波波小说

第21部分（第1页）

ide　my　shirt　and　trousers　so　that　it　was　inside　the　leg　of　my　breeches。　I　slept　all　night；　waking　at　Brescia　and　Verona　when　more　men　got　on　the　train；　but　going　back　to　sleep　at　once。　I　had　my　head　on　one　of　the　musettes　and　my　arms　around　the　other　and　I　could　feel　the　pack　and　they　could　all　walk　over　me　if　they　wouldnt　step　on　me。　Men　were　sleeping　on　the　floor　all　down　the　corridor。　Others　stood　holding　on　to　the　window　rods　or　leaning　against　the　doors。　That　train　was　always　crowded。

BOOK　THREE

25

Now　in　the　fall　the　trees　were　all　bare　and　the　roads　were　muddy。　I　rode　to　Gorizia　from　Udine　on　a　camion。　We　passed　other　camions　on　the　road　and　I　looked　at　the　country。　The　mulberry　trees　were　bare　and　the　fields　were　brown。　There　were　wet　dead　leaves　on　the　road　from　the　rows　of　bare　trees　and　men　were　working　on　the　road；　tamping　stone　in　the　ruts　from　piles　of　crushed　stone　along　the　side　of　the　road　between　the　trees。　We　saw　the　town　with　a　mist　over　it　that　cut　off　the　mountains。　We　crossed　the　river　and　I　saw　that　it　was　running　high。　It　had　been　raining　in　the　mountains。　We　came　into　the　town　past　the　factories　and　then　the　houses　and　villas　and　I　saw　that　many　more　houses　had　been　hit。　On　a　narrow　street　we　passed　a　British　Red　Cross　ambulance。　The　driver　wore　a　cap　and　his　face　was　thin　and　very　tanned。　I　did　not　know　him。　I　got　down　from　the　camion　in　the　big　square　in　front　of　the　Town　Majors　house；　the　driver　handed　down　my　rucksack　and　I　put　it　on　and　swung　on　the　two　musettes　and　walked　to　our　villa。　It　did　not　feel　like　a　homeing。

I　walked　down　the　damp　gravel　driveway　looking　at　the　villa　through　the　trees。　The　windows　were　all　shut　but　the　door　was　open。　I　went　in　and　found　the　major　sitting　at　a　table　in　the　bare　room　with　maps　and　typed　sheets　of　paper　on　the　wall。

〃Hello；〃　he　said。　〃How　are　you？〃　He　looked　older　and　drier。

〃Im　good；〃　I　said。　〃How　is　everything？〃

〃Its　all　over；〃　he　said。　〃Take　off　your　kit　and　sit　down。〃　I　put　my　pack　and　the　two　musettes　on　the　floor　and　my　cap　on　the　pack。　I　brought　the　other　chair　over　from　the　wall　and　sat　down　by　the　desk。

〃Its　been　a　bad　summer；〃　the　major　said。　〃Are　you　strong　now？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Did　you　ever　get　the　decorations？〃

〃Yes。　I　got　them　fine。　Thank　you　very　much。〃

〃Lets　see　them。〃

I　opened　my　cape　so　he　could　see　the　two　ribbons。

〃Did　you　get　the　boxes　with　the　medals？〃

〃No。　Just　the　papers。〃

〃The　boxes　will　e　later。　That　takes　more　time。〃

〃What　do　you　want　me　to　do？〃

〃The　cars　are　all　away。　There　are　six　up　north　at　Caporetto。　You　know　Caporetto？〃

〃Yes；〃　I　said。　I　remembered　it　as　a　little　white　town　with　a　campanile　in　a　valley。　It　was　a　clean　little　town　and　there　was　a　fine　fountain　in　the　square。

〃They　are　working　from　there。　There　are　many　sick　now。　The　fighting　is　over。〃

〃Where　are　the　others？〃

〃There　are　two　up　in　the　mountains　and　four　still　on　the　Bainsizza。　The　other　two　ambulance　sections　are　in　the　Carso　with　the　third　army。〃

〃What　do　you　wish　me　to　do？〃

〃You　can　go　and　take　over　the　four　cars　on　the　Bainsizza　if　you　like。　Gino　has　been　up　there　a　long　time。　You　havent　seen　it　up　there；　have　you？〃

〃No。〃

〃It　was　very　bad。　We　lost　three　cars。〃

〃I　heard　about　it。〃

〃Yes；　Rinaldi　wrote　you。〃

〃Where　is　Rinaldi？〃

〃He　is　here　at　the　hospital。　He　has　had　a　summer　and　fall　of　it。〃

〃I　believe　it。〃

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