Question

lather and nothing else
hernando téllez
about this text
hernando téllez (1908 - 1966) was a colombian journalist and author. this short story takes place in colombia, where a civil war is taking place between ordinary citizens and the military that controls the country.
vocabulary
lets pronounce these words together as a class:
diligence dil - i - juhns
feign feyn
integrity in - teg - ri - tee
whole class reading
1 he didn’t greet anyone when he came in. i was sharpening my best razor. and when i saw him i began to tremble. but he didn’t notice. i continued to sharpen the razor to hide my alarm. then i tested it against the tip of my thumb and held it up to the light again. he was removing his bandolier, with its holster dangling. he hung it on one of the nails in the wardrobe and placed his kepi on top. he turned round to address me and, undoing his tie, said \it’s hot as h—. give me a shave.\ and he sat in the chair.
2 i estimated it had been four days since he had last shaved. the four days the latest expedition to hunt down our people had lasted. his face appeared sunburned, hardened by the sun. i prepared the foam meticulously. i cut a few slices off the bar of soap and let them fall into the bowl. i added a little warm water and stirred it with the brush. it soon began to lather.
3 “the troops must need a shave as bad as i do.”
4 i kept on beating the lather.
5 “but you know what? it was a success. we got the leaders. some we brought back dead, some are still alive. but soon they’ll all be dead.”
6 “how many did you get?” i asked.
7 “fourteen. we had to go in pretty far to find them. but they’re paying for it now. and not one of them will come out alive, not one.”
8 he leaned back in the chair when he saw i was holding up the shaving brush, full of lather. i still hadn’t put the sheet on him.
1 a shoulder - belt with loops or pockets for ammunition

Explanation:

The text provides details about a customer in a barber - shop. Details that reveal what the customer has been doing for the past four days include: he was on an expedition to hunt down people as part of the military (from "The four days the latest expedition to hunt down our people had lasted"), he removed his bandolier (a shoulder - belt with loops or pockets for ammunition) which is a military item (from "He was removing his bandolier, with its holster dangling"), and he reports on the success of the expedition in capturing or killing leaders ("But you know what? It was a success. We got the leaders. Some we brought back dead, some are still alive. But soon they’ll all be dead.").

Answer:

1. He was on an expedition to hunt down people.
2. He removed his bandolier (a military item).
3. He reported on the success of the expedition in capturing or killing leaders.