Chapter 10 Summary

In early May of 1937, fighting breaks out in Barcelona. The Civil Guards, essentially a governmental police force, demand that CNT surrender the Barcelona telephone exchange. CNT declines, and the Civil Guards attempt to storm the exchange. Over the next few hours, the fighting spreads throughout the entire city. Orwell proceeds to the Hotel Falcon, an unofficial POUM rallying point, and is joined by many other POUM soldiers. POUM arms the soldiers with what weapons are available, but after a few hours, someone sneaks off with Orwell's issued rifle. The evening the fighting starts, Orwell sneaks out and calls his wife's hotel. He discovers that she is safe.

The night passes in confusion, and weapons are extremely scarce. No one is sure, exactly, what is going on in the city. Rumors circulate that the government did not order the attack on the telephone exchange...