"Ah,yes,"saidMike."Iknownow.Itwasadamndulldinner,andIcouldn&39;tstickit,soIleft.LateronintheeveningIfoundtheboxinmypocket.What&39;sthis?Isaid.Medals?Bloodymilitarymedals?SoIcutthemallofftheirbacking--youknow,theyputthemonastrip--andgavethemallaround.Gaveonetoeachgirl.Formofsouvenir.TheythoughtIwashell&39;sownshakesofasoldier.Giveawaymedalsinanightclub.Dashingfellow.""Telltherest,"BrettsaidHongKonginternationalschool"Don&39;tyouthinkthatwasfunny?"Mikeasked.Wewerealllaughing."Itwas.Iswearitwas.Anyrate,mytailorwrotemeandwantedthemedalsback.Sentamanaround.Keptonwritingformonths.Seemssomechaphadleftthemtobecleaned.Frightfullymilitarycove.Sethell&39;sownstorebythem."Mikepaused."Rottenluckforthetailor,"hesaid."Youdon&39;tmeanit,"Billsaid."Ishouldthinkitwouldhavebeengrandforthetailor.""Frightfullygoodtailor.Neverbelieveittoseemenow,"Mikesaid."Iusedtopayhimahundredpoundsayearjusttokeephimquiet.Sohewouldn&39;tsendmeanybills.FrightfulblowtohimwhenIwentbankrupt.Itwasrightafterthemedals.Gavehislettersratherabittertone."MuayThai;Wecalledthewaiter,paid,andstartedtowalkthroughthetown.IstartedoffwalkingwithBrett,butRobertCohncameupandjoinedherontheotherside.Thethreeofuswalkedalong,pasttheAyuntamientowiththebannershungfromthebalcony,downpastthemarketanddownpastthesteepstreetthatledtothebridgeacrosstheArga.Thereweremanypeoplewalkingtogoandseethebulls,andcarriagesdrovedownthehillandacrossthebridge,thedrivers,thehorses,andthewhipsrisingabovethewalkingpeopleinthestreet.Acrossthebridgeweturneduparoadtothecorrals.Wepassedawineshopwithasigninthewindow:GoodWine30CentimesALiter."That&39;swherewe&39;llgowhenfundsgetlow,"Brettsaid.Thewomanstandinginthedoorofthewine-shoplookedatusaswepassed.Shecalledtosomeoneinthehouseandthreegirlscametothewindowandstared.TheywerestaringatBrett.Atthegateofthecorralstwomentookticketsfromthepeoplethatwentin.Wewentinthroughthegate.Thereweretreesinsideandaiow,stonehouse.Atthefarendwasthestonewallofthecorrals,withaperturesinthestonethatwerelikeloop-holesrunningallalongthefaceofeachcorral.Aladderleduptothetopofthewall,andpeoplewereclimbinguptheladderandspreadingdowntostandonthewallsthatseparatedthetwocorrals.Aswecameuptheladder,walkingacrossthegrassunderthetrees,wepassedthebig,graypaintedcageswiththebullsinthem.Therewasonebullineachtravelling-box.Theyhadcomebytrainfromabull-breedingranchinCastile,andhadbeenunloadedoffflat-carsatthestationandbroughtupheretobeletoutoftheircagesintothecorrals.Eachcagewasstencilledwiththenameandthebrandofthebull-breeder.Weclimbedupandfoundaplaceonthewalllookingdownintothecorral.Thestonewallswerewhitewashed,andtherewasstrawonthegroundandwoodenfeed-boxesandwater-troughssetagainstthewall.Beyondtheriverrosetheplateauofthetown.Allalongtheoldwallsandrampartspeoplewerestanding.Thethreelinesoffortificationsmadethreeblacklinesofpeople.Abovethewallstherewereheadsinthewindowsofthehouses.Atthefarendoftheplateauboyshadclimbedintothetreesaerospacetechnology.
