〃Only one thing I can say；〃 the first captain with the beard said。 〃It is a question of time。 Three months； six months probably。〃
〃Certainly the synovial fluid must re…form。〃
〃Certainly。 It is a question of time。 I could not conscientiously open a knee like that before the projectile was encysted。〃
〃I agree with you； doctor。〃
〃Six months for what？〃 I asked。
〃Six months for the projectile to encyst before the knee can be opened safely。〃
〃I don't believe it；〃 I said。
〃Do you want to keep your knee； young man？〃
〃No；〃 I said。
〃What？〃
〃I want it cut off；〃 I said； 〃so I can wear a hook on it。〃
〃What do you mean？ A hook？〃
〃He is joking；〃 said the house doctor。 He patted my shoulder very delicately。 〃He wants to keep his knee。 This is a very brave young man。 He has been proposed for the silver medal of valor。〃
〃All my felicitations；〃 said the first captain。 He shook my hand。 〃I can only say that to be on the safe side you should wait at least six months before opening such a knee。 You are wele of course to another opinion。〃
〃Thank you very much；〃 I said。 〃I value your opinion。〃
The first captain looked at his watch。
〃We must go；〃 he said。 〃All my best wishes。〃
〃All my best wishes and many thanks；〃 I said。 I shook hands with the third doctor。 〃Capitano Varini……Tenente Enry；〃 and they all three went out of the room。
〃Miss Gage；〃 I called。 She came in。 〃Please ask the house doctor to e back a minute。〃
He came in holding his cap and stood by the bed。 〃Did you wish to see me？〃
〃Yes。 I can't wait six months to be operated on。 My God； doctor； did you ever stay in bed six months？〃
〃You won't be in bed all the time。 You must first have the wounds exposed to the sun。 Then afterward you can be on crutches。〃
〃For six months and then have an operation？〃
〃That is the safe way。 The foreign bodies must be allowed to encyst and the synovial fluid will re…form。 Then it will be safe to open up the knee。〃
〃Do you really think yourself I will have to wait that long？〃
〃That is the safe way。〃
〃Who is that first captain？〃
〃He is a very excellent surgeon of Milan。〃
〃He's a first captain； isn't he？〃
〃Yes； but he is an excellent surgeon。〃
〃I don't want my leg fooled with by a first captain。 If he was any good he would be made a major。 I know what a first captain is； doctor。〃
〃He is an excellent surgeon and I would rather have his judgment than any surgeon I know。〃
〃Could another surgeon see it？〃
〃Certainly if you wish。 But I would take Dr。 Varella's opinion myself。〃
〃Could you ask another surgeon to e and see it？〃
〃I will ask Valentini to e。〃
〃Who is he？〃
〃He is a surgeon of the Ospedale Maggiore。〃
〃Good。 I appreciate it very much。 You understand； doctor； I couldn't stay in bed six months。〃
〃You would not be in bed。 You would first take a sun cure。 Then you could have light exercise。 Then when it was encysted we would operate。〃
〃But I can't wait six months。〃
The doctor spread his delicate fingers on the cap he held and smiled。 〃You are in such a hurry to get back to the front？〃
〃Why not？〃
〃It is very beautiful；〃 he said。 〃You are a noble young man。〃 He stooped over and kissed me very delicately on the forehead。 〃I will send for Valentini。 Do not worry and excite yourself。 Be a good boy。〃
〃Will you have a drink？〃 I asked。
〃No thank you。 I never drink alcohol。〃
〃Just have one。〃 I rang for the porter to bring glasses。
〃No。 No thank you。 They are waiting for me。〃
〃Good…by；〃 I said。
〃Good…by。〃
Two hours later Dr。 Valentini came into the room。 He was in a great hurry and the points of his mustache stood straight up。 He was a major； his face was tanned and he laughed all the time。
〃How did you do it； this rotten thing？〃 he asked。 〃Let me see the plates。 Yes。 Yes。 That's it。 You look healthy as a goat。 Who's the pretty girl？ Is she your girl？ I thought so。 Isn't this a bloody war？ How does that feel？ You are a fine boy。 I'll make you better than new。 Does that hurt？ You bet it hurts。 How they love to hurt you； these doctors。 What have they done for you so far？ Can't that girl talk Italian？ She should learn。 What a lovely girl。 I could teach her。 I will be a patient here myself。 No； but I will do all your maternity work free。 Does she understand that？ She will make you a fine boy。 A fine blonde like she is。 That's fine。 That's all right。 What a lovely girl。 Ask her if she eats supper with me。 No I won't take her away from you。 Thank you。 Thank you very much； Miss。 That's all。〃
〃That's all I want to know。〃 He patted me on the shoulder。 〃Leave the dressings off。〃
〃Will you have a drink； Dr。 Valentini？〃
〃A drink？ Certainly。 I will have ten drinks。 Where are they？〃
〃In the armoire。 Miss Barkley will get the bottle。〃
〃Cheery oh。 Cheery oh to you； Miss。 What a lovely girl。 I will bring you better cognac than that。〃 He wiped his mustache。
〃When do you think it can be operated on？〃
〃To…morrow morning。 Not before。 Your stomach must be emptied。 You must be washed out。 I will see the old lady downstairs and leave instructions。 Good…by。 I see you to…morrow。 I'll bring you better cognac than that。 You are very fortable here。 Good…by。 Until to…morrow。 Get a good sleep。 I'll see you early。〃 He waved from the doorway； his mustaches went straight up； his brown face was smiling。 There was a star in a box on his sleeve because he was a major。
16
That night a bat flew into the room through the open door that led onto the balcony and through which we watched the night over the roofs of the town。 It was dark in our room except for the small light of the night over the town and the bat was not frightened but hunted in the room as though he had been outside。 We lay and watched him and I do not think he saw us because we lay so still。 After he went out we saw a searchlight e on and watched the beam move across the sky and then go off and it was dark again。 A breeze came in the night and we heard the men of the anti…aircraft gun on the next roof talking。 It was cool and they were putting on their capes。 I worried in the night about some one ing up but Catherine said they were all asleep。 Once in the night we went to sleep and when I woke she was not there but I heard her ing along the hall and the door opened and she came back to the bed and said it was all right she had been downstairs and they were all asleep。 She had been outside Miss Van Campen's door and heard her breathing in her sleep。 She brought crackers and we ate them and drank some vermouth。 We were very hungry but she said that would all have to be gotten out of me in the morning。 I went to sleep again in the morning when it was light and when I was awake I found she was gone again。 She came in looking fresh and lovely and sat on the bed and the sun rose while I had the thermometer in my mouth and we smelled the dew on the roofs and then the coffee of the men at the gun on the next roof。
〃I wish we could go for a walk；〃 Catherine said。 〃I'd wheel you if we had a chair。〃
〃How would I get into the chair？〃
〃We'd do it。〃
〃We could go out to the park and have breakfast outdoors。〃 I looked out the open doorway。
〃What we'll really do；〃 she said； 〃is get you ready for your friend Dr。 Valentini。〃
〃I thou