in the nose that meant the day would be hot later on.

 wont youWhat the hell
 wont youWhat the hell. the tiny man with the long thin neck and the goat beard. Hold on to my neck. I said.Dont worry. There were racks of rockets standing to be touched off to call for help from the artillery or to signal with if the telephone wires were cut. I was always able to forget. The town was very nice and our house was very fine. Rinaldi. In the jolt of my head I heard somebody crying.Are you hit badly he asked. It seemed no more dangerous to me myself than war in the movies. Tell me. She would not let me put my arm around her.The granatieri are tall. He slapped me on the shoulder.

 I held her close against me and could feel her heart beating and her lips opened and her head went back against my hand and then she was crying on my shoulder. crossed the pontoon bridge.Im not angry. No one to lend me money. Back at the villa I went upstairs to the room. he said. She wore what seemed to me to be a nurses uniform. and stopped at the main dressing station. he said. They were sitting in the dugout talking and when I came in they stopped. Not in this ambulance business. she said. painted gray and built like moving-vans. It is protected by the little hill.Yes. helping ourselves to wine from the grasscovered gallon flask; it swung in a metal cradle and you pulled the neck of the flask down with the forefinger and the wine.

 Name he asked softly.A shell fell close and they both dropped to the ground and dropped me. and if the car went especially fast it was probably the King. carts and loaded ambulances and all returning traffic up the old narrow road. she said. there were some new hospitals. Also we were required to wear an automatic pistol; even doctors and sanitary officers. all of myself. the camion stopped a little off the road.Thank you for the coffee beans. and stopped at the main dressing station.Im dreadfully sorry. He was sitting up beside one of the brick walls.No. Name he asked softly.Of course they do.

 You are a frozenfaced .Have you done nursing longSince the end of fifteen. The battery fired twice and the air came each time like a blow and shook the window and made the front of my pajamas flap. She put it in my hand.There were small gray motor cars that passed going very fast usually there was an officer on the seat with the driver and more officers in the back seat. They had come back for him. I said. wont youWhat the hell. She was not in the garden and I had to wait in the office of the hospital until she came down. how do you feel Where is that damn corkscrew You are so brave and quiet I forget you are suffering. tannic and lovely. I love you. Go on tell me.I have to go. opened it. I said.

 when they wouldnt attack and they shot every tenth manNo. I say he bellows!I would like you to go to Abruzzi. she said.Oh. There is nothing as bad as war. the priest said. Its in the bulletin. He started with the upright thumb and named in their order the thumb and four fingers. he said. At the post on the top they took the stretcher out and put another in and we went on.Yes. I did not care what I was getting into. They cant go on doing things like the Somme and not crack. then stopped and kissed her. Manera finished. It was quite evident he had stolen the bonds.

Ten cars were lined up side by side under the long shed. Inside they were operating on all the tables. Rinaldi saluted. The tall English driver came around and looked in.Somebody said you should be able to learn it in two weeks. If you must have a priest have that priest. He said that if the thing went well he would see that I was decorated. But if you have had it you know. brushed my hair and we started. the tiny man with the long thin neck and the goat beard.Nonsense. I suppose. cheekfitted. Well all eat.No.Why didnt we see the post when we came down Passini asked.

 His helmet was off and his forehead was bleeding below the hair line. he said. TaorminaYou talk like a timetable.Porta feriti I shouted holding my hands cupped.Saint Anthony asked the driver. They have their own country. The major said he had heard a report that I could drink. But if you have had it you know. NapoliThats enough. There are some people who never realize. He can be here until you are ready to take him. Aldo.The Italians didnt want women so near the front.I will send her. darling. The captain waved to me.

 This was a joke. went on the captain. Middle name First name Rank Where born What class What corps and so on. It would have been much simpler. the lieutenant said.If it wasnt that that happens to their families nobody would go to the attack. I saw a third range of mountains.Sit down to it.Oh I love to tease you. I saw the blanket open. I felt the engine start.After a while we said good-night and left.Outside we ran across the brickyard. As I looked out at the garden I heard a motor truck starting on the road.Good evening. the broken houses of the little town that was to be taken.

He likes it. British ambulance drivers were killed sometimes. It takes a long time to be. Some bersaglieri. The attack would cross the river up above the narrow gorge and spread up the hillside. I said I hoped it would go well but that he was too kind. If there is a war I suppose we must attack. I asked him if there was a big dugout where the drivers could stay and he sent a soldier to show me.All bersaglieriI think so. We stopped at the side of the road. I was angry and yet certain.Youre a nice boy.Thats splendid. They take your home. I was always able to forget. waiting for Catherine Barkley to come down.

 No blood brother and roommate.The priest was young and blushed easily and wore a uniform like the rest of us but with a cross in dark red velvet above the left breast pocket of his gray tunic.I have one. Did you think I was Italian There were some Italians with one of our units.AnotherAll right.He took off his gloves. As soon as I got to the dressing station Manera brought a medical sergeant out and he put bandages on both my legs. Halfway through the wine I did not want any more. sure that this was all and all and all and not caring. Florence. We walked to the door and I saw her go in and down the hall. with the eyes shut. I had imagined that the condition of the cars. the major said to the two stretcher bearers.Tonight you will tell me everything. which was very good.

 sir. higher snow mountains. There were big search lights on that front mounted on camions that you passed sometimes on the roads at night.A new wide road was being finished that would go over the mountain and zigzag down to the bridge. And we have gotten away from the war. She put it in my hand. Tell me just exactly how it happened. No. Tenente. Gordini got up and ran for the dugout. bulged forward under the capes so that the men. Are you badly hitIn the leg. Goodnight.That road will be a dirty mess. Maybe you will get an English medal too. Nobody had mentioned what the stakes were.

 The earth of the dugout was warm and dry and I let my shoulders back against the wall. I knew I would not be killed. That major at the first post was a hogbutcher.Nonsense. Something landed outside that shook the earth. It is very informative. Come with me if you want.The priest was young and blushed easily and wore a uniform like the rest of us but with a cross in dark red velvet above the left breast pocket of his gray tunic. Some one took hold of me under the arms and somebody else lifted my legs. What is defeat You go home. it seemed. You know more about it than I do. I knew I would not be killed. I tried to breathe but my breath would not come and I felt myself rush bodily out of myself and out and out and out and all the time bodily in the wind. She would not let me put my arm around her. When I got home it was too late and I did not see Miss Barkley until the next evening.

 Maybe she would 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 concierges 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 coming down the condor and the boy would knock and I would say leave it outside the door please. Rinin. and then I heard close to me some one saying Mama Mia Oh. Ill go and see him and ask if he will recommend you. We walked to the door and I saw her go in and down the hall.He wiped his hands on his jumper and grinned.All right. It was hard and slippery. But those grenadiers; all over six feet. A V. schutzen stock. Ill see the medical wallahs. I said. It is very informative. Nobody had mentioned what the stakes were.No.

Its a silly front. all of myself. holding the cheese.That doesnt matter. I could see the river far down below. The two captains took off their coats. They want to get you the medaglia dargento but perhaps they can get only the bronze. Bacchus barred.I know how you talk. spilled the thin gold chain together and put it all in my breast pocket. he said. and his hair shone.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. That major at the first post was a hogbutcher.Have you done nursing longSince the end of fifteen. 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.

 Jt was warm and like the spring and I walked down the alleyway of trees. I wished to God it was over though. The major was unhooking the forceps now. holding below the target and trying to master the jerk of the ridiculous short barrel until I could hit within a yard of where I aimed at twenty paces and then the ridiculousness of carrying a pistol at all came over me and I soon forgot it and carried it flopping against the small of my back with no feeling at all except a vague sort of shame when I met Englishspeaking people. to take a shower. I lied. Sometimes still pleasant and fond and warm and breakfast and lunch. you have come back. I said. With a sabre cut.Oh. If you must have a priest have that priest. He didnt have a sabre cut. You know.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. He spoke again in pidgin Italian.

 A mass loosened. We saw their white uniforms through the trees and walked toward them. I always thought he was French. I said. Why did you do itI dont know. I said and went back to the house and drank another bowl of coffee at the mess table. Nothing.As the ambulance climbed along the road.They cant hang every one. Were you on permissionYes.Do you think it would be any good to try and see her tomorrowYes. I knew that I was hit and leaned over and put my hand on my knee. I had a drink with a captain that I knew in one of the dugouts and went back across the bridge. who was on duty.Yes. Thank you.

 Rinaldi carried a holster stuffed with toilet paper.Yes.5 mm. and relaxed. now this is the point of the story. But its very beautiful. sure that this was all and all and all and not caring. youre very good. And in the town we have beautiful English girls. They lined them up afterward and took every tenth man. the orderly looking after us. It is a disgrace that they should stay so long that they become friends. Dont you read it. the major said. I do. He ought to be able to do something.

 be selected by the infantry but we were supposed to work it out.Thank you very much. the instruments shining in the light. 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.Tonight you will tell me everything. went to call on Miss Barkley. He spread the hand again.We looked at Rinaldi talking with the other nurse. went to call on Miss Barkley. Gordini stood up and went outside with me. I asked what time the attack was to he and they said as soon as it was dark. Inexperienced. father. the shellmarked iron of the railway bridge.I sat in the reception hail of the villa. There was that beginning of a feeling of dryness in the nose that meant the day would be hot later on.