第2部分(第2/7 頁)

　〃What　kind　of　time　did　you　have？〃

〃Magnificent。〃

We　shook　hands　and　he　put　his　arm　around　my　neck　and　kissed　me。

〃Oughf；〃　I　said。

〃You're　dirty；〃　he　said。　〃You　ought　to　wash。　Where　did　you　go　and　what　did　you　do？　Tell　me　everything　at　once。〃

〃I　went　everywhere。　Milan；　Florence；　Rome；　Naples；　Villa　San　Giovanni；　Messina；　Taormina……〃

〃You　talk　like　a　time…table。　Did　you　have　any　beautiful　adventures？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Where？〃

〃Milano；　Firenze；　Roma；　Napoli……〃

〃That's　enough。　Tell　me　really　what　was　the　best。〃

〃In　Milano。〃

〃That　was　because　it　was　first。　Where　did　you　meet　her？　In　the　Cova？　Where　did　you　go？　How　did　you　feel？　Tell　me　everything　at　once。　Did　you　stay　all　night？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃That's　nothing。　Here　now　we　have　beautiful　girls。　New　girls　never　been　to　the　front　before。〃

〃Wonderful。〃

〃You　don't　believe　me？　We　will　go　now　this　afternoon　and　see。　And　in　the　town　we　have　beautiful　English　girls。　I　am　now　in　love　with　Miss　Barkley。　I　will　take　you　to　call。　I　will　probably　marry　Miss　Barkley。〃

〃I　have　to　get　washed　and　report。　Doesn't　anybody　work　now？〃

〃Since　you　are　gone　we　have　nothing　but　frostbites；　chilblains；　jaundice；　gonorrhea；　self…inflicted　wounds；　pneumonia　and　hard　and　soft　chancres。　Every　week　some　one　gets　wounded　by　rock　fragments。　There　are　a　few　real　wounded。　Next　week　the　war　starts　again。　Perhaps　it　start　again。　They　say　so。　Do　you　think　I　would　do　right　to　marry　Miss　Barkley……after　the　war　of　course？〃

〃Absolutely；〃　I　said　and　poured　the　basin　full　of　water。

〃To…night　you　will　tell　me　everything；〃　said　Rinaldi。　〃Now　I　must　go　back　to　sleep　to　be　fresh　and　beautiful　for　Miss　Barkley。〃

I　took　off　my　tunic　and　shirt　an