第23部分(第2/8 頁)

〃I　don't　believe　in　victory　any　more。〃

〃I　don't。　But　I　don't　believe　in　defeat。　Though　it　may　be　better。〃

〃What　do　you　believe　in？〃

〃In　sleep；〃　I　said。　He　stood　up。

〃I　am　very　sorry　to　have　stayed　so　long。　But　I　like　so　to　talk　with　you。〃

〃It　is　very　nice　to　talk　again。　I　said　that　about　sleeping；　meaning　nothing。〃

We　stood　up　and　shook　hands　in　the　dark。

〃I　sleep　at　307　now；〃　he　said。

〃I　go　out　on　post　early　to…morrow。〃

〃I'll　see　you　when　you　e　hack。〃

〃We'll　have　a　walk　and　talk　together。〃　I　walked　with　him　to　the　door。

〃Don't　go　down；〃　he　said。　〃It　is　very　nice　that　you　are　back。　Though　not　so　nice　for　you。〃　He　put　his　hand　on　my　shoulder。

〃It's　all　right　for　me；〃　I　said。　〃Good…night。〃

〃Good…night。　Ciaou！〃

〃Ciaou！〃　I　said。　I　was　deadly　sleepy。

27

I　woke　when　Rinaldi　came　in　but　he　did　not　talk　and　I　went　back　to　sleep　again。　In　the　morning　I　was　dressed　and　gone　before　it　was　light。　Rinaldi　did　not　wake　when　I　left。

I　had　not　seen　the　Bainsizza　before　and　it　was　strange　to　go　up　the　slope　where　the　Austrians　had　been；　beyond　the　place　on　the　river　where　I　had　been　wounded。　There　was　a　steep　new　road　and　many　trucks。　Beyond；　the　road　flattened　out　and　I　saw　woods　and　steep　hills　in　the　mist。　There　were　woods　that　had　been　taken　quickly　and　not　smashed。　Then　beyond　where　the　road　was　not　protected　by　the　hills　it　was　screened　by　matting　on　the　sides　and　o