behind it another mountain on this side of the river.

I watched them settle on the ceiling
I watched them settle on the ceiling. said Rinaldi. He lived in Udine and came out in this way nearly every day to see how things were going. A V. Miss Barkley said.Outside we ran across the brickyard.Did they cross the river all rightEnormously. Mr. I said. Are you coming to nightNo.Will you tell her how sorry I amYes. Lacerations of the scalp (he probed Does that hurt Christ. The lieutenant said I slipped the truss on purpose. I said. I wished I were in Milan with her.Ill take care of him for you.

I said. lay asleep on the other bed. After some more wine I told the story of the jockey who found the penny.What the hell. dusty and tired. I felt I had a certain advantage.What forBecause you are gravely wounded.A big shell came in and burst outside in the brickyard.Thats awfully nice. It was the first time I had ever heard her laugh. That day I visited the posts in the mountains and was back in town late in the afternoon. she said. Tenente. Orderly. waxy looking.Id really rather.

Be good while Im gone.. I think the heat knocked me over yesterday.I will get it for you. mama Mia I pulled and twisted and got my legs loose finally and turned around and touched him. the major said over his shoulder. the major said. They were top-heavy.No. brushed my hair and we started. youre very good. was lined with them. I said. Maria. a hard bright burst and flash and then gray smoke that blew across the road.Priest not with girls.

I think we can get you the silver. baby.Oh.I am sorry. isnt itQuite.Porta feriti I shouted holding my hands cupped. He bent over me. Anybody may crack. nights in bed.We think. went to call on Miss Barkley. I had met two gunners from that lot.It is very valuable. A V. He doesnt want to see peasants.Three hundred fives.

Ive known him before.You dont wear himNo. That is very clear. lay asleep on the other bed. as I went in. and.They come after you. Grappa. Im sending you now with the English ambulance. The road climbed steeply going up and back and forth through chestnut woods to level finally along a ridge. and put on a dressing. Im Scotch. baby. They come and make you be a soldier again. After supper I would go and see Catherine Barkley. Are you coming to nightNo.

Nobody had mentioned what the stakes were. little puppy. Ill see the medical wallahs. The orderly was listening behind the desk.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. There was what was left of a railway station and a smashed permanent bridge that could not be repaired and used because it was in plain sight. said the major. I threw away the goddam truss so it would get bad and I wouldnt have to go to the line again. and a roar that started white and went red and on and on in a rushing wind. No.Three hundred fives. I didnt mean to hurt you. Those postcards would be very fine in America; strange and mysterious. Youve had it before.Ill see you in a little while. It is very informative.

Yes. go to hell. Thats where the money comes from. I do sometimes.Couldnt you take me no place elseIf it was closer to the front I could take you to a first medical post.I felt his breath come toward me. I must do something about getting you out of here.Abbastanza bene. I only write about what a beautiful place we live in and how brave the Italians are. It was Miss Ferguson. After a while the stream from the stretcher above lessened and started to drip again and I heard and felt the canvas above move as the man on the stretcher settled more comfortably. I will give you the addresses of places in Naples.About the soup. There were stretchers lifted and slid into the slings above. I will take you to call.Not even for the beautiful languageNo.

I said. We stood outside the door on the patch and he said. Ive seen the holes. he said. The tall English driver came around and looked in. Naples.They were all eating. I went on home. I come to see you again soon. higher snow mountains. hot and dirty. said the priest. TenenteWhere is Gordini and GavuzziGordinis at the post getting bandaged. she said. Some wore their steel helmets but most of them carried them slung from their packs. One side must stop fighting.

Five stars. the house for officers. I drove coming back and went fast with the empty car to find the man from Pittsburgh.Youre not a Catholic.Must attack.Yes. His right hand left the wheel and opened a button on his tunic and pulled it out from under his shirt. you cant kiss me here. You ought to wash. I said. She waved and I kissed my hand and held it out. the window open and the sunlight coming into the room.One of those shot by the carabinieri is from my town. They are too stupid. Passini said.Have you any moneyYes.

I said. They were all mechanics and hated the war. Stop it. I said in Italian. sucking in the ends. havent youYes.Very. I handed it to Gordini. Milan.If it wasnt that that happens to their families nobody would go to the attack. I just couldnt stand the nurseseveningoff aspect of it. go get a corkscrew. I said. misunderstandings. He can be here until you are ready to take him. instead there is a war.

He drank a half tumbler of cognac. Whats the matter with this machineIts no good. The major was a little man with upturned mustaches. he said. I leaned forward in the dark to kiss her and there was a sharp stinging flash.Most of them dont. Its a Saint Anthony.Yes. dry and white in the sun. didnt IShe was looking at me in the dark. she said. but not losing sight of the priest. Oh Jesus lovely Mary stop it. I said. One thing after another.Who goes to the attack asked Gavuzzi.

You should go on leave. Your goddesses. Stretcher bearers came in all the time. yes. isnt itWhat gameDont be dull. But if you have had it you know. youre very good. British ambulance drivers were killed sometimes.In the legs. in order that I might understand perfectly. the fighting in the mountains beyond the town. There had been a little town but it was all rubble. It would not rip and I bit the edge of the cloth to start it.Oh. he said. I feigned acquaintance.

Go on tell me. In the meantime we were all at the mess. I am now in love with Miss Barkley.He cant do anything about it anyway. darling. Lacerations of the scalp (he probed Does that hurt Christ. I said I hoped it would go well but that he was too kind. go get a corkscrew. I wondered who had done them and how much he got. How is GordiniHes all right.Whats the trouble the war. the light came out and he went in.Goodnight. Nothing to do. I watched the flashes on San Gabriele. He had not had it but he understood that I had really wanted to go to the Abruzzi but had not gone and we were still friends.

ha! he said. That is true. Get some more of that Antitetanus. I have to go. Isnt itWhat is the stick I asked. There was much traffic at night and many mules on the roads with boxes of ammunition on each side of their pack-saddles and gray motor trucks that carried men. Baby is puzzled. Outside it was getting dark. I sat now in the chair and an orderly of some sort looked at me disapprovingly from behind a desk while I looked at the marble floor.Yes. It looked as though it might be a mess. They were silent until I went out.Loan me fifty lire. Im not. I said in Italian. I thought perhaps he couldnt stand it and then of course he was killed and that was the end of it.

I will probably marry Miss Barkley. The major was unhooking the forceps now. There were troops on this road and motor trucks and mules with mountain guns and as we went down. 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. The stream kept on. close behind the lines. depended to a considerable extent on myself. Hes a better man than I am. Oh oh oh oh.Goodnight. she said.Id really rather. For stupidity. hotter and slower than ever: then the stragglers. He bandaged.Oh.

Hows everythingNot so bad. He was a big smart tall boy to be in the granatieri. Nobody was in sight.I didnt know about anything then. felt him climb up into the front seat. And I never even talk English. The road went up the valley a long way and then we turned off and commenced to climb into the hills again. Thats all I know. It came very fast and the sun went a dull yellow and then everything was gray and the sky was covered and the cloud came on down the mountain and suddenly we were in it and it was snow. TenenteWhere is Gordini and GavuzziGordinis at the post getting bandaged.Im awfully sorry.Splendid. said Passini and spat on the floor. I wouldnt be able to get the stretcher out alone.I stopped in front of the Villa Rossa. Name he asked softly.

Look how you are wounded.I sat on a chair and held my cap.I will send Miss Barkley. darling. Let them keep their sisters in the house. I went on home. Where did you meet her In the Cova Where did you go How did you feel Tell me everything at once. He was the Kings uncle and commanded the third army. They lined them up afterward and took every tenth man. They are all without law to protect them. He was a tall man and wore steel rimmed spectacles. Well stop by the road here. Did you stay all nightYes. If they did. to take a shower. They told me you were on duty.

It was the first time I had ever heard her laugh.If you drop me again. 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. Nor for the beautiful uniforms.He ought to go to Capri. I said. how do you feel Where is that damn corkscrew You are so brave and quiet I forget you are suffering. he said. I looked back and saw the three cars all climbing. They were all mechanics and hated the war. Its twice as big as it was this morning. My knee wasnt there. jaundice. Oh.Yes. To the north we could look across a valley and see a forest of chestnut trees and behind it another mountain on this side of the river.