Прощай, оружие!

           Itwascolderoutsideandtherewasamistinthetrees.

           "Don’tthrowthecognacoutthewindow,"Rinaldisaid."Ifyoucan’tdrinkitgiveittome."

           "Gosomethingyourself,"Isaid.IwasgladtoseeRinaldiagain.HehadspenttwoyearsteasingmeandIhadalwayslikedit.Weunderstoodeachotherverywell.

           "Areyoumarried?"heaskedfromthebed.Iwasstandingagainstthewallbythewindow.

           "Notyet."

           "Areyouinlove?"

           "Yes."

           "WiththatEnglishgirl?"

           "Yes."

           "Poorbaby.Isshegoodtoyou?"

           "Ofcourse."

           "Imeanisshegoodtoyoupracticallyspeaking?"

           "Shutup."

           "Iwill.YouwillseeIamamanofextremedelicacy.Doesshe——?"

           "Rinin,"Isaid."Pleaseshutup.Ifyouwanttobemyfriend,shutup."

           "Idon’twanttobeyourfriend,baby.Iamyourfriend."

           "Thenshutup."

           "Allright."

           IwentovertothebedandsatdownbesideRinaldi.Hewasholdinghisglassandlookingatthefloor.

           "Youseehowitis,Rinin?"

           "Oh,yes.AllmylifeIencountersacredsubjects.Butveryfewwithyou.Isupposeyoumusthavethemtoo."Helookedatthefloor.

           "Youhaven’tany?"

           "No."

           "Notany?"

           "No."

           "Icansaythisaboutyourmotherandthataboutyoursister?"

           "Andthataboutyoursister,"Rinaldisaidswiftly.Webothlaughed.

           "Theoldsuperman,"Isaid.

           "Iamjealousmaybe,"Rinaldisaid.

           "No,you’renot."

           "Idon’tmeanlikethat.Imeansomethingelse.Haveyouanymarriedfriends?"

           "Yes,"Isaid.

           "Ihaven’t,"Rinaldisaid.