小说妹妹网

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第10部分（第3页）

〃No。　Dont　go。　How　about　loving　women？　If　I　really　loved　some　woman　would　it　be　like　that？〃

〃I　dont　know　about　that。　I　never　loved　any　woman。〃

〃What　about　your　mother？〃

〃Yes；　I　must　have　loved　my　mother。〃

〃Did　you　always　love　God？〃

〃Ever　since　I　was　a　little　boy。〃

〃Well；〃　I　said。　I　did　not　know　what　to　say。　〃You　are　a　fine　boy；〃　I　said。

〃I　am　a　boy；〃　he　said。　〃But　you　call　me　father。〃

〃Thats　politeness。〃

He　smiled。

〃I　must　go；　really；〃　he　said。　〃You　do　not　want　me　for　anything？〃　he　asked　hopefully。

〃No。　Just　to　talk。〃

〃I　will　take　your　greetings　to　the　mess。〃

〃Thank　you　for　the　many　fine　presents。〃

〃Nothing。〃

〃e　and　see　me　again。〃

〃Yes。　Good…by；〃　he　patted　my　hand。

〃So　long；〃　I　said　in　dialect。

〃Ciaou；〃　he　repeated。

It　was　dark　in　the　room　and　the　orderly；　who　had　sat　by　the　foot　of　the　bed；　got　up　and　went　out　with　him。　I　liked　him　very　much　and　I　hoped　he　would　get　back　to　the　Abruzzi　some　time。　He　had　a　rotten　life　in　the　mess　and　he　was　fine　about　it　but　I　thought　how　he　would　be　in　his　own　country。　At　Capracotta；　he　had　told　me；　there　were　trout　in　the　stream　below　the　town。　It　was　forbidden　to　play　the　flute　at　night。　When　the　young　men　serenaded　only　the　flute　was　forbidden。　Why；　I　had　asked。　Because　it　was　bad　for　the　girls　to　hear　the　flute　at　night。　The　peasants　all　called　you　〃Don〃　and　when　you　met　them　they　took　off　their　hats。　His　father　hunted　every　day　and　stopped　to　eat　at　the　houses　of　peasants。　They　were　always　honored。　For　a　foreigner　to　hunt　he　must　present　a　certificate　that　he　had　never　been　arrested。　There　were　bears　on　the　Gran　Sasso　DItalia　but　it　was　a　long　way。　Aquila　was　a　fine　town。　It　was　cool　in　the　summer　at　night　and　the　spring　in　Abruzzi　was　the　most　beautiful　in　Italy。　But　what　was　lovely　was　the　fall　to　go　hunting　through　the　chestnut　woods。　The　birds　were　all　good　because　they　fed　on　grapes　and　you　never　took　a　lunch　because　the　peasants　were　always　honored　if　you　would　eat　with　them　at　their　houses。　After　a　while　I　went　to　sleep。

12

The　room　was　long　with　windows　on　the　right…hand　side　and　a　door　at　the　far　end　that　went　into　the　dressing　room。　The　row　of　beds　that　mine　was　in　faced　the　windows　and　another　row；　under　the　windows；　faced　the　wall。　If　you　lay　on　your　left　side　you　could　see　the　dressing…room　door。　There　was　another　door　at　the　far　end　that　people　sometimes　came　in　by。　If　any　one　were　going　to　die　they　put　a　screen　around　the　bed　so　you　could　not　see　them　die；　but　only　the　shoes　and　puttees　of　doctors　and　men　nurses　showed　under　the　bottom　of　the　screen　and　sometimes　at　the　end　there　would　be　whispering。　Then　the　priest　would　e　out　from　behind　the　screen　and　afterward　the　men　nurses　would　go　back　behind　the　screen　to　e　out　again　carrying　the　one　who　was　dead　with　a　blanket　over　him　down　the　corridor　between　the　beds　and　some　one　folded　the　screen　and　took　it　away。

That　morning　the　major　in　charge　of　the　ward　asked　me　if　I　felt　that　I　could　travel　the　next　day。　I　said　I　could。　He　said　then　they　would　ship　me　out　early　in　the　morning。　He　said　I　would　be　better　off　making　the　trip　now　before　it　got　too　hot。

When　they　lifted　you　up　out　of　bed　to　carry　you　into　the　dressing　room　you　could　look　out　of　the　window　and　see　the　new　graves　in　the　garden。　A　soldier　sat　outside　the　door　that　opened　onto　the　garden　making　crosses　and　painting　on　them　the　names；　rank；　and　regiment　of　the　men　who　were　buried　in　the　garden。　He　also　ran　errands　for　the　ward　and　in　his　spare　time　made　me　a　cigarette　lighter　out　of　an　empty　Austrian　rifle　cartridge。　The　doctors　were　very　nice　and　seemed　very　capable。　They　were　anxious　to　ship　me　to　Milan　where　there　were　better　X…ray　facilities　and　where；　after　the　operation；　I　could　take　mechano…therapy。　I　wanted　to　go　to　Milan　too。　They　wanted　to　get　us　all　out　and　back　as　far　as　possible　because　all　the　beds　were　needed　for　the　offensive；　when　it　should　start。

The　night　before　I　left　the　field　hospital　Rinaldi　came　in　to　see　me　with　the　major　from　our　mess。　They　said　that　I　would　go　to　an　American　hospital　in　Milan　that　had　just　been　installed。　Some　American　ambulance　units　were　to　be　sent　down　and　this　hospital　would　look　after　them　and　any　other　Americans　on　service　in　Italy。　There　were　many　in　the　Red　Cross。　The　States　had　declared　war　on　Germany　but　not　on　Austria。

The　Italians　were　sure　America　would　declare　war　on　Austria　too　and　they　were　very　excited　about　any　Americans　ing　down；　even　the　Red　Cross。　They　asked　me　if　I　thought　President　Wilson　would　declare　war　on　Austria　and　I　said　it　was　only　a　matter　of　days。　I　did　not　know　what　we　had　against　Austria　but　it　seemed　logical　that　they　should　declare　war　on　her　if　they　did　on　Germany。　They　asked　me　if　we　would　declare　war　on　Turkey。　I　said　that　was　doubtful。　Turkey；　I　said；　was　our　national　bird　but　the　joke　translated　so　badly　and　they　were　so　puzzled　and　suspicious　that　I　said　yes；　we　would　probably　declare　war　on　Turkey。　And　on　Bulgaria？　We　had　drunk　several　glasses　of　brandy　and　I　said　yes　by　God　on　Bulgaria　too　and　on　Japan。　But；　they　said；　Japan　is　an　ally　of　England。　You　cant　trust　the　bloody　English。　The　Japanese　want　Hawaii；　I　said。　Where　is　Hawaii？　It　is　in　the　Pacific　Ocean。　Why　do　the　Japanese　want　it？　They　dont　really　want　it；　I　said。　That　is　all　talk。　The　Japanese　are　a　wonderful　little　people　fond　of　dancing　and　light　wines。　Like　the　French；　said　the　major。　We　will　get　Nice　and　Savoia　from　the　French。　We　will　get　Corsica　and　all　the　Adriatic　coast…line；　Rinaldi　said。　Italy　will　return　to　the　splendors　of　Rome；　said　the　major。　I　dont　like　Rome；　I　said。　It　is　hot　and　full　of　fleas。　You　dont　like　Rome？　Yes；　I　love　Rome。　Rome　is　the　mother　of　nations。　I　will　never　forget　Romulus　suckling　the　Tiber。　What？　Nothing。　Lets　all　go　to　Rome。

Lets　go　to　Rome　to…night　and　never　e　back。　Rome　is　a　beautiful　city；　said　the　major。　The　mother　and　father　of　nations；　I　said。　Roma　is　feminine；　said　Rinaldi。　It　cannot　be　the　father。　Who　is　the　father；　then；　the　Holy　Ghost？　Dont　blaspheme。　I　wasnt　blaspheming；　I　was　asking　for　information。　You　are　drunk；　baby。　Who　made　me　drunk？　I　made　you　drunk；　said　the　major。　I　made　you　drunk　because　I　love　you　and　because　America　is　in　the　war。　Up　to　the　hilt；　I　said。　You　go　away　in　the　morning；　baby；　Rinaldi　said。　To　Rome；　I　said。　No；　to　Milan。　To　Milan；　said　the　major；　to　the　Crystal　Palace；　to　the　Cova；　to　Camparis；　to　Biffis；　to　the　galleria。　You　lucky　boy。　To　the　Gran　Italia；　I　said；　where　I　will　borrow　money　from　George。　To　the　Scala；　said　Rinaldi。　You　will　go　to　the　Scala。　Every　night；　I　said。　You　wont　be　able　to　afford　it　every　night；　said　the　major。

The　tickets　are　very　expensive。　I　will　draw　a　sight　draft　on　my　grandfather；　I　said。　A　what？　A　sight　draft。　He　has　to　pay　or　I　go　to　jail。　Mr。　Cunningham　at　the　bank　does　it。　I　live　by　sight　drafts。　Can　a　grandfather　jail　a　patriotic　grandson　who　is　dying　that　Italy　may　live？　Live　the　American　Garibaldi；　said　Rinaldi。　Viva　the　sight　drafts；　I　said。　We　must　be　quiet；　said　the　major。　Already　we　have　been　asked　many　times　to　be　quiet。　Do　you　go　to…morrow　really；　Federico？　He　goes　to　the　American　hospital　I　tell　you；　Rinaldi　said。　To　the　beautiful　nurses。　Not　the　nurses　with　beards　of　the　field　hospital。　Yes；　yes；　said　the　major；　I　know　he　goes　to　the　American　hospital。　I　dont　mind　their　beards；　I　said。　If　any　man　wants　to　raise　a　beard　let　him。　Why　dont　you　raise　a　beard；　Signor　Maggiore？　It　could　not　go　in　a　gas　mask。　Yes　it　could。　Anything　can　go　in　a　gas　mask。　Ive　vomited　into　a　gas　mask。　Dont　be　so　loud；　baby；　Rinaldi　said。　We　all　know　you　have　been　at　the　front　Oh；　you　fine　baby；　what　will　I　do　while　you　are　gone？　We　must　go；　said　the　major。　This　bees　sentimental。　Listen；　I　have　a　surprise　for　you。　Your　English。　You　know？　The　English　you　go　to　see　every　night　at　their　hospital？　She　is　going　to　Milan　too。　She　goes　with　another　to　be　at　the　American　hospital。　They　had　not　got　nurses　yet　from　America。　I　talked　to…day　with　the　head　of　their　riparto。　They　have　too　many　Women　here　at　the　front。　They　send　some　back。　How　do　you　like　that；　baby？　All　right。　Yes？　You　go　to　live　in　a　big　city

超强瓷婚：超拽新妻来入局  天命反派，开局被主角姐姐反扑  [HP]成为獾祖的人生  爱恨交织  系统：诸神竞技场  【酖美】水波映月影  蔷薇色之交响曲  邪妃盗情:粘人相公太妖娆  笙笙那海澜  大衍吞天  爷的日记  明贵妃，升妃记  言咒师  崩坏无迹  全娱乐圈都能听到我的心声  小宫女(辣)  北后  一默如雷  奇怪的运动  全息游戏：我靠辅助成为星际曙光