第6部分(第6/7 頁)

oad　would　not　jam。　It　was　a　one…road　show。　The　road　was　screened　because　it　was　in　sight　of　the　Austrians　across　the　river。　Here　at　the　brickyard　we　were　sheltered　from　rifle　or　machine…gun　fire　by　the　river　bank。　There　was　one　smashed　bridge　across　the　river。　They　were　going　to　put　over　another　bridge　when　the　bombardment　started　and　some　troops　were　to　cross　at　the　shallows　up　above　at　the　bend　of　the　river。　The　major　was　a　little　man　with　upturned　mustaches。　He　had　been　in　the　war　in　Libya　and　wore　two　woundstripes。　He　said　that　if　the　thing　went　well　he　would　see　that　I　was　decorated。　I　said　I　hoped　it　would　go　well　but　that　he　was　too　kind。　I　asked　him　if　there　was　a　big　dugout　where　the　drivers　could　stay　and　he　sent　a　soldier　to　show　me。　I　went　with　him　and　found　the　dugout；　which　was　very　good。　The　drivers　were　pleased　with　it　and　I　left　them　there。　The　major　asked　me　to　have　a　drink　with　him　and　two　other　officers。　We　drank　rum　and　it　was　very　friendly。　Outside　it　was　getting　dark。　I　asked　what　time　the　attack　was　to　he　and　they　said　as　soon　as　it　was　dark。　I　went　back　to　the　drivers。　They　were　sitting　in　the　dugout　talking　and　when　I　came　in　they　stopped。　I　gave　them　each　a　package　of　cigarettes；　Macedonias；　loosely　packed　cigarettes　that　spilled　tobacco　and　needed　to　have　the　ends　twisted　before　you　smoked　them。　Manera　lit　his　lighter　and　passed　it　around。　The　lighter　was　shaped　like　a　Fiat　radiator。　I　told　them　what　I　had　heard。

〃Why　didn't　we　see　the　post　when　we　came　down？〃　Passini　asked。

〃It　was　just　beyond　where　we　turned　off。〃

〃That　road　will　be　a　dirty　mess；〃　Manera　said。

〃They'll　shell　the out　of　us。〃

〃Probably。〃

〃What　about　eating；　lieutenant？　We　won't　get　a　chance　to　eat　after　this　thing　starts。〃

〃I'