ah.thefinaldiagnosis-第16节

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　〃It's　line　four。〃　The　girl　waited　until　the　connection　was　made；　then　went　back　to　the　outer　office。
　〃Administrator　speaking。〃　Tomaselli's　tone　was　friendly。　Then　he　frowned　slightly；　listening　to　what　was　ing　from　the　other　end　of　the　line。
　O'Donnell　could　hear　the　receiver　diaphragm　rattling　sharply。　He　caught　the　words；　〃Disgraceful　situation　。　。　。　imposition　on　a　family　。　。　。　should　be　an　inquiry。〃
　Tomaselli　put　his　hand　over　the　phone's　mouthpiece。　He　told　O'Donnell；　〃He's　really　boiling。　Something　about　his　wife。　I　can't　quite　make　put　。　。　。〃　He　listened　for　a　moment　more；　then　said；　〃Now；　Mr。　Bryan；　supposing　you　start　at　the　beginning。　Tell　me　what　this　is　all　about。〃　He　reached　for　a　pad　and　pencil；　then　said；　〃Yes；　sir。〃　A　pause。　〃Now　tell　me；　please；　when　was　your　wife　admitted　to　hospital？〃　The　phone　rattled　again　and　the　administrator　made　a　swift　note。　〃And　who　was　your　physician？〃　Again　a　note。　〃And　the　date　of　discharge？〃　A　pause。　〃Yes；　I　see。〃
　O'Donnell　heard　the　words；　〃Can't　get　any　satisfaction；〃　then　Tomaselli　was　talking　again。
　〃No；　Mr。　Bryan；　I　don't　remember　the　particular　case。　But　I　will　make　some　inquiries。　I　promise　you　that。〃　He　listened；　then　answered；　〃Yes；　sir；　I　do　know　what　a　hospital　bill　means　to　a　family。　But　the　hospital　doesn't　make　any　profit；　you　know。〃
　O'Donnell　could　still　hear　the　voice　on　the　telephone；　but　it　sounded　calmer；　responding　to　Tomaselli's　conciliatory　approach。　Now　the　administrator　said；　〃Well；　sir；　it's　the　physician　who　decides　how　long　a　patient　remains　in　hospital。　I　think　you　should　have　another　talk　with　your　wife's　physician；　and　what　I'll　do　meanwhile　is　have　our　treasurer　go　over　your　bill；　item　by　item。〃　He　listened　briefly；　then；　〃Thank　you；　Mr。　Bryan。　Good…by。〃
　He　hung　up　the　phone；　tore　off　the　page　of　notes；　and　put　it　in　a　tray　marked　〃Dictation。〃
　〃What　was　the　trouble？〃　O'Donnell　asked　the　question　casually。　In　a　busy　hospital　plaints　about　service　and　charges　were　not　unique。
　〃He　claims　his　wife　was　kept　in　too　long。　Now　he　has　to　go　into　debt　to　pay　the　bill。〃
　O'Donnell　said　sharply；　〃How　does　he　know　she　was　in　too　long？〃
　〃He　says　he's　checked　around…whatever　that　means。〃　Tomaselli　said　thoughtfully；　〃It　may　have　been　necessary；　of　course；　but　she　was　here　nearly　three　weeks。〃
　〃So？〃
　〃Normally　I　wouldn't　think　much　about　it。　But　we've　had　an　unusual　number　of　these　plaints。　They're　not　always　as　strong　as　this…but　on　the　same　lines。〃
　Something　flashed　through　O'Donnell's　mind：　the　word　Pathology。　Aloud　he　said：　〃Who　was　the　attending　physician？〃
　Tomaselli　glanced　at　his　notes。　〃Reubens。〃
　〃Let's　see　if　we　can　get　him　and　clear　this　up　now。〃
　Tomaselli　touched　an　inter　set。　〃Kathy；〃　he　said；　〃see　if　you　can　locate　Dr。　Reubens。〃
　They　waited　in　silence。　From　the　corridor　outside　they　could　hear　a　soft　voice　on　the　hospital　public…address　system。　〃Dr。　Reubens。　Dr。　Reubens。〃　After　a　moment　the　phone　buzzed。　Tomaselli　lifted　the　receiver　and　listened。　Then　he　passed　it　to　O'Donnell。
　〃Reub？　It's　Kent　O'Donnell。〃
　〃What　can　I　do　for　you？〃　O'Donnell　could　hear　the　thin；　precise　voice　of　Reubens；　one　of　the　senior　surgeons；　at　the　other　end　of　the　line。
　〃Do　you　have　a　patient〃…he　looked　at　Tomaselli's　notes　which　the　administrator　had　pushed　toward　him…〃a　Mrs。　Bryan？〃
　〃That's　right。　What's　the　matter？　Has　her　husband　been　plaining？〃
　〃You　know　about　it　then？〃
　〃Of　course　I　know　about　it。〃　Reubens　sounded　annoyed。　〃Personally　I　think　he　has　good　reason　to　plain。〃
　〃What's　the　story；　Reub？〃
　〃The　story　is　that　I　admitted　Mrs。　Bryan　for　possible　carcinoma　of　the　breast。　I　removed　a　tumor。　It　turned　out　to　be　benign。〃
　〃Then　why　keep　her　here　for　three　weeks？〃　As　he　asked；　O'Donnell　remembered　that　you　always　had　to　go　through　this　question…and…answer　performance　with　Reubens。　The　other　man　seldom　volunteered　information。
　Now　he　answered；　〃You'd　better　ask　Joe　Pearson　that！〃
　〃Be　simpler　if　you　told　me；　Reub。〃　O'Donnell　was　quietly　insistent。　〃After　all；　she's　your　patient。〃
　There　was　a　silence。　Then　the　thin；　clipped　voice　said；　〃All　right。　I　told　you　the　tumor　was　benign。　But　it　was　two　and　a　half　weeks　before　I　found　out。　That's　how　long　it　took　Pearson　to　get　it　under　his　microscope。〃
　〃Did　you　remind　him　about　it？〃
　〃If　I　called　him　once　I　called　him　half　a　dozen　times。　He'd　probably　have　been　longer　if　I　hadn't　kept　after　it。〃
　〃And　that's　why　you　kept　Mrs。　Bryan　in…for　three　weeks？〃
　〃Naturally。〃　The　voice　on　the　phone　took　on　a　note　of　sarcasm。　〃Or　are　you　suggesting　I　should　have　discharged　her？〃
　There　was　reason　for　Reubens　to　be　sour　on　the　subject；　O'Donnell　thought。　Unquestionably　he　had　been　put　in　a　difficult　position。　If　he　had　discharged　the　patient；　he　might　have　had　to　call　her　back　for　more　surgery；　as　had　happened　to　Bill　Rufus。　On　the　other　hand；　every　additional　day　in　hospital　meant　an　extra　financial　burden　for　the　family。　He　answered　nonmittally；　〃I'm　not　suggesting　anything；　Reub。　Just　making　some　inquiries。〃
　The　thing　had　obviously　been　on　Reubens'　mind。　〃Then　you'd　better　talk　to　some　of　the　other　men；〃　he　said。　〃I'm　not　the　only　one　this　has　happened　to。　You　know　about　Bill　Rufus？〃
　〃Yes；　I　know。　Frankly；　I　thought　things　had　been　improving　a　little。〃
　〃If　they　have；　it's　not　so's　you'd　notice　it。　What　do　you　propose　to　do　about　Bryan's　bill？〃
　〃I　doubt　if　we　can　do　anything。　After　all；　his　wife　was　here　for　three　weeks。　Hospital　money　is　tight；　you　know。〃　O'Donnell　wondered　what　Reubens'　reaction　would　be　when　he　heard　he　was　being　asked　to　give　six　thousand　dollars　himself　to　the　hospital　building　fund。
　〃It's　too　bad。　Husband's　a　decent　little　guy…a　carpenter　or　something　like　that；　works　for　himself。　He　didn't　have　any　insurance。　This'll　set　'em　back　for　a　long　time。〃　O'Donnell　made　no　answer。　His　mind　was　already　running　ahead；　thinking　of　what　came　next。　Again　the　thin　voice　on　the　phone：　〃Well；　is　that　all？〃
　〃Yes；　Reub；　that's　all。　Thanks。〃　He　handed　the　telephone　back　to　Harry　Tomaselli。
　〃Harry；　I　want　a　meeting　this　afternoon。〃　O'Donnell　had　made　up　his　mind　what　had　to　be　done。　〃Let's　try　to　get　half　a　dozen　of　the　senior　people　on　staff。　We'll　meet　here；　if　that's　convenient；　and　I'd　like　you　to　be　here　too。〃
　Tomaselli　nodded。　〃Can　do。〃
　O'Donnell　was　checking　over　names　in　his　mind。　〃We'll　want　Harvey　Chandler；　of　course；　as　chief　of　medicine。　Better　have　Bill　Rufus；　and　Reubens　should　be　included；　I　think。〃　He　paused。　〃Oh　yes；　and　Charlie　Dornberger。　He　might　be　useful。　How　many　is　that？〃
　The　administrator　checked　the　names　he　had　written。　〃Six　with　you　and　me。　How　about　Lucy　Grainger？〃
　Briefly　O'Donnell　hesitated。　Then　he　said；　〃All　right。　Let's　make　it　seven　then。〃
　〃Agenda？〃　Tomaselli　had　his　pencil　poised。
　O'Donnell　shook　his　head。　〃We　won't　need　one。　There's　just　one　subject…changes　in　Pathology。〃
　
　When　the　administrator　had　mentioned　Lucy　Grainger's　name；　O'Donnell　had　hesitated　for　one　reason　only：　it　had　reminded　him　of　a　meeting　between　himself　and　Lucy　the　night　before。
　They　had　met　for　dinner…the　oute　of　O'Donnell's　invitation　to　Lucy　the　day　of　the　mortality　conference…and　in　the　Palm　Court　of　the　Roosevelt　Hotel　they　had　had　cocktails；　then　a　leisurely　meal。　It　had　been　a　pleasant；　relaxed　occasion；　and　they　had　talked　lightly　of　themselves；　of　people　they　had　known；　and　their　own　experiences　in　and　out　of　medicine。
　Afterward　O'Donnell　had　driven　Lucy　home。　She　had　recently　moved　into　Benvenuto　Grange；　a　large；　fashionable　apartment　block　on　the　north　side　of　town。　She　had　said；　〃You'll　e　in　for　a　nightcap；　of　course？〃
　He　had　left　his　car　for　the　uniformed　doorman　to　park　and　followed　her。　They　rode　the　gleaming；　silent　elevator　to　the　fifth　floor；　then　turned　down　a　birch…paneled　corridor；　their　footsteps　silenced　in　deep　broadloom。　He　had　raised　his　eyebrows　and　Lucy　smiled。　〃It　is　a　little　awesome；　isn't　it？　I'm　still　impressed　myself。〃
　She　had　used　her　key　to　open　a　door　and　inside　touched　a　switch。　Tasteful；　subdued　lighting　sprang　up　around　an　elegant　interior　lounge。　He　could　see　the　partly　opened　door　of　a　bedroom　directly　ahead。　〃I'll　mix　us　a　drink；〃　she　said。
　Her　back　was　to　him。　Ice　clinked　in　glasses。　O'Donnell　said；　〃Lucy；　you've　never　married？〃
　〃No。〃　She　had　answered　without　turning。
　He　said　softly；　〃I've　sometimes　wondered　why。〃
　〃It's　very　simple　really。　It's　quite　some　time　since　I　was　asked。〃　Lucy　turned；　carrying　the　drinks　she　had　mixed。　She　gave　O'Donnell　his；　then　moved　to　a　chair。　She　said　thoughtfully；　〃Now　I　think　of　it；　there　was　only　one　occasion…at　least；　only　one　that　mattered。　I　was　a　good　deal　younger　then。〃
　O'Donnell　sipped　his　drink。　〃And　your　answer　was　'no'？〃
　〃I　wanted　a　career　in　medicine。　At　the　time　it　seemed　terribly　important。　That　and　marriage　didn't　seem　to　go　together。〃
　He　asked　casually；　〃Any　regrets？〃
　Lucy　considered。　〃Not　really；　I　suppose。　I've　achieved　what　I　wanted；　and　it's　been　rewarding　in　many　ways。　Oh；　sometimes　one　wonders　how　things　would　have　turned　out　with　a　different　decision；　but　after　all；　that's　human；　isn't　it？〃
　〃I　suppose　so。〃　O'Donnell　was　conscious　of　being　strangely　moved。　There　was　a　s