Chapter 3

           WhenIcamebacktothefrontwestilllivedinthattown.Thereweremanymoregunsinthecountryaroundandthespringhadcome.Thefieldsweregreenandthereweresmallgreenshootsonthevines,thetreesalongtheroadhadsmallleavesandabreezecamefromthesea.Isawthetownwiththehillandtheoldcastleaboveitinacupinthehillswiththemountainsbeyond,brownmountainswithalittlegreenontheirslopes.Inthetownthereweremoreguns,thereweresomenewhospitals,youmetBritishmenandsometimeswomen,onthestreet,andafewmorehouseshadbeenhitbyshellfire.ItwaswarmandlikethespringandIwalkeddownthealleywayoftrees,warmedfromthesunonthewall,andfoundwestilllivedinthesamehouseandthatitalllookedthesameaswhenIhadleftit.Thedoorwasopen,therewasasoldiersittingonabenchoutsideinthesun,anambulancewaswaitingbythesidedoorandinsidethedoor,asIwentin,therewasthesmellofmarblefloorsandhospital.ItwasallasIhadleftitexceptthatnowitwasspring.Ilookedinthedoorofthebigroomandsawthemajorsittingathisdesk,thewindowopenandthesunlightcomingintotheroom.HedidnotseemeandIdidnotknowwhethertogoinandreportorgoupstairsfirstandcleanup.Idecidedtogoonupstairs.

           TheroomIsharedwiththelieutenantRinaldilookedoutonthecourtyard.Thewindowwasopen,mybedwasmadeupwithblanketsandmythingshungonthewall,thegasmaskinanoblongtincan,thesteelhelmetonthesamepeg.Atthefootofthebedwasmyflattrunk,andmywinterboots,theleathershinywithoil,wereonthetrunk.MyAustriansniper’sriflewithitsbluedoctagonbarrelandthelovelydarkwalnut,cheek-fitted,schutzenstock,hungoverthetwobeds.Thetelescopethatfitteditwas,Iremembered,lockedinthetrunk.Thelieutenant,Rinaldi,layasleepontheotherbed.Hewokewhenheheardmeintheroomandsatup.