永别了,武器(英文版)海明威著-第46部分

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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　don't　want　to　talk　about　it？　Good。　What　have　you　been　reading？〃
〃Nothing；〃　I　said。　〃I'm　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　doesn't。〃
〃What？〃
〃He　doesn't　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　don't　know　about　the　soul。〃
〃Poor　boy。　We　none　of　us　know　about　the　soul。　Are　you　Croyant？〃
〃At　night。〃
Count　Greffi　smiled　and　turned　the　glass　with　his　fingers。　〃I　had　expected　to　bee　more　devout　as　I　grow　older　but　somehow　I　haven't；〃　he　said。　〃It　is　a　great　pity。〃
〃Would　you　like　to　live　after　death？〃　I　asked　and　instantly　felt　a　fool　to　mention　death。　But　he　did　not　mind　the　word。
〃It　would　depend　on　the　life。　This　life　is　very　pleasant。　I　would　like　to　live　forever；〃　he　smiled。　〃I　very　nearly　have。〃
We　were　sitting　in　the　deep　leather　chairs；　the　champagne　in　the　ice…bucket　and　our　glasses　on　the　table　between　us。
〃If　you　ever　live　to　be　as　old　as　I　am　you　will　find　many　things　strange。〃
〃You　never　seem　old。〃
〃It　is　the　body　that　is　old。　Sometimes　I　am　afraid　I　will　break　off　a　finger　as　one　breaks　a　stick　of　chalk。　And　the　spirit　is　no　older　and　not　much　wiser。〃
〃You　are　wise。〃
〃No；　that　is　the　great　fallacy；　the　wisdom　of　old　men。　They　do　not　grow　wise。　They　grow　careful。〃
〃Perhaps　that　is　wisdom。〃
〃It　is　a　very　unattractive　wisdom。　What　do　you　value　most？〃
〃Some　one　I　love。〃
〃With　me　it　is　the　same。　That　is　not　wisdom。　Do　you　value　life？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃So　do　I。　Because　it　is　all　I　have。　And　to　give　birthday　parties；〃　he　laughed。　〃You　are　probably　wiser　than　I　am。　You　do　not　give　birthday　parties。〃
We　both　drank　the　wine。
〃What　do　you　think　of　the　war　really？〃　I　asked。
〃I　think　it　is　stupid。〃
〃Who　will　win　it？〃
〃Italy。〃
〃Why？〃
〃They　are　a　younger　nation。〃
〃Do　younger　nations　always　win　wars？〃
〃They　are　apt　to　for　a　time。〃
〃Then　what　happens？〃
〃They　bee　older　nations。〃
〃You　said　you　were　not　wise。〃
〃Dear　boy；　that　is　not　wisdom。　That　is　cynicism。〃
〃It　sounds　very　wise　to　me。〃
〃It's　not　particularly。　I　could　quote　you　the　examples　on　the　other　side。　But　it　is　not　bad。　Have　we　finished　the　champagne？〃
〃Almost。〃
〃Should　we　drink　some　more？　Then　I　must　dress。〃
〃Perhaps　we'd　better　not　now。〃
〃You　are　sure　you　don't　want　more？〃
〃Yes。〃　He　stood　up。
〃I　hope　you　will　be　very　fortunate　and　very　happy　and　very；　very　healthy。〃
〃Thank　you。　And　I　hope　you　will　live　forever。〃
〃Thank　you。　I　have。　And　if　you　ever　bee　devout　pray　for　me　if　I　am　dead。　I　am　asking　several　of　my　friends　to　do　that。　I　had　expected　to　bee　devout　myself　but　it　has　not　e。〃　I　thought　he　smiled　sadly　but　I　could　not　tell。　He　was　so　old　and　his　face　was　very　wrinkled；　so　that　a　smile　used　so　many　lines　that　all　gradations　were　lost。
〃I　might　bee　very　devout；〃　I　said。　〃Anyway；　I　will　pray　for　you。〃
〃I　had　always　expected　to　bee　devout。　All　my　family　died　very　devout。　But　somehow　it　does　not　e。〃
〃It's　too　early。〃
〃Maybe　it　is　too　late。　Perhaps　I　have　outlived　my　religious　feeling。〃
〃My　own　es　only　at　night。〃
〃Then　too　you　are　in　love。　Do　not　forget　that　is　a　religious　feeling。〃
〃You　believe　so？〃
〃Of　course。〃　He　took　a　step　toward　the　table。　〃You　were　very　kind　to　play。〃
〃It　was　a　great　pleasure。〃
〃We　will　walk　up　stairs　together。〃




36


That　night　there　was　a　storm　and　I　woke　to　hear　the　rain　lashing　the　window…panes。　It　was　ing　in　the　open　window。　Some　one　had　knocked　on　the　door。　I　went　to　the　door　very　softly；　not　to　disturb　Catherine；　and　opened　it。　The　barman　stood　there。　He　wore　his　overcoat　and　carried　his　wet　hat。
〃Can　I　speak　to　you；　Tenente？〃
〃What's　the　matter？〃
〃It's　a　very　serious　matter。〃
I　looked　around。　The　room　was　dark。　I　saw　the　water　on　the　floor　from　the　window。　〃e　in；〃　I　said。　I　took　him　by　the　arm　into　the　bathroom；　locked　the　door　and　put　on　the　light。　I　sat　down　on　the　edge　of　the　bathtub。
〃What's　the　matter；　Emilio？　Are　you　in　trouble？〃
〃No。　You　are；　Tenente。〃
〃Yes？〃
〃They　are　going　to　arrest　you　in　the　morning。〃
〃Yes？〃
〃I　came　to　tell　you。　I　was　out　in　the　town　and　I　heard　them　talking　in　a　caf？〃
〃I　see。〃
He　stood　there；　his　coat　wet；　holding　his　wet　hat　and　said　nothing。
〃Why　are　they　going　to　arrest　me？〃
〃For　something　about　the　war。〃
〃Do　you　know　what？〃
〃No。　But　I　know　that　they　know　you　were　here　before　as　an　officer　and　now　you　are　here　out　of　uniform。　After　this　retreat　they　arrest　everybody。〃
I　thought　a　minute。
〃What　time　do　they　e　to　arrest　me？〃
〃In　the　morning。　I　don't　know　the　time。〃
〃What　do　you　say　to　do？〃
He　put　his　hat　in　the　washbowl。　It　was　very　wet　and　had　been　dripping　on　the　floor。
〃If　you　have　nothing　to　fear　an　arrest　is　nothing。　But　it　is　always　bad　to　be　arrested……especially　now。〃
〃I　don't　want　to　be　arrested。〃
〃Then　go　to　Switzerland。〃
〃How？〃
〃In　my　boat。〃
〃There　is　a　storm；〃　I　said。
〃The　storm　is　over。　It　is　rough　but　you　will　be　all　right。〃
〃When　should　we　go？〃
〃Right　away。　They　might　e　to　arrest　you　early　in　the　morning。〃
〃What　about　our　bags？〃
〃Get　them　packed。　Get　your　lady　dressed。　I　will　take　care　of　them。〃
〃Where　will　you　be？〃
〃I　will　wait　here。　I　don't　want　any　one　to　see　me　outside　in　the　hall。〃
I　opened　the　door；　closed　it；　and　went　into　the　bedroom。　Catherine　was　awake。
〃What　is　it；　darling？〃
〃It's　all　right；　Cat；〃　I　said。　〃Would　you　like　to　get　dressed　right　away　and　go　in　a　boat　to　Switzerland？〃
〃Would　you？〃
〃No；〃　I　said。　〃I'd　like　to　go　back　to　bed。〃
〃What　is　it　about？〃
〃The　barman　says　they　are　going　to　arrest　me　in　the　morning。〃
〃Is　the　barman　crazy？〃
〃No。〃
〃Then　please　hurry；　darling；　and　get　dressed　so　we　can　start。〃　She　sat　up　on　the　side　of　the　bed。　She　was　still　sleepy。　〃Is　that　the　barman　in　the　bathroom？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Then　I　won't　wash。　Please　look　the　other　way；　darling；　and　I'll　be　dressed　in　just　a　minute。〃
I　saw　her　white　back　as　she　took　off　her　night…gown　and　then　I　looked　away　because　she　wanted　me　to。　She　was　beginning　to　be　a　little　big　with　the　child　and　she　did　not　want　me　to　see　her。　I　dressed　hearing　the　rain　on　the　windows。　I　did　not　have　much　to　put　in　my　bag。
〃There's　plenty　of　room　in　my　bag；　Cat；　if　you　need　any。〃
〃I'm　almost　packed；〃　she　said。　〃Darling；　I'm　awfully　stupid；　but　why　is　the　barman　in　the　bathroom？〃
〃Sh……he's　waiting　to　take　our　bags　down。〃
〃He's　awfully　nice。〃
〃He's　an　old　friend；〃　I　said。　〃I　nearly　sent　him　some　pipetobacco　once。〃
I　looked　out　the　open　window　at　the　dark　night。　I　could　not　see　the　lake；　only　the　dark　and　the　rain　but　the　wind　was　quieter。
〃I'm　ready；　darling；〃　Catherine　said。
〃All　right。〃　I　went　to　the　bathroom　door。　〃Here　are　the　bags；　Emilio；〃　I　said。　The　barman　took　the　two　bags。
〃You're　very　good　to　help　us；〃　Catherine　said。
〃That's　nothing；　lady；〃　the　barman　said。　〃I'm　glad　to　help　you　just　so　I　don't　get　in　trouble　myself。　Listen；〃　he　said　to　me。　〃I'll　take　these　out　the　servants'　stairs　and　to　the　boat。　You　just　go　out　as　though　you　were　going　for　a　walk。〃
〃It's　a　lovely　night　for　a　walk；〃　Catherine　said。
〃It's　a　bad　night　all　right。〃
〃I'm　glad　I've　an　umbrella；〃　Catherine　said。
We　walked　down　the　hall　and　down　the　wide　thickly　carpeted　stairs。　At　the　foot　of　the　stairs　by　the　door　the　porter　sat　behind　his　desk。
He　looked　surprised　at　seeing　us。
〃You're　not　going　out；　sir？〃　he　said。
〃Yes；〃　I　said。　〃We're　going　to　see　the　storm　along　the　lake。〃
〃Haven't　you　got　an　umbrella；　sir？〃
〃No；〃　I　said。　〃This　coat　sheds　water。〃
He　looked　at　i