Lucia Rudini: Somewhere in Italy

to one side of the road, and he was very still. She waited, hoping against hope

d, terrified, "and they ar

dge. She did not attempt to go to the road, but kept to the shelter of the rocks, and a little to one side of th

on, in all the noise and blinding flames. She did not dare to look to

for men to walk four abreast. At that point the river was very wide and the bridge was made in three arches. It looked very subs

n. She found it in the moving line of men

n realization of it brought out all her courage a

shouted defiantly, and raced ahead re

ve her high and impregnable. A little farther along, the window of the convent seemed to be ablaze wi

door that gave on to the river bank, and she ran forward. She found it and pushed fr

ands, and the stone felt warm. The wall was rough and uneven, and after a struggle she managed to find a foothold and pulled herself up. The jagged glass still in the casement cut her hands, but she

am of people carrying every size of bundles, was hurrying along. Lucia re

ged to run after them, but the memory of that moving mass of soldiers made

had been brought in that morning, and some of them were very ill indeed. The sisters were carrying them out on improvised stretchers. Those

she exclaimed, when

uld have fallen if she

ired, and I want to go. I have watched her

that a man, and a soldier, could bother to think of a gi

up a bridge that is mined

replied, "if it is a time fuse,"

u will have to come. Listen, the Austrians are just a littl

The light came back into his

emanded. "Do you mean, they

there is no time to spare

weight on her shoulder he managed to crawl along. Lucia was half crazy wit

o were the Austrians. They were so near that what had seemed one solid mass now resolved itself

e they reached the bridge he fell forward. Lucia crouched dow

what to do," she begged, "

the bridge and located the mine. In a voice that was so weak tha

she demanded. "Will we

hrugged hi

s fast as you can, I don't

t him under his arms and dragged him b

asserted itself, and he got to his feet and ran with Lucia. They did not stop until they were safe on

supporting Roderigo

, and then a great shaking of the ear

l return at once." She ran hurriedly back

fallen high on the banks. The center span was entirely gone, and t

scene before her. She hurried back to the road. A

," she said, pointing to the

ster n

y. "No place is safe. We will take him

ed the unconscious Roderigo back to the w

fs of her robe and began doing what

turned back. It seemed so cowardly to go when we were most needed. The rest though

nd big blue eyes, and she spoke with such

"for the bridge is down, and our troops

rancesca

, there will be wounded

-choked valley, the shell explosion, and the still fo

impatiently. "There are wounded n

ion, but slipped out of the big room a

made her stop and shudder. The church was in ruins, and every pane of glass was broken in the entire village. In their haste the refugees had thrown their belongings out of their

y across to the North Gate, afraid of the ghostly shadows and

to her joy the Italians were advancing as steadily from the west as the Austrians from the east. They would meet at the river, and at the memory o

, somewhere in the valley, the Italian soldier of the shining white teeth and the pen

let up a little, and the sh

alian soldier for his injury. She passed her cottage half-way down the hill. It was still standing, but a shell had dropped on the little goat-shed and blown it to pieces.

but hurried ahead. She was afraid the light wo

was just between both sides, the shells dropped all a

ounding boards for the noise, and the ro

e d

and she saw the Italian soldier. She did as

l with Lucia into the shell hole close by. She saw what he was doing and did her

t with great drops of perspiration. She f

he asked, speakin

him as much

as gone?" There wa

never cross it, and our

k?" she asked. "The co

caught here between the two fires, it would be

, there was so much to do. I even forgot you, but when

age for both of us, for I am useless. My leg has been bad

or the light," Lucia was trembling all

ried to cheer her, "and then perhaps the str

cia replied with sudden spirit, and with the same determination th

all no