第7部分(第6/7 頁)

　sat　down　and　waited。　I　put　thumb　and　fingers　into　the　macaroni　and　lifted。　A　mass　loosened。

〃Lift　it　high；　Tenente。〃

I　lifted　it　to　arm's　length　and　the　strands　cleared。　I　lowered　it　into　the　mouth；　sucked　and　snapped　in　the　ends；　and　chewed；　then　took　a　bite　of　cheese；　chewed；　and　then　a　drink　of　the　wine。　It　tasted　of　rusty　metal。　I　handed　the　canteen　back　to　Passini。

〃It's　rotten；〃　he　said。　〃It's　been　in　there　too　long。　I　had　it　in　the　car。〃

They　were　all　eating；　holding　their　chins　close　over　the　basin；　tipping　their　heads　back；　sucking　in　the　ends。　I　took　another　mouthful　and　some　cheese　and　a　rinse　of　wine。　Something　landed　outside　that　shook　the　earth。

〃Four　hundred　twenty　or　minnenwerfer；〃　Gavuzzi　said。

〃There　aren't　any　four　hundred　twenties　in　the　mountains；〃　I　said。

〃They　have　big　Skoda　guns。　I've　seen　the　holes。〃

〃Three　hundred　fives。〃

We　went　on　eating。　There　was　a　cough；　a　noise　like　a　railway　engine　starting　and　then　an　explosion　that　shook　the　earth　again。

〃This　isn't　a　deep　dugout；〃　Passini　said。

〃That　was　a　big　trench　mortar。〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

I　ate　the　end　of　my　piece　of　cheese　and　took　a　swallow　of　wine。　Through　the　other　noise　I　heard　a　cough；　then　came　the　chuh…chuhchuh…chuh……then　there　was　a　flash；　as　when　a　blast…furnace　door　is　swung　open；　and　a　roar　that　started　white　and　went　red　and　on　and　on　in　a　rushing　wind。　I　tried　to　breathe　but　my　breath　would　not　e　and　I　felt　myself　rush　bodily　out　of　myself　and　out　and　out　and　out　and　all　the　time　bodily　in　the　wind。　I　went　out　swiftly；　all　of　myself；　and　I　knew　I　was　dead　and　that　it　had　all　been　a　mistake　to　think　you　just　died。　Then　I　floated；　and　instead　of　going　on　I　felt　myself　slide　back。　I　breathed　and　I　was