第26部分(第6/7 頁)

iled　brush　for　the　wheels　to　catch。　We　were　ready　to　start　and　Aymo　got　up　on　the　seat　and　started　the　car。　The　wheels　spun　and　we　pushed　and　pushed。　But　it　wasn't　any　use。

〃It's　……ed；〃　I　said。　〃Is　there　anything　you　want　in　the　car；　Barto？〃

Aymo　climbed　up　with　Bonello；　carrying　the　cheese　and　two　bottles　of　wine　and　his　cape。　Bonello；　sitting　behind　the　wheel；　was　looking　through　the　pockets　of　the　sergeant's　coat。

〃Better　throw　the　coat　away；〃　I　said。　〃What　about　Barto's　virgins？〃

〃They　can　get　in　the　back；〃　Piani　said。　〃I　don't　think　we　are　going　far。〃

I　opened　the　back　door　of　the　ambulance。

〃e　on；〃　I　said。　〃Get　in。〃　The　two　girls　climbed　in　and　sat　in　the　corner。　They　seemed　to　have　taken　no　notice　of　the　shooting。　I　looked　back　up　the　road。　The　sergeant　lay　in　his　dirty　long…sleeved　underwear。　I　got　up　with　Piani　and　we　started。　We　were　going　to　try　to　cross　the　field。　When　the　road　entered　the　field　I　got　down　and　walked　ahead。　If　we　could　get　across；　there　was　a　road　on　the　other　side。　We　could　not　get　across。　It　was　too　soft　and　muddy　for　the　cars。　When　they　were　finally　and　pletely　stalled；　the　wheels　dug　in　to　the　hubs；　we　left　them　in　the　field　and　started　on　foot　for　Udine。

When　we　came　to　the　road　which　led　back　toward　the　main　highway　I　pointed　down　it　to　the　two　girls。

〃Go　down　there；〃　I　said。　〃You'll　meet　people。〃　They　looked　at　me。　I　took　out　my　pocket…book　and　gave　them　each　a　ten…lira　note。　〃Go　down　there；〃　I　said；　pointing。　〃Friends！　Family！〃

They　did　not　understand　but　they　held　the　money　tightly　and　started　down　the　road。　They　looked　back　as　though　they　were　afraid　I　might　take　the　money　back。　I　watched　them　go　down　the　road；　their　shawls　close　around　them；　looking　back　apprehensively