Therewasalightintheconcierge'sroomandIknockedonthedoorandshegavememymail.Iwishedhergoodnightandwentup-stairs.Thereweretwolettersandsomepapers.Ilookedatthemunderthegas-lightinthedining-room.TheletterswerefromtheStates.Onewasabankstatement.Itshowedabalanceof$2432.60.Igotoutmycheck-bookanddeductedfourchecksdrawnsincethefirstofthemonth,anddiscoveredIhadabalanceof$1832.60.Iwrotethisonthebackofthestatement.Theotherletterwasaweddingannouncement.Mr.andMrs.AloysiusKirbyannouncethemarriageoftheirdaughterKatherine--Iknewneitherthegirlnorthemanshewasmarrying.Theymustbecircularizingthetown.Itwasafunnyname.IfeltsureIcouldrememberanybodywithanamelikeAloysius.ItwasagoodCatholicname.Therewasacrestontheannouncement.LikeZizitheGreekduke.Andthatcount.Thecountwasfunny.Bretthadatitle,too.LadyAshley.TohellwithBrett.Tohellwithyou,LadyAshley.
Ilitthelampbesidethebed,turnedoffthegas,andopenedthewidewindows.Thebedwasfarbackfromthewindows,andIsatwiththewindowsopenandundressedbythebed.Outsideanighttrain,runningonthestreet-cartracks,wentbycarryingvegetablestothemarkets.Theywerenoisyatnightwhenyoucouldnotsleep.Undressing,Ilookedatmyselfinthemirrorofthebigarmoirebesidethebed.ThatwasatypicallyFrenchwaytofurnisharoom.Practical,too,Isuppose.Ofallthewaystobewounded.Isupposeitwasfunny.Iputonmypajamasandgotintobed.Ihadthetwobull-fightpapers,andItooktheirwrappersoff.Onewasorange.Theotheryellow.Theywouldbothhavethesamenews,sowhicheverIreadfirstwouldspoiltheother.LeTorilwasthebetterpaper,soIstartedtoreadit.Ireaditallthewaythrough,includingthePetiteCorrespondanceandtheCornigrams.Iblewoutthelamp.PerhapsIwouldbeabletosleep.
Myheadstartedtowork.Theoldgrievance.Well,itwasarottenwaytobewoundedandflyingonajokefrontliketheItalian.IntheItalianhospitalweweregoingtoformasociety.IthadafunnynameinItalian.Iwonderwhatbecameoftheothers,theItalians.ThatwasintheOspedaleMaggioreinMilano,PadiglionePonte.ThenextbuildingwasthePadiglioneZonda.TherewasastatueofPonte,ormaybeitwasZonda.Thatwaswheretheliaisoncolonelcametovisitme.Thatwasfunny.Thatwasaboutthefirstfunnything.Iwasallbandagedup.Buttheyhadtoldhimaboutit.Thenhemadethatwonderfulspeech:You,aforeigner,anEnglishman(anyforeignerwasanEnglishman)havegivenmorethanyourlife.Whataspeech!Iwouldliketohaveitilluminatedtohangintheoffice.Heneverlaughed.Hewasputtinghimselfinmyplace,Iguess.Chemalafortuna!Chemalafortuna!
本小章还未完~.~，请点击下一页继续阅读后面精彩内容！