永别了,武器(英文版)海明威著-第35部分

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　for　a　bottle　of　the　barbera。
〃You　talked　out　loud；〃　Piani　said。
〃I　was　having　a　dream　in　English；〃　I　said。
The　rain　was　slacking　and　we　were　moving　along。　Before　daylight　we　were　stalled　again　and　when　it　was　light　we　were　at　a　little　rise　in　the　ground　and　I　saw　the　road　of　the　retreat　stretched　out　far　ahead；　everything　stationary　except　for　the　infantry　filtering　through。　We　started　to　move　again　but　seeing　the　rate　of　progress　in　the　daylight；　I　knew　we　were　going　to　have　to　get　off　that　main　road　some　way　and　go　across　country　if　we　ever　hoped　to　reach　Udine。
In　the　night　many　peasants　had　joined　the　column　from　the　roads　of　the　country　and　in　the　column　there　were　carts　loaded　with　household　goods；　there　were　mirrors　projecting　up　between　mattresses；　and　chickens　and　ducks　tied　to　carts。　There　was　a　sewing　machine　on　the　cart　ahead　of　us　in　the　rain。　They　had　saved　the　most　valuable　things。　On　some　carts　the　women　sat　huddled　from　the　rain　and　others　walked　beside　the　carts　keeping　as　close　to　them　as　they　could。　There　were　dogs　now　in　the　column；　keeping　under　the　wagons　as　they　moved　along。　The　road　was　muddy；　the　ditches　at　the　side　were　high　with　water　and　beyond　the　trees　that　lined　the　road　the　fields　looked　too　wet　and　too　soggy　to　try　to　cross。　I　got　down　from　the　car　and　worked　up　the　road　a　way；　looking　for　a　place　where　I　could　see　ahead　to　find　a　side…road　we　could　take　across　country。　I　knew　there　were　many　side…roads　but　did　not　want　one　that　would　lead　to　nothing。　I　could　not　remember　them　because　we　had　always　passed　them　bowling　along　in　the　car　on　the　main　road　and　they　all　looked　much　alike。　Now　I　knew　we　must　find　one　if　we　hoped　to　get　through。　No　one　knew　where　the　Austrians　were　nor　how　things　were　going　but　I　was　certain　that　if　the　rain　should　stop　and　planes　e　over　and　get　to　work　on　that　column　that　it　would　be　all　over。　All　that　was　needed　was　for　a　few　men　to　leave　their　trucks　or　a　few　horses　be　killed　to　tie　up　pletely　the　movement　on　the　road。
The　rain　was　not　falling　so　heavily　now　and　I　thought　it　might　clear。　I　went　ahead　along　the　edge　of　the　road　and　when　there　was　a　small　road　that　led　off　to　the　north　between　two　fields　with　a　hedge　of　trees　on　both　sides；　I　thought　that　we　had　better　take　it　and　hurried　back　to　the　cars。　I　told　Piani　to　turn　off　and　went　back　to　tell　Bonello　and　Aymo。
〃If　it　leads　nowhere　we　can　turn　around　and　cut　back　in；〃　I　said。
〃What　about　these？〃　Bonello　asked。　His　two　sergeants　were　beside　him　on　the　seat。　They　were　unshaven　but　still　military　looking　in　the　early　morning。
〃They'll　be　good　to　push；〃　I　said。　I　went　back　to　Aymo　and　told　him　we　were　going　to　try　it　across　country。
〃What　about　my　virgin　family？〃　Aymo　asked。　The　two　girls　were　asleep。
〃They　won't　be　very　useful；〃　I　said。　〃You　ought　to　have　some　one　that　could　push。〃
〃They　could　go　back　in　the　car；〃　Aymo　said。　〃There's　room　in　the　car。〃
〃All　right　if　you　want　them；〃　I　said。　〃Pick　up　somebody　with　a　wide　back　to　push。〃
〃Bersaglieri；〃　Aymo　smiled。　〃They　have　the　widest　backs。　They　measure　them。　How　do　you　feel；　Tenente？〃
〃Fine。　How　are　you？〃
〃Fine。　But　very　hungry。〃
〃There　ought　to　be　something　up　that　road　and　we　will　stop　and　eat。〃
〃How's　your　leg；　Tenente？〃
〃Fine；〃　I　said。　Standing　on　the　step　and　looking　up　ahead　I　could　see　Piani's　car　pulling　out　onto　the　little　side…road　and　starting　up　it；　his　car　showing　through　the　hedge　of　bare　branches。　Bonello　turned　off　and　followed　him　and　then　Piani　worked　his　way　out　and　we　followed　the　two　ambulances　ahead　along　the　narrow　road　between　hedges。　It　led　to　a　farmhouse。　We　found　Piani　and　Bonello　stopped　in　the　farmyard。　The　house　was　low　and　long　with　a　trellis　with　a　grape…vine　over　the　door。　There　was　a　well　in　the　yard　and　Piani　was　getting　up　water　to　fill　his　radiator。　So　much　going　in　low　gear　had　boiled　it　out。　The　farmhouse　was　deserted。　I　looked　back　down　the　road；　the　farmhouse　was　on　a　slight　elevation　above　the　plain；　and　we　could　see　over　the　country；　and　saw　the　road；　the　hedges；　the　fields　and　the　line　of　trees　along　the　main　road　where　the　retreat　was　passing。　The　two　sergeants　were　looking　through　the　house。　The　girls　were　awake　and　looking　at　the　courtyard；　the　well　and　the　two　big　ambulances　in　front　of　the　farmhouse；　with　three　drivers　at　the　well。　One　of　the　sergeants　came　out　with　a　clock　in　his　hand。
〃Put　it　back；〃　I　said。　He　looked　at　me；　went　in　the　house　and　came　back　without　the　clock。
〃Where's　your　partner？〃　I　asked。
〃He's　gone　to　the　latrine。〃　He　got　up　on　the　seat　of　the　ambulance。　He　was　afraid　we　would　leave　him。
〃What　about　breakfast；　Tenente？〃　Bonello　asked。　〃We　could　eat　something。　It　wouldn't　take　very　long。〃
〃Do　you　think　this　road　going　down　on　the　other　side　will　lead　to　anything？〃
〃Sure。〃
〃All　right。　Let's　eat。〃　Piani　and　Bonello　went　in　the　house。
〃e　on；〃　Aymo　said　to　the　girls。　He　held　his　hand　to　help　them　down。　The　older　sister　shook　her　head。　They　were　not　going　into　any　deserted　house。　They　looked　after　us。
〃They　are　difficult；〃　Aymo　said。　We　went　into　the　farmhouse　together。　It　was　large　and　dark；　an　abandoned　feeling。　Bonello　and　Piani　were　in　the　kitchen。
〃There's　not　much　to　eat；〃　Piani　said。　〃They've　cleaned　it　out。〃　Bonello　sliced　a　big　cheese　on　the　heavy　kitchen　table。
〃Where　was　the　cheese？〃
〃In　the　cellar。　Piani　found　wine　too　and　apples。〃
〃That's　a　good　breakfast。〃
Piani　was　taking　the　wooden　cork　out　of　a　big　wicker…covered　wine　jug。　He　tipped　it　and　poured　a　copper　pan　full。
〃It　smells　all　right；〃　he　said。　〃Find　some　beakers；　Barto。〃
The　two　sergeants　came　in。
〃Have　some　cheese；　sergeants；〃　Bonello　said。
〃We　should　go；〃　one　of　the　sergeants　said；　eating　his　cheese　and　drinking　a　cup　of　wine。
〃We'll　go。　Don't　worry；〃　Bonello　said。
〃An　army　travels　on　its　stomach；〃　I　said。
〃What？〃　asked　the　sergeant。
〃It's　better　to　eat。〃
〃Yes。　But　time　is　precious。〃
〃I　believe　the　bastards　have　eaten　already；〃　Piani　said。　The　sergeants　looked　at　him。　They　hated　the　lot　of　us。
〃You　know　the　road？〃　one　of　them　asked　me。
〃No；〃　I　said。　They　looked　at　each　other。
〃We　would　do　best　to　start；〃　the　first　one　said。
〃We　are　starting；〃　I　said。　I　drank　another　cup　of　the　red　wine。　It　tasted　very　good　after　the　cheese　and　apple。
〃Bring　the　cheese；〃　I　said　and　went　out。　Bonello　came　out　carrying　the　great　jug　of　wine。
〃That's　too　big；〃　I　said。　He　looked　at　it　regretfully。
〃I　guess　it　is；〃　he　said。　〃Give　me　the　canteens　to　fill。〃　He　filled　the　canteens　and　some　of　the　wine　ran　out　on　the　stone　paving　of　the　courtyard。　Then　he　picked　up　the　wine　jug　and　put　it　just　inside　the　door。
〃The　Austrians　can　find　it　without　breaking　the　door　down；〃　he　said。
〃We'll　roll。〃　I　said。　〃Piani　and　I　will　go　ahead。〃　The　two　engineers　were　already　on　the　seat　beside　Bonello。　The　girls　were　eating　cheese　and　apples。　Aymo　was　smoking。　We　started　off　down　the　narrow　road。　I　looked　back　at　the　two　cars　ing　and　the　farmhouse。　It　was　a　fine；　low；　solid　stone　house　and　the　ironwork　of　the　well　was　very　good。　Ahead　of　us　the　road　was　narrow　and　muddy　and　there　was　a　high　hedge　on　either　side。　Behind；　the　cars　were　following　closely。




29


At　noon　we　were　stuck　in　a　muddy　road　about；　as　nearly　as　we　could　figure；　ten　kilometres　from　Udine。　The　rain　had　stopped　during　the　forenoon　and　three　times　we　had　heard　planes　ing；　seen　them　pass　overhead；　watched　them　go　far　to　the　left　and　heard　them　bombing　on　the　main　highroad。　We　had　worked　through　a　network　of　secondary　roads　and　had　taken　many　roads　that　were　blind；　but　had　always；　by　backing　up　and　finding　another　road；　gotten　closer　to　Udine。　Now；　Aymo's　car；　in　backing　so　that　we　might　get　out　of　a　blind　road；　had　gotten　into　the　soft　earth　at　the　side　and　the　wheels；　spinning；　had　dug　deeper　and　deeper　until　the　car　rested　on　its　differential。　The　thing　to　do　now　was　to　dig　out　in　front　of　the　wheels；　put　in　brush　so　that　the　chains　could　grip；　and　then　push　until　the　car　was　on　the　road。　We　were　all　down　on　the　road　around　the　car。　The　two　sergeants　looked　at　the　car　and　examined　the　wheels。　Then　they　started　off　down　the　road　without　a　word。　I　went　after　them。
〃e　on；〃　I　said。　〃Cut　some　brush。〃