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〃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 offensive tomorrow？〃
〃No。 Nor is there one。〃
〃Every one knows about it；〃 the girl said。 〃Don't be so mysterious。 Dolores is going。 I will go with her or Carmen。 Many people are going。〃
〃Go with whoever will take you；〃 Karkov said。 〃I will not。〃
Then he turned to the girl and asked seriously； 〃Who told thee of it？ Be exact。〃
〃Richard；〃 she said as seriously。
Karkov shrugged his shoulders and left her standing。
〃Karkov；〃 a man of middle height with a gray； heavy； sagging face； puffed eye pouches and a pendulous under…lip called to him in a dyspeptic voice。 〃Have you heard the good news？〃
Karkov went over to him and the man said； 〃I only have it now。 Not ten minutes ago。 It is wonderful。 All day the fascists have been fighting among themselves near Segovia。 They have been forced to quell the mutinies with automatic rifle and machine…gun fire。 In the afternoon they were bombing their own troops with planes。〃
〃Yes？〃 asked Karkov。
〃That is true；〃 the puffy…eyed man said。 〃Dolores brought the news herself。 She was here with the news and was in such a state of radiant exultation as I have never seen。 The truth of the news shone from her face。 That great face〃 he said happily。
〃That great face；〃 Karkov said with no tone in his voice at all。
〃If you could have heard her；〃 the puffy…eyed man said。 〃The news itself shone from her with a light that was not of this world。 In her voice you could tell the truth of what she said。 I am putting it in an article for _Izvestia_。 It was one of the greatest moments of the war to me when I heard the report in that great voice where pity； compassion and truth are blended。 Goodness and truth shine from her as from a true saint of the people。 Not for nothing is she called La Pasionaria。〃
〃Not for nothing；〃 Karkov said in a dull voice。 〃You better write it for _Izvestia_ now； before you forget that last beautiful lead。〃
〃That is a woman that is not to joke about。 Not even by a cynic like you；〃 the puffy…eyed man said。 〃If you could have been here to hear her and to see her face。〃
〃That great voice；〃 Karkov said。 〃That great face。 Write it；〃 he said。 〃Don't tell it to me。 Don't waste whole paragraphs on me。 Go and write it now。〃
〃Not just now。〃
〃I think you'd better；〃 Karkov said and looked at him； and then looked away。 The puffy…eyed man stood there a couple of minutes more holding his glass of vodka； his eyes； puffy as they were； absorbed in the beauty of what he had seen and heard and then he left the room to write it。
Karkov went over to another man of about forty…eight； who was short； chunky； jovial…looking with pale blue eyes； thinning blond hair and a gay mouth under a bristly yellow moustache。 This man was in uniform。 He was a divisional commander and he was a Hungarian。
〃Were you here when the Dolores was here？〃 Karkov asked the man。
〃Yes。〃
〃What was the stuff？〃
〃Something about the fascists fighting among themselves。 Beautiful if true。〃
〃You hear much talk of tomorrow。〃
〃Scandalous。 All the journalists should be shot as well as most of the people in this room and certainly the intriguing German unmentionable of a Richard。 Whoever gave that Sunday _fuggler_ command of a brigade should be shot。 Perhaps you and me should be shot too。 It is possible；〃 the General laughed。 〃Don't suggest it though。〃
〃That is a thing I never like to talk about；〃 Karkov said。 〃That American who comes here sometimes is over there。 You know the one； Jordan； who is with the _partizan_ group。 He is there where this business they spoke of is supposed to happen。〃
〃Well； he should have a report through on it tonight then；〃 the General said。 〃They don't like me down there or I'd go down and find out for you。 He works with Golz on this； doesn't he？ You'll see Golz tomorrow。〃
〃Early tomorrow。〃
〃Keep out of his way until it's going well；〃 the General said。 〃He hates you bastards as much as I do。 Though he has a much better temper。〃
〃But about this〃
〃It was probably the fascists having manoeuvres；〃 the General grinned。 〃Well； we'll see if Golz can manceuvre them a little。 Let Golz try his hand at it。 We manoeuvred them at Guadalajara。〃
〃I hear you are travelling too；〃 Karkov said； showing his bad teeth as he smiled。 The General was suddenly angry。
〃And me too。 Now is the mouth on me。 And on all of us always。 This filthy sewing circle of gossip。 One man who could keep his mouth shut could save the country if he believed he could。〃
〃Your friend Prieto can keep his mouth shut。〃
〃But he doesn't believe he can win。 How can you win without belief in the people？〃
〃You decide that；〃 Karkov said。 〃I am going to get a little sleep。〃
He left the smoky； gossip…filled room and went into the back bedroom and sat down on the bed and pulled his boots off。 He could still hear them talking so he shut the door and opened the window。 He did not bother to undress because at two o'clock he would be starting for the drive by Colmenar； Cerceda； and Navacerrada up to the front where Golz would be attacking in the morning。
33
It was two o'clock in the morning when Pilar waked him。 As her hand touched him he thought； at first； it was Maria and he rolled toward her and said； 〃Rabbit。〃 Then the woman's big hand shook his shoulder and he was suddenly； completely and absolutely awake and his hand was around the butt of the pistol that lay alongside of his bare right leg and all of him was as cocked as the pistol with its safety catch slipped off。
In the dark he saw it was Pilar and he looked at the dial of his wrist watch with the two hands shining in the short angle close to the top and seeing it was only two； he said； 〃What passes with thee； woman？〃
〃Pablo is gone；〃 the big woman said to him。
Robert Jordan put on his trousers and shoes。 Maria had not waked。
〃When？〃 he asked。
〃It must be an hour。〃
〃And？〃
〃He has taken something of thine；〃 the woman said miserably。
〃So。 What？〃
〃I do not know；〃 she told him。 〃Come and see。〃
In the dark they walked over to the entrance of the cave； ducked under the blanket and went in。 Robert Jordan followed her in the dead…ashes； bad…air and sleeping…men smell of the cave； shining his electric torch so that he would not step on any of those who were sleeping on the floor。 Anselmo woke and said； 〃Is it time？〃
〃No；〃 Robert Jordan whispered。 〃Sleep； old one。〃
The two sacks were at the head of Pilar's bed which was screened off with a hanging blanket from the rest of the cave。 The bed smelt stale and sweat…dried and sickly…sweet the way an Indian's bed does as Robert Jordan knelt on it and shone the torch on the two sacks。 There was a long slit from top to bottom in each one。 Holding the torch in his left hand； Robert Jordan felt in the first sack with his right hand。 This was the one that he carried his robe in and it should not be very full。 It was not very full。 There was some wire in it still but the square wooden box of the exploder was gone。 So was the cigar box with the carefully wrapped and packed detonators。 So was the screw…top tin with the fuse and the caps。
Robert Jordan felt in the othe