I wiped my hand on my shirt and another floating light came very slowly down and I looked at my leg and was very afraid.
Oh, God, I said, get me out of here.
I knew, however, that there had been three others.
There were four drivers.
Passini was dead.
That left three.
Some one took hold of me under the arms and somebody else lifted my legs.
"There are three others," I said. "One is dead."
"It's Manera.
We went for a stretcher but there wasn't any.
How are you, Tenente?"
"Where is Gordini and Gavuzzi?"
"Gordini's at the post getting bandaged.
Gavuzzi has your legs.
Hold on to my neck, Tenente.
Are you badly hit?"
"In the leg.
How is Gordini?"
"He's all right.
It was a big trench mortar shell."
"Passini's dead."
"Yes.
He's dead."
A shell fell close and they both dropped to the ground and dropped me.
"I'm sorry, Tenente," said Manera. "Hang onto my neck."
"If you drop me again."
"It was because we were scared."
"Are you unwounded?"
"We are both wounded a little."
"Can Gordini drive?"
"I don't think so."
They dropped me once more before we reached the post.
"You sons of bitches," I said.
"I am sorry, Tenente," Manera said. "We won't drop you again."
Outside the post a great many of us lay on the ground in the dark.
They carried wounded in and brought them out.
I could see the light come out from the dressing station when the curtain opened and they brought some one in or out.
The dead were off to one side.
The doctors were working with their sleeves up to their shoulders and were red as butchers.
There were not enough stretchers.
Some of the wounded were noisy but most were quiet.
The wind blew the leaves in the bower over the door of the dressing station and the night was getting cold.
Stretcher-bearers came in all the time, put their stretchers down, unloaded them and went away.
As soon as I got to the dressing station Manera brought a medical sergeant out and he put bandages on both my legs.
He said there was so much dirt blown into the wound that there had not been much hemorrhage.
They would take me as soon as possible.
He went back inside.
Gordini could not drive, Manera said.
His shoulder was smashed and his head was hurt.
He had not felt bad but now the shoulder had stiffened.