hemingway, ernest - for whom the bell tolls-第83部分
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〃Cancel the call to planes one；〃 he told the signaller。 〃Get me the Sixty…Ninth Brigade observation post。〃
He was still calling there when he heard the first sound of the planes。
It was just then he got through to the observation post。
〃Yes；〃 Golz said quietly。
He was sitting leaning back against the sandbag； his feet against a rock； a cigarette hung from his lower lip and he was looking up and over his shoulder while he was talking。 He was seeing the expanding wedges of threes； silver and thundering in the sky that were coming over the far shoulder of the mountain where the first sun was striking。 He watched them come shining and beautiful in the sun。 He saw the twin circles of light where the sun shone on the propellers as they came。
〃Yes；〃 he said into the telephone； speaking in French because it was Duval on the wire。 〃_Nous sommes foutus。 Oui。 Comme toujours。 Oui。 C'est dommage。 Oui_。 It's a shame it came too late。〃
His eyes； watching the planes coming； were very proud。 He saw the red wing markings now and he watched their steady； stately roaring advance。 This was how it could be。 These were our planes。 They had come； crated on ships； from the Black Sea through the Straits of Marmora； through the Dardanelles； through the Mediterranean and to here； unloaded lovingly at Alicante； assembled ably； tested and found perfect and now flown in lovely hammering precision； the V's tight and pure as they came now high and silver in the morning sun to blast those ridges across there and blow them roaring high so that we can go through。
Golz knew that once they had passed overhead and on； the bombs would fall； looking like porpoises in the air as they tumbled。 And then the ridge tops would spout and roar in jumping clouds and disappear in one great blowing cloud。 Then the tanks would grind clanking up those two slopes and after them would go his two brigades。 And if it had been a surprise they could go on and down and over and through； pausing； cleaning up； dealing with； much to do； much to be done intelligently with the tanks helping； with the tanks wheeling and returning； giving covering fire and others bringing the attackers up then slipping on and over and through and pushing down beyond。 This was how it would be if there was no treason and if all did what they should。
There were the two ridges； and there were the tanks ahead and there were his two good brigades ready to leave the woods and here came the planes now。 Everything he had to do had been done as it should be。
But as he watched the planes； almost up to him now； he felt sick at his stomach for he knew from having heard Jordan's dispatch over the phone that there would be no one on those two ridges。 They'd be withdrawn a little way below in narrow trenches to escape the fragments； or hiding in the timber and when the bombers passed they'd get back up there with their machine guns and their automatic weapons and the anti…tank guns Jordan had said went up the road； and it would be one famous balls up more。 But the planes； now coming deafeningly； were how it could have been and Golz watching them； looking up； said into the telephone； 〃No。 _Rien a faire。 Rien。 Faut pas penser。 Faut accepter_。〃
Golz watched the planes with his hard proud eyes that knew how things could be and how they would be instead and said； proud of how they could be； believing in how they could be； even if they never were； 〃_Bon。 Nous ferons notre petit possible_；〃 and hung up。
But Duval did not hear him。 Sitting at the table holding the receiver； all he heard was the roar of the planes and he thought； now； maybe this time； listen to them come； maybe the bombers will blow them all off； maybe we will get a break…through； maybe he will get the reserves he asked for； maybe this is it； maybe this is the time。 Go on。 Come on。 Go on。 The roar was such that he could not hear what he was thinking。
43
Robert Jordan lay behind the trunk of a pine tree on the slope of the hill above the road and the bridge and watched it become daylight。 He loved this hour of the day always and now he watched it； feeling it gray within him； as though he were a part of the slow lightening that comes before the rising of the sun； when solid things darken and space lightens and the lights that have shone in the night go yellow and then fade as the day comes。 The pine trunks below him were hard and clear now； their trunks solid and brown and the road was shiny with a wisp of mist over it。 The dew had wet him and the forest floor was soft and he felt the give of the brown； dropped pine needles under his elbows。 Below he saw； through the light mist that rose from the stream bed； the steel of the bridge； straight and rigid across the gap； with the wooden sentry boxes at each end。 But as he looked the structure of the bridge was still spidery and fine in the mist that hung over the stream。
He saw the sentry now in his box as he stood； his back with the hanging blanket coat topped by the steel casque on his head showing as he leaned forward over the hole…punched petrol tin of the brazier； warming his hands。 Robert Jordan heard the stream； far down in the rocks； and he saw a faint； thin smoke that rose from the sentry box。
He looked at his watch and thought； I wonder if Andr閟 got through to Golz？ If we are going to blow it I would like to breathe very slowly and slow up the time again and feel it。 Do you think he made it？ Andr閟？ And if he did would they call it off？ If they had time to call it off？ _Qu椤a_。 Do not worry。 They will or they won't。 There are no more decisions and in a little while you will know。 Suppose the attack is successful。 Golz said it could be。 That there was a possibility。 With our tanks coming down that road； the people coming through from the right and down and past La Granja and the whole left of the mountains turned。 Why don't you ever think of how it is to win？ You've been on the defensive for so long that you can't think of that。 Sure。 But that was before all that stuff went up this road。 That was before all the planes came。 Don't be so na飗e。 But remember this that as long as we can hold them here we keep the fascists tied up。 They can't attack any other country until they finish with us and they can never finish with us。 If the French help at all； if only they leave the frontier open and if we get planes from America they can never finish with us。 Never； if we get anything at all。 These people will fight forever if they're well armed。
No you must not expect victory here； not for several years maybe。 This is just a holding attack。 You must not get illusions about it now。 Suppose we got a break…through today？ This is our first big attack。 Keep your sense of proportion。 But what if we should have it？ Don't get excited； he told himself。 Remember what went up the road。 You've done what you could about that。 We should have portable short…wave sets； though。 We will； in time。 But we haven't yet。 You just watch now and do what you should。
Today is only one day in all the days that will ever be。 But what will happen in all the other days that ever come can depend on what you do today。 It's been that way all this year。 It's been that way so many times。 All of this war is that way。 You are getting very pompous in the early morning； he told himself。 Look there what's coming now。
He saw the two men in blanket capes and steel helmets come around the corner of the road walking toward the bridge； their rifles slung over their shoulders。 One stopped at the far end of the bridge and was out of sight in the sentry box。 The other came on across the bridge； walking slowly and heavily。 He stopped on the bridge and spat into the gorge； then came on slowly to the near end of the bridge where the other sentry spoke to him and then started off back over the bridge。 The sentry who was relieved walked faster than the other had done （because he's going to coffee； Robert Jordan thought） but he too spat down into the gorge。
I wonder if that is superstition？ Robert Jordan thought。 I'll have to take me a spit in that gorge too。 If I can spit by then。 No。 It can't be very powerful medicine。 It can't work。 I'll have to prove it doesn't work before I am out there。
The new sentry had gone inside the box and sat down。 His rifle with the bayonet fixed was leaning against the wall。 Robert Jordan took his glasses from his shirt pocket and turned the eyepieces until the end of the bridge showed sharp and gray…painted…metal clear。 Then he moved them onto the sentry box。
The sentry sat leaning against the wall。 His helmet hung on a peg and his face showed clearly。 Robert Jordan saw he was the same man who had been there on guard two days before in the afternoon watch。 He was wearing the same knitted stocking…cap。 And he had not shaved。 His cheeks were sunken and his cheekbones prominent。 He had bushy eyebrows that grew together in the center。 He looked sleepy and as Robert Jordan watched him he yawned。 Then he took out a tobacco pouch and a packet of papers and rolled himself a cigarette。 He tried to make a lighter work and finally put it in his pocket and went over to the brazier； leaned over； reached inside； brought up a piece of charcoal； juggled it in one hand while he blew on it； then lit the cigarette and tossed the lump of charcoal back into the brazier。
Robert Jordan； looking through the Zeiss 8…power glasses； watched his face as he leaned against the wall of the sentry box drawing on the cigarette。 Then he took the glasses down； folded them together and put them in his pocket。
I won't look at him again； he told himself。
He lay there and watched the road and tried not to think at all。 A squirrel chittered from a pine tree below him and Robert Jordan watched the squirrel come down the tree trunk； stopping on his way down to turn his head and look toward where the man was watching。 He saw the squirrel's eyes； small and bright； and watched his tail jerk in excitement。 Then the squirrel crossed to another tree； moving on the ground in long； small…pawed； tail…exaggerated bounds。 On the tree trunk he looked back at Robert Jordan； then pulled himself around the trunk and out of sight。 Then Robert Jordan heard the squirrel chitter from a high branch of the pine tree and he watched him there； spread flat along the
