〃Well；　I　do。　And　I'm　your　friend。　Don't　forget　that。〃

〃You're　awfully　damned　nice。〃

〃No。　I　know　who　you　think　is　nice。　But　I'm　your　friend。　How　does　your　leg　feel？〃

〃Fine。〃

〃I'll　bring　some　cold　mineral　water　to　pour　over　it。　It　must　itch　under　the　cast。　It's　hot　outside。〃

〃You're　awful　nice。〃

〃Does　it　itch　much？〃

〃No。　It's　fine。〃

〃I'll　fix　those　sandbags　better。〃　She　leaned　over。　〃I'm　your　friend。〃

〃I　know　you　are。〃

〃No　you　don't。　But　you　will　some　day。〃

Catherine　Barkley　took　three　nights　off　night　duty　and　then　she　came　back　on　again。　It　was　as　though　we　met　again　after　each　of　us　had　been　away　on　a　long　journey。

18

We　had　a　lovely　time　that　summer。　When　I　could　go　out　we　rode　in　a　carriage　in　the　park。　I　remember　the　carriage；　the　horse　going　slowly；　and　up　ahead　the　back　of　the　driver　with　his　varnished　high　hat；　and　Catherine　Barkley　sitting　beside　me。　If　we　let　our　hands　touch；　just　the　side　of　my　hand　touching　hers；　we　were　excited。　Afterward　when　I　could　get　around　on　crutches　we　went　to　dinner　at　Biffi's　or　the　Gran　Italia　and　sat　at　the　tables　outside　on　the　floor　of　the　galleria。　The　waiters　came　in　and　out　and　there　were　people　going　by　and　candles　with　shades　on　the　tablecloths　and　after　we　decided　that　we　liked　the　Gran　Italia　best；　George；　the　headwaiter；　saved　us　a　table。　He　was　a　fine　waiter　and　we　let　him　order　the　meal　while　we　looked　at　the　people；　and　the　great　galleria　in　the　dusk；　and　each　other。　We　drank　dry　white　capri　iced　in　a　bucket；　although　we　tried　many　of　the　other　wines；　fresa；　barbera　and　the　sweet　white　wines。　They　had　no　wine　waiter　because　of　the　war　and　George　would　smile　ashamedly　when　I　asked　about　wines　like　fresa。

〃If　you　imag