardly　thin　and　dark；　wore　a　sort　of　severely　cut　militiawoman's　uniform　with　a　skirt　with　high　boots　under　it。
When　he　came　into　the　room；　Karkov　went　at　once　to　the　woman　in　the　uniform　and　bowed　to　her　and　shook　hands。　She　was　his　wife　and　he　said　something　to　her　in　Russian　that　no　one　could　hear　and　for　a　moment　the　insolence　that　had　been　in　his　eyes　as　he　entered　the　room　was　gone。　Then　it　lighted　again　as　he　saw　the　mahoganycolored　head　and　the　love…lazy　face　of　the　well…constructed　girl　who　was　his　mistress　and　he　strode　with　short；　precise　steps　over　to　her　and　bowed　and　shook　her　hand　in　such　a　way　that　no　one　could　tell　it　was　not　a　mimicry　of　his　greeting　to　his　wife。　His　wife　had　not　looked　after　him　as　he　walked　across　the　room。　She　was　standing　with　a　tall；　good…looking　Spanish　officer　and　they　were　talking　Russian　now。
〃Your　great　love　is　getting　a　little　fat；〃　Karkov　was　saying　to　the　girl。　〃All　of　our　heroes　are　fattening　now　as　we　approach　the　second　year。〃　He　did　not　look　at　the　man　he　was　speaking　of。
〃You　are　so　ugly　you　would　be　jealous　of　a　toad；〃　the　girl　told　him　cheerfully。　She　spoke　in　German。　〃Can　I　go　with　thee　to　the　offensive　tomorrow？〃
〃No。　Nor　is　there　one。〃
〃Every　one　knows　about　it；〃　the　girl　said。　〃Don't　be　so　mysterious。　Dolores　is　going。　I　will　go　with　her　or　Carmen。　Many　people　are　going。〃
〃Go　with　whoever　will　take　you；〃　Karkov　said。　〃I　will　not。〃
Then　he　turned　to　the　girl　and　asked　seriously；　〃Who　told　thee　of　it？　Be　exact。〃
〃Richard；〃　she　said　as　seriously。
Karkov　shrugged　his　shoulders　and　left　her　standing。
〃Karkov；〃　a　man　of　middle　height　with　a　gray；　heavy；　sagging　face；　puffed　eye　pouches　and　a　pendulous　under…lip　called　to　him　in　a　dyspeptic　voice。　〃Have　you　heard　the　good　news？〃
Karkov　went　over　to　him　and　the　man　said；　〃I　only　have　it　now。　Not　ten　minutes　ago。　It　is　wonderful。　All　day　the　fascists　have　been　fighting　among　themselves　near　Segovia。　They　have　been　forced　to　quell　the　mutinies　with　automatic　rifle　and　machine…gun　fire。　In　the　afternoon　they　were　bombing　their　own　troops　with　planes。〃
〃Yes？〃　asked　Karkov。
〃That　is　true；〃　the　puffy…eyed　man　said。　〃Dolores　brought　the　news　herself。　She　was　here　with　the　news　and　was　in　such　a　state　of　radiant　exultation　as　I　have　never　seen。　The　truth　of　the　news　shone　from　her　face。　That　great　face〃　he　said　happily。
〃That　great　face；〃　Karkov　said　with　no　tone　in　his　voice　at　all。
〃If　you　could　have　heard　her；〃　the　puffy…eyed　man　said。　〃The　news　itself　shone　from　her　with　a　light　that　was　not　of　this　world。　In　her　voice　you　could　tell　the　truth　of　what　she　said。　I　am　putting　it　in　an　article　for　_Izvestia_。　It　was　one　of　the　greatest　moments　of　the　war　to　me　when　I　heard　the　report　in　that　great　voice　where　pity；　compassion　and　truth　are　blended。　Goodness　and　truth　shine　from　her　as　from　a　true　saint　of　the　people。　Not　for　nothing　is　she　called　La　Pasionaria。〃
〃Not　for　nothing；〃　Karkov　said　in　a　dull　voice。　〃You　better　write　it　for　_Izvestia_　now；　before　you　forget　that　last　beautiful　lead。〃
〃That　is　a　woman　that　is　not　to　joke　about。　Not　even　by　a　cynic　like　you；〃　the　puffy…eyed　man　said。　〃If　you　could　have　been　here　to　hear　her　and　to　see　her　face。〃
〃That　great　voice；〃　Karkov　said。　〃That　great　face。　Write　it；〃　he　said。　〃Don't　tell　it　to　me。　Don't　waste　whole　paragraphs　on　me。　Go　and　write　it　now。〃
〃Not　just　now。〃
〃I　think　you'd　better；〃　Karkov　said　and　looked　at　him；　and　then　looked　away。　The　puffy…eyed　man　stood　there　a　couple　of　minutes　more　holding　his　glass　of　vodka；　his　eyes；　puffy　as　they　were；　absorbed　in　the　beauty　of　what　he　had　seen　and　heard　and　then　he　left　the　room　to　write　it。
Karkov　went　over　to　another　man　of　about　forty…eight；　who　was　short；　chunky；　jovial…looking　with　pale　blue　eyes；　thinning　blond　hair　and　a　gay　mouth　under　a　bristly　yellow　moustache。　This　man　was　in　uniform。　He　was　a　divisional　commander　and　he　was　a　Hungarian。
〃Were　you　here　when　the　Dolores　was　here？〃　Karkov　asked　the　man。
〃Yes。〃
〃What　was　the　stuff？〃
〃Something　about　the　fascists　fighting　among　themselves。　Beautiful　if　true。〃
〃You　hear　much　talk　of　tomorrow。〃
〃Scandalous。　All　the　journalists　should　be　shot　as　well　as　most　of　the　people　in　this　room　and　certainly　the　intriguing　German　unmentionable　of　a　Richard。　Whoever　gave　that　Sunday　_fuggler_　command　of　a　brigade　should　be　shot。　Perhaps　you　and　me　should　be　shot　too。　It　is　possible；〃　the　General　laughed。　〃Don't　suggest　it　though。〃
〃That　is　a　thing　I　never　like　to　talk　about；〃　Karkov　said。　〃That　American　who　comes　here　sometimes　is　over　there。　You　know　the　one；　Jordan；　who　is　with　the　_partizan_　group。　He　is　there　where　this　business　they　spoke　of　is　supposed　to　happen。〃
〃Well；　he　should　have　a　report　through　on　it　tonight　then；〃　the　General　said。　〃They　don't　like　me　down　there　or　I'd　go　down　and　find　out　for　you。　He　works　with　Golz　on　this；　doesn't　he？　You'll　see　Golz　tomorrow。〃
〃Early　tomorrow。〃
〃Keep　out　of　his　way　until　it's　going　well；〃　the　General　said。　〃He　hates　you　bastards　as　much　as　I　do。　Though　he　has　a　much　better　temper。〃
〃But　about　this〃
〃It　was　probably　the　fascists　having　manoeuvres；〃　the　General　grinned。　〃Well；　we'll　see　if　Golz　can　manceuvre　them　a　little。　Let　Golz　try　his　hand　at　it。　We　manoeuvred　them　at　Guada