永别了,武器(英文版)海明威著-第42部分

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led　of　early　morning；　of　swept　dust；　spoons　in　coffee…glasses　and　the　wet　circles　left　by　wine…glasses。　The　proprietor　was　behind　the　bar。　Two　soldiers　sat　at　a　table。　I　stood　at　the　bar　and　drank　a　glass　of　coffee　and　ate　a　piece　of　bread。　The　coffee　was　gray　with　milk；　and　I　skimmed　the　milk　scum　off　the　top　with　a　piece　of　bread。　The　proprietor　looked　at　me。
〃You　want　a　glass　of　grappa？〃
〃No　thanks。〃
〃On　me；〃　he　said　and　poured　a　small　glass　and　pushed　it　toward　me。　〃What's　happening　at　the　front？〃
〃I　would　not　know。〃
〃They　are　drunk；〃　he　said；　moving　his　hand　toward　the　two　soldiers。　I　could　believe　him。　They　looked　drunk。
〃Tell　me；〃　he　said；　〃what　is　happening　at　the　front？〃
〃I　would　not　know　about　the　front。〃
〃I　saw　you　e　down　the　wall。　You　came　off　the　train。〃
〃There　is　a　big　retreat。〃
〃I　read　the　papers。　What　happens？　Is　it　over？〃
〃I　don't　think　so。〃
He　filled　the　glass　with　grappa　from　a　short　bottle。　〃If　you　are　in　trouble；〃　he　said；　〃I　can　keep　you。〃
〃I　am　not　in　trouble。〃
〃If　you　are　in　trouble　stay　here　with　me。〃
〃Where　does　one　stay？〃
〃In　the　building。　Many　stay　here。　Any　who　are　in　trouble　stay　here。〃
〃Are　many　in　trouble？〃
〃It　depends　on　the　trouble。　You　are　a　South　American？〃
〃No。〃
〃Speak　Spanish？〃
〃A　little。〃
He　wiped　off　the　bar。
〃It　is　hard　now　to　leave　the　country　but　in　no　way　impossible。〃
〃I　have　no　wish　to　leave。〃
〃You　can　stay　here　as　long　as　you　want。　You　will　see　what　sort　of　man　I　am。〃
〃I　have　to　go　this　morning　but　I　will　remember　the　address　to　return。〃
He　shook　his　head。　〃You　won't　e　back　if　you　talk　like　that。　I　thought　you　were　in　real　trouble。〃
〃I　am　in　no　trouble。　But　I　value　the　address　of　a　friend。〃
I　put　a　ten…lira　note　on　the　bar　to　pay　for　the　coffee。
〃Have　a　grappa　with　me；〃　I　said。
〃It　is　not　necessary。〃
〃Have　one。〃
He　poured　the　two　glasses。
〃Remember；〃　he　said。　〃e　here。　Do　not　let　other　people　take　you　in。　Here　you　are　all　right。〃
〃I　am　sure。〃
〃You　are　sure？〃
〃Yes。〃
He　was　serious。　〃Then　let　me　tell　you　one　thing。　Do　not　go　about　with　that　coat。〃
〃Why？〃
〃On　the　sleeves　it　shows　very　plainly　where　the　stars　have　been　cut　away。　The　cloth　is　a　different　color。〃
I　did　not　say　anything。
〃If　you　have　no　papers　I　can　give　you　papers。〃
〃What　papers？〃
〃Leave…papers。〃
〃I　have　no　need　for　papers。　I　have　papers。〃
〃All　right；〃　he　said。　〃But　if　you　need　papers　I　can　get　what　you　wish。〃
〃How　much　are　such　papers？〃
〃It　depends　on　what　they　are。　The　price　is　reasonable。〃
〃I　don't　need　any　now。〃
He　shrugged　his　shoulders。
〃I'm　all　right；〃　I　said。
When　I　went　out　he　said；　〃Don't　forget　that　I　am　your　friend。〃
〃No。〃
〃I　will　see　you　again；〃　he　said。
〃Good；〃　I　said。
Outside　I　kept　away　from　the　station；　where　there　were　military　police；　and　picked　up　a　cab　at　the　edge　of　the　little　park。　I　gave　the　driver　the　address　of　the　hospital。　At　the　hospital　I　went　to　the　porter's　lodge。　His　wife　embraced　me。　He　shook　my　hand。
〃You　are　back。　You　are　safe。〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Have　you　had　breakfast？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃How　are　you；　Tenente？　How　are　you？〃　the　wife　asked。
〃Fine。〃
〃Won't　you　have　breakfast　with　us？〃
〃No；　thank　you。　Tell　me　is　Miss　Barkley　here　at　the　hospital　now？〃
〃Miss　Barkley？〃
〃The　English　lady　nurse。〃
〃His　girl；〃　the　wife　said。　She　patted　my　arm　and　smiled。
〃No；〃　the　porter　said。　〃She　is　away。〃
My　heart　went　down。　〃You　are　sure？　I　mean　the　tall　blonde　English　young　lady。〃
〃I　am　sure。　She　is　gone　to　Stresa。〃
〃When　did　she　go？〃
〃She　went　two　days　ago　with　the　other　lady　English。〃
〃Good；〃　I　said。　〃I　wish　you　to　do　something　for　me。　Do　not　tell　any　one　you　have　seen　me。　It　is　very　important。〃
〃I　won't　tell　any　one；〃　the　porter　said。　I　gave　him　a　ten…lira　note。　He　pushed　it　away。
〃I　promise　you　I　will　tell　no　one；〃　he　said。　〃I　don't　want　any　money。〃
〃What　can　we　do　for　you；　Signor　Tenente？〃　his　wife　asked。
〃Only　that；〃　I　said。
〃We　are　dumb；〃　the　porter　said。　〃You　will　let　me　know　anything　I　can　do？〃
〃Yes；〃　I　said。　〃Good…by。　I　will　see　you　again。〃
They　stood　in　the　door；　looking　after　me。
I　got　into　the　cab　and　gave　the　driver　the　address　of　Simmons；　one　of　the　men　I　knew　who　was　studying　singing。
Simmons　lived　a　long　way　out　in　the　town　toward　the　Porta　Magenta。　He　was　still　in　bed　and　sleepy　when　I　went　to　see　him。
〃You　get　up　awfully　early；　Henry；〃　he　said。
〃I　came　in　on　the　early　train。〃
〃What's　all　this　retreat？　Were　you　at　the　front？　Will　you　have　a　cigarette？　They're　in　that　box　on　the　table。〃　It　was　a　big　room　with　a　bed　beside　the　wall；　a　piano　over　on　the　far　side　and　a　dresser　and　table。　I　sat　on　a　chair　by　the　bed。　Simmons　sat　propped　up　by　the　pillows　and　smoked。
〃I'm　in　a　jam；　Sim；〃　I　said。
〃So　am　I；〃　he　said。　〃I'm　always　in　a　jam。　Won't　you　smoke？〃
〃No；〃　I　said。　〃What's　the　procedure　in　going　to　Switzerland？〃
〃For　you？　The　Italians　wouldn't　let　you　out　of　the　country。〃
〃Yes。　I　know　that。　But　the　Swiss。　What　will　they　do？〃
〃They　intern　you。〃
〃I　know。　But　what's　the　mechanics　of　it？〃
〃Nothing。　It's　very　simple。　You　can　go　anywhere。　I　think　you　just　have　to　report　or　something。　Why？　Are　you　fleeing　the　police？〃
〃Nothing　definite　yet。〃
〃Don't　tell　me　if　you　don't　want。　But　it　would　be　interesting　to　hear。　Nothing　happens　here。　I　was　a　great　flop　at　Piacenza。〃
〃I'm　awfully　sorry。〃
〃Oh　yes……I　went　very　badly。　I　sung　well　too。　I'm　going　to　try　it　again　at　the　Lyrico　here。〃
〃I'd　like　to　be　there。〃
〃You're　awfully　polite。　You　aren't　in　a　bad　mess；　are　you？〃
〃I　don't　know。〃
〃Don't　tell　me　if　you　don't　want。　How　do　you　happen　to　be　away　from　the　bloody　front？〃
〃I　think　I'm　through　with　it。〃
〃Good　boy。　I　always　knew　you　had　sense。　Can　I　help　you　any　way？〃
〃You're　awfully　busy。〃
〃Not　a　bit　of　it；　my　dear　Henry。　Not　a　bit　of　it。　I'd　be　happy　to　do　anything。〃
〃You're　about　my　size。　Would　you　go　out　and　buy　me　an　outfit　of　civilian　clothes？　I've　clothes　but　they're　all　at　Rome。〃
〃You　did　live　there；　didn't　you？　It's　a　filthy　place。　How　did　you　ever　live　there？〃
〃I　wanted　to　be　an　architect。〃
〃That's　no　place　for　that。　Don't　buy　clothes。　I'll　give　you　all　the　clothes　you　want。　I'll　fit　you　out　so　you'll　be　a　great　success。　Go　in　that　dressing　room。　There's　a　closet。　Take　anything　you　want。　My　dear　fellow；　you　don't　want　to　buy　clothes。〃
〃I'd　rather　buy　them；　Sim。〃
〃My　dear　fellow；　it's　easier　for　me　to　let　you　have　them　than　go　out　and　buy　them。　Have　you　got　a　passport？　You　won't　get　far　without　a　passport。〃
〃Yes。　I've　still　got　my　passport。〃
〃Then　get　dressed；　my　dear　fellow；　and　off　to　old　Helvetia。〃
〃It's　not　that　simple。　I　have　to　go　up　to　Stresa　first。〃
〃Ideal；　my　dear　fellow。　You　just　row　a　boat　across。　If　I　wasn't　trying　to　sing；　I'd　go　with　you。　I'll　go　yet。〃
〃You　could　take　up　yodelling。〃
〃My　dear　fellow；　I'll　take　up　yodelling　yet。　I　really　can　sing　though。　That's　the　strange　part。〃
〃I'll　bet　you　can　sing。〃
He　lay　back　in　bed　smoking　a　cigarette。
〃Don't　bet　too　much。　But　I　can　sing　though。　It's　damned　funny；　but　I　can。　I　like　to　sing。　Listen。〃　He　roared　into　〃Africana；〃　his　neck　swelling；　the　veins　standing　out。　〃I　can　sing；〃　he　said。　〃Whether　they　like　it　or　not。〃　I　looked　out　of　the　window。　〃I'll　go　down　and　let　my　cab　go。〃
〃e　back　up；　my　dear　fellow；　and　we'll　have　breakfast。〃　He　stepped　out　of　bed；　stood　straight；　took　a　deep　breath　and　menced　doing　bending　exercises。　I　went　downstairs　and　paid　off　the　cab。




34


In　civilian　clothes　I　felt　a　masquerader。　I　had　been　in　uniform　a　long　time　and　I　missed　the　feeling　of　being　held　by　your　clothes。　The　trousers　felt　very　floppy。　I　had　bought　a　ticket　at　Milan　for　Stresa。　I　had　also　bought　a　new　hat。　I　could　not　wear　Sim's　hat　but　his　clothes　were　fine。　They　smelled　of　tobacco　and　as　I　sat　in　the　partment　and　looked　out　the　window　the　new　hat　felt　very　new　and　the　clothes　very　old。　I　myself　felt　as　sad　as　the　wet　Lombard　country　that　was　outside　through　the　window。　There　were　some　aviators　in　the　partment　who　did　not　think　much　of　me。　They　avoided　looking　at　me　and　were　very　scornful　of　a　civilian　my　age。　I　did　not　feel　insulted。　In　the　old　days　I　would　have　insulted　them　and　picked　a　fight。　They　got　off　at　Gallarate　and　I　was