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pened and it was not true and it was something you made up like those dreams about the people of the cinema or how all your old girls come back and sleep in that robe at night on all the bare floors； in the straw of the haybarns； the stables； the _corrales_ and the _cortijos_； the woods； the garages； the trucks and all the hills of Spain。 They all came to that robe when he was asleep and they were all much nicer than they ever had been in life。 Maybe it was like that。 Maybe you would be afraid to touch her to see if it was true。 Maybe you would； and probably it is something that you made up or that you dreamed。
He took a step across the trail and put his hand on the girl's arm。 Under his fingers he felt the smoothness of her arm in the worn khaki。 She looked at him and smiled。
〃Hello； Maria；〃 he said。
〃Hello； _Ingl閟_；〃 she answered and he saw her tawny brown face and the yellow…gray eyes and the full lips smiling and the cropped sun…burned hair and she lifted her face at him and smiled in his eyes。 It was true all right。
Now they were in sight of El Sordo's camp in the last of the pines； where there was a rounded gulch…head shaped like an upturned basin。 All these limestone upper basins must be full of caves； he thought。 There are two caves there ahead。 The scrub pines growing in the rock hide them well。 This is as good or a better place than Pablo's。
〃How was this shooting of thy family？〃 Pilar was saying to Joaqu韓。
〃Nothing； woman；〃 Joaqu韓 said。 〃They were of the left as many others in Valladolid。 When the fascists purified the town they shot first the father。 He had voted Socialist。 Then they shot the mother。 She had voted the same。 It was the first time she had ever voted。 After that they shot the husband of one of the sisters。 He was a member of the syndicate of tramway drivers。 Clearly he could not drive a tram without belonging to the syndicate。 But he was without politics。 I knew him well。 He was even a little hit shameless。 I do not think he was even a good comrade。 Then the husband of the other girl； the other sister； who was also in the trams； had gone to the hills as I had。 They thought she knew where he was。 But she did not。 So they shot her because she would not tell them where he was。〃
〃What barbarians；〃 said Pilar。 〃Where is El Sordo？ I do not see him。〃
〃He is here。 He is probably inside；〃 answered Joaqu韓 and stopping now； and resting the rifle butt on the ground； said； 〃Pilar； listen to me。 And thou； Maria。 Forgive me if I have molested you speaking of things of the family。 I know that all have the same troubles and it is more valuable not to speak of them。〃
〃That you should speak；〃 Pilar said。 〃For what are we born if not to aid one another？ And to listen and say nothing is a cold enough aid。〃
〃But it can molest the Maria。 She has too many things of her own。〃
〃_Qu椤a_；〃 Maria said。 〃Mine are such a big bucket that yours falling in will never fill it。 I am sorry； Joaqu韓； and I hope thy sister is well。〃
〃So far she's all right；〃 Joaqu韓 said。 〃They have her in prison and it seems they do not mistreat her much。〃
〃Are there others in the family？〃 Robert Jordan asked。
〃No；〃 the boy said。 〃Me。 Nothing more。 Except the brother…inlaw who went to the hills and I think he is dead。〃
〃Maybe he is all right；〃 Maria said。 〃Maybe he is with a band in other mountains。〃
〃For me he is dead；〃 Joaqu韓 said。 〃He was never too good at getting about and he was conductor of a tram and that is not the best preparation for the hills。 I doubt if he could last a year。 He was Somewhat weak in the chest too。〃
〃But he may be all right；〃 Maria put her arm on his shoulder。
〃Certainly； girl。 Why not？〃 said Joaqu韓。
As the boy stood there； Maria reached up； put her arms around his neck and kissed him。 Joaqu韓 turned his head away because he was crying。
〃That is as a brother；〃 Maria said to him。 〃I kiss thee as a brother。〃
The boy shook his head； crying without making any noise。
〃I am thy sister；〃 Maria said。 〃And I love thee and thou hast a family。 We are all thy family。〃
〃Including the _Ingl閟_；〃 boomed Pilar。 〃Isn't it true； _Ingl閟？_〃
〃Yes；〃 Robert Jordan said to the boy； 〃we are all thy family； Joaqu韓。〃
〃He's your brother；〃 Pilar said。 〃Hey _Ingl閟？_〃
Robert Jordan put his arm around the boy's shoulder。 〃We are all brothers；〃 he said。 The boy shook his head。
〃I am ashamed to have spoken；〃 he said。 〃To speak of such things makes it more difficult for all。 I am ashamed of molesting you。〃
〃I obscenity in the milk of my shame；〃 Pilar said in her deep lovely voice。 〃And if the Maria kisses thee again I will commence kissing thee myself。 It's years since I've kissed a bullfighter； even an unsuccessful one like thee； I would like to kiss an unsuccessful bullfighter turned Communist。 Hold him； _Ingl閟_； till I get a good kiss at him。〃
〃_Deja_；〃 the boy said and turned away sharply。 〃Leave me alone。 I am all right and I am ashamed。〃
He stood there； getting his face under control。 Maria put her hand in Robert Jordan's。 Pilar stood with her hands on her hips looking at the boy mockingly now。
〃When I kiss thee；〃 she said to him； 〃it will not be as any sister。 This trick of kissing as a sister。〃
〃It is not necessary to joke；〃 the boy said。 〃I told you I am all right； I am sorry that I spoke。〃
〃Well then let us go and see the old man；〃 Pilar said。 〃I tire myself with such emotion。〃
The boy looked at her。 From his eyes you could see he was suddenly very hurt。
〃Not thy emotion；〃 Pilar said to him。 〃Mine。 What a tender thing thou art for a bullfighter。〃
〃I was a failure；〃 Joaqu韓 said。 〃You don't have to keep insisting on it。〃
〃But you are growing the pigtail another time。〃
〃Yes； and why not？ Fighting stock serves best for that purpose economically。 It gives employment to many and the State will control it。 And perhaps now I would not be afraid。〃
〃Perhaps not；〃 Pilar said。 〃Perhaps not。〃
〃Why do you speak in such a brutal manner； Pilar？〃 Maria said to her。 〃I love thee very much but thou art acting very barbarous。〃
〃It is possible that I am barbarous；〃 Pilar said。 〃Listen； _Ingl閟_。 Do you know what you are going to say to El Sordo？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Because he is a man of few words unlike me and thee and this sentimental menagerie。〃
〃Why do you talk thus？〃 Maria asked again； angrily。
〃I don't know；〃 said Pilar as she strode along。 〃Why do you think？〃
〃I do not know。〃
〃At times many things tire me；〃 Pilar said angrily。 〃You understand？ And one of them is to have forty…eight years。 You hear me？ Forty…eight years and an ugly face。 And another is to see panic in the face of a failed bullfighter of Communist tendencies when I say； as a joke； I might kiss him。〃
〃It's not true； Pilar；〃 the boy said。 〃You did not see that。〃
〃_Qu椤a_； it's not true。 And I obscenity in the milk of all of you。 Ah； there he is。 _Hola_； Santiago！ _Qu椤al？_〃
The man to whom Pilar spoke was short and heavy； brownfaced； with broad cheekbones； gray haired； with wide…set yellowbrown eyes； a thin…bridged； hooked nose like an Indian's； a long Upper lip and a wide； thin mouth。 He was clean shaven and he walked toward them from the mouth of the cave； moving with the bow…legged walk that went with hi