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〃May is a month of great contrasts in temperature；〃 the corporal said。 〃Here； in Castile； May is a month of great heat but it can have much cold。〃
〃Or rain；〃 the soldier on the bunk said。 〃In this past May it rained almost every day。〃
〃It did not；〃 the soldier who was cooking said。 〃And anyway this past May was the moon of April。〃
〃One could go crazy listening to thee and thy moons；〃 the corporal said。 〃Leave this of the moons alone。〃
〃Any one who lives either by the sea or by the land knows that it is the moon and not the month which counts；〃 the soldier who was cooking said。 〃Now for example； we have just started the moon of May。 Yet it is coming on June。〃
〃Why then do we not get definitely behind in the seasons？〃 the corporal said。 〃The whole proposition gives me a headache。〃
〃You are from a town；〃 the soldier who was cooking said。 〃You are from Lugo。 What would you know of the sea or of the land？〃
〃One learns more in a town than you _analfabetos_ learn in thy sea or thy land。〃
〃In this moon the first of the big schools of sardines come；〃 the soldier who was cooking said。 〃In this moon the sardine boats will be outfitting and the mackerel will have gone north。〃
〃Why are you not in the navy if you come from Noya？〃 the corporal asked。
〃Because I am not inscribed from Noya but from Negreira； where I was born。 And from Negreira； which is up the river Tambre； they take you for the army。〃
〃Worse luck；〃 said the corporal。
〃Do not think the navy is without peril；〃 the soldier who was sitting on the bunk said。 〃Even without the possibility of combat that is a dangerous coast in the winter。〃
〃Nothing can be worse than the army；〃 the corporal said。
〃And you a corporal；〃 the soldier who was cooking said。 〃What a way of speaking is that？〃
〃Nay；〃 the corporal said。 〃I mean for dangers。 I mean the endurance of bombardments； the necessity to attack； the life of the parapet。〃
〃Here we have little of that；〃 the soldier on the bunk said。
〃By the Grace of God；〃 the corporal said。 〃But who knows when we will be subject to it again？ Certainly we will not have something as easy as this forever！〃
〃How much longer do you think we will have this detail？〃
〃I don't know；〃 the corporal said。 〃But I wish we could have it for all of the war。〃
〃Six hours is too long to be on guard；〃 the soldier who was cooking said。
〃We will have three…hour watches as long as this storm holds；〃 the corporal said。 〃That is only normal。〃
〃What about all those staff cars？〃 the soldier on the bunk asked。 〃I did not like the look of all those staff cars。〃
〃Nor I；〃 the corporal said。 〃All such things are of evil omen。〃
〃And aviation；〃 the soldier who was cooking said。 〃Aviation is another bad sign。〃
〃But we have formidable aviation；〃 the corporal said。 〃The Reds have no aviation such as we have。 Those planes this morning were something to make any man happy。〃
〃I have seen the Red planes when they were something serious；〃 the soldier on the bunk said。 〃I have seen those two motor bombers when they were a horror to endure。〃
〃Yes。 But they are not as formidable as our aviation；〃 the corporal said。 〃We have an aviation that is insuperable。〃
This was how they were talking in the sawmill while Anselmo waited in the snow watching the road and the light in the sawmill window。
I hope I am not for the killing； Anselmo was thinking。 I think that after the war there will have to be some great penance done for the killing。 If we no longer have religion after the war then I think there must be some form of civic penance organized that all may be cleansed from the killing or else we will never have a true and human basis for living。 The killing is necessary； I know； but still the doing of it is very bad for a man and I think that； after all this is over and we have won the war； there must be a penance of some kind for the cleansing of us all。
Anselmo was a very good man and whenever he was alone for long； and he was alone much of the time； this problem of the killing returned to him。
I wonder about the _Ingl閟_； he thought。 He told me that he did not mind it。 Yet he seems to be both sensitive and kind。 It may be that in the younger people it does not have an importance。 It may be that in foreigners； or in those who have not had our religion； there is not the same attitude。 But I think any one doing it will be brutalized in time and I think that even though necessary； it is a great sin and that afterwards we must do something very strong to atone for it。
It was dark now and he looked at the light across the road and shook his arms against his chest to warm them。 Now； he thought； he would certainly leave for the camp； but something kept him there beside the tree above the road。 It was snowing harder and Anselmo thought： if only we could blow the bridge tonight。 On a night like this it would be nothing to take the posts and blow the bridge and it would all be over and done with。 On a night like this you could do anything。
Then he stood there against the tree stamping his feet softly and he did not think any more about the bridge。 The coming of the dark always made him feel lonely and tonight he felt so lonely that there was a hollowness in him as of hunger。 In the old days he could help this loneliness by the saying of prayers and often coming home from hunting he would repeat a great number of the same prayer and it made him feel better。 But he had not prayed once since the movement。 He missed the prayers but he thought it would be unfair and hypocritical to say them and he did not wish to ask any favors or for any different treatment than all the men were receiving。
No； he thought； I am lonely。 But so are all the soldiers and the Wives of all the soldiers and all those who have lost families or parents。 I have no wife； but I am glad that she died before the movement。 She would not have understood it。 I have no children and I never will have any children。 I am lonely in the day when I am not working but when the dark comes it is a time of great loneliness。 But one thing I have that no man nor any God can take from me and that is that I have worked well for the Republic。 I have worked hard for the good that we will all share later。 I have worked my best from the first of the movement and I have done nothing that I am ashamed of。
All that I am sorry for is the killing。 But surely there will be an opportunity to atone for that because for a sin of that sort that so many bear； certainly some just relief will be devised。 I would like to talk with the _Ingl閟_ about it but； being young； it is possible that he might not understand。 He mentioned the killing before。 Or was it I that mentioned it？ He must have killed much； but he shows no signs of liking it。 In those who like it there is always a rottenness。
It must really be a great sin； he thought。 Because certainly it is the one thing we have no right to do even though； as I know； it is necessary。 But in Spain it is done too lightly and often without true necessity and there is much quick injustice which； afterward； can never be repaired。 I wish I did not think about it so much； he thought。 I wish there were a penance for it that one could commence now because it is the only thing th