第29部分(第3/7 頁)

cers　standing　together；　with　a　man　in　front　of　them　with　a　carabiniere　on　each　side　of　him。　A　group　of　men　were　standing　guarded　by　carabinieri。　Four　other　carabinieri　stood　near　the　questioning　officers；　leaning　on　their　carbines。　They　were　wide…hatted　carabinieri。　The　two　who　had　me　shoved　me　in　with　the　group　waiting　to　be　questioned。　I　looked　at　the　man　the　officers　were　questioning。　He　was　the　fat　gray…haired　little　lieutenant…colonel　they　had　taken　out　of　the　column。　The　questioners　had　all　the　efficiency；　coldness　and　mand　of　themselves　of　Italians　who　are　firing　and　are　not　being　fired　on。

〃Your　brigade？〃

He　told　them。

〃Regiment？〃

He　told　them。

〃Why　are　you　not　with　your　regiment？〃

He　told　them。

〃Do　you　not　know　that　an　officer　should　be　with　his　troops？〃　He　did。

That　was　all。　Another　officer　spoke。

〃It　is　you　and　such　as　you　that　have　let　the　barbarians　onto　the　sacred　soil　of　the　fatherland。〃

〃I　beg　your　pardon；〃　said　the　lieutenant…colonel。

〃It　is　because　of　treachery　such　as　yours　that　we　have　lost　the　fruits　of　victory。〃

〃Have　you　ever　been　in　a　retreat？〃　the　lieutenant…colonel　asked。

〃Italy　should　never　retreat。〃

We　stood　there　in　the　rain　and　listened　to　this。　We　were　facing　the　officers　and　the　prisoner　stood　in　front　and　a　little　to　one　side　of　us。

〃If　you　are　going　to　shoot　me；〃　the　lieutenant…colonel　said；　〃please　shoot　me　at　once　without　further　questioning。　The　questioning　is　stupid。〃　He　made　the　sign　of　the　cross。　The　officers　spoke　together。　One　wrote　something　on　a　pad　of　paper。

〃Abandoned　his　troops；　ordered　to　be　shot；〃　he　said。

Two　carabinieri　took　the　lieutenant…colonel　to　the　river　bank。　He　walked　in　the　rain；　an　old　man　wit