"Hemingway, Ernest - Across the River and Into the Trees" - читать интересную книгу автора (Hemingway Ernest)

УDonТt you think it would be good to break more ice around the edges?Ф the shooter called to the boatman. УThereТs not much water to attract them.Ф
The boatman said nothing but commenced to smash at the jagged perimeter of ice with his oar. This ice breaking was unnecessary and the boatman knew it. But the shooter did not know it and he thought, I do not understand him but I must not let him ruin it. I must keep it entire and not let him do it. Every time you shoot now can be the last shoot and no stupid son of a bitch should be allowed to ruin it. Keep your temper, boy, he told himself.

CHAPTER II
BUT he was not a boy. He was fifty and a Colonel of Infantry in the Army of the United States and to pass a physical examination that he had to take the day before he came down to Venice for this shoot, he had taken enough mannitol hexanitrate to, well he did not quite know what toЧto pass, he said to himself.
The surgeon had been quite skeptical. But he noted the readings after taking them twice.
УYou know, Dick,Ф he said. УIt isnТt indicated; in fact it is definitely contra-indicated in increased intra-ocular and intra-cranial pressure.Ф
УI donТt know what you are talking about,Ф the shooter, who was not a shooter, then, except potentially, and was a Colonel of Infantry in the Army of the United States, reduced from being a general officer, said.
УI have known you a long time, Colonel. Or maybe it just seems a long time,Ф the surgeon told him.
УItТs been a long time,Ф the Colonel said.
УWe sound like song writers,Ф the surgeon said. УBut donТt you ever run into anything, or let any sparks strike you, when youТre really souped up on nitroglycerin. They ought to make you drag a chain like a high-octane truck.Ф
УWasnТt my cardiograph O.K.?Ф the Colonel asked.
УYour cardiograph was wonderful, Colonel. It could have been that of a man of twenty-five. It might have been that of a boy of nineteen.Ф
УThen what are you talking about?Ф the Colonel asked.
That much mannitol hexanitrate produced a certain amount of nausea, sometimes, and he was anxious for the interview to terminate. He was also anxious to lie down and take a seconal. I ought to write the manual of minor tactics for the heavy pressure platoon, he thought. Wish I could tell him that. Why donТt I just throw myself on the mercy of the court? You never do, he told himself. You always plead them non-guilty.
УHow many times have you been hit in the head?Ф the surgeon asked him.
УYou know,Ф the Colonel told him. УItТs in my 201.Ф
УHow many times have you been hit on the head?Ф
УOh Christ.Ф Then he said, УYou are asking for the army or as my physician?Ф
УAs your physician. You didnТt think IТd try to wind your clock, did you?Ф
УNo, Wes. IТm sorry. Just what was it you wanted to know?Ф
УConcussions.Ф
УReal ones?Ф
УAny time you were cold or couldnТt remember afterwards.Ф
УMaybe ten,Ф the Colonel said. УCounting polo. Give or take three.Ф
УYou poor old son of a bitch,Ф the surgeon said. УColonel, sir,Ф he added.
УCan I go now?Ф the Colonel asked.
УYes, sir,Ф the surgeon said. УYouТre in good shape.Ф
УThanks,Ф the Colonel said. УWant to go on a duck shoot down in the marshes at the mouth of the Tagliamento? Wonderful shoot. Some nice Italian kids I met up at Cortina own it.Ф
УIs that where they shoot coots?Ф
УNo. They shoot real ducks at this one. Good kids. Good shoot. Real ducks. Mallard, pin-tail, widgeon. Some geese. Just as good as at home when we were kids.Ф
УI was kids in twenty-nine and thirty.Ф
УThatТs the first mean thing I ever heard you say.Ф
УI didnТt mean it like that. I just meant I didnТt remember when duck shooting was good. IТm a city boy, too.Ф
УThatТs the only God-damn trouble with you, too. I never saw a city boy yet that was worth a damn.Ф
УYou donТt mean that, do you, Colonel?Ф
УOf course, not. You know damn well I donТt.Ф
УYouТre in good shape, Colonel,Ф the surgeon said. УIТm sorry I canТt go on the shoot. I canТt even shoot.Ф
УHell,Ф said the Colonel. УThat doesnТt make any difference. Neither can anybody else in this army. IТd like to have you around.Ф
УIТll give you something else to back up what youТre using.Ф
УIs there anything?Ф
УNot really. TheyТre working on stuff, though.Ф
УLet Тem work,Ф the Colonel said.
УI think thatТs a laudable attitude, sir.Ф
УGo to hell,Ф the Colonel said. УYou sure you donТt want to go?Ф
УI get my ducks at Longchamps on Madison Avenue,Ф the surgeon said. УItТs air-conditioned in the summer and itТs warm in the winter and I donТt have to get up before first light and wear long-horned underwear.Ф
УAll right, City Boy. YouТll never know.Ф
УI never wanted to know,Ф the surgeon said. УYouТre in good shape, Colonel, sir.Ф
УThanks,Ф said the Colonel and went out.