第21部分(第2/7 页)

om　with　maps　and　typed　sheets　of　paper　on　the　wall。

〃Hello；〃　he　said。　〃How　are　you？〃　He　looked　older　and　drier。

〃I'm　good；〃　I　said。　〃How　is　everything？〃

〃It's　all　over；〃　he　said。　〃Take　off　your　kit　and　sit　down。〃　I　put　my　pack　and　the　two　musettes　on　the　floor　and　my　cap　on　the　pack。　I　brought　the　other　chair　over　from　the　wall　and　sat　down　by　the　desk。

〃It's　been　a　bad　summer；〃　the　major　said。　〃Are　you　strong　now？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Did　you　ever　get　the　decorations？〃

〃Yes。　I　got　them　fine。　Thank　you　very　much。〃

〃Let's　see　them。〃

I　opened　my　cape　so　he　could　see　the　two　ribbons。

〃Did　you　get　the　boxes　with　the　medals？〃

〃No。　Just　the　papers。〃

〃The　boxes　will　e　later。　That　takes　more　time。〃

〃What　do　you　want　me　to　do？〃

〃The　cars　are　all　away。　There　are　six　up　north　at　Caporetto。　You　know　Caporetto？〃

〃Yes；〃　I　said。　I　remembered　it　as　a　little　white　town　with　a　campanile　in　a　valley。　It　was　a　clean　little　town　and　there　was　a　fine　fountain　in　the　square。

〃They　are　working　from　there。　There　are　many　sick　now。　The　fighting　is　over。〃

〃Where　are　the　others？〃

〃There　are　two　up　in　the　mountains　and　four　still　on　the　Bainsizza。　The　other　two　ambulance　sections　are　in　the　Carso　with　the　third　army。〃

〃What　do　you　wish　me　to　do？〃

〃You　can　go　and　take　over　the　four　cars　on　the　Bainsizza　if　you　like。　Gino　has　been　up　there　a　long　time。　You　haven't　seen　it　up　there；　have　you？〃

〃No。〃

〃It　was　very　bad。　We　lost　three　cars。〃

〃I　heard　about　it。〃

〃Yes；　Rinaldi　wrote　you。〃

〃Where　is　Rinaldi？〃

〃He　is　here　at　the　hospital。　He　has　had　a　summer　and　fall　of　it。〃

〃I　believe　it。〃

〃It　has　been　bad；〃　the　major　said。　〃Yo