hemingway, ernest - men without women-第21章
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of oil and then spread the oil over his face； touching it very gently with the tips of his fingers。 He was very careful to drain his fingers on the edge of the saucer so there was only a film of oil on them； and after he had stroked his forehead and his cheeks； he stroked his nose very delicately between his fingers。 When he had finished he stood up； took the saucer of oil； and went into a small room of the hut where he slept。 ¨Iˇm going to take a little sleep；〃 he said to the adjutant。 In that army an adjutant is not a commissioned officer。 ¨Youˇll finish up。〃
¨Yes； Signor Maggiore；〃 the adjutant answered。 He leaned back in his chair and yawned。 He took a paper…covered book out of the pocket of his coat and opened it； then laid it down on the table and lit his pipe。 He leaned forward on the table to read and puffed at his pipe。 Then he closed the book and put it back in his pocket。 He had too much paper…work to get through。 He could not enjoy reading until it was done。 Outside； the sun went behind a mountain and there was no more light on the wall of the hut。 A soldier came in and put some pine branches； chopped into irregular lengths； into the stove。 ¨Be soft； Pinin；〃 the adjutant said to him。 ¨The major is sleeping。〃
Pinin was the majorˇs orderly。 He was a dark…faced boy； and he fixed the stove； putting the pine wood in carefully； shut the door； and went into the back of the but again。 The adjutant went on with his papers。
¨Tonani；〃 the major called。
¨Signor Maggiore？〃
¨Send Pinin in to me。〃
¨Pinin！〃 the adjutant called。 Pinin came into the room。 ¨The major wants you；〃 the adjutant said。
Pinin walked across the main room of the but toward the majorˇs door。 He knocked on the half…opened door。 ¨Signor Maggiore？〃
¨Come in；〃 the adjutant heard the major say； ¨and shut the door。〃
Inside the room the major lay on his bunk。 Pinin stood beside the bunk。 The major lay with his head on the rucksack that he had stuffed with spare clothing to make a pillow。 His long； burned； oiled face looked at Pinin。 His hands lay on the blankets。
¨You are nineteen？〃 he asked。 ¨Yes； Signor Maggiore。〃
¨You have ever been in love？〃
¨How do you mean； Signor Maggiore？〃
¨In lovewith a girl？〃
¨I have been with girls。〃
¨I did not ask that。 I asked if you had been in lovewith a girl。〃
¨Yes； Signor Maggiore。〃
¨You are in love with this girl now？ You donˇt write her。 I read all your letters。〃
¨I am in love with her；〃 Pinin said； ¨but I do not write her。〃
¨You are sure of this？〃
¨I am sure。〃
¨Tonani；〃 the major said in the same tone of voice； ¨can you hear me talking？〃
There was no answer from the next room。
¨He cannot hear；〃 the major said。 ¨And you are quite sure that you love a girl？〃
¨I am sure。〃
¨And；〃 the major looked at him quickly； ˉthat you are not corrupt？〃
¨I donˇt know what you mean； corrupt。〃
¨All right；〃 the major said。 ¨You neednˇt be superior。〃
Pinin looked at the floor。 The major looked at his brown face； down and up him； and at his hands。 Then he went on； not smiling。 ¨And you really donˇt want〃 the major paused。 Pinin looked at the floor。 ¨That your great desire isnˇt really〃 Pinin looked at the floor。 The major leaned his head back on the rucksack and smiled。 He was really relieved： life in the army was too complicated。 ¨Youˇre a good boy；〃 he said。 ¨Youˇre a good boy； Pinin。 But donˇt be superior and be careful someone else doesnˇt come along and take you。〃
Pinin stood still beside the bunk。
¨Donˇt be afraid；〃 the major said。 His hands were folded on the blankets。 ¨I wonˇt touch you。 You can go back to your platoon if you like。 But you had better stay on as my servant。 Youˇve less chance of being killed。〃
¨Do you want anything of me； Signor Maggiore？〃
¨No；〃 the major said。 ¨Go on and get on with whatever you were doing。 Leave the door open when you go out。〃 Pinin went out； leaving the door open。 The adjutant looked up at him as he walked awkwardly across the room and out of the door。 Pinin was flushed and moved differently than he had moved when he brought in the wood for the fire。 The adjutant looked after him and smiled。 Pinin came in with more wood for the stove。 The major； lying on his bunk； looking at his cloth…covered helmet and his snow…glasses that hung from a nail on the wall； heard him walk across the floor。 The little devil； he thought； I wonder if he lied to me。
TEN INDIANS
AFTER one Fourth of July； Nick； driving home late from town in the big wagon with Joe Garner and his family； passed nine drunken Indians along the road。 He remembered there were nine because Joe Garner； driving along in the dusk； pulled up the horses； jumped down into the road； and dragged an Indian out of the wheel rut。 The Indian had been asleep； face down in the sand。 Joe dragged him into the bushes and got back up on the wagon…box。
¨That makes nine of them；〃 Joe said； ¨just between here and the edge of town。〃
¨Them Indians；〃 said Mrs。 Garner。
Nick was on the back seat with the two Garner boys。 He was looking out from the back seat to see the Indian where Joe had dragged him alongside of the road。
¨Was it Billy Tableshaw？〃 Carl asked。
¨No。〃
¨His pants looked mighty like Billy。〃
¨All Indians wear the same kind of pants。〃
¨I didnˇt see him at all；〃 Frank said。 ¨Pa was down into the road and back up again before I seen a thing。 I thought he was killing a snake。〃
¨Plenty of Indiansˇll kill snakes tonight； I guess；〃 Joe Garner said。
¨Them Indians；〃 said Mrs。 Garner。
They drove along。 The road turned off from the main highway and went up into the hills。 It was hard pulling for the horses and the boys got down and walked。 The road was sandy。 Nick looked back from the top of the hill by the schoolhouse。 He saw the lights of Petoskey and； off across Little Traverse Bay； the lights of Harbor Springs。 They climbed back into the wagon again。
¨They ought to put some gravel on that stretch；〃 Joe Garner said。 The wagon went along the road through the woods。 Joe and Mrs。 Garner sat close together on the front seat。 Nick sat between the two boys。 The road came out into a clearing。
¨Right here was where Pa ran over the skunk。〃
¨It was further on。〃
¨It donˇt make no difference where it was；〃 Joe said without turning his head。 ¨One place is just as good as another to run over a skunk。〃
¨I saw two skunks last night；〃 Nick said。
¨Where？〃
¨Down by the lake。 They were looking for dead fish along the beach。〃
¨They were coons probably；〃 Carl said。
¨They were skunks。 I guess I know skunks。〃
¨You ought to；〃 Carl said。 ¨You got an Indian girl。〃
¨Stop talking that way； Carl；〃 said Mrs。 Garner。
¨Well； they smell about the same。〃
Joe Garner laughed。
¨You stop laughing； Joe；〃 Mrs。 Garner said。 ¨I wonˇt have Carl talk that way。〃
¨Have you got an Indian girl； Nickie？〃 Joe asked。
¨No。〃
¨He has too； Pa；〃 Frank said。 ¨Prudence Mitchellˇs his girl。〃
¨Sheˇs not。〃
¨He goes to see her every day。〃
¨I donˇt。〃 Nick； sitting between the two boys in the dark； felt hollow and happy inside himself to be teased about Prudence Mitchell。 ¨She ainˇt my girl；〃 he said。
¨Listen to him；〃 said Carl。 ¨I see them together every day。〃
¨Carl canˇt get a girl；〃 his mother said； ¨not even a squaw。〃
Carl was quiet。
¨Carl ainˇt no good with girls；〃 Frank said。
¨You shut up。〃
¨Youˇre all right； Carl；〃 Joe Garner said。 ¨Girls never got a man anywhere。 Look at your pa。〃
¨Yes； thatˇs what you would say。〃 Mrs。 Garner moved close to Joe as the wagon jolted。 ¨Well； you had plenty of girls in your time。〃
¨Iˇll bet pa wouldnˇt ever have had a squaw for a girl。〃
¨Donˇt you think it；〃 Joe said。 ¨You better watch out to keep Prudie； Nick。〃
His wife whispered to him and Joe laughed。
¨What you laughing at？〃 asked Frank。
¨Donˇt you say it； Garner；〃 his wife warned。 Joe laughed again。
¨Nickie can have Prudence；
