第27部分(第4/8 頁)

　staff　car　crossed　on　the　upper　bridge。〃

〃A　staff　car？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Holy　Mary。〃

The　others　came　and　we　all　crouched　in　the　mud　behind　the　embankment；　looking　across　the　rails　at　the　bridge；　the　line　of　trees；　the　ditch　and　the　road。

〃Do　you　think　we're　cut　off　then；　Tenente？〃

〃I　don't　know。　All　I　know　is　a　German　staff　car　went　along　that　road。〃

〃You　don't　feel　funny；　Tenente？　You　haven't　got　strange　feelings　in　the　head？〃

〃Don't　be　funny；　Bonello。〃

〃What　about　a　drink？〃　Piani　asked。　〃If　we're　cut　off　we　might　as　well　have　a　drink。〃　He　unhooked　his　canteen　and　uncorked　it。

〃Look！　Look！〃　Aymo　said　and　pointed　toward　the　road。　Along　the　top　of　the　stone　bridge　we　could　see　German　helmets　moving。　They　were　bent　forward　and　moved　smoothly；　almost　supernatu　rally；　along。　As　they　came　off　the　bridge　we　saw　them。　They　were　bicycle　troops。　I　saw　the　faces　of　the　first　two。　They　were　ruddy　and　healthy…looking。　Their　helmets　came　iow　down　over　their　foreheads　and　the　side　of　their　faces。　Their　carbines　were　clipped　to　the　frame　of　the　bicycles。　Stick　bombs　hung　handle　down　from　their　belts。　Their　helmets　and　their　gray　uniforms　were　wet　and　they　rode　easily；　looking　ahead　and　to　both　sides。　There　were　two……then　four　in　line；　then　two；　then　almost　a　dozen；　then　another　dozen……　then　one　alone。　They　did　not　talk　but　we　could　not　have　heard　them　because　of　the　noise　from　the　river。　They　were　gone　out　of　sight　up　the　road。