Here he comes。 Whoosh！ Manuel turned as the bull came and raised the muleta so that it passed over the bullˇs horns and swept down his broad back from head to tail。 The bull had gone clean up in the air with the charge。 Manuel had not moved。
At the end of the pass the bull turned like a cat coming around a corner and faced Manuel。
He was on the offensive again。 His heaviness was gone。 Manuel noted the fresh blood shining down the black shoulder and dripping down the bullˇs leg。 He drew the sword out of the muleta and held it in his right hand。 The muleta held low down in his left hand； leaning toward the left； he called to the bull。 The bullˇs legs tightened； his eyes on the muleta。 Here he comes； Manuel thought。 Yuh！
He swung with the charge； sweeping the muleta ahead of the bull； his feet firm； the sword following the curve； a point of light under the arcs。
The bull recharged as the pase natural finished and Manuel raised the muleta for a pase de pecho。 Firmly planted； the bull came by his chest under the raised muleta。 Manuel leaned his head back to avoid the clattering banderillo shafts。 The hot black bull body touched his chest as it passed。
Too damn close； Manuel thought。 Zurito； leaning on the barrera； spoke rapidly to the gypsy who trotted out towards Manuel with a cape； Zurito pulled his hat down low and looked out across the arena at Manuel。
Manuel was facing the bull again； the muleta held low and to the left。 The bullˇs head was down as he watched the muleta。
¨If it was Belmonte doing that stuff； theyˇd go crazy；〃 Retanaˇs man said。
Zurito said nothing。 He was watching Manuel out in the centre of the arena。
¨Where did the boss dig this fellow up？〃 Retanaˇs man asked。
¨Out of the hospital；〃 Zurito said。
¨Thatˇs where heˇs going damn quick；〃 Retanaˇs man said。
Zurito turned on him。
¨Knock on that；〃 he said； pointing to the barrera。
¨I was just kidding； man；〃 Retanaˇs man said。
¨Knock on that wood。〃
Retanaˇs man leaned forward and knocked three times on the barrera。
¨Watch the faena；〃 Zurito said。
Out in the centre of the ring； under the lights； Manuel was kneeling； facing the bull； and as he raised the muleta in both hands the bull charged； tail up。
Manuel swung his body clear and； as the bull recharged； brought around the muleta in a half…circle that pulled the bull to his knees。
¨Why； that oneˇs a great bullfighter；〃 Retanaˇs man said。
¨No； heˇs not；〃 said Zurito。
Manuel stood up and； the muleta in his left hand； the sword in his right； acknowledged the applause from the dark plaza。
The bull had humped himself up from his knees and stood waiting； his head hung low。
Zurito spoke to two of the other lads of the cuadrilla and they ran out to stand back of Manuel with their capes。 There were four men back of him now。 Hernandez had followed him since he first came out with the muleta。 Fuentes stood watching； his cape held against his body； tall in repose； watching lazy…eyed。 Now the two came up。 Hernandez motioned them to stand one at each side。 Manuel stood alone； facing the bull。
Manuel waved back the men with the capes。 Stepping back cautiously； they saw his face was white and sweating。
Didnˇt they know enough to keep back？ Did they want to catch the bullˇs eye with the capes after he was fixed and ready？ He had enough to worry about without that kind of thing。
The bull was standing； his four feet square； looking at the muleta。 Manuel furled the muleta in his left hand。 The bullˇs eyes watched it。 His body was heavy on his feet。 He carried his head low； but not too low。
Manuel lifted the muleta at him。 The bull did not move。 Only his eyes watched。
Heˇs all lead； Manuel thought。 Heˇs all square。 Heˇs framed right。 Heˇll take it。
He thought in bullfight terms。 Sometimes he had a thought and the particular piece of slang would not come into his mind and he could not realize the thought。 His instincts and knowledge worked automatically； and his brain worked slowly and in words。 He knew all about bulls。 He did not have to think about them。 He just did the right thing。 His eyes noted things and his body performed the necessary measures without thought。 If he thought about it； he would be gone。
Now； facing the bull； he was conscious of many things at the same time。 There were the horns； the one splintered； the other smoothly sharp； the need to profile himself toward the left horn； lance himself short and straight； lower the muleta so the bull would follow it； and； going in over the horns； put the sword all the way into a little spot about as big as a five…peseta piece straight in back of the neck； between the sharp pitch of the bullˇs shoulders。 He must do all this； and must then come out from between the horns。 He was conscious he must do all this； but his only thought was in words： ¨Corto y derecho。〃
¨Corto y derecho；〃 he thought； furling the muleta。 Short and straight。 Corto y derecho； he drew the sword out of the muleta； profiled on the splintered left horn； dropped the muleta across his body； so his right hand with the sword on the level with his eye made the sign of the cross； and； rising on his toes； sighted along the dipping blade of the sword at the spot high up between the bullˇs shoulders。
Corto y derecho he lanced himself on the bull。
There was a shock； and he felt himself go up in the air。 He pushed on the sword as he went up and over； and it flew out of his hand。 He hit the ground and the bull was on him。 Manuel； lying on the ground； kicked at the bullˇs muzzle with his splippered feet。 Kicking； kicking； the bull after him； missing him in his excitement； bumping him with his head； driving the horns into the sand。 Kicking like a man keeping a ball in the air； Manuel kept the bull from getting a clean thrust at him。
Manuel felt the wind on his back from the capes flopping at the bull； and then the bull was gone； gone over him in a rush。 Dark； as his belly went over。 Not even stepped on。
Manuel stood up and picked up the muleta。 Fuentes handed him the sword。 It was bent where it had struck the shoulder…blade。 Manuel straightened it on his knee and ran towards the bull； standing now beside one of the dead horses。 As he ran； his jacket flopped where it had been ripped under the armpit。
¨Get him out of there；〃 Manuel shouted to the gypsy。 The bull had smelled the blood of the dead horse and ripped into the canvas cover with his horns。 He charged Fuentesˇs cape； with the canvas hanging from his splintered horn； and the crowd laughed。 Out in the ring； he tossed his head to rid himself of the canvas。 Hernandez； running up from behind him； grabbed the end of the canvas and neatly lifted it off the horn。
The bull followed it in a half…charge and stopped still。 He was on the defensive again。 Manuel was walking towards him with the sword and muleta。 Manuel swung the muleta before him。 The bull would not charge。
Manuel profiled toward the bull； sighting along the dipping blade of the sword。 The bull was motionless； seemingly dead on his feet； incapable of another charge。
Manuel rose to his toes； sighting along the steel； and charged。
Again there was the shock and he felt himself being borne back in a rush； to strike hard on the sand。 There was no chance of kicking this time。 The bull was on top of him。 Manuel lay as though dead； his head on his arms； and the bull bumped him。 Bumped his back； bumped his face in the sand。 He felt the horn go into the sand between his folded arms。 The bull hit him in the small of the back。 His face drove into the sand。 The horn drove through one of his sleeves and the bull ripped it off。 Manuel was tossed clear and the bull followed the capes。
Manuel got up； found the sword and muleta； tried the point of the sword with his thumb； and then ran towards the barrera for a new sword。
Retanaˇs man handed him the sword over the edge of the barrera。
¨Wipe off your face；〃 he said。
Manuel； running again towards the bull； wiped his bloody face with his handkerchief。 He had not seen Zurito。 Where was Zurito？〃
The cuadrilla had stepped away from the bull and waited with their capes。 The bull stood； heavy and dull again after the action。
Manuel walked towards him with the muleta。 He stopped and shook it。 The bull did not respond。 He passed it right and left； left and right before the bullˇs muzzle。 The bullˇs eyes watched it and turned with the swing； but he would not charge。 He was waiting for Manuel。
Manuel was worried。 There was nothing to do but go in。 Corto y derecho。 He profiled close to the bull； crossed the muleta in front of his body and charged。 As he pushed in the sword； he jerked his body to the left to clear the horn。 The bull passed him and the sword shot up in the air； twinkling under the arc…lights； to fall red…hilted on the sand。
Manuel ran over and picked it up。 It was bent and he straightened it over his knee。
As he came running towards the bull； fixed again now； he passed Hernandez standing with his cape。
¨Heˇs all bone；〃 the boy said encouragingly。
Manuel nodded； wiping his face。 He put the bloody handkerchief in his pocket。
Th