Military life in Italy : sketches - Societa italiana di storia militare

124 MILITARY LIFE
The conscript looked at him, open-mouthed.
"Write to your father."
" What shall I say " ?
feel ;
" Tell him what you have seen, what you think, what you
in fact, whatever you choose.'
"But . . .
" Keep quiet until ; you have finished I shall not permit you
to say one word."
And he resumed his newspaper near the window.
The conscript
continued to look at him with an air of surprise, then
bent his head, thought for some moments, and began to
very slowly.
After a quarter of an hour, the officer asked :
nearly finished ? "
" It is finished," replied the soldier, quite content.
"Read it,
" Read it
"
?
then."
write
" Have you
"Yes."
He was ashamed to do so.
"Read it, I tell you."
The man prepared to obey.
" But tell me first, have you written the truth ? Have you
been quite sincere ?
feel "
?
Have you really said what you
think and
The soldier placed his hand on his breast.
" Read, then."
He began to read with difficulty.
Mv DEAR FATHER :
I reached the regiment, and they instantly made me cut off my hair, and
then they dressed me. That officer of our town whose name you know, I saw