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第25部分（第2页）

〃All　right；〃　I　said　and　patted　her　knee。　I　felt　her　stiffen　away　when　I　touched　her。　The　sister　never　looked　up。　She　looked　perhaps　a　year　younger。　Aymo　put　his　hand　on　the　elder　girls　thigh　and　she　pushed　it　away。　He　laughed　at　her。

〃Good　man；〃　he　pointed　at　himself。　〃Good　man；〃　he　pointed　at　me。　〃Dont　you　worry。〃　The　girl　looked　at　him　fiercely。　The　pair　of　them　were　like　two　wild　birds。

〃What　does　she　ride　with　me　for　if　she　doesnt　like　me？〃　Aymo　asked。　〃They　got　right　up　in　the　car　the　minute　I　motioned　to　them。〃　He　turned　to　the　girl。　〃Dont　worry；〃　he　said。　〃No　danger　of　……；〃　using　the　vulgar　word。　〃No　place　for　……。〃　I　could　see　she　understood　the　word　and　that　was　all。　Her　eyes　looked　at　him　very　scared。　She　pulled　the　shawl　tight。　〃Car　all　full；〃　Aymo　said。　〃No　danger　of　　。　No　place　for　……。〃　Every　time　he　said　the　word　the　girl　stiffened　a　little。　Then　sitting　stiffly　and　looking　at　him　she　began　to　cry。　I　saw　her　lips　working　and　then　tears　came　down　her　plump　cheeks。　Her　sister；　not　looking　up；　took　her　hand　and　they　sat　there　together。　The　older　one；　who　had　been　so　fierce；　began　to　sob。

〃I　guess　I　scared　her；〃　Aymo　said。　〃I　didnt　mean　to　scare　her。〃

Bartolomeo　brought　out　his　knapsack　and　cut　off　two　pieces　of　cheese。　〃Here；〃　he　said。　〃Stop　crying。〃

The　older　girl　shook　her　head　and　still　cried；　but　the　younger　girl　took　the　cheese　and　menced　to　eat。　After　a　while　the　younger　girl　gave　her　sister　the　second　piece　of　cheese　and　they　both　ate。　The　older　sister　still　sobbed　a　little。

〃Shell　be　all　right　after　a　while；〃　Aymo　said。

An　idea　came　to　him。　〃Virgin？〃　he　asked　the　girl　next　to　him。　She　nodded　her　head　vigorously。　〃Virgin　too？〃　he　pointed　to　the　sister。　Both　the　girls　nodded　their　heads　and　the　elder　said　something　in　dialect。

〃Thats　all　right；〃　Bartolomeo　said。　〃Thats　all　right。〃

Both　the　girls　seemed　cheered。

I　left　them　sitting　together　with　Aymo　sitting　back　in　the　corner　and　went　back　to　Pianis　car。　The　column　of　vehicles　did　not　move　but　the　troops　kept　passing　alongside。　It　was　still　raining　hard　and　I　thought　some　of　the　stops　in　the　movement　of　the　column　might　be　from　cars　with　wet　wiring。　More　likely　they　were　from　horses　or　men　going　to　sleep。　Still；　traffic　could　tie　up　in　cities　when　every　one　was　awake。　It　was　the　bination　of　horse　and　motor　vehicles。　They　did　not　help　each　other　any。　The　peasants　carts　did　not　help　much　either。　Those　were　a　couple　of　fine　girls　with　Barto。　A　retreat　was　no　place　for　two　virgins。　Real　virgins。　Probably　very　religious。　If　there　were　no　war　we　would　probably　all　be　in　bed。　In　bed　I　lay　me　down　my　head。　Bed　and　board。　Stiff　as　a　board　in　bed。　Catherine　was　in　bed　now　between　two　sheets；　over　her　and　under　her。　Which　side　did　she　sleep　on？　Maybe　she　wasnt　asleep。　Maybe　she　was　lying　thinking　about　me。　Blow；　blow；　ye　western　wind。　Well；　it　blew　and　it　wasnt　the　small　rain　but　the　big　rain　down　that　rained。　It　rained　all　night。　You　knew　it　rained　down　that　rained。　Look　at　it。　Christ；　that　my　love　were　in　my　arms　and　I　in　my　bed　again。　That　my　love　Catherine。　That　my　sweet　love　Catherine　down　might　rain。　Blow　her　again　to　me。　Well；　we　were　in　it。　Every　one　was　caught　in　it　and　the　small　rain　would　not　quiet　it。　〃Good…night；　Catherine；〃　I　said　out　loud。　〃I　hope　you　sleep　well。　If　its　too　unfortable；　darling；　lie　on　the　other　side；〃　I　said。　〃Ill　get　you　some　cold　water。　In　a　little　while　it　will　be　morning　and　then　it　wont　be　so　bad。　Im　sorry　he　makes　you　so　unfortable。　Try　and　go　to　sleep；　sweet。〃

I　was　asleep　all　the　time；　she　said。　Youve　been　talking　in　your　sleep。　Are　you　all　right？

Are　you　really　there？

Of　course　Im　here。　I　wouldnt　go　away。　This　doesnt　make　any　difference　between　us。

Youre　so　lovely　and　sweet。　You　wouldnt　go　away　in　the　night；　would　you？

Of　course　I　wouldnt　go　away。　Im　always　here。　I　e　whenever　you　want　me。

〃……；〃　Piani　said。　〃Theyve　started　again。〃

〃I　was　dopey；〃　I　said。　I　looked　at　my　watch。　It　was　three　oclock　in　the　morning。　I　reached　back　behind　the　seat　for　a　bottle　of　the　barbera。

〃You　talked　out　loud；〃　Piani　said。

〃I　was　having　a　dream　in　English；〃　I　said。

The　rain　was　slacking　and　we　were　moving　along。　Before　daylight　we　were　stalled　again　and　when　it　was　light　we　were　at　a　little　rise　in　the　ground　and　I　saw　the　road　of　the　retreat　stretched　out　far　ahead；　everything　stationary　except　for　the　infantry　filtering　through。　We　started　to　move　again　but　seeing　the　rate　of　progress　in　the　daylight；　I　knew　we　were　going　to　have　to　get　off　that　main　road　some　way　and　go　across　country　if　we　ever　hoped　to　reach　Udine。

In　the　night　many　peasants　had　joined　the　column　from　the　roads　of　the　country　and　in　the　column　there　were　carts　loaded　with　household　goods；　there　were　mirrors　projecting　up　between　mattresses；　and　chickens　and　ducks　tied　to　carts。　There　was　a　sewing　machine　on　the　cart　ahead　of　us　in　the　rain。　They　had　saved　the　most　valuable　things。　On　some　carts　the　women　sat　huddled　from　the　rain　and　others　walked　beside　the　carts　keeping　as　close　to　them　as　they　could。　There　were　dogs　now　in　the　column；　keeping　under　the　wagons　as　they　moved　along。　The　road　was　muddy；　the　ditches　at　the　side　were　high　with　water　and　beyond　the　trees　that　lined　the　road　the　fields　looked　too　wet　and　too　soggy　to　try　to　cross。　I　got　down　from　the　car　and　worked　up　the　road　a　way；　looking　for　a　place　where　I　could　see　ahead　to　find　a　side…road　we　could　take　across　country。　I　knew　there　were　many　side…roads　but　did　not　want　one　that　would　lead　to　nothing。　I　could　not　remember　them　because　we　had　always　passed　them　bowling　along　in　the　car　on　the　main　road　and　they　all　looked　much　alike。　Now　I　knew　we　must　find　one　if　we　hoped　to　get　through。　No　one　knew　where　the　Austrians　were　nor　how　things　were　going　but　I　was　certain　that　if　the　rain　should　stop　and　planes　e　over　and　get　to　work　on　that　column　that　it　would　be　all　over。　All　that　was　needed　was　for　a　few　men　to　leave　their　trucks　or　a　few　horses　be　killed　to　tie　up　pletely　the　movement　on　the　road。

The　rain　was　not　falling　so　heavily　now　and　I　thought　it　might　clear。　I　went　ahead　along　the　edge　of　the　road　and　when　there　was　a　small　road　that　led　off　to　the　north　between　two　fields　with　a　hedge　of　trees　on　both　sides；　I　thought　that　we　had　better　take　it　and　hurried　back　to　the　cars。　I　told　Piani　to　turn　off　and　went　back　to　tell　Bonello　and　Aymo。

〃If　it　leads　nowhere　we　can　turn　around　and　cut　back　in；〃　I　said。

〃What　about　these？〃　Bonello　asked。　His　two　sergeants　were　beside　him　on　the　seat。　They　were　unshaven　but　still　military　looking　in　the　early　morning。

〃Theyll　be　good　to　push；〃　I　said。　I　went　back　to　Aymo　and　told　him　we　were　going　to　try　it　across　country。

〃What　about　my　virgin　family？〃　Aymo　asked。　The　two　girls　were　asleep。

〃They　wont　be　very　useful；〃　I　said。　〃You　ought　to　have　some　one　that　could　push。〃

〃They　could　go　back　in　the　car；〃　Aymo　said。　〃Theres　room　in　the　car。〃

〃All　right　if　you　want　them；〃　I　said。　〃Pick　up　somebody　with　a　wide　back　to　push。〃

〃Bersaglieri；〃　Aymo　smiled。　〃They　have　the　widest　backs。　They　measure　them。　How　do　you　feel；　Tenente

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