第21部分(第5/8 頁)

ll　have　to　take　off　my　pants。〃

〃Take　off　your　pants；　baby。　We're　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。〃

〃It's　a　crime　to　send　you　back。　They　ought　to　get　plete　articulation。〃

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

Rinaldi　bent　it　more。　I　watched　his　hands。　He　had　fine　surgeon's　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。

〃It's　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。〃

〃There's　nothing　to　tell；〃　I　said。　〃I've　led　a　quiet　life。〃

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

〃Nothing；〃　I　said。　〃What's　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。

〃What's　the　matter？　Can't　I　even　have　human　impulses？〃