Text B War（第1页）

TextBWar

LuigiPirandello

[1]ThepassengerswhohadleftRomebythenightexpresshadtostopuntildawationofFabriaiheirjourhesmallold-fashionedlogthemaihSulmona。

[2]Atdawn，inastuffyandsmokysed-classcarriageinwhichfivepeoplehadalreadyspe，abulkymwashoistedin—almostlikeashapelessbundle。Behindherpuffingandmoaning，followedherhusband—atinyman;thinandweakly，hisfacedeath-white，hiseyessmallandbrightandlookingshyanduneasy。

[3]Havingatlasttakehepolitelythahepassengersedhiswifeandwhohadmaderoomforher;theothewtopulldownthecollarofherdpolitelyinquired:

[4]“Areyht，dear?”

[5]Thewife，instead，pulleduphercaintohereyes，soastohideherface。

[6]“Nastyworld，”mutteredthehusbandwithasadsmile。

[7]Ahisdutytoexplaintpanionsthatthepooritied，forthewarwastakingawayfromherheronlyson，aboyoftwentytowhombothhaddevotedtheirentirelife，evenbreakinguptheirhomeatSulmonatofollowhimtoRome，wherehehadtogoasastudent，thenallowinghimtovolunteerforwarwithanassuraatleastsixmonthshewouldhefrontandnow，allofasudden，regawiresayingthathewasduetoleaveiimeandaskiogoandseehimoff。

[8]Thewcoatwastwistingandwriggling，attimesgrowlinglikeawildaainthatallthoseexplanationswouldnothavearousedevenashadowofsympathyfromthosepeoplewho—mostlikely—wereiasherself。Ohem，whohadbeehparticularattention，said，“YoushouldthankGodthatyoursonisonlyleavingnowforthefront。Miherethefirstdayofthewar。Hehasalreadyebacktwidedabatothefront。”

[9]“Whataboutme?Ihavetwosonsandthreehefront，”saidaner。

[10]“Maybe，butiisouronlysohehusband。

[11]“Whatdifferemake?Youmayspoilyouronlysoentions，butyouorethanyouwouldallyourotherifyouhadaalloveishatbebrokentopiedsplitamongsttheinequalshares。Afathergivesallhislovetoeaeofhiswithoutdisatiobeoen，andifIamsufferingnowformytwosons，Iamnhalfforeabutdouble。。。”

[12]“True。。。true。。。”sighedtheembarrassedhusband，“butsuppose（ofcourseeitwillneverbeyourcase）afatherhastwosoandhelosesohereisstilloo。。。while。。。”

[13]“Yes，”aher，gettingcross，“asoobutalsoasoforwhomhemustsurvive，whileihefatherofanonlysonifthesoherdietooandputaohisdistress。Whichofthetwopositionsisworse?Don’tyouseehowmycasewouldbeworsethanyours?”

[14]“erruptedaraveler，afat，red-fawithbloodshoteyesofthepalestgray。

[15]Heanting。Fromhisbulgiospurtinnerviolenuywhichhisweakenedbodycouldhardly。

[16]“Nonseed，tryingtoouthwithhishandsoastohidethetwomissingfroh。“Nonsense。Dowegivelifetoourownforourow?”

[17]Theothertravelersstaredathimiheonewhohadhadhissosidayhed:“Yht。Ourdoous，theybelory。。。”

[18]“Bosh，”retortedthefattraveler。“Dowethirywheoour?Oursonsarebornbecause。。。well，becausetheymustbeborheyetolifetheytakeourowhem。Thisisthetruth。Webeloheyous。Aheyreatytheyareexactlyereattheirage。Wetoohadafatherahereweresomahingsaswell。。。girls，cigarettes，illusioies。。。ary，ofcourse，whosecallwewouldhaveanseretweherandmotherhadsaidno。Ne，theloveofourtryisstillgreat，ofcourse，butstroistheloveofour。Isthereanyoneofusherewhowouldn’tgladlytakehissohefrontifhecould?”

[19]Therewasasilenceallround，everybodynoddingastoapprove。