〃We could go out to the park and have breakfast outdoors。〃 I looked out the open doorway。
〃What we'll really do；〃 she said； 〃is get you ready for your friend Dr。 Valentini。〃
〃I thought he was grand。〃
〃I didn't like him as much as you did。 But I imagine he's very good。〃
〃e back to bed； Catherine。 Please；〃 I said。
〃I can't。 Didn't we have a lovely night？〃
〃And can you be on night duty to…night？〃
〃I probably will。 But you won't want me。〃
〃Yes； I will。〃
〃No； you won't。 You've never been operated on。 You don't know how you'll be。〃
〃I'll be all right。〃
〃You'll be sick and I won't be anything to you。〃
〃e back then now。〃
〃No；〃 she said。 〃I have to do the chart； darling； and fix you up。〃
〃You don't really love me or you'd e back again。〃
〃You're such a silly boy。〃 She kissed me。 〃That's all right for the chart。 Your temperature's always normal。 You've such a lovely temperature。〃
〃You've got a lovely everything。〃
〃Oh no。 You have the lovely temperature。 I'm awfully proud of your temperature。〃
〃Maybe all our children will have fine temperatures。〃
〃Our children will probably have beastly temperatures。〃
〃What do you have to do to get me ready for Valentini？〃
〃Not much。 But quite unpleasant。〃
〃I wish you didn't have to do it。〃
〃I don't。 I don't want any one else to touch you。 I'm silly。 I get furious if they couch you。〃
〃Even Ferguson？〃
〃Especially Ferguson and Gage and the other； what's her name？〃
〃Walker？〃
〃That's it。 They've too many nurses here now。 There must be some more patients or they'll send us away。 They have four nurses now。〃
〃Perhaps there'll be some。 They need that many nurses。 It's quite a big hospital。〃
〃I hope some will e。 What would I do if they sent me away？ They will unless there are more patients。〃
〃I'd go too。〃
〃Don't be silly。 You can't go yet。 But get well quickly； darling； and we will go somewhere。〃
〃And then what？〃
〃Maybe the war will be over。 It can't always go on。〃
〃I'll get well；〃 I said。 〃Valentini will fix me。〃
〃He should with those mustaches。 And； darling； when you're going under the ether just think about something else……not us。 Because people get very blabby under an anaesthetic。〃
〃What should I think about？〃
〃Anything。 Anything but us。 Think about your people。 Or even any other girl。〃
〃No。''
〃Say your prayers then。 That ought to create a splendid impression。〃
〃Maybe I won't talk。〃
〃That's true。 Often people don't talk。〃
〃I won't talk。〃
〃Don't brag； darling。 Please don't brag。 You're so sweet and you don't have to brag。〃
〃I won't talk a word。〃
〃Now you're bragging； darling。 You know you don't need to brag。 Just start your prayers or poetry or something when they tell you to breathe deeply。 You'll be lovely that way and I'll be so proud of you。 I'm very proud of you anyway。 You have such a lovely temperature and you sleep like a little boy with your arm around the pillow and think it's me。 Or is it some other girl？ Some fine Italian girl？〃
〃It's you。〃
〃Of course it's me。 Oh I do love you and Valentini will make you a fine leg。 I'm glad I don't have to watch it。〃
〃And you'll be on night duty to…night。〃
〃Yes。 But you won't care。〃
〃You wait and see。〃
〃There； darling。 Now you're all clean inside and out。 Tell me。 How many people have you ever loved？〃
〃Nobody。〃
〃Not me even？〃
〃Yes； you。〃
〃How many others really？〃
〃None。〃
〃How many have you……how do you say it？……stayed with？〃
〃None。〃
〃You're lying to me。〃
〃Yes。〃
〃It's all right。 Keep right on lying to me。 That's what I want you to do。 Were they pretty？〃
〃I never stayed with any one。〃
〃That's right。 Were they very attractive？〃
〃I don't know anything about it。〃
〃You're just mine。 That's true and you've never belonged to any one else。 But I don't care if you have。 I'm not afraid of them。 But don't tell me about them。 When a man stays with a girl when does she say how much it costs？〃
〃I don't know。〃
〃Of course not。 Does she say she loves him？ Tell me that。 I want to know that。〃
〃Yes。 If he wants her to。〃
〃Does he say he loves her？ Tell me please。 It's important。〃
〃He does if he wants to。〃
〃But you never did？ Really？〃
〃No。〃
〃Not really。 Tell me the truth。〃
〃No；〃 I lied。
〃You wouldn't；〃 she said。 〃I knew you wouldn't。 Oh； I love you； darling。〃
Outside the sun was up over the roofs and I could see the points of the cathedral with the sunlight on them。 I was clean inside and outside and waiting for the doctor。
〃And that's it？〃 Catherine said。 〃She says just what he wants her to？〃
〃Not always。〃
〃But I will。 I'll say just what you wish and I'll do what you wish and then you will never want any other girls； will you？〃 She looked at me very happily。 〃I'll do what you want and say what you want and then I'll be a great success； won't I？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃What would you like me to do now that you're all ready？〃
〃e to the bed again。〃
〃All right。 I'll e。〃
〃Oh； darling； darling； darling；〃 I said。
〃You see；〃 she said。 〃I do anything you want。〃
〃You're so lovely。〃
〃I'm afraid I'm not very good at it yet。〃
〃You're lovely。〃
〃I want what you want。 There isn't any me any more。 Just what you want。〃
〃You sweet。〃
〃I'm good。 Aren't I good？ You don't want any other girls； do you？〃
〃No。〃
〃You see？ I'm good。 I do what you want。〃
17
When I was awake after the operation I had not been away。 You do not go away。 They only choke you。 It is not like dying it is just a chemical choking so you do not feel； and afterward you might as well have been drunk except that when you throw up nothing es but bile and you do not feel better afterward。 I saw sandbags at the end of the bed。 They were on pipes that came out of the cast。 After a while I saw Miss Gage and she said； 〃How is it now？〃
〃Better；〃 I said。
〃He did a wonderful job on your knee。〃
〃How long did it take？〃
〃Two hours and a half。〃
〃Did I say anything silly？〃
〃Not a thing。 Don't talk。 Just be quiet。〃
I was sick and Catherine was right。 It did not make any difference who was on night duty。
There were three other patients in the hospital now； a thin boy in the Red Cross from Georgia with malaria； a nice boy； also thin； from New York； with malaria and jaundice； and a fine boy who had tried to unscrew the fuse…cap from a bination shrapnel and high explosive shell for a souvenir。 This was a shrapnel shell used by the Austrians in the mountains with a nose…cap which went on after the burst and exploded on contact。
Catherine Barkley was greatly liked by the nurses because she would do night duty indefinitely。 She had quite a little work with the malaria people； the boy who had unscrewed the nose…cap was a friend of ours and never rang at night； unless it was necessary but between the times of working we were together。 I loved her very much and she loved me。 I slept in the daytime and we wrote notes during the day when we were awake and sent them by Ferguson。 Ferguson was a fine girl。 I never learned anything about her except that she had a brother in the Fifty…Second Division and a brother in Mesopotamia and she was very good to Catherine Barkley。
〃Will you e to our wedding； Fergy？〃 I said to her once。
〃You'll never get married。〃
〃We will。〃
〃No you won't。〃
〃Why not？〃
〃You'll fight before you'll marry。〃
〃We never fight。〃
〃You've time yet。〃
〃We don't fight。〃
〃You'll die then。 Fight or die。 That's what people do。 They don't marry。〃
I reached for her hand。 〃Don't take hold of me；〃 she said。 〃I'm not crying。 Maybe you'll be all right you two。 But watch out you don't get her in trouble。 You get her in trouble and I'll kill you。〃
〃I won't get her in trouble。〃
〃Well watch out then。 I hope you'll be all right。 You have a good time。〃
〃We have a fine time。〃
〃Don't fight then and don't get her into trouble。〃
〃I won't。〃
〃Mind you watch out。 I don't want her with any of these war babies。〃
〃You're a fine girl； Fergy。〃
〃I'm not。 Don't try to flatter me。 How does your leg feel？〃
〃Fine。〃
〃How is your head？〃 She touched the top of it with her fingers。
It was sensitive like a foot that had gone to sleep。
〃It's never bothered me。〃
〃A bump like that could make you crazy。 It never bothers you？〃
〃No。〃
〃You're a lucky young man。 Have you the letter done？ I'm going down。〃
〃It's here；〃 I said。
〃You ought to ask her not to do night duty for a while。 She's getting very tired。〃
〃All right。 I will。〃
〃I want to do it but she won't let me。 The others are glad to let her have it。 You might give her just a little rest。〃
〃All right。〃
〃Miss Van Campen spoke about you sleeping all the forenoons。〃
〃She would。〃
〃It would be better if you let her stay off nights a little while。〃
〃I want her to。〃
〃You do not。 But if you would make her I'd respect you for it。〃
〃I'll make her。〃
〃I don't believe it。〃 She took the note and went out。 I rang the bell and in a little while Miss Gage came in。
〃What's the matter？〃
〃I just wanted to talk to you。 Don't you think Miss Barkley ought to go off night duty for a while？ She looks awfully tired。 Why does she stay on so long？〃
Miss Gage looked at me。
〃I'm a friend of yours；〃 she said。 〃You don't have to talk to me like that。〃
〃What do you mean？〃
〃Don't be silly。 Was that all you wanted？〃
〃Do you want a vermouth？〃
〃All right。 Then I have to go。〃 She got out the bottle from the armoire and brought a glass。
〃You take the glass；〃 I said。 〃I'll drink out of the bottle。〃
〃Here's to you；〃 said Miss Gage。
〃What did Van Campen say about me sleeping late in the mornings？〃
〃She just jawed about it。 She calls you our privileged patient。〃
〃To hell with her。〃
〃She isn't mean；〃 Miss Gage said。 〃She's just old and cranky。 She never liked you。〃
〃No。〃
〃Well； I do。 And I'm your friend。 Don't forget that。〃
〃You're awfully damned nice。〃
〃No。 I know who you think is nice。 But I'm your friend。 How does your leg feel？〃
〃Fine。〃
〃I'll bring some cold mineral water to pour over it。 It must itch under the cast。 It's hot outside。〃
〃You're awful nice。〃
〃Does it itch much？〃
〃No。 It's fine。〃
〃I'll fix those sandbags better。〃 She leaned over。 〃I'm your friend。〃
〃I know you are。〃
〃No you don't。 But you will some day。〃
Catherine Barkley took three nights off night duty and then she