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〃We'll stay till after dinner；〃 Catherine said。 〃And I'll not leave you alone if you want me to stay。 I won't leave you alone； Fergy。〃
〃No。 No。 I want you to go。 I want you to go。〃 She wiped her eyes。 〃I'm so unreasonable。 Please don't mind me。〃
The girl who served the meal had been upset by all the crying。 Now as she brought in the next course she seemed relieved that things were better。
That night at the hotel； in our room with the long empty hall outside and our shoes outside the door； a thick carpet on the floor of the room； outside the windows the rain falling and in the room light and pleasant and cheerful； then the light out and it exciting with smooth sheets and the bed fortable； feeling that we had e home； feeling no longer alone； waking in the night to find the other one there； and not gone away； all other things were unreal。 We slept when we were tired and if we woke the other one woke too so one was not alone。 Often a man wishes to be alone and a girl wishes to be alone too and if they love each other they are jealous of that in each other； but I can truly say we never felt that。 We could feel alone when we were together； alone against the others。 It has only happened to me like that once。 I have been alone while I was with many girls and that is the way that you can be most lonely。 But we were never lonely and never afraid when we were together。 I know that the night is not the same as the day： that all things are different； that the things of the night cannot be explained in the day； because they do not then exist； and the night can be a dreadful time for lonely people once their loneliness has started。 But with Catherine there was almost no difference in the night except that it was an even better time。 If people bring so much courage to this world the world has to kill them to break them； so of course it kills them。 The world breaks every one and afterward many are strong at the broken places。 But those that will not break it kills。 It kills the very good and the very gentle and the very brave impartially。 If you are none of these you can be sure it will kill you too but there will be no special hurry。
I remember waking in the morning。 Catherine was asleep and the sunlight was ing in through the window。 The rain had stopped and I stepped out of bed and across the floor to the window。 Down below were the gardens； bare now but beautifully regular； the gravel paths； the trees； the stone wall by the lake and the lake in the sunlight with the mountains beyond。 I stood at the window looking out and when I turned away I saw Catherine was awake and watching me。
〃How are you； darling？〃 she said。 〃Isn't it a lovely day？〃
〃How do you feel？〃
〃I feel very well。 We had a lovely night。〃
〃Do you want breakfast？〃
She wanted breakfast。 So did I and we had it in bed； the November sunlight ing in the window； and the breakfast tray across my lap。
〃Don't you want the paper？ You always wanted the paper in the hospital？〃
〃No；〃 I said。 〃I don't want the paper now。〃
〃Was it so bad you don't want even to read about it？〃
〃I don't want to read about it。〃
〃I wish I had been with you so I would know about it too。〃
〃I'll tell you about it if I ever get it straight in my head。〃
〃But won't they arrest you if they catch you out of uniform？〃
〃They'll probably shoot me。〃
〃Then we'll not stay here。 We'll get out of the country。〃
〃I'd thought something of that。〃
〃We'll get out。 Darling； you shouldn't take silly chances。 Tell me how did you e from Mestre to Milan？〃
〃I came on the train。 I was in uniform then。〃
〃Weren't you in danger then？〃
〃Not much。 I had an old order of movement。 I fixed the dates on it in Mestre。〃
〃Darling； you're liable to be arrested here any time。 I won't have it。 It's silly to do something like that。 Where would we be if they took you off？〃
〃Let's not think about it。 I'm tired of thinking about it。〃
〃What would you do if they came to arrest you？〃
〃Shoot them。〃
〃You see how silly you are； I won't let you go out of the hotel until we leave here。〃
〃Where are we going to go？〃
〃Please don't be that way； darling。 We'll go wherever you say。 But please find some place to go right away。〃
〃Switzerland is down the lake； we can go there。〃
〃That will be lovely。〃
It was clouding over outside and the lake was darkening。
〃I wish we did not always have to live like criminals；〃 I said。
〃Darling； don't be that way。 You haven't lived like a criminal very long。 And we never live like criminals。 We're going to have a fine time。〃
〃I feel like a criminal。 I've deserted from the army。〃
〃Darling； please be sensible。 It's not deserting from the army。 It's only the Italian army。〃
I laughed。 〃You're a fine girl。 Let's get back into bed。 I feel fine in bed。〃
A little while later Catherine said； 〃You don't feel like a criminal do you？〃
〃No；〃 I said。 〃Not when I'm with you。〃
〃You're such a silly boy；〃 she said。 〃But I'll look after you。 Isn't it splendid； darling； that I don't have any morning…sickness？〃
〃It's grand。〃
〃You don't appreciate what a fine wife you have。 But I don't care。 I'll get you some place where they can't arrest you and then we'll have a lovely time。〃
〃Let's go there right away。〃
〃We will； darling。 I'll go any place any time you wish。〃
〃Let's not think about anything。〃
〃All right。〃
35
Catherine went along the lake to the little hotel to see Ferguson and I sat in the bar and read the papers。 There were fortable leather chairs in the bar and I sat in one of them and read until the barman came in。 The army had not stood at the Tagliamento。 They were falling back to the Piave。 I remembered the Piave。 The railroad crossed it near San Dona going up to the front。 It was deep and slow there and quite narrow。 Down below there were mosquito marshes and canals。 There were some lovely villas。 Once； before the war； going up to Cortina D'Ampezzo I had gone along it for several hours in the hills。 Up there it looked like a trout stream； flowing swiftly with shallow stretches and pools under the shadow of the rocks。 The road turned off from it at Cadore。 I wondered how the army that was up there would e down。 The barman came in。
〃Count Greffi was asking for you；〃 he said。
〃Who？〃
〃Count Greffi。 You remember the old man who was here when you were here before。〃
〃Is he here？〃
〃Yes； he's here with his niece。 I told him you were here。 He wants you to play billiards。〃
〃Where is he？〃
〃He's taking a walk。〃
〃How is he？〃
〃He's younger than ever。 He drank three champagne cocktails last night before dinner。〃
〃How's his billiard game？〃
〃Good。 He beat me。 When I told him you were here he was very pleased。 There's nobody here for him to play with。〃
Count Greffi was ninety…four years old。 He had been a contemporary of Metternich and was an old man with white hair and mustache and beautiful manners。 He had been in the diplomatic service of both Austria and Italy and his birthday parties were the great social event of Milan。 He was living to be one hundred years old and played a smoothly fluent game of billiards that contrasted with his own ninety…four…year…old brittleness。 I had met him when I had been at Stresa once before out of season and while we played billiards we drank champagne。 I thought it was a splendid custom and he gave me fifteen points in a hundred and beat me。
〃Why didn't you tell me he was here？〃
〃I forgot it。〃
〃Who else is here？〃
〃No one you know。 There are only six people altogether。〃
〃What are you doing now？〃
〃Nothing。〃
〃e on out fishing。〃
〃I could e for an hour。〃
〃e on。 Bring the trolling line。〃
The barman put on a coat and we went out。 We went down and got a boat and I rowed while the barman sat in the stern and let out the line with a spinner and a heavy sinker on the end to troll for lake trout。 We rowed along the shore； the barman holding the line in his hand and giving it occasional jerks forward。 Stresa looked very deserted from the lake。 There were the long rows of bare trees； the big hotels and the closed villas。 I rowed across to Isola Bella and went close to the walls； where the water deepened sharply； and you saw the rock wall slanting down in the clear water； and then up and along to the fisherman