PHILIP. Why didn’t you say so at the start and save a lot of trouble? I wouldn’t have you shot for that. I’m just disappointed in you now. Do you think people shoot people for fun?

FIRST COMRADE. I should have told you. I was frightened.

PHILIP. Yeah. You should have told me.

FIRST COMRADE. Truly, Comrade Commissar.

PHILIP. [ToANTONIO, coldly] You think he was asleep?

ANTONIO. How do I know? Do you want me to question him?

PHILIP. No, mi Coronel, no. We want information. We don’t want a confession.

[To the FIRST COMRADE]

Listen, what did you dream about when you went to sleep?

FIRST COMRADE. [Checks himself sobbing, hesitates, then goes on] I don’t remember.

PHILIP. Just try to. Take your time. I only want to be sure, you see. Don’t try to lie. I’ll know if you lie.

FIRST COMRADE. I remember now. I was against the wall and my rifle was between my legs when I leaned back, and I remember.

[He chokes]

In the dream I—I thought it was my girl and she was doing something—kind of funny—to me. I don’t know what it was. It was just in a dream.

[He chokes]

PHILIP. [ToANTONIo] You satisfied now?

ANTONIO. I do not understand it completely.

PHILIP. Well, I guess nobody really understands it completely, but he’s convinced me.

[To the FIRST COMRADE]

What’s your girl’s name?

FIRST COMRADE. Alma.

PHILIP. O.K. When you write her tell her she brought you a lot of luck.

[To ANTONIO]

As far as I’m concerned you can take him out. He reads the Worker. He knows Joe North. He’s got a girl named Alma. He’s got a good record with the Brigade, and he went to sleep and let a citizen slip who shot a boy named Wilkinson by mistake for me. The thing to do is to give him lots of strong coffee to keep him awake and keep rifles out from between his legs. Listen, Comrade, I’m sorry if I spoke roughly to you in the performance of my duty.

ANTONIO. I would like to put a few questions.