〃Yes；〃　I　said。　〃e　in　early。〃　He　made　a　face　and　went　out　the　door。　The　major　was　standing　with　us。　〃He's　very　tired　and　overworked；〃　he　said。　〃He　thinks　too　he　has　syphilis。　I　don't　believe　it　but　he　may　have。　He　is　treating　himself　for　it。　Good…night。　You　will　leave　before　daylight；　Enrico？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Good…by　then；〃　he　said。　〃Good　luck。　Peduzzi　will　wake　you　and　go　with　you。〃

〃Good…by；　Signor　Maggiore。〃

〃Good…by。　They　talk　about　an　Austrian　offensive　but　I　don't　believe　it。　I　hope　not。　But　anyway　it　won't　be　here。　Gino　will　tell　you　everything。　The　telephone　works　well　now。〃

〃I'll　call　regularly。〃

〃Please　do。　Good…night。　Don't　let　Rinaldi　drink　so　much　brandy。〃

〃I'll　try　not　to。〃

〃Good…night；　priest。〃

〃Good…night；　Signor　Maggiore。〃

He　went　off　into　his　office。

26

I　went　to　the　door　and　looked　out。　It　had　stopped　raining　but　there　was　a　mist。

〃Should　we　go　upstairs？〃　I　asked　the　priest。

〃I　can　only　stay　a　little　while。〃

〃e　on　up。〃

We　climbed　the　stairs　and　went　into　my　room。　I　lay　down　on　Rinaldi's　bed。　The　priest　sat　on　my　cot　that　the　orderly　had　set　up。　It　was　dark　in　the　room。

〃Well；〃　he　said；　〃how　are　you　really？〃

〃I'm　all　right。　I'm　tired　to…night。〃

〃I'm　tired　too；　but　from　no　cause。〃

〃What　about　the　war？〃

〃I　think　it　will　be　over　soon。　I　don't　know　why；　but　I　feel　it。〃

〃How　do　you　feel　it？〃

〃You　know　how　your　major　is？　Gentle？　Many　people　are　like　that　now。〃

〃I　feel　that　way　myself；〃　I　said。

〃It　has　been　a　terrible　summer；〃　said　the　priest。　He　was　surer　of　himself　now　than　when　I　had　gone　away。　〃You　cannot　believe　how　it　has　been。　Except　that　you　have　been　there　and　you　know　how　it　can