第5部分(第2/7 頁)

e　the　captain　doctor　knew　I　had　this　rupture。　I　threw　away　the　goddam　truss　so　it　would　get　bad　and　I　wouldn't　have　to　go　to　the　line　again。〃

〃I　see。〃

〃Couldn't　you　take　me　no　place　else？〃

〃If　it　was　closer　to　the　front　I　could　take　you　to　a　first　medical　post。　But　back　here　you've　got　to　have　papers。〃

〃If　I　go　back　they'll　make　me　get　operated　on　and　then　they'll　put　me　in　the　line　all　the　time。〃

I　thought　it　over。

〃You　wouldn't　want　to　go　in　the　line　all　the　time；　would　you？〃　he　asked。

〃No。〃

〃Jesus　Christ；　ain't　this　a　goddam　war？〃

〃Listen；〃　I　said。　〃You　get　out　and　fall　down　by　the　road　and　get　a　bump　on　your　head　and　I'll　pick　you　up　on　our　way　back　and　take　you　to　a　hospital。　We'll　stop　by　the　road　here；　Aldo。〃　We　stopped　at　the　side　of　the　road。　I　helped　him　down。

〃I'll　be　right　here；　lieutenant；〃　he　said。

〃So　long；〃　I　said。　We　went　on　and　passed　the　regiment　about　a　mile　ahead；　then　crossed　the　river；　cloudy　with　snow…water　and　running　fast　through　the　spiles　of　the　bridge；　to　ride　along　the　road　across　the　plain　and　deliver　the　wounded　at　the　two　hospitals。　I　drove　ing　back　and　went　fast　with　the　empty　car　to　find　the　man　from　Pittsburgh。　First　we　passed　the　regiment；　hotter　and　slower　than　ever：　then　the　stragglers。　Then　we　saw　a　horse　ambulance　stopped　by　the　road。　Two　men　were　lifting　the　hernia　man　to　put　him　in。　They　had　e　back　for　him。　He　shook　his　head　at　me。　His　helmet　was　off　and　his　forehead　was　bleeding　below　the　hair　line。　His　nose　was　skinned　and　there　was　dust　on　the　bloody　patch　and　dust　in　his　hair。

〃Look　at　the　bump；　lieutenant！〃　he　shouted。　〃Nothing　to　do。　They　e　back　for　me。〃

When　I　got　back　to　the　villa　it　was　five　o'clock　and　I　went　out　where　we　washed