第6部分(第3/7 頁)

re　of　him　for　you。　Good…by。〃

〃No；〃　she　said；　〃not　good…by。〃

〃All　right。〃

〃Be　a　good　boy　and　be　careful。　No；　you　can't　kiss　me　here。　You　can't。〃

〃All　right。〃

I　looked　back　and　saw　her　standing　on　the　steps。　She　waved　and　I　kissed　my　hand　and　held　it　out。　She　waved　again　and　then　I　was　out　of　the　driveway　and　climbing　up　into　the　seat　of　the　ambulance　and　we　started。　The　Saint　Anthony　was　in　a　little　white　metal　capsule。　I　opened　the　capsule　and　spilled　him　out　into　my　hand。

〃Saint　Anthony？〃　asked　the　driver。

〃Yes。〃

〃I　have　one。〃　His　right　hand　left　the　wheel　and　opened　a　button　on　his　tunic　and　pulled　it　out　from　under　his　shirt。

〃See？〃

I　put　my　Saint　Anthony　back　in　the　capsule；　spilled　the　thin　gold　chain　together　and　put　it　all　in　my　breast　pocket。

〃You　don't　wear　him？〃

〃No。〃

〃It's　better　to　wear　him。　That's　what　it's　for。〃

〃All　right；〃　I　said。　I　undid　the　clasp　of　the　gold　chain　and　put　it　around　my　neck　and　clasped　it。　The　saint　hung　down　on　the　Outside　of　my　uniform　and　I　undid　the　throat　of　my　tunic；　unbuttoned　the　shirt　collar　and　dropped　him　in　under　the　shirt。　I　felt　him　in　his　metal　box　against　my　chest　while　we　drove。　Then　I　forgot　about　him。　After　I　was　wounded　I　never　found　him。　Some　one　probably　got　it　at　one　of　the　dressing　stations。

We　drove　fast　when　we　were　over　the　bridge　and　soon　we　saw　the　dust　of　the　other　cars　ahead　down　the　road。　The　road　curved　and　we　saw　the　three　cars　looking　quite　small；　the　dust　rising　from　the　wheels　and　going　off　through　the　trees。　We　caught　them　and　passed　them　and　turned　off　on　a　road　that　climbed　up　into　the　hills。　Driving　in　convoy　is　not　unpleasant　if　you　are　the　first　car　and　I　settled　back　in　the　seat　and　watched