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

236 MILITARY LIFE.
a living soul was on the road, either near by or in the distance,
and a profound silence reigned all around. Only, from time
to time, one could hear a confused sound of distant voices,
which came from a house situated at the foot of the slope,
where lights appeared and disappeared. They were peasants
who had returned from the fields and who were replacing
their things, putting the oxen to their stalls, and talking loudly
to each across the yard. Suddenly the soldier drew away from
the wall, took both the hands of the girl,
who instantly rose to
her feet,
and said to her in that faltering tone of pity which is
used when giving some one a sad piece of news :
" It is late,
you know, Gigia. It is time for me to go. I must be in town
betimes to-morrow, and the road is long."
Having said which he looked into the girl's face.
The latter,
without opening her mouth, moved nearer him, placed her two
hands on his shoulders, let her head drop on to them, and
"
sobbed. Courage, Gigia, courage. We '11 fire a couple of
shots and then return."
" Return !
" she said, raising her head slowly, and letting it
instantly drop again.
voice full of tears, from behind her hands.
" Who knows ? " she then added, in a
A moment of silence followed,
after which the soldier
went on :
"
Well, then, good-by, Gigia." He placed his
hands on her temples, raised her head, kissed her on the
forehead, stooped, picked up his knapsack, slung
it over
his back, passing one arm over his head, fastened the straps,
bent once more to take up the bundle, and giving his hand
to the girl, made ready to start. She, who meanwhile had
covered her face with her apron, and stood motionless as if
stunned by grief, suddenly started, and seizing the soldier's