第23部分（第1页）

〃The　Austrians　are　Christians……except　for　the　Bosnians。〃

〃I　dont　mean　technically　Christian。　I　mean　like　Our　Lord。〃

He　said　nothing。

〃We　are　all　gentler　now　because　we　are　beaten。　How　would　Our　Lord　have　been　if　Peter　had　rescued　him　in　the　Garden？〃

〃He　would　have　been　just　the　same。〃

〃I　dont　think　so；〃　I　said。

〃You　discourage　me；〃　he　said。　〃I　believe　and　I　pray　that　something　will　happen。　I　have　felt　it　very　close。〃

〃Something　may　happen；〃　I　said。　〃But　it　will　happen　only　to　us。　If　they　felt　the　way　we　do；　it　would　be　all　right。　But　they　have　beaten　us。　They　feel　another　way。〃

〃Many　of　the　soldiers　have　always　felt　this　way。　It　is　not　because　they　were　beaten。〃

〃They　were　beaten　to　start　with。　They　were　beaten　when　they　took　them　from　their　farms　and　put　them　in　the　army。　That　is　why　the　peasant　has　wisdom；　because　he　is　defeated　from　the　start。　Put　him　in　power　and　see　how　wise　he　is。〃

He　did　not　say　anything。　He　was　thinking。

〃Now　I　am　depressed　myself；〃　I　said。　〃Thats　why　I　never　think　about　these　things。　I　never　think　and　yet　when　I　begin　to　talk　I　say　the　things　I　have　found　out　in　my　mind　without　thinking。〃

〃I　had　hoped　for　something。〃

〃Defeat？〃

〃No。　Something　more。〃

〃There　isnt　anything　more。　Except　victory。　It　may　be　worse。〃

〃I　hoped　for　a　long　time　for　victory。〃

〃Me　too。〃

〃Now　I　dont　know。〃

〃It　has　to　be　one　or　the　other。〃

〃I　dont　believe　in　victory　any　more。〃

〃I　dont。　But　I　dont　believe　in　defeat。　Though　it　may　be　better。〃

〃What　do　you　believe　in？〃

〃In　sleep；〃　I　said。　He　stood　up。

〃I　am　very　sorry　to　have　stayed　so　long。　But　I　like　so　to　talk　with　you。〃

〃It　is　very　nice　to　talk　again。　I　said　that　about　sleeping；　meaning　nothing。〃

We　stood　up　and　shook　hands　in　the　dark。

〃I　sleep　at　307　now；〃　he　said。

〃I　go　out　on　post　early　to…morrow。〃

〃Ill　see　you　when　you　e　hack。〃

〃Well　have　a　walk　and　talk　together。〃　I　walked　with　him　to　the　door。

〃Dont　go　down；〃　he　said。　〃It　is　very　nice　that　you　are　back。　Though　not　so　nice　for　you。〃　He　put　his　hand　on　my　shoulder。

〃Its　all　right　for　me；〃　I　said。　〃Good…night。〃

〃Good…night。　Ciaou！〃