永别了,武器(英文版)海明威著-第21部分

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oing　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　weren't　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。
〃I'm　ing　up　to　the　hospital　to　see　you；〃　Mrs。　Meyers　said。　〃I　have　some　things　for　my　boys。　You're　all　my　boys。　You　certainly　are　my　dear　boys。〃
〃They'll　be　glad　to　see　you。〃
〃Those　dear　boys。　You　too。　You're　one　of　my　boys。〃
〃I　have　to　get　back；〃　I　said。
〃You　give　my　love　to　all　those　dear　boys。　I've　got　lots　of　things　to　bring。　I've　some　fine　marsala　and　cakes。〃
〃Good…by；〃　I　said。　〃They'll　be　awfully　glad　to　see　you。〃
〃Good…by；〃　said　Meyers。　〃You　e　around　to　the　galleria。　You　know　where　my　table　is。　We're　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　you've　never　heard　me　sing；〃　he　said。
〃When　will　you　sing　here？〃
〃I'll　be　at　the　Scala　in　the　fall。〃
〃I'll　bet　they　throw　the　benches　at　you；〃　Ettore　said。　〃Did　you　hear　how　they　threw　the　benches　at　him　in　Modena？〃
〃It's　a　damned　lie。〃
〃They　threw　the　benches　at　him；〃　Ettore　said。　〃I　was　there。　I　threw　six　benches　myself。〃
〃You're　just　a　wop　from　Frisco。〃
〃He　can't　pronounce　Italian；〃　Ettore　said。　〃Everywhere　he　goes　they　throw　the　benches　at　him。〃
〃Piacenza's　the　toughest　house　to　sing　in　the　north　of　Italy；〃　the　other　tenor　said。　〃Believe　me　that's　a　tough　little　house　to　sing。〃　This　tenor's　name　was　Edgar　Saunders；　and　he　sang　under　the　name　of　Edouardo　Giovanni。
〃I'd　like　to　be　there　to　see　them　throw　the　benches　at　you。〃　Ettore　said。　〃You　can't　sing　Italian。〃
〃He's　a　nut；〃　said　Edgar　Saunders。　〃All　he　knows　how　to　say　is　throw　benches。〃
〃That's　all　they　know　how　to　do　when　you　two　sing；〃　Ettore　said。　〃Then　when　you　go　to　America　you'll　tell　about　your　triumphs　at　the　Scala。　They　wouldn't　let　you　get　by　the　first　note　at　the　Scala。〃
〃I'll　sing　at　the　Scala；〃　Simmons　said。　〃I'm　going　to　sing　Tosca　in　October。〃
〃We'll　go；　won't　we；　Mac？〃　Ettore　said　to　the　vice…consul。　〃They'll　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　you're　going　to　get　the　silver　medal；〃　Ettore　said　to　me。　〃What　kind　of　citation　you　going　to　get？〃
〃I　don't　know。　I　don't　know　I'm　going　to　get　it。〃
〃You're　going　to　get　it。　Oh　boy；　the　girls　at　the　Cova　will　think　you're　fine　then。　They'll　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。
〃He's　got　everything；〃　Simmons　said。　〃He's　the　boy　they're　running　the　war　for。〃
〃I've　got　the　bronze　twice　and　three　silver　medals；〃　said　Ettore。　〃But　the　papers　on　only　one　have　e　through。〃
〃What's　the　matter　with　the　others？〃　asked　Simmons。
〃The　action　wasn't　successful；〃　said　Ettore。　〃When　the　action　isn't　successful　they　hold　up　all　the　medals。〃
〃How　many　times　have　you　been　wounded；　Ettore？〃
〃Three　times　bad。　I　got　three　wound　stripes。　See？〃　He　pulled　his　sleeve　around。　The　stripes　were　parallel　silver　lines　on　a　black　background　sewed　to　the　cloth　of　the　sleeve　about　eight　inches　below　the　shoulder。
〃You　got　one　too；〃　Ettore　said　to　me。　〃Believe　me　they're　fine　to　have。　I'd　rather　have　them　than　medals。　Believe　me；　boy；　when　you　get　three　you've　got　something。　You　only　get　one　for　a　wound　that　puts　you　three　months　in　the　hospital。〃
〃Where　were　you　wounded；　Ettore？〃　asked　the　vice…consul。
Ettore　pulled　up　his　sleeve。
〃Here；〃　he　showed　the　deep　smooth　red　scar。　〃Here　on　my　leg。　I　can't　show　you　that　because　I　got　puttees　on；　and　in　the　foot。　There's　dead　bone　in　my　foot　that　stinks　right　now。　Every　morning　I　take　new　little　pieces　out　and　it　stinks　all　the　time。〃
〃What　hit　you？〃　asked　Simmons。
〃A　hand…grenade。　One　of　those　potato　mashers。　It　just　blew　the　whole　side　of　my　foot　off。　You　know　those　potato　mashers？〃　He　turned　to　me。
〃Sure。〃
〃I　saw　the　son　of　a　bitch　throw　it；〃　Ettore　said。　〃It　knocked　me　down　and　I　thought　I　was　dead　all　right　but　those　damn　potato　mashers　haven't　got　anything　in　them。　I　shot　the　son　of　a　bitch　with　my　rifle。　I　always　carry　a　rifle　so　they　can't　tell　I'm　an　officer。〃
〃How　did　he　look？〃　asked　Simmons。
〃That　was　the　only　one　he　had；〃　Ettore　said。　〃I　don't　know　why　he　threw　it。　I　guess　he　always　wanted　to　throw　one。　He　never　saw　any　real　fighting　probably。　I　shot　the　son　of　a　bitch　all　right。〃
〃How　did　he　look　when　you　shot　him？〃　Simmons　asked。
〃Hell；　how　should　I　know？〃　said　Ettore。　〃I　shot　him　in　the　belly。　I　was　afraid　I'd　miss　him　if　I　shot　him　in　the　head。〃
〃How　long　have　you　been　an　officer；　Ettore？〃　I　asked。
〃Two　years。　I'm　going　to　be　a　captain。　How　long　have　you　been　a　lieutenant？〃
〃Going　on　three　years。〃
〃You　can't　be　a　captain　because　you　don't　know　the　Italian　language　well　enough；〃　Ettore　said。　〃You　can　talk　but　you　can't　read　and　write　well　enough。　You　got　to　have　an　education　to　be　a　captain。　Why　don't　you　go　in　the　American　army？〃
〃Maybe　I　will。〃
〃I　wish　to　God　I　could。　Oh；　boy；　how　much　does　a　captain　get；　Mac？〃
〃I　don't　know　exactly。　Around　two　hundred　and　fifty　dollars；　I　think。〃
〃Jesus　Christ　what　I　could　do　with　two　hundred　and　fifty　dollars。　You　better　get　in　the　American　army　quick；　Fred。　See　if　you　can't　get　me　in。〃
〃All　right。〃
〃I　can　mand　a　pany　in　Italian。　I　could　learn　it　in　English　easy。〃
〃You'd　be　a　general；〃　said　Simmons。
〃No；　I　don't　know　enough　to　be　a　general。　A　general's　got　to　know　a　hell　of　a　lot。　You　guys　think　there　ain't　anything　to　war。　You　ain't　got　brains　enough　to　be　a　second…class　corporal。〃
〃Thank　God　I　don't　have　to　be；〃　Simmons　said。
〃Maybe　you　wil