永别了,武器(英文版)海明威著-第6部分

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　pretend　that　I　was　her　boy　that　was　killed　and　we　would　go　in　the　front　door　and　the　porter　would　take　off　his　cap　and　I　would　stop　at　the　concierge's　desk　and　ask　for　the　key　and　she　would　stand　by　the　elevator　and　then　we　would　get　in　the　elevator　and　it　would　go　up　very　slowly　clicking　at　all　the　floors　and　then　our　floor　and　the　boy　would　open　the　door　and　stand　there　and　she　would　step　out　and　I　would　step　out　and　we　would　walk　down　the　hall　and　I　would　put　the　key　in　the　door　and　open　it　and　go　in　and　then　take　down　the　telephone　and　ask　them　to　send　a　bottle　of　capri　bianca　in　a　silver　bucket　full　of　ice　and　you　would　hear　the　ice　against　the　pail　ing　down　the　condor　and　the　boy　would　knock　and　I　would　say　leave　it　outside　the　door　please。　Because　we　would　not　wear　any　clothes　because　it　was　so　hot　and　the　window　open　and　the　swallows　flying　over　the　roofs　of　the　houses　and　when　it　was　dark　afterward　and　you　went　to　the　window　very　small　bats　hunting　over　the　houses　and　close　down　over　the　trees　and　we　would　drink　the　capri　and　the　door　locked　and　it　hot　and　only　a　sheet　and　the　whole　night　and　we　would　both　love　each　other　all　night　in　the　hot　night　in　Milan。　That　was　how　it　ought　to　be。　I　would　eat　quickly　and　go　and　see　Catherine　Barkley。
They　talked　too　much　at　the　mess　and　I　drank　wine　because　tonight　we　were　not　all　brothers　unless　I　drank　a　little　and　talked　with　the　priest　about　Archbishop　Ireland　who　was；　it　seemed；　a　noble　man　and　with　whose　injustice；　the　injustices　he　had　received　and　in　which　I　participated　as　an　American；　and　of　which　I　had　never　heard；　I　feigned　acquaintance。　It　would　have　been　impolite　not　to　have　known　something　of　them　when　I　had　listened　to　such　a　splendid　explanation　of　their　causes　which　were；　after　all；　it　seemed；　misunderstandings。　I　thought　he　had　a　fine　name　and　he　came　from　Minnesota　which　made　a　lovely　name：　Ireland　of　Minnesota；　Ireland　of　Wisconsin；　Ireland　of　Michigan。　What　made　it　pretty　was　that　it　sounded　like　Island。　No　that　wasn't　it。　There　was　more　to　it　than　that。　Yes；　father。　That　is　true；　father。　Perhaps；　father。　No；　father。　Well；　maybe　yes；　father。　You　know　more　about　it　than　I　do；　father。　The　priest　was　good　but　dull。　The　officers　were　not　good　but　dull。　The　King　was　good　but　dull。　The　wine　was　bad　but　not　dull。　It　took　the　enamel　off　your　teeth　and　left　it　on　the　roof　of　your　mouth。
〃And　the　priest　was　locked　up；〃　Rocca　said；　〃because　they　found　the　three　per　cent　bonds　on　his　person。　It　was　in　France　of　course。　Here　they　would　never　have　arrested　him。　He　denied　all　knowledge　of　the　five　per　cent　bonds。　This　took　place　at　B閦iers。　I　was　there　and　reading　of　it　in　the　paper；　went　to　the　jail　and　asked　to　see　the　priest。　It　was　quite　evident　he　had　stolen　the　bonds。〃
〃I　don't　believe　a　word　of　this；〃　Rinaldi　said。
〃Just　as　you　like；〃　Rocca　said。　〃But　I　am　telling　it　for　our　priest　here。　It　is　very　informative。　He　is　a　priest；　he　will　appreciate　it。〃
The　priest　smiled。　〃Go　on；〃　he　said。　〃I　am　listening。〃
〃Of　course　some　of　the　bonds　were　not　accounted　for　but　the　priest　had　all　of　the　three　per　cent　bonds　and　several　local　obligations；　I　forget　exactly　what　they　were。　So　I　went　to　the　jail；　now　this　is　the　point　of　the　story；　and　I　stood　outside　his　cell　and　I　said　as　though　I　were　going　to　confession；　'Bless　me；　father；　for　you　have　sinned。〃
There　was　great　laughter　from　everybody。
〃And　what　did　he　say？〃　asked　the　priest。　Rocca　ignored　this　and　went　on　to　explain　the　joke　to　me。　〃You　see　the　point；　don't　you？〃　It　seemed　it　was　a　very　funny　joke　if　you　understood　it　properly。　They　poured　me　more　wine　and　I　told　the　story　about　the　English　private　soldier　who　was　placed　under　the　shower　bath。　Then　the　major　told　the　story　of　the　eleven　Czecho…slovaks　and　the　Hungarian　corporal。　After　some　more　wine　I　told　the　story　of　the　jockey　who　found　the　penny。　The　major　said　there　was　an　Italian　story　something　like　that　about　the　duchess　who　could　not　sleep　at　night。　At　this　point　the　priest　left　and　I　told　the　story　about　the　travelling　salesman　who　arrived　at　five　o'clock　in　the　morning　at　Marseilles　when　the　mistral　was　blowing。　The　major　said　he　had　heard　a　report　that　I　could　drink。　I　denied　this。　He　said　it　was　true　and　by　the　corpse　of　Bacchus　we　would　test　whether　it　was　true　or　not。　Not　Bacchus；　I　said。　Not　Ba隿hus。　Yes；　Bacchus；　he　said。　I　should　drink　cup　for　cup　and　glass　for　glass　with　Bassi；　Fillipo　Vincenza。　Bassi　said　no　that　was　no　test　because　he　had　already　drunk　twice　as　much　as　I。　I　said　that　was　a　foul　lie　and；　Bacchus　or　no　Bacchus；　Fillipo　Vincenza　Bassi　or　Bassi　Fillippo　Vicenza　had　never　touched　a　drop　all　evening　and　what　was　his　name　anyway？　He　said　was　my　name　Frederico　Enrico　or　Enrico　Federico？　I　said　let　the　best　man　win；　Bacchus　barred；　and　the　major　started　us　with　red　wine　in　mugs。　Half…way　through　the　wine　I　did　not　want　any　more。　I　remembered　where　I　was　going。
〃Bassi　wins；〃　I　said。　〃He's　a　better　man　than　I　am。　I　have　to　go。〃
〃He　does　really；〃　said　Rinaldi。　〃He　has　a　rendezvous。　I　know　all　about　it。〃
〃I　have　to　go。〃
〃Another　night；〃　said　Bassi。　〃Another　night　when　you　feel　stronger。〃　He　slapped　me　on　the　shoulder。　There　were　lighted　candles　on　the　table。　All　the　officers　were　very　happy。　〃Good…night；　gentlemen；〃　I　said。
Rinaldi　went　out　with　me。　We　stood　outside　the　door　on　the　patch　and　he　said；　〃You　better　not　go　up　there　drunk。〃
〃I'm　not　drunk；　Rinin。　Really。〃
〃You'd　better　chew　some　coffee。〃
〃Nonsense。〃
〃I'll　get　some；　baby。　You　walk　up　and　down。〃　He　came　back　with　a　handful　of　roasted　coffee　beans。　〃Chew　those；　baby；　and　God　be　with　you。〃
〃Bacchus；〃　I　said。
〃I'll　walk　down　with　you。〃
〃I'm　perfectly　all　right。〃
We　walked　along　together　through　the　town　and　I　chewed　the　coffee。　At　the　gate　of　the　driveway　that　led　up　to　the　British　villa；　Rinaldi　said　good…night。
〃Good…night；〃　I　said。　〃Why　don't　you　e　in？〃
He　shook　his　head。　〃No；〃　he　said。　〃I　like　the　simpler　pleasures。〃
〃Thank　you　for　the　coffee　beans。〃
〃Nothing；　baby。　Nothing。〃
J　started　down　the　driveway。　The　outlines　of　the　cypresses　that　lined　it　were　sharp　and　clear。　I　looked　back　and　saw　Rinaldi　standing　watching　me　and　waved　to　him。
I　sat　in　the　reception　hail　of　the　villa；　waiting　for　Catherine　Barkley　to　e　down。　Some　one　was　ing　down　the　hallway。　I　stood　up；　but　it　was　not　Catherine。　It　was　Miss　Ferguson。
〃Hello；〃　she　said。　〃Catherine　asked　me　to　tell　you　she　was　sorry　she　couldn't　see　you　this　evening。〃
〃I'm　so　sorry。　I　hope　she's　not　ill。〃
〃She's　not　awfully　well。〃
〃Will　you　tell　her　how　sorry　I　am？〃
〃Yes；　I　will。〃
〃Do　you　think　it　would　be　any　good　to　try　and　see　her　tomorrow？〃
〃Yes；　I　do。〃
〃Thank　you　very　much；〃　I　said。　〃Good…night。〃
I　went　out　the　door　and　suddenly　I　felt　lonely　and　empty。　I　had　treated　seeing　Catherine　very　lightly；　I　had　gotten　somewhat　drunk　and　had　nearly　forgotten　to　e　but　when　I　could　not　see　her　there　I　was　feeling　lonely　and　hollow。




8


The　next　afternoon　we　heard　there　was　to　be　an　attack　up　the　river　that　night　and　that　we　were　to　take　four　cars　there。　Nobody　knew　anything　about　it　although　they　all　spoke　with　great　positiveness　and　strategical　knowledge。　I　was　riding　in　the　first　car　and　as　we　passed　the　entry　to　the　British　hospital　I　told　the　driver　to　stop。　The　other　cars　pulled　up。　I　got　out　and　told　the　driver　to　go　on　and　that　if　we　had　not　caught　up　to　them　at　the　junction　of　the　road　to　Cormons　to　wait　there。　I　hurried　up　the　driveway　and　inside　the　reception　hall　I　asked　for　Miss　Barkley。
〃She's　on　duty。〃
〃Could　I　see　her　just　for　a　moment？〃
They　sent　an　orderly　to　see　and　she　came　back　with　him。
〃I　stopped　to　ask　if　you　were　better。　They　told　me　you　were　on　duty；　so　I　asked　to　see　you。〃
〃I'm　quite　well；〃　she　said；　〃I　think　the　heat　knocked　me　over　yesterday。〃
〃I　have　to　go。〃
〃I'll　just　step　out　the　door　a　minute。〃
〃And　you're　all　right？〃　I　asked　outside。
〃Yes；　darling。　Are　you　ing　to…night？〃
〃No。　I'm　leaving　now　for　a　show　up　above　Plava。〃
〃A　show？〃
〃I　don't　think　it's　anything。〃
〃And　you'll　be　back？〃
〃To…morrow。〃
She　was　unclasping　something　from　her　neck。　She　put　it　in　my　hand。　〃It's　a　Saint　Anthony；〃　she　said。　〃And　e　to…morrow　night。〃
〃You're　not　a　Catholic；　are　you？〃
〃No。　But　they　say　a　Saint　Anthony's　very　useful。〃
〃I'll　take　care　of　him　for　you。　Good…by。〃
〃No；〃　she　said；　〃not　good…by。〃
〃All　right。〃
〃Be　a　good　boy　and　be　careful。　No；　you　can't　kiss　me　here。　You　can't。〃
〃All　right。〃
I　looked　back　and　saw　her　standing　on　the　steps。　She　waved　and　I　kissed　my　hand　and　held　it　out。　She　waved　again　and　then　I　was　out　of　the　driveway　and　climbing　up　into　the　seat　of　the　ambulance　and　we　started。　The　Saint　Anthony　was　in　a　little　white　metal　capsule。　I　opened　the　capsule　and　spilled　him　out　into　my　hand。
〃Saint　Anthony？〃　asked　the　driver。
〃Yes。〃
〃I　have　one。〃　His　right　hand　left　the　wheel　and　opened　a　button　on　his　tunic　and　pulled　it　out　from　under　his　shirt。
〃See？〃
I　put　my　Saint　Anthony　back　in　the　capsule；　spilled　the　thin　gold　chain　together　and　put　it　all　in　my　breast　pocket。
〃You　don't　wear　him？〃
〃No。〃
〃It's　better　to　wear　him。　That's　what　it's　for。〃
〃All　right；〃　I　said。　I　undid　the　clasp　of　the　gold　chain　and　put　it　around　my　neck　and　clasped　it。　The　saint　hung　down　on　the　Outside　of　my　uniform　and　I　undid　the　throat　of　my　tunic；　unbuttoned　the　shirt　collar　and　dropped　him　in　under　the　shirt。　I　felt　him　in　his　metal　box　against　my　chest　while　we　drove。　Then　I　forgot　about　him。　After　I　was　wounded　I　never　found　him。　Some　one　probably　got　it　at　one　of　the　dressing　stations。
We　drove　fast　when　we　were　over　the　bridge　and　soon　we　saw　the　dust　of　the　other　cars　ahead　down　the　road。　The　road　curved　and　we　saw　the　three　cars　looking　quite　small；　the　dust　rising　from　the　wheels　and　going　off　through　the　trees。　We　caught　them　and　passed　them　and　turned　off　on　a　road　that　climbed　up　into　the　hills。　Driving　in　convoy　is　not　unpleasant　if　you　are　the　first　car　and　I　settled　back　in　the　seat　and　watched　the　country。　We　were　in　the　foothills　on　the　near　side　of　the　river　and　as　the　road　mounted　there　were　the　high　mountains　off　to　the　north　with　snow　still　on　the　tops。　I　looked　back　and　saw　the　three　cars　all