第17部分(第5/7 頁)

ns　had　bitten　off　more　than　they　could　chew。　He　said　the　offensive　in　Flanders　was　going　to　the　bad。　If　they　killed　men　as　they　did　this　fall　the　Allies　would　be　cooked　in　another　year。　He　said　we　were　all　cooked　but　we　were　all　right　as　long　as　we　did　not　know　it。　We　were　all　cooked。　The　thing　was　not　to　recognize　it。　The　last　country　to　realize　they　were　cooked　would　win　the　war。　We　had　another　drink。　Was　I　on　somebody's　staff？　No。　He　was。　It　was　all　balls。　We　were　alone　in　the　club　sitting　back　in　one　of　the　big　leather　sofas。　His　boots　were　smoothly　polished　dull　leather。　They　were　beautiful　boots。　He　said　it　was　all　balls。　They　thought　only　in　divisions　and　man…power。　They　all　squabbled　about　divisions　and　only　killed　them　when　they　got　them。　They　were　all　cooked。　The　Germans　won　the　victories。　By　God　they　were　soldiers。　The　old　Hun　was　a　soldier。　But　they　were　cooked　too。　We　were　all　cooked。　I　asked　about　Russia。　He　said　they　were　cooked　already。　I'd　soon　see　they　were　cooked。　Then　the　Austrians　were　cooked　too。　If　they　got　some　Hun　divisions　they　could　do　it。　Did　he　think　they　would　attack　this　fall？　Of　course　they　would。　The　Italians　were　cooked。　Everybody　knew　they　were　cooked。　The　old　Hun　would　e　down　through　the　Trentino　and　cut　the　railway　at　Vicenza　and　then　where　would　the　Italians　be？　They　tried　that　in　'sixteen；　I　said。　Not　with　Germans。　Yes；　I　said。　But　they　probably　wouldn't　do　that；　he　said。　It　was　too　simple。　They'd　try　something　plicated　and　get　royally　cooked。　I　had　to　go；　I　said。　I　had　to　get　back　to　the　hospital。　〃Good…by；〃　he　said。　Then　cheerily；　〃Every　sort　of　luck！〃　There　was　a　great　contrast　between　his　world　pessimism　and　personal　cheeriness。

I　stopped　at　a　barber　shop　and　was　shaved　and　went　home　to　the　hospital。　My　leg　was　as　well　a