〃Why not？〃
〃They don't like me。〃
〃Why not？〃
〃I am the snake。 I am the snake of reason。〃
〃You're getting it mixed。 The apple was reason。〃
〃No； it was the snake。〃
He was more cheerful。
〃You are better when you don't think so deeply；〃 I said。
〃I love you； baby；〃 he said。 〃You puncture me when I bee a great Italian thinker。 But I know many things I can't say。 I know more than you。〃
〃Yes。 You do。〃
〃But you will have a better time。 Even with remorse you will have a better time。〃
〃I don't think so。〃
〃Oh； yes。 That is true。 Already I am only happy when I am working。〃 He looked at the floor again。
〃You'll get over that。〃
〃No。 I only like two other things； one is bad for my work and the other is over in half an hour or fifteen minutes。 Sometimes less。〃
〃Sometimes a good deal less。〃
〃Perhaps I have improved； baby。 You do not know。 But there are only the two things and my work。〃
〃You'll get other things。〃
〃No。 We never get anything。 We are born with all we have and we never learn。 We never get anything new。 We all start plete。 You should be glad not to be a Latin。〃
〃There's no such thing as a Latin。 That is 'Latin' thinking。 You are so proud of your defects。〃 Rinaldi looked up and laughed。
〃We'll stop； baby。 I am tired from thinking so much。〃 He had looked tired when he came in。 〃It's nearly time to eat。 I'm glad you're back。 You are my best friend and my war brother。〃
〃When do the war brothers eat？〃 I asked。
〃Right away。 We'll drink once more for your liver's sake。〃
〃Like Saint Paul。〃
〃You are inaccurate。 That was wine and the stomach。 Take a little wine for your stomach's sake。〃
〃Whatever you have in the bottle；〃 I said。 〃For any sake you mention。〃
〃To your girl；〃 Rinaldi said。 He held out his glass。
〃All right。〃
〃I'll never say a dirty thing about her。〃
〃Don't strain yourself。〃
He drank off the cognac。 〃I am pure；〃 he said。 〃I am like you； baby。 I will get an English girl too。 As a matter of fact I knew your girl first but she was a little tall for me。 A tall girl for a sister；〃 he quoted。
〃You have a lovely pure mind；〃 I said。
〃Haven't I？ That's why they call me Rinaldo Purissimo。〃
〃Rinaldo Sporchissimo。〃
〃e on； baby； we'll go down to eat while my mind is still pure。〃
I washed； bed my hair and we went down the stairs。 Rinaldi was a little drunk。 In the room where we ate； the meal was not quite ready。
〃I'll go get the bottle；〃 Rinaldi said。 He went off up the stairs。 I sat at the table and he came back with the bottle and poured us each a half tumbler of cognac。
〃Too much；〃 I said and held up the glass and sighted at the lamp on the table。
〃Not for an empty stomach。 It is a wonderful thing。 It burns out the stomach pletely。 Nothing is worse for you。〃
〃All right。〃
〃Self…destruction day by day；〃 Rinaldi said。 〃It ruins the stomach and makes the hand shake。 Just the thing for a surgeon。〃
〃You remend it？〃
〃Heartily。 I use no other。 Drink it down； baby； and look forward to being sick。〃
I drank half the glass。 In the hall I could hear the orderly calling。 〃Soup！ Soup is ready！〃
The major came in； nodded to us and sat down。 He seemed very small at table。
〃Is this all we are？〃 he asked。 The orderly put the soup bowl down and he ladled out a plate full。
〃We are all；〃 Rinaldi said。 〃Unless the priest es。 If he knew Federico was here he would be here。〃
〃Where is he？〃 I asked。
〃He's at 307；〃 the major said。 He was busy with his soup。 He wiped his mouth； wiping his upturned gray mustache carefully。 〃He will e I think。 I called them and left word to tell him you were here。〃
〃I miss the noise of the mess；〃 I said。
〃Yes； it's quiet；〃 the major said。
〃I will be noisy；〃 said Rinaldi。
〃Drink some wine； Enrico；〃 said the major。 He filled my glass。 The spaghetti came in and we were all busy。 We were finishing the spaghetti when the priest came in。 He was the same as ever； small and brown and pact looking。 I stood up and we shook hands。 He put his hand on my shoulder。
〃I came as soon as I heard；〃 he said。
〃Sit down；〃 the major said。 〃You're late。〃
〃Good…evening； priest；〃 Rinaldi said； using the English word。 They had taken that up from the priest…baiting captain； who spoke a little English。 〃Good…evening； Rinaldo；〃 the priest said。 The orderly brought him soup but he said he would start with the spaghetti。
〃How are you？〃 he asked me。
〃Fine；〃 I said。 〃How have things been？〃
〃Drink some wine； priest；〃 Rinaldi said。 〃Take a little wine for your stomach's sake。 That's Saint Paul； you know。〃
〃Yes I know；〃 said the priest politely。 Rinaldi filled his glass。
〃That Saint Paul；〃 said Rinaldi。 〃He's the one who makes all the trouble。〃 The priest looked at me and smiled。 I could see that the baiting did not touch him now。
〃That Saint Paul；〃 Rinaldi said。 〃He was a rounder and a chaser and then when he was no longer hot he said it was no good。 When he was finished he made the rules for us who are still hot。 Isn't it true； Federico？〃
The major smiled。 We were eating meat stew now。
〃I never discuss a Saint after dark；〃 I said。 The priest looked up from the stew and smiled at me。
〃There he is； gone over with the priest；〃 Rinaldi said。 〃Where are all the good old priest…baiters？ Where is Cavalcanti？ Where is Brundi？ Where is Cesare？ Do I have to bait this priest alone without support？〃
〃He is a good priest；〃 said the major。
〃He is a good priest；〃 said Rinaldi。 〃But still a priest。 I try to make the mess like the old days。 I want to make Federico happy。 To hell with you； priest！〃
I saw the major look at him and notice that he was drunk。 His thin face was white。 The line of his hair was very black against the white of his forehead。
〃It's all right； Rinaldo；〃 said the priest。 〃It's all right。〃
〃To hell with you；〃 said Rinaldi。 〃To hell with the whole damn business。〃 He sat back in his chair。
〃He's been under a strain and he's tired；〃 the major said to me。 He finished his meat and wiped up the gravy with a piece of bread。
〃I don't give a damn；〃 Rinaldi said to the table。 〃To hell with the whole business。〃 He looked defiantly around the table； his eyes flat； his face pale。
〃All right；〃 I said。 〃To hell with the whole damn business。〃
〃No； no；〃 said Rinaldi。 〃You can't do it。 You can't do it。 I say you can't do it。 You're dry and you're empty and there's nothing else。 There's nothing else I tell you。 Not a damned thing。 I know； when I stop working。〃
The priest shook his head。 The orderly took away the stew dish。
〃What are you eating meat for？〃 Rinaldi turned to the priest。 〃Don't you know it's Friday？〃
〃It's Thursday；〃 the priest said。
〃It's a lie。 It's Friday。 You're eating the body of our Lord。 It's God…meat。 I know。 It's dead Austrian。 That's what you're eating。〃
〃The white meat is from officers；〃 I said； pleting the old joke。
Rinaldi laughed。 He filled his glass。
〃Don't mind me；〃 he said。 〃I'm just a little crazy。〃
〃You ought to have a leave；〃 the priest said。
The major shook his head at him。
Rinaldi looked at the priest。
〃You think I ought to have a leave？〃
The major shook his head at the priest。 Rinaldi was looking at the priest。
〃Just as you like；〃 the priest said。 〃Not if you don't want。〃
〃To hell with you；〃 Rinaldi said。 〃They try to get rid of me。 Every night they try to get rid of me。 I fight them off。 What if I have it。 Everybody has it。 The whole world's got it。 First；〃 he went on； assuming the manner of a lecturer； 〃it's a little pimple。 Then we notice a rash between the shoulders。 Then we notice nothing at all。 We put our faith in mercury。〃
〃Or salvarsan；〃 the major interrupted quietly。
〃A mercurial product；〃 Rinaldi said。 He acted very elated now。 〃I know something worth two of that。 Good old priest；〃 he said。 〃You'll never get it。 Baby will get it。 It's an industrial accident。 It's a simple industrial accident。〃
The orderly brought in the sweet and coffee。 The dessert was a sort of black bread pudding with hard sauce。 The lamp was smoking； the black smoke going close up inside the chimney。
〃Bring two candles and take away the lamp；〃 the major said。 The orderly brought two lighted candles each in a saucer； and took out the lamp blowing it out。 Rinaldi was quiet now。 He seemed all right。 We talked and after the coffee we all went out into the hall。
〃You want to talk to the priest。 I have to go in the town；〃 Rinaldi said。 〃Good…night； priest。〃
〃Good…night； Rinaldo；〃 the priest said。
〃I'll see you； Fredi；〃 Rinaldi said。
〃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 be。 Many people have realized the war this summer。 Officers whom I thought could never realize it realize it now。〃
〃What will happen？〃 Istroked the blanket with my hand。
〃I do not know but I do not think it can go on much longer。〃
〃What will happen？〃
〃They will stop fighting。〃
〃Who？〃
〃Both sides。〃
〃I hope so；〃 I said。
〃You don't believe it？〃
〃I don't believe both sides will stop fighting at once。〃
〃I suppose not。 It is too much to expect。 But when I see the changes in men I do not think it can go on。〃
〃Who won the fighting this summer？〃
〃No one。〃
〃The Austrians won；〃 I said。 〃They kept them from taking San Gabriele。 They've won。 They won't stop fighting。〃
〃If they feel as we feel they may stop。 They have gone through the same thing。〃
〃No one ever stopped when they were winning。〃
〃You discourage me。〃
〃I can only say what I think。〃
〃Then you think it will go on and on？ Nothing will ever happen？〃
〃I don't know。 I only think the Austrians will not stop when they have won a victory。 It is in defeat that we bee Christian。〃
〃The Austrians are Christians……except for the Bosnians。〃
〃I don't mean technical