第27部分(第4/7 頁)

e　troops。　I　saw　the　faces　of　the　first　two。　They　were　ruddy　and　healthy…looking。　Their　helmets　came　iow　down　over　their　foreheads　and　the　side　of　their　faces。　Their　carbines　were　clipped　to　the　frame　of　the　bicycles。　Stick　bombs　hung　handle　down　from　their　belts。　Their　helmets　and　their　gray　uniforms　were　wet　and　they　rode　easily；　looking　ahead　and　to　both　sides。　There　were　two……then　four　in　line；　then　two；　then　almost　a　dozen；　then　another　dozen……　then　one　alone。　They　did　not　talk　but　we　could　not　have　heard　them　because　of　the　noise　from　the　river。　They　were　gone　out　of　sight　up　the　road。

〃Holy　Mary；〃　Aymo　said。

〃They　were　Germans；〃　Piani　said。　〃Those　weren't　Austrians。〃

〃Why　isn't　there　somebody　here　to　stop　them？〃　I　said。　〃Why　haven't　they　blown　the　bridge　up？　Why　aren't　there　machine…guns　along　this　embankment？〃

〃You　tell　us；　Tenente；〃　Bonello　said。

I　was　very　angry。

〃The　whole　bloody　thing　is　crazy。　Down　below　they　blow　up　a　little　bridge。　Here　they　leave　a　bridge　on　the　main　road。　Where　is　everybody？　Don't　they　try　and　stop　them　at　all？〃

〃You　tell　us；　Tenente；〃　Bonello　said。　I　shut　up。　It　was　none　of　my　business；　all　I　had　to　do　was　to　get　to　Pordenone　with　three　ambulances。　I　had　failed　at　that。　All　I　had　to　do　now　was　get　to　Pordenone。　I　probably　could　not　even　get　to　Udine。　The　hell　I　couldn't。　The　thing　to　do　was　to　be　calm　and　not　get　shot　or　captured。

〃Didn't　you　have　a　canteen　open？〃　I　asked　Piani。　He　handed　it　to　me。　I　took　a　long　drink。　〃We　might　as　well　start；〃　I　said。　〃There's　no　hurry　though。　Do　you　want　to　eat　something？〃

〃This　is　no　place　to　stay；〃　Bonello　said。

〃All　right。　We'll　start。〃

〃Should　we　keep　on　this　side……out　of　sight？〃

〃We'd　be　better　off　on　top。　They　ma