I returned to the bedroom, took off the rest of my clothes and pulled on my old robe. Then I went back into the bathroom, taking the shoulder holster with me for old habits die hard.
The water was by now so brown that I was unable to see the bottom of the bath, but I lowered myself in without a qualm and lay back and stared at the cracked ceiling.
How easily things become what we want them to. The cracks on that ceiling became a map, line by line flowering into shape before me. The railway snaking down through Monterey to Tampico. Then the route across the Gulf north of the Yucatan Peninsula to Cuba and Havana town.
And what would I do there? I had an address, no more than that. A man who might be able to give me work or might not. And afterwards? But there was no answer to that one and each day would have to bring what it chose.
There was a sudden muffled crash from the bedroom that had me out of the bath and reaching for my revolver all in the same movement. I flattened myself against the wall beside the door, out of line of fire if anyone intended to shoot their way in.
I got my robe on one-handed and not without difficulty and listened. There was no sound, so I did what seemed the obvious thing, flung open the door and dropped to one knee.
The man who stood by the bed searching my jacket was straight out of the market-place, a mestizo in ragged trousers and shirt and palm-leaf sombrero. He had just taken the wallet from the inner pocket. Everything I had in the world.
Not today, compadre, I said. Put it on the bed and quickly.
At first it looked as if he was going to do as he was told. His shoulders sagged. He said brokenly, Señor, my wife, my children. For pitys sake.
Which didnt particularly impress me for any painter specializing in theological subjects would have found him a fair likeness for Judas Iscariot. It worked to a certain degree for when he turned to fling the jacket in my face and ran, he definitely caught me off balance.
When I reached the door, he was almost at the head of the stairs which didnt give me a great deal of choice as he was still clutching my wallet in his right hand, so I brought him down with a snap shot in the right leg.
He went over the edge of the stairs without a cry and I heard him crash against the ironwork banisters twice. When I reached the head of the stairs he was lying face-down on the next landing. He glanced back over his shoulder, his face twisted with rage and to my complete astonishment, started to slither down the rest of the broad marble stairs leaving a snails trail of blood behind him.
Several things happened at about the same time then. Janos came stumping out of the shadows leaning on his black ivory walking stick, a couple of retainers from the kitchen at his back. By God, sir, whats going on here?
My wallet, I said. He stole my wallet.
The thief slid the rest of the way down to the hall and collapsed at the fat mans feet. Janos leaned over him and poked around in the shadows. When he straightened his face was grave and baleful.
Wallet, sir? I see no wallet here.
Which was when my heart really started to sink as it suddenly occurred to me that there was just a faint possibility that there was more to this than met the eye.
The police arrived on the run, armed to the teeth as usual, ready to spray everything in sight as they came through the door, although the sergeant in charge was exquisitely polite and listened to my story with the utmost patience.
The wretch on the floor, whom no one seemed to be particularly concerned about, clutched his leg, blood oozing between his fingers and cursed all gringos and their seed to the tenth generation. He was wholly innocent and employed by Señor Janos as a general porter. The sergeant booted him casually in the ribs, left his men to search for the wallet and took me up to my room to get dressed.
Do not worry, señor, he comforted me. The man is a known thief. Señor Janos gave him honest work out of the largeness of his heart and this is how he serves him. We will find this wallet. Fear not, your name will be cleared.
But when we returned to the foot of the stairs, and he discovered his mens lack of success, a fact to which I had already become resigned, his face assumed a more melancholy expression.
This is a grave matter, señor, you realize my position? To shoot this man for stealing your wallet is one thing
But to shoot him, full stop, is quite another.
Exactly, señor, I am afraid you must accompany me to headquarters. The jefe will wish to question you.
His hand on my arm was no longer gentle and as we moved forward, Janos said passionately, his jowls shaking, By God, sir, Ill stand by you. Trust in me, Mr Keogh.
Hardly the most comforting of thoughts on which to be led away.
Above the town the Sierras floated in a blue haze, marching north towards the border. It was all I could see when I hauled myself up by the iron bars on the narrow window and peered out.
I was in what was known as the general reception cell, a room about forty feet square with rough stone walls that looked as if they might very well pre-date Cortez. There were about thirty of us in there which meant it was pretty crowded and the smell seemed compounded of urine, excrement and human sweat in equal proportions.
An hour of this was an hour too much. An indio got up and relieved himself into an over-flowing bucket and I moved out of the way hurriedly, took a packet of Artistas out of my pocket and lit one.
Most of the others were indios with flat, impassive brown faces, simple men from the back country whod come to town looking for work and now found themselves in prison and probably for no good reason known to man.
They watched me out of interest and curiosity because I was the only European there which was a very strange thing. One of them stood up from the bench on which he sat, removing his straw sombrero and offered me his seat with a grave peasant courtesy that meant I couldnt possibly refuse.
I sat down, took out the packet of Artistas and offered them around and hesitantly, politely, those closest to me took one and soon we were all smoking, amicably, the lighted cigarettes passing from mouth to mouth.
The bolt rattled in the door which opened to reveal the sergeant. Señor Keogh, please to come this way.
So we were being polite again? I followed him out and along the whitewashed corridor as the door clanged behind me. We went up the steps into a sweeter, cleaner world and crossed towards the administration block of the police barracks.
I had been here once before about four months previously to obtain a work permit and had been required to pay through the nose for it which meant that the jefe in Bonito was about as honest as the usual run of police chiefs.
The sergeant left me on a bench in a whitewashed corridor under the eye of two very military-looking guards who stood on either side of the jefes door clutching Mauser rifles of the type used by the Germans in the war. They ignored me completely, and after a while the door opened and the sergeant beckoned.
The room was sparsely furnished; desk, filing cabinet and not much else, except for a couple of chairs, one of which was occupied by my fat friend from the Hotel Blanco, the other by the jefe.
Janos lurched to his feet, and swayed there, propped up by his ivory stick, sweat shining on his troubled face. A dreadful business, Mr Keogh, but Im with you, sir, all the way.
He subsided again. The jefe said, I am Jose Ortiz, Chief of Police in Bonito, Señor Keogh. Let me first apologize for your treatment so far. A regrettable error on the part of my sergeant here who will naturally answer for it.
He subsided again. The jefe said, I am Jose Ortiz, Chief of Police in Bonito, Señor Keogh. Let me first apologize for your treatment so far. A regrettable error on the part of my sergeant here who will naturally answer for it.
The sergeant didnt seem to be worrying too much about that and the jefe opened a file before him and studied it. He was a small, olive-skinned man in his fifties with a carefully trimmed moustache and most of his teeth had been capped with gold.
He looked up at me gravely. A most puzzling affair, Señor Keogh. You say this man was stealing your wallet?
Thats right.
Then what has he done with it, señor? We have searched the stairs and the foyer of the hotel thoroughly.
Perhaps he had an accomplice, I suggested. There were several people milling around there.
By God, he could be right, Janos cut in. It could explain the whole thing.
The jefe nodded. Yes, that is certainly a possibility and on the whole, I am inclined to believe your story, señor, for the man is a known thief.
That is very kind of you, I said gravely.
There was much in the wallet of importance?
Twenty or thirty dollars, some rail and steamer tickets and my passport.
He raised his eyebrows. So? Now that is serious. More so than I had realized. He looked in the file again. I see from your papers that you were registered as a British citizen. This is correct?
I said calmly, Thats right.
Strange. I thought you Irish had your Free State now since the successful termination of your revolution.
Some people might question that fact, I told him.
He seemed puzzled, then nodded brightly. Ah, but of course, now you have your civil war. The Irish who fought the English together now kill each other. Here in Mexico we have had the same trouble. He glanced at the file again. So you would be able to obtain a fresh passport from the British Consul in Tampico.
I suppose so.
He nodded. But that will take some weeks, señor, and what are we to do with you in the meantime. I understand you are not at present employed.
No, I worked for the Hermosa Mining Company for six months.
Who have now, alas, suspended operations. I foresee a difficulty here.
Oh, I dont know, I said. Im sure Mr Janos can suggest something.
By God, I can, sir, he said, stamping his stick on the floor. Ive offered Mr Keogh lucrative employment highly lucrative. For as long as he likes.
Ortiz looked relieved. It was really a quite excellent performance. Then everything is solved, Señor Keogh. If Señor Janos makes himself personally responsible for you, if I have this guarantee that you will be in secure employment, then I can release you.
Was there ever any question of it? I said politely.
He smiled, closed the file, got to his feet and held out his hand. At your service, Señor Keogh.
At yours, señor, I replied punctiliously, turned and went out.
I heard a quiet, murmured exchange between them and then Janos stumped after me. Alls well that ends well, eh, Mr Keogh. And Ill stick to my bargain, sir. I shant take advantage of your situation. Five hundred dollars and your steamer ticket. Thats what I said and thats what Ill pay.
A gentleman, I said. Anyone can see that.
His great body shook with laughter. By God, sir, well deal famously together. Famously.
A matter of opinion, but then all things were possible in that worst of all possible worlds.
2
When we got back to the hotel, Janos took me round to the stables in the rear courtyard. A couple of stalls had been knocked out at one end and the truck stood in there.
It was a Ford and looked as if it had spent a hard war at the Western Front. There was a canvas tilt at the back and it was loaded to the roof with medium-sized packing cases. I checked the wheels and discovered that the tyres were new which was something, then I lifted the bonnet and had a look at the engine. It was in better shape than I could have reasonably hoped.
You find everything in order? he demanded.
You lost a good mechanic this morning.
Yes, an inconvenience, but much of life generally is.
When do you want me to go?
If you left now, you could make the half-way point by dark. There is an inn at Huerta. A poor place, but adequate. It was a way-station in the old stage-coach days. You could spend the night there. Be at Huila before noon tomorrow. This suits you?
Amazing how polite he was being about it all. Absolutely, I said, but the irony in my voice seemed to elude him.
Good, he nodded in satisfaction. Lets go in and Ill give you the final details.
His office was just off the patio at the front of the building, a small cluttered room with a polished oak desk and a surprising number of books. My shoulder holster and the Enfield were lying on the desk and he tapped them with the end of his stick.
Youll be wanting that, Ive no doubt. Rough country out there these days.
I took off my jacket and buckled on the holster. He said, You look uncommonly used to that contrivance, sir, for a man of your obvious education and background.
I am, I told him shortly, and pulled on my jacket. Anything else?
He opened a drawer, took out two envelopes and pushed them across. One of those is a letter to Gomez, the man to whom youll deliver the goods in Huila. He has a supply of petrol by the way, so youll be all right for the return trip. The other contains an authorization to make the journey signed by Captain Ortiz, in case you are stopped by rurales.
I put them both in my breast pocket and buttoned my jacket. He selected a long black cigar from a sandalwood box, lit it, then pushed the box across to me. Youll have a drink with me, sir, for the road?
We have a saying where I come from, I told him. Drink with the devil and smile.
He laughed till the tears squeezed from his eyes, the flesh trembling on the gross body. By God, sir, but youre a man after my own heart, I can see that.
He shuffled across to a side cabinet, opened it and produced a bottle and a couple of tumblers. It was brandy, and good brandy at that.
He leaned one elbow on the cabinet and eyed me gravely. If I might be permitted the observation, sir, you dont seem to care very much about anything. About anything at all. Am I right?
That strange, rather pedantic English of his had a curious effect. It made one want to respond in kind. I said, Why, it has been my experience that there is little in life worth caring about, sir.
I could have sworn that for a moment there was genuine concern in his eyes although I considered it unlikely he could ever have afforded such an emotion.
If I may say so, he observed heavily, I find such sentiments disturbing in one so young.
But now the conversation had gone too far and we were into entirely the wrong territory. I emptied my glass and placed it carefully on top of the cabinet. Id better be on my way.
Of course, but youll need a little eating money. He produced a wallet and counted out a hundred pesos in ten-peso notes. You should be back here by tomorrow evening if everything goes smoothly.