第22部分(第3/7 頁)

he　would　be　here。〃

〃Where　is　he？〃　I　asked。

〃He's　at　307；〃　the　major　said。　He　was　busy　with　his　soup。　He　wiped　his　mouth；　wiping　his　upturned　gray　mustache　carefully。　〃He　will　e　I　think。　I　called　them　and　left　word　to　tell　him　you　were　here。〃

〃I　miss　the　noise　of　the　mess；〃　I　said。

〃Yes；　it's　quiet；〃　the　major　said。

〃I　will　be　noisy；〃　said　Rinaldi。

〃Drink　some　wine；　Enrico；〃　said　the　major。　He　filled　my　glass。　The　spaghetti　came　in　and　we　were　all　busy。　We　were　finishing　the　spaghetti　when　the　priest　came　in。　He　was　the　same　as　ever；　small　and　brown　and　pact　looking。　I　stood　up　and　we　shook　hands。　He　put　his　hand　on　my　shoulder。

〃I　came　as　soon　as　I　heard；〃　he　said。

〃Sit　down；〃　the　major　said。　〃You're　late。〃

〃Good…evening；　priest；〃　Rinaldi　said；　using　the　English　word。　They　had　taken　that　up　from　the　priest…baiting　captain；　who　spoke　a　little　English。　〃Good…evening；　Rinaldo；〃　the　priest　said。　The　orderly　brought　him　soup　but　he　said　he　would　start　with　the　spaghetti。

〃How　are　you？〃　he　asked　me。

〃Fine；〃　I　said。　〃How　have　things　been？〃

〃Drink　some　wine；　priest；〃　Rinaldi　said。　〃Take　a　little　wine　for　your　stomach's　sake。　That's　Saint　Paul；　you　know。〃

〃Yes　I　know；〃　said　the　priest　politely。　Rinaldi　filled　his　glass。

〃That　Saint　Paul；〃　said　Rinaldi。　〃He's　the　one　who　makes　all　the　trouble。〃　The　priest　looked　at　me　and　smiled。　I　could　see　that　the　baiting　did　not　touch　him　now。

〃That　Saint　Paul；〃　Rinaldi　said。　〃He　was　a　rounder　and　a　chaser　and　then　when　he　was　no　longer　hot　he　said　it　was　no　good。　When　he　was　finished　he　made　the　rules　for　us　who　are　still　hot。　Isn't　it　true；　Federico？〃

The　major　smiled。　We　were　eating　meat　stew　now。

〃I　never　discuss　a　Saint