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and drank it while they were talking。
The original waiter poured his glass full mechanically； and the three of them went out of the room talking。
In the far corner the man was still asleep； snoring slightly on the intaking breath； his head back against the wall。
Manuel drank his brandy。 He felt sleepy himself。 It was too hot to go out into the town。 Besides there was nothing to do。 He wanted to see Zurito。 He would go to sleep while he waited。 He kicked his suitcase under the table to be sure it was there。 Perhaps it would be better to put it back under the seat； against the wall。 He leaned down and shoved it under。 Then he leaned forward on the table and went to sleep。
When he woke there was someone sitting across the table from him。 It was a big man with a heavy brown face like an Indian。 He had been sitting there some time。 He had waved the waiter away and sat reading the paper and occasionally looking down at Manuel； asleep； his head on the table。 He read the paper laboriously forming the words with his lips as he read。 When it tired him he looked at Manuel。 He sat heavily in the chair； his black Cordoba hat tipped forward。
Manuel sat up and looked at him。
¨Hullo； Zurito；〃 he said。
¨Hello； kid；〃 the big man said。
¨Iˇve been asleep。〃 Manuel rubbed his forehead with the back of his fist。
¨I thought maybe you were。〃
¨Howˇs everything？〃
¨Good。 How is everything with you？〃
¨Not so good。〃
They were both silent。 Zurito； the picador； looked at Manuelˇs white face。 Manuel looked down at the picadorˇs enormous hands folding the paper to put away in his pocket。
¨I got a favor to ask you； Manos；〃 Manuel said。
Manosduros was Zuritoˇs nickname。 He never heard it without thinking of his huge hands。 He put them forward on the table self…consciously。
¨Letˇs have a drink；〃 he said。
¨Sure；〃 said Manuel。
The waiter came and went and came again。 He went out of the room looking back at the two men at the table。
¨Whatˇs the matter； Manolo？〃 Zurito set down his glass。
¨Would you pic two bulls for me tomorrow night？〃 Manuel asked； looking at Zurito across the table。
¨No；〃 said Zurito。 ¨Iˇm not pic…ing。〃
Manuel looked down at his glass。 He had expected that answer； now he had it。 Well； he had it。
¨Iˇm sorry； Manolo； but Iˇm not pic…ing。〃 Zurito looked at his hands。
¨Thatˇs all right；〃 Manuel said。
¨Iˇm too old；〃 Zurito said。
¨I just asked you；〃 Manuel said。
¨Is it the nocturnal tomorrow？〃
¨Thatˇs it。 I figured if I had just one good pic； I could get away with it。〃
¨How much are you getting？〃
¨Three hundred pesetas。〃
¨I get more than that for pic…ing。〃
¨I know；〃 said Manuel。 ¨I didnˇt have any right to ask you。〃
¨What do you keep on doing it for？〃 Zurito asked。 ¨Why donˇt you cut off your coleta； Manolo？〃
¨I donˇt know；〃 Manuel said。
¨Youˇre pretty near as old as I am；〃 Zurito said。
¨I donˇt know；〃 Manuel said。 ¨I got to do it。 If I can fix it so that I get an even break； thatˇs all I want。 I got to stick with it Manos。〃
¨No you donˇt。〃
¨Yes； I do。 Iˇve tried keeping away from it。〃
¨I know how you feel。 But it isnˇt right。 You ought to get out and stay out。〃
¨I canˇt do it。 Besides； Iˇve been going good lately。〃
Zurito looked at his face。
¨Youˇve been in the hospital。〃
¨But I was going great when I got hurt。〃
Zurito said nothing。 He tipped the cognac out of his saucer into his glass。
¨The papers said they never saw a better faena；〃 Manuel said。
Zurito looked at him。
¨You know when I get going Iˇm good；〃 Manuel said。
¨Youˇre too old；〃 the picador said。
¨No；〃 said Manuel。 ¨Youˇre ten years older than I am。〃
¨With me itˇs different。〃
¨Iˇm not too old；〃 Manuel said。
They sat silent； Manuel watching the picadorˇs face。
¨I was going great till I got hurt；〃 Manuel offered。
¨You ought to have seen me； Manos；〃 Manuel said； reproachfully。
¨I donˇt want to see you；〃 Zurito said。 ¨It makes me nervous。〃
¨You havenˇt seen me lately。〃
¨Iˇve seen you plenty。〃
Zurito looked at Manuel； avoiding his eyes。
¨You ought to quit it； Manolo。〃
¨I canˇt；〃 Manuel said。 ¨Iˇm going good now； I tell you。〃
Zurito leaned forward his hands on the table。
¨Listen。 Iˇll pic for you and if you donˇt go big tomorrow night； youˇll quit。 See？ Will you do that？〃
¨Sure。〃
Zurito leaned back； relieved。
¨You got to quit；〃 he said。 ¨No monkey business。 You got to cut the coleta。〃
¨I wonˇt have to quit；〃 Manuel said。 ¨You watch me。 Iˇve got the stuff。〃
Zurito stood up。 He felt tired from arguing。
¨You got to quit；〃 he said。 ¨Iˇll cut your coleta myself。〃
¨No； you wonˇt；〃 Manuel said。 ¨You wonˇt have a chance。〃
Zurito called the waiter。
¨Come on；〃 said Zurito。 ¨Come on up to the house。〃
Manuel reached under the seat for his suitcase。 He was happy。 He knew Zurito would pic for him。 He was the best picador living。 It was all simple now。
¨Come on up to the house and weˇll eat；〃 Zurito said。
* * *
Manuel stood in the patio de caballos waiting for the Charlie Chaplins to be over。 Zurito stood beside him。 Where they stood it was dark。 The high door that led into the bullring was shut。 Above them they heard a shout； then another shout of laughter。 Then there was silence。 Manuel liked the smell of the stables about the patio de caballos。 It smelt good in the dark。 There was another roar from the arena and then applause； prolonged applause； going on and on。
¨You ever seen these fellows？〃 Zurito asked； big and looming beside Manuel in the dark。
¨No；〃 Manuel said。
¨Theyˇre pretty funny；〃 Zurito said。 He smiled to himself in the dark。
The high； double； tight…fitting door into the bullring swung open and Manuel saw the ring in the hard light of the arc…lights； the plaza； dark all the way around； rising high； around the edge of the ring were running and bowing two men dressed like tramps； followed by a third in the uniform of a hotel…boy who stooped and picked up the hats and canes thrown down on to the sand and tossed them back up into the darkness。
The electric light went on in the patio。
¨Iˇll climb onto one of those ponies while you collect the kids；〃 Zurito said。
Behind them came the jingle of the mules； coming out to go into the arena and be hitched onto the dead bull。
The members of the cuadrilla； who had been watching the burlesque from the runway between the barrera and the seats； came walking back and stood in a group talking； under the electric light in the patio。 A good…looking lad in a silver…and…orange suit came up to Manuel and smiled。
¨Iˇm Hernandez；〃 he said and put out his hand。
Manuel took it。
¨Theyˇre regular elephants weˇve got tonight；〃 the boy said cheerfully。
¨Theyˇre big ones with horns；〃 Manuel agreed。
¨You drew the worst lot；〃 the boy said。
¨Thatˇs all right；〃 Manuel said。 ¨The bigger they are； the more meat for the poor。〃
¨Where did you