For Whom the Bell Tolls

Pilar demands a rest partway through the walk to see El Sordo. She speaks of beauty and ugliness and of her experience as an ugly woman who feels beautiful with men she loves. Robert asks where she and Pablo are from, and Pilar discovers that Robert never saw what the war was like in small towns, like Pablo’s. She tells Robert and Maria the story of that first day of the war.

Pilar gives them a detailed account of how the Republicans, led by Pablo, killed the guardia civil and then gathered all of the fascists of the town for a brutal killing by mass beatings, since Pablo wanted all the Republicans and townspeople to share in the responsibility of the killings. Drunkenness spread, as did anger at some of the fascists; the once-neat lines of killers turned into a mob at the door of the Ayuntamiento, and, eventually, Pablo allowed them in to kill the last of the fascists and the priest, who Pablo tells Pilar should have died with more dignity. Pilar talks of her feeling of dread, just like her feeling when the planes flew overhead earlier in the day, and she tells Robert and Maria that three days after the mass killings, the fascists came to the town. Maria begs her to speak of it no more, but Pilar promises to tell Robert of it later.

One of El Sordo’s guards, Joaquín, stops the trio as they approach camp; he recognizes Pilar and Maria and is introduced to Robert. As he leads them into camp, he shares that most of his family members were killed by fascists. He is overcome with emotion and ashamed by the display, despite the trio’s reassurances. Robert thinks about how he is distant from so many deaths because he goes to a place, stays to blow something up, then leaves again, only to hear about someone’s death later when he returns for another job.

El Sordo welcomes Robert, and they and Pilar discuss what Robert needs from them for the attack and how they can plan a retreat from the area—a challenge because Robert’s superiors have ordered the bridge to be blown up during the day rather than during the cover of night. The retreat will be dangerous, and Pilar hints to seeing disaster ahead. Pilar and El Sordo agree to flee to the Republic after the attack.

El Sordo, now seeming impatient, escorts Robert, Maria, and Pilar to the edge of his camp. Partway up the steep climb later in their walk, Pilar looks unwell and finally caves to her companions’ urging that she rest.

Pilar asks Maria to lay her head in her lap, speaking of jealousy over Maria and Robert, although she insists it is not romantic jealousy. She tires of talk and insists on going ahead to the camp, leaving the two alone, despite Robert’s insistence that he has much work to do and that the three should arrive back at camp together. Maria tells him to let Pilar go.

Walking back to Pablo’s camp after making love, Robert is lost in thought, first about the bridge and then about his relationship with Maria. He realizes that their relationship is challenging his beliefs, which were starting to become somewhat narrow. He considers time, wishing he had a lifetime with Maria, now that he has found her. He considers the idea that perhaps the rest of his life is just the two days they have together, and he should make the most of that time.

They see Pilar close to the camp, sitting with her head and arms laying over her lap as if she is unwell. She ignores their questioning and comments on their lovemaking and its effect on Maria, demanding over and over that Maria tell her something of her own volition. Finally, Maria tells her that the earth moved, and Robert agrees. Pilar speaks of that being something that usually only happens to Gitanos, and only three times in life. She has experienced it twice, but claims it will not happen again for her. Robert demands she stop complicating their jobs with Gitano nonsense.

Looking at the changing sky, Pilar notes that it will snow.

Pablo happily notes the impact of the snow to Robert, claiming the blowing up of the bridge cannot happen now. Deciding not to risk passing Rafael and Anselmo if he tries to find them as they leave their posts watching the bridge, Robert waits for their return in the cave. As he waits, the group speaks of matadors, and when one comments on how Pilar’s lover, the matador Finito, was tubercular, Pilar angrily corrects their assumptions and tells them of his last fight, his fear of bulls but fearlessness in the arena, and his final days.

Rafael returns with reports of troop movements, and Fernando volunteers to take Robert to see Anselmo, who remained at his post.

Anselmo waits for Robert at his post, watching the fascist guard post and marking all vehicles, people, and weapons that pass. As he waits, Anselmo thinks of the killing he and others have had to do; he hopes for a day, after the war, of atonement for those sins, since he no longer believes in God. He thinks of his loneliness and how he used to turn to God in such moments.

Robert appears, his mood buoyed by seeing that Anselmo actually stayed at his post, something that Robert claims is unusual in Spain. His mood and praise raise Anselmo’s spirits, as well.

On the men’s return to the cave, Pilar informs Robert that El Sordo came down to look at the horses, but he left no other word for Robert. Maria coddles Robert in her attempts to be with and care for him.

Pablo seems drunk, but Robert suspects he is not so. The man taunts Robert and the rest of the group, and Robert finally taunts Pablo himself, hoping to get the man to react so he can kill him, since Robert still has a bad feeling about Pablo and what he might do.

Pablo refuses to take the bait, even when Agustín hits him multiple times for his insults. Pablo leaves to check the horses, noting to Robert that the snow still falls.