第16部分(第1/7 页)

〃How　many　have　you　got；　Ettore？〃　asked　the　vice…consul。

〃He's　got　everything；〃　Simmons　said。　〃He's　the　boy　they're　running　the　war　for。〃

〃I've　got　the　bronze　twice　and　three　silver　medals；〃　said　Ettore。　〃But　the　papers　on　only　one　have　e　through。〃

〃What's　the　matter　with　the　others？〃　asked　Simmons。

〃The　action　wasn't　successful；〃　said　Ettore。　〃When　the　action　isn't　successful　they　hold　up　all　the　medals。〃

〃How　many　times　have　you　been　wounded；　Ettore？〃

〃Three　times　bad。　I　got　three　wound　stripes。　See？〃　He　pulled　his　sleeve　around。　The　stripes　were　parallel　silver　lines　on　a　black　background　sewed　to　the　cloth　of　the　sleeve　about　eight　inches　below　the　shoulder。

〃You　got　one　too；〃　Ettore　said　to　me。　〃Believe　me　they're　fine　to　have。　I'd　rather　have　them　than　medals。　Believe　me；　boy；　when　you　get　three　you've　got　something。　You　only　get　one　for　a　wound　that　puts　you　three　months　in　the　hospital。〃

〃Where　were　you　wounded；　Ettore？〃　asked　the　vice…consul。

Ettore　pulled　up　his　sleeve。

〃Here；〃　he　showed　the　deep　smooth　red　scar。　〃Here　on　my　leg。　I　can't　show　you　that　because　I　got　puttees　on；　and　in　the　foot。　There's　dead　bone　in　my　foot　that　stinks　right　now。　Every　morning　I　take　new　little　pieces　out　and　it　stinks　all　the　time。〃

〃What　hit　you？〃　asked　Simmons。

〃A　hand…grenade。　One　of　those　potato　mashers。　It　just　blew　the　whole　side　of　my　foot　off。　You　know　those　potato　mashers？〃　He　turned　to　me。

〃Sure。〃

〃I　saw　the　son　of　a　bitch　throw　it；〃　Ettore　said。　〃It　knocked　me　down　and　I　thought　I　was　dead　all　right　but　those　damn　potato　mashers　haven't　got　anything　in　them。　I　shot　the　son　of　a　bitch　with　my　rifle。　I　always　carry　a　rifle　so　they　can't　tell　I'm　an　officer。〃

〃How