第2部分(第3/7 頁)

d　washed　in　the　cold　water　in　the　basin。　While　I　rubbed　myself　with　a　towel　I　looked　around　the　room　and　out　the　window　and　at　Rinaldi　lying　with　his　eyes　closed　on　the　bed。　He　was　good…looking；　was　my　age；　and　he　came　from　Amalfi。　He　loved　being　a　surgeon　and　we　were　great　friends。　While　I　was　looking　at　him　he　opened　his　eyes。

〃Have　you　any　money？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Loan　me　fifty　lire。〃

I　dried　my　hands　and　took　out　my　pocket…book　from　the　inside　of　my　tunic　hanging　on　the　wall。　Rinaldi　took　the　note；　folded　it　without　rising　from　the　bed　and　slid　it　in　his　breeches　pocket。　He　smiled；　〃I　must　make　on　Miss　Barkley　the　impression　of　a　man　of　sufficient　wealth。　You　are　my　great　and　good　friend　and　financial　protector。〃

〃Go　to　hell；〃　I　said。

That　night　at　the　mess　I　sat　next　to　the　priest　and　he　was　disappointed　and　suddenly　hurt　that　I　had　not　gone　to　the　Abruzzi。　He　had　written　to　his　father　that　I　was　ing　and　they　had　made　preparations。　I　myself　felt　as　badly　as　he　did　and　could　not　understand　why　I　had　not　gone。　It　was　what　I　had　wanted　to　do　and　I　tried　to　explain　how　one　thing　had　led　to　another　and　finally　he　saw　it　and　understood　that　I　had　really　wanted　to　go　and　it　was　almost　all　right。　I　had　drunk　much　wine　and　afterward　coffee　and　Strega　and　I　explained；　winefully；　how　we　did　not　do　the　things　we　wanted　to　do；　we　never　did　such　things。

We　two　were　talking　while　the　others　argued。　I　had　wanted　to　go　to　Abruzzi。　I　had　gone　to　no　place　where　the　roads　were　frozen　and　hard　as　iron；　where　it　was　clear　cold　and　dry　and　the　snow　was　dry　and　powdery　and　hare…tracks　in　the　snow　and　the　peasants　took　off　their　hats　and　called　you　Lord　and　there　was　good　hunting。　I　had　gone　to　no　such　place　but　to　the　smoke　of　caf閟　and　nights　when　t