思路客小说网

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第6部分（第2页）

〃A　show？〃

〃I　dont　think　its　anything。〃

〃And　youll　be　back？〃

〃To…morrow。〃

She　was　unclasping　something　from　her　neck。　She　put　it　in　my　hand。　〃Its　a　Saint　Anthony；〃　she　said。　〃And　e　to…morrow　night。〃

〃Youre　not　a　Catholic；　are　you？〃

〃No。　But　they　say　a　Saint　Anthonys　very　useful。〃

〃Ill　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　cant　kiss　me　here。　You　cant。〃

〃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　dont　wear　him？〃

〃No。〃

〃Its　better　to　wear　him。　Thats　what　its　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　climbing；　spaced　by　the　interval　of　their　dust。　We　passed　a　long　column　of　loaded　mules；　the　drivers　walking　along　beside　the　mules　wearing　red　fezzes。　They　were　bersaglieri。

Beyond　the　mule　train　the　road　was　empty　and　we　climbed　through　the　hills　and　then　went　down　over　the　shoulder　of　a　long　hill　into　a　river…valley。　There　were　trees　along　both　sides　of　the　road　and　through　the　right　line　of　trees　I　saw　the　river；　the　water　clear；　fast　and　shallow。　The　river　was　low　and　there　were　stretches　of　sand　and　pebbles　with　a　narrow　channel　of　water　and　sometimes　the　water　spread　like　a　sheen　over　the　pebbly　bed。　Close　to　the　bank　I　saw　deep　pools；　the　water　blue　like　the　sky。　I　saw　arched　stone　bridges　over　the　river　where　tracks　turned　off　from　the　road　and　we　passed　stone　farmhouses　with　pear　trees　candelabraed　against　their　south　walls　and　low　stone　walls　in　the　fields。　The　road　went　up　the　valley　a　long　way　and　then　we　turned　off　and　menced　to　climb　into　the　hills　again。　The　road　climbed　steeply　going　up　and　back　and　forth　through　chestnut　woods　to　level　finally　along　a　ridge。　I　could　look　down　through　the　woods　and　see；　far　below；　with　the　sun　on　it；　the　line　of　the　river　that　separated　the　two　armies。　We　went　along　the　rough　new　military　road　that　followed　the　crest　of　the　ridge　and　I　looked　to　the　north　at　the　two　ranges　of　mountains；　green　and　dark　to　the　snow…line　and　then　white　and　lovely　in　the　sun。　Then；　as　the　road　mounted　along　the　ridge；　I　saw　a　third　range　of　mountains；　higher　snow　mountains；　that　looked　chalky　white　and　furrowed；　with　strange　planes；　and　then　there　were　mountains　far　off　beyond　all　these　that　you　could　hardly　tell　if　you　really　saw。　Those　were　all　the　Austrians　mountains　and　we　had　nothing　like　them。　Ahead　there　was　a　rounded　turn…off　in　the　road　to　the　right　and　looking　down　I　could　see　the　road　dropping　through　the　trees。　There　were　troops　on　this　road　and　motor　trucks　and　mules　with　mountain　guns　and　as　we　went　down；　keeping　to　the　side；　I　could　see　the　river　far　down　below；　the　line　of　ties　and　rails　running　along　it；　the　old　bridge　where　the　railway　crossed　to　the　other　side　and　across；　under　a　hill　beyond　the　river；　the　broken　houses　of　the　little　town　that　was　to　be　taken。

It　was　nearly　dark　when　we　came　down　and　turned　onto　the　main　road　that　ran　beside　the　river。

9

The　road　was　crowded　and　there　were　screens　of　corn…stalk　and　straw　matting　on　both　sides　and　matting　over　the　top　so　that　it　was　like　the　entrance　at　a　circus　or　a　native　village。　We　drove　slowly　in　this　matting…covered　tunnel　and　came　out　onto　a　bare　cleared　space　where　the　railway　station　had　been。　The　road　here　was　below　the　level　of　the　river　bank　and　all　along　the　side　of　the　sunken　road　there　were　holes　dug　in　the　bank　with　infantry　in　them。　The　sun　was　going　down　and　looking　up　along　the　bank　as　we　drove　I　saw　the　Austrian　observation　balloons　above　the　hills　on　the　other　side　dark　against　the　sunset。　We　parked　the　cars　beyond　a　brickyard。　The　ovens　and　some　deep　holes　had　been　equipped　as　dressing　stations。　There　were　three　doctors　that　I　knew。　I　talked　with　the　major　and　learned　that　when　it　should　start　and　our　cars　should　be　loaded　we　would　drive　them　back　along　the　screened　road　and　up　to　the　main　road　along　the　ridge　where　there　would　be　a　post　and　other　cars　to　clear　them。　He　hoped　the　road　would　not　jam。　It　was　a　one…road　show。　The　road　was　screened　because　it　was　in　sight　of　the　Austrians　across　the　river。　Here　at　the　brickyard　we　were　sheltered　from　rifle　or　machine…gun　fire　by　the　river　bank。　There　was　one　smashed　bridge　across　the　river。　They　were　going　to　put　over　another　bridge　when　the　bombardment　started　and　some　troops　were　to　cross　at　the　shallows　up　above　at　the　bend　of　the　river。　The　major　was　a　little　man　with　upturned　mustaches。　He　had　been　in　the　war　in　Libya　and　wore　two　woundstripes。　He　said　that　if　the　thing　went　well　he　would　see　that　I　was　decorated。　I　said　I　hoped　it　would　go　well　but　that　he　was　too　kind。　I　asked　him　if　there　was　a　big　dugout　where　the　drivers　could　stay　and　he　sent　a　soldier　to　show　me。　I　went　with　him　and　found　the　dugout；　which　was　very　good。　The　drivers　were　pleased　with　it　and　I　left　them　there。　The　major　asked　me　to　have　a　drink　with　him　and　two　other　officers。　We　drank　rum　and　it　was　very　friendly。　Outside　it　was　getting　dark。　I　asked　what　time　the　attack　was　to　he　and　they　said　as　soon　as　it　was　dark。　I　went　back　to　the　drivers。　They　were　sitting　in　the　dugout　talking　and　when　I　came　in　they　stopped。　I　gave　them　each　a　package　of　cigarettes；　Macedonias；　loosely　packed　cigarettes　that　spilled　tobacco　and　needed　to　have　the　ends　twisted　before　you　smoked　them。　Manera　lit　his　lighter　and　passed　it　around。　The　lighter　was　shaped　like　a　Fiat　radiator。　I　told　them　what　I　had　heard。

〃Why　didnt　we　see　the　post　when　we　came　down？〃　Passini　asked。

〃It　was　just　beyond　where　we　turned　off。〃

〃That　road　will　be　a　dirty　mess；〃　Manera　said。

〃Theyll　shell　the　　out　of　us。〃

〃Probably。〃

〃What　about　eating；　lieutenant？　We　wont　get　a　chance　to　eat　after　this　thing　starts。〃

〃Ill　go　and　see　now；〃　I　said。

〃You　want　us　to　stay　here　or　can　we　look　around？〃

〃Better　stay　here。〃

I　went　back　to　the　majors　dugout　and　he　said　the　field　kitchen　would　be　along　and　the　drivers　could　e　and　get　their　stew。　He　would　loan　them　mess　tins　if　they　did　not　have　them。　I　said　I　thought　they　had　them。　I　went　back　and　told　the　drivers　I　would　get　them　as　soon　as　the　food　came。　Manera　said　he　hoped　it　would　e　before　the　bombardment　started。　They　were　silent　until　I　went　out。　They　were　all　mechanics　and　hated　the　war。

I　went　out　to　look　at　the　cars　and　see　what　was　going　on　and　then　came　back　and　sat　down　in　the　dugout　with　the　four　drivers。　We　sat　on　the　ground　with　our　backs　against　the　wall　and　smoked。　Outside　it　was　nearly　dark。　The　earth　of　the　dugout　was　warm　and　dry　and　I　let　my　shoulders　back　against　the　wall；　sitting　on　the　small　of　my　back；　and　relaxed。

〃Who　goes　to　the

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