hemingway, ernest - for whom the bell tolls-第8部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


In　the　sentry　box　that　faced　toward　them　up　the　road；　the　sentry　was　sitting　holding　his　rifle；　the　bayonet　fixed；　between　his　knees。　He　was　smoking　a　cigarette　and　he　wore　a　knitted　cap　and　blanket　style　cape。　At　fifty　yards；　you　could　not　see　anything　about　his　face。　Robert　Jordan　put　up　his　field　glasses；　shading　the　lenses　carefully　with　his　cupped　hands　even　though　there　was　now　no　sun　to　make　a　glint；　and　there　was　the　rail　of　the　bridge　as　clear　as　though　you　could　reach　out　and　touch　it　and　there　was　the　face　of　the　senty　so　clear　he　could　see　the　sunken　cheeks；　the　ash　on　the　cigarette　and　the　greasy　shine　of　the　bayonet。　It　was　a　peasant's　face；　the　cheeks　hollow　under　the　high　cheekbones；　the　beard　stubbled；　the　eyes　shaded　by　the　heavy　brows；　big　hands　holding　the　rifle；　heavy　boots　showing　beneath　the　folds　of　the　blanket　cape。　There　was　a　worn；　blackened　leather　wine　bottle　on　the　wall　of　the　sentry　box；　there　were　some　newspapers　and　there　was　no　telephone。　There　could；　of　course；　be　a　telephone　on　the　side　he　could　not　see；　but　there　were　no　wires　running　from　the　box　that　were　visible。　A　telephone　line　ran　along　the　road　and　its　wires　were　carried　over　the　bridge。　There　was　a　charcoal　brazier　outside　the　sentry　box；　made　from　an　old　petrol　tin　with　the　top　cut　off　and　holes　punched　in　it；　which　rested　on　two　stones；　but　he　held　no　fire。　There　were　some　fire…blackened　empty　tins　in　the　ashes　under　it。
Robert　Jordan　handed　the　glasses　to　Anselmo　who　lay　flat　beside　him。　The　old　man　grinned　and　shook　his　head。　He　tapped　his　skull　beside　his　eye　with　one　finger。
〃_Ya　lo　veo_；〃　he　said　in　Spanish。　〃I　have　seen　him；〃　speaking　from　the　front　of　his　mouth　with　almost　no　movement　of　his　lips　in　the　way　that　is　quieter　than　any　whisper。　He　looked　at　the　sentry　as　Robert　Jordan　smiled　at　him　and；　pointing　with　one　finger；　drew　the　other　across　his　throat。　Robert　Jordan　nodded　but　he　did　not　smile。
The　sentry　box　at　the　far　end　of　the　bridge　faced　away　from　them　and　down　the　road　and　they　could　not　see　into　it。　The　road；　which　was　broad　and　oiled　and　well　constructed；　made　a　turn　to　the　left　at　the　far　end　of　the　bridge　and　then　swung　out　of　sight　around　a　curve　to　the　right。　At　this　point　it　was　enlarged　from　the　old　road　to　its　present　width　by　cutting　into　the　solid　bastion　of　the　rock　on　the　far　side　of　the　gorge；　and　its　left　or　western　edge；　looking　down　from　the　pass　and　the　bridge；　was　marked　and　protected　by　a　line　of　upright　cut　blocks　of　stone　where　its　edge　fell　sheer　away　to　the　gorge。　The　gorge　was　almost　a　canyon　here；　where　the　brook；　that　the　bridge　was　flung　over；　merged　with　the　main　stream　of　the　pass。
〃And　the　other　post？〃　Robert　Jordan　asked　Anselmo。
〃Five　hundred　meters　below　that　turn。　In　the　roadmender's　hut　that　is　built　into　the　side　of　the　rock。〃
〃How　many　men？〃　Robert　Jordan　asked。
He　was　watching　the　sentry　again　with　his　glasses。　The　sentry　rubbed　his　cigarette　out　on　the　plank　wall　of　the　box；　then　took　a　leather　tobacco　pouch　from　his　pocket；　opened　the　paper　of　the　dead　cigarette　and　emptied　the　remnant　of　used　tobacco　into　the　pouch。　The　sentry　stood　up；　leaned　his　rifle　against　the　wall　of　the　box　and　stretched；　then　picked　up　his　rifle；　slung　it　over　his　shoulder　and　walked　out　onto　the　bridge。　Anselmo　flattened　on　the　ground　and　Robert　Jordan　slipped　his　glasses　into　his　shirt　pocket　and　put　his　head　well　behind　the　pine　tree。
〃There　are　seven　men　and　a　corporal；〃　Anselmo　said　close　to　his　ear。　〃I　informed　myself　from　the　gypsy。〃
〃We　will　go　now　as　soon　as　he　is　quiet；〃　Robert　Jordan　said。　〃We　are　too　close。〃
〃Hast　thou　seen　what　thou　needest？〃
〃Yes。　All　that　I　need。〃
It　was　getting　cold　quickly　now　with　the　sun　down　and　the　light　was　failing　as　the　afterglow　from　the　last　sunlight　on　the　mountains　behind　them　faded。
〃How　does　it　look　to　thee？〃　Anselmo　said　softly　as　they　watched　the　sentry　walk　across　the　bridge　toward　the　other　box；　his　bayonet　bright　in　the　last　of　the　afterglow；　his　figure　unshapely　in　the　blanket　coat。
〃Very　good；〃　Robert　Jordan　said。　〃Very；　very　good。〃
〃I　am　glad；〃　Anselmo　said。　〃Should　we　go？　Now　there　is　no　chance　that　he　sees　us。〃
The　sentry　was　standing；　his　back　toward　them；　at　the　far　end　of　the　bridge。　From　the　gorge　came　the　noise　of　the　stream　in　the　boulders。　Then　through　this　noise　came　another　noise；　a　steady；　racketing　drone　and　they　saw　the　sentry　looking　up；　his　knitted　cap　slanted　back；　and　turning　their　heads　and　looking　up　they　saw；　high　in　the　evening　sky；　three　monoplanes　in　V　formation；　showing　minute　and　silvery　at　that　height　where　there　still　was　sun；　passing　unbelievably　quickly　across　the　sky；　their　motors　now　throbbing　steadily。
〃Ours？〃　Anselmo　asked。
〃They　seem　so；〃　Robert　Jordan　said　but　knew　that　at　that　height　you　never　could　be　sure。　They　could　be　an　evening　patrol　of　either　side。　But　you　always　said　pursuit　planes　were　ours　because　it　made　people　feel　better。　Bombers　were　another　matter。
Anselmo　evidently　felt　the　same。　〃They　are　ours；〃　he　said。　〃I　recognize　them。　They　are　_Moscas_。〃
〃Good；〃　said　Robert　Jordan。　〃They　seem　to　me　to　be　_Moscas_；　too。〃
〃They　are　_Moscas_；〃　Anselmo　said。
Robert　Jordan　could　have　put　the　glasses　on　them　and　been　sure　instantly　but　he　preferred　not　to。　It　made　no　difference　to　him　who　they　were　tonight　and　if　it　pleased　the　old　man　to　have　them　be　ours；　he　did　not　want　to　take　them　away。　Now；　as　they　moved　out　of　sight　toward　Segovia；　they　did　not　look　to　be　the　green；　red　wing…tipped；　low　wing　Russian　conversion　of　the　Boeing　P32　that　the　Spaniards　called　_Moscas_。　You　could　not　see　the　colors　but　the　cut　was　wrong。　No。　It　was　a　Fascist　Patrol　coming　home。
The　sentry　was　still　standing　at　the　far　box　with　his　back　turned。
〃Let　us　go；〃　Robert　Jordan　said。　He　started　up　the　hill；　moving　carefully　and　taking　advantage　of　the　cover　until　they　were　out　of　sight。　Anselmo　followed　him　at　a　hundred　yards　distance。　When　they　were　well　out　of　sight　of　the　bridge；　he　stopped　and　the　old　man　came　up　and　went　into　the　lead　and　climbed　steadily　through　the　pass；　up　the　steep　slope　in　the　dark。
〃We　have　a　formidable　aviation；〃　the　old　man　said　happily。
〃Yes。〃
〃And　we　will　win。〃
〃We　have　to　win。〃
〃Yes。　And　after　we　have　won　you　must　come　to　hunt。〃
〃To　hunt　what？〃
〃The　boar；　the　bear；　the　wolf；　the　ibex〃
〃You　like　to　hunt？〃
〃Yes；　man。　More　than　anything。　We　all　hunt　in　my　village。　You　do　not　like　to　hunt？〃
〃No；〃　said　Robert　Jordan。　〃I　do　not　like　to　kill　animals。〃
〃With　me　it　is　the　opposite；〃　the　old　man　said。　〃I　do　not　like　to　kill　men。〃
〃Nobody　does　except　those　who　are　disturbed　in　the　head；〃　Robert　Jordan　said。　〃But　I　feel　nothing　against　it　when　it　is　necessary。　When　it　is　for　the　cause。〃
〃It　is　a　different　thing；　though；〃　Anselmo　said。　〃In　my　house；　when　I　had　a　house；　and　now　I　have　no　house；　there　were　the　tusks　of　boar　I　had　shot　in　the　lower　forest。　There　were　the　hides　of　wolves　I　had　shot。　In　the　winter；　hunting　them　in　the　snow。　One　very　big　one；　I　killed　at　dusk　in　the　outskirts　of　the　village　on　my　way　home　one　night　in　November。　There　were　four　wolf　hides　on　the　floor　of　my　house。　They　were　worn　by　stepping　on　them　but　they　were　wolf　hides。　There　were　the　horns　of　ibex　that　I　had　killed　in　the　high　Sierra；　and　there　was　an　eagle　stuffed　by　an　embalmer　of　birds　of　Avila；　with　his　wings　spread；　and　eyes　as　yellow　and　real　as　the　eyes　of　an　eagle　alive。　It　was　a　very　beautiful　thing　and　all　of　those　things　gave　me　great　pleasure　to　contemplate。〃
〃Yes；〃　said　Robert　Jordan。
〃On　the　door　of　the　church　of　my　village　was　nailed　the　paw　of　a　bear　that　I　killed　in　the　spring；　finding　him　on　a　hillside　in　the　snow；　overturning　a　log　with　this　same　paw。〃
〃When　was　this？〃
〃Six　years　ago。　And　every　time　I　saw　that　paw；　like　the　hand　of　a　man；　but　with　those　long　claws；　dried　and　nailed　through　the　palm　to　the　door　of　the　church；　I　received　a　pleasure。〃
〃Of　pride？〃
〃Of　pride　of　remembrance　of　the　encounter　with　the　bear　on　that　hillside　in　the　early　spring。　But　of　the　killing　of　a　man；　who　is　a　man　as　we　are；　there　is　nothing　good　that　remains。〃
〃You　can't　nail　his　paw　to　the　church；〃　Robert　Jordan　said。
〃No。　Such　a　barbarity　is　unthinkable。　Yet　the　hand　of　a　man　is　like　the　paw　of　a　bear。〃
〃So　is　the　chest　of　a　man　like　the　chest　of　a　bear；〃　Robert　Jordan　said。　〃With　the　hide　removed　from　the　bear；　there　are　many　similarities　in　the　muscles。〃
〃Yes；〃　Anselmo　said。　〃The　gypsies　believe　the　bear　to　be　a　brother　of　man。〃
〃So　do　the　Indians　in　America；〃　Robert　Jordan　said。　〃And　when　they　kill　a　bear　they　apologize　to　him　and　ask　his　pardon。　They　put　his　skull　in　a　tree　and　they　ask　him　to　forgive　them　before　they　leave　it。〃
〃The　gypsies　believe　the　bear　to　be　a　brother　to　man　because　he　has　the　same　body　beneath　his　hide；　because　he　drinks　beer；　because　he　enjoys　music　and　because　he　likes　to　dance。〃
〃So　also　believe　the　Indians。〃
〃Are　the　Indians　then　gypsies？〃
〃No。　But　they　believe　alike　about　the　bear。〃
〃Clearly。　The　gypsies　also　believe　he　is　a　brother　because　he　steals　for　pleasure。〃
〃Have　you　gypsy　blood？〃
〃No。　But　I　have　seen　much　of　them　and　clearly；　since　the　movement；　more。　There　are　many　in　the　hills。　To　them　it　is　not　a　sin　to　kill　outside　the　tribe。　They　deny　this　but　it　is　true。〃
〃Like　the　Moors。〃
〃Yes。　But　the　gypsies　have　many　laws　they　do　not　admit　to　having。　In　the　war　many　gypsies　have　become　bad　again　as　they　were　in　olden　times。〃
〃They　do　not　understand　why　the　war　is　made。　They　do　not　know　for　what　we　fight。〃
〃No；〃　Anselmo　said。　〃They　only　know　now　there　is　a　war　and　people　may　kill　again　as　in　the　olden　times　without　a　surety　of　punishment。〃
〃You　have　killed？〃　Robert　Jordan　asked　in　the　intimacy　of　the　dark　and　of　their　day　together。
〃Yes。　Several　times。　But　not　with　pleasure。　To　me　it　is　a　sin　to　kill　a　man。　Even　Fascists　whom　we　must　kill。　To　me　there　is　a　great　difference　between　the　bear　and　the　man　and　I　do　not　believe　the　wizardry　of　the　gypsies　about　the　brotherhood　with　animals。　No。　I　am　against　all　killing　of　men。〃
〃Yet　you　have　killed。〃
〃Yes。　And　will　again。　But　if　I　live　later；　I　will　try　to　live　in　such　a　way；　doing　no　harm　to　any　one；　that　it　will　be　forgiven。〃
〃By　whom？〃