第17部分(第6/7 頁)

s　it　would　get　for　a　long　time。　I　had　been　up　for　examination　three　days　before。　There　were　still　some　treatments　to　take　before　my　course　at　the　Ospedale。

Maggiore　was　finished　and　I　walked　along　the　side　street　practising　not　limping。　An　old　man　was　cutting　silhouettes　under　an　arcade。　I　stopped　to　watch　him。　Two　girls　were　posing　and　he　cut　their　silhouettes　together；　snipping　very　fast　and　looking　at　them；　his　head　on　one　side。　The　girls　were　giggling。　He　showed　me　the　silhouettes　before　he　pasted　them　on　white　paper　and　handed　them　to　the　girls。

〃They're　beautiful；〃　he　said。　〃How　about　you；　Tenente？〃

The　girls　went　away　looking　at　their　silhouettes　and　laughing。　They　were　nice…looking　girls。　One　of　them　worked　in　the　wine　shop　across　from　the　hospital。

〃All　right；〃　I　said。

〃Take　your　cap　off。〃

〃No。　With　it　on。〃

〃It　will　not　be　so　beautiful；〃　the　old　man　said。　〃But；〃　he　brightened；　〃it　will　be　more　military。〃

He　snipped　away　at　the　black　paper；　then　separated　the　two　thicknesses　and　pasted　the　profiles　on　a　card　and　handed　them　to　me。

〃How　much？〃

〃That's　all　right。〃　He　waved　his　hand。　〃I　just　made　them　for　you。〃

〃Please。〃　I　brought　out　some　coppers。　〃For　pleasure。〃

〃No。　I　did　them　for　a　pleasure。　Give　them　to　your　girl。〃

〃Many　thanks　until　we　meet。〃

〃Until　I　see　thee。〃

I　went　on　to　the　hospital。　There　were　some　letters；　an　official　one；　and　some　others。　I　was　to　have　three　weeks'　convalescent　leave　and　then　return　to　the　front。　I　read　it　over　carefully。　Well；　that　was　that。　The　convalescent　leave　started　October　fourth　when　my　course　was　finished。　Three　weeks　was　twenty…one　days。　That　made　October　twenty…fifth。　I　told　them　I　would　not　be　in　and　went　to　the　restau