第22部分（第1页）

〃Why　not？〃

〃They　dont　like　me。〃

〃Why　not？〃

〃I　am　the　snake。　I　am　the　snake　of　reason。〃

〃Youre　getting　it　mixed。　The　apple　was　reason。〃

〃No；　it　was　the　snake。〃

He　was　more　cheerful。

〃You　are　better　when　you　dont　think　so　deeply；〃　I　said。

〃I　love　you；　baby；〃　he　said。　〃You　puncture　me　when　I　bee　a　great　Italian　thinker。　But　I　know　many　things　I　cant　say。　I　know　more　than　you。〃

〃Yes。　You　do。〃

〃But　you　will　have　a　better　time。　Even　with　remorse　you　will　have　a　better　time。〃

〃I　dont　think　so。〃

〃Oh；　yes。　That　is　true。　Already　I　am　only　happy　when　I　am　working。〃　He　looked　at　the　floor　again。

〃Youll　get　over　that。〃

〃No。　I　only　like　two　other　things；　one　is　bad　for　my　work　and　the　other　is　over　in　half　an　hour　or　fifteen　minutes。　Sometimes　less。〃

〃Sometimes　a　good　deal　less。〃

〃Perhaps　I　have　improved；　baby。　You　do　not　know。　But　there　are　only　the　two　things　and　my　work。〃

〃Youll　get　other　things。〃

〃No。　We　never　get　anything。　We　are　born　with　all　we　have　and　we　never　learn。　We　never　get　anything　new。　We　all　start　plete。　You　should　be　glad　not　to　be　a　Latin。〃

〃Theres　no　such　thing　as　a　Latin。　That　is　Latin　thinking。　You　are　so　proud　of　your　defects。〃　Rinaldi　looked　up　and　laughed。

〃Well　stop；　baby。　I　am　tired　from　thinking　so　much。〃　He　had　looked　tired　when　he　came　in。　〃Its　nearly　time　to　eat。　Im　glad　youre　back。　You　are　my　best　friend　and　my　war　brother。〃

〃When　do　the　war　brothers　eat？〃　I　asked。

〃Right　away。　Well　drink　once　more　for　your　livers　sake。〃

〃Like　Saint　Paul。〃

〃You　are　inaccurate。　That　was　wine　and　the　stomach。　Take　a　little　wine　for　your　stomachs　sake。〃

〃Whatever　you　have　in　the　bottle；〃　I　said。　〃For　any　sake　you　mention。〃

〃To　your　girl；〃　Rinaldi　said。　He　held　out　his　glass。

〃All　right。〃

〃Ill　never　say　a　dirty　thing　about　her。〃

〃Dont　strain　yourself。〃

He　drank　off　the　cognac。　〃I　am　pure；〃　he　said。　〃I　am　like　you；　baby。　I　will　get　an　English　girl　too。　As　a　matter　of　fact　I　knew　your　girl　first　but　she　was　a　little　tall　for　me。　A　tall　girl　for　a　sister；〃　he　quoted。

〃You　have　a　lovely　pure　mind；〃　I　said。

〃Havent　I？　Thats　why　they　call　me　Rinaldo　Purissimo。〃

〃Rinaldo　Sporchissimo。〃

〃e　on；　baby；　well　go　down　to　eat　while　my　mind　is　still　pure。〃

I　washed；　bed　my　hair　and　we　went　down　the　stairs。　Rinaldi　was　a　little　drunk。　In　the　room　where　we　ate；　the　meal　was　not　quite　ready。