第8部分（第1页）

Jesus　shoot　me　Christ　shoot　me　mama　mia　mama　Mia　oh　purest　lovely　Mary　shoot　me。　Stop　it。　Stop　it。　Stop　it。　Oh　Jesus　lovely　Mary　stop　it。　Oh　oh　oh　oh；〃　then　choking；　〃Mama　mama　mia。〃　Then　he　was　quiet；　biting　his　arm；　the　stump　of　his　leg　twitching。

〃Porta　feriti！〃　I　shouted　holding　my　hands　cupped。　〃Porta　feriti！〃　I　tried　to　get　closer　to　Passini　to　try　to　put　a　tourniquet　on　the　legs　but　I　could　not　move。　I　tried　again　and　my　legs　moved　a　little。　I　could　pull　backward　along　with　my　arms　and　elbows。　Passini　was　quiet　now。　I　sat　beside　him；　undid　my　tunic　and　tried　to　rip　the　tail　of　my　shirt。　It　would　not　rip　and　I　bit　the　edge　of　the　cloth　to　start　it。　Then　I　thought　of　his　puttees。　I　had　on　wool　stockings　but　Passini　wore　puttees。　All　the　drivers　wore　puttees　but　Passini　had　only　one　leg。　I　unwound　the　puttee　and　while　I　was　doing　it　I　saw　there　was　no　need　to　try　and　make　a　tourniquet　because　he　was　dead　already。　I　made　sure　he　was　dead。　There　were　three　others　to　locate。　I　sat　up　straight　and　as　I　did　so　something　inside　my　head　moved　like　the　weights　on　a　dolls　eyes　and　it　hit　me　inside　in　back　of　my　eyeballs。　My　legs　felt　warm　and　wet　and　my　shoes　were　wet　and　warm　inside。　I　knew　that　I　was　hit　and　leaned　over　and　put　my　hand　on　my　knee。　My　knee　wasnt　there。　My　hand　went　in　and　my　knee　was　down　on　my　shin。　I　wiped　my　hand　on　my　shirt　and　another　floating　light　came　very　slowly　down　and　I　looked　at　my　leg　and　was　very　afraid。　Oh；　God；　I　said；　get　me　out　of　here。　I　knew；　however；　that　there　had　been　three　others。　There　were　four　drivers。　Passini　was　dead。　That　left　three。　Some　one　took　hold　of　me　under　the　arms　and　somebody　else　lifted　my　legs。

〃There　are　three　others；〃　I　said。　〃One　is　dead。〃

〃Its　Manera。　We　went　for　a　stretcher　but　there　wasnt　any。　How　are　you；　Tenente？〃

〃Where　is　Gordini　and　Gavuzzi？〃

〃Gordinis　at　the　post　getting　bandaged。　Gavuzzi　has　your　legs。　Hold　on　to　my　neck；　Tenente。　Are　you　badly　hit？〃

〃In　the　leg。　How　is　Gordini？〃

〃Hes　all　right。　It　was　a　big　trench　mortar　shell。〃

〃Passinis　dead。〃

〃Yes。　Hes　dead。〃

A　shell　fell　close　and　they　both　dropped　to　the　ground　and　dropped　me。　〃Im　sorry；　Tenente；〃　said　Manera。　〃Hang　onto　my　neck。〃

〃If　you　drop　me　again。〃

〃It　was　because　we　were　scared。〃

〃Are　you　unwounded？〃

〃We　are　both　wounded　a　little。〃

〃Can　Gordini　drive？〃

〃I　dont　think　so。〃

They　dropped　me　once　more　before　we　reached　the　post。

〃You　sons　of　bitches；〃　I　said。

〃I　am　sorry；　Tenente；〃　Manera　said。　〃We　wont　drop　you　again。〃

Outside　the　post　a　great　many　of　us　lay　on　the　ground　in　the　dark。　They　carried　wounded　in　and　brought　them　out。　I　could　see　the　light　e　out　from　the　dressing　station　when　the　curtain　opened　and　they　brought　some　one　in　or　out。　The　dead　were　off　to　one　side。　The　doctors　were　working　with　their　sleeves　up　to　their　shoulders　and　were　red　as　butchers。　There　were　not　enough　stretchers。　Some　of　the　wounded　were　noisy　but　most　were　quiet。　The　wind　blew　the　leaves　in　the　bower　over　the　door　of　the　dressing　station　and　the　night　was　getting　cold。　Stretcher…bearers　came　in　all　the　time；　put　their　stretchers　down；　unloaded　them　and　went　away。　As　soon　as　I　got　to　the　dressing　station　Manera　brought　a　medical　sergeant　out　and　he　put　bandages　on　both　my　legs。　He　said　there　was　so　much　dirt　blown　into　the　wound　that　there　had　not　been　much　hemorrhage。　They　would　take　me　as　soon　as　possible。　He　went　back　inside。　Gordini　could　not　drive；　Manera　said。　His　shoulder　was　smashed　and　his　head　was　hurt。　He　had　not　felt　bad　but　now　the　shoulder　had　stiffened。　He　was　sitting　up　beside　one　of　the　brick　walls。　Manera　and　Gavuzzi　each　went　off　with　a　load　of　wounded。　They　could　drive　all　right。　The　British　had　e　with　three　ambulances　and　they　had　two　men　on　each　ambulance。　One　of　their　drivers　came　over　to　me；　brought　by　Gordini　who　looked　very　white　and　sick。　The　Britisher　leaned　over。

〃Are　you　hit　badly？〃　he　asked。　He　was　a　tall　man　and　wore　steel…rimmed　spectacles。

〃In　the　legs。〃

〃Its　not　serious　I　hope。　Will　you　have　a　cigarette？〃

〃Thanks。〃

〃They　tell　me　youve　lost　two　drivers。〃

〃Yes。　One　killed　and　the　fellow　that　brought　you。〃

〃What　rotten　luck。　Would　you　like　us　to　take　the　cars？〃

〃Thats　what　I　wanted　to　ask　you。〃

〃Wed　take　quite　good　care　of　them　and　return　them　to　the　villa。　206　arent　you？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Its　a　charming　place。　Ive　seen　you　about。　They　tell　me　youre　an　American。〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Im　English。〃

〃No！〃

〃Yes；　English。　Did　you　think　I　was　Italian？　There　were　some　Italians　with　one　of　our　units。〃