第16部分（第1页）

〃How　many　have　you　got；　Ettore？〃　asked　the　vice…consul。

〃Hes　got　everything；〃　Simmons　said。　〃Hes　the　boy　theyre　running　the　war　for。〃

〃Ive　got　the　bronze　twice　and　three　silver　medals；〃　said　Ettore。　〃But　the　papers　on　only　one　have　e　through。〃

〃Whats　the　matter　with　the　others？〃　asked　Simmons。

〃The　action　wasnt　successful；〃　said　Ettore。　〃When　the　action　isnt　successful　they　hold　up　all　the　medals。〃

〃How　many　times　have　you　been　wounded；　Ettore？〃

〃Three　times　bad。　I　got　three　wound　stripes。　See？〃　He　pulled　his　sleeve　around。　The　stripes　were　parallel　silver　lines　on　a　black　background　sewed　to　the　cloth　of　the　sleeve　about　eight　inches　below　the　shoulder。

〃You　got　one　too；〃　Ettore　said　to　me。　〃Believe　me　theyre　fine　to　have。　Id　rather　have　them　than　medals。　Believe　me；　boy；　when　you　get　three　youve　got　something。　You　only　get　one　for　a　wound　that　puts　you　three　months　in　the　hospital。〃

〃Where　were　you　wounded；　Ettore？〃　asked　the　vice…consul。

Ettore　pulled　up　his　sleeve。

〃Here；〃　he　showed　the　deep　smooth　red　scar。　〃Here　on　my　leg。　I　cant　show　you　that　because　I　got　puttees　on；　and　in　the　foot。　Theres　dead　bone　in　my　foot　that　stinks　right　now。　Every　morning　I　take　new　little　pieces　out　and　it　stinks　all　the　time。〃

〃What　hit　you？〃　asked　Simmons。

〃A　hand…grenade。　One　of　those　potato　mashers。　It　just　blew　the　whole　side　of　my　foot　off。　You　know　those　potato　mashers？〃　He　turned　to　me。

〃Sure。〃

〃I　saw　the　son　of　a　bitch　throw　it；〃　Ettore　said。　〃It　knocked　me　down　and　I　thought　I　was　dead　all　right　but　those　damn　potato　mashers　havent　got　anything　in　them。　I　shot　the　son　of　a　bitch　with　my　rifle。　I　always　carry　a　rifle　so　they　cant　tell　Im　an　officer。〃

〃How　did　he　look？〃　asked　Simmons。

〃That　was　the　only　one　he　had；〃　Ettore　said。　〃I　dont　know　why　he　threw　it。　I　guess　he　always　wanted　to　throw　one。　He　never　saw　any　real　fighting　probably。　I　shot　the　son　of　a　bitch　all　right。〃

〃How　did　he　look　when　you　shot　him？〃　Simmons　asked。

〃Hell；　how　should　I　know？〃　said　Ettore。　〃I　shot　him　in　the　belly。　I　was　afraid　Id　miss　him　if　I　shot　him　in　the　head。〃

〃How　long　have　you　been　an　officer；　Ettore？〃　I　asked。

〃Two　years。　Im　going　to　be　a　captain。　How　long　have　you　been　a　lieutenant？〃

〃Going　on　three　years。〃

〃You　cant　be　a　captain　because　you　dont　know　the　Italian　language　well　enough；〃　Ettore　said。　〃You　can　talk　but　you　cant　read　and　write　well　enough。　You　got　to　have　an　education　to　be　a　captain。　Why　dont　you　go　in　the　American　army？〃

〃Maybe　I　will。〃

〃I　wish　to　God　I　could。　Oh；　boy；　how　much　does　a　captain　get；　Mac？〃

〃I　dont　know　exactly。　Around　two　hundred　and　fifty　dollars；　I　think。〃

〃Jesus　Christ　what　I　could　do　with　two　hundred　and　fifty　dollars。　You　better　get　in　the　American　army　quick；　Fred。　See　if　you　cant　get　me　in。〃

〃All　right。〃

〃I　can　mand　a　pany　in　Italian。　I　could　learn　it　in　English　easy。〃

〃Youd　be　a　general；〃　said　Simmons。

〃No；　I　dont　know　enough　to　be　a　general。　A　generals　got　to　know　a　hell　of　a　lot。　You　guys　think　there　aint　anything　to　war。　You　aint　got　brains　enough　to　be　a　second…class　corporal。〃

〃Thank　God　I　dont　have　to　be；〃　Simmons　said。

〃Maybe　you　will　if　they　round　up　all　you　slackers。　Oh；　boy；　Id　like　to　have　you　two　in　my　platoon。　Mac　too。　Id　make　you　my　orderly；　Mac。〃

〃Youre　a　great　boy；　Ettore；〃　Mac　said。　〃But　Im　afraid　youre　a　militarist。〃

〃Ill　be　a　colonel　before　the　wars　over；〃　Ettore　said。

〃If　they　dont　kill　you。〃

〃They　wont　kill　me。〃　He　touched　the　stars　at　his　collar　with　his　thumb　and　forefinger。　〃See　me　do　that？　We　always　touch　our　stars　if　anybody　mentions　getting　killed。〃

〃Lets　go；　Sim；〃　said　Saunders　standing　up。

〃All　right。〃