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

282 MILITAR Y LIFE.
ceived his dismissal, he scribbled away,
for I know not how
many hours, in his copy-book with his customary tranquillity.
Before leaving, he came to say good-by to me. The scene of
parting was any thing but tender. I asked him if he were
sorry to leave Florence, to which he " "
replied Why not : ? I
then asked if he were glad to return home, to which question
he responded with a grimace that I did not understand.
" If you ever need any thing," I said at the last moment,
"pray write, and I shall be glad to hear from you."
" Thank
you very much !
" he answered. And so he left the house,
after having passed two years with me, without giving the
slightest sign of regret or joy.
I looked at him as he went down stairs.
Suddenly he turned.
" Now we will see whether his heart has opened," I thought,
"and he is
coming back to take leave of me in another way."
" "
Lieutenant," he said, your shaving-brush I put in the
drawer of the big table."
And he disappeared.