第4部分(第6/7 頁)

　not　lie　when　we　don't　have　to。　I　had　a　very　fine　little　show　and　I'm　all　right　now。　You　see　I'm　not　mad　and　I'm　not　gone　off。　It's　only　a　little　sometimes。〃

I　pressed　her　hand；　〃Dear　Catherine。〃

〃It　sounds　very　funny　now……Catherine。　You　don't　pronounce　it　very　much　alike。　But　you're　very　nice。　You're　a　very　good　boy。〃

〃That's　what　the　priest　said。〃

〃Yes；　you're　very　good。　And　you　will　e　and　see　me？〃

〃Of　course。〃

〃And　you　don't　have　to　say　you　love　me。　That's　all　over　for　a　while。〃　She　stood　up　and　put　out　her　hand。　〃Good…night。〃

I　wanted　to　kiss　her。

〃No；〃　she　said。　〃I'm　awfully　tired。〃

〃Kiss　me；　though；〃　I　said。

〃I'm　awfully　tired；　darling。〃

〃Kiss　me。〃

〃Do　you　want　to　very　much？〃

〃Yes。〃

We　kissed　and　she　broke　away　suddenly。　〃No。　Good…night；　please；　darling。〃　We　walked　to　the　door　and　I　saw　her　go　in　and　down　the　hall。　I　liked　to　watch　her　move。　She　went　on　down　the　hall。　I　went　on　home。　It　was　a　hot　night　and　there　was　a　good　deal　going　on　up　in　the　mountains。　I　watched　the　flashes　on　San　Gabriele。

I　stopped　in　front　of　the　Villa　Rossa。　The　shutters　were　up　but　it　was　still　going　on　inside。　Somebody　was　singing。　I　went　on　home。　Rinaldi　came　in　while　I　was　undressing。

〃Ah；　ha！〃　he　said。　〃It　does　not　go　so　well。　Baby　is　puzzled。〃

〃Where　have　you　been？〃

〃At　the　Villa　Rossa。　It　was　very　edifying；　baby。　We　all　sang。　Where　have　you　been？〃

〃Calling　on　the　British。〃

〃Thank　God　I　did　not　bee　involved　with　the　British。〃

7

I　came　back　the　next　afternoon　from　our　first　mountain　post　and　stopped　the　car　at　the　smistimento　where　the　wounded　and　sick　were　sorted　by　their　papers　and　the　papers　marked　for　the　different　hospitals。　I