第3部分(第3/9 頁)

　thought　perhaps　he　couldn't　stand　it　and　then　of　course　he　was　killed　and　that　was　the　end　of　it。〃

〃I　don't　know。〃

〃Oh；　yes；〃　she　said。　〃That's　the　end　of　it。〃

We　looked　at　Rinaldi　talking　with　the　other　nurse。

〃What　is　her　name？〃

〃Ferguson。　Helen　Ferguson。　Your　friend　is　a　doctor；　isn't　he？〃

〃Yes。　He's　very　good。〃

〃That's　splendid。　You　rarely　find　any　one　any　good　this　close　to　the　front。　This　is　close　to　the　front；　isn't　it？〃

〃Quite。〃

〃It's　a　silly　front；〃　she　said。　〃But　it's　very　beautiful。　Are　they　going　to　have　an　offensive？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Then　we'll　have　to　work。　There's　no　work　now。〃

〃Have　you　done　nursing　long？〃

〃Since　the　end　of　'fifteen。　I　started　when　he　did。　I　remember　having　a　silly　idea　he　might　e　to　the　hospital　where　I　was。　With　a　sabre　cut；　I　suppose；　and　a　bandage　around　his　head。　Or　shot　through　the　shoulder。　Something　picturesque。〃

〃This　is　the　picturesque　front；〃　I　said。

〃Yes；〃　she　said。　〃People　can't　realize　what　France　is　like。　If　they　did；　it　couldn't　all　go　on。　He　didn't　have　a　sabre　cut。　They　blew　him　all　to　bits。〃

I　didn't　say　anything。

〃Do　you　suppose　it　will　always　go　on？〃

〃No。〃

〃What's　to　stop　it？〃

〃It　will　crack　somewhere。〃

〃We'll　crack。　We'll　crack　in　France。　They　can't　go　on　doing　things　like　the　Somme　and　not　crack。〃

〃They　won't　crack　here；〃　I　said。

〃You　think　not？〃

〃No。　They　did　ve