metres of small intestine and better now than ever. Helen.

 Inside there was a light
 Inside there was a light. The outlines of the cypresses that lined it were sharp and clear. I thought she was very beautiful. 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.Youd better chew some coffee.Captain doctor (interested in something he was finding). doing things that hurt sharply and severing tissue Are you sureMe trying to lie still and feeling my stomach flutter when the flesh was cut. He was quieter now.No. Through the other noise I heard a cough. We went on and passed the regiment about a mile ahead.The adjutant. They returned it with his things. I kept my arm where it was. Goodby. It was all as I had left it except that now it was spring.

Shall we sit here or go out in the gardenLets go out. I said I was sorry. They arent girls; they are old war comrades. Then I thought of his puttees.Thats what the priest said.I have to go. At first it dropped slowly and regularly.Isnt there anywhere we can goNo. I said. He smiled. We are war brothers. Dio te salve. Shes a nurse.You will.They are big through the chest by measurement.I didnt know about anything then.

 I said. she said. Manera and Gavuzzi each went off with a load of wounded. It was very edifying.I stopped in front of the Villa Rossa. I would have liked to drive over the new road but it was not yet finished. depended to a considerable extent on myself.We walked along together through the town and I chewed the coffee. Miss Ferguson walked away in the dark. and then a drink of the wine. I say he bellows!I would like you to go to Abruzzi.Ah. The Britisher leaned over. All the officers were very happy. Maybe you will get an English medal too. that there had been three others.

 That is why we have this war. Im all right.Not even for the beautiful languageNo. darling. The saint hung down on the Outside of my uniform and I undid the throat of my tunic.A showI dont think its anything. I suppose it was mutual tolerance because the Austrians still kept a bridgehead further down the river. Bacchus barred.I stopped in front of the Villa Rossa. The stream kept on. They were all mechanics and hated the war. the leather shiny with oil. I remembered.All right.This isnt a deep dugout. brought by Gordini who looked very white and sick.

 I wished I were in Milan with her. That day I visited the posts in the mountains and was back in town late in the afternoon. father.The adjutant.The major spoke to an orderly who went out of sight in the back and came back with a metal basin of cold cooked macaroni.Bacchus.Very. He smiled.I cant imagine lying like that. Up the river the mountains had not been taken; none of the mountains beyond the river had been taken. cartridges. mama Mia. not good by. My knee wasnt there. the trees along the road had small leaves and a breeze came from the sea. And you will come and see meOf course.

 Is there anything youd like to talk aboutBut I do love you. You see the point. havent youYes. wash it out. where I sat with a friend and two glasses drinking a bottle of Asti.Slit the tunic. They arent girls; they are old war comrades. I think so. I said. I like him. She was carrying a thin rattan stick like a toy riding-crop. it couldnt all go on. Where did you meet her In the Cova Where did you go How did you feel Tell me everything at once. and stood up. And I never even talk English. Stop it.

 It ought to be good. spilled the thin gold chain together and put it all in my breast pocket.Yes.Oh. I felt the engine start. I just couldnt stand the nurseseveningoff aspect of it. They were silent until I went out. I smiled at the priest and he smiled back across the candlelight. the tiny man with the long thin neck and the goat beard.They are brave and have good discipline. Carabinieri shot them. Lots of them would have liked him to be king. Passini said. I said. It would be the same when the offensive started. I said.

 are youOh. I said. waiting for Catherine Barkley to come down. It was the first time I had ever heard her laugh. as I said. as the road mounted along the ridge.Another American. it seemed. Rinaldi said goodnight. Inside they were operating on all the tables. I said. Five stars. the water blue like the sky. and the whole thing going well on the Carso made the fall very different from the last fall when we had been in the country. doing things that hurt sharply and severing tissue Are you sureMe trying to lie still and feeling my stomach flutter when the flesh was cut. The fields were green and there were small green shoots on the vines.

 she said. sototenente (the thumb). of course. please. The orderly brought a chair and he sat down. Mr.Tonight you will tell me everything.Be a good boy and be careful. Hes dead.Do you think it would be any good to try and see her tomorrowYes. with the sun on it. Then he was quiet. The mechanics were working on one out in the yard.It doesnt finish. Its a Saint Anthony.This is the third day.

 I am an atheist. I said. That made the bed damp and cool.WhereMilano. waxy looking. Manera said he hoped it would come before the bombardment started. He talks French. Outside it was getting dark. The ground was torn up and in front of my head there was a splintered beam of wood.WhereMilano. Genoa was the place to see the bad marbles. We dont go out. are youNo. What inflicted the woundsThe medical captain. It was the first time I had ever heard her laugh. The Italian salute never seemed made for export.

 I said. They lifted me and the blanket flap went across my face as we went out. That made the bed damp and cool. I was there and reading of it in the paper.The next afternoon I went to call on Miss Barkley again.That will be nice. Rinaldi said. I was experiencing the masculine difficulty of making love very long standing up. Not in this ambulance business. I wore a real one and felt like a gunman until I practised firing it. the camion stopped a little off the road. and mark a cross on both legs. If youve got a fracture you dont want inflammation.Were almost up. a hard bright burst and flash and then gray smoke that blew across the road. you cant kiss me here.

 Manera said he hoped it would come before the bombardment started. He woke when he heard me in the room and sat up. darling. Could I join nowIm afraid not now.Look. Tenente. I remembered.He will look after you. Id be glad to kiss you if you dont mind. I tried to move but I could not move. I had it in the car. I gave them each a package of cigarettes. Profound wounds of right knee and foot.Bassi wins. Shes a nurse. Thats all over for a while.

All bersaglieriI think so. the major said. then we started. No. Are you badly hitIn the leg.How are the cars Manera asked. Maybe it would finish this summer. wont youWhat the hell. Yes. painted gray and built like moving-vans. They returned it with his things. maam.Leave him alone. Manera finished.Thats nothing. You love EnglandNot too well.

 Miss Barkley was in the garden. put their stretchers down.And youre all right I asked outside. Close to the bank I saw deep pools. Manera said.Im awfully tired. I was cold and my leg hurt so that it made me sick. Like bridge you had to pretend you were playing for money or playing for some stakes.You love Italy Rinaldi asked Miss Ferguson in English. Lots of them would have liked him to be king. You get out and fall down by the road and get a bump on your head and Ill pick you up on our way back and take you to a hospital.What about eating. I thought somebody was screaming. said Rinaldi. For two weeks now they havent changed them. We were supposed to wear steel helmets even in Gorizia but they were uncomfortable and too bloody theatrical in a town where the civilian inhabitants had not been evacuated.

 We are mechanics.I dont think it will hurt you. he touched the little finger. It looked wide and well made with a good grade and the turns looked very impressive where you could see them through openings in the forest on the mountain side. One of the two men who had carried it looked in. you met British men and sometimes women. that the office opened on. When I got home it was too late and I did not see Miss Barkley until the next evening. Another night when you feel stronger. Miss Barkley prefers you to me. baby. Profound wounds of right knee and foot. didnt youYes.Is there anything I can do. Bacchus or no Bacchus. Ill wrap you up and dont bounce your head around.

Its Manera. I handed the canteen back to Passini.Not reallyNever.I would like you to see Abruzzi and visit my family at Capracotta. warmed from the sun on the wall. 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. You should go on leave.We might sit there just for a little while. which was very good.All right. went downstairs. I told them what I had heard. There are people who are afraid of their officers. I said. There are some people who never realize. I would go crazy.

 Please. Oh Jesus lovely Mary stop it. The captain spoke pidgin Italian for my doubtful benefit.The granatieri are tall. There was fighting in the mountains and at night we could see the flashes from the artillery. you have nothing to worry about if it doesnt infect and it rarely does now.Priest not happy. I wouldnt be able to get the stretcher out alone. Dear Catherine. The sun was going down and the day was cooling off. No. said the major. He bellows. As far as I could make out the last mile or so of the new road where it started to level out would be able to be shelled steadily by the Austrians. Oh you should see what I did in the removal of three metres of small intestine and better now than ever. Helen.