第17部分(第3/7 頁)

went　back　to　the　girls。　These　Italians　were　also　very　mannered　and　matched　manners　with　the　two　we　had　collected　before。　In　a　little　while　no　one　could　sit　down。　I　gave　the　tickets　to　Catherine。

〃What　horse　is　it？〃

〃I　don't　know。　Mr。　Meyers'　choice。〃

〃Don't　you　even　know　the　name？〃

〃No。　You　can　find　it　on　the　programme。　Number　five　I　think。〃

〃You　have　touching　faith；〃　she　said。　The　number　five　won　but　did　not　pay　anything。　Mr。　Meyers　was　angry。

〃You　have　to　put　up　two　hundred　lire　to　make　twenty；〃　he　said。　〃Twelve　lire　for　ten。　It's　not　worth　it。　My　wife　lost　twenty　lire。〃

〃I'll　go　down　with　you；〃　Catherine　said　to　me。　The　Italians　all　stood　up。　We　went　downstairs　and　out　to　the　paddock。

〃Do　you　like　this？〃　Catherine　asked。

〃Yes。　I　guess　I　do。〃

〃It's　all　right；　I　suppose；〃　she　said。　〃But；　darling；　I　can't　stand　to　see　so　many　people。〃

〃We　don't　see　many。〃

〃No。　But　those　Meyers　and　the　man　from　the　bank　with　his　wife　and　daughters……〃

〃He　cashes　my　sight　drafts；〃　I　said。

〃Yes　but　some　one　else　would　if　he　didn't。　Those　last　four　boys　were　awful。〃

〃We　can　stay　out　here　and　watch　the　race　from　the　fence。〃

〃That　will　be　lovely。　And；　darling；　let's　back　a　horse　we've　never　heard　of　and　that　Mr。　Meyers　won't　be　backing。〃

〃All　right。〃

We　backed　a　horse　named　Light　For　Me　that　finished　fourth　in　a　field　of　five。　We　leaned　on　the　fence　and　watched　the　horses　go　by；　their　hoofs　thudding　as　they　went　past；　and　saw　the　mountains　off　in　the　distance　and　Milan　beyond　the　trees　and　the　fields。

〃I　feel　so　much　cleaner；〃　Catherine　said。　The　horses　were　ing　back；　through　the　gate；　wet　and　sweating；　the　jockeys　quieting　them　and　riding　up　to　dismount　under　th