第22部分(第5/7 頁)

meat　is　from　officers；〃　I　said；　pleting　the　old　joke。

Rinaldi　laughed。　He　filled　his　glass。

〃Don't　mind　me；〃　he　said。　〃I'm　just　a　little　crazy。〃

〃You　ought　to　have　a　leave；〃　the　priest　said。

The　major　shook　his　head　at　him。

Rinaldi　looked　at　the　priest。

〃You　think　I　ought　to　have　a　leave？〃

The　major　shook　his　head　at　the　priest。　Rinaldi　was　looking　at　the　priest。

〃Just　as　you　like；〃　the　priest　said。　〃Not　if　you　don't　want。〃

〃To　hell　with　you；〃　Rinaldi　said。　〃They　try　to　get　rid　of　me。　Every　night　they　try　to　get　rid　of　me。　I　fight　them　off。　What　if　I　have　it。　Everybody　has　it。　The　whole　world's　got　it。　First；〃　he　went　on；　assuming　the　manner　of　a　lecturer；　〃it's　a　little　pimple。　Then　we　notice　a　rash　between　the　shoulders。　Then　we　notice　nothing　at　all。　We　put　our　faith　in　mercury。〃

〃Or　salvarsan；〃　the　major　interrupted　quietly。

〃A　mercurial　product；〃　Rinaldi　said。　He　acted　very　elated　now。　〃I　know　something　worth　two　of　that。　Good　old　priest；〃　he　said。　〃You'll　never　get　it。　Baby　will　get　it。　It's　an　industrial　accident。　It's　a　simple　industrial　accident。〃

The　orderly　brought　in　the　sweet　and　coffee。　The　dessert　was　a　sort　of　black　bread　pudding　with　hard　sauce。　The　lamp　was　smoking；　the　black　smoke　going　close　up　inside　the　chimney。

〃Bring　two　candles　and　take　away　the　lamp；〃　the　major　said。　The　orderly　brought　two　lighted　candles　each　in　a　saucer；　and　took　out　the　lamp　blowing　it　out。　Rinaldi　was　quiet　now。　He　seemed　all　right。　We　talked　and　after　the　coffee　we　all　went　out　into　the　hall。

〃You　want　to　talk　to　the　priest。　I　have　to　go　in　the　town；〃　Rinaldi　said。　〃Good…night；　priest。〃

〃Good…night；　Rinaldo；〃　the　priest　said。

〃I'll　see　you；　Fredi；〃　Rinaldi　said。