第11部分(第4/7 頁)

er…bearers　saluted　and　said　thank　you。　〃Good…by；〃　I　said。　〃And　many　thanks。〃　They　saluted　again　and　went　out。

〃Those　papers；〃　I　said　to　the　nurse；　〃describe　my　case　and　the　treatment　already　given。〃

The　woman　picked　them　up　and　looked　at　them　through　her　glasses。　There　were　three　papers　and　they　were　folded。　〃I　don't　know　what　to　do；〃　she　said。　〃I　can't　read　Italian。　I　can't　do　anything　without　the　doctor's　orders。〃　She　menced　to　cry　and　put　the　papers　in　her　apron　pocket。　〃Are　you　an　American？〃　she　asked　crying。

〃Yes。　Please　put　the　papers　on　the　table　by　the　bed。〃

It　was　dim　and　cool　in　the　room。　As　I　lay　on　the　bed　I　could　see　the　big　mirror　on　the　other　side　of　the　room　but　could　not　see　what　it　reflected。　The　porter　stood　by　the　bed。　He　had　a　nice　face　and　was　very　kind。

〃You　can　go；〃　I　said　to　him。　〃You　can　go　too；〃　I　said　to　the　nurse。　〃What　is　your　name？〃

〃Mrs。　Walker。〃

〃You　can　go；　Mrs。　Walker。　I　think　I　will　go　to　sleep。〃

I　was　alone　in　the　room。　It　was　cool　and　did　not　smell　like　a　hospital。　The　mattress　was　firm　and　fortable　and　I　lay　without　moving；　hardly　breathing；　happy　in　feeling　the　pain　lessen。　After　a　while　I　wanted　a　drink　of　water　and　found　the　bell　on　a　cord　by　the　bed　and　rang　it　but　nobody　came。　I　went　to　sleep。

When　I　woke　I　looked　around。　There　was　sunlight　ing　in　through　the　shutters。　I　saw　the　big　armoire；　the　bare　walls；　and　two　chairs。　My　legs　in　the　dirty　bandages；　stuck　straight　out　in　the　bed。　I　was　careful　not　to　move　them。　I　was　thirsty　and　I　reached　for　the　bell　and　pushed　the　button。　I　heard　the　door　open　and　looked　and　it　was　a　nurse。　She　looked　young　and　pretty。

〃Good…morning；〃　I　said。

〃Good…morning；〃　she　said　and　came　over　to　the　bed。　〃We　haven't　been　ab