Inside the cave, Robert Jordan sat on one of the rawhide1 stools in a corner by the fire listening to the woman. She was washing the dishes and the girl, Maria, was drying them and putting them away, kneeling to place them in the hollow dug in the wall that was used as a shelf.
"It is strange," she said. "That El Sordo has not come. He should have been here an hour ago."
"Did you advise him to come?"
"No. He comes each night."
"Perhaps he is doing something. Some work."
"It is possible," she said. "If he does not come we must go to see him tomorrow."
"Yes. Is it far from here?"
"No. It will be a good trip. I lack exercise."
"Can I go?" Maria asked. "May I go too, Pilar?"
"Yes, beautiful," the woman said, then turning her big face, "Isn't she pretty?" she asked Robert Jordan. "How does she seem to thee? A little thin?"
"To me she seems very well," Robert Jordan said. Maria filled his cup with wine. "Drink that," she said. "It will make me seem even better. It is necessary to drink much of that for me to seem beautiful."
"Then I had better stop," Robert Jordan said. "Already thou seemest beautiful and more."
"That's the way to talk," the woman said. "You talk like the good ones. What more does she seem?"
"Intelligent," Robert Jordan said lamely2. Maria giggled3 and the woman shook her head sadly. "How well you begin and how it ends, Don Roberto."
"Don't call me Don Roberto."
"It is a joke. Here we say Don Pablo for a joke. As we say the Se隳rita Maria for a joke."
"I don't joke that way," Robert Jordan said. "Camarada to me is what all should be called with seriousness in this war. In the joking commences a rottenness."
"Thou art very religious about thy politics," the woman teased him. "Thou makest no jokes?"
"Yes. I care much for jokes but not in the form of address. It is like a flag."
"I could make jokes about a flag. Any flag," the woman laughed. "To me no one can joke of anything. The old flag of yellow and gold we called pus and blood. The flag of the Republic with the purple added we call blood, pus and permanganate. It is a joke."
"He is a Communist," Maria said. "They are very serious _gente_."
"Are you a Communist?"
"No I am an anti-fascist."
"For a long time?"
"Since I have understood fascism."
"How long is that?"
"For nearly ten years."
"That is not much time," the woman said. "I have been a Republican for twenty years."
"My father was a Republican all his life," Maria said. "It was for that they shot him."
"My father was also a Republican all his life. Also my grandfather," Robert Jordan said.
"In what country?"
"The United States."
"Did they shoot them?" the woman asked.
"_Qu?va_," Maria said. "The United States is a country of Republicans. They don't shoot you for being a Republican there."
"All the same it is a good thing to have a grandfather who was a Republican," the woman said. "It shows a good blood."
"My grandfather was on the Republican national committee," Robert Jordan said. That impressed even Maria.
"And is thy father still active in the Republic?" Pilar asked.
"No. He is dead."
"Can one ask how he died?"
"He shot himself."
"To avoid being tortured?" the woman asked.
"Yes," Robert Jordan said. "To avoid being tortured."
Maria looked at him with tears in her eyes. "My father," she said, "could not obtain a weapon. Oh, I am very glad that your father had the good fortune to obtain a weapon."
"Yes. It was pretty lucky," Robert Jordan said. "Should we talk about something else?"
"Then you and me we are the same," Maria said. She put her hand on his arm and looked in his face. He looked at her brown face and at the eyes that, since he had seen them, had never been as young as the rest of her face but that now were suddenly hungry and young and wanting.
"You could be brother and sister by the look," the woman said. "But I believe it is fortunate that you are not."
"Now I know why I have felt as I have," Maria said. "Now it is clear."
"_Qu?va_," Robert Jordan said and reaching over, he ran his hand over the top of her head. He had been wanting to do that all day and now he did it, he could feel his throat swelling4. She moved her head under his hand and smiled up at him and he felt the thick but silky roughness of the cropped head rippling5 between his fingers. Then his hand was on her neck and then he dropped it.
"Do it again," she said. "I wanted you to do that all day."
"Later," Robert Jordan said and his voice was thick.
"And me," the woman of Pablo said in her booming voice. "I am expected to watch all this? I am expected not to be moved? One cannot. For fault of anything better; that Pablo should come back."
Maria took no notice of her now, nor of the others playing cards at the table by the candlelight.
"Do you want another cup of wine, Roberto?" she asked.
"Yes," he said. "Why not?"
"You're going to have a drunkard like I have," the woman of Pablo said. "With that rare thing he drank in the cup and all. Listen to me, _Ingl廥_."
"Not _Ingl廥_. American."
"Listen, then, American. Where do you plan to sleep?"
"Outside. I have a sleeping robe."
"Good," she said. "The night is clear?"
"And will be cold."
"Outside then," she said. "Sleep thee outside. And thy materials can sleep with me."
"Good," said Robert Jordan.
"Leave us for a moment," Robert Jordan said to the girl and put his hand on her shoulder.
"Why?"
"I wish to speak to Pilar."
"Must I go?"
"Yes."
"What is it?" the woman of Pablo said when the girl had gone over to the mouth of the cave where she stood by the big wineskin, watching the card players.
"The gypsy said I should have--" he began.
"No," the woman interrupted. "He is mistaken."
"If it is necessary that I--" Robert Jordan said quietly but with difficulty.
"Thee would have done it, I believe," the woman said. "Nay6, it is not necessary. I was watching thee. But thy judgment7 was good."
"But if it is needful--"
"No," the woman said. "I tell you it is not needful. The mind of the gypsy is corrupt8."
"But in weakness a man can be a great danger."
"No. Thou dost not understand. Out of this one has passed all capacity for danger."
"I do not understand."
"Thou art very young still," she said. "You will understand." Then, to the girl, "Come, Maria. We are not talking more."
The girl came over and Robert Jordan reached his hand out and patted her head. She stroked under his hand like a kitten. Then he thought that she was going to cry. But her lips drew up again and she looked at him and smiled.
"Thee would do well to go to bed now," the woman said to Robert Jordan. "Thou hast had a long journey."
"Good," said Robert Jordan. "I will get my things."
在山洞里，罗伯特。乔丹挨着炉火坐在角落里一只蒙着生牛皮的凳子上，听那女人说话。她正在洗碗碟，那姑娘玛丽亚把它们擦干净,放在一边，然后跪下来放进当作柜子用的壁润里。“真怪。”那女人说，“怎么 聋子’还不来？一小时以前他就该到了
“你捎过话叫他来吗?”“没有。他每晚都来。““他也许有事。有工作。“
“可能，”她说。“他要是不来，我们明天得去看他。” 对。离这里远吗？”
“不远。出去走走也不错。我缺少活动。““我能去吗?”玛丽亚问.“我也可以去吗，比拉尔”
“可以，美人儿，“那妇人说，随即转过她的大脸，“她不是很漾亮吗？”她问罗伯特，乔丹。”“你觉得她怎么样？稍微瘦着点?”
“我看她很不错，”罗伯特，乔丹说。玛丽亚替他斟满了酒。“把它喝了，”她说。“这样，我就显得更好看。要喝许多许多酒才会觉得我漂亮。”
“那我还是不喝的好，”罗伯特 乔丹说。“你已经狼澦亮了，并且还不止是漂亮呢。”
“这话说对啦，”妇人说。“你的话有道理。她看上去还有什么优点呢?”
“聪明，”罗伯特。乔丹前言不搭后语地说。玛丽亚吃吃地笑了，妇人失望地摇摇头。“你开头说得多好，最后却这么说，堂。罗伯托。“
“别叫我堂 罗伯托。”
“那是开玩笑。我们这里开玩笑时就叫堂 巴勃罗。就象我们叫玛丽亚小姐那样，也是开玩笑。”
“我不开这种玩笑，”罗伯特 乔丹说。“依我看，在当前的战争中大家都应当非常认真地称呼同志。一开玩笑就会出现不好的苗头。”
“你对你的政洽象对宗教那么虔诚，”妇人取笑他。“你从不开玩笑?”
“也开。我很爱开玩笑，可不在称呼上开，称呼好比一面旗帜。”
“我连旗帜也要开玩笑，不管什么旗帜。“妇人大笑。“和我相比，任何别人的玩笑就算不上一回事了。我们管禪面黄、金两色的老旗子叫做脓和血，加上紫色的共和国国旗，我们管它叫
做血、脓和高镇敢钾。那是开玩笑。”
“他是共产党，”玛丽亚说。“他们是很严肃的人。“你是共产党吗?”“不,我是反法西斯主义者。”“很久了吗?”
“自从我了解法西斯主义以来。”“多久了。““差不多十年了。”
“那时间不算长，”妇人说。“我做，“二十年共和分子啦。”“我父亲做了一辈子的共和分子。”玛丽亚说。“就为这个，他们把他枪毙了。”
“我父亲也是个终生的共和分子，还有我担父，”罗伯特 乔丹说。“
“在哪一国?”“美国。”
“他们给枪毙了吗?”那妇人问，
“怎么会呢，”玛丽亚说。”“美国是共和分子的国家，那里的共和分子是不会被枪毙的。”
“有一个共和分子的祖父反正是好事，”那妇人说。“从这里看得出家世很好。“
“我祖父是共和党全国委员会委员，”罗伯特。乔丹说。这句话连玛丽亚也觉得印象很深。
“你父亲还在共和国做事吗？”比拉尔问。“不。他去世了。“ 能不能问问，他是怎样去世的,“他开枪自杀的。”
“为了避免遭受拷打吗？”那妇人向。“是的，”罗伯特 乔丹说。“为了避免受到折磨。”玛丽亚望着他，眼睛里喰着眼泪。“我父亲，”她说,“当时弄不到枪。噢，我真高兴，你父亲有运气,能弄到枪。”
“是呀。真侥幸。“罗伯特，乔丹说。”我们谈谈别的好不好?”“这么说,你和我，我们的身世是一样的，”玛丽亚说。她把手放在他胳臂上，凝视着他的脸。他望着她那褐色的脸，望着她的眼睛；自从他见到她的眼睹以来，总觉得它们不及她脸上的其他部分那么年青,而现在，顷刻之间，这双眼睛却显得年青，带着渴望的神情。
“看你们的模样很象兄妹,那妇人说。“不过，我觉得你们俩不是兄妹倒好。”
“我现在才明白，为什么我一直有那么样的心情，”玛丽亚说。“现在清楚了。“
“什么话，”罗伯特 乔丹说着，伸手抚摸她的头顶。整天来，他一直想抚摸它，现在如愿，“，他只觉得自己的喉咙哽得慌。她在他的抚摸之下，把头微微挪动着，她抬头向他微笑；他感到浓密而柔顺的短发在他指缝中波动着。他把手随后放在她脖子上,接着就拿开了
“再摸一次，”她说。“我整天都盼望着你这样做。”“以后再说吧，”罗伯特 乔丹声音沙哑地说。“那我昵，”巴勃罗的老婆嗓音洪亮地说。“难道要我在旁边看着这副模样吗？难道要我无动于衷吗？做不到明，不得已而求其次，只指望巴勃罗回来。”
玛丽亚这时既不理会她，也不理会那几个在桌边借烛光玩纸牌的人了。
“要不要再来一杯酒，罗伯托?”她问。“好，”他说。〃干吗不?”
“你跟我一样，也要弄到一个酒鬼了。”巴勃罗的老婆说。“他喝了杯里的怪东西，还喝这喝那的。”听我说，英国人。““不是英国人。是美国人。①。”“那么听着,美国人。你打算睡在哪儿?”“外面。我有睡袋。”“好的。“她说。“天气晴朗吗。““而且还会很凉快。”
“那就在外面吧。”她说。“你睡在外面。你那些货色可以放在我睡的地方。
“好。“罗伯特 乔丹说。
“走开一会儿。“罗伯特 乔丹对姑娘说，并把手按在她肩膀上。
“干吗。“
“我想跟比拉尔说句话。”“非走不可吗？
〃什么事？”等姑娘走到山抦口，站在大酒袋边看人打脾的时候,巴勃罗的老婆问。
“吉普赛人说我应当一”他开口说。
“不，妇人打断了他的话。 他错了。
“如果有必要一”罗伯特。乔丹平静但又犹豫地说。
① 因为美国人也讲英语，所以这些西班牙人自此以后经黹称他为英国人、
“我相信,那时你是会下手的，”妇人说。“不，没有必要。我一直在注意你。不过你的看法是对的。”“但是如果有需要一”
“不，”妇人说。“我跟你说，没有需要。吉普赛人的心思坏透了。”
“可是人在软弱的时候能造成很大危害,
“不。你不懂。这个人是已经不可能造成危害的了。“
“我弄不懂。”
“你还很年青，”她说，“你以后会懂的。”接着对姑娘说，“来吧，玛丽亚。我们谈完了。”
姑娘走过来，罗伯特 乔丹伸手轻轻拍拍她的头。地在他的抚摸之下，象只小猫。他以为她要哭了。但是她的嘴唇又往上一弯，望着他微笑了，
“你现在还是去睡觉吧。”妇人对罗伯特 乔丹说。“你赶了很多路啦。”
“好。“罗泊特 乔丹说。“我把我的东西收拾一下。”
收听单词发音 |
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rawhide
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| n.生牛皮 | |
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lamely
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giggled
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| v.咯咯地笑( giggle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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swelling
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rippling
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| 起涟漪的，潺潺流水般声音的 | |
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nay
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| adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者 | |
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judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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corrupt
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| v.贿赂，收买；adj.腐败的，贪污的 | |
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