THE MEXICAN GENERAL
193
"I suppose so, but not in such a medieval spirit."
"What's the difference, as long as they do it? We at least
have abolished capital punishment."
"That is so, isn't it?" said Citron, partly surprised, partly
contemptuous. "But what I have observed is true nevertheless.
Now take this case. Mter they had exhibited the old man in the
rooms at Tacuba 4 a few hours they held a post mortem and let the
crowds in of medical students, the press and the just curio]ls. It
was a scandal. The photographers had them turn him every way
like a slab of beef and shunted him around so that when the pic·
tures came out Felipe got several reprimanding calls from the
cabinet. The curio hunters would have got his heart if we had let
them. But, as I said, he couldn't entirely help it although he could
have toned it down somewhat by keeping out the crowd.
"But where he did come out badly (badly where I'm con–
cerned) was in the ceremonies. Paco, he didn't miss one. He went
to all ·of them in uniform until I got tired of seeing him and stopped
buying the paper because it was just insufferable. What's more he
took to appearing always next to the old woman and that
was
hard
because, well, because it was overdoing it. I think he was giving
way to his relief at not being responsible and that's what disgusted
me. Now if they had killed the old man through the same sort of
attack they tried the first time Felipe would have been to blame.
However, it had been done from the inside and was unavoidable
and Felipe saw his advantage at once. He had been worried about
it, I know that. But here, how could anyone complain about him.
He simply made the most of it and for three days did nothing but
sit on platforms and tell us where to put the wreaths and help the
viuda
up and down stairs."
"Until ..."
"Until he tired himself out so he had to have a rest," said
Citron.
"Y
a
lo creo,"
replied Paco.
The General signalled them to halt at the car and they drove
back to the hotel.
"I am so tired," complained Eulalia. "Those stones hurt my
feet."
"You'll feel better after a bath," said Gloria. "But you'd
better take one right away. The sign says there is no hot water
after eight o'clock in the evening."
