"Come on," Piani said.
We passed two British ambulances, abandoned in the block of vehicles.
"They're from Gorizia," Piani said. "I know the cars."
"They got further than we did."
"They started earlier."
"I wonder where the drivers are?"
"Up ahead probably."
"The Germans have stopped outside Udine," I said. "These people will all get across the river."
"Yes," Piani said. "That's why I think the war will go on."
"The Germans could come on," I said. "I wonder why they don't come on."
"I don't know.
I don't know anything about this kind of war."
"They have to wait for their transport I suppose."
"I don't know," Piani said.
Alone he was much gentler.
When he was with the others he Was a very rough talker.
"Are you married, Luigi?"
"You know I am married."
"Is that why you did not want to be a prisoner?"
"That is one reason.
Are you married, Tenente?"
"No."
"Neither is Bonello."
"You can't tell anything by a man's being married.
But I should think a married man would want to get back to his wife," I said.
I would be glad to talk about wives.
"Yes."
"How are your feet?"
"They're sore enough."
Before daylight we reached the bank of the Tagliamento and followed down along the flooded river to the bridge where all the traffic was crossing.
"They ought to be able to hold at this river," Piani said.
In the dark the flood looked high.
The water swirled and it was wide.
The wooden bridge was nearly three-quarters of a mile across, and the river, that usually ran in narrow channels in the wide stony bed far below the bridge, was close under the wooden planking.
We went along the bank and then worked our way into the crowd that were crossing the bridge.
Crossing slowly in the rain a few feet above the flood, pressed tight in the crowd, the box of an artillery caisson just ahead, I looked over the side and watched the river.
Now that we could not go our own pace I felt very tired.
There was no exhilaration in crossing the bridge.
I wondered what it would be like if a plane bombed it in the daytime.
"Piani," I said.
"Here I am, Tenente." He was a little ahead in the jam.
No one was talking.
They were all trying to get across as soon as they could: thinking only of that.
We were almost across.
At the far end of the bridge there were officers and carabinieri standing on both sides flashing lights.
I saw them silhouetted against the sky-line.
As we came close to them I saw one of the officers point to a man in the column.
A carabiniere went in after him and came out holding the man by the arm.
He took him away from the road.
We came almost opposite them.