"Cut me pine branches," Robert Jordan said to Primitivo, "and bring them quickly."
"I do not like the gun there," he said to Agust璯.
"Why?"
"Place it over there," Robert Jordan pointed1, "and later I will tell thee."
"Here, thus. Let me help thee. Here," he said, then squatted2 down.
He looked out across the narrow oblong, noting the height of the rocks on either side.
"It must be farther," he said, "farther out. Good. Here. That will do until it can be done properly. There. Put the stones there. Here is one. Put another there at the side. Leave room for the muzzle3 to swing. The stone must be farther to this side. Anselmo. Get thee down to the cave and bring me an ax. Quickly."
"Have you never had a proper emplacement for the gun?" he said to Agust璯.
"We always placed it here."
"Kashkin never said to put it there?"
"No. The gun was brought after he left."
"Did no one bring it who knew how to use it?"
"No. It was brought by porters."
"What a way to do things," Robert Jordan said. "It was just given to you without instruction?"
"Yes, as a gift might be given. One for us and one for El Sordo. Four men brought them. Anselmo guided them."
"It was a wonder they did not lose them with four men to cross the lines."
"I thought so, too," Agust璯 said. "I thought those who sent them meant for them to be lost. But Anselmo brought them well."
"You know how to handle it?"
"Yes. I have experimented. I know. Pablo knows. Primitivo knows. So does Fernando. We have made a study of taking it apart and putting it together on the table in the cave. Once we had it apart and could not get it together for two days. Since then we have not had it apart."
"Does it shoot now?"
"Yes. But we do not let the gypsy nor others frig with it."
"You see? From there it was useless," he said. "Look. Those rocks which should protect your flanks give cover to those who will attack you. With such a gun you must seek a flatness over which to fire. Also you must take them sideways. See? Look now. All that is dominated."
"I see," said Agust璯. "But we have never fought in defense4 except when our town was taken. At the train there were soldiers with the _m嫭uina_."
"Then we will all learn together," Robert Jordan said. "There are a few things to observe. Where is the gypsy who should be here?"
"I do not know."
"Where is it possible for him to be?"
"I do not know."
Pablo had ridden out through the pass and turned once and ridden in a circle across the level space at the top that was the field of fire for the automatic rifle. Now Robert Jordan watched him riding down the slope alongside the tracks the horse had left when he was ridden in. He disappeared in the trees turning to the left.
I hope he doesn't run right into cavalry5, Robert Jordan thought. I'm afraid we'd have him right here in our laps.
Primitivo brought the pine branches and Robert Jordan stuck them through the snow into the unfrozen earth, arching them over the gun from either side.
"Bring more," he said. "There must be cover for the two men who serve it. This is not good but it will serve until the ax comes. Listen," he said, "if you hear a plane lie flat wherever thou art in the shadows of the rocks. I am here with the gun."
Now with the sun up and the warm wind blowing it was pleasant on the side of the rocks where the sun shone. Four horses, Robert Jordan thought. The two women and me, Anselmo, Primitivo, Fernando, Agust璯, what the hell is the name of the other brother? That's eight. Not counting the gypsy. Makes nine. Plus Pablo gone with one horse makes ten. Andr廥 is his name. The other brother. Plus the other, Eladio. Makes ten. That's not one-half a horse apiece. Three men can hold this and four can get away. Five with Pablo. That's two left over. Three with Eladio. Where the hell is he?
God knows what will happen to Sordo today if they picked up the trail of those horses in the snow. That was tough; the snow stopping that way. But it melting today will even things up. But not for Sordo. I'm afraid it's too late to even it up for Sordo.
If we can last through today and not have to fight we can swing the whole show tomorrow with what we have. I know we can. Not well, maybe. Not as it should be, to be foolproof, not as we would have done; but using everybody we can swing it. _If we don't have to fight today_. God help us if we have to fight today.
I don't know any place better to lay up in the meantime than this. If we move now we only leave tracks. This is as good a place as any and if the worst gets to be the worst there are three ways out of this place. There is the dark then to come and from wherever we are in these hills, I can reach and do the bridge at daylight. I don't know why I worried about it before. It seems easy enough now. I hope they get the planes up on time for once. I certainly hope that. Tomorrow is going to be a day with dust on the road.
Well, today will be very interesting or very dull. Thank God we've got that cavalry mount out and away from here. I don't think even if they ride right up here they will go in the way those tracks are now. They'll think he stopped and circled and they'll pick up Pablo's tracks. I wonder where the old swine will go. He'll probably leave tracks like an old bull elk6 spooking out of the country and work way up and then when the snow melts circle back below. That horse certainly did things for him. Of course he may have just mucked off with him too. Well, he should be able to take care of himself. He's been doing this a long time. I wouldn't trust him farther than you can throw Mount Everest, though.
I suppose it's smarter to use these rocks and build a good blind for this gun than to make a proper emplacement for it. You'd be digging and get caught with your pants down if they come or if the planes come. She will hold this, the way she is, as long as it is any use to hold it, and anyway I can't stay to fight. I have to get out of here with that stuff and I'm going to take Anselmo with me. Who would stay to cover us while we got away if we have to fight here?
Just then, while he was watching all of the country that was visible, he saw the gypsy coming through the rocks to the left. He was walking with a loose, high-hipped, sloppy7 swing, his carbine was slung8 on his back, his brown face was grinning and he carried two big hares, one in each hand. He carried them by the legs, heads swinging.
"_Hola_, Roberto," he called cheerfully.
Robert Jordan put his hand to his mouth, and the gypsy looked startled. He slid over behind the rocks to where Robert Jordan was crouched9 beside the brush-shielded automatic rifle. He crouched down and laid the hares in the snow. Robert Jordan looked up at him.
"You _hijo de la gran puta!_" he said softly. "Where the obscenity have you been?"
"I tracked them," the gypsy said. "I got them both. They had made love in the snow."
"And thy post?"
"It was not for long," the gypsy whispered. "What passes? Is there an alarm?"
"There is cavalry out."
"_Redi鏀!_" the gypsy said. "Hast thou seen them?"
"There is one at the camp now," Robert Jordan said. "He came for breakfast."
"I thought I heard a shot or something like one," the gypsy said. "I obscenity in the milk! Did he come through here?"
"Here. Thy post."
"_Ay, mi madre!_" the gypsy said. "I am a poor, unlucky man."
"If thou wert not a gypsy, I would shoot thee."
"No, Roberto. Don't say that. I am sorry. It was the hares. Before daylight I heard the male thumping10 in the snow. You cannot imagine what a debauch11 they were engaged in. I went toward the noise but they were gone. I followed the tracks in the snow and high up I found them together and slew12 them both. Feel the fatness of the two for this time of year. Think what the Pilar will do with those two. I am sorry, Roberto, as sorry as thee. Was the cavalryman13 killed?"
"Yes."
"By thee?"
"Yes."
"_Qu?tio!_" the gypsy said in open flattery. "Thou art a veritable phenomenon."
"Thy mother!" Robert Jordan said. He could not help grinning at the gypsy. "Take thy hares to camp and bring us up some breakfast."
He put a hand out and felt of the hares that lay limp, long, heavy, thick-furred, big-footed and long-eared in the snow, their round dark eyes open.
"They _are_ fat," he said.
"Fat!" the gypsy said. "There's a tub of lard on the ribs14 of each one. In my life have I never dreamed of such hares."
"Go then," Robert Jordan said, "and come quickly with the breakfast and bring to me the documentation of that _requet嶱. Ask Pilar for it."
"You are not angry with me, Roberto?"
"Not angry. Disgusted that you should leave your post. Suppose it had been a troop of cavalry?"
"_Redi鏀_," the gypsy said. "How reasonable you are."
"Listen to me. You cannot leave a post again like that. Never. I do not speak of shooting lightly."
"Of course not. And another thing. Never would such an opportunity as the two hares present itself again. Not in the life of one man."
"_Anda!_" Robert Jordan said. "And hurry back."
The gypsy picked up the two hares and slipped back through the rocks and Robert Jordan looked out across the flat opening and the slopes of the hill below. Two crows circled overhead and then lit in a pine tree below. Another crow joined them and Robert Jordan, watching them, thought: those are my sentinels. As long as those are quiet there is no one coming through the trees.
The gypsy, he thought. He is truly worthless. He has no political development, nor any discipline, and you could not rely on him for anything. But I need him for tomorrow. I have a use for him tomorrow. It's odd to see a gypsy in a war. They should be exempted15 like conscientious16 objectors. Or as the physically17 and mentally unfit. They are worthless. But conscientious objectors weren't exempted in this war. No one was exempted. It came to one and all alike. Well, it had come here now to this lazy outfit18. They had it now.
Agust璯 and Primitivo came up with the brush and Robert Jordan built a good blind for the automatic rifle, a blind that would conceal19 the gun from the air and that would look natural from the forest. He showed them where to place a man high in the rocks to the right where he could see all the country below and to the right, and another where he could command the only stretch where the left wall might be climbed.
"Do not fire if you see any one from there," Robert Jordan said. "Roll a rock down as a warning, a small rock, and signal to us with thy rifle, thus," he lifted the rifle and held it over his head as though guarding it. "Thus for numbers," he lifted the rifle up and down. "If they are dismounted point thy rifle muzzle at the ground. Thus. Do not fire from there until thou hearest the _m嫭uina_ fire. Shoot at a man's knees when you shoot from that height. If you hear me whistle twice on this whistle get down, keeping behind cover, and come to these rocks where the _m嫭uina_ is."
Primitivo raised the rifle.
"I understand," he said. "It is very simple."
"Send first the small rock as a warning and indicate the direction and the number. See that you are not seen."
"Yes," Primitivo said. "If I can throw a grenade?"
"Not until the _m嫭uina_ has spoken. It may be that cavalry will come searching for their comrade and still not try to enter. They may follow the tracks of Pablo. We do not want combat if it can be avoided. Above all that we should avoid it. Now get up there."
"_Me voy_," Primitivo said, and climbed up into the high rocks with his carbine.
"Thou, Agust璯," Robert Jordan said. "What do you know of the gun?"
Agust璯 squatted there, tall, black, stubbly joweled, with his sunken eyes and thin mouth and his big work-worn hands.
"_Pues_, to load it. To aim it. To shoot it. Nothing more."
"You must not fire until they are within fifty meters and only when you are sure they will be coming into the pass which leads to the cave," Robert Jordan said.
"Yes. How far is that?"
"That rock."
"If there is an officer shoot him first. Then move the gun onto the others. Move very slowly. It takes little movement. I will teach Fernando to tap it. Hold it tight so that it does not jump and sight carefully and do not fire more than six shots at a time if you can help it. For the fire of the gun jumps upward. But each time fire at one man and then move from him to another. At a man on a horse, shoot at his belly20."
"Yes."
"One man should hold the tripod still so that the gun does not jump. Thus. He will load the gun for thee."
"And where will you be?"
"I will be here on the left. Above, where I can see all and I will cover thy left with this small _m嫭uina_. Here. If they should come it would be possible to make a massacre21. But you must not fire until they are that close."
"I believe that we could make a massacre. _Menuda matanza!_"
"But I hope they do not come."
"If it were not for thy bridge we could make a massacre here and get out."
"It would avail nothing. That would serve no purpose. The bridge is a part of a plan to win the war. This would be nothing. This would be an incident. A nothing."
"_Qu?va_, nothing. Every fascist22 dead is a fascist less."
"Yes. But with this of the bridge we can take Segovia. The Capital of a Province. Think of that. It will be the first one we will take."
"Thou believest in this seriously? That we can take Segovia?"
"Yes. It is possible with the bridge blown correctly."
"I would like to have the massacre here and the bridge, too."
"Thou hast much appetite," Robert Jordan told him.
All this time he had been watching the crows. Now he saw one was watching something. The bird cawed and flew up. But the other crow still stayed in the tree. Robert Jordan looked up toward Primitivo's place high in the rocks. He saw him watching out over the country below but he made no signal. Robert Jordan leaned forward and worked the lock on the automatic rifle, saw the round in the chamber23 and let the lock down. The crow was still there in the tree. The other circled wide over the snow and then settled again. In the sun and the warm wind the snow was falling from the laden24 branches of the pines.
"I have a massacre for thee for tomorrow morning," Robert Jordan said. "It is necessary to exterminate25 the post at the sawmill."
"I am ready," Agust璯 said, "_Estoy listo_."
"Also the post at the roadmender's hut below the bridge."
"For the one or for the other," Agust璯 said. "Or for both."
"Not for both. They will be done at the same time," Robert Jordan said.
"Then for either one," Agust璯 said. "Now for a long time have I wished for action in this war. Pablo has rotted us here with inaction."
Anselmo came up with the ax.
"Do you wish more branches?" he asked. "To me it seems well hidden."
"Not branches," Robert Jordan said. "Two small trees that we can plant here and there to make it look more natural. There are not enough trees here for it to be truly natural."
"I will bring them."
"Cut them well back, so the stumps26 cannot be seen."
Robert Jordan heard the ax sounding in the woods behind him. He looked up at Primitivo above in the rocks and he looked down at the pines across the clearing. The one crow was still there. Then he heard the first high, throbbing27 murmur28 of a plane coming. He looked up and saw it high and tiny and silver in the sun, seeming hardly to move in the high sky.
"They cannot see us," he said to Agust璯. "But it is well to keep down. That is the second observation plane today."
"And those of yesterday?" Agust璯 asked.
"They are like a bad dream now," Robert Jordan said.
"They must be at Segovia. The bad dream waits there to become a reality."
The plane was out of sight now over the mountains but the sound of its motors still persisted.
As Robert Jordan looked, he saw the crow fly up. He flew straight away through the trees without cawing.
“给我砍些松枝，”罗伯特。乔丹对普里米蒂伏说快点拿。
“枪架在那儿不对头，”他对奥古斯丁说。
“为什么?”
“把它挪到那边去吧，”罗伯特‘乔丹指点着。“我以后告诉
你。”
“架在这儿。我来帮你搬。这儿。”他说着就睇下来。他眺望着对面一块狭长地带，打量着两边岩石的髙度，“要放远些，”他说，“再远些。好。架在这儿。这祥放行了，以后再好好调整。行啦。把石块放在那儿。这儿放一块。边上再放一块。给枪口留些转动的地方。这石头还得朝这边挪过些。安塞尔莫，到下面山洞里给我拿把斧头。快。”
“难道你们从来没有给这挺枪找到一个恰当的位置吗?”他对奥古斯丁说。
“我们总是架在这儿的。”“卡希金从没说过应该把枪架在那儿吗？”“没有。这挺枪是他走后送来的。”“送枪来的人中间没有会使的人吗?”“没有。这梃枪是脚夫捎来的。”
“办事怎么能这样,罗伯特 乔丹说。“没有说明就把枪给你们了？”
“是锕，象送礼一，样。一挺给我们， 挺给‘塞子’。送枪来的人有四个，赞路的是安塞尔莫。”
“四个人越过火线没把抢丢了,倒是怪事。”“我那时也这么想，”奥古斯丁说。“我想打发他们来的人躭是打算丢掉的。但安塞尔莫好好儿把枪护送来了。”“你会使这枪?”
“会，我试过，我会。巴勃罗会。普里米蒂伏会。费尔南多也会。我们在山洞里研究过，在果子上把它拆开再装上。有次拆开后，装了两天才装好。我们从此再没拆过，““枪现在能发射吗？”
“能。但是我们不让吉普赛人和别人摆弄。”“你僅吗？把枪架在那儿毫无作用，”他说。“瞧。那些岩石原该用来掩护你的两侧，反而被向你进攻的敌人当掩护了。有了这种枪，你该找块开阔的平地来发挥火力。你还得斜着打。懂吗？你瞧。现在前面都在你火力控制之下啦。”
“我懂了，〃奥古斯丁说。“可是我们从没打过保卫战，除了我们老家那个小镇被占领的那回。炸火车的时候有正式当兵的使机关枪。”
“那我们一起来学吧。”罗伯特‘乔丹说。”有些情况要注意。吉普赛人没有来,哪儿去啦?”“不知道。”“他可能上哪儿?”“不知道。”
巴勃罗策马驰出山口，拐了一个弯,绕着山顶上那块平地转了个睡子，那里是自动步枪的火力范围。罗伯特 乔丹这时看见他顺着这匹马刚才踩出来的那道蹄印，驰下山坡。他向左貤去，消失在树林里。
“伹愿他别迎面碰上骑兵，”罗伯特 乔丹想。“就怕我们万一射击起来他也在我们火力范围内。”
普里米蒂伏拿来了松枝，罗伯特 乔丹把它们插在积雪下没冻结的泥土里，弯成拱形遮在枪上。
“再弄些来，”他说。“必须掩护那两个打枪的人。这不管什么用，不过在拿来斧子之前能凑合。听着，”他说,“如果你们听到飞机，要在岩石的阴影里就地卧倒。我在这里守住枪。“
太阳这时已经升起,暖风吹拂，待在岩石有阳光照到的那一面很舒适。罗伯特 乔丹想。”有四匹马。两个女的和我，安塞尔莫,普里米蒂伏,费尔南多，奥古斯丁，两兄弟中的另一个到底叫什么来着？一共个人。吉普赛人还没算进去。一共是九个，加上骑了一匹马走的巴勃罗是十个。另外那个兄弟，他的名字叫安德烈斯。加上另外那一个埃拉迪奥。一共十个。每两个人也分不到一匹马。三个男的可以守在这里,四个坷以撤走。加上巴勃罗是五个。剩下两个。加上埃拉迪奥是三个。真见鬼，他上哪儿去啦，“
假如他们在雪地里发现了那些马的蹄印，天知道“聋子”会碰上什么遭遇。真够呛，雪竟然停了。不过今天化了雪，佾况又会变得有利。对“聋子”来说可不是这样。对他来说,恐怕来不及了，不会变得有利了。
要是我们能拖过今天而不用开火，凭我们现有的力纛能唱好明天的那台戏。我知道我们能行。也许不大出色。不哆理想,不能做到万无一失，不能称我们的心来干，不过，把每个人都用上的话，我们是能干成功的。但愿今天不用开火就好啦。要是今天非打不可,那上帝来保佑我们吧。
我不知道眼前躲在什么地方比这里更安全。现在走，只会留下脚印，这里可算是最好的地方了，如果情况糟得不能再糟，这里有三条退路。接着等天黑下来，那时候不管我们在这一带山区的什么地方,我都能设法在黎明时把那座桥炸掉。我不知道先前我为什么发愁。现在看来相当容易。我希望这一次我们的飞机能准时起飞。我确实这样希望。明天公路上将会热闹起来。
唉，今天会十分有趣，或者十分乏味。感谢上帝，我们把骑兵的那匹马引开这里了。我看即使他们骑马到了这儿，也不见得会循着现在那些马蹄印走的。他们会以为他停了下来，转了一个圈子，他们会循着巴勃罗的马蹄印走。我不知道这个老杂种到什么地方去了。他也许会象头老公麇那样落荒而逃，一路向上爬，留下蹄印,然后等雪化了，兜一个圉子，抄山下的路回来。那匹马确实使他来了劲。当然啦，他也可能拿了这匹马反而把事情描糟。噢，他是应该能照厫自己的。他好久以来都这么着。不过我不信任他，就象我根本不信你能推倒埃弗勒斯峰①
我看，聪明一点的办法是利用这些岩石给这挺枪修一个隐蔽得很好的火力点，而不要筑一个正式的掩体。煆如来了敌人或来了飞机,而你正在挖攝，准会给弄得措手不及。只要在这里坚守下去有用，凭比拉尔的情况看是能坚守下去的。我反正不能留下作战，我得带了炸药离开这里，我要带安塞尔莫一起走。假使这里非打不可，那么我们撤离的时候，谁留下来掩护我们。
他眺望着视力所及的田野时，看到那吉普赛人穿过山岩从左边来了。他扭着屁股,镘不经心而大摇大摆地走来，卡宾枪挎在背上，褐色的脸上咧嘴笑着，双手各提着一只大兔子。他提着兔脚，两顆兔子脑袋摇晃着。
“哦，罗伯托，”他兴冲冲地喊道。
罗伯特‘乔丹把手按在嘴上，吉普赛人显然怔了一下扇一溜烟地躲到山岩后面，走到伏在树枝掩蔽着的自动步抢边的罗伯特 乔丹身边。他蹲下来,把兔子放在雪地上。罗伯特’乔丹抬头望着他。
①即珠教朗玛峰
“你这个婊子养的!”他低声说。“你他妈的到哪儿去啦?”〃我在追兔子，”吉普赛人说。“我把两只都逮住了。它们在雪地里调情哪。”
“你不是在放哨吗？”
“捉兔子时间不长，”吉普赛人低声说。“出了什么事？有蕾报吗？”
“来骑兵了。〃
“老天爷!”吉普赛人说。“你看到他们了?”“有一个现在在营地，”罗伯特、乔丹说。“他来吃早饭的。”“我好象是听到了一声枪晌什么的，”吉普赛人说-“我入他奶奶的！是从这里过来的？”
“从这里来的。从 的岗哨上来的。”“我的妈呀1”吉普-人说。“我是个倒霉的可怜虫。”、“你不是吉普赛人的话，我就毙了你。”“别,罗伯托。别讲这种话。对不起。那是兔子的关系。天亮前我听到雪地里有只公兔在睃雄。你哪里想象得到它们在摘什么下淹的勾当。我朝声响走去，兔子溜掉啦。我沿着脚印在雪地里搜,发现两只都在山上，就把它们都宰了。你摸摸，在这个季节，这两只兔子多肥。想想看，比拉尔能拿来做什么好吃的。我很谀恼,罗伯托，和你一样懊恼 那个骑兵给宰了？”“宰了，““是你宰的。”“不错。”
“好样的 ”吉普赛人毫不掩饰地拍马屁了，“你这人真了不起。”
“去你妈的1”罗伯特‘乔丹说。他禁不住对吉普赛人苦笑，“把兔子带回营去,给我们弄点早点来。”
他伸手摸摸躺在雪地上的兔子。兔子软绵绵的，身体又长又沉,毛厚，长脚长耳朵，踭着黑色的圃眼睛。“的确很肥，”他说。
“肥啊"吉普赛人说。“每个兔子的肋骨上都可刮下一桶油哪。我这辈子做梦也没见过这样的兔子。”
“那就走吧，”罗伯特，乔丹说。“快去拿早饭来，还把那保皇派骑兵①的证明文件也带给我。向比拉尔要。”“你不生我的气吧，罗伯托?”
〃不生气。恼恨的是你离开了自己的岗位。要是来的是一队骑兵怎么办？”
“老天爷。”吉普赛人说。“你这人真通情达理。”“听我说。你再不能象这样擅离职守了。绝对不许。我说枪毙不是说着玩的。”
“当然不。还有，决不会再有两只兔子自，“跑来的机会了。一个人一辈子也难碰上一次。”
“快走。”罗伯特，乔丹说。“快去快回。“
吉普赛人提起两只兔子，返身穿过岩石走了。”罗伯特"乔丹眺望着前面那开阔的平地和下面的山坡。两只乌鸦在头顶上盘旋，接着停落在下面的一棵松树上。接着又飞来一只,三只在一起，罗伯特’乔丹望着乌鸦想。”这是我的哨兵。只要这些鸟不惊飞，就表示树林中没人来。
①十九世纪中叶，关于西班牙王位的继承问理，出现了一批拥护食.卡洛斯及其后脔接位的王室正统论者，他们发动坂乱，挑起内珙，自后成为一肤政治势力。一九三一年推翮君主制后，这股势力拾头，站在教会、大地主、大资产阶级的一边，并有自己的武装组织，在意大利受训，妃合佛明哥手下的摩尔人部队及摩洛哥的雇佣兵组织外箱军团作为叛军的急先锋。本书中这支骑兵部队就是这种保皇派武装力量,思想极端保守，胸前都佩有圣心标记，
他想。”这个吉普赛人嗛,真是个废物。他没有政治觉悟,也不守纪律，你什么也不能信赖他。但我明天需要他。明天我用得着他。吉普赛人参加战争是少见的。他们应当象由于信仰的原因而拒脤兵役的人那样予以豁免，或者作为体力和智力上不适合的人予以除外 他们是废物。伹是在这场战争中，拒服兵役的人也不能豁免。谁也不能豁免。战争降临到每个人的头上。得了，它如今降临到这帮懒鬼的头上了。他们现在遇上啦。
奥古斯丁和普里米蒂伏带来了树枝。罗伯特。乔丹给自动步枪筑了个很好的掩体，从天上一点也看不出来，从树林那面望来显得没什么异样。他指给他们看，在右边山岩顶上布置一个人，能望到山下整个田野和右侧，另外再布置一个人可以控制住左边山崖唯一可以爬上来的要道。
“要是看到有人从那里来,别开枪，”罗伯特，乔丹说。“推一块石头，一块小石头下来告聱，用步枪,这样,给我们打信号。”他提起步枪，举过头，好象在保护自己的脑瓜似的。“敌人有几个躭举几次。”他上下举动枪支。"要是他们下马，把枪口朝地面。这样。要听到自动步枪响了，你才能在那儿开枪。从上面射击,要瞄准对方的膝盖。如果听到我用这只哨子吹两遢,你就下山,路上注意掩护自己,跑到架自动步枪的这儿岩石边来。“普里米蒂伏提起步枪。“我僅，“，”他说‘“这很简单。”
“先推下小石头告蕾，指明方向和人数 注意自己别被人发
现。”
“是。”普里米蒂伏说。“我可以扔个手楠弹吗?”“要等到自动步抢响了才行，也许骑兵队会来找他们的同伙,但还是不打算深入。他们可能会循着巴勃罗的蹄印走。能避免的话，我们就不打。最重要的是应该避免交火。现在上山到那边去吧。”
“我走了，”普里米蒂伏说，背起卡宾枪，爬上髙髙的山岩。“你，奥古斯丁，”罗伯特 乔丹说。“你会使这挺枪吗?”奥古斯丁又髙又黑，下巴上满是胡子茬,长着一对凹陷的眼睛、簿薄的嘴展和两只干过粗活的大手。他蹲在那儿。“会啊，上子弹，瞄准，射击，没别的啦。”“你得等他们来到五十公尺以内才开枪，只有当你看准他们要走进通山涧的那个山口时才开枪。”罗伯特 乔丹说。“是。五十公尺是多远?”
“到那块岩石那儿。有军官来的话先向他射击。然后转过枪口去扫射别人。要转动得很慢。辐度要小。我要教费尔南多怎样打枪。要握紧枪，免得枪身跳动，要仔细瞄准，每次射击尽可能不超过六发子弹，因为连发的话射线会向上移动。每次只瞄准一个人打,然后再打别人 骑马的，要打他的腹部。”
“由一个人按稳三脚架，免得枪身弹跳。象这样。他可以给你上子弹。”
“那么你待在哪里?”
“我待在这儿左边。居高临下，我可以照蹊全局，用这支小手提机枪掩护你的左翼。在这儿。他们要来的话,很可能杀掉他们一批。但一定要等他们临近的时候，你才开枪。”“我相信能够杀掉他们一批。杀得他们人仰马翻。”“可是，但愿他们别来。”
“要不是为了你的桥，我们满可以在这儿杀掉他们一批再撤
走。”
“这一点儿没用。这样做没有目的性。炸桥是打蠃这场战争的计划的一部分。在这里干算不上什么。不过是个意外进遇罢了。算不上什么。”
“什么话，算不上什么！法西斯分子死一个少一个。”“对。但炸了这座挢，我们就能占领塞哥维亚。那是省会。要想到这一点。那将是我们攻占的第一个省会。”“你真以为是这样？我们能占领塞哥维亚吗？”“对。正确按计划炸桥就有可能。”“我愿意在这儿杀掉他们一批,还把桥也炸掉，““你的胃口真不小。”罗伯特 乔丹对他说。他始终在留神着乌鸦的动静。这时他看到有1只在张望着什么。它哇的一声飞走了。另一只仍待在树上。罗伯特‘乔丹抬头望望岩石高处的普里米蒂伏。只见普里米蒂伏 ，“在了望山下的田野，但没有打信号。罗伯特。乔丹俯身向前，拉开自动步枪的枪机，看到弹膛里有一发子弹，就把枪机推上了，那只乌鸦仍在树上。另一只在雪地上空打了个大圚子，又降落下来。在阳光和暖风中，沉甸甸的雪从松枝上掉下来。
“明天早晨我让你杀掉他们一批，”罗伯特”乔丹说。“必须端掉锯木厂边的哨所。”
“我准备好了，”奥古斯丁说。
“桥下养路工小屋那儿的哨所也得端掉。”
“端掉这个或那个都行，”奥古斯丁说。”两个都端掉也行。”"不是一个个干的。要同时端掉，”罗伯特‘乔丹说 “那么随便干哪个吧，”奥古斯丁说。“在这次战争中，我一直在等着干。巴勃罗老是按兵不动，把我们拖烂啦。”安塞尔莫拿着斧头来了。
“你还要树枝吗？”他问。“我看已经掩护得不错了，““不要树枝了。”罗伯特 乔丹说。“要两棵小树，这儿插一棵，那儿插一棵,使得看起来更自然些。要使这儿显得真正自然,树还不够。”
“我去砍来。”
“要齐根砍，别留下树桩给人家发现。”罗伯特‘乔丹听到身后树林里响起了斧头声。他抬头望望山岩上的普里米蒂伏，又低头望望山下空地对面的松林。那只乌鸦仍在那儿。接着,他听到髙空中传来一架飞机低镦的震响声。他抬头一望,只见阳光中飞机一点大，银光闪亮，在脔空中好象动也不动，
“飞机望不到我们，”他对奥古斯丁说。”不过还是卧倒好。这是今天的第二架侦察机了。”
“昨天的那些飞机呢。”奥古斯丁问。“现在想起来真象场恶梦，”罗伯特，乔丹说，“他们准是驻在塞哥维亚的。恶梦在那儿要变成事实啦。”飞机这时越出了视野，飞过了山岭,但马达声仍然在空中回响着。
罗伯特，乔丹望着，发现那只乌鸦飞了起来 它穿过树林,笔直地飞走了，但没有叫上一声。
收听单词发音 |
1
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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squatted
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| v.像动物一样蹲下( squat的过去式和过去分词 )；非法擅自占用（土地或房屋）；为获得其所有权；而占用某片公共用地。 | |
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3
muzzle
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| n.鼻口部；口套；枪(炮)口；vt.使缄默 | |
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4
defense
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| n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩 | |
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cavalry
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| n.骑兵；轻装甲部队 | |
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elk
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| n.麋鹿 | |
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sloppy
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| adj.邋遢的，不整洁的 | |
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8
slung
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| 抛( sling的过去式和过去分词 )； 吊挂； 遣送； 押往 | |
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9
crouched
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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10
thumping
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| adj.重大的，巨大的；重击的；尺码大的；极好的adv.极端地；非常地v.重击(thump的现在分词)；狠打；怦怦地跳；全力支持 | |
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11
debauch
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| v.使堕落，放纵 | |
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12
slew
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| v.（使）旋转；n.大量，许多 | |
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13
cavalryman
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| 骑兵 | |
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14
ribs
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| n.肋骨( rib的名词复数 )；（船或屋顶等的）肋拱；肋骨状的东西；（织物的）凸条花纹 | |
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15
exempted
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| 使免除[豁免]( exempt的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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conscientious
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| adj.审慎正直的，认真的，本着良心的 | |
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17
physically
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| adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律 | |
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18
outfit
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| n.（为特殊用途的）全套装备，全套服装 | |
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19
conceal
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
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belly
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| n.肚子，腹部；(像肚子一样)鼓起的部分，膛 | |
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21
massacre
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| n.残杀，大屠杀；v.残杀，集体屠杀 | |
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fascist
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| adj.法西斯主义的；法西斯党的；n.法西斯主义者，法西斯分子 | |
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23
chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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laden
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| adj.装满了的；充满了的；负了重担的；苦恼的 | |
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25
exterminate
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| v.扑灭，消灭，根绝 | |
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stumps
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| （被砍下的树的）树桩( stump的名词复数 )； 残肢； （板球三柱门的）柱； 残余部分 | |
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throbbing
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| a. 跳动的,悸动的 | |
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murmur
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| n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言 | |
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