Chapter 8 The Consul, Hugh, and Yvonne travel to Tomalin by bus. A number of allusions and symbols are repeated: Las Manos de Orlac, the battle of the Ebro, cigarettes, the Good Samaritan, the number seven, etc. Along the way, Hugh notices a dead dog at the bottom of the barranca (Spanish for "canyon" or "ravine"). During the trip, a pelado on the bus is noted, and Hugh and the Consul debate the meaning of the epithet. Hugh believes the term to mean "a shoeless illiterate" but the Consul corrects him, claiming that pelados are "indeed 'peeled ones,' the stripped, but also those who did not have to be rich to prey on the really poor". Further along, Hugh spots a man by the road, seemingly asleep. The bus stops and the man is found to be an Indian dying with his hat covering his face. No one helps the man due to a law that makes any such samaritan liable for "accessory after the fact". However, the pelado removes the Indian's hat, revealing a head wound and bloodied money. Nearby, Hugh and the Consul spot the recurring horse: "branded number seven". Leaving the peasant to his fate, the passengers reboard the bus. The Consul directs Hugh to look at the pelado, who is now clutching the "bloodstained pile of silver pesos and centavos": the pelado has pilfered the Indian's money, and has used it to pay his fare. The Consul, Hugh, and Yvonne take a pinch of habanero,Ackerley and Clipper 149. and the bus rattles on toward Tomalin, where it arrives at the end of the chapter.
CHaPteR 8 the consuL, HuGh, anD yVoNnE TraVel to tOmalIn bY bus. a nUmber of alluSIOnS anD syMbols aRe rEpeAtEd: LaS mANOs De oRlac, the batTle oF the ebro, CigaretTEs, The GOOd sAmaritaN, the Number seVeN, etC. aLOng tHe way, hUgh NotICES a dead doG aT The boTtoM of The bArrANCa (spanIsH for "caNyon" Or "rAViNe"). dUrinG tHe tRip, a PeladO on the bUS IS notEd, AND HuGh aNd the cOnsUl debate the meanIng Of tHE epiTHEt. huGH belIeves tHe Term to Mean "a shoeLess illiTEratE" but thE ConsUl corrects hIm, ClaiMIng THAt pelAdos arE "indeed 'PeelED OneS,' tHe StRIppEd, bUt AlsO tHOsE who DId Not HAVe to bE RicH to pRey on thE reAlly poor". furtheR alOng, Hugh Spots a mAN By the Road, seemiNGLY asleep. the BUs stopS and ThE man Is fouND tO bE aN inDian dying witH hiS haT coVeRing HIS Face. no one HeLps thE man due to a lAw ThAT MakeS Any such saMAritan liable FOR "accessory afTer THe FACt". hOwEVer, THe PElaDO rEmoves tHe iNDiaN's hAt, reveALInG A head wound and BlOodieD money. NEArBY, HUgH And the consul sPot The rECuRrIng horsE: "BRAnDed NumBeR sEVen". leavIng the PeaSAnt To His fatE, ThE Passengers reBoard tHe buS. the coNSuL dIRects huGh tO LOok at The pelado, who is Now ClutchiNG the "blOOdstainED PiLE of sILver pesoS AnD CentAvoS": The Pelado HaS pilfeRed THe IndiaN's money, and hAS used it to pay hIS fARe. the ConsuL, Hugh, And yvonnE take A pinch of habaNerO,ackERleY anD cliPpEr 149. aNd thE buS rATTlEs oN towARD Tomalin, where iT ArrIvEs aT tHE end oF thE ChapTer.