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〃But will we kill Falangists？ It was they who did it。〃
〃They do not fight；〃 he said gloomily。 〃They kill at the rear。 It is not them we fight in battle。〃
〃But can we not kill them in some way？ I would like to kill some very much。〃
〃I have killed them；〃 he said。 〃And we will kill them again。 At the trains we have killed them。〃
〃I would like to go for a train with thee；〃 Maria said。 〃The time of the train that Pilar brought me back from I was somewhat crazy。 Did she tell thee how I was？〃
〃Yes。 Do not talk of it。〃
〃I was dead in my head with a numbness and all I could do was cry。 But there is another thing that I must tell thee。 This I must。 Then perhaps thou wilt not marry me。 But； Roberto； if thou should not wish to marry me； can we not； then； just be always together？〃
〃I will marry thee。〃
〃Nay。 I had forgotten this。 Perhaps you should not。 It is possible that I can never bear thee either a son or a daughter for the Pilar says that if I could it would have happened to me with the things which were done。 I must tell thee that。 Oh； I do not know why I had forgotten that。〃
〃It is of no importance； rabbit；〃 he said。 〃First it may not be true。 That is for a doctor to say。 Then I would not wish to bring either a son or a daughter into this world as this world is。 And also you take all the love I have to give。〃
〃I would like to bear thy son and thy daughter；〃 she told him。 〃And how can the world be made better if there are no children of us who fight against the fascists？〃
〃Thou；〃 he said。 〃I love thee。 Hearest thou？ And now we must sleep； rabbit。 For I must be up long before daylight and the dawn comes early in this month。〃
〃Then it is all right about the last thing I said？ We can still be married？〃
〃We are married； now。 I marry thee now。 Thou art my wife。 But go to sleep； my rabbit； for there is little time now。〃
〃And we will truly be married？ Not just a talking？〃
〃Truly。〃
〃Then I will sleep and think of that if I wake。〃
〃I； too。〃
〃Good night； my husband。〃
〃Good night；〃 he said。 〃Good night； wife。〃
He heard her breathing steadily and regularly now and he knew she was asleep and he lay awake and very still not wanting to waken her by moving。 He thought of all the part she had not told him and he lay there hating and he was pleased there would be killing in the morning。 But I must not take any of it personally； he thought。
Though how can I keep from it？ I know that we did dreadful things to them too。 But it was because we were uneducated and knew no better。 But they did that on purpose and deliberately。 Those who did that are the last flowering of what their education has produced。 Those are the flowers of Spanish chivalry。 What a people they have been。 What sons of bitches from Cortez； Pizarro； Men閚dez de Avila all down through Enrique Lister to Pablo。 And what wonderful people。 There is no finer and no worse people in the world。 No kinder people and no crueler。 And who understands them？ Not me； because if I did I would forgive it all。 To understand is to forgive。 That's not true。 Forgiveness has been exaggerated。 Forgiveness is a Christian idea and Spain has never been a Christian country。 It has always had its own special idol worship within the Church。 _Otra Virgen m醩_。 I suppose that was why they had to destroy the virgins of their enemies。 Surely it was deeper with them； with the Spanish religion fanatics； than it was with the people。 The people had grown away from the Church because the Church was in the government and the government had always been rotten。 This was the only country that the reformation never reached。 They were paying for the Inquisition now； all right。
Well； it was something to think about。 Something to keep your mind from worrying about your work。 It was sounder than pretending。 God； he had done a lot of pretending tonight。 And Pilar had been pretending all day。 Sure。 What if they were killed tomorrow？ What did it matter as long as they did the bridge properly？ That was all they had to do tomorrow。
It didn't。 You couldn't do these things indefinitely。 But you weren't supposed to live forever。 Maybe I have had all my life in three days； he thought。 If that's true I wish we would have spent the last night differently。 But last nights are never any good。 Last nothings are any good。 Yes； last words were good sometimes。 〃_Viva_ my husband who was Mayor of this town〃 was good。
He knew it was good because it made a tingle run all over him when he said it to himself。 He leaned over and kissed Maria who did not wake。 In English he whispered very quietly； 〃I'd like to marry you； rabbit。 I'm very proud of your family。〃
32
On that same night in Madrid there were many people at the Hotel Gaylord。 A car pulled up under the _porte…cochere_ of the hotel； its headlights painted over with blue calcimine and a little man in black riding boots； gray riding breeches and a short； gray high…buttoned jacket stepped out and returned the salute of the two sentries as he opened the door； nodded to the secret policeman who sat at the concierge's desk and stepped into the elevator。 There were two sentries seated on chairs inside the door； one on each side of the marble entrance hall； and these only looked up as the little man passed them at the door of the elevator。 It was their business to feel every one they did not know along the flanks； under the armpits； and over the hip pockets to see if the person entering carried a pistol and； if he did； have him check it with the concierge。 But they knew the short man in riding boots very well and they hardly looked up as he passed。
The apartment where he lived in Gaylord's was crowded as he entered。 People were sitting and standing about and talking together as in any drawing room and the men and the women were drinking vodka； whiskey and soda； and beer from small glasses filled from great pitchers。 Four of the men were in uniform。 The others wore windbreakers or leather jackets。and three of the four women were dressed in ordinary street dresses while the fourth； who was haggardly thin and dark； wore a sort of severely cut militiawoman's uniform with a skirt with high boots under it。
When he came into the room； Karkov went at once to the woman in the uniform and bowed to her and shook hands。 She was his wife and he said something to her in Russian that no one could hear and for a moment the insolence that had been in his eyes as he entered the room was gone。 Then it lighted again as he saw the mahoganycolored head and the love…lazy face of the well…constructed girl who was his mistress and he strode with short； precise steps over to her and bowed and shook her hand in such a way that no one could tell it was not a mimicry of his greeting to his wife。 His wife had not looked after him as he walked across the room。 She was standing with a tall； good…looking Spanish officer and they were talking Russian now。
〃Your great love is getting a little fat；〃 Karkov was saying to the girl。 〃All of our heroes are fattening now as we approach the second year。〃 He did not look at the man he was speaking of。
〃You are so ugly you would be jealous of a toad；〃 the girl told him cheerfully。 She spoke in German。 〃Can I go with thee to the offensi