some way and go across country if we ever hoped to reach Udine。
In the night many peasants had joined the column from the roads of the country and in the column there were carts loaded with household goods； there were mirrors projecting up between mattresses； and chickens and ducks tied to carts。 There was a sewing machine on the cart ahead of us in the rain。 They had saved the most valuable things。 On some carts the women sat huddled from the rain and others walked beside the carts keeping as close to them as they could。 There were dogs now in the column； keeping under the wagons as they moved along。 The road was muddy； the ditches at the side were high with water and beyond the trees that lined the road the fields looked too wet and too soggy to try to cross。 I got down from the car and worked up the road a way； looking for a place where I could see ahead to find a side…road we could take across country。 I knew there were many side…roads but did not want one that would lead to nothing。 I could not remember them because we had always passed them bowling along in the car on the main road and they all looked much alike。 Now I knew we must find one if we hoped to get through。 No one knew where the Austrians were nor how things were going but I was certain that if the rain should stop and planes e over and get to work on that column that it would be all over。 All that was needed was for a few men to leave their trucks or a few horses be killed to tie up pletely the movement on the road。
The rain was not falling so heavily now and I thought it might clear。 I went ahead along the edge of the road and when there was a small road that led off to the north between two fields with a hedge of trees on both sides； I thought that we had better take it and hurried back