The stew; as usual. Como siempre.
Things are bad in the north; as usual.
An offensive here; as usual.
That troops come to hunt us out; as usual.
You could serve as a monument to as usual."
"But the last two are only rumors, Pilar."
"Spain," the woman of Pablo said bitterly.
Then turned to Robert Jordan. "Do they have people such as this in other countries?"
"There are no other countries like Spain," Robert Jordan said politely.
"You are right," Fernando said.
"There is no other country in the world like Spain."
"Hast thou ever seen any other country?" the woman asked him.
"Nay," said Fernando.
"Nor do I wish to."
"You see?" the woman of Pablo said to Robert Jordan.
"Fernandito," Maria said to him. "Tell us of the time thee went to Valencia"
"I did not like Valencia."
"Why?" Maria asked and pressed Robert Jordan's arm again.
"Why did thee not like it?"
"The people had no manners and I could not understand them.
All they did was shout _che_ at one another."
"Could they understand thee?" Maria asked.
"They pretended not to," Fernando said.
"And what did thee there?"
"I left without even seeing the sea," Fernando said.
"I did not like the people."
"Oh, get out of here, you old maid," the woman of Pablo said.
"Get out of here before you make me sick.
In Valencia I had the best time of my life. _Vamos!_ Valencia.
Don't talk to me of Valencia."
"What did thee there?" Maria asked.
The woman of Pablo sat down at the table with a bowl of coffee, a piece of bread and a bowl of the stew.
"_Que?_ what did we there.
I was there when Finito had a contract for three fights at the Feria.
Never have I seen so many people.
Never have I seen cafes so crowded.
For hours it would be impossible to get a seat and it was impossible to board the tram cars.
In Valencia there was movement all day and all night."
"But what did you do?" Maria asked.
"All things," the woman said.
"We went to the beach and lay in the water and boats with sails were hauled up out of the sea by oxen.
The oxen driven to the water until they must swim; then harnessed to the boats, and, when they found their feet, staggering up the sand.
Ten yokes of oxen dragging a boat with sails out of the sea in the morning with the line of the small waves breaking on the beach.
That is Valencia."
"But what did thee besides watch oxen?"
"We ate in pavilions on the sand.
Pastries made of cooked and shredded fish and red and green peppers and small nuts like grains of rice.
Pastries delicate and flaky and the fish of a richness that was incredible.
Prawns fresh from the sea sprinkled with lime juice.
They were pink and sweet and there were four bites to a prawn.