第24部分(第3/7 頁)

heard　that　Germans　and　Austrians　had　broken　through　in　the　north　and　were　ing　down　the　mountain　valleys　toward　Cividale　and　Udine。　The　retreat　was　orderly；　wet　and　sullen。　In　the　night；　going　slowly　along　the　crowded　roads　we　passed　troops　marching　under　the　rain；　guns；　horses　pulling　wagons；　mules；　motor　trucks；　all　moving　away　from　the　front。　There　was　no　more　disorder　than　in　an　advance。

That　night　we　helped　empty　the　field　hospitals　that　had　been　set　up　in　the　least　ruined　villages　of　the　plateau；　taking　the　wounded　down　to　Plava　on　the　river…bed：　and　the　next　day　hauled　all　day　in　the　rain　to　evacuate　the　hospitals　and　clearing　station　at　Plava。　It　rained　steadily　and　the　army　of　the　Bainsizza　moved　down　off　the　plateau　in　the　October　rain　and　across　the　river　where　the　great　victories　had　menced　in　the　spring　of　that　year。　We　came　into　Gorizia　in　the　middle　of　the　next　day。　The　rain　had　stopped　and　the　town　was　nearly　empty。　As　we　came　up　the　street　they　were　loading　the　girls　from　the　soldiers'　whorehouse　into　a　truck。　There　were　seven　girls　and　they　had　on　their　hats　and　coats　and　carried　small　suitcases。　Two　of　them　were　crying。　Of　the　others　one　smiled　at　us　and　put　out　her　tongue　and　fluttered　it　up　and　down。　She　had　thick　full　lips　and　black　eyes。

I　stopped　the　car　and　went　over　and　spoke　to　the　matron。　The　girls　from　the　officers'　house　had　left　early　that　morning；　she　said。　Where　were　they　going？　To　Conegliano；　she　said。　The　truck　started。　The　girl　with　thick　lips　put　out　her　tongue　again　at　us。　The　matron　waved。　The　two　girls　kept　on　crying。　The　others　looked　interestedly　out　at　the　town。　I　got　back　in　the　car。

〃We　ought　to　go　with　them；〃　Bonello　said。　〃That　would　be　a　good　trip。〃

〃We'll　have　a　good　trip；〃　I　said。

〃We'll