永别了,武器(英文版)海明威著-第6部分

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s　climbed　all　over　you　and　put　your　cap　on　backward　as　a　sign　of　affection　between　their　trips　upstairs　with　brother　officers。　I　knew　I　did　not　love　Catherine　Barkley　nor　had　any　idea　of　loving　her。　This　was　a　game；　like　bridge；　in　which　you　said　things　instead　of　playing　cards。　Like　bridge　you　had　to　pretend　you　were　playing　for　money　or　playing　for　some　stakes。　Nobody　had　mentioned　what　the　stakes　were。　It　was　all　right　with　me。
〃I　wish　there　was　some　place　we　could　go；〃　I　said。　I　was　experiencing　the　masculine　difficulty　of　making　love　very　long　standing　up。
〃There　isn't　any　place；〃　she　said。　She　came　back　from　wherever　she　had　been。
〃We　might　sit　there　just　for　a　little　while。〃
We　sat　on　the　flat　stone　bench　and　I　held　Catherine　Barkley's　hand。　She　would　not　let　me　put　my　arm　around　her。
〃Are　you　very　tired？〃　she　asked。
〃No。〃
She　looked　down　at　the　grass。
〃This　is　a　rotten　game　we　play；　isn't　it？〃
〃What　game？〃
〃Don't　be　dull。〃
〃I'm　not；　on　purpose。〃
〃You're　a　nice　boy；〃　she　said。　〃And　you　play　it　as　well　as　you　know　how。　But　it's　a　rotten　game。〃
〃Do　you　always　know　what　people　think？〃
〃Not　always。　But　I　do　with　you。　You　don't　have　to　pretend　you　love　me。　That's　over　for　the　evening。　Is　there　anything　you'd　like　to　talk　about？〃
〃But　I　do　love　you。〃
〃Please　let's　not　lie　when　we　don't　have　to。　I　had　a　very　fine　little　show　and　I'm　all　right　now。　You　see　I'm　not　mad　and　I'm　not　gone　off。　It's　only　a　little　sometimes。〃
I　pressed　her　hand；　〃Dear　Catherine。〃
〃It　sounds　very　funny　now……Catherine。　You　don't　pronounce　it　very　much　alike。　But　you're　very　nice。　You're　a　very　good　boy。〃
〃That's　what　the　priest　said。〃
〃Yes；　you're　very　good。　And　you　will　e　and　see　me？〃
〃Of　course。〃
〃And　you　don't　have　to　say　you　love　me。　That's　all　over　for　a　while。〃　She　stood　up　and　put　out　her　hand。　〃Good…night。〃
I　wanted　to　kiss　her。
〃No；〃　she　said。　〃I'm　awfully　tired。〃
〃Kiss　me；　though；〃　I　said。
〃I'm　awfully　tired；　darling。〃
〃Kiss　me。〃
〃Do　you　want　to　very　much？〃
〃Yes。〃
We　kissed　and　she　broke　away　suddenly。　〃No。　Good…night；　please；　darling。〃　We　walked　to　the　door　and　I　saw　her　go　in　and　down　the　hall。　I　liked　to　watch　her　move。　She　went　on　down　the　hall。　I　went　on　home。　It　was　a　hot　night　and　there　was　a　good　deal　going　on　up　in　the　mountains。　I　watched　the　flashes　on　San　Gabriele。
I　stopped　in　front　of　the　Villa　Rossa。　The　shutters　were　up　but　it　was　still　going　on　inside。　Somebody　was　singing。　I　went　on　home。　Rinaldi　came　in　while　I　was　undressing。
〃Ah；　ha！〃　he　said。　〃It　does　not　go　so　well。　Baby　is　puzzled。〃
〃Where　have　you　been？〃
〃At　the　Villa　Rossa。　It　was　very　edifying；　baby。　We　all　sang。　Where　have　you　been？〃
〃Calling　on　the　British。〃
〃Thank　God　I　did　not　bee　involved　with　the　British。〃




7


I　came　back　the　next　afternoon　from　our　first　mountain　post　and　stopped　the　car　at　the　smistimento　where　the　wounded　and　sick　were　sorted　by　their　papers　and　the　papers　marked　for　the　different　hospitals。　I　had　been　driving　and　I　sat　in　the　car　and　the　driver　took　the　papers　in。　It　was　a　hot　day　and　the　sky　was　very　bright　and　blue　and　the　road　was　white　and　dusty。　I　sat　in　the　high　seat　of　the　Fiat　and　thought　about　nothing。　A　regiment　went　by　in　the　road　and　I　watched　them　pass。　The　men　were　hot　and　sweating。　Some　wore　their　steel　helmets　but　most　of　them　carried　them　slung　from　their　packs。　Most　of　the　helmets　were　too　big　and　came　down　almost　over　the　ears　of　the　men　who　wore　them。　The　officers　all　wore　helmets；　better…fitting　helmets。　It　was　half　of　the　brigata　Basilicata。　I　identified　them　by　their　red　and　white　striped　collar　mark。　There　were　stragglers　going　by　long　after　the　regiment　had　passed……men　who　could　not　keep　up　with　their　platoons。　They　were　sweaty；　dusty　and　tired。　Some　looked　pretty　bad。　A　soldier　came　along　after　the　last　of　the　stragglers。　He　was　walking　with　a　limp。　He　stopped　and　sat　down　beside　the　road。　I　got　down　and　went　over。
〃What's　the　matter？〃
He　looked　at　me；　then　stood　up。
〃I'm　going　on。〃
〃What's　the　trouble？〃
〃……　the　war。〃
〃What's　wrong　with　your　leg？〃
〃It's　not　my　leg。　I　got　a　rupture。〃
〃Why　don't　you　ride　with　the　transport？〃　I　asked。　〃Why　don't　you　go　to　the　hospital？〃
〃They　won't　let　me。　The　lieutenant　said　I　slipped　the　truss　on　purpose。〃
〃Let　me　feel　it。〃
〃It's　way　out。〃
〃Which　side　is　it　on？〃
〃Here。〃
I　felt　it。
〃Cough；〃　I　said。
〃I'm　afraid　it　will　make　it　bigger。　It's　twice　as　big　as　it　was　this　morning。〃
〃Sit　down；〃　I　said。　〃As　soon　as　I　get　the　papers　on　these　wounded　I'll　take　you　along　the　road　and　drop　you　with　your　medical　officers。〃
〃He'll　say　I　did　it　on　purpose。〃
〃They　can't　do　anything；〃　I　said。　〃It's　not　a　wound。　You've　had　it　before；　haven't　you？〃
〃But　I　lost　the　truss。〃
〃They'll　send　you　to　a　hospital。〃
〃Can't　I　stay　here；　Tenente？〃
〃No；　I　haven't　any　papers　for　you。〃
The　driver　came　out　of　the　door　with　the　papers　for　the　wounded　in　the　car。
〃Four　for　105。　Two　for　132；〃　he　said。　They　were　hospitals　beyond　the　river。
〃You　drive；〃　I　said。　I　helped　the　soldier　with　the　rupture　up　on　the　seat　with　us。
〃You　speak　English？〃　he　asked。
〃Sure。〃
〃How　you　like　this　goddam　war？〃
〃Rotten。〃
〃I　say　it's　rotten。　Jesus　Christ；　I　say　it's　rotten。〃
〃Were　you　in　the　States？〃
〃Sure。　In　Pittsburgh。　I　knew　you　was　an　American。〃
〃Don't　I　talk　Italian　good　enough？〃
〃I　knew　you　was　an　American　all　right。〃
〃Another　American；〃　said　the　driver　in　Italian　looking　at　the　hernia　man。
〃Listen；　lootenant。　Do　you　have　to　take　me　to　that　regiment？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Because　the　captain　doctor　knew　I　had　this　rupture。　I　threw　away　the　goddam　truss　so　it　would　get　bad　and　I　wouldn't　have　to　go　to　the　line　again。〃
〃I　see。〃
〃Couldn't　you　take　me　no　place　else？〃
〃If　it　was　closer　to　the　front　I　could　take　you　to　a　first　medical　post。　But　back　here　you've　got　to　have　papers。〃
〃If　I　go　back　they'll　make　me　get　operated　on　and　then　they'll　put　me　in　the　line　all　the　time。〃
I　thought　it　over。
〃You　wouldn't　want　to　go　in　the　line　all　the　time；　would　you？〃　he　asked。
〃No。〃
〃Jesus　Christ；　ain't　this　a　goddam　war？〃
〃Listen；〃　I　said。　〃You　get　out　and　fall　down　by　the　road　and　get　a　bump　on　your　head　and　I'll　pick　you　up　on　our　way　back　and　take　you　to　a　hospital。　We'll　stop　by　the　road　here；　Aldo。〃　We　stopped　at　the　side　of　the　road。　I　helped　him　down。
〃I'll　be　right　here；　lieutenant；〃　he　said。
〃So　long；〃　I　said。　We　went　on　and　passed　the　regiment　about　a　mile　ahead；　then　crossed　the　river；　cloudy　with　snow…water　and　running　fast　through　the　spiles　of　the　bridge；　to　ride　along　the　road　across　the　plain　and　deliver　the　wounded　at　the　two　hospitals。　I　drove　ing　back　and　went　fast　with　the　empty　car　to　find　the　man　from　Pittsburgh。　First　we　passed　the　regiment；　hotter　and　slower　than　ever：　then　the　stragglers。　Then　we　saw　a　horse　ambulance　stopped　by　the　road。　Two　men　were　lifting　the　hernia　man　to　put　him　in。　They　had　e　back　for　him。　He　shook　his　head　at　me。　His　helmet　was　off　and　his　forehead　was　bleeding　below　the　hair　line。　His　nose　was　skinned　and　there　was　dust　on　the　bloody　patch　and　dust　in　his　hair。
〃Look　at　the　bump；　lieutenant！〃　he　shouted。　〃Nothing　to　do。　They　e　back　for　me。〃
When　I　got　back　to　the　villa　it　was　five　o'clock　and　I　went　out　where　we　washed　the　cars；　to　take　a　shower。　Then　I　made　out　my　report　in　my　room；　sitting　in　my　trousers　and　an　undershirt　in　front　of　the　open　window。　In　two　days　the　offensive　was　to　start　and　I　would　go　with　the　cars　to　Plava。　It　was　a　long　time　since　I　had　written　to　the　States　and　I　knew　I　should　write　but　I　had　let　it　go　so　long　that　it　was　almost　impossible　to　write　now。　There　was　nothing　to　write　about。　I　sent　a　couple　of　army　Zona　di　Guerra　post…cards；　crossing　out　everything　except；　I　am　well。　That　should　handle　them。　Those　post…cards　would　be　very　fine　in　America；　strange　and　mysterious。　This　was　a　strange　and　mysterious　war　zone　but　I　supposed　it　was　quite　well　run　and　grim　pared　to　other　wars　with　the　Austrians。　The　Austrian　army　was　created　to　give　Napoleon　victories；　any　Napoleon。　I　wished　we　had　a　Napoleon；　but　instead　we　had　Ii　Generale　Cadorna；　fat　and　prosperous　and　Vittorio　Emmanuele；　the　tiny　man　with　the　long　thin　n