第12部分(第5/7 頁)

〃All　right；〃　I　said。　〃Shut　the　door。〃

〃You　can't。　You　shouldn't。〃

〃e　on。　Don't　talk。　Please　e　on。〃

Catherine　sat　in　a　chair　by　the　bed。　The　door　was　open　into　the　hall。　The　wildness　was　gone　and　I　felt　finer　than　I　had　ever　felt。

She　asked；　〃Now　do　you　believe　I　love　you？〃

〃Oh；　you're　lovely；〃　I　said。　〃You've　got　to　stay。　They　can't　send　you　away。　I'm　crazy　in　love　with　you。〃

〃We'll　have　to　be　awfully　careful。　That　was　just　madness。　We　can't　do　that。〃

〃We　can　at　night。〃

〃We'll　have　to　be　awfully　careful。　You'll　have　to　be　careful　in　front　of　other　people。〃

〃I　will。〃

〃You'll　have　to　be。　You're　sweet。　You　do　love　me；　don't　you？〃

〃Don't　say　that　again。　You　don't　know　what　that　does　to　me。〃

〃I'll　be　careful　then。　I　don't　want　to　do　anything　more　to　you。　I　have　to　go　now；　darling；　really。〃

〃e　back　right　away。〃

〃I'll　e　when　I　can。〃

〃Good…by。〃

〃Good…by；　sweet。〃

She　went　out。　God　knows　I　had　not　wanted　to　fall　in　love　with　her。　I　had　not　wanted　to　fall　in　love　with　any　one。　But　God　knows　I　had　and　I　lay　on　the　bed　in　the　room　of　the　hospital　in　Milan　and　all　sorts　of　things　went　through　my　head　but　I　felt　wonderful　and　finally　Miss　Gage　came　in。

〃The　doctor's　ing；〃　she　said。　〃He　telephoned　from　Lake　o。〃

〃When　does　he　get　here？〃

〃He'll　be　here　this　afternoon。〃

15

Nothing　happened　until　afternoon。　The　doctor　was　a　thin　quiet　little　man　who　seemed　disturbed　by　the　war。　He　took　out　a　number　of　small　steel　splinters　from　my　thighs　with　delicate　and　refined　distaste。　He　used　a　local　anaesthetic　called　something　or　other　〃snow；〃　which　froze　the　tissue　and　avoided　pain　until　the　probe；　the　scalpel　or　the　forceps　got　below　the　f