第3部分(第4/7 頁)

ng　so　literally。〃

After　a　while　we　said　good…night　and　left。　Walking　home　Rinaldi　said；　〃Miss　Barkley　prefers　you　to　me。　That　is　very　clear。　But　the　little　Scotch　one　is　very　nice。〃

〃Very；〃　I　said。　I　had　not　noticed　her。　〃You　like　her？〃

〃No；〃　said　Rinaldi。

5

The　next　afternoon　I　went　to　call　on　Miss　Barkley　again。　She　was　not　in　the　garden　and　I　went　to　the　side　door　of　the　villa　where　the　ambulances　drove　up。　Inside　I　saw　the　head　nurse；　who　said　Miss　Barkley　was　on　duty……〃there's　a　war　on；　you　know。〃

I　said　I　knew。

〃You're　the　American　in　the　Italian　army？〃　she　asked。

〃Yes；　ma'am。〃

〃How　did　you　happen　to　do　that？　Why　didn't　you　join　up　with　us？〃

〃I　don't　know；〃　I　said。　〃Could　I　join　now？〃

〃I'm　afraid　not　now。　Tell　me。　Why　did　you　join　up　with　the　Italians？〃

〃I　was　in　Italy；〃　I　said；　〃and　I　spoke　Italian。〃

〃Oh；〃　she　said。　〃I'm　learning　it。　It's　beautiful　language。〃

〃Somebody　said　you　should　be　able　to　learn　it　in　two　weeks。〃

〃Oh；　I'll　not　learn　it　in　two　weeks。　I've　studied　it　for　months　now。　You　may　e　and　see　her　after　seven　o'clock　if　you　wish。　She'll　be　off　then。　But　don't　bring　a　lot　of　Italians。〃

〃Not　even　for　the　beautiful　language？〃

〃No。　Nor　for　the　beautiful　uniforms。〃

〃Good　evening；〃　I　said。

〃A　rivederci；　Tenente。〃

〃A　rivederla。〃　I　saluted　and　went　out。　It　was　impossible　to　salute　foreigners　as　an　Italian；　without　embarrassment。　The　Italian　salute　never　seemed　made　for　export。

The　day　had　been　hot。　I　had　been　up　the　river　to　the　bridgehead　at　Plava。　It　was　there　that　the　offensive　was　to　begin。　It　had　been　impossible　to　advance　on　the　far　side　the　year　before　because　there　was　only　one　road　leading　down　from　the　pas