h。　I　knew　you　was　an　American。〃

〃Don't　I　talk　Italian　good　enough？〃

〃I　knew　you　was　an　American　all　right。〃

〃Another　American；〃　said　the　driver　in　Italian　looking　at　the　hernia　man。

〃Listen；　lootenant。　Do　you　have　to　take　me　to　that　regiment？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Because　the　captain　doctor　knew　I　had　this　rupture。　I　threw　away　the　goddam　truss　so　it　would　get　bad　and　I　wouldn't　have　to　go　to　the　line　again。〃

〃I　see。〃

〃Couldn't　you　take　me　no　place　else？〃

〃If　it　was　closer　to　the　front　I　could　take　you　to　a　first　medical　post。　But　back　here　you've　got　to　have　papers。〃

〃If　I　go　back　they'll　make　me　get　operated　on　and　then　they'll　put　me　in　the　line　all　the　time。〃

I　thought　it　over。

〃You　wouldn't　want　to　go　in　the　line　all　the　time；　would　you？〃　he　asked。

〃No。〃

〃Jesus　Christ；　ain't　this　a　goddam　war？〃

〃Listen；〃　I　said。　〃You　get　out　and　fall　down　by　the　road　and　get　a　bump　on　your　head　and　I'll　pick　you　up　on　our　way　back　and　take　you　to　a　hospital。　We'll　stop　by　the　road　here；　Aldo。〃　We　stopped　at　the　side　of　the　road。　I　helped　him　down。

〃I'll　be　right　here；　lieutenant；〃　he　said。

〃So　long；〃　I　said。　We　went　on　and　passed　the　regiment　about　a　mile　ahead；　then　crossed　the　river；　cloudy　with　snow…water　and　running　fast　through　the　spiles　of　the　bridge；　to　ride　along　the　road　across　the　plain　and　deliver　the　wounded　at　the　two　hospitals。　I　drove　ing　back　and　went　fast　with　the　e