第21部分(第4/8 頁)

t　to　see　the　Bainsizza。〃

〃I'm　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。〃

〃I'