第12部分(第3/7 頁)

oap　and　warm　water。　〃Hold　your　shoulder　up；〃　she　said。　〃That's　fine。〃

〃Can　I　have　the　barber　before　breakfast？〃

〃I'll　send　the　porter　for　him。〃　She　went　out　and　came　back。　〃He's　gone　for　him；〃　she　said　and　dipped　the　cloth　she　held　in　the　basin　of　water。

The　barber　came　with　the　porter。　He　was　a　man　of　about　fifty　with　an　upturned　mustache。　Miss　Gage　was　finished　with　me　and　went　out　and　the　barber　lathered　my　face　and　shaved。　He　was　very　solemn　and　refrained　from　talking。

〃What's　the　matter？　Don't　you　know　any　news？〃　I　asked。

〃What　news？〃

〃Any　news。　What's　happened　in　the　town？〃

〃It　is　time　of　wai〃　he　said。　〃The　enemy's　ears　are　everywhere。〃

I　looked　up　at　him。　〃Please　hold　your　face　still；〃　he　said　and　went　on　shaving。　〃I　will　tell　nothing。〃

〃What's　the　matter　with　you？〃　I　asked。

〃I　am　an　Italian。　I　will　not　municate　with　the　enemy。〃

I　let　it　go　at　that。　If　he　was　crazy；　the　sooner　I　could　get　out　from　under　the　razor　the　better。　Once　I　tried　to　get　a　good　look　at　him。　〃Beware；〃　he　said。　〃The　razor　is　sharp。〃

I　paid　him　when　it　was　over　and　tipped　him　half　a　lira。　He　returned　the　coins。

〃I　will　not。　I　am　not　at　the　front。　But　I　am　an　Italian。〃

〃Get　the　hell　out　of　here。〃

〃With　your　permission；〃　he　said　and　wrapped　his　razors　in　newspaper。　He　went　out　leaving　the　five　copper　coins　on　the　table　beside　the　bed。　I　rang　the　bell。　Miss　Gage　came　in。　〃Would　you　ask　the　porter　to　e　please？〃

〃All　right。〃

The　porter　came　in。　He　was　trying　to　keep　from　laughing。

〃Is　that　barber　crazy？〃

〃No；　signorino。　He　made　a　mistake。　He　doesn't　understand　very　well　and　he　thought　I　said　you　were　an　Austrian　officer。〃

〃Oh；〃　I　said。

〃Ho　ho　ho；〃　the　p