A Farewell to Arms Page #3

- Yes, major.

Tell our friend if he sees Miss Barkley

three times, he'll have to marry her.

Tell him. It is a British law.

And that is not all.

After marriage, children.

There is no end to the disasters

the British can bring down on Frederico.

I am hardly in a position

to discourage marriage.

Are you coming, papi?

I offer you a last reprieve.

I'll see you tomorrow in the parade.

All right.

But if all does not go well...

...you know where I am.

Good night, gentlemen.

- Good night, major.

- Good night, major.

- Miss Barkley will be down directly.

- Thank you very much.

- They look like a mausoleum.

- What did you say?

I said these busts

look like a cemetery.

- Bad for the patients, I should think.

- I think the busts are rather handsome.

By the way, you know

that our girls...

...are not permitted to leave

during the evening?

The Italians do not approve

of women being so near the front.

That's pretty silly of them, isn't it?

No.

I'm inclined to think they're right.

- Good evening.

- Hello, Miss Barkley.

Is there any place we can go?

Why?

Well, I'd... I'd like to see you.

Well, l... I suppose we could walk

in the garden, unless it rains.

Well, it's not raining now.

Thank you.

They certainly have difficult rules

for you nurses.

I'm not really a nurse.

I'm something called V.A.D.

- What's the difference?

- A nurse is like a doctor.

It takes a long time to be one.

A V.A.D. Is a shortcut. For war only.

Well, a lot of things are for war only.

Why did you want to see me?

Isn't that rather obvious?

You mean, to have a look?

You're nice looking at.

Frankly, I didn't like your attitude

about the war.

- Some people joined for other reasons.

- You mean a better world, and all that?

Yes. Seems rather foolish

to you, doesn't it?

You mustn't take things too hard.

It's a short life, at best.

- Yes, I think that too.

- Then why not enjoy it?

Let's drop the war.

- There's no place to drop it.

- Let's drop it anyway.

- Please.

- Why not?

- It's so meaningless.

- No, it's not.

People who don't even know each other.

I don't like it. I never have.

I'm sorry.

That's all right.

I'm dreadfully sorry.

I just couldn't stand

the "nurse's evening off" aspect of it.

I didn't mean to hurt you.

- I did hurt you, didn't I?

- No harm done.

It's happened before.

You poor man.

You mean girls usually slap you?

Well, not always.

You don't mind when they do?

It's more interesting when they don't.

Especially when they're

as beautiful as you.

You don't have to say

a lot of nonsense.

I said I was sorry.

I suppose I might have waited

until we knew each other.

- Lf only there'd been time.

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