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第5部分（第2页）

〃Dont　I　talk　Italian　good　enough？〃

〃I　knew　you　was　an　American　all　right。〃

〃Another　American；〃　said　the　driver　in　Italian　looking　at　the　hernia　man。

〃Listen；　lootenant。　Do　you　have　to　take　me　to　that　regiment？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Because　the　captain　doctor　knew　I　had　this　rupture。　I　threw　away　the　goddam　truss　so　it　would　get　bad　and　I　wouldnt　have　to　go　to　the　line　again。〃

〃I　see。〃

〃Couldnt　you　take　me　no　place　else？〃

〃If　it　was　closer　to　the　front　I　could　take　you　to　a　first　medical　post。　But　back　here　youve　got　to　have　papers。〃

〃If　I　go　back　theyll　make　me　get　operated　on　and　then　theyll　put　me　in　the　line　all　the　time。〃

I　thought　it　over。

〃You　wouldnt　want　to　go　in　the　line　all　the　time；　would　you？〃　he　asked。

〃No。〃

〃Jesus　Christ；　aint　this　a　goddam　war？〃

〃Listen；〃　I　said。　〃You　get　out　and　fall　down　by　the　road　and　get　a　bump　on　your　head　and　Ill　pick　you　up　on　our　way　back　and　take　you　to　a　hospital。　Well　stop　by　the　road　here；　Aldo。〃　We　stopped　at　the　side　of　the　road。　I　helped　him　down。

〃Ill　be　right　here；　lieutenant；〃　he　said。

〃So　long；〃　I　said。　We　went　on　and　passed　the　regiment　about　a　mile　ahead；　then　crossed　the　river；　cloudy　with　snow…water　and　running　fast　through　the　spiles　of　the　bridge；　to　ride　along　the　road　across　the　plain　and　deliver　the　wounded　at　the　two　hospitals。　I　drove　ing　back　and　went　fast　with　the　empty　car　to　find　the　man　from　Pittsburgh。　First　we　passed　the　regiment；　hotter　and　slower　than　ever：　then　the　stragglers。　Then　we　saw　a　horse　ambulance　stopped　by　the　road。　Two　men　were　lifting　the　hernia　man　to　put　him　in。　They　had　e　back　for　him。　He　shook　his　head　at　me。　His　helmet　was　off　and　his　forehead　was　bleeding　below　the　hair　line。　His　nose　was　skinned　and　there　was　dust　on　the　bloody　patch　and　dust　in　his　hair。

〃Look　at　the　bump；　lieutenant！〃　he　shouted。　〃Nothing　to　do。　They　e　back　for　me。〃

When　I　got　back　to　the　villa　it　was　five　oclock　and　I　went　out　where　we　washed　the　cars；　to　take　a　shower。　Then　I　made　out　my　report　in　my　room；　sitting　in　my　trousers　and　an　undershirt　in　front　of　the　open　window。　In　two　days　the　offensive　was　to　start　and　I　would　go　with　the　cars　to　Plava。　It　was　a　long　time　since　I　had　written　to　the　States　and　I　knew　I　should　write　but　I　had　let　it　go　so　long　that　it　was　almost　impossible　to　write　now。　There　was　nothing　to　write　about。　I　sent　a　couple　of　army　Zona　di　Guerra　post…cards；　crossing　out　everything　except；　I　am　well。　That　should　handle　them。　Those　post…cards　would　be　very　fine　in　America；　strange　and　mysterious。　This　was　a　strange　and　mysterious　war　zone　but　I　supposed　it　was　quite　well　run　and　grim　pared　to　other　wars　with　the　Austrians。　The　Austrian　army　was　created　to　give　Napoleon　victories；　any　Napoleon。　I　wished　we　had　a　Napoleon；　but　instead　we　had　Ii　Generale　Cadorna；　fat　and　prosperous　and　Vittorio　Emmanuele；　the　tiny　man　with　the　long　thin　neck　and　the　goat　beard。　Over　on　the　right　they　had　the　Duke　of　Aosta。　Maybe　he　was　too　good…looking　to　be　a。　great　general　but　he　looked　like　a　man。　Lots　of　them　would　have　liked　him　to　be　king。　He　looked　like　a　king。　He　was　the　Kings　uncle　and　manded　the　third　army。　We　were　in　the　second　army。　There　were　some　British　batteries　up　with　the　third　army。　I　had　met　two　gunners　from　that　lot；　in　Milan。　They　were　very　nice　and　we　had　a　big　evening。　They　were　big　and　shy　and　embarrassed　and　very　appreciative　together　of　anything　that　happened。　I　wish　that　I　was　with　the　British。　It　would　have　been　much　simpler。　Still　I　would　probably　have　been　killed。　Not　in　this　ambulance　business。　Yes；　even　in　the　ambulance　business。　British　ambulance　drivers　were　killed　sometimes。　Well；　I　knew　I　would　not　be　killed。　Not　in　this　war。　It　did　not　have　anything　to　do　with　me。　It　seemed　no　more　dangerous　to　me　myself　than　war　in　the　movies。　I　wished　to　God　it　was　over　though。　Maybe　it　would　finish　this　summer。　Maybe　the　Austrians　would　crack。　They　had　always　cracked　in　other　wars。　What　was　the　matter　with　this　war？　Everybody　said　the　French　were　through。　Rinaldi　said　that　the　French　had　mutinied　and　troops　marched　on　Paris。　I　asked　him　what　happened　and　he　said；　〃Oh；　they　stopped　them。〃　I　wanted　to　go　to　Austria　without　war。　I　wanted　to　go　to　the　Black　Forest。　I　wanted　to　go　to　the　Hartz　Mountains。

Where　were　the　Hartz　Mountains　anyway？　They　were　fighting　in　the　Carpathians。　I　did　not　want　to　go　there　anyway。　It　might　be　good　though。　I　could　go　to　Spain　if　there　was　no　war。　The　sun　was　going　down　and　the　day　was　cooling　off。　After　supper　I　would　go　and　see　Catherine　Barkley。　I　wish　she　were　here　now。　I　wished　I　were　in　Milan　with　her。　I　would　like　to　eat　at　the　Cova　and　then　walk　down　the　Via　Manzoni　in　the　hot　evening　and　cross　over　and　turn　off　along　the　canal　and　go　to　the　hotel　with　Catherine　Barkley。　Maybe　she　would。　Maybe　she　would　pretend　that　I　was　her　boy　that　was　killed　and　we　would　go　in　the　front　door　and　the　porter　would　take　off　his　cap　and　I　would　stop　at　the　concierges　desk　and　ask　for　the　key　and　she　would　stand　by　the　elevator　and　then　we　would　get　in　the　elevator　and　it　would　go　up　very　slowly　clicking　at　all　the　floors　and　then　our　floor　and　the　boy　would　open　the　door　and　stand　there　and　she　would　step　out　and　I　would　step　out　and　we　would　walk　down　the　hall　and　I　would　put　the　key　in　the　door　and　open　it　and　go　in　and　then　take　down　the　telephone　and　ask　them　to　send　a　bottle　of　capri　bianca　in　a　silver　bucket　full　of　ice　and　you　would　hear　the　ice　against　the　pail　ing　down　the　condor　and　the　boy　would　knock　and　I　would　say　leave　it　outside　the　door　please。　Because　we　would　not　wear　any　clothes　because　it　was　so　hot　and　the　window　open　and　the　swallows　flying　over　the　roofs　of　the　houses　and　when　it　was　dark　afterward　and　you　went　to　the　window　very　small　bats　hunting　over　the　houses　and　close　down　over　the　trees　and　we　would　drink　the　capri　and　the　door　locked　and　it　hot　and　only　a　sheet　and　the　whole　night　and　we　would　both　love　each　other　all　night　in　the　hot　night　in　Milan。　That　was　how　it　ought　to　be。　I　would　eat　quickly　and　go　and　see　Catherine　Barkley。

They　talked　too　much　at　the　mess　and　I　drank　wine　because　tonight　we　were　not　all　brothers　unless　I　drank　a　little　and　talked　with　the　priest　about　Archbishop　Ireland　who　was；　it　seemed；　a　noble　man　and　with　whose　injustice；　the　injustices　he　had　received　and　in　which　I　participated　as　an　American；　and　of　which　I　had　never　heard；　I　feigned　acquaintance。　It　would　have　been　impolite　not　to　have　known　something　of　them　when　I　had　listened　to　such　a　splendid　explanation　of　their　causes　which　were；　after　all；　it　seemed；　misunderstandings。　I　thought　he　had　a　fine　name　and　he　came　from　Minnesota　which　made　a　lovely　name：　Ireland　of　Minnesota；　Ireland　of　Wisconsin；　Ireland　of　Michigan。　What　made　it　pretty　was　that　it　sounded　like　Island。　No　that　wasnt　it。　There　was　more　to　it　than　that。　Yes；　father。　That　is　true；　father。　Perhaps；　father。　No；　father。　Well；　maybe　yes；　father。　You　know　more　about　it　than　I　do；　father。　The　priest　was　good　but　dull。　The　officers　were　not　good　but　dull。　The　King　was　good　but　dull。　The　wine　was　bad　but　not　dull。　It　took　the　enamel　off　your　teeth　and　left　it　on　the　roof　of　your　mouth。

〃And　the　priest　was　locked　up；〃　Rocca　said；　〃because　they　found　the　three　per　cent　bonds　on　his　person。　It　was　in　France　of　course。　Here　they　would　never　have　arrested　him。　He　denied　all　knowledge　of　the　five　per　cent　bonds。　This　took　place　at　B閦iers。　I　was　there　and　reading　of　it　in　the　paper；　went　to　the　jail　and　asked　to　see　the　priest。　It　was　quite　evident　he　had　stolen　the　bonds。〃

〃I　dont　believe　a　word　of　this；〃　Rinaldi　said。

〃Just　as　you　like；〃　Rocca　said。　〃But　I　am　telling　it　for　our　priest　here。　It　is　very　informative。　He　is　a　priest；　he　will　appreciate　it。〃

The　priest　smiled。　〃Go　on；〃　he　said。　〃I　am　listening。〃

〃Of　course　some　of　the　bonds　were　not　accounted　for　but　the　priest　had　all　of　the　three　per　cent　bonds　and　several　local　obligations；　I　forget　exactly　what　they　were。　So　I　went　to　the　jail；　now　this　is　the　point　of　the　story；　and　I　stood　outside　his　cell　and　I　said　as　though　I　were　going　to　confession；　Bless　me；　father；　for　you　have　sinned。〃

There　was　great　laughter　from　everybody。

〃And　what　did　he　say？〃　asked　the　priest。　Rocca　ignored　this　and　went　on　to　explain　the　joke　to　me。　〃You　see　the　point；　dont　you？〃　It　seemed　it　was　a　very　funny　joke　if　you　understood　it　properly。　They　poured　me　more　wine　and　I　told　the　story　about　the　English　private　soldier　who　was　placed　under　the　shower　bath。　Then　the　major　told　the　story　of　the　eleven　Czecho…slovaks　and　the　Hungarian　corporal。　After　some　more　wine　I　told　the　story　of　the　jockey　who　found　the　penny。　The　major　said　there　was　an　Italian　story　something　like　that　about　the　duchess　who　could　not　sleep　at　night。　At　this　point　the　priest　left　and　I　told　the　story　about　the　travelling　salesman　who　arrived　at　five　oclock　in　the　morning　at　Marseilles　when　the　mistral　was　blowing。　The　major　said　he　had　heard　a　report　that　I　could　drink。　I　denied　this。　He　said　it　was　true　and　by　the　corpse　of　Bacchus　we　would　test　whether　it　was　true　or　not。　Not　Bacchus；　I　said。　Not　Ba隿hus。　Yes；　Bacchus；　he　said。　I　should　drink　cup　for　cup　and　glass　for　glass　with　Bassi；　Fillipo　Vincenza。　Bassi　said　no　that　was　no　test　because　he　had　already　drunk　twice　as　much　as　I。　I　said　that　was　a　foul　lie　and；　Bacchus　or　no　Bacchus；　Fillipo　Vincenza　Bassi　or　Bassi　Fillippo　Vicenza　had　never　touched　a　drop　all　evening　and　what　was　his　name　anyway？　He　said　was　my　name　Frederico　Enrico　or　Enrico　Federico？　I　said　let　the　best　man　win；　Bacchus　barred；　and　the　major　started　us　with　red　wine　in　mugs。　Half…way　through　the　wine　I　did　not　want　any　more。　I　remembered　where　I　was　going。

〃Bassi　wins；〃　I　said。　〃Hes　a　better　man　than　I　am。　I　have　to　go。〃

〃He　does　really；〃　said　Rinaldi。　〃He　has　a　rendezvous。　I　know　all　about　it。〃

〃I　have　to　go。〃

〃Another

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