"And only because we are gentlemen," Fernandez added. "I don't think El Tovarich will be among us much longer."
"Is he really that sick?"
"Oh, yes," Davila said. "You know what happened to him, don't you? No? Well, it's almost like the Hand of Divine Retribution." He told Hall that Tabio had turned over to one of his henchman a vineyard confiscated from an old family, and that in gratitude the henchman had started to distill a special brandy for the Tovarich. "And now, the excess alcohol from too much of the stolen grape has taken its toll."
"Well, what do you know!" Hall said.
"It is the gospel truth," Fernandez said. "I have ways of confirming the story."
"Some mess, isn't it?" Hall said.
"It is filled with dangers," Vardieno said. "Your calmness is admirable, Señor Hall, but you had better watch out. The Reds are out to kill you."
Hall accepted a cigar from José Fernandez, took his time about lighting it before answering Vardieno. "Oh, I don't know," he said, casually. "Perhaps you might know that earlier in this war, I was on board a British warship which the Nazis sunk with aerial torpedoes. I not only survived, but I came through without a scratch. Since then I just can't get too excited about a threat." He looked at the three men to see if his braggart's act succeeded. Fernandez was obviously the most impressed of the three.
"Bueno! Muy caballero!" Fernandez said. "But you had better be careful. The Reds in San Hermano have none of the sporting codes of the Nazi airman."
"Well, now that you mention it," Hall said, "I did catch some bastard following me the other day."