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igh　mountains　off　to　the　north　with　snow　still　on　the　tops。　I　looked　back　and　saw　the　three　cars　all　climbing；　spaced　by　the　interval　of　their　dust。　We　passed　a　long　column　of　loaded　mules；　the　drivers　walking　along　beside　the　mules　wearing　red　fezzes。　They　were　bersaglieri。
Beyond　the　mule　train　the　road　was　empty　and　we　climbed　through　the　hills　and　then　went　down　over　the　shoulder　of　a　long　hill　into　a　river…valley。　There　were　trees　along　both　sides　of　the　road　and　through　the　right　line　of　trees　I　saw　the　river；　the　water　clear；　fast　and　shallow。　The　river　was　low　and　there　were　stretches　of　sand　and　pebbles　with　a　narrow　channel　of　water　and　sometimes　the　water　spread　like　a　sheen　over　the　pebbly　bed。　Close　to　the　bank　I　saw　deep　pools；　the　water　blue　like　the　sky。　I　saw　arched　stone　bridges　over　the　river　where　tracks　turned　off　from　the　road　and　we　passed　stone　farmhouses　with　pear　trees　candelabraed　against　their　south　walls　and　low　stone　walls　in　the　fields。　The　road　went　up　the　valley　a　long　way　and　then　we　turned　off　and　menced　to　climb　into　the　hills　again。　The　road　climbed　steeply　going　up　and　back　and　forth　through　chestnut　woods　to　level　finally　along　a　ridge。　I　could　look　down　through　the　woods　and　see；　far　below；　with　the　sun　on　it；　the　line　of　the　river　that　separated　the　two　armies。　We　went　along　the　rough　new　military　road　that　followed　the　crest　of　the　ridge　and　I　looked　to　the　north　at　the　two　ranges　of　mountains；　green　and　dark　to　the　snow…line　and　then　white　and　lovely　in　the　sun。　Then；　as　the　road　mounted　along　the　ridge；　I　saw　a　third　range　of　mountains；　higher　snow　mountains；　that　looked　chalky　white　and　furrowed；　with　strange　planes；　and　then　there　were　mountains　far　off　beyond　all　these　that　you　could　hardly　tell　if　you　really　saw。　Those　were　all　the　Austrians'　mountains　and　we　had　nothing　like　them。　Ahead　there　was　a　rounded　turn…off　in　the　road　to　the　right　and　looking　down　I　could　see　the　road　dropping　through　the　trees。　There　were　troops　on　this　road　and　motor　trucks　and　mules　with　mountain　guns　and　as　we　went　down；　keeping　to　the　side；　I　could　see　the　river　far　down　below；　the　line　of　ties　and　rails　running　along　it；　the　old　bridge　where　the　railway　crossed　to　the　other　side　and　across；　under　a　hill　beyond　the　river；　the　broken　houses　of　the　little　town　that　was　to　be　taken。
It　was　nearly　dark　when　we　came　down　and　turned　onto　the　main　road　that　ran　beside　the　river。




9


The　road　was　crowded　and　there　were　screens　of　corn…stalk　and　straw　matting　on　both　sides　and　matting　over　the　top　so　that　it　was　like　the　entrance　at　a　circus　or　a　native　village。　We　drove　slowly　in　this　matting…covered　tunnel　and　came　out　onto　a　bare　cleared　space　where　the　railway　station　had　been。　The　road　here　was　below　the　level　of　the　river　bank　and　all　along　the　side　of　the　sunken　road　there　were　holes　dug　in　the　bank　with　infantry　in　them。　The　sun　was　going　down　and　looking　up　along　the　bank　as　we　drove　I　saw　the　Austrian　observation　balloons　above　the　hills　on　the　other　side　dark　against　the　sunset。　We　parked　the　cars　beyond　a　brickyard。　The　ovens　and　some　deep　holes　had　been　equipped　as　dressing　stations。　There　were　three　doctors　that　I　knew。　I　talked　with　the　major　and　learned　that　when　it　should　start　and　our　cars　should　be　loaded　we　would　drive　them　back　along　the　screened　road　and　up　to　the　main　road　along　the　ridge　where　there　would　be　a　post　and　other　cars　to　clear　them。　He　hoped　the　road　would　not　jam。　It　was　a　one…road　show。　The　road　was　screened　because　it　was　in　sight　of　the　Austrians　across　the　river。　Here　at　the　brickyard　we　were　sheltered　from　rifle　or　machine…gun　fire　by　the　river　bank。　There　was　one　smashed　bridge　across　the　river。　They　were　going　to　put　over　another　bridge　when　the　bombardment　started　and　some　troops　were　to　cross　at　the　shallows　up　above　at　the　bend　of　the　river。　The　major　was　a　little　man　with　upturned　mustaches。　He　had　been　in　the　war　in　Libya　and　wore　two　woundstripes。　He　said　that　if　the　thing　went　well　he　would　see　that　I　was　decorated。　I　said　I　hoped　it　would　go　well　but　that　he　was　too　kind。　I　asked　him　if　there　was　a　big　dugout　where　the　drivers　could　stay　and　he　sent　a　soldier　to　show　me。　I　went　with　him　and　found　the　dugout；　which　was　very　good。　The　drivers　were　pleased　with　it　and　I　left　them　there。　The　major　asked　me　to　have　a　drink　with　him　and　two　other　officers。　We　drank　rum　and　it　was　very　friendly。　Outside　it　was　getting　dark。　I　asked　what　time　the　attack　was　to　he　and　they　said　as　soon　as　it　was　dark。　I　went　back　to　the　drivers。　They　were　sitting　in　the　dugout　talking　and　when　I　came　in　they　stopped。　I　gave　them　each　a　package　of　cigarettes；　Macedonias；　loosely　packed　cigarettes　that　spilled　tobacco　and　needed　to　have　the　ends　twisted　before　you　smoked　them。　Manera　lit　his　lighter　and　passed　it　around。　The　lighter　was　shaped　like　a　Fiat　radiator。　I　told　them　what　I　had　heard。
〃Why　didn't　we　see　the　post　when　we　came　down？〃　Passini　asked。
〃It　was　just　beyond　where　we　turned　off。〃
〃That　road　will　be　a　dirty　mess；〃　Manera　said。
〃They'll　shell　the　　out　of　us。〃
〃Probably。〃
〃What　about　eating；　lieutenant？　We　won't　get　a　chance　to　eat　after　this　thing　starts。〃
〃I'll　go　and　see　now；〃　I　said。
〃You　want　us　to　stay　here　or　can　we　look　around？〃
〃Better　stay　here。〃
I　went　back　to　the　major's　dugout　and　he　said　the　field　kitchen　would　be　along　and　the　drivers　could　e　and　get　their　stew。　He　would　loan　them　mess　tins　if　they　did　not　have　them。　I　said　I　thought　they　had　them。　I　went　back　and　told　the　drivers　I　would　get　them　as　soon　as　the　food　came。　Manera　said　he　hoped　it　would　e　before　the　bombardment　started。　They　were　silent　until　I　went　out。　They　were　all　mechanics　and　hated　the　war。
I　went　out　to　look　at　the　cars　and　see　what　was　going　on　and　then　came　back　and　sat　down　in　the　dugout　with　the　four　drivers。　We　sat　on　the　ground　with　our　backs　against　the　wall　and　smoked。　Outside　it　was　nearly　dark。　The　earth　of　the　dugout　was　warm　and　dry　and　I　let　my　shoulders　back　against　the　wall；　sitting　on　the　small　of　my　back；　and　relaxed。
〃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　o