“We will place it there.”
“Good.”
They put the packs down behind the base of the pine trunks and the two of them followed Anselmo over to the level place where there was a clump of seedling pines.
“It is here,” Anselmo said. “Just here.”
“From here, with daylight,” Robert Jordan crouched behind the small trees whispered to Agustín, “thou wilt see a small stretch of road and the entrance to the bridge. Thou wilt see the length of the bridge and a small stretch of road at the other end before it rounds the curve of the rocks.”
Agustín said nothing.
“Here thou wilt lie while we prepare the exploding and fire on anything that comes from above or below.”
“Where is that light?” Agustín asked.
“In the sentry box at this end,” Robert Jordan whispered.
“Who deals with the sentries?”
“The old man and I, as I told thee. But if we do not deal with them, thou must fire into the sentry boxes and at them if thou seest them.”
“Yes. You told me that.”
“After the explosion when the people of Pablo come around that corner, thou must fire over their heads if others come after them. Thou must fire high above them when they appear in any event that others must not come. Understandest thou?”
“Why not? It is as thou saidst last night.”
“Hast any questions?”
“Nay. I have two sacks. I can load them from above where it will not be seen and bring them here.”
“But do no digging here. Thou must be as well hid as we were at the top.”
“Nay. I will bring the dirt in them in the dark. You will see. They will not show as I will fix them.”
“Thou are very close. Sabes? In the daylight this clump shows clearly from below.”
“Do not worry, Inglés. Where goest thou?”
“I go close below with the small máquina of mine. The old man will cross the gorge now to be ready for the box of the other end. It faces in that direction.”
“Then nothing more,” said Agustín. “Salud, Inglés. Hast thou tobacco?”
“Thou canst not smoke. It is too close.”
“Nay. Just to hold in the mouth. To smoke later.”
Robert Jordan gave him his cigarette case and Agustín took three cigarettes and put them inside the front flap of his herdsman’s flat cap. He spread the legs of his tripod with the gun muzzle in the low pines and commenced unpacking his load by touch and laying the things where he wanted them.
“Nada mas,” he said. “Well, nothing more.”
Anselmo and Robert Jordan left him there and went back to where the packs were.
“Where had we best leave them?” Robert Jordan whispered.
“I think here. But canst thou be sure of the sentry with thy small máquina from here?”
“Is this exactly where we were on that day?”
“The same tree,” Anselmo said so low Jordan could barely hear him and he knew he was speaking without moving his lips as he had spoken that first day. “I marked it with my knife.”
Robert Jordan had the feeling again of it all having happened before, but this time it came from his own repetition of a query and Anselmo’s answer. It had been the same with Agustín, who had asked a question about the sentries although he knew the answer.
“It is close enough. Even too close,” he whispered. “But the light is behind us. We are all right here.”
“Then I will go now to cross the gorge and be in position at the other end,” Anselmo said. Then he said, “Pardon me, Inglés. So that there is no mistake. In case I am stupid.”
“What?” he breathed very softly.
“Only to repeat it so that I will do it exactly.”
“When I fire, thou wilt fire. When thy man is eliminated, cross the bridge to me. I will have the packs down there and thou wilt do as I tell thee in the placing of the charges. Everything I will tell thee. If aught happens to me do it thyself as I showed thee. Take thy time and do it well, wedging all securely with the wooden wedges and lashing the grenades firmly.”