The Underdogs

PART ONE

How beautiful the revolution! Even in its most barbarous aspect it is beautiful, Solís said with deep feeling.

I

"THAT’S no animal, I tell you! Listen to the dog barking! It must be a human being."

The woman stared into the darkness of the sierra.

What if they’re soldiers? said a man who sat Indian-fashion, eating, a coarse earthenware plate in his right hand, three folded tortillas in the other.

The woman made no answer, all her senses directed outside the hut. The beat of horses’ hoofs rang in the quarry nearby. The dog barked again, louder and more angrily.

Well, Demetrio, I think you had better hide, all the same.

Stolidly, the man finished eating; next he reached for a cántaro and gulped down the water in it; then he stood up.

Your rifle is under the mat, she whispered.

A tallow candle illumined the small room. In one corner stood a plow, a yoke, a goad, and other agricultural implements. Ropes hung from the roof, securing an old adobe mold, used as a bed; on it a child slept, covered with gray rags.

Demetrio buckled his cartridge belt about his waist and picked up his rifle. He was tall and well built, with a sanguine face and beardless chin; he wore shirt and trousers of white cloth, a broad Mexican hat and leather sandals.

With slow, measured step, he left the room, vanishing into the impenetrable darkness of the night.

The dog, excited to the point of madness, had jumped over the corral fence.

Suddenly a shot rang out The dog moaned, then barked no more. Some men on horseback rode up, shouting and swearing; two of them dismounted, while the other hung back to watch the horses.

Hey, there, woman: we want food! Give us eggs, milk, beans, anything you’ve got! We’re starving!

Curse the sierra! It would take the Devil himself not to lose his way!

Guess again, Sergeant! Even the Devil would go astray if he were as drunk as you are.

The first speaker wore chevrons on his arm, the other, red stripes on his shoulders.

Whose place is this, old woman? Or is it an empty house? God’s truth, which is it?

Of course it’s not empty. How about the light and that child there? Look here, confound it, we want to eat, and damn quick, too! Are you coming out or are we going to make you?

"You swine! Both of you! You’ve gone and killed my dog, that’s what you’ve done! What harm did he ever do you? What did you have against him?"

The woman reentered the house, dragging the dog behind her, very white and fat, with lifeless eyes and flabby body.

Look at those cheeks, Sergeant! Don’t get riled, light of my life: I swear I’ll turn your home into a dovecot, see?

By God! he said, breaking off into song:

"Don’t look so haughty, dear,

Banish all fears,

Kiss me and melt to me,

I’ll drink up your tears!"

His alcoholic tenor trailed off into the night.

Tell me what they call this ranch, woman? the sergeant asked.

Limón, the woman replied curtly, carrying wood to the fire and fanning the coals.

So we’re in Limón, eh, the famous Demetrio Macías’ country, eh? Do you hear that, Lieutenant? We’re in Limón.

Limón? What the hell do I care? If I’m bound for hell, Sergeant, I might as well go there now. I don’t mind, now that I’ve found as good a remount as this! Look at the cheeks on the darling, look at them! There’s a pair of ripe red apples for a fellow to bite into!

I’ll wager you know Macías the bandit, lady? I was in the pen with him at Escobedo, once.

Bring me a bottle of tequila, Sergeant: I’ve decided to spend the night with this charming lady…. What’s that? The colonel?…Why in God’s name talk about the colonel now? He can go straight to hell, for all I care. And if he doesn’t like it, it’s all right with me. Come on, Sergeant, tell the corporal outside to unsaddle the horses and feed them. I’ll stay here all night. Here, my girl, you let the sergeant fry the eggs and warm up the tortillas; you come here to me. See this wallet full of nice new bills? They’re all for you, darling. Sure, I want you to have them. Figure it out for yourself. I’m drunk, see: I’ve a bit of a load on and that’s why I’m kind of hoarse, you might call it. I left half my gullet down Guadalajara way, and I’ve been spitting the other half out all the way up here. Oh well, who cares? But I want you to have that money, see, dearie? Hey, Sergeant, where’s my bottle? Now, little girl, come here and pour yourself a drink. You won’t, eh? Aw, come on! Afraid of your—er—husband…or whatever he is, huh? Well, if he’s skulking in some hole, you tell him to come out. What the hell do I care? I’m not scared of rats, see!

Suddenly a white shadow loomed on the threshold.

Demetrio Macías! the sergeant cried as he stepped back in terror.

The lieutenant stood up, silent, cold, and motionless as a statue.

Shoot them! the woman croaked.

Oh, come, you’ll surely spare us! I didn’t know you were there. I’ll always stand up for a brave man.

Demetrio stood his ground, looking them up and down, an insolent and disdainful smile wrinkling his face.

Yes, I not only respect brave men, but I like them. I’m proud and happy to call them friends. Here’s my hand on it: friend to friend. Then, after a pause: All right, Demetrio Macías, if you don’t want to shake hands, all right! But it’s because you don’t know me, that’s why, just because the first time you saw me I was doing this dog’s job. But look here, I ask you, what in God’s name can a man do when he’s poor and has a wife to support and kids?…Right you are, Sergeant, let’s go: I’ve nothing but respect for the home of what I call a brave man, a real, honest, genuine man!

When they had gone, the woman drew close to Demetrio.

Holy Virgin, what agony! I suffered as though it was you they’d shot.

You go to Father’s house, quick! Demetrio ordered. She wanted to hold him in her arms; she entreated, she wept. But he pushed away from her gently and, in a sullen voice, said, I’ve an idea the whole lot of them are coming.

Why didn’t you kill ’em?

Their hour hasn’t struck yet.

They went out together; she bore the child in her arms. At the door, they separated, moving off in different directions.

The moon peopled the mountain with vague shadows. As he advanced at every turn of his way Demetrio could see the poignant, sharp silhouette of a woman pushing forward painfully, bearing a child in her arms.

When, after many hours of climbing, he gazed back, huge flames shot up from the depths of the canyon by the river. It was his house, blazing….

II

EVERYTHING was still swathed in shadows as Demetrio Macías began his descent to the bottom of the ravine. Between rocks striped with huge eroded cracks, and a squarely cut wall, with the river flowing below, a narrow ledge along the steep incline served as a mountain