第26部分(第3/8 頁)

hat？〃　asked　the　sergeant。

〃It's　better　to　eat。〃

〃Yes。　But　time　is　precious。〃

〃I　believe　the　bastards　have　eaten　already；〃　Piani　said。　The　sergeants　looked　at　him。　They　hated　the　lot　of　us。

〃You　know　the　road？〃　one　of　them　asked　me。

〃No；〃　I　said。　They　looked　at　each　other。

〃We　would　do　best　to　start；〃　the　first　one　said。

〃We　are　starting；〃　I　said。　I　drank　another　cup　of　the　red　wine。　It　tasted　very　good　after　the　cheese　and　apple。

〃Bring　the　cheese；〃　I　said　and　went　out。　Bonello　came　out　carrying　the　great　jug　of　wine。

〃That's　too　big；〃　I　said。　He　looked　at　it　regretfully。

〃I　guess　it　is；〃　he　said。　〃Give　me　the　canteens　to　fill。〃　He　filled　the　canteens　and　some　of　the　wine　ran　out　on　the　stone　paving　of　the　courtyard。　Then　he　picked　up　the　wine　jug　and　put　it　just　inside　the　door。

〃The　Austrians　can　find　it　without　breaking　the　door　down；〃　he　said。

〃We'll　roll。〃　I　said。　〃Piani　and　I　will　go　ahead。〃　The　two　engineers　were　already　on　the　seat　beside　Bonello。　The　girls　were　eating　cheese　and　apples。　Aymo　was　smoking。　We　started　off　down　the　narrow　road。　I　looked　back　at　the　two　cars　ing　and　the　farmhouse。　It　was　a　fine；　low；　solid　stone　house　and　the　ironwork　of　the　well　was　very　good。　Ahead　of　us　the　road　was　narrow　and　muddy　and　there　was　a　high　hedge　on　either　side。　Behind；　the　cars　were　following　closely。

29

At　noon　we　were　stuck　in　a　muddy　road　about；　as　nearly　as　we　could　figur