第12部分(第6/7 頁)

rozen　portion。　The　anxsthetized　area　was　clearly　defined　by　the　patient　and　after　a　time　the　doctor's　fragile　delicacy　was　exhausted　and　he　said　it　would　be　better　to　have　an　X…ray。　Probing　was　unsatisfactory；　he　said。

The　X…ray　was　taken　at　the　Ospedale　Maggiore　and　the　doctor　who　did　it　was　excitable；　efficient　and　cheerful。　It　was　arranged　by　holding　up　the　shoulders；　that　the　patient　should　see　personally　some　of　the　larger　foreign　bodies　through　the　machine。　The　plates　were　to　be　sent　over。　The　doctor　requested　me　to　write　in　his　pocket　notebook；　my　name；　and　regiment　and　some　sentiment。　He　declared　that　the　foreign　bodies　were　ugly；　nasty；　brutal。　The　Austrians　were　sons　of　bitches。　How　many　had　I　killed？　I　had　not　killed　any　but　I　was　anxious　to　please……and　I　said　I　had　killed　plenty。　Miss　Gage　was　with　me　and　the　doctor　put　his　arm　around　her　and　said　she　was　more　beautiful　than　Cleopatra。　Did　she　understand　that？　Cleopatra　the　former　queen　of　Egypt。　Yes；　by　God　she　was。　We　returned　to　the　little　hospital　in　the　ambulance　and　after　a　while　and　much　lifting　I　was　upstairs　and　in　bed　again。　The　plates　came　that　afternoon；　the　doctor　had　said　by　God　he　would　have　them　that　afternoon　and　he　did。　Catherine　Barkley　showed　them　to　me。　They　were　in　red　envelopes　and　she　took　them　out　of　the　envelopes　and　held　them　up　to　the　light　and　we　both　looked。

〃That's　your　right　leg；〃　she　said；　then　put　the　plate　back　in　the　envelope。　〃This　is　your　left。〃

〃Put　them　away；〃　I　said；　〃and　e　over　to　the　bed。〃

〃I　can't；〃　she　said。　〃I　just　brought　them　in　for　a　second　to　show　you。〃

She　went　out　and　I　lay　there。　It　was　a　hot　afternoon　and　I　was　sick　of　lying　in　bed。　I　sent　the　porter　for　the　papers；　all　the　papers　he　could　get。

Before　he　came　back