Piani looked at me.

“He went away, Tenente ,” he said. “He wanted to be a prisoner.”

I did not say anything.

“He was afraid we would get killed.”

I held the bottle of wine and did not say anything.

“You see we don’t believe in the war anyway, Tenente .”

“Why didn’t you go?” I asked.

“I did not want to leave you.”

“Where did he go?”