Эрнест Хемингуэй - Across the River and Into the Trees

'He's only wing–tipped,' he said. 'We'll keep him for a caller or to turn loose in the spring. Here, take him and put him in the sack with the hen.'

The boatman took him carefully and put him in the burlap bag that was under the bow. The Colonel heard the hen speak to him. Or, maybe she is protesting, he thought. He could not understand duck–talk through a burlap bag.

'Take a shot of this,' he said to the boatman. 'It's damned cold to–day.'

The boatman took the flask and drank deeply again.

'Thank you,' he said. 'Your grappa is very, very good.'

At the landing, before the long low stone house by the side of the canal, there were ducks laid out on the ground In rows.

They were laid in groups that were never of the same number. There were a few platoons, no companies, and, the Colonel drought, I barely have a squad.

The head game–keeper was standing on the bank in his high boots, his short jacket and his pushed back old felt hat, and he looked critically at the number of ducks on the bow of the boat as they came alongshore.

'It was frozen–up at our post,' the Colonel said.

'I suspected so,' the head keeper said. 'I'm sorry. It was supposed to be the best post.'

'Who was top gun?'

'The Barone killed forty–two. There was a little current there that kept it open for a while. You probably did not hear the shooting because it was against the wind.'

'Where is everyone?'

'They're all gone except the Barone who is waiting for you. Your driver is asleep in the house.'

'He would be,' the Colonel said.

'Spread those out properly,' the head–keeper told the boatman who was a game–keeper too. 'I want to put them to the game book.'

'There is one green–head drake in the bag who is only wing–tipped.'

'Good. I will take good care of him.'

'I will go inside and see the Barone. I'll see you later.'

'You must get warm,' the head keeper said. 'It's been a bitter day, my Colonel.'

The Colonel started to walk towards the door of the house.

'I'll see you later,' he said to the boatman.

'Yes, my Colonel,' the boatman said.

Alvarito, the Barone, was standing by the open fire in the middle of the room. He smiled his shy smile and said to his low–pitched voice, 'I am sorry you did not have better shooting.'

'We froze up completely. I enjoyed what there was very much.'

'Are you very cold?'

'Not too cold.'

'We can have something to eat.'

'Thank you. I'm not hungry. Have you eaten?'

'Yes. The others went on and I let them take my car. Can you give me a lift to Latisana or just above? I can get transportation from there.'

'Of course.'

'It was a shame that it should freeze. The prospects were so good.'

'There must have been a world of ducks outside.'

'Yes. But now they won't stay with their feed frozen over. They will be on their way south to–night.'

'Will they all go?'

'All except our local ducks that breed here. They'll stay as long as there is any open water.'

'I'm sorry for the shoot.'

'I'm sorry you came so far for so few ducks.'

'I always love the shoot,' the Colonel said. 'And I love Venice.'

The Barone Alvarito looked away and spread his hands towards the fire. 'Yes,' he said. 'We all love Venice. Perhaps you do the best of all.'

The Colonel made no small talk on this but said, 'I love Venice as you know.'

'Yes. I know,' the Barone said. He looked at nothing. Then he said, 'We must wake your driver.'

'Has he eaten?'

'Eaten and slept and eaten and slept. He has also read a little in some illustrated books he brought with him.'

'Comic books,' the Colonel said.

'I should learn to read them,' the Barone said. He smiled the shy, dark smile. 'Could you get me some from Trieste?'

'Any amount,' the Colonel told him. 'From superman on up into the improbable. Read some for me. Look, Alvarito, what was the matter with that game–keeper who poled my boat? He seemed to have a hatred for me at the start. Pretty well through, too.'

'It was the old battle–jacket. Allied uniform affects him that way. You see he was a bit over–liberated.'

'Go on.'

'When the Moroccans came through here they raped both his wife and his daughter.'

'I think I'd better have a drink,' the Colonel said.

'There is grappa there on the table.'

They had dropped the Barone off at a villa with great gates, a gravelled drive and a house, which, since it was over six miles from any military objective, had the good fortune not to have been bombed.

The Colonel had said good–bye and Alvarito had told him to come down and shoot any, or every, week–end.

'You're sure you won't come in?'

'No. I must get back to Trieste. Will you give my love to Renata?'

'I will. Is that her portrait that you have wrapped up in the back of the car?'

'It is.'

'I'll tell her that you shot very well and that the portrait was in good condition.'

'Also my love.'

'Also your love.'

' Ciao , Alvarito, and thank you very much.'

' Ciao , my Colonel. If one can say ciao to a Colonel.'

'Consider me not a Colonel.'

'It is very difficult. Good–bye, my Colonel.'

'In case of any unforeseen contingencies would you ask her to have the portrait picked up at the Gritti?'

'Yes, my Colonel.'

'That's all, I guess.'

'Good–bye, my Colonel.'

They were out on the road now and the early darkness was beginning.

'Turn left,' the Colonel said.

'That's not the road for Trieste, sir,' Jackson said.

'The hell with the road to Trieste. I ordered you to turn left. Do you think there is only one way in the world to get to Trieste?'

'No, sir. I was only pointing out to the Colonel―'

'Don't you point me out a God–damn thing and until I direct you otherwise, don't speak to me until you are spoken to.'

'Yes, sir.'

'I'm sorry, Jackson. What I mean is I know where I'm going and I want to think.'

'Yes, sir.'

They were on the old road that he knew so well and the Colonel thought, well, I sent four of the ducks I promised to those I promised them to at the Gritti. There wasn't enough shooting to be enough feathers to do that boy's wife any good with feathers. But they are all big ducks and fat and they will be good eating. I forgot to give Bobby the sausage.

There was no time to write Renata a note. But what could I say, in a note, that we did not say?

He reached into his pocket and found a pad and pencil. He put on the map–reading light, and with his bad hand, printed a short message in block letters.

'Put that in your pocket, Jackson, and act on it if necessary. If the circumstances described occur, it is an order.'

'Yes, sir,' Jackson said, and took the folded order blank with one hand and put it in the top left–hand pocket of his tunic.

Now take it easy, the Colonel said to himself. Any further concern you may have is about yourself and that is just a luxury.

You are no longer of any real use to the Army of the United States. That has been made quite clear.

You have said good–bye to your girl and she has said good–bye to you. That is certainly simple.

You shot well and Alvarito understands. That is that.

So what the hell do you have to worry about, boy? I hope you're not the type of jerk who worries about what happens to him when there's nothing to be done. Let's certainly hope not.

Just then it hit him as he had known it would since they had picked up the decoys.

Three strikes is out, he thought, and they gave me four. I've always been a lucky son of a bitch.