Cuba Libre (2008) Read Online Free Page A
Author: Elmore Leonard
bet there is. The newspaper fellas at the hotel say it won't be long now. And the dons seem for it. They're passing out circulars in town that say "Long live Spain' and "Death to the Americans.""
They were quiet again, looking at Havana and hearing ships' bells and the chug-chug of steam launches out on the water. Charlie Burke said, "You know how much tobacco they grow on this island?"
"No," Tyler said. "How much?"
"A whole lot. But they don't put one bit of it aside for chewing tobacco."
Tyler slung his saddle over his shoulder by the horn. Charlie Burke picked up the rolled poncho, saying they'd meet Fuentes by the customhouse.
Rut there he was across the road and up a piece at the stock pens, arm raised, waving at them. With him were the three officers in dress uniforms who'd come off the Spanish ship, and a few strides away, the officer in the familiar gray uniform Tyler had run into earlier, this time smoking a tailor-made cigarette.
Fuentes, Tyler noticed, had cut out the five horses he didn't want and put them in the same lot with the dun; and now Fuentes was coming out to the road to meet them, Charlie Burke saying, "Like he don't want us getting too close to the dons."
Maybe. Fuentes had an anxious look on his face. He said, "I think you can sell a horse today. Lieutenant Teo Barban wants to know how old is the dun."
Tyler did a half turn, swinging the saddle from his shoulder. "Teo--that's his name?" "For Teobaldo." "Which one is he?"
Fuentes glanced over. "The hussar, the one with his hand on the fence rail."
In the red tunic and blue kepi, one of those, with their swords; all three intent on the horses while the one in gray was looking this way. Tyler said, "I remember that gray uniform from a long time ago. Or one like it."
Without looking around Fuentes said, "Guardia Civil. His name is Lionel Tavalera, a major; he's very... he makes himself known."
That was it, the Guardia, Tyler remembering them as a kind of rural police, known to be hardheaded and mean. He said to Fuentes, "These fellas speak English?"
Fuentes shrugged. "I believe enough. Try them."
Tyler called out, "Hey, Teo?" And as the officers turned this way, Teo Barban looking surprised to hear his name, Tyler said, "I'd put the dun's age at ten years old, no more'n that, but she ain't for sale. Pick another one, she's yours."
He saw Teo wore a neat little mustache waxed to needle points. The young man seemed to be studying him now, like he was wondering who this cowboy thought he was.
Teo said, "Why is that, you don't want to sell her?"
"I'd miss her. She and I get along, never have any arguments."
"Oh, the two of you are lovers?"
Teo's fellow officers were already grinning as he turned his head and said something to them in Spanish. Now they were laughing.
Tyler looked at Fuentes. "What'd he just say?" "He said he thought vaqueros only fucked heifers." Now one of the others was making a kissing sound toward the mares. The three boys having fun and Tyler realized that's what they were, boys, all in their early twenties--except for the Guardia Civil officer, Lionel Tavalera, who had a good ten years on them, or more. These boys were young and frisky, no different than cavalry officers Tyler had seen at Whipple Barracks and Fort Thomas their first time out, on frontier station with the "Dandy Fifth" and had that same strut and pose, feeling themselves above poor civilians and common soldiers. Tyler said to Fuentes, "What do these boys do all dressed up like that?"
They heard him, all of them looking over.
Fuentes said, "They're hussars," sounding surprised. "Lieutenant Barban and his companions are of the Pavia Hussars, with the regiment here I believe six months."
Tyler said to Teo, "You're with a cavalry outfit, uh?"
"Hussars, caballeria," Teo said, "the same as you have in your country to kill in dios yes? We kill insurrectos."
"Well, I was way off," Tyler said. "I thought the circus was in town and you boys played in the
They were quiet again, looking at Havana and hearing ships' bells and the chug-chug of steam launches out on the water. Charlie Burke said, "You know how much tobacco they grow on this island?"
"No," Tyler said. "How much?"
"A whole lot. But they don't put one bit of it aside for chewing tobacco."
Tyler slung his saddle over his shoulder by the horn. Charlie Burke picked up the rolled poncho, saying they'd meet Fuentes by the customhouse.
Rut there he was across the road and up a piece at the stock pens, arm raised, waving at them. With him were the three officers in dress uniforms who'd come off the Spanish ship, and a few strides away, the officer in the familiar gray uniform Tyler had run into earlier, this time smoking a tailor-made cigarette.
Fuentes, Tyler noticed, had cut out the five horses he didn't want and put them in the same lot with the dun; and now Fuentes was coming out to the road to meet them, Charlie Burke saying, "Like he don't want us getting too close to the dons."
Maybe. Fuentes had an anxious look on his face. He said, "I think you can sell a horse today. Lieutenant Teo Barban wants to know how old is the dun."
Tyler did a half turn, swinging the saddle from his shoulder. "Teo--that's his name?" "For Teobaldo." "Which one is he?"
Fuentes glanced over. "The hussar, the one with his hand on the fence rail."
In the red tunic and blue kepi, one of those, with their swords; all three intent on the horses while the one in gray was looking this way. Tyler said, "I remember that gray uniform from a long time ago. Or one like it."
Without looking around Fuentes said, "Guardia Civil. His name is Lionel Tavalera, a major; he's very... he makes himself known."
That was it, the Guardia, Tyler remembering them as a kind of rural police, known to be hardheaded and mean. He said to Fuentes, "These fellas speak English?"
Fuentes shrugged. "I believe enough. Try them."
Tyler called out, "Hey, Teo?" And as the officers turned this way, Teo Barban looking surprised to hear his name, Tyler said, "I'd put the dun's age at ten years old, no more'n that, but she ain't for sale. Pick another one, she's yours."
He saw Teo wore a neat little mustache waxed to needle points. The young man seemed to be studying him now, like he was wondering who this cowboy thought he was.
Teo said, "Why is that, you don't want to sell her?"
"I'd miss her. She and I get along, never have any arguments."
"Oh, the two of you are lovers?"
Teo's fellow officers were already grinning as he turned his head and said something to them in Spanish. Now they were laughing.
Tyler looked at Fuentes. "What'd he just say?" "He said he thought vaqueros only fucked heifers." Now one of the others was making a kissing sound toward the mares. The three boys having fun and Tyler realized that's what they were, boys, all in their early twenties--except for the Guardia Civil officer, Lionel Tavalera, who had a good ten years on them, or more. These boys were young and frisky, no different than cavalry officers Tyler had seen at Whipple Barracks and Fort Thomas their first time out, on frontier station with the "Dandy Fifth" and had that same strut and pose, feeling themselves above poor civilians and common soldiers. Tyler said to Fuentes, "What do these boys do all dressed up like that?"
They heard him, all of them looking over.
Fuentes said, "They're hussars," sounding surprised. "Lieutenant Barban and his companions are of the Pavia Hussars, with the regiment here I believe six months."
Tyler said to Teo, "You're with a cavalry outfit, uh?"
"Hussars, caballeria," Teo said, "the same as you have in your country to kill in dios yes? We kill insurrectos."
"Well, I was way off," Tyler said. "I thought the circus was in town and you boys played in the
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