THE MEXICAN GENERAL
187
younger rich men. She's a very handsome woman and my guess
would be she has plenty of other opportunities even if Felipe does
play the oldest bull with her."
"The oldest bull; that's good!"
"Oh he does it with dignity, always dignity. But why do you
think he's so short with us?"
"Tienes raz6n.
I never thought of that."
"He does it as befits historical figures. He's very history–
conscious. I might go so far as to call him a history-ridden man–
in a very egotistical fashion."
"Again history. You've got it on the brain."
"In a way. So has he. I suspected it for a long time but
never realized it until his triumph at Coyoacan, which places him
now beside the brave
caciques
who resisted Cortes there. But per–
haps you don't know about that?"
"No," said Paco goodnaturedly. "I don't pretend to be more
than a cop,
hombre.
That sort of thing is for educated chaps like
you.
"
"Who in tum are also only cops. That's what you mean I
suppose."
"Oh no, no!" Paco protested.
"It's perfectly all right. People take me for a disappointed
or embittered man whereas I am only an unambitious one."
"But what did happen at Coyoacan besides what I already
know?"
"It didn't all happen in Coyoacan, it merely began there; the
rest took place at the
Cruz Verde
hospital and at the mortician's at
acuba 4 and elsewhere. The main event you know, the rest is a
ind of garnish that the world must imagine for itself. Everyone
ows about the chief figures, the old man and the assassin. Then
ong the lesser-his guards, the old woman, the assassin's mis-
ess, friends of all kinds-enters Felipe in the role of the State
d myself, assistant and messenger, which function I share with
e telephone. The role is minor and incidental, a non-essential
ut typical category. A happening can, of course, take place with–
ut us singly but would not be quite as it was if we were not there.
mebody uses our knife to cut down the body, sends us to notify
e widow, we hold the sponge for the soldier, are called upon to
nd up the nails whether in the building of triumphal stands,
