第5部分(第1/7 页)

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。〃

〃Becaus