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th very； very beautiful； but the only characteristic they shared was a profundity of faith that had nothing to do with heredity； and which went quite as well with Corinne's fiery sense of purpose as with Mary's quiet certainty。
Pasala turned out to be a perfect ic…opera Central American country； presided over by a smalltime tyrant named De Villega。 The hospital where Corinne worked was located directly across the Plaza de Palacio from the palace which gave the square its name。 De Villega had built himself an immense mausoleum of an imitation castle from which to rule； at about the same time that the hospital was built； with much the same sources of funding。 Pasala； you see； exports maize； sugar cane； a good deal of mahogany。。。 and oil。
As Corinne led us past the palace from the harbor； I mented on the number of heavily…armed guardias； in groups of five each of which had its own isario； who stood at every point of entry to the huge stone structure with their rifles at the ready。 Corinne told us that revolution was brewing in the hills to the north； under the leadership of a man named Miranda； who with absurd inevitability had styled himself El Supremo。 Mary and I roared with laughter at this final cliché； and demanded to be shown someone taking a siesta。
Without cracking a smile； Corinne led us around behind the hospital； where four mule…drawn carts were filled with khaki figures taking the siesta that never ends。 〃You cannot deal with the problems of Pasala by changing the channel； Tom；〃 she said soberly； and my horror was replaced by both a wave of guilt and a wistful； palpebral vision of Boulder in the spring … which of course only made me feel more guilty。
We dined that night in a miserable excuse for a cafe； but the food was tolerable and the music quite good。 Considering that the two women had not seen each other for years； it was not surprising that the conversation flowed freely。 And it kept ing back to El Supremo。
〃I have heard it said that his cause is just；〃 Corinne told us over coffee； 〃and I certainly can't argue otherwise。 But the hospital is filled with the by…products of his cause； and I'm sick of revolution。 It's been worse than ever since de Villega had Miranda's brother shot。〃
〃Good God。 How did that e about？〃 I exclaimed。
〃Pablo Miranda used to run this cafe； and he never had a thing to do with revolution。 In fact； an awful lot of militant types used to drink in a much more villainous place on the other side of town； rather than embarrass Pablo with their presence。 But after El Supremo blew up the armory； de Villega went a little crazy。 A squad of guardias came in the door and cut Pablo in half。
〃Things have been accelerating ever since。 People are afraid to travel by night； and de Villega has his thugs on double shifts。 There are rumors that he's bringing in trucks； and cannon； and a lot of ammunition from the United States； for an expedition to clean out the hills； and the American Embassy is awfully tight…lipped about it。〃
〃What kind of a ruler is de Villega？〃 Mary asked。
〃Oh； an absolute thief。 He robs the peons dry； rakes off all he can； and I'm sure the country would be better off if he'd never been born。 But then； there are some conflicting reports about El Supremo too： some say he's a bit of a butcher himself。 And of course he's a munist； although God only knows what that means in Central America these days。〃
I began to reply； when we heard an ear…splitting crash from outside the cafe。 Glasses danced off tables and shattered； and pandemonium broke loose。 Three men scrambled to the door to see what had happened； as they reached the doorway a machinegun spoke； blowing all three back into the cafe。 They lay as they fell； and Mary began to scream。
〃Tom；〃 Corinne shouted above the din of gunfire and panic … stricken people； 〃we've got to get to the hospital。〃
〃How do we get out？〃 I yelled back； rising and lifting Mary from her seat。
〃This way。〃
Corinne led us rapidly through the jabbering crowd to a back exit； at which were gathered a good number of people too frightened to stick their heads out the door。 I was inclined to agree with them； but Corinne simply walked out into the night。 I glanced at Mary； she returned my gaze serenely； and we followed。
There were no sudden barks of gunfire； the revolutionaries were not really interested in anyone within the cafe； they were simply shooting anything that moved back in the plaza。
As I helped Mary through the dark streets behind Corinne I tried to figure the way back to the hospital； but I could not recall where the back door of the café lay in relation to the door through which we had entered。 But it seemed to me that we would have to cross the plaza。
I called to Corinne and she halted。 As I came up to her a volley of gunfire sounded off to our left； ending in a choking gurgle。
〃Considering what you've told us about Miranda's egregious charm；〃 I said as softly as a heaving chest would let me； 〃hadn't I better get you two ladies to the America Embassy？ … It's built like a fort。〃 And it lay on this side of the Plaza。
〃The hospital is very short…staffed； Tom；〃 was all Corinne replied； with a total absence of facial expression or gesture。 But I knew I could never equal a performance like that in a lifetime of trying。 As she spun on her heel and continued walking； Mary and I exchanged a long look。
〃And she's a rank amateur；〃 I said； shaking my head sadly。
〃She and I used to do summer stock together；〃 she said； and we followed Corinne's disappearing footsteps。
Crossing the plaza turned out to be no more difficult than juggling poison darts； the few who shot at us were terrible marksmen。 By the time it was necessary to cross open space； most of the fighting had centralized around the Palace itself； and both sides were in general much too busy to waste good bullets on three civilians running in the opposite direction。 But as we reached the hospital； I glanced over my shoulder and saw trucks pulling around the corner of the building into the plaza； towing cannon behind them。 As we raced through white corridors toward the Emergency Room I heard the first reports； then nothing。
The artillery provided by the U。S。 State Department got off exactly three rounds。 At that point； we later learned； a bearded man appeared on the palace balcony； overlooking the carnage in the square； and heaved something down onto the trampled sward。 It was de Villega's head。 Sensing the political climate with creditable speed； the uniformed cannoneers worked up a ragged cheer； and the revolution was over。
But not for us。 The maimed and wounded who continued to be brought in through the night gave me my first real understanding of the term waking nightmare； and until you have spent a couple of hours collecting random limbs and organs for disposal I will thank you not to use the term yourself。 I had rather naively assumed that the worst would be over when the battle stopped； but that turned out to be only the signal for the rape and plundering and settling of ancient grudges； which got a good deal uglier。 I tried to get Mary to take a few hours of sleep； and she tried to get me