gongsi028 says...

"There is everything," she said. "And since the planes there is much fear. Where did you say they went?" Robert Jordan dripped some of the thick milk into his coffee from the slit cut in the can, wiped the can on the rim of the cup, and stirred the coffee until it was light brown. "They go to bomb an UGG Boots Clearance airfield I believe. They might go to Escorial and Colmenar. Perhaps a!! three." "That they should go a long way and keep away from here," Pablo said. "And why are they here now?" the woman asked. "What brings them now? Never have we seen such planes. Nor in such quantity. Do they prepare an attack?" "What movement was there on the road last night?" Robert Jordan asked. The girl Maria was close to him but he did not look at her. "You," the woman UGG Boots Clearance said. "Fernando. You were in La Granja last night. What movement was there?" "Nothing," a short, open-faced man of about thirty-five with a cast in one eye, whom Robert Jordan had not seen before, answered. "A few camions as usual. Some cars. No movement of troops while I was there." "You go into La Granja every night?" Robert Jordan asked him. "I or another," Fernando said. "Some one goes." "They go for the news. For tobacco. For small things," the woman said. "We have people UGGS Clearance there?" "Yes. Why not? Those who work the power plant. Some others." "What was the news?" "_Pues nada_. There was nothing. It still goes badly in the north. That is not news. In the north it has gone badly now since the beginning." "Did you hear anything from Segovia?" "No, _hombre_. I did not ask." "Do you go into Segovia?" "Sometimes," Fernando said. "But there Ugg boots clearance is danger. There are controls where they ask for your papers." "Do you know the airfield?" "No, _hombre_. I know where it is but I was never close to it. There, there is much asking for papers." "No one spoke about these planes last night?" "In La Gnanja? Nobody. But they will talk about them tonight certainly. They talked about the broadcast of Quiepo de Llano. Nothing more. Oh, yes. It seems that the Republic is preparing an offensive." "That what?" "That the Republic Ugg boots clearance is preparing an offensive." "Where?" "It is not certain. Perhaps here. Perhaps for another pant of the Sierra. Hast thou heard of it?" "They say this in La Granja?" "Yes, _hombre_. I had forgotten it. But there is a!ways much talk of offensives." "Where does this talk come from?" "Where? Why from different people. The officers speak in the caf閟 in Segovia and Avila and the waiters note it. The rumors come running. Since some time they speak of an offensive by the Republic in these parts." "By the Republic or by the Fascists?" "By the Ugg boots clearance Republic. If it were by the Fascists all would know of it. No, this is an offensive of quite some size. Some say there are two. One here and the other over the Alto del Leon near the Escorial. Have you heard aught of this?" "What else did you hear?" "_Nada, hombre_. Nothing. Oh, yes. There was some talk that the Republicans would try to blow up the bridges, if there was to be an offensive. But the bridges are guarded." "Art thou joking?" Robert Jordan said, sipping his coffee. "No, _hombre_," said Fernando. "This one doesn't joke," the woman said. "Bad luck that he doesn't." "Then," said Robert Jordan. "Thank you for all the news. Did you hear nothing more?" "No. They talk, as always, of troops to be sent to clear out these mountains. There is some talk that they are on the way. That they Rave been sent already from Valladolid. But they always talk in that Way. It is not to give any importance to." "And thou," the woman of Pablo said to Pablo almost viciously. "With thy talk of safety." Pablo looked at her reflectively and scratched his chin. "Thou," he said. "And thy bridges." "What bridges?" asked Fernando cheerfully. "Stupid," the woman said to him. "Thick head. _Tonto_. Take another cup of coffee and try to remember more news." "Don't be angry, Pilar," Fernando said calmly and cheerfully. "Neither should one become alarmed at rumors. I have told thee and this comrade all that I remember." "You don't remember anything more?" Robert Jordan asked. "No," Fernando said with dignity. "And I am fortunate to remember this because, since it was but rumors, I paid no attention to any of it." "Then there may have been more?" "Yes. It is possible. But I paid no attention. For a year I have heard nothing but rumors." Robert Jordan heard a quick, control-breaking sniff of laughter from the girl, Maria, who was standing behind him. "Tell us one more rumor, Fernandito," she said and then her shoulders shook again. "If I could remember, I would not," Fernando said. "It is beneath a man's dignity to listen and give importance to rumors." "And with this we will save the Republic," the woman said. "No. _You_ will save it by blowing bridges," Pablo told her. "Go," said Robert Jordan to Anselmo and Rafael. "If you have eaten." "We go now," the old man said and the two of them stood up. Robert Jordan felt a hand on his shoulder. It was Maria. "Thou shouldst eat," she said and let her hand rest there. "Eat well so that thy stomach can support more rumors." "The rumors have taken the place of the appetite." "No. It should not be so. Eat this now before more rumors come." She put the bowl before him. "Do not make a joke of me," Fernando said to her. "I am thy good friend, Maria." "I do not joke at thee, Fernando. I only joke with him and he should eat or he will be hungry." "We should all eat," Fernando said. "Pilar, what passes that we are not served?" "Nothing, man," the woman of Pablo said and filled his bowl with the meat stew. "Eat. Yes, that's what you _can_ do. Eat now." "It is very good, Pilar," Fernando said, all dignity intact. "Thank you," said the woman. "Thank you and thank you again." "Are you angry at me?" Fernando asked. "No. Eat. Go ahead and eat." "I will," said Fernando. "Thank you." Robert Jordan looked at Maria and her shoulders started shaking again and she looked away. Fernando ate steadily, a proud and dignified expression on his face, the dignity of which could not be affected even by the huge spoon that he was using or the slight dripping of juice from the stew which ran from the corners of his mouth. "Do you like the food?" the woman of Pablo asked him. "Yes, Pilar," he said with his mouth full. "It is the same as usual." Robert Jordan felt Maria's hand on his arm and felt her fingers tighten with delight. "It is for _that_ that you like it?" the woman asked Fernando. "Yes," she said. "I see. The stew; as usual. Como siempre. Things are bad in the north; as usual. An offensive here; as usual. That troops come to hunt us out; as usual. You could serve as a monument to as usual." "But the last two are only rumors, Pilar." "Spain," the woman of Pablo said bitterly. Then turned to Robert Jordan. "Do they have people such as this in other countries?" "There are no other countries like Spain," Robert Jordan said politely. "You are right," Fernando said. "There is no other country in the world like Spain." "Hast thou ever seen any other country?" the woman asked him. "Nay," said Fernando. "Nor do I wish to." "You see?" the woman of Pablo said to Robert Jordan. "Fernandito," Maria said to him. "Tell us of the time thee went to Valencia" "I did not like Valencia." "Why?" Maria asked and pressed Robert Jordan's arm again. "Why did thee not like it?" "The people had no manners and I could not understand them. All they did was shout _ch開 at one another." "Could they understand thee?" Maria asked. "They pretended not to," Fernando said.

Paul Harpin says...

Congratulations!!

coconut1955 says...

Paul Hornsby is a legend.