Chapter 26
The priest and Fred go upstairs to talk. The priest says he thinks the war will be over soon because it has been such a terrible summer. He also thinks that both sides will stop fighting. He thinks the war is useless. Fred says that the Austrians won the summer because they kept the Italians from taking San Gabriele.
The priest thinks that suffering in war makes them stronger; he wants something to happen.
He wants the war to result in something, even though he feels it will result in nothing. He says that the soldiers were already defeated when they were taken away from their farms. Fred admits that he is depressed because they no longer believe in victory or defeat. Fred says he believes in sleep. The priest says he is happy that he is back and he tells him his new room number.
Topic Tracking: Friendship 9
Topic Tracking: War 8
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