〃Will you tell him the hospital？〃
〃Yes。〃
I told the driver the address to drive to。 He nodded。
〃Good…by；〃 I said。 〃Take good care of yourself and young Catherine。〃
〃Good…by； darling。〃
〃Good…by；〃 I said。 I stepped out into the rain and the carriage started。 Catherine leaned out and I saw her face in the light。 She smiled and waved。 The carriage went up the street； Catherine pointed in toward the archway。 I looked； there were only the two carabinieri and the archway。 I realized she meant for me to get in out of the rain。 I went in and stood and watched the carriage turn the corner。 Then I started through the station and down the runway to the train。
The porter was on the platform looking for me。 I followed him into the train； crowding past people and along the aisle and in through a door to where the machine…gunner sat in the corner of a full partment。 My rucksack and musettes were above his head on the luggage rack。 There were many men standing in the corridor and the men in the partment all looked at us when we came in。 There were not enough places in the train and every one was hostile。 The machine…gunner stood up for me to sit down。 Some one tapped me on the shoulder。 I looked around。 It was a very tall gaunt captain of artillery with a red scar along his jaw。 He had looked through the glass on the corridor and then e in。
〃What do you say？〃 I asked。 I had turned and faced him。 He was taller than I and his face was very thin under the shadow of his cap…visor and the scar was new and shiny。 Every one in the partment was looking at me。
〃You can't do that；〃 he said。 〃You can't have a soldier save you a place。〃
〃I have done it。〃
He swallowed and I saw his Adam's apple go up and then down。 The machine…gunner stood in front of the place。 Other men looked in through the glass。 No one in the partment said anything。
〃You have no right to do that。 I was here two hours before you came。〃
〃What do you want？〃
〃The seat。〃
〃So do I。〃
I watched his face and could feel the whole partment against me。 I did not blame them。 He was in the right。 But I wanted the seat。 Still no one said anything。
Oh； hell； I thought。
〃Sit down； Signor Capitano；〃 I said。 The machine…gunner moved out of the way and the tall captain sat down。 He looked at me。 His face seemed hurt。 But he had the seat。 〃Get my things；〃 I said to the machine…gunner。 We went out in the corridor。 The train was full and I knew there was no chance of a place。 I gave the porter and the machine…gunner ten lire apiece。 They went down the corridor and outside on the platform looking in the windows but there were no places。
〃Maybe some will get off at Brescia；〃 the porter said。
〃More will get on at Brescia；〃 said the machine…gunner。 I said good…by to them and we shook hands and they left。 They both felt badly。 Inside the train we were all standing in the corridor when the train started。 I watched the lights of the station and the yards as we went out。 It was still raining and soon the windows were wet and you could not see out。 Later I slept on the floor of the corridor； first putting my pocket…book with my money and papers in it inside my shirt and trousers so that it was inside the leg of my breeches。 I slept all night； waking at Brescia and Verona when more men got on the train； but going back to sleep at once。 I had my head on one of the musettes and my arms around the other and I could feel the pack and they could all walk over me if they wouldn't step on me。 Men were sleeping on the floor all down the corridor。 Others stood holding on to the window rods or leaning against the doors。 That train was always crowded。
BOOK THREE
25
Now in the fall the trees were all bare and the roads were muddy。 I rode to Gorizia from Udine on a camion。 We passed other camions on the road and I looked at the country。 The mulberry trees were bare and the fields were brown。 There were wet dead leaves on the road from the rows of bare trees and men were working on the road； tamping stone in the ruts from piles of crushed stone along the side of the road between the trees。 We saw the town with a mist over it that cut off the mountains。 We crossed the river and I saw that it was running high。 It had been raining in the mountains。 We came into the town past the factories and then the houses and villas and I saw that many more houses had been hit。 On a narrow street we passed a British Red Cross ambulance。 The driver wore a cap and his face was thin and very tanned。 I did not know him。 I got down from the camion in the big square in front of the Town Major's house； the driver handed down my rucksack and I put it on and swung on the two musettes and walked to our villa。 It did not feel like a homeing。
I walked down the damp gravel driveway looking at the villa through the trees。 The windows were all shut but the door was open。 I went in and found the major sitting at a table in the bare room with maps and typed sheets of paper on the wall。
〃Hello；〃 he said。 〃How are you？〃 He looked older and drier。
〃I'm good；〃 I said。 〃How is everything？〃
〃It's all over；〃 he said。 〃Take off your kit and sit down。〃 I put my pack and the two musettes on the floor and my cap on the pack。 I brought the other chair over from the wall and sat down by the desk。
〃It's been a bad summer；〃 the major said。 〃Are you strong now？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Did you ever get the decorations？〃
〃Yes。 I got them fine。 Thank you very much。〃
〃Let's see them。〃
I opened my cape so he could see the two ribbons。
〃Did you get the boxes with the medals？〃
〃No。 Just the papers。〃
〃The boxes will e later。 That takes more time。〃
〃What do you want me to do？〃
〃The cars are all away。 There are six up north at Caporetto。 You know Caporetto？〃
〃Yes；〃 I said。 I remembered it as a little white town with a campanile in a valley。 It was a clean little town and there was a fine fountain in the square。
〃They are working from there。 There are many sick now。 The fighting is over。〃
〃Where are the others？〃
〃There are two up in the mountains and four still on the Bainsizza。 The other two ambulance sections are in the Carso with the third army。〃
〃What do you wish me to do？〃
〃You can go and take over the four cars on the Bainsizza if you like。 Gino has been up there a long time。 You haven't seen it up there； have you？〃
〃No。〃
〃It was very bad。 We lost three cars。〃
〃I heard about it。〃
〃Yes； Rinaldi wrote you。〃
〃Where is Rinaldi？〃
〃He is here at the hospital。 He has had a summer and fall of it。〃
〃I believe it。〃
〃It has been bad；〃 the major said。 〃You couldn't believe how bad it's been。 I've often thought you were lucky to be hit when you were。〃
〃I know I was。〃
〃Next year will be worse；〃 the major said。 〃Perhaps they will attack now。 They say they are to attack but I can't believe it。 It is too late。 You saw the river？〃
〃Yes。 It's high already。〃
〃I don't believe they will attack now that the rains have started。 We will have the snow soon。 What about your countrymen？ Will there be other Americans besides yourself？〃
〃They are training an army of ten million。〃
〃I hope we get some of them。 But the French will hog them all。 We'll never get any down here。 All right。 You stay here to…ni