第6部分(第4/8 頁)

　him。　That's　what　it's　for。〃

〃All　right；〃　I　said。　I　undid　the　clasp　of　the　gold　chain　and　put　it　around　my　neck　and　clasped　it。　The　saint　hung　down　on　the　Outside　of　my　uniform　and　I　undid　the　throat　of　my　tunic；　unbuttoned　the　shirt　collar　and　dropped　him　in　under　the　shirt。　I　felt　him　in　his　metal　box　against　my　chest　while　we　drove。　Then　I　forgot　about　him。　After　I　was　wounded　I　never　found　him。　Some　one　probably　got　it　at　one　of　the　dressing　stations。

We　drove　fast　when　we　were　over　the　bridge　and　soon　we　saw　the　dust　of　the　other　cars　ahead　down　the　road。　The　road　curved　and　we　saw　the　three　cars　looking　quite　small；　the　dust　rising　from　the　wheels　and　going　off　through　the　trees。　We　caught　them　and　passed　them　and　turned　off　on　a　road　that　climbed　up　into　the　hills。　Driving　in　convoy　is　not　unpleasant　if　you　are　the　first　car　and　I　settled　back　in　the　seat　and　watched　the　country。　We　were　in　the　foothills　on　the　near　side　of　the　river　and　as　the　road　mounted　there　were　the　high　mountains　off　to　the　north　with　snow　still　on　the　tops。　I　looked　back　and　saw　the　three　cars　all　climbing；　spaced　by　the　interval　of　their　dust。　We　passed　a　long　column　of　loaded　mules；　the　drivers　walking　along　beside　the　mules　wearing　red　fezzes。　They　were　bersaglieri。

Beyond　the　mule　train　the　road　was　empty　and　we　climbed　through　the　hills　and　then　went　down　over　the　shoulder　of　a　long　hill　into　a　river…valley。　There　were　trees　along　both　sides　of　the　road　and　through　the