Chapter 6

           Iwasawayfortwodaysattheposts.WhenIgothomeitwastoolateandIdidnotseeMissBarkleyuntilthenextevening.ShewasnotinthegardenandIhadtowaitintheofficeofthehospitaluntilshecamedown.Thereweremanymarblebustsonpaintedwoodenpillarsalongthewallsoftheroomtheyusedforanoffice.Thehalltoo,thattheofficeopenedon,waslinedwiththem.Theyhadthecompletemarblequalityofalllookingalike.Sculpturehadalwaysseemedadullbusiness—still,bronzeslookedlikesomething.Butmarblebustsalllookedlikeacemetery.Therewasonefinecemeterythough—theoneatPisa.Genoawastheplacetoseethebadmarbles.ThishadbeenthevillaofaverywealthyGermanandthebustsmusthavecosthimplenty.Iwonderedwhohaddonethemandhowmuchhegot.Itriedtomakeoutwhethertheyweremembersofthefamilyorwhat;buttheywerealluniformlyclassical.Youcouldnottellanythingaboutthem.

           Isatonachairandheldmycap.WeweresupposedtowearsteelhelmetseveninGoriziabuttheywereuncomfortableandtoobloodytheatricalinatownwherethecivilianinhabitantshadnotbeenevacuated.IworeonewhenwewentuptothepostsandcarriedanEnglishgasmask.Wewerejustbeginningtogetsomeofthem.Theywerearealmask.Alsowewererequiredtowearanautomaticpistol;evendoctorsandsanitaryofficers.Ifeltitagainstthebackofthechair.Youwereliabletoarrestifyoudidnothaveoneworninplainsight.Rinaldicarriedaholsterstuffedwithtoiletpaper.IworearealoneandfeltlikeagunmanuntilIpractisedfiringit.ItwasanAstra7.65caliberwithashortbarrelanditjumpedsosharplywhenyouletitoffthattherewasnoquestionofhittinganything.