hemingway, ernest - men without women-第8节
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¨No；〃 said the major。
There were three boys who came each day who were about the same age I was。 They were all three from Milan； and one of them was to be a lawyer； and one was to be a painter； and one had intended to be a soldier； and after we were finished with the machines； sometimes we walked back together to the Caf？ Cova； which was next door to the Scala。 We walked the short way through the communist quarter because we were four together。 The people hated us because we were officers； and from a wine shop someone would call out； ¨A basso gli ufficiali！〃 as we passed。 Another boy who walked with us sometimes and made us five wore a black silk handkerchief across his face because he had no nose then and his face was to be rebuilt。 He had gone out to the front from the military academy and been wounded within an hour after he had gone into the front line for the first time。 They rebuilt his face； but he came from a very old family and they could never get the nose exactly right。 He went to South America and worked in a bank。 But this was a long time ago； and then we did not any of us know how it was going to be afterwards。 We only knew then that there was always the war； but that we were not going to it any more。
We all had the same medals； except the boy with the black silk bandage across his face； and he had not been at the front long enough to get any medals。 The tall boy with a very pale face who was to be a lawyer had been a lieutenant of Arditi and had three medals of the sort we each had only one of。 He had lived a very long time with death and was a little detached。 We were all a little detached； and there was nothing that held us together except that we met every afternoon at the hospital。 Although； as we walked to the Cova through the tough part of the town； walking in the dark； with light and singing coming out of the wine shops； and sometimes having to walk into the street when the men and women would crowd together on the sidewalk so that we would have had to jostle them to get by； we felt held together by there being something that had happened that they； the people who disliked us； did not understand。
We ourselves all understood the Cova； where it was rich and warm and not too brightly lighted； and noisy and smoky at certain hours； and there were always girls at the tables and the illustrated papers on a rack on the wall。 The girls at the Cova were very patriotic； and I found that the most patriotic people in Italy were the caf？ girlsand I believe they are still patriotic。
The boys at first were very polite about my medals and asked me what I had done to get them。 I showed them the papers； which were written in very beautiful language and full of fratellanza and abnegazione； but which really said； with the adjectives removed； that I had been given the medals because I was an American。 After that their manner changed a little toward me； although I was their friend against outsiders。 I was a friend； but I was never really one of them after they had read the citations； because it had been different with them and they had done very different things to get their medals。 I had been wounded； it was true； but we all knew that being wounded； after all； was really an accident。 I was never ashamed of the ribbons； though； and sometimes； after the cocktail hour； I would imagine myself having done all the things they had done to get their medals； but walking home at night through the empty streets with the cold wind and all the shops closed； trying to keep near the street lights； I knew that I would never have done such things； and I was very much afraid to die； and often lay in bed at night by myself； afraid to die and wondering how I would be when I went back to the front again。
The three with the medals were like hunting…hawks； and I was not a hawk； although I might seem a hawk to those who had never hunted； they； the three； knew better and so we drifted apart。 But I stayed good friends with the boy who had been wounded his first day at the front； because he would never know how he would have turned out； so he could never be accepted either； and I liked him because I thought perhaps he would not have turned out to be a hawk either。
The major； who had been the great fencer； did not believe in bravery； and spent much time while we sat in the machines correcting my grammar。 He had complimented me on how I spoke Italian； and we talked together very easily。 One day I had said that Italian seemed such an easy language to me that I could not take a great interest in it； everything was so easy to say。 ¨Ah； yes；〃 the major said。 ¨Why； then； do you not take up the use of grammar？ So we took up the use of grammar； and soon Italian was such a difficult language that I was afraid to talk to him until I had the grammar straight in my mind。
The major came very regularly to the hospital。 I do not think he ever missed a day； although I am sure he did not believe in the machines。 There was a time when none of us believed in the machines； and one day the major said it was all nonsense。 The machines were new then and it was we who were to prove them。 It was an idiotic idea； he said； ¨a theory； like another〃。 I had not learned my grammar； and he said I was a stupid impossible disgrace； and he was a fool to have bothered with me。 He was a small man and he sat straight up in his chair with his right hand thrust into the machine and looked straight ahead at the wall while the straps thumped up and down with his fingers in them。
¨What will you do when the war is over if it is over？〃 he asked me。 ¨Speak grammatically！〃
¨I will go to the States。〃
¨Are you married？〃
¨No； but I hope to be。〃
¨The more of a fool you are；〃 he said。 He seemed very angry。 ¨A man must not marry。〃
¨Why； Signor Maggiore？〃
¨Donˇt call me ˉSignor Maggioreˇ。〃
¨Why must not a man marry？〃
¨He cannot marry。 He cannot marry；〃 he said angrily。 ¨If he is to lose everything； he should not place himself in a position to lose that。 He should not place himself in a position to lose。 He should find things he cannot lose。〃
He spoke very angrily and bitterly； and looked straight ahead while he talked。
¨But why should he necessarily lose it？〃
¨Heˇll lose it；〃 the major said。 He was looking at the wall。 Then he looked down at the machine and jerked his little hand out from between the straps and slapped it hard against his thigh。 ¨Heˇll lose it；〃 he almost shouted。 ¨Donˇt argue with me！〃 Then he called to the attendant who ran the machines。 ¨Come and turn this damned thing off。〃
He went back into the other room for the light treatment and the massage。 Then I heard him ask the doctor if he might use his telephone and he shut the door。 When he came back into the room； I was sitting in another machine。 He was wearing his cape and had his cap on； and he came directly toward my machine and put his arm on my shoulder。
¨I am so sorry；〃 he said； and patted me； on the shoulder with his good hand。 ¨I would not be rude。 My wife has just died。 You must forgive me。〃
¨Oh〃 I said； feeling sick for him。 ¨I am so sorry。〃
He stood there biting his lower lip。 ¨It is very difficult；〃 he said。 ¨I cannot resign myself。〃
He looked straight past me and out through the window。 Then he began to cry。 ¨I am utterly unable to resign myself；〃 he said and choked。 And then crying； his head up； looking at nothing； carrying himself straight and soldierly； with tears on both his cheeks and biting his lips； he walked past the machines and out of the door。
The doctor told me that the majorˇs wife； who was very young and whom he had not married until he was definitely invalided out of the war； had died of pneumonia。 She had been sick only a few days。 No one expected her to die。 The major did not come to the hospital for three days。 Then he came at the usual hour； wearing a black band on the sleeve of his uniform。 When he came back； there were large framed photographs around the wall； of all sorts of wounds before and after they had been cured by the machines。 In front of the machine the major used were three photographs of hands like his that were completely restored。 I do not know where the doctor got them。 I always understood we were the first to use the machines。 The photographs did not make much difference to the major because he only looked out of the window。
HILLS LIKE WHITE ELEPHANTS
THE hills across the valley of the Ebro were long and white。 On this side there was no shade and no trees and the station was between two lines of rails in the sun。 Close against the side of the station there was the warm shadow of the building and a curtain； made of strings of bamboo beads； hung across the open door into the bar； to keep out flies。 The American and the girl with him sat at a table in the shade； outside the building。 It was very hot and the express from Barcelona would come in forty minutes。 It stopped at this junction for two minutes and went on to Madrid。
¨What should we drink？〃 the girl asked。 She had taken off her hat and put it on the table。
¨Itˇs pretty hot；〃 the man said。
¨Letˇs drink beer。〃
¨Dos cervezas；〃 the man said into the cu
