For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway Read Free Book Online Page A

head. “Ayee. Ayee,” she said. “Are all men like that?”
    â€œI said nothing. She is beautiful, you know that.”
    â€œNo she is not beautiful. But she begins to be beautiful, you mean,” the woman of Pablo said. “Men. It is a shame to us womenthat we make them. No. In seriousness. Are there not homes to care for such as her under the Republic?”
    â€œYes,” said Robert Jordan. “Good places. On the coast near Valencia. In other places too. There they will treat her well and she can work with children. There are the children from evacuated villages. They will teach her the work.”
    â€œThat is what I want,” the mujer of Pablo said. “Pablo has a sickness for her already. It is another thing which destroys him. It lies on him like a sickness when he sees her. It is best that she goes now.”
    â€œWe can take her after this is over.”
    â€œAnd you will be careful of her now if I trust you? I speak to you as though I knew you for a long time.”
    â€œIt is like that,” Robert Jordan said, “when people understand one another.”
    â€œSit down,” the woman of Pablo said. “I do not ask any promise because what will happen, will happen. Only if you will not take her out, then I ask a promise.”
    â€œWhy if I would not take her?”
    â€œBecause I do not want her crazy here after you will go. I have had her crazy before and I have enough without that.”
    â€œWe will take her after the bridge,” Robert Jordan said. “If we are alive after the bridge, we will take her.”
    â€œI do not like to hear you speak in that manner. That manner of speaking never brings luck.”
    â€œI spoke in that manner only to make a promise,” Robert Jordan said. “I am not of those who speak gloomily.”
    â€œLet me see thy hand,” the woman said. Robert Jordan put his hand out and the woman opened it, held it in her own big hand, rubbed her thumb over it and looked at it, carefully, then dropped it. She stood up. He got up too and she looked at him without smiling.
    â€œWhat did you see in it?” Robert Jordan asked her. “I don’t believe in it. You won’t scare me.”
    â€œNothing,” she told him. “I saw nothing in it.”
    â€œYes you did. I am only curious. I do not believe in such things.”
    â€œIn what do you believe?”
    â€œIn many things but not in that.”
    â€œIn what?”
    â€œIn my work.”
    â€œYes, I saw that.”
    â€œTell me what else you saw.”
    â€œI saw nothing else,” she said bitterly. “The bridge is very difficult you said?”
    â€œNo. I said it is very important.”
    â€œBut it can be difficult?”
    â€œYes. And now I go down to look at it. How many men have you here?”
    â€œFive that are any good. The gypsy is worthless although his intentions are good. He has a good heart. Pablo I no longer trust.”
    â€œHow many men has El Sordo that are good?”
    â€œPerhaps eight. We will see tonight. He is coming here. He is a very practical man. He also has some dynamite. Not very much, though. You will speak with him.”
    â€œHave you sent for him?”
    â€œHe comes every night. He is a neighbor. Also a friend as well as a comrade.”
    â€œWhat do you think of him?”
    â€œHe is a very good man. Also very practical. In the business of the train he was enormous.”
    â€œAnd in the other bands?”
    â€œAdvising them in time, it should be possible to unite fifty rifles of a certain dependability.”
    â€œHow dependable?”
    â€œDependable within the gravity of the situation.”
    â€œAnd how many cartridges per rifle?”
    â€œPerhaps twenty. Depending how many they would bring for this business. If they would come for this business. Remember thee that in this of a bridge there is no money and no loot and in thy reservations of talking,