第29部分(第6/7 頁)

be　in　a　bad　position　if　I　landed　barefoot。　I　had　to　get　to　Mestre　some　way。

I　watched　the　shore　e　close；　then　swing　away；　then　e　closer　again。　We　were　floating　more　slowly。　The　shore　was　very　close　now。　I　could　see　twigs　on　the　willow　bush。　The　timber　swung　slowly　so　that　the　bank　was　behind　me　and　I　knew　we　were　in　an　eddy。　We　went　slowly　around。　As　I　saw　the　bank　again；　very　close　now；　I　tried　holding　with　one　arm　and　kicking　and　swimming　the　timber　toward　the　bank　with　the　other；　but　I　did　not　bring　it　any　closer。　I　was　afraid　we　would　move　out　of　the　eddy　and；　holding　with　one　hand；　I　drew　up　my　feet　so　they　were　against　the　side　of　the　timber　and　shoved　hard　toward　the　bank。　I　could　see　the　brush；　but　even　with　my　momentum　and　swimming　as　hard　as　I　could；　the　current　was　taking　me　away。　I　thought　then　I　would　drown　because　of　my　boots；　but　I　thrashed　and　fought　through　the　water；　and　when　I　looked　up　the　bank　was　ing　toward　me；　and　I　kept　thrashing　and　swimming　in　a　heavy…footed　panic　until　I　reached　it。　I　hung　to　the　willow　branch　and　did　not　have　strength　to　pull　myself　up　but　I　knew　I　would　not　drown　now。　It　had　never　occurred　to　me　on　the　timber　that　I　might　drown。　I　felt　hollow　and　sick　in　my　stomach　and　chest　from　the　effort；　and　I　held　to　the　branches　and　waited。　When　the　sick　feeling　was　gone　I　pulled　into　the　willow　bushes　and　rested　again；　my　arms　around　some　brush；　holding　tight　with　my　hands　to　the　branches。　Then　I　crawled　out；　pushed　on　through　the　willows　and　onto　the　bank。　It　was　halfdaylight　and　I　saw　no　one。　I　lay　flat　on　the　bank　and　heard　the　river　and　the　rain。

After　a　while　I　got　up　and　started　along　the　bank。　I　knew　there　was　no　bridge　across　the　river　until　Latisana。　I　thought　I　might　be　opposite　San　Vito。　I　began　to　think　out　w