第25部分（第1页）
〃Its time to roll；〃 I said and stood up。
〃Who are you going to ride with； Tenehte？〃 Bonello asked。
〃With Aymo。 Then you e。 Then Piani。 Well start out on the road for Cormons。〃
〃Im afraid Ill go to sleep；〃 Piani said。
〃All right。 Ill ride with you。 Then Bonello。 Then Aymo。〃
〃Thats the best way；〃 Piani said。 〃Because Im so sleepy。〃
〃Ill drive and you sleep awhile。〃
〃No。 I can drive just so long as I know somebody will wake me up if I go to sleep。〃
〃Ill wake you up。 Put out the lights； Barto。〃
〃You might as well leave them；〃 Bonello said。 〃Weve got no more use for this place。〃
〃I have a small locker trunk in my room；〃 I said。 〃Will you help take it down； Piani？〃
〃Well take it；〃 Piani said。 〃e on； Aldo。〃 He went off into the hall with Bonello。 I heard them going upstairs。
〃This was a fine place；〃 Bartolomeo Aymo said。 He put two bottles of wine and half a cheese into his haversack。 〃There wont be a place like this again。 Where will they retreat to； Tenente？〃
〃Beyond the Tagliamento； they say。 The hospital and the sector are to be at Pordenone。〃
〃This is a better town than Pordenone。〃
〃I dont know Pordenone；〃 I said。 〃Ive just been through there。〃
〃Its not much of a place；〃 Aymo said。
28
As we moved out through the town it was empty in the rain and the dark except for columns of troops and guns that were going through the main street。 There were many trucks too and some carts going through on other streets and converging on the main road。 When we were out past the tanneries onto the main road the troops； the motor trucks； the horse…drawn carts and the guns were in one wide slow…moving column。 We moved slowly but steadily in the rain； the radiator cap of our car almost against the tailboard of a truck that was loaded high； the load covered with wet canvas。 Then the truck stopped。 The whole column was stopped。 It started again and we went a little farther； then stopped。 I got out and walked ahead； going between the trucks and carts and under the wet necks of the horses。 The block was farther ahead。 I left the road； crossed the ditch on a footboard and walked along the field beyond the ditch。 I could see the stalled column between the trees in the rain as I went forward across from it in the field。 I went about a mile。 The column did not move； although； on the other side beyond the stalled vehicles I could see the troops moving。 I went back to the cars。 This block might extend as far as Udine。 Piani was asleep over the wheel。 I climbed up beside him and went to sleep too。 Several hours later I heard the truck ahead of us grinding into gear。 I woke Piani and we started； moving a few yards； then stopping； then going on again。 It was still raining。
The column stalled again in the night and did not start。 I got down and went back to see Aymo and Bonello。 Bonello had two sergeants of engineers on the seat of his car with him。 They stiffened when I came up。
〃They were left to do something to a bridge；〃 Bonello said。 〃They cant find their unit so I gave them a ride。〃
〃With the Sir Lieutenants permission。〃
〃With permission；〃 I said。
〃The lieutenant is an American；〃 Bonello said。 〃Hell give anybody a ride。〃
One of the sergeants smiled。 The other asked Bonello if I was an Italian from North or South America。
〃Hes not an Italian。 Hes North American English。〃
The sergeants were polite but did not believe it。 I left them and went back to Aymo。 He had two girls on the seat with him and was sitting back in the corner and smoking。
〃Barto； Barto；〃 I said。 He laughed。
〃Talk to them； Tenente；〃 he said。 〃I cant understand them。 Hey！〃 He put his hand on the girls thigh and squeezed it in a friendly way。 The girl drew her shawl tight around her and pushed his hand away。 〃Hey！〃 he said。 〃Tell the Tenente your name and what youre doing here。〃
The girl looked at me fiercely。 The other girl kept her eyes down。 The girl who looked at me said something in a dialect I could not understand a word of。 She was plump and dark and looked about sixteen。
〃Sorella？〃 I asked and pointed at the other girl。
She nodded her head and smiled。