第9部分(第5/7 頁)

ll。〃

〃I　will　send　her。　Your　lovely　cool　goddess。　English　goddess。　My　God　what　would　a　man　do　with　a　woman　like　that　except　worship　her？　What　else　is　an　Englishwoman　good　for？〃

〃You　are　an　ignorant　foul…mouthed　dago。〃

〃A　what？〃

〃An　ignorant　wop。〃

〃Wop。　You　are　a　frozen…faced　。　。　。　wop。〃

〃You　are　ignorant。　Stupid。〃　I　saw　that　word　pricked　him　and　kept　on。　〃Uninformed。　Inexperienced；　stupid　from　inexperience。〃

〃Truly？　I　tell　you　something　about　your　good　women。　Your　goddesses。　There　is　only　one　difference　between　taking　a　girl　who　has　always　been　good　and　a　woman。　With　a　girl　it　is　painful。　That's　all　I　know。〃　He　slapped　the　bed　with　his　glove。　〃And　you　never　know　if　the　girl　will　really　like　it。〃

〃Don't　get　angry。〃

〃I'm　not　angry。　I　just　tell　you；　baby；　for　your　own　good。　To　save　you　trouble。〃

〃That's　the　only　difference？〃

〃Yes。　But　millions　of　fools　like　you　don't　know　it。〃

〃You　were　sweet　to　tell　me。〃

〃We　won't　quarrel；　baby。　I　love　you　too　much。　But　don't　be　a　fool。〃

〃No。　I'll　be　wise　like　you。〃

〃Don't　be　angry；　baby。　Laugh。　Take　a　drink。　I　must　go；　really。〃

〃You're　a　good　old　boy。〃

〃Now　you　see。　Underneath　we　are　the　same。　We　are　war　brothers。　Kiss　me　good…by。〃

〃You're　sloppy。〃

〃No。　I　am　just　more　affectionate。〃

I　felt　his　breath　e　toward　me。　〃Good…by。　I　e　to　see　you　again　soon。〃　His　breath　went　away。　〃I　won't　kiss　you　if　you　don't　want。　I'll　send　your　English　girl。　Good…by；　baby。　The　cognac　is　under　the　bed。　Get　well　soon。〃

He　was　gone。

11

It　was　dusk　when　the　priest　came。　They　had　brought　the　soup　and　afterward　taken　away　the　bowls　and　I　was　lying　looking　at　the　rows　of　beds　and　out　the　window　at　the　tree…to