波波小说

第21部分（第2页）

〃It　has　been　bad；〃　the　major　said。　〃You　couldnt　believe　how　bad　its　been。　Ive　often　thought　you　were　lucky　to　be　hit　when　you　were。〃

〃I　know　I　was。〃

〃Next　year　will　be　worse；〃　the　major　said。　〃Perhaps　they　will　attack　now。　They　say　they　are　to　attack　but　I　cant　believe　it。　It　is　too　late。　You　saw　the　river？〃

〃Yes。　Its　high　already。〃

〃I　dont　believe　they　will　attack　now　that　the　rains　have　started。　We　will　have　the　snow　soon。　What　about　your　countrymen？　Will　there　be　other　Americans　besides　yourself？〃

〃They　are　training　an　army　of　ten　million。〃

〃I　hope　we　get　some　of　them。　But　the　French　will　hog　them　all。　Well　never　get　any　down　here。　All　right。　You　stay　here　to…night　and　go　out　to…morrow　with　the　little　car　and　send　Gino　back。　Ill　send　somebody　with　you　that　knows　the　road。　Gino　will　tell　you　everything。　They　are　shelling　quite　a　little　still　but　it　is　all　over。　You　will　want　to　see　the　Bainsizza。〃

〃Im　glad　to　see　it。　I　am　glad　to　be　back　with　you　again；　Signor　Maggiore。〃

He　smiled。　〃You　are　very　good　to　say　so。　I　am　very　tired　of　this　war。　If　I　was　away　I　do　not　believe　I　would　e　back。〃

〃Is　it　so　bad？〃

〃Yes。　It　is　so　bad　and　worse。　Go　get　cleaned　up　and　find　your　friend　Rinaldi。〃

I　went　out　and　carried　my　bags　up　the　stairs。　Rinaldi　was　not　in　the　room　but　his　things　were　there　and　I　sat　down　on　the　bed　and　unwrapped　my　puttees　and　took　the　shoe　off　my　right　foot。　Then　I　lay　back　on　the　bed。　I　was　tired　and　my　right　foot　hurt。　It　seemed　silly　to　lie　on　the　bed　with　one　shoe　off；　so　I　sat　up　and　unlaced　the　other　shoe　and　dropped　it　on　the　floor；　then　lay　back　on　the　blanket　again。　The　room　was　stuffy　with　the　window　closed　but　I　was　too　tired　to　get　up　and　open　it。　I　saw　my　things　were　all　in　one　corner　of　the　room。　Outside　it　was　getting　dark。　I　lay　on　the　bed　and　thought　about　Catherine　and　waited　for　Rinaldi。　I　was　going　to　try　not　to　think　about　Catherine　except　at　night　before　I　went　to　sleep。　But　now　I　was　tired　and　there　was　nothing　to　do；　so　I　lay　and　thought　about　her。　I　was　thinking　about　her　when　Rinaldi　came　in。　He　looked　just　the　same。　Perhaps　he　was　a　little　thinner。

〃Well；　baby；〃　he　said。　I　sat　up　on　the　bed。　He　came　over；　sat　down　and　put　his　arm　around　me。　〃Good　old　baby。〃　He　whacked　me　on　the　back　and　I　held　both　his　arms。

〃Old　baby；〃　he　said。　〃Let　me　see　your　knee。〃

〃Ill　have　to　take　off　my　pants。〃

〃Take　off　your　pants；　baby。　Were　all　friends　here。　I　want　to　see　what　kind　of　a　job　they　did。〃　I　stood　up；　took　off　the　breeches　and　pulled　off　the　knee…brace。　Rinaldi　sat　on　the　floor　and　bent　the　knee　gently　back　and　forth。　He　ran　his　finger　along　the　scar；　put　his　thumbs　together　over　the　kneecap　and　rocked　the　knee　gently　with　his　fingers。

〃Is　that　all　the　articulation　you　have？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Its　a　crime　to　send　you　back。　They　ought　to　get　plete　articulation。〃

〃Its　a　lot　better　than　it　was。　It　was　stiff　as　a　board。〃

Rinaldi　bent　it　more。　I　watched　his　hands。　He　had　fine　surgeons　hands。　I　looked　at　the　top　of　his　head；　his　hair　shiny　and　parted　smoothly。　He　bent　the　knee　too　far。

〃Ouch！〃　I　said。

〃You　ought　to　have　more　treatment　on　it　with　the　machines；〃　Rinaldi　said。

〃Its　better　than　it　was。〃

〃I　see　that；　baby。　This　is　something　I　know　more　about　than　you。〃　He　stood　up　and　sat　down　on　the　bed。　〃The　knee　itself　is　a　good　job。〃　He　was　through　with　the　knee。　〃Tell　me　all　about　everything。〃

〃Theres　nothing　to　tell；〃　I　said。　〃Ive　led　a　quiet　life。〃

〃You　act　like　a　married　man；〃　he　said。　〃Whats　the　matter　with　you？〃

〃Nothing；〃　I　said。　〃Whats　the　matter　with　you？〃

〃This　war　is　killing　me；〃　Rinaldi　said；　〃I　am　very　depressed　by　it。〃　He　folded　his　hands　over　his　knee。

〃Oh；〃　I　said。

〃Whats　the　matter？　Cant　I　even　have　human　impulses？〃

〃No。　I　can　see　youve　been　having　a　fine　time。　Tell　me。〃

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