第25部分(第6/7 頁)

some　way　and　go　across　country　if　we　ever　hoped　to　reach　Udine。

In　the　night　many　peasants　had　joined　the　column　from　the　roads　of　the　country　and　in　the　column　there　were　carts　loaded　with　household　goods；　there　were　mirrors　projecting　up　between　mattresses；　and　chickens　and　ducks　tied　to　carts。　There　was　a　sewing　machine　on　the　cart　ahead　of　us　in　the　rain。　They　had　saved　the　most　valuable　things。　On　some　carts　the　women　sat　huddled　from　the　rain　and　others　walked　beside　the　carts　keeping　as　close　to　them　as　they　could。　There　were　dogs　now　in　the　column；　keeping　under　the　wagons　as　they　moved　along。　The　road　was　muddy；　the　ditches　at　the　side　were　high　with　water　and　beyond　the　trees　that　lined　the　road　the　fields　looked　too　wet　and　too　soggy　to　try　to　cross。　I　got　down　from　the　car　and　worked　up　the　road　a　way；　looking　for　a　place　where　I　could　see　ahead　to　find　a　side…road　we　could　take　across　country。　I　knew　there　were　many　side…roads　but　did　not　want　one　that　would　lead　to　nothing。　I　could　not　remember　them　because　we　had　always　passed　them　bowling　along　in　the　car　on　the　main　road　and　they　all　looked　much　alike。　Now　I　knew　we　must　find　one　if　we　hoped　to　get　through。　No　one　knew　where　the　Austrians　were　nor　how　things　were　going　but　I　was　certain　that　if　the　rain　should　stop　and　planes　e　over　and　get　to　work　on　that　column　that　it　would　be　all　over。　All　that　was　needed　was　for　a　few　men　to　leave　their　trucks　or　a　few　horses　be　killed　to　tie　up　pletely　the　movement　on　the　road。

The　rain　was　not　falling　so　heavily　now　and　I　thought　it　might　clear。　I　went　ahead　along　the　edge　of　the　road　and　when　there　was　a　small　road　that　led　off　to　the　north　between　two　fields　with　a　hedge　of　trees　on　both　sides；　I　thought　that　we　had　better　take　it　and　hurried　back