第16部分(第4/8 頁)

ed　captain。〃

〃I　don't　have　to　wait　to　be　promoted。　I'm　going　to　be　a　captain　for　merit　of　war。　You　know。　Three　stars　with　the　crossed　swords　and　crown　above。　That's　me。〃

〃Good　luck。〃

〃Good　luck。　When　you　going　back　to　the　front？〃

〃Pretty　soon。〃

〃Well；　I'll　see　you　around。〃

〃So　long。〃

〃So　long。　Don't　take　any　bad　nickels。〃

I　walked　on　down　a　back　Street　that　led　to　a　cross…cut　to　the　hospital。　Ettore　was　twenty…three。　He　had　been　brought　up　by　an　uncle　in　San　Francisco　and　was　visiting　his　father　and　mother　in　Torino　when　war　was　declared。　He　had　a　sister；　who　had　been　sent　to　America　with　him　at　the　same　time　to　live　with　the　uncle；　who　would　graduate　from　normal　school　this　year。　He　was　a　legitimate　hero　who　bored　every　one　he　met。　Catherine　could　not　stand　him。

〃We　have　heroes　too；〃　she　said。　〃But　usually；　darling；　they're　much　quieter。〃

〃I　don't　mind　him。〃

〃I　wouldn't　mind　him　if　he　wasn't　so　conceited　and　didn't　bore　me；　and　bore　me；　and　bore　me。〃

〃He　bores　me。〃

〃You're　sweet　to　say　so；　darling。　But　you　don't　need　to。　You　can　picture　him　at　the　front　and　you　know　he's　useful　but　he's　so　much　the　type　of　boy　I　don't　care　for。〃

〃I　know。〃

〃You're　awfully　sweet　to　know；　and　I　try　and　like　him　but　he's　a　dreadful；　dreadful　boy　really。〃

〃He　said　this　afternoon　he　was　going　to　be　a　captain。〃

〃I'm　glad；〃　said　Catherine。　〃That　should　please　him。〃

〃Wouldn't