精校书屋

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第24部分（第1页）

The　wind　rose　in　the　night　and　at　three　oclock　in　the　morning　with　the　rain　ing　in　sheets　there　was　a　bombardment　and　the　Croatians　came　over　across　the　mountain　meadows　and　through　patches　of　woods　and　into　the　front　line。　They　fought　in　the　dark　in　the　rain　and　a　counter…attack　of　scared　men　from　the　second　line　drove　them　back。　There　was　much　shelling　and　many　rockets　in　the　rain　and　machine…gun　and　rifle　fire　all　along　the　line。　They　did　not　e　again　and　it　was　quieter　and　between　the　gusts　of　wind　and　rain　we　could　hear　the　sound　of　a　great　bombardment　far　to　the　north。

The　wounded　were　ing　into　the　post；　some　were　carried　on　stretchers；　some　walking　and　some　were　brought　on　the　backs　of　men　that　came　across　the　field。　They　were　wet　to　the　skin　and　all　were　scared。　We　filled　two　cars　with　stretcher　cases　as　they　came　up　from　the　cellar　of　the　post　and　as　I　shut　the　door　of　the　second　car　and　fastened　it　I　felt　the　rain　on　my　face　turn　to　snow。　The　flakes　were　ing　heavy　and　fast　in　the　rain。

When　daylight　came　the　storm　was　still　blowing　but　the　snow　had　stopped。　It　had　melted　as　it　fell　on　the　wet　ground　and　now　it　was　raining　again。　There　was　another　attack　just　after　daylight　but　it　was　unsuccessful。　We　expected　an　attack　all　day　but　it　did　not　e　until　the　sun　was　going　down。　The　bombardment　started　to　the　south　below　the　long　wooded　ridge　where　the　Austrian　guns　were　concentrated。　We　expected　a　bombardment　but　it　did　not　e。　It　was　getting　dark。　Guns　were　firing　from　the　field　behind　the　village　and　the　shells；　going　away；　had　a　fortable　sound。

We　heard　that　the　attack　to　the　south　had　been　unsuccessful。　They　did　not　attack　that　night　but　we　heard　that　they　had　broken　through　to　the　north。　In　the　night　word　came　that　we　were　to　prepare　to　retreat。　The　captain　at　the　post　told　me　this。　He　had　it　from　the　Brigade。　A　little　while　later　he　came　from　the　telephone　and　said　it　was　a　lie。　The　Brigade　had　received　orders　that　the　line　of　the　Bainsizza　should　be　held　no　matter　what　happened。　I　asked　about　the　break　through　and　he　said　that　he　had　heard　at　the　Brigade　that　the　Austrians　had　broken　through　the　twenty…seventh　army　corps　up　toward　Caporetto。　There　had　been　a　great　battle　in　the　north　all　day。

〃If　those　bastards　let　them　through　we　are　cooked；〃　he　said。

〃Its　Germans　that　are　attacking；〃　one　of　the　medical　officers　said。　The　word　Germans　was　something　to　be　frightened　of。　We　did　not　want　to　have　anything　to　do　with　the　Germans。

〃There　are　fifteen　divisions　of　Germans；〃　the　medical　officer　said。　〃They　have　broken　through　and　we　will　be　cut　off。〃

〃At　the　Brigade；　they　say　this　line　is　to　be　held。　They　say　they　have　not　broken　through　badly　and　that　we　will　hold　a　line　across　the　mountains　from　Monte　Maggiore。〃

〃Where　do　they　hear　this？〃

〃From　the　Division。〃

〃The　word　that　we　were　to　retreat　came　from　the　Division。〃

〃We　work　under　the　Army　Corps；〃　I　said。　〃But　here　I　work　under　you。　Naturally　when　you　tell　me　to　go　I　will　go。　But　get　the　orders　straight。〃

〃The　orders　are　that　we　stay　here。　You　clear　the　wounded　from　here　to　the　clearing　station。〃

〃Sometimes　we　clear　from　the　clearing　station　to　the　field　hospitals　too；〃　I　said。　〃Tell　me；　I　have　never　seen　a　retreat……if　there　is　a　retreat　how　are　all　the　wounded　evacuated？〃

〃They　are　not。　They　take　as　many　as　they　can　and　leave　the　rest。〃

〃What　will　I　take　in　the　cars？〃

〃Hospital　equipment。〃

〃All　right；〃　I　said。

The　next　night　the　retreat　started。　We　heard　that　Germans　and　Austrians　had　broken　through　in　the　north　and　were　ing　down　the　mountain　valleys　toward　Cividale　and　Udine。　The　retreat　was　orderly；　wet　and　sullen。　In　the　night；　going　slowly　along　the　crowded　roads　we　passed　troops　marching　under　the　rain；　guns；　horses　pulling　wagons；　mules；　motor　trucks；　all　moving　away　from　the　front。　There　was　no　more　disorder　than　in　an　advance。

That　night　we　helped　empty　the　field　hospitals　that　had　been　set　up　in　the　least　ruined　villages　of　the　plateau；　taking　the　wounded　down　to　Plava　on　the　river…bed：　and　the　next　day　hauled　all　day　in　the　rain　to　evacuate　the　hospitals　and　clearing　station　at　Plava。　It　rained　steadily　and　the　army　of　the　Bainsizza　moved　down　off　the　plateau　in　the　October　rain　and　across　the　river　where　the　great　victories　had　menced　in　the　spring　of　that　year。　We　came　into　Gorizia　in　the　middle　of　the　next　day。　The　rain　had　stopped　and　the　town　was　nearly　empty。　As　we　came　up　the　street　they　were　loading　the　girls　from　the　soldiers　whorehouse　into　a　truck。　There　were　seven　girls　and　they　had　on　their　hats　and　coats　and　carried　small　suitcases。　Two　of　them　were　crying。　Of　the　others　one　smiled　at　us　and　put　out　her　tongue　and　fluttered　it　up　and　down。　She　had　thick　full　lips　and　black　eyes。

I　stopped　the　car　and　went　over　and　spoke　to　the　matron。　The　girls　from　the　officers　house　had　left　early　that　morning；　she　said。　Where　were　they　going？　To　Conegliano；　she　said。　The　truck　started。　The　girl　with　thick　lips　put　out　her　tongue　again　at　us。　The　matron　waved。　The　two　girls　kept　on　crying。　The　others　looked　interestedly　out　at　the　town。　I　got　back　in　the　car。

〃We　ought　to　go　with　them；〃　Bonello　said。　〃That　would　be　a　good　trip。〃

〃Well　have　a　good　trip；〃　I　said。

〃Well　have　a　hell　of　a　trip。〃

〃Thats　what　I　mean；〃　I　said。　We　came　up　the　drive　to　the　villa。

〃Id　like　to　be　there　when　some　of　those　tough　babies　climb　in　and　try　and　hop　them。〃

〃You　think　they　will？〃

〃Sure。　Everybody　in　the　Second　Army　knows　that　matron。〃

We　were　outside　the　villa。

〃They　call　her　the　Mother　Superior；〃　Bonello　said。　〃The　girls　are　new　but　everybody　knows　her。　They　must　have　brought　them　up　just　before　the　retreat。〃

〃Theyll　have　a　time。〃

〃Ill　say　theyll　have　a　time。　Id　like　to　have　a　crack　at　them　for　nothing。　They　charge　too　much　at　that　house　anyway。　The　government　gyps　us。〃

〃Take　the　car　out　and　have　the　mechanics　go　over　it；〃　I　said。　〃Change　the　oil　and　check　the　differential。　Fill　it　up　and　then　get　some　sleep。〃

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