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第11部分（第1页）

g　city　and　have　your　English　there　to　cuddle　you。　Why　dont　I　get　wounded？　Maybe　you　will；　I　said。　We　must　go；　said　the　major。　We　drink　and　make　noise　and　disturb　Federico。　Dont　go。　Yes；　we　must　go。　Good…by。　Good　luck。　Many　things。　Ciaou。　Ciaou。　Ciaou。　e　back　quickly；　baby。　Rinaldi　kissed　me。　You　smell　of　lysol。　Good…by；　baby。　Good…by。　Many　things。　The　major　patted　my　shoulder。　They　tiptoed　out。　I　found　I　was　quite　drunk　but　went　to　sleep。

The　next　day　in　the　morning　we　left　for　Milan　and　arrived　forty…eight　hours　later。　It　was　a　bad　trip。　We　were　sidetracked　for　a　long　time　this　side　of　Mestre　and　children　came　and　peeked　in。　I　got　a　little　boy　to　go　for　a　bottle　of　cognac　but　he　came　back　and　said　he　could　only　get　grappa。　I　told　him　to　get　it　and　when　it　came　I　gave　him　the　change　and　the　man　beside　me　and　I　got　drunk　and　slept　until　past　Vicenza　where　I　woke　up　and　was　very　sick　on　the　floor。　It　did　not　matter　because　the　man　on　that　side　had　been　very　sick　on　the　floor　several　times　before。　Afterward　I　thought　I　could　not　stand　the　thirst　and　in　the　yards　outside　of　Verona　I　called　to　a　soldier　who　was　walking　up　and　down　beside　the　train　and　he　got　me　a　drink　of　water。　I　woke　Georgetti；　the　other　boy　who　was　drunk；　and　offered　him　some　water。　He　said　to　pour　it　on　his　shoulder　and　went　back　to　sleep。　The　soldier　would　not　take　the　penny　I　offered　him　and　brought　me　a　pulpy　orange。　I　sucked　on　that　and　spit　out　the　pith　and　watched　the　soldier　pass　up　and　down　past　a　freight…car　outside　and　after　a　while　the　train　gave　a　jerk　and　started。

BOOK　TWO

13

We　got　into　Milan　early　in　the　morning　and　they　unloaded　us　in　the　freight　yard。　An　ambulance　took　me　to　the　American　hospital。　Riding　in　the　ambulance　on　a　stretcher　I　could　not　tell　what　part　of　town　we　were　passing　through　but　when　they　unloaded　the　stretcher　I　saw　a　market…place　and　an　open　wine　shop　with　a　girl　sweeping　out。　They　were　watering　the　street　and　it　smelled　of　the　early　morning。　They　put　the　stretcher　down　and　went　in。　The　porter　came　out　with　them。　He　had　gray　mustaches；　wore　a　doormans　cap　and　was　in　his　shirt　sleeves。　The　stretcher　would　not　go　into　the　elevator　and　they　discussed　whether　it　was　better　to　lift　me　off　the　stretcher　and　go　up　in　the　elevator　or　carry　the　stretcher　up　the　stairs。　I　listened　to　them　discussing　it。　They　decided　on　the　elevator。　They　lifted　me　from　the　stretcher。　〃Go　easy；〃　I　said。　〃Take　it　softly。〃

In　the　elevator　we　were　crowded　and　as　my　legs　bent　the　pain　was　very　bad。　〃Straighten　out　the　legs；〃　I　said。

〃We　cant；　Signor　Tenente。　There　isnt　room。〃　The　man　who　said　this　had　his　arm　around　me　and　my　arm　was　around　his　neck。　His　breath　came　in　my　face　metallic　with　garlic　and　red　wine。

〃Be　gentle；〃　the　other　man　said。

〃Son　of　a　bitch　who　isnt　gentle！〃

〃Be　gentle　I　say；〃　the　man　with　my　feet　repeated。

I　saw　the　doors　of　the　elevator　closed；　and　the　grill　shut　and　the　fourth…floor　button　pushed　by　the　porter。　The　porter　looked　worried。　The　elevator　rose　slowly。

〃Heavy？〃　I　asked　the　man　with　the　garlic。

〃Nothing；〃　he　said。　His　face　was　sweating　and　he　grunted。　The　elevator　rose　steadily　and　stopped。　The　man　holding　the　feet　opened　the　door　and　stepped　out。　We　were　on　a　balcony。　There　were　several　doors　with　brass　knobs。　The　man　carrying　the　feet　pushed　a　button　that　rang　a　bell。　We　heard　it　inside　the　doors。　No　one　came。　Then　the　porter　came　up　the　stairs。

〃Where　are　they？〃　the　stretcher…bearers　asked。

〃I　dont　know；〃　said　the　porter。　〃They　sleep　down　stairs。〃

〃Get　somebody。〃

The　porter　rang　the　bell；　then　knocked　on　the　door；　then　he　opened　the　door　and　went　in。　When　he　came　back　there　was　an　elderly　woman　wearing　glasses　with　him。　Her　hair　was　loose　and　half…falling　and　she　wore　a　nurses　dress。

〃I　cant　understand；〃　she　said。　〃I　cant　understand　Italian。〃

〃I　can　speak　English；〃　I　said。　〃They　want　to　put　me　somewhere。〃

〃None　of　the　rooms　are　ready。　There　isnt　any　patient　expected。〃　She　tucked　at　her　hair　and　looked　at　me　near…sightedly。

〃Show　them　any　room　where　they　can　put　me。〃

〃I　dont　know；〃　she　said。　〃Theres　no　patient　expected。　I　couldnt　put　you　in　just　any　room。〃

〃Any　room　will　do；〃　I　said。　Then　to　the　porter　in　Italian；　〃Find　an　empty　room。〃

〃They　are　all　empty；〃　said　the　porter。　〃You　are　the　first　patient。〃　He　held　his　cap　in　his　hand　and　looked　at　the　elderly　nurse。

〃For　Christs　sweet　sake　take　me　to　some　room。〃　The　pain　had　gone　on　and　on　with　the　legs　bent　and　I　could　feel　it　going　in　and　out　of　the　bone。　The　porter　went　in　the　door；　followed　by　the　grayhaired　woman；　then　came　hurrying　back。　〃Follow　me；〃　he　said。　They　carried　me　down　a　long　hallway　and　into　a　room　with　drawn　blinds。　It　smelled　of　new　furniture。　There　was　a　bed　and　a　big　wardrobe　with　a　mirror。　They　laid　me　down　on　the　bed。

〃I　cant　put　on　sheets；〃　the　woman　said。　〃The　sheets　are　locked　up。〃

I　did　not　speak　to　her。　〃There　is　money　in　my　pocket；〃　I　said　to　the　porter。　〃In　the　buttoned…down　pocket。〃　The　porter　took　out　the　money。　The　two　stretcher…bearers　stood　beside　the　bed　holding　their　caps。　〃Give　them　five　lire　apiece　and　five　lire　for　yourself。　My　papers　are　in　the　other　pocket。　You　may　give　them　to　the　nurse。〃

The　stretcher…bearers　saluted　and　said　thank　you。　〃Good…by；〃　I　said。　〃And　many　thanks。〃　They　saluted　again　and　went　out。

〃Those　papers；〃　I　said　to　the　nurse；　〃describe　my　case　and　the　treatment　already　given。〃

The　woman　picked　them　up　and　looked　at　them　through　her　glasses。　There　were　three　papers　and　they　were　folded。　〃I　dont　know　what　to　do；〃　she　said。　〃I　cant　read　Italian。　I　cant　do　anything　without　the　doctors　orders。〃　She　menced　to　cry　and　put　the　papers　in　her　apron　pocket。　〃Are　you　an　American？〃　she　asked　crying。

〃Yes。　Please　put　the　papers　on　the　table　by　the　bed。〃

It　was　dim　and　cool　in　the　room。　As　I　lay　on　the　bed　I　could　see　the　big　mirror　on　the　other　side　of　the　room　but　could　not　see　what　it　reflected。　The　porter　stood　by　the　bed。　He　had　a　nice　face　and　was　very　kind。

〃You　can　go；〃　I　said　to　him。　〃You　can　go　too；〃　I　said　to　the　nurse。　〃What　is　your　name？〃

〃Mrs。　Walker。〃

〃You　can　go；　Mrs。　Walker。　I　think　I　will　go　to　sleep。〃

I　was　alone　in　the　room。　It　was　cool　and　did　not　smell　like　a　hospital。　The　mattress　was　firm　and　fortable　and　I　lay　without　moving；　hardly　breathing；　happy　in　feeling　the　pain　lessen。　After　a　while　I　wanted　a　drink　of　water　and　found　the　bell　on　a　cord　by　the　bed　and　rang　it　but　nobody　came。　I　went　to　sleep。

When　I　woke　I　looked　around。　There　was　sunlight　ing　in　through　the　shutters。　I　saw　the　big　armoire；　the　bare　walls；　and　two　chairs。　My　legs　in　the　dirty　bandages；　stuck　straight　out　in　the　bed。　I　was　careful　not　to　move　them。　I　was　thirsty　and　I　reached　for　the　bell　and　pushed　the　button。　I　heard　the　door　open　and　looked　and　it　was　a　nurse。　She　looked　young　and　pretty。

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