精校书屋

手机浏览器扫描二维码访问

第33部分（第3页）

〃Im　very　well。　Have　you　been　well？〃

〃Oh；　I　am　always　well。　But　I　am　getting　old。　I　detect　signs　of　age　now。〃

〃I　cant　believe　it。〃

〃Yes。　Do　you　want　to　know　one？　It　is　easier　for　me　to　talk　Italian。　I　discipline　myself　but　I　find　when　I　am　tired　that　it　is　so　much　easier　to　talk　Italian。　So　I　know　I　must　be　getting　old。〃

〃We　could　talk　Italian。　I　am　a　little　tired；　too。〃

〃Oh；　but　when　you　are　tired　it　will　be　easier　for　you　to　talk　English。〃

〃American。〃

〃Yes。　American。　You　will　please　talk　American。　It　is　a　delightful　language。〃

〃I　hardly　ever　see　Americans。〃

〃You　must　miss　them。　One　misses　ones　countrymen　and　especially　ones　countrywomen。　I　know　that　experience。　Should　we　play　or　are　you　too　tired？〃

〃Im　not　really　tired。　I　said　that　for　a　joke。　What　handicap　will　you　give　me？〃

〃Have　you　been　playing　very　much？〃

〃None　at　all。〃

〃You　play　very　well。　Ten　points　in　a　hundred？〃

〃You　flatter　me。〃

〃Fifteen？〃

〃That　would　be　fine　but　you　will　beat　me。〃

〃Should　we　play　for　a　stake？　You　always　wished　to　play　for　a　stake。〃

〃I　think　wed　better。〃

〃All　right。　I　will　give　you　eighteen　points　and　we　will　play　for　a　franc　a　point。〃

He　played　a　lovely　game　of　billiards　and　with　the　handicap　I　was　only　four　ahead　at　fifty。　Count　Greffi　pushed　a　button　on　the　wall　to　ring　for　the　barman。

〃Open　one　bottle　please；〃　he　said。　Then　to　me；　〃We　will　take　a　little　stimulant。〃　The　wine　was　icy　cold　and　very　dry　and　good。

〃Should　we　talk　Italian？　Would　you　mind　very　much？　It　is　my　weakness　now。〃

We　went　on　playing；　sipping　the　wine　between　shots；　speaking　in　Italian；　but　talking　little；　concentrated　on　the　game。　Count　Greffi　made　his　one　hundredth　point　and　with　the　handicap　I　was　only　at　ninety…four。　He　smiled　and　patted　me　on　the　shoulder。

〃Now　we　will　drink　the　other　bottle　and　you　will　tell　me　about　the　war。〃　He　waited　for　me　to　sit　down。

〃About　anything　else；〃　I　said。

〃You　dont　want　to　talk　about　it？　Good。　What　have　you　been　reading？〃

〃Nothing；〃　I　said。　〃Im　afraid　I　am　very　dull。〃

〃No。　But　you　should　read。〃

〃What　is　there　written　in　war…time？〃

〃There　is　Le　Feu　by　a　Frenchman；　Barbusse。　There　is　Mr。　Britling　Sees　Through　It。〃

〃No；　he　doesnt。〃

〃What？〃

〃He　doesnt　see　through　it。　Those　books　were　at　the　hospital。〃

〃Then　you　have　been　reading？〃

〃Yes；　but　nothing　any　good。〃

〃I　thought　Mr。　Britling　a　very　good　study　of　the　English　middle…class　soul。〃

〃I　dont　know　about　the　soul。〃

〃Poor　boy。　We　none　of　us　know　about　the　soul。　Are　you　Croyant？〃

言咒师  北后  邪妃盗情:粘人相公太妖娆  小宫女(辣)  侍灵记  三年抱俩，冷硬军官别太宠  四合院：从杀猪佬开始  爱恨交织  斗罗：千仞雪的伐神之路  我只想闯荡江湖  郭靖,别跑(  昆仑镜之宁不臣  奇怪的运动  重生之成就非凡  师兄竟是战略级房产经纪大师  [HP]成为獾祖的人生  药膳空间[种田养子] 作者:辣椒拌饭  一默如雷  月在回廊新月如钩_(全书已完结)  爱江山