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and good。
〃Should we talk Italian？ Would you mind very much？ It is my weakness now。〃
We went on playing； sipping the wine between shots； speaking in Italian； but talking little； concentrated on the game。 Count Greffi made his one hundredth point and with the handicap I was only at ninety…four。 He smiled and patted me on the shoulder。
〃Now we will drink the other bottle and you will tell me about the war。〃 He waited for me to sit down。
〃About anything else；〃 I said。
〃You don't want to talk about it？ Good。 What have you been reading？〃
〃Nothing；〃 I said。 〃I'm afraid I am very dull。〃
〃No。 But you should read。〃
〃What is there written in war…time？〃
〃There is 'Le Feu' by a Frenchman； Barbusse。 There is 'Mr。 Britling Sees Through It。〃
〃No； he doesn't。〃
〃What？〃
〃He doesn't see through it。 Those books were at the hospital。〃
〃Then you have been reading？〃
〃Yes； but nothing any good。〃
〃I thought 'Mr。 Britling' a very good study of the English middle…class soul。〃
〃I don't know about the soul。〃
〃Poor boy。 We none of us know about the soul。 Are you Croyant？〃
〃At night。〃
Count Greffi smiled and turned the glass with his fingers。 〃I had expected to bee more devout as I grow older but somehow I haven't；〃 he said。 〃It is a great pity。〃
〃Would you like to live after death？〃 I asked and instantly felt a fool to mention death。 But he did not mind the word。
〃It would depend on the life。 This life is very pleasant。 I would like to live forever；〃 he smiled。 〃I very nearly have。〃
We were sitting in the deep leather chairs； the champagne in the ice…bucket and our glasses on the table between us。
〃If you ever live to be as old as I am you will find many things strange。〃
〃You never seem old。〃
〃It is the body that is old。 Sometimes I am afraid I will break off a finger as one breaks a stick of chalk。 And the spirit is no older and not much wiser。〃
〃You are wise。〃
〃No； that is the great fallacy； the wisdom of old men。 They do not grow wise。 They grow careful。〃
〃Perhaps that is wisdom。〃
〃It is a very unattractive wisdom。 What do you value most？〃
〃Some one I love。〃
〃With me it is the same。 That is not wisdom。 Do you value life？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃So do I。 Because it is all I have。 And to give birthday parties；〃 he laughed。 〃You are probably wiser than I am。 You do not give birthday parties。〃
We both drank the wine。
〃What do you think of the war really？〃 I asked。
〃I think it is stupid。〃
〃Who will win it？〃
〃Italy。〃
〃Why？〃
〃They are a younger nation。〃
〃Do younger nations always win wars？〃
〃They are apt to for a time。〃
〃Then what happens？〃
〃They bee older nations。〃
〃You said you were not wise。〃
〃Dear boy； that is not wisdom。 That is cynicism。〃
〃It sounds very wise to me。〃
〃It's not particularly。 I could quote you the examples on the other side。 But it is not bad。 Have we finished the champagne？〃
〃Almost。〃
〃Should we drink some more？ Then I must dress。〃
〃Perhaps we'd better not now。〃
〃You are sure you don't want more？〃
〃Yes。〃 He stood up。
〃I hope you will be very fortunate and very happy and very； very healthy。〃
〃Thank you。 And I hope you will live forever。〃
〃Thank you。 I have。 And if you ever bee devout pray for me if I am dead。 I am asking several of my friends to do that。 I had expected to bee devout myself but it has not e。〃 I thought he smiled sadly but I could not tell。 He was so old and his face was very wrinkled； so that a smile used so many lines that all gradations were lost。
〃I might bee very devout；〃 I said。 〃Anyway； I will pray for you。〃
〃I had always expected to bee devout。 All my family died very devout。 But somehow it does not e。〃
〃It's too early。〃
〃Maybe it is too late。 Perhaps I have outlived my religious feeling。〃
〃My own es only at night。〃
〃Then too you are in love。 Do not forget that is a religious feeling。〃
〃You believe so？〃
〃Of course。〃 He took a step toward the table。 〃You were very kind to play。〃
〃It was a great pleasure。〃
〃We will walk up stairs together。〃
36
That night there was a storm and I woke to hear the rain lashing the window…panes。 It was ing in the open window。 Some one had knocked on the door。 I went to the door very softly； not to disturb Catherine； and opened it。 The barman stood there。 He wore his overcoat and carried his wet hat。
〃Can I speak to you； Tenente？〃
〃What's the matter？〃
〃It's a very serious matter。〃
I looked around。 The room was dark。 I saw the water on the floor from the window。 〃e in；〃 I said。 I took him by the arm into the bathroom； locked the door and put on the light。 I sat down on the edge of the bathtub。
〃What's the matter； Emilio？ Are you in trouble？〃
〃No。 You are； Tenente。〃
〃Yes？〃
〃They are going to arrest you in the morning。〃
〃Yes？〃
〃I came to tell you。 I was out in the town and I heard them talking in a caf？〃
〃I see。〃
He stood there； his coat wet； holding his wet hat and said nothing。
〃Why are they going to arrest me？〃
〃For something about the war。〃
〃Do you know what？〃
〃No。 But I know that they know you were here before as an officer and now you are here out of uniform。 After this retreat they arrest everybody。〃
I thought a minute。
〃What time do they e to arrest me？〃
〃In the morning。 I don't know the time。〃
〃What do you say to do？〃
He put his hat in the washbowl。 It was very wet and had been dripping on the floor。
〃If you have nothing to fear an arrest is nothing。 But it is always bad to be arrested……especially now。〃
〃I don't want to be arrested。〃
〃Then go to Switzerland。〃
〃How？〃
〃In my boat。〃
〃There is a storm；〃 I said。
〃The storm is over。 It is rough but you will be all right。〃
〃When should we go？〃
〃Right away。 They might e to arrest you early in the morning。〃
〃What about our bags？〃
〃Get them packed。 Get your lady dressed。 I will take care of them。〃
〃Where will you be？〃
〃I will wait here。 I don't want any one to see me outside in the hall。〃
I opened the door； closed it； and went into the bedroom。 Catherine was awake。
〃What is it； darling？〃
〃It's all right； Cat；〃 I said。 〃Would you like to get dressed right away and go in a boat to Switzerland？〃
〃Would you？〃
〃No；〃 I said。 〃I'd like to go back to bed。〃
〃What is it about？〃
〃The barman says they are going to arrest me in the morning。〃
〃Is the barman crazy？〃
〃No。〃
〃Then please hurry； darling； and get dressed so we can start。〃 She sat up on the side of the bed。 She was still sleepy。 〃Is that the barman in the bathroom？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Then I won't wash。 Please look the other way； darling； and I'll be dressed in just a minute。〃
I saw her white back as she took off her night…gown and then I looked away because she wanted me to。 She was beginning to be a little big with the child and she did not want me to see her。 I dressed hearing the rain on the windows。 I did not have much to put in my bag。
〃There's plenty of room in my bag； Cat； if you need any。〃
〃I'm almost packed；〃 she said。 〃Darling； I'm awfully stupid； but why is the barman in the bathroom？〃
〃Sh……he's waiting to take our bags down。〃
〃He's awfully nice。〃
〃He's an old friend；〃 I said。 〃I nearly sent him some pipetobacco once。〃
I looked out the open window at the dark night。 I could not see the lake； only the dark and the rain but the wind was quieter。
〃I'm ready； darling；〃 Catherine said。
〃All right。〃 I went to the bathroom door。 〃Here are the bags； Emilio；〃 I said。 The barman took the two bags。
〃You're very good to help us；〃 Catherine said。
〃That's nothing； lady；〃 the barman said。 〃I'm glad to help you just so I don't get in trouble myself。 Listen；〃 he said to me。 〃I'll take these out the servants' stairs and to the boat。 You just go out as though you were going for a walk。〃
〃It's a lovely night for a walk；〃 Catherine said。
〃It's a bad night all right。〃
〃I'm glad I've an umbrella；〃 Catherine said。
We walked down the hall and down the wide thickly carpeted stairs。 At the foot of the stairs by the door the porter sat behind his desk。
He looked surprised at seeing us。
〃You're not going out； sir？〃 he said。
〃Yes；〃 I said。 〃We're going to see the storm along the lake。〃
〃Haven't you got an umbrella； sir？〃
〃No；〃 I said。 〃This coat sheds water。〃
He looked at it doubtfully。 〃I'll get you an umbrella； sir；〃 he said。 He went away and came back with a big umbrella。 〃It is a little big； sir；〃 he said。 I gave him a ten…lira note。 〃Oh you are too good； sir。 Thank you very much；〃 he said。 He held the door open and we went out into the rain。 He smiled at Catherine and she smiled at him。 〃Don't stay out in the storm；〃 he said。 〃You will get wet； sir and lady。〃 He was only the second porter； and his English was still literally translated。
〃We'll be back；〃 I said。 We walked down the path under the giant umbrella and out through the dark wet gardens to the road and across the road to the trellised pathway along the lake。 The wind was blowing offshore now。 It was a cold； wet November wind and I knew it was snowing in the mountains。 We came along past the chained boats in the slips along the quay to where the barman's boat should be。 The water was dark against the stone。 The barman stepped out from beside the row of trees。
〃The bags are in the boat；〃 he said。
〃I want to pa