第25部分(第4/7 頁)

e　older　one；　who　had　been　so　fierce；　began　to　sob。

〃I　guess　I　scared　her；〃　Aymo　said。　〃I　didn't　mean　to　scare　her。〃

Bartolomeo　brought　out　his　knapsack　and　cut　off　two　pieces　of　cheese。　〃Here；〃　he　said。　〃Stop　crying。〃

The　older　girl　shook　her　head　and　still　cried；　but　the　younger　girl　took　the　cheese　and　menced　to　eat。　After　a　while　the　younger　girl　gave　her　sister　the　second　piece　of　cheese　and　they　both　ate。　The　older　sister　still　sobbed　a　little。

〃She'll　be　all　right　after　a　while；〃　Aymo　said。

An　idea　came　to　him。　〃Virgin？〃　he　asked　the　girl　next　to　him。　She　nodded　her　head　vigorously。　〃Virgin　too？〃　he　pointed　to　the　sister。　Both　the　girls　nodded　their　heads　and　the　elder　said　something　in　dialect。

〃That's　all　right；〃　Bartolomeo　said。　〃That's　all　right。〃

Both　the　girls　seemed　cheered。

I　left　them　sitting　together　with　Aymo　sitting　back　in　the　corner　and　went　back　to　Piani's　car。　The　column　of　vehicles　did　not　move　but　the　troops　kept　passing　alongside。　It　was　still　raining　hard　and　I　thought　some　of　the　stops　in　the　movement　of　the　column　might　be　from　cars　with　wet　wiring。　More　likely　they　were　from　horses　or　men　going　to　sleep。　Still；　traffic　could　tie　up　in　cities　when　every　one　was　awake。　It　was　the　bination　of　horse　and　motor　vehicles。　They　did　not　help　each　other　any。　The　peasants'　carts　did　not　help　much　either。　Those　were　a　couple　of　fine　girls　with　Barto。　A　retreat　was　no　place　for　two　virgins。　Real　virgins。　Probably　very　religious。　If　there　were　no　war　we　would　probably　all　be　in　bed。　In　bed　I　lay　me　down　my　head。　Bed　and　board。　Stiff　as　a　board　in　bed。　Catherine　was　in　bed　now　between　two　sheets；　over　her　and　under　her。　Which　side　did　she　sleep　on？　Maybe　she　wasn't　asleep。　Maybe　she　was　lying　thinking