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〃Can they not speak Spanish？〃 Fernando asked。 〃South Americans can。〃
〃Mule；〃 Pilar said。 〃He teaches Spanish to North Americans who speak English。〃
〃Still and all I think it would be easier for him to teach English if that is what he speaks；〃 Fernando said。
〃Can't you hear he speaks Spanish？〃 Pilar shook her head hopelessly at Robert Jordan。
〃Yes。 But with an accent。〃
〃Of where？〃 Robert Jordan asked。
〃Of Estremadura；〃 Fernando said primly。
〃Oh my mother；〃 Pilar said。 〃What a people！〃
〃It is possible；〃 Robert Jordan said。 〃I have come here from there。〃
〃As he well knows；〃 Pilar said。 〃You old maid；〃 she turned to Fernando。 〃Have you had enough to eat？〃
〃I could eat more if there is a sufficient quantity；〃 Fernando told her。 〃And do not think that I wish to say anything against you； Don Roberto〃
〃Milk；〃 Agust韓 said simply。 〃And milk again。 Do we make the revolution in order to say Don Roberto to a comrade？〃
〃For me the revolution is so that all will say Don to all；〃 Fernando said。 〃Thus should it be under the Republic。〃
〃Milk；〃 Agust韓 said。 〃Black milk。〃
〃And I still think it would be easier and clearer for Don Roberto to teach English。〃
〃Don Roberto has no beard；〃 Pablo said。 〃He is a false professor。〃
〃What do you mean； I have no beard？〃 Robert Jordan said。 〃What's this？〃 He stroked his chin and his cheeks where the threeday growth made a blond stubble。
〃Not a beard；〃 Pablo said。 He shook his head。 〃That's not a beard。〃 He was almost jovial now。 〃He's a false professor。〃
〃I obscenity in the milk of all；〃 Agust韓 said； 〃if it does not seem like a lunatic asylum here。〃
〃You should drink；〃 Pablo said to him。 〃To me everything appears normal。 Except the lack of beard of Don Roberto。〃
Maria ran her hand over Robert Jordan's cheek。
〃He has a beard；〃 she said to Pablo。
〃You should know；〃 Pablo said and Robert Jordan looked at him。
I don't think he is so drunk； Robert Jordan thought。 No； not so drunk。 And I think I had better watch myself。
〃Thou；〃 he said to Pablo。 〃Do you think this snow will last？〃
〃What do you think？〃
〃I asked you。〃
〃Ask another；〃 Pablo told him。 〃I am not thy service of information。 You have a paper from thy service of information。 Ask the woman。 She commands。〃
〃I asked thee。〃
〃Go and obscenity thyself；〃 Pablo told him。 〃Thee and the woman and the girl。〃
〃He is drunk；〃 Primitivo said。 〃Pay him no heed； _Ingl閟_。〃
〃I do not think he is so drunk；〃 Robert Jordan said。
Maria was standing behind him and Robert Jordan saw Pablo watching her over his shoulder。 The small eyes； like a boar's； were watching her out of the round； stubble…covered head and Robert Jordan thought： I have known many killers in this war and some before and they were all different； there is no common trait nor feature； nor any such thing as the criminal type； but Pablo is certainly not handsome。
〃I don't believe you can drink；〃 he said to Pablo。 〃Nor that you're drunk。〃
〃I am drunk；〃 Pablo said with dignity。 〃To drink is nothing。 It is to be drunk that is important。 _Estoy muy borracho_。〃
〃I doubt it；〃 Robert Jordan told him。 〃Cowardly； yes。〃
It was so quiet in the cave； suddenly； that he could hear the hissing noise the wood made burning on the hearth where Pilar cooked。 He heard the sheepskin crackle as he rested his weight on his feet。 He thought he could almost hear the snow falling outside。 He could not； but he could hear the silence where it fell。
I'd like to kill him and have it over with； Robert Jordan was thinking。 I don't know what he is going to do； but it is nothing good。 Day after tomorrow is the bridge and this man is bad and he constitutes a danger to the success of the whole enterprise。 Come on。 Let us get it over with。
Pablo grinned at him and put one finger up and wiped it across his throat。 He shook his head that turned only a little each way on his thick； short neck。
〃Nay； _Ingl閟_；〃 he said。 〃Do not provoke me。〃 He looked at Pilar and said to her； 〃It is not thus that you get rid of me。〃
〃_Sinverguenza_；〃 Robert Jordan said to him； committed now in his own mind to the action。 〃_Cobarde_。〃
〃It is very possible；〃 Pablo said。 〃But I am not to be provoked。 Take something to drink； _Ingl閟_； and signal to the woman it was not successful。〃
〃Shut thy mouth；〃 Robert Jordan said。 〃I provoke thee for myself。〃
〃It is not worth the trouble；〃 Pablo told him。 〃I do not provoke。〃
〃Thou art a _bicho raro_；〃 Robert Jordan said； not wanting to let it go； not wanting to have it fail for the second time； knowing as he spoke that this had all been gone through before； having that feeling that he was playing a part from memory of something that he had read or had dreamed； feeling it all moving in a circle。
〃Very rare； yes；〃 Pablo said。 〃Very rare and very drunk。 To your health； _Ingl閟_。〃 He dipped a cup in the wine bowl and held it up。 〃_Salud y cojones_。〃
He's rare； all right； Robert Jordan thought； and smart； and very complicated。 He could no longer hear the fire for the sound of his own breathing。
〃Here's to you；〃 Robert Jordan said； and dipped a cup into the wine。 Betrayal wouldn't amount to anything without all these pledges； he thought。 Pledge up。 〃_Salud_；〃 he said。 〃_Salud_ and _Salud_ again；〃 you _salud_； he thought。 _Salud_； you _salud_。
〃Don Roberto；〃 Pablo said heavily。
〃Don Pablo；〃 Robert Jordan said。
〃You're no professor；〃 Pablo said； 〃because you haven't got a beard。 And also to do away with me you have to assassinate me and； for this； you have not _cojones_。〃
He was looking at Robert Jordan with his mouth closed so that his lips made a tight line； like the mouth of a fish； Robert Jordan thought。 With that head it is like one of those porcupine fish that swallow air and swell up after they are caught。
〃_Salud_； Pablo；〃 Robert Jordan said and raised the cup up and drank from it。 〃I am learning much from thee。〃
〃I am teaching the professor；〃 Pablo nodded his head。 〃Come on； Don Roberto； we will be friends。〃
〃We are friends already；〃 Robert Jordan said。
〃But now we will be good friends。〃
〃We are good friends already。〃
〃I'm going to get out of here；〃 Agust韓 said。 〃Truly； it is said that we must eat a ton of it in this life but I have twenty…five pounds of it stuck in each of my ears this minute。〃
〃What is the matter； _negro？_〃 Pablo said to him。 〃Do you not like to see friendship between Don Roberto and me？〃
〃Watch your mouth about calling me _negro_。〃 Agust韓 went over to him and stood in front of Pablo holding his hands low。
〃So you are called；〃 Pablo said。
〃Not by thee。〃
〃Well； then； _blanco_〃
〃Nor that； either。〃
〃What are you then； Red？〃
〃Yes。 Red。 _Rojo_。 With the Red star of the army and in favor of the Republic。 And my name is Agust韓。〃
〃What a patriotic man；〃 Pablo said。 〃Look； _Ingl閟_； what an exemplary patriot。〃
Agust韓 hit him hard across the mouth with his left hand； bringing it forward in a slapping； backhand sweep。 Pablo sat there。 The corners of his mouth were wine…stained and his expression did not change； but Robert Jordan watched his eyes narrow； as a cat's pupils close to vertical slits in a strong light。
〃Nor this；〃 Pablo said。 〃Do not count on this； woman。〃 He turned his head toward