s it would get for a long time。 I had been up for examination three days before。 There were still some treatments to take before my course at the Ospedale。
Maggiore was finished and I walked along the side street practising not limping。 An old man was cutting silhouettes under an arcade。 I stopped to watch him。 Two girls were posing and he cut their silhouettes together； snipping very fast and looking at them； his head on one side。 The girls were giggling。 He showed me the silhouettes before he pasted them on white paper and handed them to the girls。
〃They're beautiful；〃 he said。 〃How about you； Tenente？〃
The girls went away looking at their silhouettes and laughing。 They were nice…looking girls。 One of them worked in the wine shop across from the hospital。
〃All right；〃 I said。
〃Take your cap off。〃
〃No。 With it on。〃
〃It will not be so beautiful；〃 the old man said。 〃But；〃 he brightened； 〃it will be more military。〃
He snipped away at the black paper； then separated the two thicknesses and pasted the profiles on a card and handed them to me。
〃How much？〃
〃That's all right。〃 He waved his hand。 〃I just made them for you。〃
〃Please。〃 I brought out some coppers。 〃For pleasure。〃
〃No。 I did them for a pleasure。 Give them to your girl。〃
〃Many thanks until we meet。〃
〃Until I see thee。〃
I went on to the hospital。 There were some letters； an official one； and some others。 I was to have three weeks' convalescent leave and then return to the front。 I read it over carefully。 Well； that was that。 The convalescent leave started October fourth when my course was finished。 Three weeks was twenty…one days。 That made October twenty…fifth。 I told them I would not be in and went to the restau