ah.thefinaldiagnosis-第25节

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　〃I'm　still　here。〃　It　was　Bannister；　calmly；　behind　them　at　the　file　cabinets。
　Pearson　wheeled。　〃Look　at　this！〃　He　was　using　his　loudest；　hectoring　voice。　〃How　many　times　do　I　have　to　give　instructions　about　the　way　I　want　slides　made？　What's　wrong　with　the　technicians　in　Histology？　Are　they　deaf　or　just　plain　stupid？〃
　McNeil　had　heard　the　same　kind　of　outburst　before。　He　sat　back　and　watched　as　Bannister　asked；　〃What's　the　trouble？〃
　〃I'll　tell　you　what's　the　trouble。〃　Pearson　ripped　the　slide　from　his　microscope　and　tossed　it　across　the　table。　〃How　can　I　give　a　proper　diagnosis　with　this　kind　of　tissue　section？〃
　The　senior　lab　technician　picked　up　the　slide　and　held　it　to　the　light。　〃Too　thick；　eh？〃
　〃Of　course　it's　too　thick。〃　Pearson　picked　out　a　second　slide　from　the　same　set。　〃Look　at　this　one。　If　I　had　some　bread　I　could　scrape　off　the　meat　and　make　a　sandwich。〃
　Bannister　grinned。　〃I'll　check　the　microtome。　We've　been　having　trouble　with　it。〃　He　pointed　to　the　slide　folder。　〃Do　you　want　me　to　take　these　away？〃
　〃No。　I'll　have　to　make　do　with　them。〃　The　explosiveness　had　gone　now；　the　old　man　was　merely　growling。　〃Just　do　a　better　job　in　supervising　Histology。〃
　Bannister；　disagreeable　himself　by　this　time；　grumbled　on　his　way　to　the　door。　〃Maybe　if　I　didn't　have　so　much　else　。　。　。〃
　Pearson　shouted　after　him；　〃All　right。　I've　heard　that　record　before。〃
　As　Bannister　reached　the　door；　there　was　a　light　tap　and　Dr。　Charles　Dornberger　appeared。　He　asked；　〃May　I　e　in；　Joe？〃
　〃Sure。〃　Pearson　grinned。　〃You　might　even　learn　something；　Charlie。〃
　The　obstetrician　nodded　pleasantly　to　McNeil；　then　said　casually　to　Pearson；　〃This　was　the　morning　I　arranged　to　e　down。　Had　you　forgotten？〃
　〃Yes；　I　had。〃　Pearson　pushed　the　slide　folder　away　from　him。　He　asked　the　resident；　〃How　many　more　in　this　batch？〃
　McNeil　counted　the　slide　folders　remaining。　〃Eight。〃
　〃We'll　finish　later。〃
　The　resident　began　to　gather　up　the　case　papers　already　pleted。
　Dornberger　took　out　his　pipe　and　leisurely　filled　it。　Looking　around　the　big　drab　room；　he　shivered。　He　said；　〃This　place　feels　damp；　Joe。　Every　time　I　e　here　I　feel　like　I'm　going　to　get　a　chill。〃
　Pearson　gave　a　deep　chuckle。　He　said；　〃We　spray　flu　germs　around…every　morning。　It　discourages　visitors。〃　He　watched　McNeil　cross　the　room　and　go　out　of　the　door。　Then　he　asked；　〃What's　on　your　mind？〃
　Dornberger　wasted　no　time。　He　said；　〃I'm　a　deputation。　I'm　supposed　to　handle　you　tactfully。〃　He　put　the　pipe　in　his　mouth；　his　tobacco　pouch　away。
　Pearson　looked　up。　〃What　is　this？　More　trouble？〃
　Their　eyes　met。　Dornberger　said　quietly；　〃That　depends。〃　After　a　pause　he　added；　〃But　it　looks　as　if　you　may　get　a　new　assistant　pathologist。〃
　Dornberger　had　expected　an　outburst；　but　Pearson　was　strangely　quiet。　He　said　thoughtfully；　〃Whether　I　want　one　or　not；　eh？〃
　〃Yes；　Joe。〃　Dornberger　made　it　definite；　there　was　no　point　in　holding　back。　He　had　thought　a　good　deal　about　this　since　the　meeting　of　several　days　ago。
　〃I　suppose　O'Donnell　is　back　of　this。〃　Pearson　said　it　with　a　touch　of　bitterness　but　still　quietly。　As　always；　he　was　being　unpredictable。
　Dornberger　answered；　〃Partly　but　not　entirely。〃
　Again　surprisingly；　〃What　do　you　think　I　should　do？〃　It　was　a　question　asked　by　one　friend　of　another。
　Dornberger　laid　his　pipe；　unlighted；　in　an　ash　tray　on　Pearson's　desk。　He　was　thinking：　I'm　glad　he's　taking　it　this　way。　It　means　I　was　right。　I　can　help　him　accept　this；　adjust　to　it。　Aloud　he　said；　〃I　don't　believe　you've　much　choice；　Joe。　You　are　behind　with　surgical　reports；　aren't　you？　And　a　few　other　things？〃
　For　a　moment　he　thought　he　had　gone　too　far。　This　was　a　sensitive　area。　He　saw　the　other　man　brace　up　and　waited　for　the　storm　to　break。　But　again　it　did　not。　Instead；　more　strongly　than　before；　but　reasonably；　Pearson　said；　〃Sure；　a　few　things　need　straightening　out。　I'll　admit　that　to　you。　But　there's　nothing　I　can't　handle　myself…if　I　can　just　get　the　time　to　do　it。〃
　He　has　accepted　it；　Dornberger　thought。　He's　sounding　off　now。　But　he　has　accepted　it　just　the　same。　He　said　casually；　〃Well；　maybe　you'll　get　the　time…with　another　pathologist。〃　With　equal　casualness　he　pulled　from　his　inside　pocket　the　paper　which　the　administrator　had　given　him。
　Pearson　asked；　〃What's　that？〃
　〃There's　nothing　definite　about　this；　Joe。　It's　a　name　that　Harry　Tomaselli　had…apparently　some　young　fellow　who　might　be　interested　in　ing　here。〃
　Pearson　took　the　single　sheet。　He　said；　〃They　sure　didn't　waste　any　time。〃
　Dornberger　said　lightly；　〃Our　administrator　is　a　man　of　action。〃
　Pearson　was　scanning　the　paper。　He　read　aloud；　〃Dr。　David　Coleman。〃　There　was　a　pause。　Then　with　bitterness；　frustration；　and　envy　the　old　man　added；　〃Age　thirty…one。〃
　
　It　was　twenty　minutes　after　midday；　and　the　hospital　cafeteria　was　at　its　busiest。　Most　of　the　doctors；　nurses；　and　hospital　employees　usually　took　their　lunch　about　this　time；　and　a　line…up　was　beginning　to　form　at　the　point　where　newers　collected　trays　before　passing　counters　and　steam　tables　where　the　food　was　served。
　Mrs。　Straughan；　as　usual　at　this　period；　had　her　eye　on　proceedings；　ensuring　that　as　fast　as　one　batch　of　food　was　used　up　another　was　brought　from　the　kitchens　to　keep　the　line　out　front　moving　briskly。　Today　there　was　a　choice　of　Irish　stew；　lamb　chops；　and　broiled　halibut。　The　chief　dietitian　noticed　that　the　lamb　chops　were　moving　slowly。　She　decided　to　try　some　herself　in　a　few　minutes　to　see　if　there　were　any　reason。　Perhaps　the　meat　was　not　as　succulent　as　it　might　be；　word　of　something　like　that　was　often　passed　to　those　arriving　in　the　cafeteria　by　others　who　were　leaving。　Mrs。　Straughan　noticed　a　dish　at　the　top　of　a　pile　on　the　servery　that　appeared　to　have　a　mark　on　it。　She　stepped　forward　and　removed　it　quickly；　sure　enough；　it　still　bore　traces　of　an　earlier　meal。　The　dishwashing　machines　again！　she　thought。　Their　inadequacy　was　a　recurring　problem；　and　she　decided　to　broach　the　subject　with　the　administrator　again　very　soon。
　Over　at　the　tables　reserved　for　the　medical　staff　there　was　the　sound　of　noisy　laughter。　It　came　from　a　group　of　which　Dr。　Ralph　Bell；　the　radiologist；　was　the　center。
　Gil　Bartlett；　who　had　e　from　the　serving　counter　with　a　tray；　put　it　down　and　went　over　with　extended　hand。　〃Congratulations；　Ding　Dong；〃　he　said。　〃I　just　heard。〃
　〃Heard　what？〃　It　was　Lewis　Toynbee；　the　internist；　also　with　a　tray；　behind　him。　Then　as　Bell；　beaming；　passed　a　cigar　to　Bartlett；　Toynbee　exclaimed；　〃My　God！　Not　again？〃
　〃Certainly　again。　Why　not？〃　The　radiologist　held　out　another　cigar。　〃Join　us；　Lewis。　It's　exactly　eight　Bells。〃
　〃Eight！　When　was　this？〃
　Bell　said　calmly；　〃This　morning。　Another　boy　for　the　ball　team。〃
　Bill　Rufus　put　in；　〃Don't　sound　critical；　Lewis。　He's　doing　his　best。　After　all；　he's　only　been　married　eight　years。〃
　Lewis　Toynbee　offered　his　hand。　〃Don't　squeeze　it　too　tight；　Ding　Dong。　I'm　afraid　some　of　that　fertility　might　rub　off。〃
　〃I'm　impervious　to　jealousy；〃　Bell　said　good…naturedly。　He　had　been　through　all　this　before。
　Lucy　Grainger　asked；　〃How　is　your　wife？〃
　Bell　answered；　〃She's　fine；　thanks。〃
　〃How　does　it　feel　to　be　a　sex　fiend？〃　The　question　was　from　Harvey　Chandler；　the　chief　of　medicine；　lower　down　the　table。
　Bell　said；　〃I'm　not　a　sex　fiend。　At　our　house　we　have　intercourse　once　a　year。　I'm　just　a　dead　shot。〃
　Lucy　Grainger　joined　in　the　ensuing　laughter；　then　she　said；　〃Ralph；　I'm　sending　you　a　patient　this　afternoon。　It's　one　of　our　student　nurses…Vivian　Loburton。〃
　The　laughter　had　simmered　down。　〃What　is　it　you're　looking　for？〃　Bell　asked。
　〃I　want　you　to　take　some　films　of　the　left　knee；〃　Lucy　answered。　Then　she　added；　〃There's　some　sort　of　growth　there。　I　don't　like　the　look　of　it。〃
　
　Back　in　his　own　office；　Dr。　Charles　Dornberger　had　telephoned　Kent　O'Donnell　to　report　the　oute　of　the　talk　with　Pearson。　At　the　end　he　had　told　the　chief　of　surgery；　〃I've　let　Joe　know　about　the　man　you　people　have　been　corresponding　with。〃
　O'Donnell　had　asked；　〃How　did　he　take　it？〃
　〃I　wouldn't　say　he　was　enthusiastic；〃　Dornberger　said。　〃But　I　think　if　you　want　to　have　this　fellow　。　。　。　what's　his　name…Coleman？　。　。　。　if　you　want　to　have　him　e　here　for　a　talk；　Joe　won't　be　difficult。　But　I'd　suggest　you　keep　Joe　posted　on　everything　you　do　from　here　on　in。〃
　〃You　can　be　sure　of　that；〃　O'Donnell　had　said。　Then；　〃Thanks；　Charlie。　Thank　you　very　much。〃
　Afterward　Dornberger　had　made　another　telephone　call。　It　was　to　Mrs。　John　Alexander；　who　had　phoned　earlier　that　morning　and　left　a　message。　Before　calling　he　had　looked　up　his　record　card　and　was　reminded　that　this　was　the　wife　of　the　pathology　technologist；　referred　to　him　by　Joe　Pearson。　Talking　with　Mrs。　Alexander；　he　learned　that　she　had　just　arrived　in　town　to　join　her　husband。　They　made　an　appointment　for　her　to　e　to　Dornberger's　downtown　office　the　following　week。
　About　the　same　time　that　Mrs。　Alexander　was　talking　with　Dornberger　her　husband　was　receiving　his　first　tongue…lashing　from　Dr。　Joseph　Pearson。　It　happened　this　way。
　After　Pearson's　outburst　that　morning　about　the　poor…quality　surgical　slides；　Bannister　had　e　back　to