第25部分(第3/8 頁)

is　car　with　him。　They　stiffened　when　I　came　up。

〃They　were　left　to　do　something　to　a　bridge；〃　Bonello　said。　〃They　can't　find　their　unit　so　I　gave　them　a　ride。〃

〃With　the　Sir　Lieutenant's　permission。〃

〃With　permission；〃　I　said。

〃The　lieutenant　is　an　American；〃　Bonello　said。　〃He'll　give　anybody　a　ride。〃

One　of　the　sergeants　smiled。　The　other　asked　Bonello　if　I　was　an　Italian　from　North　or　South　America。

〃He's　not　an　Italian。　He's　North　American　English。〃

The　sergeants　were　polite　but　did　not　believe　it。　I　left　them　and　went　back　to　Aymo。　He　had　two　girls　on　the　seat　with　him　and　was　sitting　back　in　the　corner　and　smoking。

〃Barto；　Barto；〃　I　said。　He　laughed。

〃Talk　to　them；　Tenente；〃　he　said。　〃I　can't　understand　them。　Hey！〃　He　put　his　hand　on　the　girl's　thigh　and　squeezed　it　in　a　friendly　way。　The　girl　drew　her　shawl　tight　around　her　and　pushed　his　hand　away。　〃Hey！〃　he　said。　〃Tell　the　Tenente　your　name　and　what　you're　doing　here。〃

The　girl　looked　at　me　fiercely。　The　other　girl　kept　her　eyes　down。　The　girl　who　looked　at　me　said　something　in　a　dialect　I　could　not　understand　a　word　of。　She　was　plump　and　dark　and　looked　about　sixteen。

〃Sorella？〃　I　asked　and　pointed　at　the　other　girl。

She　nodded　her　head　and　smiled。

〃All　right；〃　I　said　and　patted　her　knee。　I　felt　her　stiffen　away　when　I　touched　her。　The　sister　never　looked　up。　She　looked　perhaps　a　year　younger。　Aymo　put　his　hand　on　the　elder　gir