You've heard him say Copic's a fool.
That is definitive.
That exists.
And now this dispatch from the fascist lines.
Only by pruning out of these rotten branches can the tree remain healthy and grow.
The rot must become apparent for it is to be destroyed.
But Golz of all men.
That Golz should be one of the traitors.
He knew that you could trust no one.
No one.
Ever.
Not your wife.
Not your brother.
Not your oldest comrade.
No one.
Ever.
"Take them away," he said to the guards.
"Guard them carefully."
The corporal looked at the soldier.
This had been very quiet for one of Marty's performances.
"Comrade Marty," Gomez said. "Do not be insane.
Listen to me, a loyal officer and comrade.
That is a dispatch that must be delivered.
This comrade has brought it through the fascist lines to give to Comrade General Golz."
"Take them away," Marty said, now kindly, to the guard.
He was sorry for them as human beings if it should be necessary to liquidate them.
But it was the tragedy of Golz that oppressed him.
That it should be Golz, he thought.
He would take the fascist communication at once to Varloff.
No, better he would take it to Golz himself and watch him as he received it.
That was what he would do.
How could he be sure of Varloff if Golz was one of them?
No.
This was a thing to be very careful about.
Andres turned to Gomez,
"You mean he is not going to send the dispatch?" he asked, unbelieving.
"Don't you see?" Gomez said.
"_Me cago en su puta madre!_" Andres said. "_Esta loco_."
"Yes," Gomez said.
"He is crazy.
You are crazy!
Hear!
Crazy!" he shouted at Marty who was back now bending over the map with his red-and-blue pencil.
"Hear me, you crazy murderer?"
"Take them away," Marty said to the guard.
"Their minds are unhinged by their great guilt."
There was a phrase the corporal recognized.
He had heard that before.
"You crazy murderer!" Gomez shouted.
"_Hijo de la gran puta_," Andres said to him. "_Loco_."