第6部分(第1/7 頁)

〃He　does　really；〃　said　Rinaldi。　〃He　has　a　rendezvous。　I　know　all　about　it。〃

〃I　have　to　go。〃

〃Another　night；〃　said　Bassi。　〃Another　night　when　you　feel　stronger。〃　He　slapped　me　on　the　shoulder。　There　were　lighted　candles　on　the　table。　All　the　officers　were　very　happy。　〃Good…night；　gentlemen；〃　I　said。

Rinaldi　went　out　with　me。　We　stood　outside　the　door　on　the　patch　and　he　said；　〃You　better　not　go　up　there　drunk。〃

〃I'm　not　drunk；　Rinin。　Really。〃

〃You'd　better　chew　some　coffee。〃

〃Nonsense。〃

〃I'll　get　some；　baby。　You　walk　up　and　down。〃　He　came　back　with　a　handful　of　roasted　coffee　beans。　〃Chew　those；　baby；　and　God　be　with　you。〃

〃Bacchus；〃　I　said。

〃I'll　walk　down　with　you。〃

〃I'm　perfectly　all　right。〃

We　walked　along　together　through　the　town　and　I　chewed　the　coffee。　At　the　gate　of　the　driveway　that　led　up　to　the　British　villa；　Rinaldi　said　good…night。

〃Good…night；〃　I　said。　〃Why　don't　you　e　in？〃

He　shook　his　head。　〃No；〃　he　said。　〃I　like　the　simpler　pleasures。〃

〃Thank　you　for　the　coffee　beans。〃

〃Nothing；　baby。　Nothing。〃

J　started　down　the　driveway。　The　outlines　of　the　cypresses　that　lined　it　were　sharp　and　clear。　I　looked　back　and　saw　Rinaldi　standing　watching　me　and　waved　to　him。

I　sat　in　the　reception　hail　of　the　villa；　waiting　for　Catherine　Barkley　to　e　down。　Some　one　was　ing　down　the　hallway。　I　stood　up；　but　it　was　not　Catherine。　It　was　Miss　Ferguson。

〃Hello；〃　she　said。　〃Catherine　asked　me　to　tell　you　she　was　sorry　she　couldn't　see　you　this　evening。〃

〃I'm　so　sorry。　I　hope　she's　not　ill。〃

〃She's　not　awfully　well。〃

〃Will　you　tell　her　how　sorry　I　am？〃

〃Yes；　I　will。〃

〃Do　you　think　it　would　be　any　good　to　try　and　see