Pablo stopped and dismounted in the dark. Robert Jordan heard the creaking and the heavy breathing as they all dismounted and the clinking of a bridle1 as a horse tossed his head. He smelled the horses and the unwashed and sour slept-in-clothing smell of the new men and the wood-smoky sleep-stale smell of the others who had been in the cave. Pablo was standing2 close to him and he smelled the brassy, dead-wine smell that came from him like the taste of a copper3 coin in your mouth. He lit a cigarette, cupping his hand to hide the light, pulled deep on it, and heard Pablo say very softly, "Get the grenade sack, Pilar, while we hobble these."
"Agust璯," Robert Jordan said in a whisper, "you and Anselmo come now with me to the bridge. Have you the sack of pans for the _m嫭uina?_"
"Yes," Agust璯 said. "Why not?"
Robert Jordan went over to where Pilar was unpacking4 one of the horses with the help of Primitivo.
"Listen, woman," he said softly.
"What now?" she whispered huskily, swinging a cinch hook clear from under the horse's belly5.
"Thou understandest that there is to be no attack on the post until thou hearest the falling of the bombs?"
"How many times dost thou have to tell me?" Pilar said. "You are getting like an old woman, _Ingl廥_."
"Only to check," Robert Jordan said. "And after the destruction of the post you fall back onto the bridge and cover the road from above and my left flank."
"The first time thou outlined it I understood it as well as I will ever understand it," Pilar whispered to him. "Get thee about thy business."
"That no one should make a move nor fire a shot nor throw a bomb until the noise of the bombardment comes," Robert Jordan said softly.
"Do not molest6 me more," Pilar whispered angrily. "I have understood this since we were at Sordo's."
Robert Jordan went to where Pablo was tying the horses. "I have only hobbled those which are liable to panic," Pablo said. "These are tied so a pull of the rope will release them, see?"
"Good."
"I will tell the girl and the gypsy how to handle them," Pablo said. His new men were standing in a group by themselves leaning on their carbines.
"Dost understand all?" Robert Jordan asked.
"Why not?" Pablo said. "Destroy the post. Cut the wire. Fall back on the bridge. Cover the bridge until thou blowest."
"And nothing to start until the commencement of the bombardment."
"Thus it is."
"Well then, much luck."
Pablo grunted7. Then he said, "Thou wilt8 cover us well with the _m嫭uina_ and with thy small _m嫭uina_ when we come back, eh, _Ingl廥?_"
"_Dela primera_," Robert Jordan said. "Off the top of the basket."
"Then," Pablo said. "Nothing more. But in that moment thou must be very careful, _Ingl廥_. It will not be simple to do that unless thou art very careful."
"I will handle the _m嫭uina_ myself," Robert Jordan said to him.
"Hast thou much experience? For I am of no mind to be shot by Agust璯 with his belly full of good intentions."
"I have much experience. Truly. And if Agust璯 uses either _m嫭uina_ I will see that he keeps it way above thee. Above, above and above."
"Then nothing more," Pablo said. Then he said softly and confidentially9, "There is still a lack of horses."
The son of a bitch, Robert Jordan thought. Or does he think I did not understand him the first time.
"I go on foot," he said. "The horses are thy affair."
"Nay, there will be a horse for thee, _Ingl廥_," Pablo said softly. "There will be horses for all of us."
"That is thy problem," Robert Jordan said. "Thou dost not have to count me. Hast enough rounds for thy new _m嫭uina?_"
"Yes," Pablo said. "All that the cavalryman10 carried. I have fired only four to try it. I tried it yesterday in the high hills."
"We go now," Robert Jordan said. "We must be there early and well hidden."
"We all go now," Pablo said. "_Suerte, Ingl廥_."
I wonder what the bastard11 is planning now, Robert Jordan said. But I am pretty sure I know. Well, that is his, not mine. Thank God I do not know these new men.
He put his hand out and said, "_Suerte_, Pablo," and their two hands gripped in the dark.
Robert Jordan, when he put his hand out, expected that it would be like grasping something reptilian12 or touching13 a leper. He did not know what Pablo's hand would feel like. But in the dark Pablo's hand gripped his hard and pressed it frankly14 and he returned the grip. Pablo had a good hand in the dark and feeling it gave Robert Jordan the strangest feeling he had felt that morning. We must be allies now, he thought. There was always much handshaking with allies. Not to mention decorations and kissing on both cheeks, he thought. I'm glad we do not have to do that. I suppose all allies are like this. They always hate each other _au fond_. But this Pablo is a strange man.
"_Suerte_, Pablo," he said and gripped the strange, firm, purposeful hand hard. "I will cover thee well. Do not worry."
"I am sorry for having taken thy material," Pablo said. "It was an equivocation15."
"But thou has brought what we needed."
"I do not hold this of the bridge against thee, _Ingl廥_," Pablo said. "I see a successful termination for it."
"What are you two doing? Becoming _maricones?_" Pilar said suddenly beside them in the dark. "That is all thou hast lacked," she said to Pablo. "Get along, _Ingl廥_, and cut thy good-bys short before this one steals the rest of thy explosive."
"Thou dost not understand me, woman," Pablo said. "The _Ingl廥_ and I understand one another."
"Nobody understands thee. Neither God nor thy mother," Pilar said. "Nor I either. Get along, _Ingl廥_. Make thy good-bys with thy cropped head and go. _Me cago en tu padre_, but I begin to think thou art afraid to see the bull come out."
"Thy mother," Robert Jordan said.
"Thou never hadst one," Pilar whispered cheerfully. "Now go, because I have a great desire to start this and get it over with. Go with thy people," she said to Pablo. "Who knows how long their stern resolution is good for? Thou hast a couple that I would not trade thee for. Take them and go."
Robert Jordan slung17 his pack on his back and walked over to the horses to find Maria.
"Good-by, _guapa_," he said. "I will see thee soon."
He had an unreal feeling about all of this now as though he had said it all before or as though it were a train that were going, especially as though it were a train and he was standing on the platform of a railway station.
"Good-by, Roberto," she said. "Take much care."
"Of course," he said. He bent18 his head to kiss her and his pack rolled forward against the back of his head so that his forehead bumped hers hard. As this happened he knew this had happened before too.
"Don't cry," he said, awkward not only from the load.
"I do not," she said. "But come back quickly."
"Do not worry when you hear the firing. There is bound to be much firing."
"Nay. Only come back quickly."
"Good-by, _guapa_," he said awkwardly.
"_Salud_, Roberto."
Robert Jordan had not felt this young since he had taken the train at Red Lodge19 to go down to Billings to get the train there to go away to school for the first time. He had been afraid to go and he did not want any one to know it and, at the station, just before the conductor picked up the box he would step up on to reach the steps of the day coach, his father had kissed him good-by and said, "May the Lord watch between thee and me while we are absent the one from the other." His father had been a very religious man and he had said it simply and sincerely. But his moustache had been moist and his eyes were damp with emotion and Robert Jordan had been so embarrassed by all of it, the damp religious sound of the prayer, and by his father kissing him good-by, that he had felt suddenly so much older than his father and sorry for him that he could hardly bear it.
After the train started he had stood on the rear platform and watched the station and the water tower grow smaller and smaller and the rails crossed by the ties narrowed toward a point where the station and the water tower stood now minute and tiny in the steady clicking that was taking him away.
The brakeman said, "Dad seemed to take your going sort of hard, Bob."
"Yes," he had said watching the sagebrush that ran from the edge of the road bed between the passing telegraph poles across to the streaming-by dusty stretching of the road. He was looking for sage20 hens.
"You don't mind going away to school?"
"No," he had said and it was true.
It would not have been true before but it was true that minute and it was only now, at this parting, that he ever felt as young again as he had felt before that train left. He felt very young now and very awkward and he was saying good-by as awkwardly as one can be when saying good-by to a young girl when you are a boy in school, saying good-by at the front porch, not knowing whether to kiss the girl or not. Then he knew it was not the good-by he was being awkward about. It was the meeting he was going to. The good-by was only a part of the awkwardness he felt about the meeting.
You're getting them again, he told himself. But I suppose there is no one that does not feel that he is too young to do it. He would not put a name to it. Come on, he said to himself. Come on. It is too early for your second childhood.
"Good-by, _guapa_," he said. "Good-by, rabbit."
"Good-by, my Roberto," she said and he went over to where Anselmo and Agust璯 were standing and said, "_Vamonos_."
Anselmo swung his heavy pack up. Agust璯, fully16 loaded since the cave, was leaning against a tree, the automatic rifle jutting21 over the top of his load.
"Good," he said, "_Vamonos_."
The three of them started down the hill.
"_Buena suerte_, Don Roberto," Fernando said as the three of them passed him as they moved in single file between the trees. Fernando was crouched23 on his haunches a little way from where they passed but he spoke24 with great dignity.
"_Buena suerte_ thyself, Fernando," Robert Jordan said.
"In everything thou doest," Agust璯 said.
"Thank you, Don Roberto," Fernando said, undisturbed by Agust璯.
"That one is a phenomenon, _Ingl廥_," Agust璯 whispered.
"I believe thee," Robert Jordan said. "Can I help thee? Thou art loaded like a horse."
"I am all right," Agust璯 said. "Man, but I am content we are started."
"Speak softly," Anselmo said. "From now on speak little and softly."
Walking carefully, downhill, Anselmo in the lead, Agust璯 next, Robert Jordan placing his feet carefully so that he would not slip, feeling the dead pine needles under his rope-soled shoes, bumping a tree root with one foot and putting a hand forward and feeling the cold metal jut22 of the automatic rifle barrel and the folded legs of the tripod, then working sideways down the hill, his shoes sliding and grooving25 the forest floor, putting his left hand out again and touching the rough bark of a tree trunk, then as he braced26 himself his hand feeling a smooth place, the base of the palm of his hand coming away sticky from the resinous27 sap where a blaze had been cut, they dropped down the steep wooded hillside to the point above the bridge where Robert Jordan and Anselmo had watched the first day.
Now Anselmo was halted by a pine tree in the dark and he took Robert Jordan's wrist and whispered, so low Jordan could hardly hear him, "Look. There is the fire in his brazier."
It was a point of light below where Robert Jordan knew the bridge joined the road.
"Here is where we watched," Anselmo said. He took Robert Jordan's hand and bent it down to touch a small fresh blaze low on a tree trunk. "This I marked while thou watched. To the right is where thou wished to put the _m嫭uina_."
"We will place it there."
"Good."
They put the packs down behind the base of the pine trunks and the two of them followed Anselmo over to the level place where there was a clump28 of seedling29 pines.
"It is here," Anselmo said. "Just here."
"From here, with daylight," Robert Jordan crouched behind the small trees whispered to Agust璯, "thou wilt see a small stretch of road and the entrance to the bridge. Thou wilt see the length of the bridge and a small stretch of road at the other end before it rounds the curve of the rocks."
Agust璯 said nothing.
"Here thou wilt lie while we prepare the exploding and fire on anything that comes from above or below."
"Where is that light?" Agust璯 asked.
"In the sentry30 box at this end," Robert Jordan whispered.
"Who deals with the sentries31?"
"The old man and I, as I told thee. But if we do not deal with them, thou must fire into the sentry boxes and at them if thou seest them."
"Yes. You told me that."
"After the explosion when the people of Pablo come around that corner, thou must fire over their heads if others come after them. Thou must fire high above them when they appear in any event that others must not come. Understandest thou?"
"Why not? It is as thou saidst last night."
"Hast any questions?"
"Nay. I have two sacks. I can load them from above where it will not be seen and bring them here."
"But do no digging here. Thou must be as well hid as we were at the top."
"Nay. I will bring the dirt in them in the dark. You will see. They will not show as I will fix them."
"Thou are very close. _Sabes?_ In the daylight this clump shows clearly from below."
"Do not worry, _Ingl廥_. Where goest thou?"
"I go close below with the small _m嫭uina_ of mine. The old man will cross the gorge32 now to be ready for the box of the other end. It faces in that direction."
"Then nothing more," said Agust璯. "_Salud, Ingl廥_. Hast thou tobacco?"
"Thou canst not smoke. It is too close."
"Nay. Just to hold in the mouth. To smoke later."
Robert Jordan gave him his cigarette case and Agust璯 took three cigarettes and put them inside the front flap of his herdsman's flat cap. He spread the legs of his tripod with the gun muzzle33 in the low pines and commenced unpacking his load by touch and laying the things where he wanted them.
"_Nada mas_," he said. "Well, nothing more."
Anselmo and Robert Jordan left him there and went back to where the packs were.
"Where had we best leave them?" Robert Jordan whispered.
"I think here. But canst thou be sure of the sentry with thy small _m嫭uina_ from here?"
"Is this exactly where we were on that day?"
"The same tree," Anselmo said so low Jordan could barely hear him and he knew he was speaking without moving his lips as he had spoken that first day. "I marked it with my knife."
Robert Jordan had the feeling again of it all having happened before, but this time it came from his own repetition of a query34 and Anselmo's answer. It had been the same with Agust璯, who had asked a question about the sentries although he knew the answer.
"It is close enough. Even too close," he whispered. "But the light is behind us. We are all right here."
"Then I will go now to cross the gorge and be in position at the other end," Anselmo said. Then he said, "Pardon me, _Ingl廥_. So that there is no mistake. In case I am stupid."
"What?" he breathed very softly.
"Only to repeat it so that I will do it exactly."
"When I fire, thou wilt fire. When thy man is eliminated, cross the bridge to me. I will have the packs down there and thou wilt do as I tell thee in the placing of the charges. Everything I will tell thee. If aught happens to me do it thyself as I showed thee. Take thy time and do it well, wedging all securely with the wooden wedges and lashing35 the grenades firmly."
"It is all clear to me," Anselmo said. "I remember it all. Now I go. Keep thee well covered, _Ingl廥_, when daylight comes."
"When thou firest," Robert Jordan said, "take a rest and make very sure. Do not think of it as a man but as a target, _de acuerdo?_ Do not shoot at the whole man but at a point. Shoot for the exact center of the belly--if he faces thee. At the middle of the back, if he is looking away. Listen, old one. When I fire if the man is sitting down he will stand up before he runs or crouches36. Shoot then. If he is still sitting down shoot. Do not wait. But make sure. Get to within fifty yards. Thou art a hunter. Thou hast no problem."
"I will do as thou orderest," Anselmo said.
"Yes. I order it thus," Robert Jordan said.
I'm glad I remembered to make it an order, he thought. That helps him out. That takes some of the curse off. I hope it does, anyway. Some of it. I had forgotten about what he told me that first day about the killing37.
"It is thus I have ordered," he said. "Now go."
"_Me voy_," said Anselmo. "Until soon, _Ingl廥_."
"Until soon, old one," Robert Jordan said.
He remembered his father in the railway station and the wetness of that farewell and he did not say _Salud_ nor good-by nor good luck nor anything like that.
"Hast wiped the oil from the bore of thy gun, old one?" he whispered. "So it will not throw wild?"
"In the cave," Anselmo said. "I cleaned them all with the pullthrough."
"Then until soon," Robert Jordan said and the old man went off, noiseless on his rope-soled shoes, swinging wide through the trees.
Robert Jordan lay on the pine-needle floor of the forest and listened to the first stirring in the branches of the pines of the wind that would come with daylight. He took the clip out of the submachine gun and worked the lock back and forth38. Then he turned the gun, with the lock open and in the dark he put the muzzle to his lips and blew through the barrel, the metal tasting greasy39 and oily as his tongue touched the edge of the bore. He laid the gun across his forearm, the action up so that no pine needles or rubbish could get in it, and shucked all the cartridges40 out of the clip with his thumb and onto a handkerchief he had spread in front of him. Then, feeling each cartridge41 in the dark and turning it in his fingers, he pressed and slid them one at a time back into the clip. Now the clip was heavy again in his hand and he slid it back into the submachine gun and felt it click home. He lay on his belly behind the pine trunk, the gun across his left forearm and watched the point of light below him. Sometimes he could not see it and then he knew that the man in the sentry box had moved in front of the brazier. Robert Jordan lay there and waited for daylight.
巴勃罗在黑暗中停下来，跨下马背。穸伯特 乔丹听到他们大家下马时咯吱咯吱的声音、沉重的呼吸声和一匹马把头一甩时马勒上发出的叮当声。他闻到马的气味，新来的人没水洗脸洗澡、和农而睡而身上带着的酸臭，以及待在山洞里那些人身上隔宿的烟火味。巴勃罗就站在近旁，罗伯特 乔丹闻到他身上发出的锎腥般的酒酸味，仿佛嘴里含着锎币的感觉。他用手握成杯形，挡着火光点燃了香烟，深深地吸了一口，听到巴勃罗声音很低地说。”我们去栓马脚的时候，比拉尔，你把装手榴弹的口袋卸下来。”
“奥古斯丁。”罗伯特‘乔丹放低了声音说，现在你和安塞尔莫跟我到桥头去。装机枪子弹盘的口袋在你那儿吗。”“在，”奥古斯丁说。干吗不在啊？〃罗伯特 乔丹向比拉尔身边走去，普里米蒂伏正在帮她把东西从一匹马上卸下来。〃听着，大娘。”他低声说，
〃有什么事？”她沙哑地小声说，把马辑下的肚带钩解掉。“你要听到扔炸弹的声音才能袭击哨所，明白了吗？”“你得跟我说多少回啊？”比拉尔说。“英国人,你变得象个老太婆啦。”
〃不过是想检查一下。”罗伯特‘乔丹说。“端掉了哨所，你得回过头来向桥靠垅，从上面和我的左翼用火力封锁公路，“
“你第一次跟我交待的时候，我就明白了，再跟我说,我也一样。”比拉尔对他低声说。“干你自己的事吧。”
“没听到轰炸声,谁也不许动,不许放枪，也不许扔手梢弹，”罗伯特 乔丹低声说，
“别再烦我了。”比拉尔恼火地小声说。“我们在‘聋子，那儿的时候，我就明白了。”
罗伯特"乔丹走到巴勃罗在拴马的地方。 我只把那些容易受惊的马拴住脚。”巴勃罗说。“我这样拴，只要一拉绳子，它们就能自由行动，明白吗？”“好。”
“我来告诉丫头和吉普赛人怎样看管马儿，”巴勃罗说 他那伙新来的弟兄单独聚集在“起,身子支着卡宾枪。“大家都明白了?”罗伯特’乔丹问。“怎么不明白？”巴勃罗说。“端掉哨所。切断电线，回过头来向桥靠拢 封锁桥面,等你炸桥。”“轰炸幵始之前不许有任何行动。”“就是这样。”“那就行了。祝你顺利。”
巴勃罗咭噜了一声,他接着说，“我们回头赶来的时候，你会用机枪和你的小机枪好好掩护我们，英国人，对吗?”“亳无疑问。”罗伯特 乔丹说，“全力以赴。”“那好。”巴勃罗说。“没说的了，不过你到那时镡必须十分小心啊，英国人。这掩护的事儿不简单，除非你十分小心。”“我会亲自掌握机枪的，”罗伯特‘乔丹对他谀。““你很有经验吗？我可不逋意让奥古斯丁把興轉不,尽管，“没一点儿坏心眼。” ‘…
“我很有经验。没错。要是奥古斯丁使另外一挺机枪,我会叫他注意越过你的头射击。高高地越过你的头。”
“那就没说的了，”巴勃罗说。他接着推心置腹地低声说，“马还不够哪。”
这婊子养的，罗伯特，乔丹想。难道他以为我没有听懂他以前第一次跟我讲的话吗？
“我可以步行，”他说。“马由你支面。”“不,有一匹马给你的，英国人"巴勃罗低声说。“我们每个人都有一匹,
“这是你的事情。”罗伯特 乔丹说。“你不用把我算在里面。你那挺新机枪的弹药够吗。”
“够。”巴勃罗说，“那个骑兵身上的全部弹药都在。我只打了四发试试。我是昨天在高山里试的枪？ ‘
“我们走吧，”罗伯特 乔丹诶。“我们必须一早就赶到那儿,好好隐蔽起来。”
“我们大家都走吧。”巴勃罗说，“祝你濮利，英国人。”我不知道这个杂种现在在打什么主意，罗伯特‘乔丹想，但是我十分肯定我摸准了。得了,这是他的事,和我不相干。感谢上帝我不认识这些新来的人。
他伸出手来说。”祝你顺利，巴勃罗。”黑暗中,两只手紧紧握在一起。
罗伯特 乔丹伸手的时候，以为会象握住什么爬虫的身体或接触麻风病患者的皮肤那样。他不知道擓巴勃罗手会有什么感觉。但是，在黑暗中，巴勃罗一把抓住了他的手,坦率地紧握着,他就报以同样的紧握。巴勃罗的手在黑暗中是强壮可靠的，握着它使罗伯特、乔丹产生了那夭早晨他心里最离奇的豳觉。。，“。
他想。”我们现在必须做盟友。盟友间总是多多握手言欢的。且不提授勋或吻脸颊那一套，他想。我高兴的是我们不用这样做。看来所有的盟友都是这么回事吧。他们总是打心底里彼此憎恨。这个巴勃罗可是个怪人啊。
“祝你順利，巴勃罗。”他说，紧握着这只陌生、有力而意志坚强的手。“我会好好掩护你的。别担心。”
“对不起得很，我拿走了你的爆破材料，”巴勃罗说。“那是我的错。”
“可是你带来了我们需要的人马。”“我并不为了炸桥而反对你，英国人。”巴勃罗说。“我估计是能圆满成功的。”
“你们两个在千什么，“栴同性恋爱？”黑暗中，比拉尔忽然在他们身旁说。“这正是你缺少的，”她对巴勃罗说。“走吧，英国人,别婆婆妈妈的道再见啦,免得这家伙再偷了你剩下的炸药。”“你不理解我，太太。”巴勃罗说。“英国人和我彼此理解了,”
“没人理解你。天主和你的娘都不理解你”比拉尔说。“我也不理解，走吧，英国人。跟你那短毛丫头说声再见就走吧去你的爹，不过我有个想法。”公牛就快放出来,你害怕了。”“你娘的。”罗伯特 乔丹说。
“你从来没娘，”比拉尔兴髙采烈地低声说。“现在走吧，因为我巴不得马上开始，赶快了掉。跟你的人一起走吧。”她对巴勃罗说。“谁知道他们的决心能维持多久？其中有两三个孬的，我可不愿拿你跟他们，“换呢。带他们走吧。”
罗伯特，乔丹背起背包，走到马那儿去找玛丽亚。“再见，漂亮的姑娘，”他说，“我不久就要和你见面的。”
这时,他对这一切产生了一种虚幻的感觉，好象这些话他以前全说过,又好象有一列火车正要开出，尤其象真有一列火车，而他正站在月台上。
“罗伯托,再见，”她说 “多加小心。”“当然。”他说。他低下头去吻地,背上的包向前滚，推在他后脑勺上，因而使他的前额跟她的重重地碰了一下。碰捶的时候，他想起这情形以前也碰到过，
“别哭。”他别扭地说，倒不仅仅是因为背藿很重的东西，“我没哭。”她说。“可你快回来啊。”二“听到枪声别担心。今儿必然会大打其枪。”“不担心，只要你快些回来。”“再见，漂亮的姑娘。”他别扭地说，“再见，罗伯托。”
自从罗伯特 乔丹第一次离家从红棚屋城乘火车到比林斯,再从那儿转车去上学以来,他还没感到过象现在的这种孩子佾绪。他当初怕离家，他不愿让任何人知道他怕，在车站上，就在列车员搬上踏脚箱让他能跨上普通客车的踏板时，他父亲向他吻别，并说。”在我们分居两地的时候，愿主保佑我们俩。”他父亲是个笃信宗教的人，这句话说得坦率而真挚。但他的胡子湿施漉的，他激动得眼眶都润湿了。这虔诚的祝祷，他父亲和他的吻别，这一切使罗伯特.乔丹非常宭，以致他突然间觉得比他父亲年老得多,并替他父亲感到难受，因为他竟然忍受不了这别离的哀愁。
火车开动后,他站在车厢的后平台上,望着车站和水塔变得越来越小，在那不断的卡嗒卡嗒声中，他被带到越来越远的地方,只见中间横着一根根枕木的铁轨在远处聚成了一点,旁边的车站和水塔显得精致而微小。
那司闸员说。”看来你爸笆为你离家很难受呢，鲍勃。”“是的，”他说，望着路基旁的艾灌丛，这片艾灌丛穿过在眼前飞掠过的一根根电线杆之间，直长到象小河般蜿蜓的泥路边。他想看看有没有大松鸡。
“离家去上学，你无所谓吗?”“无所谓。”他说。这是真的，在那以前并不是真的，而在那 刻却是真的。直到现在，在这次别离的时侯，他才感到当初火车开动前所感到的那种孩子情绪。他这时感到非常孩子气、非常别扭，他非常别扭地道别，就象做学生的时候,和年青的女同学在大门口说再见一样别扭，不知道是吻她好，还是不吻好。然而他知道,他感到别扭的不是道别，而是马上要来到的跟敌人的交锋。他对这次交锋感到非常别扭，道别给他的别扭的感觉仅仅是这种心情的一部分而已。
你又来这一套了，他对自己说。不过依我看，随便嗶个人，都会认为自己年纪太轻，应付不了这回事。他不想说这种心情是什么。得了，他对自己说。得了，你的第二童年①不会就来，还早着呢。
“再见，漂亮的姑娘。”他说。“再见，兔子。”“再见，我的罗伯托。”她说。他走到安塞尔莫和奥古斯丁站着的地方，说，“咱们走吧。”
安塞尔莫把沉重的背包扛上肩。奥古斯丁离山洞时全身挂满了东西,这时靠在一棵树身上，自动步枪戳出在背包顶上。“好，”他说。“咱们走，“
①指人老了，智力衰退而行动幼稚，好象回复到羃年时期
他们三人开始下山，
“祝你顺利，堂、罗伯托。”当他们三人排成单行在树林中行进，经过费尔南多身边时，费尔南多说。他在 他们不远的地方蹲着,说活的口气郑重其事。
“攻尔南多,祝你也顺利，”罗伯特，乔丹说。“祝你一切顺利，”奥古斯丁说。
“谢谢你，堂”罗伯托，”费尔南多不顾奥古斯丁打岔，说。“他真是个怪人,英国人，”奥古斯丁低声说。“你说得不错，”罗伯特‘乔丹说。“我能帮你拿些东西吗？你背这么多东西，象匹马了。”
“我能行“奥古斯丁说。“老兄，我髙兴的是我们要动手啦“
“小点儿声，”安塞尔莫说。“从现在开始，少说话，声音放低些。”
他们小心地爬下山去，安塞尔莫领头，第二个是奥古斯丁，罗伯特’乔丹呢，小心地一步步踩着，免得摔交。他感到绳底鞋踩在枯萎的松针上，一只脚给松树裉绊了一下，就向前伸出一只手去，換到了撅出在前的自动步祐冷冷的枪简和折叠迨来的三脚枪架；接着走之字形下山，他的鞋子在松林地上“高一低地滑动,他又伸出左手，摸到“根粗糙的树干，接着挺起身来，手上摸到一块光澝涌的树皮被割开的地方,他把手缩回来，手心下部沾着粘糊糊的树脂。他们从树木丛生的陡坡上一路下来，来到桥上方的一个地方，那儿就是罗伯特 乔丹和安塞尔莫第一天伏着侦察的地方。
这时，安塞尔莫在黑暗中被一棵松树挡住了去硌，他握住罗伯特 乔丹的手腕,小声地说，声音低得罗伯特 乔丹几乎听不到。”瞧。那家伙的火盆里有火。”
这一点火光的所在，罗伯特 乔丹知道，就是下面那公路直通桥堍的地方。
“这儿就是我们上次侦察的地方，”安塞尔莫说。他抓住罗伯特 乔丹的手往下按，摸摸一根树干下部新割去一小块树皮的地方。“这是你侦察时我做的记号。右面是你打算架机枪的地方,
“我们就把它架在那儿吧。”“好。”
他们把背包放在几棵松树背后的地上，安塞尔莫领着其他两人向一块长着一簇小松树的平地走去。“这儿，”安塞尔莫说。“就是这儿。”“天一亮，”罗伯特 乔丹礴在小树后对奥古斯丁低声说，“你从这儿可以看到这边一小段公路和桥堍。还可以看到桥身和另一边一小段公路，再过去，公路就拐弯隐没在岩石后了。”奥古斯丁不作声。
“我们准备爆破时,你伏在这里，±面或下面有敌人来,你就射击。，
“这火光是什么地方?”奥古斯丁问。
“是这边的岗亭里的。”穸伸特、乔丹低声说 ‘
“谁来对付哨兵。”
“老头子和我，我已经踉你讲过啦。但是，如果我们来不及对付他们,你必须向岗亭里射击，看到人就射击。“"是。这个你银我说过了。”
“爆炸之后，当巴勃罗一伙从那边拐角上转过来的时候，要是有人追他们，你必须越过他怕的头射击。他们出现的时候,你必须越过他们的头射击,不能让敌人追过来。你僮了吗？“怎么不僅？就象你昨天晚上所讲的那样。”、有问题吗？”
“没有。我带着两个麻袋。我可以在上面隐蔽的地方装满泥土，搬到这里来当沙袋。”
“但是别在这儿挖土 你必须象我们在山顶上一样，好好隐蔽起来。”
“不妨事。我会在黑暗中装好了土搬过来。你回头瞧吧。我会弄得妥妥帖帖，一点看不出来。”
“你太接近了。明白吗，“天一亮，下面能淸清楚楚地望到这簇小树。”
“别担心，英国人。你去哪儿呢,“我带着我这小机枪就在这儿下面。老头子要越过呋谷，准备攻另一头的岗亭。那岗亭和我们反方向。”
“那就没别的事了。”奥古斯丁说。“祝你顺利，英国人。你有烟吗?”
“你不能抽烟。离敌人太近了，“ ，
“木，只叼在嘴上。以后抽。”
罗伯特 乔丹把他的纸烟盒给他,奥古斯丁拿了三支，插在他那平顶牧人帽的前帽沿里。他拉开机枪的三脚架，把它架在矮松树间，开始換索着解开他背的包，把东西放在瓶手的地方。“没别的事了，”他说，“好了，没别的了。”安塞尔莫和罗伯特‘乔丹把他留在那儿，回到放背包的地方。
“我们把它们放在哪儿好?”罗伯特“乔丹低声说。“我看就在这儿 可是你用手提机枪从这儿有把握干掉那个哨兵吗？” 一
“这儿的确就是那天我们来过的地方?”“树就是那棵树，”安塞尔莫的说话声低得几乎听不到，罗伯特 乔丹知道，就象他第一天那样，说话时晡膊都不动，“我用刀子做了记号。”
罗伯特，乔丹又感到好象这一切以前全发生过，但这次是由于他重复提问和安塞尔莫的回答而产生的，奥古斯丁刚才也是这样，他问了一个有关哨兵的问题，虽然回答是他早知道的。“够近啦。简直太近了。”他低声说。“不过天亮后我们是逆光。我们在这儿没问题。”
“那我现在就到峡谷对面去，在那一头作好准备,”安塞尔莫说。他接着说。”请你再说一逍，英囯人。免得出差错。我兴许会傻了眼，“
“什么？”罗伯特 乔丹说得悄没声儿的。“只要重说一遍,让我照做不误。”“等我开枪的时候,你开枪。消灭了你要对付的那个人之后，过桥到我这边来。我会把背包带到那儿去，你根据我向你交待的那样安放炸药。该做什么，我都会告诉你的。要是我出了毛病,根据我以前教你的办法，你自己千下去。别慌张，好好干，木楔都要塞牢,把手榴弹捆结实？
“我全清楚了，”安塞尔莫说。”“我全记住了。现在我走了，英圉人，天亮的时候你自己要好好隐蔽。”
“你打枪的时候，”罗伯特‘乔丹说，“把枪支好,要打得十分稳。别把他们当人看，只当他们枪靶子，记住了？不要对整个人开枪,要睢准一点。假使他脸朝你，瞄准腹部中央射击 他脸朝别处的话,射击他背脊中央，听着，老头子。我开枪打坐着的人时，总乘他站起来还没拔脚奔跑或蹲下就打枪。如果他还是坐着，就打枪。别等。但要瞄准，要在五十码之内射击，你是猎人,不会有问陲，“
“我照你的命令干，”安塞尔莫说。“对。我的命令就是这样，”罗伯特 乔丹说。高兴的是我没有忘记把这作为命令，他想。这会帮助他解决困难。这样多少可以打消他的一点内疚。反正我希望如此。多少打消一点。我记不起他第一天跟我谈的关于杀人的那些话了，
“这就是我的命令，”他说。“现在走吧，““我走啦，”安塞尔莫说。“回见，英国人。”“回见，老头子，”罗伯特‘乔丹说。他想起了他父亲在车站上的模样和告别的眼泪，他没有说乎安、再见、祝你顺利那一类的话。
“你枪简里的油擦掉了吗，老头子?”他低声说。“免得枪打不准。”
“在山润里，”安塞尔莫说，“我就用通条全擦过了。”“那么回见吧，”罗伯特“乔丹说罢，老头儿就大摇大摆地在树林里走开去了,绳底鞋踩在地上声息全无。
罗伯特 乔丹伏在树林的松针地上，倾听着随黎明而来的晨风吹拂树枝的声音。他把手提机枪的子弹夹抽出来，前后推动枪机。他接着把枪调过头来，拉开枪机，在黑暗中把枪口凑在嘴唇上，往枪筒里吹气，舌头触及枪筒边时尝到了滑腻的金属上的油味。他把枪横搁在前臂上，枪身朝上，免得松针和其他东西掉到里面去，用大拇指把所有的子弹从子弹夹中退出来，放在一块摊在面前的手帕上，然后在黑暗中摸着每颗子弹,在手指间转弄一下，再把子弹一颗颗地推进子弹夹。这时,他手里的子弹夹又变得沉甸甸的了，他把子弹夹再推进手提机枪，卡嗒一声上准了。他匍匐在一棵松树后面，机枪横架在他左前臂上，注视着下面的那点火光。他有时见不到这火光，他知道这是因为岗亭里的哨兵走到了火盆的前面。罗伯特‘乔丹伏在那儿等天亮。
收听单词发音 |
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bridle
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| n.笼头，束缚；vt.抑制，约束；动怒 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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copper
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| n.铜；铜币；铜器；adj.铜(制)的；(紫)铜色的 | |
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4
unpacking
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| n.取出货物，拆包[箱]v.从（包裹等）中取出（所装的东西），打开行李取出( unpack的现在分词 )；拆包；解除…的负担；吐露（心事等） | |
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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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molest
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| vt.骚扰，干扰，调戏 | |
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grunted
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| （猪等）作呼噜声( grunt的过去式和过去分词 )； （指人）发出类似的哼声； 咕哝着说 | |
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wilt
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| v.(使)植物凋谢或枯萎；(指人)疲倦，衰弱 | |
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confidentially
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| ad.秘密地，悄悄地 | |
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cavalryman
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| 骑兵 | |
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bastard
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| n.坏蛋，混蛋；私生子 | |
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12
reptilian
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| adj.（像）爬行动物的；（像）爬虫的；卑躬屈节的；卑鄙的n.两栖动物；卑劣的人 | |
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touching
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| adj.动人的，使人感伤的 | |
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frankly
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| adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说 | |
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equivocation
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| n.模棱两可的话，含糊话 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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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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bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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lodge
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| v.临时住宿，寄宿，寄存，容纳；n.传达室，小旅馆 | |
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sage
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| n.圣人，哲人；adj.贤明的，明智的 | |
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jutting
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| v.（使）突出( jut的现在分词 )；伸出；（从…）突出；高出 | |
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jut
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| v.突出；n.突出，突出物 | |
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crouched
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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grooving
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| n.（轧辊）孔型设计v.沟( groove的现在分词 )；槽；老一套；（某种）音乐节奏 | |
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braced
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| adj.拉牢的v.支住( brace的过去式和过去分词 )；撑牢；使自己站稳；振作起来 | |
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resinous
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| adj.树脂的，树脂质的，树脂制的 | |
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clump
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| n.树丛，草丛；vi.用沉重的脚步行走 | |
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seedling
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| n.秧苗，树苗 | |
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sentry
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| n.哨兵，警卫 | |
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sentries
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| 哨兵，步兵( sentry的名词复数 ) | |
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gorge
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| n.咽喉，胃，暴食，山峡；v.塞饱，狼吞虎咽地吃 | |
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33
muzzle
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| n.鼻口部；口套；枪(炮)口；vt.使缄默 | |
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query
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| n.疑问，问号，质问；vt.询问，表示怀疑 | |
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35
lashing
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| n.鞭打；痛斥；大量；许多v.鞭打( lash的现在分词 )；煽动；紧系；怒斥 | |
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36
crouches
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| n.蹲着的姿势( crouch的名词复数 )v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的第三人称单数 ) | |
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37
killing
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| n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财 | |
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38
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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39
greasy
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| adj. 多脂的，油脂的 | |
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40
cartridges
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| 子弹( cartridge的名词复数 )； （打印机的）墨盒； 录音带盒； （唱机的）唱头 | |
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41
cartridge
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| n.弹壳，弹药筒；(装磁带等的)盒子 | |
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