第11部分(第3/7 頁)

　〃They　sleep　down　stairs。〃

〃Get　somebody。〃

The　porter　rang　the　bell；　then　knocked　on　the　door；　then　he　opened　the　door　and　went　in。　When　he　came　back　there　was　an　elderly　woman　wearing　glasses　with　him。　Her　hair　was　loose　and　half…falling　and　she　wore　a　nurse's　dress。

〃I　can't　understand；〃　she　said。　〃I　can't　understand　Italian。〃

〃I　can　speak　English；〃　I　said。　〃They　want　to　put　me　somewhere。〃

〃None　of　the　rooms　are　ready。　There　isn't　any　patient　expected。〃　She　tucked　at　her　hair　and　looked　at　me　near…sightedly。

〃Show　them　any　room　where　they　can　put　me。〃

〃I　don't　know；〃　she　said。　〃There's　no　patient　expected。　I　couldn't　put　you　in　just　any　room。〃

〃Any　room　will　do；〃　I　said。　Then　to　the　porter　in　Italian；　〃Find　an　empty　room。〃

〃They　are　all　empty；〃　said　the　porter。　〃You　are　the　first　patient。〃　He　held　his　cap　in　his　hand　and　looked　at　the　elderly　nurse。

〃For　Christ's　sweet　sake　take　me　to　some　room。〃　The　pain　had　gone　on　and　on　with　the　legs　bent　and　I　could　feel　it　going　in　and　out　of　the　bone。　The　porter　went　in　the　door；　followed　by　the　grayhaired　woman；　then　came　hurrying　back。　〃Follow　me；〃　he　said。　They　carried　me　down　a　long　hallway　and　into　a　room　with　drawn　blinds。　It　smelled　of　new　furniture。　There　was　a　bed　and　a　big　wardrobe　with　a　mirror。　They　laid　me　down　on　the　bed。

〃I　can't　put　on　sheets；〃　the　woman　said。　〃The　sheets　are　locked　up。〃

I　did　not　speak　to　her。　〃There　is　money　in　my　pocket；〃　I　said　to　the　porter。　〃In　the　buttoned…down　pocket。〃　The　porter　took　out　the　money。　The　two　stretcher…bearers　stood　beside　the　bed　holding　their　caps。　〃Give　them　five　lire　apiece　and　five　lire　for　yourself。　My　papers　are　in　the　other　pocket。　You　may　give　them　to　the　nurse。〃

The　stretch