CHAPTER 32

OnthatsamenightinMadridthereweremanypeopleattheHotelGaylord.Acarpulledupundertheporte-cochereofthehotel,itsheadlightspaintedoverwithbluecalcimineandalittlemaninblackridingboots,grayridingbreechesandashort,grayhigh-buttonedjacketsteppedoutandreturnedthesaluteofthetwosentriesasheopenedthedoor,noddedtothesecretpolicemanwhosatattheconcierge』sdeskandsteppedintotheelevator.Thereweretwosentriesseatedonchairsinsidethedoor,oneoneachsideofthemarbleentrancehall,andtheseonlylookedupasthelittlemanpassedthematthedooroftheelevator.Itwastheirbusinesstofeeleveryonetheydidnotknowalongtheflanks,underthearmpits,andoverthehippocketstoseeifthepersonenteringcarriedapistoland,ifhedid,havehimcheckitwiththeconcierge.Buttheyknewtheshortmaninridingbootsverywellandtheyhardlylookedupashepassed.

TheapartmentwherehelivedinGaylord』swascrowdedasheentered.Peopleweresittingandstandingaboutandtalkingtogetherasinanydrawingroomandthemenandthewomenweredrinkingvodka,whiskeyandsoda,andbeerfromsmallglassesfilledfromgreatpitchers.Fourofthemenwereinuniform.Theothersworewindbreakersorleatherjacketsandthreeofthefourwomenweredressedinordinarystreetdresseswhilethefourth,whowashaggardlythinanddark,woreasortofseverelycutmilitiawoman』suniformwithaskirtwithhighbootsunderit.

Whenhecameintotheroom,Karkovwentatoncetothewomanintheuniformandbowedtoherandshookhands.ShewashiswifeandhesaidsomethingtoherinRussianthatnoonecouldhearandforamomenttheinsolencethathadbeeninhiseyesasheenteredtheroomwasgone.Thenitlightedagainashesawthemahoganycoloredheadandthelove-lazyfaceofthewell-constructedgirlwhowashismistressandhestrodewithshort,precisestepsovertoherandbowedandshookherhandinsuchawaythatnoonecouldtellitwasnotamimicryofhisgreetingtohiswife.Hiswifehadnotlookedafterhimashewalkedacrosstheroom.Shewasstandingwithatall,good-lookingSpanishofficerandtheyweretalkingRussiannow.

「Yourgreatloveisgettingalittlefat,」Karkovwassayingtothegirl.「Allofourheroesarefatteningnowasweapproachthesecondyear.」Hedidnotlookatthemanhewasspeakingof.

「Youaresouglyyouwouldbejealousofatoad,」thegirltoldhimcheerfully.ShespokeinGerman.「CanIgowiththeetotheoffensivetomorrow?」

「No.Noristhereone.」

「Everyoneknowsaboutit,」thegirlsaid.「Don』tbesomysterious.Doloresisgoing.IwillgowithherorCarmen.Manypeoplearegoing.」

「Gowithwhoeverwilltakeyou,」Karkovsaid.「Iwillnot.」

Thenheturnedtothegirlandaskedseriously,「Whotoldtheeofit?Beexact.」

「Richard,」shesaidasseriously.

Karkovshruggedhisshouldersandleftherstanding.

「Karkov,」amanofmiddleheightwithagray,heavy,saggingface,puffedeyepouchesandapendulousunder-lipcalledtohiminadyspepticvoice.「Haveyouheardthegoodnews?」

Karkovwentovertohimandthemansaid,「Ionlyhaveitnow.Nottenminutesago.Itiswonderful.AlldaythefascistshavebeenfightingamongthemselvesnearSegovia.Theyhavebeenforcedtoquellthemutinieswithautomaticrifleandmachine-gunfire.Intheafternoontheywerebombingtheirowntroopswithplanes.」

「Yes?」askedKarkov.

「Thatistrue,」thepuffy-eyedmansaid.「Doloresbroughtthenewsherself.ShewasherewiththenewsandwasinsuchastateofradiantexultationasIhaveneverseen.Thetruthofthenewsshonefromherface.Thatgreatface——」hesaidhappily.

「Thatgreatface,」Karkovsaidwithnotoneinhisvoiceatall.

「Ifyoucouldhaveheardher,」thepuffy-eyedmansaid.「Thenewsitselfshonefromherwithalightthatwasnotofthisworld.Inhervoiceyoucouldtellthetruthofwhatshesaid.IamputtingitinanarticleforIzvestia.ItwasoneofthegreatestmomentsofthewartomewhenIheardthereportinthatgreatvoicewherepity,compassionandtruthareblended.Goodnessandtruthshinefromherasfromatruesaintofthepeople.NotfornothingisshecalledLaPasionaria.」

「Notfornothing,」Karkovsaidinadullvoice.「YoubetterwriteitforIzvestianow,beforeyouforgetthatlastbeautifullead.」

「Thatisawomanthatisnottojokeabout.Notevenbyacyniclikeyou,」thepuffyeyedmansaid.「Ifyoucouldhavebeenheretohearherandtoseeherface.」

「Thatgreatvoice,」Karkovsaid.「Thatgreatface.Writeit,」hesaid.「Don』ttellittome.Don』twastewholeparagraphsonme.Goandwriteitnow.」

「Notjustnow.」

「Ithinkyou』dbetter,」Karkovsaidandlookedathim,andthenlookedaway.Thepuffy-eyedmanstoodthereacoupleofminutesmoreholdinghisglassofvodka,hiseyes,puffyastheywere,absorbedinthebeautyofwhathehadseenandheardandthenhelefttheroomtowriteit.

Karkovwentovertoanothermanofaboutforty-eight,whowasshort,chunky,jovial-lookingwithpaleblueeyes,thinningblondhairandagaymouthunderabristlyyellowmoustache.Thismanwasinuniform.HewasadivisionalcommanderandhewasaHungarian.

「WereyouherewhentheDoloreswashere?」Karkovaskedtheman.

「Yes.」

「Whatwasthestuff?」

「Somethingaboutthefascistsfightingamongthemselves.Beautifuliftrue.」

「Youhearmuchtalkoftomorrow.」

「Scandalous.AllthejournalistsshouldbeshotaswellasmostofthepeopleinthisroomandcertainlytheintriguingGermanunmentionableofaRichard.WhoevergavethatSundayfügglercommandofabrigadeshouldbeshot.Perhapsyouandmeshouldbeshottoo.Itispossible,」theGenerallaughed.「Don』tsuggestitthough.」

「ThatisathingIneverliketotalkabout,」Karkovsaid.「ThatAmericanwhocomesheresometimesisoverthere.Youknowtheone,Jordan,whoiswiththepartizangroup.Heistherewherethisbusinesstheyspokeofissupposedtohappen.」

「Well,heshouldhaveareportthroughonittonightthen,」theGeneralsaid.「Theydon』tlikemedownthereorI』dgodownandfindoutforyou.HeworkswithGolzonthis,doesn』the?You』llseeGolztomorrow.」

「Earlytomorrow.」

「Keepoutofhiswayuntilit』sgoingwell,」theGeneralsaid.「HehatesyoubastardsasmuchasIdo.Thoughhehasamuchbettertemper.」

「Butaboutthis——」

「Itwasprobablythefascistshavingmanoeuvres,」theGeneralgrinned.「Well,we』llseeifGolzcanmanceuvrethemalittle.LetGolztryhishandatit.WemanoeuvredthematGuadalajara.」

「Ihearyouaretravellingtoo,」Karkovsaid,showinghisbadteethashesmiled.TheGeneralwassuddenlyangry.

「Andmetoo.Nowisthemouthonme.Andonallofusalways.Thisfilthysewingcircleofgossip.Onemanwhocouldkeephismouthshutcouldsavethecountryifhebelievedhecould.」

「YourfriendPrietocankeephismouthshut.」

「Buthedoesn』tbelievehecanwin.Howcanyouwinwithoutbeliefinthepeople?」

「Youdecidethat,」Karkovsaid.「Iamgoingtogetalittlesleep.」

Heleftthesmoky,gossip-filledroomandwentintothebackbedroomandsatdownonthebedandpulledhisbootsoff.Hecouldstillhearthemtalkingsoheshutthedoorandopenedthewindow.Hedidnotbothertoundressbecauseattwoo』clockhewouldbestartingforthedrivebyColmenar,Cerceda,andNavacerradauptothefrontwhereGolzwouldbeattackinginthemorning.