"He is here.
He is probably inside," answered Joaquin and stopping now, and resting the rifle butt on the ground, said, "Pilar, listen to me.
And thou, Maria.
Forgive me if I have molested you speaking of things of the family.
I know that all have the same troubles and it is more valuable not to speak of them."
"That you should speak," Pilar said.
"For what are we born if not to aid one another?
And to listen and say nothing is a cold enough aid."
"But it can molest the Maria.
She has too many things of her own."
"_Que va_," Maria said.
"Mine are such a big bucket that yours falling in will never fill it.
I am sorry, Joaquin, and I hope thy sister is well."
"So far she's all right," Joaquin said.
"They have her in prison and it seems they do not mistreat her much."
"Are there others in the family?" Robert Jordan asked.
"No," the boy said.
"Me. Nothing more.
Except the brother-inlaw who went to the hills and I think he is dead."
"Maybe he is all right," Maria said.
"Maybe he is with a band in other mountains."
"For me he is dead," Joaquin said.
"He was never too good at getting about and he was conductor of a tram and that is not the best preparation for the hills.
I doubt if he could last a year.
He was Somewhat weak in the chest too."
"But he may be all right," Maria put her arm on his shoulder.
"Certainly, girl.
Why not?" said Joaquin.
As the boy stood there, Maria reached up, put her arms around his neck and kissed him. Joaquin turned his head away because he was crying.
"That is as a brother," Maria said to him.
"I kiss thee as a brother."
The boy shook his head, crying without making any noise.
"I am thy sister," Maria said.
"And I love thee and thou hast a family.
We are all thy family."
"Including the _Ingles_," boomed Pilar.
"Isn't it true, _Ingles?_"
"Yes," Robert Jordan said to the boy, "we are all thy family, Joaquin."
"He's your brother," Pilar said.
"Hey _Ingles?_"
Robert Jordan put his arm around the boy's shoulder. "We are all brothers," he said.
The boy shook his head.
"I am ashamed to have spoken," he said.
"To speak of such things makes it more difficult for all.
I am ashamed of molesting you."
"I obscenity in the milk of my shame," Pilar said in her deep lovely voice.
"And if the Maria kisses thee again I will commence kissing thee myself.
It's years since I've kissed a bullfighter, even an unsuccessful one like thee, I would like to kiss an unsuccessful bullfighter turned Communist.
Hold him, _Ingles_, till I get a good kiss at him."
"_Deja_," the boy said and turned away sharply.