第24部分(第2/8 頁)

were　firing　from　the　field　behind　the　village　and　the　shells；　going　away；　had　a　fortable　sound。

We　heard　that　the　attack　to　the　south　had　been　unsuccessful。　They　did　not　attack　that　night　but　we　heard　that　they　had　broken　through　to　the　north。　In　the　night　word　came　that　we　were　to　prepare　to　retreat。　The　captain　at　the　post　told　me　this。　He　had　it　from　the　Brigade。　A　little　while　later　he　came　from　the　telephone　and　said　it　was　a　lie。　The　Brigade　had　received　orders　that　the　line　of　the　Bainsizza　should　be　held　no　matter　what　happened。　I　asked　about　the　break　through　and　he　said　that　he　had　heard　at　the　Brigade　that　the　Austrians　had　broken　through　the　twenty…seventh　army　corps　up　toward　Caporetto。　There　had　been　a　great　battle　in　the　north　all　day。

〃If　those　bastards　let　them　through　we　are　cooked；〃　he　said。

〃It's　Germans　that　are　attacking；〃　one　of　the　medical　officers　said。　The　word　Germans　was　something　to　be　frightened　of。　We　did　not　want　to　have　anything　to　do　with　the　Germans。

〃There　are　fifteen　divisions　of　Germans；〃　the　medical　officer　said。　〃They　have　broken　through　and　we　will　be　cut　off。〃

〃At　the　Brigade；　they　say　this　line　is　to　be　held。　They　say　they　have　not　broken　through　badly　and　that　we　will　hold　a　line　across　the　mountains　from　Monte　Maggiore。〃

〃Where　do　they　hear　this？〃

〃From　the　Division。〃

〃The　word　that　we　were　to　retreat　came　from　the　Division。〃

〃We　work　under　the　Army　Corps；〃　I　said。　〃But