第28部分(第4/8 頁)

There　was　no　shelling。　That　was　something。　They　must　have　gotten　some　troops　along　the　road。　I　looked　down　in　the　half…light　of　the　hay…barn　and　saw　Piani　standing　on　the　hauling　floor。　He　had　a　long　sausage；　a　jar　of　something　and　two　bottles　of　wine　under　his　arm。

〃e　up；〃　I　said。　〃There　is　the　ladder。〃　Then　I　realized　that　I　should　help　him　with　the　things　and　went　down。　I　was　vague　in　the　head　from　lying　in　the　hay。　I　had　been　nearly　asleep。

〃Where's　Bonello？〃　I　asked。

〃I'll　tell　you；〃　Piani　said。　We　went　up　the　ladder。　Up　on　the　hay　we　set　the　things　down。　Piani　took　out　his　knife　with　the　corkscrew　and　drew　the　cork　on　a　wine　bottle。

〃They　have　sealing…wax　on　it；〃　he　said。　〃It　must　be　good。〃　He　smiled。

〃Where's　Bonello？〃　I　asked。

Piani　looked　at　me。

〃He　went　away；　Tenente；〃　he　said。　〃He　wanted　to　be　a　prisoner。〃

I　did　not　say　anything。

〃He　was　afraid　we　would　get　killed。〃

I　held　the　bottle　of　wine　and　did　not　say　anything。

〃You　see　we　don't　believe　in　the　war　anyway；　Tenente。〃

〃Why　didn't　you　go？〃　I　asked。

〃I　did　not　want　to　leave　you。〃

〃Where　did　he　go？〃

〃I　don't　know；　Tenente。　He　went　away。〃

〃All　right；〃　I　said。　〃Will　you　cut　the　sausage？〃

Piani　looked　at　me　in　the　half…light。

〃I　cut　it　while　we　were　talking；〃　he　said。　We　sat　in　the　hay　and　ate　the　sausage　and　drank　the　wine。　It　must　have　been　wine　they　had　saved　for　a　wedding。　It　was　so　old　tha