〃Here　it　is　a　great　thing；〃　Aymo　said。　〃A　bicycle　is　a　splendid　thing。〃

〃I　wish　to　Christ　we　had　bicycles；〃　Bonello　said。　〃I'm　no　walker。〃

〃Is　that　firing？〃　I　asked。　I　thought　I　could　hear　firing　a　long　way　away。

〃I　don't　know；〃　Aymo　said。　He　listened。

〃I　think　so；〃　I　said。

〃The　first　thing　we　will　see　will　be　the　cavalry；〃　Piani　said。

〃I　don't　think　they've　got　any　cavalry。〃

〃I　hope　to　Christ　not；〃　Bonello　said。　〃I　don't　want　to　be　stuck　on　a　lance　by　any……cavalry。〃

〃You　certainly　shot　that　sergeant；　Tenente；〃　Piani　said。　We　were　walking　fast。

〃I　killed　him；〃　Bonello　said。　〃I　never　killed　anybody　in　this　war；　and　all　my　life　I've　wanted　to　kill　a　sergeant。〃

〃You　killed　him　on　the　sit　all　right；〃　Piani　said。　〃He　wasn't　flying　very　fast　when　you　killed　him。〃

〃Never　mind。　That's　one　thing　I　can　always　remember。　I　killed　that……of　a　sergeant。〃

〃What　will　you　say　in　confession？〃　Aymo　asked。

〃I'll　say；　'Bless　me；　father；　I　killed　a　sergeant。〃　They　all　laughed。

〃He's　an　anarchist；〃　Piani　said。　〃He　doesn't　go　to　church。〃

〃Piani's　an　anarchist　too；〃　Bonello　said。

〃Are　you　really　anarchists？〃　I　asked。

〃No；　Tenente。　We're　socialists。　We　e　from　Imola。〃

〃Haven't　you　ever　been　there？〃

〃No。〃

〃By　Christ　it's　a　fine　place；　Tenente。　You　e　there　after　the　war　and　we'll　show　you　something。〃

〃Are　you　all　socialists？〃

〃Everybody。〃

〃Is