Men without Women

He draws it, Manolo,” Retana said in explanation

He leaned forward over the papers. He was no longer interested. The appeal that Manuel had made to him for a moment when he thought of the old days was gone.

“I don’t know. Whatever stuff they’ve got in the corrals. What the veterinaries won’t pass in the daytime.”

“I don’t like to substitute,” Manuel said.

He tapped with his knuckles on the table

Retana leaned forward across the desk and pushed a wooden box of cigarettes toward Manuel.

“Have a cigarette,” he said.

“Thanks.”

He looked pale, and his coleta pinned forward on his head, so that it would not show under the cap, gave him a strange look

There was a brass plate on the oak shield the bull’s head was mounted on

Manuel looked up at the stuffed bull. He had seen it often before. He felt a certain family interest in it. It had killed his brother, the promising one, about nine years ago.

Manuel knocked with his knuckles on the desk.

on the walls were framed photographs and bullfight posters.