第23部分(第3/7 頁)

ttack　but　he　did　not　believe　it。　We　were　supposed　to　attack　too；　but　they　had　not　brought　up　any　new　troops　so　he　thought　that　was　off　too。　Food　was　scarce　and　he　would　be　glad　to　get　a　full　meal　in　Gorizia。　What　kind　of　supper　had　I　had？　I　told　him　and　he　said　that　would　be　wonderful。　He　was　especially　impressed　by　the　dolce。　I　did　not　describe　it　in　detail；　only　said　it　was　a　dolce；　and　I　think　he　believed　it　was　something　more　elaborate　than　bread　pudding。

Did　I　know　where　he　was　going　to　go？　I　said　I　didn't　but　that　some　of　the　other　cars　were　at　Caporetto。　He　hoped　he　would　go　up　that　way。　It　was　a　nice　little　place　and　he　liked　the　high　mountain　hauling　up　beyond。　He　was　a　nice　boy　and　every　one　seemed　to　like　him。　He　said　where　it　really　had　been　hell　was　at　San　Gabriele　and　the　attack　beyond　Lom　that　had　gone　bad。　He　said　the　Austrians　had　a　great　amount　of　artillery　in　the　woods　along　Ternova　ridge　beyond　and　above　us；　and　shelled　the　roads　badly　at　night。　There　was　a　battery　of　naval　guns　that　had　gotten　on　his　nerves。　I　would　recognize　them　because　of　their　flat　trajectory。　You　heard　the　report　and　then　the　shriek　menced　almost　instantly。　They　usually　fired　two　guns　at　once；　one　right　after　the　other；　and　the　fragments　from　the　burst　were　enormous。　He　showed　me　one；　a　smoothly　jagged　piece　of　metal　over　a　foot　long。　It　looked　like　babbitting　metal。

〃I　don't　suppose　they　are　so　effective；〃　Gino　said。　〃But　they　scare　me。　They　all　sound　as　though　they　came　directly　for　you。　There　is　the　boom；　then　instantly　the　shriek　and　burst。　What's　the　use　of　not　being　wounded　if　they　scare　you　to　death？〃

He　said　there　were　Croats　in　the　lines　opposite　us　now　and　some　Magyars。　Our　troops　were　still　in　the　attacking　positions。　There　was　no　wire　to　speak　o