〃Who goes to the attack？〃 asked Gavuzzi。
〃Bersaglieri。〃
〃All bersaglieri？〃
〃I think so。〃
〃There aren't enough troops here for a real attack。〃
〃It is probably to draw attention from where the real attack will be。〃
〃Do the men know that who attack？〃
〃I don't think so。〃
〃Of course they don't；〃 Manera said。 〃They wouldn't attack if they did。〃
〃Yes； they would；〃 Passini said。 〃Bersaglieri are fools。〃
〃They are brave and have good discipline；〃 I said。
〃They are big through the chest by measurement； and healthy。 But they are still fools。〃
〃The granatieri are tall；〃 Manera said。 This was a joke。 They all laughed。
〃Were you there； Tenente； when they wouldn't attack and they shot every tenth man？〃
〃No。〃
〃It is true。 They lined them up afterward and took every tenth man。 Carabinieri shot them。〃
〃Carabinieri；〃 said Passini and spat on the floor。 〃But those grenadiers； all over six feet。 They wouldn't attack。〃
〃If everybody would not attack the war would be over；〃 Manera said。
〃It wasn't that way with the granatieri。 They were afraid。 The officers all came from such good families。〃
〃Some of the officers went alone。〃
〃A sergeant shot two officers who would not get out。〃
〃Some troops went out。〃
〃Those that went out were not lined up when they took the tenth men。〃
〃One of those shot by the carabinieri is from my town；〃 Passini said。 〃He was a big smart tall boy to be in the granatieri。 Always in Rome。 Always with the girls。 Always with the carabinieri。〃 He laughed。 〃Now they have a guard outside his house with a bayonet and nobody can e to see his mother and father and sisters and his father loses his civil rights and cannot even vote。 They are all without law to protect them。 Anybody can take their property。〃
〃If it wasn't that that happens to their families nobody would go to the attack。〃
〃Yes。 Alpini would。 These V。 E。 soldiers would。 Some bersaglieri。〃
〃Bersaglieri have run too。 Now they try to forget it。〃
〃You should not let us talk this way； Tenente。 Evviva l'esercito；〃 Passini said sarcastically。
〃I know how you talk；〃 I said。 〃But as long as you drive the cars and behave……〃
〃……and don't talk so other officers can hear；〃 Manera finished。 〃I believe we should get the war over；〃 I said。 〃It would not finish it if one side stopped fighting。 It would only be worse if we stopped fighting。〃
〃It could not be worse；〃 Passini said respectfully。 〃There is nothing worse than war。〃
〃Defeat is worse。〃
〃I do not believe it；〃 Passini said still respectfully。 〃What is defeat？ You go home。〃
〃They e after you。 They take your home。 They take your sisters。〃
〃I don't believe it；〃 Passini said。 〃They can't do that to everybody。 Let everybody defend his home。 Let them keep their sisters in the house。〃
〃They hang you。 They e and make you be a soldier again。 Not in the auto…ambulance； in the infantry。〃
〃They can't hang every one。〃
〃An outside nation can't make you be a soldier；〃 Manera said。 〃At the first battle you all run。〃
〃Like the Tchecos。〃
〃I think you do not know anything about being conquered and so you think it is not bad。〃
〃Tenente；〃 Passini said。 〃We understand you let us talk。 Listen。 There is nothing as bad as war。 We in the auto…ambulance cannot even realize at all how bad it is。 When people realize how bad it is they cannot do anything to stop it because they go crazy。 There are some people who never realize。 There are people who are afraid of their officers。 It is with them the war is made。〃
〃I know it is bad but we must finish it。〃
〃It doesn't finish。 There is no finish to a war。〃
〃Yes there is。〃
Passini shook his head。
〃War is not won by victory。 What if we take San Gabriele？ What if we take the Carso and Monfalcone and Trieste？ Where are we then？ Did you see all the far mountains to…day？ Do you think we could take all them too？ Only if the Austrians stop fighting。 One side must stop fighting。 Why don't we stop fighting？ If they e down into Italy they will get tired and go away。 They have their own country。 But no； instead there is a war。〃
〃You're an orator。〃
〃We think。 We read。 We are not peasants。 We are mechanics。 But even the peasants know better than to believe in a war。 Everybody hates this war。〃
〃There is a class that controls a country that is stupid and does not realize anything and never can。 That is why we have this war。〃
〃Also they make money out of it。〃
〃Most of them don't；〃 said Passini。 〃They are too stupid。 They do it for nothing。 For stupidity。〃
〃We must shut up；〃 said Manera。 〃We talk too much even for the Tenente。〃
〃He likes it；〃 said Passini。 〃We will convert him。〃
〃But now we will shut up；〃 Manera said。
〃Do we eat yet； Tenente？〃 Gavuzzi asked。
〃I will go and see；〃 I said。 Gordini stood up and went outside with me。
〃Is there anything I can do； Tenente？ Can I help in any way？〃 He was the quietest one of the four。 〃e with me if you want；〃 I said； 〃and we'll see。〃
It was dark outside and the long light from the search…lights was moving over the mountains。 There were big search…lights on that front mounted on camions that you passed sometimes on the roads at night； close behind the lines； the camion stopped a little off the road； an officer directing the light and the crew scared。 We crossed the brickyard； and stopped at the main dressing station。 There was a little shelter of green branches outside over the entrance and in the dark the night wind rustled the leaves dried by the sun。 Inside there was a light。 The major was at the telephone sitting on a box。 One of the medical captains said the attack had been put forward an hour。 He offered me a glass of cognac。 I looked at the board tables； the instruments shining in the light； the basins and the stoppered bottles。 Gordini stood behind me。 The major got up from the telephone。
〃It starts now；〃 he said。 〃It has been put back again。〃
I looked outside； it was dark and the Austrian search…lights were moving on the mountains behind us。 It was quiet for a moment still； then from all the guns behind us the bombardment started。
〃Savoia；〃 said the major。
〃About the soup； major；〃 I said。 He did not hear me。 I repeated it。
〃It hasn't e up。〃
A big shell came in and burst outside in the brickyard。 Another burst and in the noise you could hear the smaller noise of the brick and dirt raining down。
〃What is there to eat？〃
〃We have a little pasta asciutta；〃 the major said。
〃I'll take what you can give me。〃
The major spoke to an orderly who went out of sight in the back and came back with a metal basin of cold cooked macaroni。 I handed it to Gordini。
〃Have you any cheese？〃
The major spoke grudgingly to the orderly who ducked back into the hole again and came out with a quarter of a white cheese。
〃Thank you very much；〃 I said。
〃You'd better not go out。〃
Outside something was set down beside the entrance。 One of the two men who had carried it looked in。
〃Bring him in；〃 said the major。 〃What's the matter with you？ Do you want us to e outside and get him？〃
The two stretcher…bearers picked up the man under the arms and by the legs and brought him in。
〃Slit the tunic；〃 the major said。
He held a forceps with some gauze in the end。 The two captains took off their coats。 〃Get out of here；〃 the major said to the two stretcher…bearers。
〃e on；〃 I said to Gordini。
〃You better wait until the shelling is over；〃 the major said over his shoulder。
〃They want to eat；〃 I said。
〃As you wish。〃
Outside we ran across the brickyard。 A shell burst short near the river bank。 Then there was one that we did not hear ing until the sudden rush。 We both went flat and with the flash and bump of the burst and the smell heard the singing off of the fragments and the rattle of falling brick。 Gordini got up and ran for the dugout。 I was after him； holding the cheese； its smooth surface covered with brick dust。 Inside the dugout were the three drivers sitting against the wall； smoking。
〃Here； you patriots；〃 I said。
〃How are the cars？〃 Manera asked。
〃All right。〃
〃Did they scare you； Tenente？〃
〃You're damned right；〃 I said。
I took out my knife； opened it； wiped off the blade and pared off the dirty outside surface of the cheese。 Gavuzzi handed me the basin of macaroni。
〃Start in to eat； Tenente。〃
〃No；〃 I said。 〃Put it on the floor。 We'll all eat。〃
〃There are no forks。〃
〃What the hell；〃 I said in English。
I cut the cheese into pieces and laid them on the macaroni。
〃Sit down to it；〃 I said。 They sat down and waited。 I put thumb and fingers into the macaroni and lifted。 A mass loosened。
〃Lift it high； Tenente。〃
I lifted it to arm's length and the strands cleared。 I lowered it into the mouth； sucked and snapped in the ends； and chewed； then took a bite of cheese； chewed； and then a drink of the wine。 It tasted of rusty metal。 I handed the canteen back to Passini。
〃It's rotten；〃 he said。 〃It's been in there too long。 I had it in the car。〃
They were all eating； holding their chins close over the basin； tipping their heads back； sucking in the ends。 I took another mouthful and some cheese and a rinse of wine。 Something landed outside that shook the earth。
〃Four hundred twenty or minnenwerfer；〃 Gavuzzi said。
〃There aren't any four hundred twenties in the mountains；〃 I said。
〃They have big Skoda guns。 I've seen the holes。〃
〃Three hundred fives。〃
We went on eating。 There was a cough； a noise like a railway engine starting and then an explosion that shook the earth again。
〃This isn't a deep dugout；〃 Passini said。
〃That was a big trench mortar。〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
I ate the end of my piece of cheese and took a swallow of wine。 Through the other noise I heard a cough； then came the chuh…chuhchuh…chuh……then there was a flash； as when a blast…furnace door is swung open； and a roar that started white and went red and on and on in a rushing wind。 I tried to breathe but my breath would not e and I felt myself rush bodily out of myself and out and out and out and all the time bodily in the wind。 I went out swiftly； all of myself； and I knew I was dead and that it had all been a mistake to think you just died。 Then I floated； and instead of going on I felt myself slide back。 I breathed and I was back。 The ground was torn up and in front of my head there was a splintered beam of wood。 In the jolt of my head I heard somebody crying。 I thought somebody was screaming。 I tried to move but I could not move。 I heard the machine…guns and rifles firing across the river and all along the river。 There was a great splashing and I saw the star…shells go up and burst and float whitely and rockets going up and heard the bombs； all this in a moment； and then I heard close to me some one saying 〃Mama Mia！ Oh； mama Mia！〃 I pulled and twisted and got my legs loose finally and turned around and touched him。 It was Passini and when I touched him he screamed。 His legs were toward me and I saw in the dark and the light that they were both smashed above the knee。 One leg was gone and the other was held by tendons and part of the trouser and the stump twitched and jerked as though it were not connected。 He bit his arm and moaned； 〃Oh mama mia； mama Mia；〃 then； 〃Dio te salve； Maria。 Dio te salve； Maria。 Oh Jesus shoot me Christ shoot me mama mia mama Mia oh purest lovely Mary shoot me。 Stop it。 S