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〃_Buena suerte_ thyself； Fernando；〃 Robert Jordan said。
〃In everything thou doest；〃 Agust韓 said。
〃Thank you； Don Roberto；〃 Fernando said； undisturbed by Agust韓。
〃That one is a phenomenon； _Ingl閟_；〃 Agust韓 whispered。
〃I believe thee；〃 Robert Jordan said。 〃Can I help thee？ Thou art loaded like a horse。〃
〃I am all right；〃 Agust韓 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韓 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 jut of the automatic rifle barrel and the folded legs of the tripod； then working sideways down the hill； his shoes sliding and grooving the forest floor； putting his left hand out again and touching the rough bark of a tree trunk； then as he braced himself his hand feeling a smooth place； the base of the palm of his hand coming away sticky from the resinous 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醧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 clump of seedling pines。
〃It is here；〃 Anselmo said。 〃Just here。〃
〃From here； with daylight；〃 Robert Jordan crouched behind the small trees whispered to Agust韓； 〃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韓 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韓 asked。
〃In the sentry box at this end；〃 Robert Jordan whispered。
〃Who deals with the sentries？〃
〃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閟_。 Where goest thou？〃
〃I go close below with the small _m醧uina_ of mine。 The old man will cross the gorge now to be ready for the box of the other end。 It faces in that direction。〃
〃Then nothing more；〃 said Agust韓。 〃_Salud； Ingl閟_。 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韓 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 muzzle 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醧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 query and Anselmo's answer。 It had been the same with Agust韓； 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閟_。 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 lashing the grenades firmly。〃
〃It is all clear to me；〃 Anselmo said。 〃I remember it all。 Now I go。 Keep thee well covered； _Ingl閟_； 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 bellyif 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 crouches。 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 killing。
〃It is thus I have ordered；〃 he said。 〃Now go。〃
〃_Me voy_；〃 said Anselmo。 〃Until soon； _Ingl閟_。〃
〃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 th