第29部分(第1/7 页)

〃They　ought　to　be　able　to　hold　at　this　river；〃　Piani　said。　In　the　dark　the　flood　looked　high。　The　water　swirled　and　it　was　wide。　The　wooden　bridge　was　nearly　three…quarters　of　a　mile　across；　and　the　river；　that　usually　ran　in　narrow　channels　in　the　wide　stony　bed　far　below　the　bridge；　was　close　under　the　wooden　planking。　We　went　along　the　bank　and　then　worked　our　way　into　the　crowd　that　were　crossing　the　bridge。　Crossing　slowly　in　the　rain　a　few　feet　above　the　flood；　pressed　tight　in　the　crowd；　the　box　of　an　artillery　caisson　just　ahead；　I　looked　over　the　side　and　watched　the　river。　Now　that　we　could　not　go　our　own　pace　I　felt　very　tired。　There　was　no　exhilaration　in　crossing　the　bridge。　I　wondered　what　it　would　be　like　if　a　plane　bombed　it　in　the　daytime。

〃Piani；〃　I　said。

〃Here　I　am；　Tenente。〃　He　was　a　little　ahead　in　the　jam。　No　one　was　talking。　They　were　all　trying　to　get　across　as　soon　as　they　could：　thinking　only　of　that。　We　were　almost　across。　At　the　far　end　of　the　bridge　there　were　officers　and　carabinieri　standing　on　both　sides　flashing　lights。　I　saw　them　silhouetted　against　the　sky…line。　As　we　came　close　to　them　I　saw　one　of　the　officers　point　to　a　man　in　the　column。　A　carabiniere　went　in　after　him　and　came　out　holding　the　man　by　the　arm。　He　took　him　away　from　the　road。　We　came　almost　opposite　them。　The　officers　were　scrutinizing　every　one　in　the　column；　sometimes　speaking　to　each　other；　going　forward　to　flash　a　light　in　some　one's　face。　They　took　some　one　else　out　just　before　we　came　opposite。　I　saw　the　man。　He　was　a　lieutenantcolonel。　I　saw　the　stars　in　the　box　on　his　sleeve　as　they　flashed　a　light　on　him。　His　hair　was　gray　and　he　was　short　and　fat。　The　carabiniere　pulled　him　in　behind　the　line　of　officers。　As　we　came　opposite　I　saw　one　or　t