精校书屋

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第15部分（第2页）

19

The　summer　went　that　way。　I　do　not　remember　much　about　the　days；　except　that　they　were　hot　and　that　there　were　many　victories　in　the　papers。　I　was　very　healthy　and　my　legs　healed　quickly　so　that　it　was　not　very　long　after　I　was　first　on　crutches　before　I　was　through　with　them　and　walking　with　a　cane。　Then　I　started　treatments　at　the　Ospedale　Maggiore　for　bending　the　knees；　mechanical　treatments；　baking　in　a　box　of　mirrors　with　violet　rays；　massage；　and　baths。　I　went　over　there　afternoons　and　afterward　stopped　at　the　caf？and　had　a　drink　and　read　the　papers。　I　did　not　roam　around　the　town；　but　wanted　to　get　home　to　the　hospital　from　the　caf？　All　I　wanted　was　to　see　Catherine。　The　rest　of　the　time　I　was　glad　to　kill。　Mostly　I　slept　in　the　mornings；　and　in　the　afternoons；　sometimes；　I　went　to　the　races；　and　late　to　the　mechanotherapy　treatments。　Sometimes　I　stopped　in　at　the　AngloAmerican　Club　and　sat　in　a　deep　leather…cushioned　chair　in　front　of　the　window　and　read　the　magazines。　They　would　not　let　us　go　out　together　when　I　was　off　crutches　because　it　was　unseemly　for　a　nurse　to　be　seen　unchaperoned　with　a　patient　who　did　not　look　as　though　he　needed　attendance；　so　we　were　not　together　much　in　the　afternoons。　Although　sometimes　we　could　go　out　to　dinner　if　Ferguson　went　along。　Miss　Van　Campen　had　accepted　the　status　that　we　were　great　friends　because　she　got　a　great　amount　of　work　out　of　Catherine。　She　thought　Catherine　came　from　very　good　people　and　that　prejudiced　her　in　her　favor　finally。　Miss　Van　Campen　admired　family　very　much　and　came　from　an　excellent　family　herself。　The　hospital　was　quite　busy；　too；　and　that　kept　her　occupied。　It　was　a　hot　summer　and　I　knew　many　people　in　Milan　but　always　was　anxious　to　get　back　home　to　the　hospital　as　soon　as　the　afternoon　was　over。　At　the　front　they　were　advancing　on　the　Carso；　they　had　taken　Kuk　across　from　Plava　and　were　taking　the　Bainsizza　plateau。　The　West　front　did　not　sound　so　good。　It　looked　as　though　the　war　were　going　on　for　a　long　time。　We　were　in　the　war　now　but　I　thought　it　would　take　a　year　to　get　any　great　amount　of　troops　over　and　train　them　for　bat。　Next　year　would　be　a　bad　year；　or　a　good　year　maybe。　The　Italians　were　using　up　an　awful　amount　of　men。　I　did　not　see　how　it　could　go　on。　Even　if　they　took　all　the　Bainsizza　and　Monte　San　Gabriele　there　were　plenty　of　mountains　beyond　for　the　Austrians。　I　had　seen　them。　All　the　highest　mountains　were　beyond。　On　the　Carso　they　were　going　forward　but　there　were　marshes　and　swamps　down　by　the　sea。　Napoleon　would　have　whipped　the　Austrians　on　the　plains。　He　never　would　have　fought　them　in　the　mountains。　He　would　have　let　them　e　down　and　whipped　them　around　Verona。　Still　nobody　was　whipping　any　one　on　the　Western　front。　Perhaps　wars　werent　won　any　more。　Maybe　they　went　on　forever。　Maybe　it　was　another　Hundred　Years　War。　I　put　the　paper　back　on　the　rack　and　left　the　club。　I　went　down　the　steps　carefully　and　walked　up　the　Via　Manzoni。　Outside　the　Gran　Hotel　I　met　old　Meyers　and　his　wife　getting　out　of　a　carriage。　They　were　ing　back　from　the　races。　She　was　a　big…busted　woman　in　black　satin。　He　was　short　and　old；　with　a　white　mustache　and　walked　flat…footed　with　a　cane。

〃How　do　you　do？　How　do　you　do？〃　She　shook　hands。　〃Hello；〃　said　Meyers。

〃How　were　the　races？〃

〃Fine。　They　were　just　lovely。　I　had　three　winners。〃

〃How　did　you　do？〃　I　asked　Meyers。

〃All　right。　I　had　a　winner。〃

〃I　never　know　how　he　does；〃　Mrs。　Meyers　said。　〃He　never　tells　me。〃

〃I　do　all　right；〃　Meyers　said。　He　was　being　cordial。　〃You　ought　to　e　out。〃　While　he　talked　you　had　the　impression　that　he　was　not　looking　at　you　or　that　he　mistook　you　for　some　one　else。

〃I　will；〃　I　said。

〃Im　ing　up　to　the　hospital　to　see　you；〃　Mrs。　Meyers　said。　〃I　have　some　things　for　my　boys。　Youre　all　my　boys。　You　certainly　are　my　dear　boys。〃

〃Theyll　be　glad　to　see　you。〃

〃Those　dear　boys。　You　too。　Youre　one　of　my　boys。〃

〃I　have　to　get　back；〃　I　said。

〃You　give　my　love　to　all　those　dear　boys。　Ive　got　lots　of　things　to　bring。　Ive　some　fine　marsala　and　cakes。〃

〃Good…by；〃　I　said。　〃Theyll　be　awfully　glad　to　see　you。〃

〃Good…by；〃　said　Meyers。　〃You　e　around　to　the　galleria。　You　know　where　my　table　is。　Were　all　there　every　afternoon。〃　I　went　on　up　the　street。　I　wanted　to　buy　something　at　the　Cova　to　take　to　Catherine。　Inside；　at　the　Cova；　I　bought　a　box　of　chocolate　and　while　the　girl　wrapped　it　up　I　walked　over　to　the　bar。　There　were　a　couple　of　British　and　some　aviators。　I　had　a　martini　alone；　paid　for　it；　picked　up　the　box　of　chocolate　at　the　outside　counter　and　walked　on　home　toward　the　hospital。　Outside　the　little　bar　up　the　street　from　the　Scala　there　were　some　people　I　knew；　a　vice…consul；　two　fellows　who　studied　singing；　and　Ettore　Moretti；　an　Italian　from　San　Francisco　who　was　in　the　Italian　army。　I　had　a　drink　with　them。　One　of　the　singers　was　named　Ralph　Simmons；　and　he　was　singing　under　the　name　of　Enrico　DelCredo。　I　never　knew　how　well　he　could　sing　but　he　was　always　on　the　point　of　something　very　big　happening。　He　was　fat　and　looked　shopworn　around　the　nose　and　mouth　as　though　he　had　hayfever。　He　had　e　back　from　singing　in　Piacenza。　He　had　sung　Tosca　and　it　had　been　wonderful。

〃Of　course　youve　never　heard　me　sing；〃　he　said。

〃When　will　you　sing　here？〃

〃Ill　be　at　the　Scala　in　the　fall。〃

〃Ill　bet　they　throw　the　benches　at　you；〃　Ettore　said。　〃Did　you　hear　how　they　threw　the　benches　at　him　in　Modena？〃

〃Its　a　damned　lie。〃

〃They　threw　the　benches　at　him；〃　Ettore　said。　〃I　was　there。　I　threw　six　benches　myself。〃

〃Youre　just　a　wop　from　Frisco。〃

〃He　cant　pronounce　Italian；〃　Ettore　said。　〃Everywhere　he　goes　they　throw　the　benches　at　him。〃

〃Piacenzas　the　toughest　house　to　sing　in　the　north　of　Italy；〃　the　other　tenor　said。　〃Believe　me　thats　a　tough　little　house　to　sing。〃　This　tenors　name　was　Edgar　Saunders；　and　he　sang　under　the　name　of　Edouardo　Giovanni。

〃Id　like　to　be　there　to　see　them　throw　the　benches　at　you。〃　Ettore　said。　〃You　cant　sing　Italian。〃

〃Hes　a　nut；〃　said　Edgar　Saunders。　〃All　he　knows　how　to　say　is　throw　benches。〃

〃Thats　all　they　know　how　to　do　when　you　two　sing；〃　Ettore　said。　〃Then　when　you　go　to　America　youll　tell　about　your　triumphs　at　the　Scala。　They　wouldnt　let　you　get　by　the　first　note　at　the　Scala。〃

〃Ill　sing　at　the　Scala；〃　Simmons　said。　〃Im　going　to　sing　Tosca　in　October。〃

〃Well　go；　wont　we；　Mac？〃　Ettore　said　to　the　vice…consul。　〃Theyll　need　somebody　to　protect　them。〃

〃Maybe　the　American　army　will　be　there　to　protect　them；〃　the　vice…consul　said。　〃Do　you　want　another　drink；　Simmons？　You　want　a　drink；　Saunders？〃

〃All　right；〃　said　Saunders。

〃I　hear　youre　going　to　get　the　silver　medal；〃　Ettore　said　to　me。　〃What　kind　of　citation　you　going　to　get？〃

〃I　dont　know。　I　dont　know　Im　going　to　get　it。〃

〃Youre　going　to　get　it。　Oh　boy；　the　girls　at　the　Cova　will　think　youre　fine　then。　Theyll　all　think　you　killed　two　hundred　Austrians　or　captured　a　whole　trench　by　yourself。　Believe　me；　I　got　to　work　for　my　decorations。〃

〃How　many　have　you　got；　Ettore？〃　asked　the　vice…consul。

〃Hes　got　everything；〃　Simmons　said。　〃Hes　the　boy　theyre　running　the　war

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