ah.thefinaldiagnosis-第30节

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　He　gave　her　an　amused　glance。　〃You're　not　like　the　psychiatrists　then？〃
　〃No；　I'm　not。〃　She　laughed。　〃I　hear　they　send　you　a　bill；　even　if　you　work　in　the　same　office。〃
　〃That's　right。〃　She　had　seldom　seen　him　quite　so　relaxed　as　this。　〃They　say　it's　part　of　the　treatment。〃
　〃Here　we　are。〃　She　opened　a　door　and　Pearson　went　first。　Then　she　followed　him　in；　closing　the　door　behind　her。
　It　was　a　small　semi…private　room　with　two　patients。　Lucy　greeted　a　woman　in　the　bed　nearest　the　door；　then　moved　over　to　the　second　bed　where　Vivian　looked　up　from　the　magazine　she　had　been　reading。
　〃Vivian；　this　is　Dr。　Pearson。〃
　〃Hullo；　Vivian。〃　Pearson　said　it　absently　as　he　took　the　chart　which　Lucy　offered　him。
　She　answered　politely；　〃Good　afternoon；　Doctor。〃
　It　was　still　a　puzzle　to　Vivian　why　she　was　here　at　all。　Her　knee　had　been　paining　her　again；　it　was　true；　but　it　seemed　such　a　small　thing　to　be　put　to　bed　for。　However；　she　didn't　mind　very　much。　In　a　way　the　break　from　nursing…school　routine　was　wele；　and　it　was　pleasant　to　be　reading　and　resting　for　a　change。　Mike　had　just　phoned　too。　He　seemed　concerned　on　hearing　what　had　happened　and　had　promised　to　e　in　later；　as　soon　as　he　could。
　Lucy　drew　the　overhead　curtain　between　the　two　beds；　and　now　Pearson　said；　〃Let　me　see　both　knees；　please。〃
　Vivian　turned　back　the　bedclothes　and　lifted　the　hem　of　her　nightgown。　Pearson　put　down　the　chart　and　bent　over　for　a　close　inspection。
　Lucy　watched　the　pathologist's　short　stubby　fingers　move　carefully　over　the　limbs。　She　thought：　For　someone　who　can　be　so　rough　with　people　he's　surprisingly　gentle。　Once　Vivian　winced　as　a　finger　probed。　Pearson　looked　up。　〃Hurt　you　there；　eh？〃　Vivian　nodded。
　〃I　see　from　Dr。　Grainger's　report　that　you　hit　your　knee　about　five　months　ago；〃　he　said。
　〃Yes；　Doctor。〃　Vivian　was　being　careful　to　get　her　facts　straight。　〃I　didn't　remember　it　at　first…not　until　I　started　thinking　back。　I　hit　it　on　the　bottom　of　a　swimming　pool　though。　I　guess　I　dived　too　deeply。〃
　Pearson　asked　her；　〃Did　it　hurt　very　much　at　the　time？〃
　〃Yes。　But　then　the　pain　went　away　and　I　didn't　think　any　more　about　it…not　until　now。〃
　〃All　right；　Vivian。〃　He　gestured　to　Lucy；　who　pulled　the　bedclothes　back　into　place。
　He　asked　Lucy；　〃Have　you　got　the　X…rays？〃
　〃I　have　them　here。〃　She　produced　a　large　manila　envelope。　〃There　are　two　sets。　The　first　set　didn't　show　anything。　Then　we　softened　them　up　to　see　the　muscles；　and　that　showed　an　irregularity　in　the　bone。〃
　Vivian　listened　interestedly　to　the　exchange。　She　found　herself　experiencing　a　sense　of　importance　that　all　this　should　be　about　her。
　Now　Pearson　and　Lucy　had　moved　to　the　window　and　the　pathologist　held　the　X…ray　negatives　to　the　light。　As　he　studied　the　second　one　Lucy　pointed。　〃There。　You　see？〃　They　looked　at　it　together。
　〃I　guess　so。〃　Pearson　grunted　and　handed　back　the　negatives。　His　attitude　to　X…rays　was　always　that　of　one　specialist　groping　on　the　unfamiliar　territory　of　another。　He　said；　〃Shadows　from　shadow　land。　What　does　Radiology　say？〃
　〃Ralph　Bell　confirms　the　irregularity；〃　Lucy　answered。　〃But　he　can't　see　enough　for　a　diagnosis。　He　agrees　we　should　have　a　biopsy。〃
　Pearson　turned　back　to　the　bed。　〃Do　you　know　what　a　biopsy　is；　Vivian？〃
　〃I　have　an　idea。〃　The　girl　hesitated。　〃But　I'm　not　really　sure。〃
　〃Haven't　taken　it　in　your　nursing　course　yet；　eh？〃
　She　shook　her　head。
　Pearson　said；　〃Well；　what　happens　is　that　Dr。　Grainger　will　take　out　a　small　piece　of　tissue　from　your　knee…just　where　the　trouble　seems　to　be。　Then　it　will　e　down　to　me　and　。　。　。　I'll　study　it。〃
　Vivian　asked；　〃And　can　you　tell　from　that　。　。　。　what's　the　matter？〃
　〃Most　times　I　can。〃　He　started　to　leave；　then　hesitated。　〃Do　you　play　a　lot　of　sports？〃
　〃Oh　yes；　Doctor。　Tennis；　swimming；　skiing。〃　She　added；　〃I　love　horse　riding　too。　I　used　to　do　a　lot　in　Oregon。〃
　〃Oregon；　eh？〃　He　said　it　thoughtfully；　then；　turning　away；　〃All　right；　Vivian；　that's　all　for　now。〃
　Lucy　smiled。　〃I'll　be　back　later。〃　She　gathered　up　the　chart　and　X…rays　and　followed　Pearson　out。
　As　the　door　closed；　for　the　first　time　Vivian　felt　an　uneasy　chill　of　fear。
　When　they　were　well　down　the　corridor　Lucy　asked；　〃What's　your　opinion；　Joe？〃
　〃It　could　be　a　bone　tumor。〃　Pearson　said　it　slowly；　thinking。
　〃Malignant？〃
　〃It's　possible。〃
　They　came　to　the　elevator　and　stopped。　Lucy　said；　〃Of　course；　if　it's　malignant；　I'll　have　to　amputate　the　leg。〃
　Pearson　nodded　slowly。　Suddenly　he　looked　very　old。　〃Yes；〃　he　said。　〃I　was　thinking　of　that。〃
　
　Eleven
　
　The　prop…jet　Viscount　turned　evenly　into　wind　and　began　to　lose　height。　Landing　gear　and　flaps　down；　it　was　lined　up　with　number　one　runway　of　Burlington's　municipal　airport；　dead　ahead。　Watching　the　airplane's　approach　from　the　public　mezzanine；　just　below　the　control　tower；　Dr。　Kent　O'Donnell　reflected　idly　that　aviation　and　medicine　had　a　good　deal　in　mon。　Both　were　products　of　science；　both　were　changing　the　world's　life　and　destroying　old　concepts；　both　were　moving　toward　unknown　horizons　and　a　future　only　dimly　seen。　There　was　another　parallel　too。　Aviation　nowadays　was　having　trouble　keeping　pace　with　its　own　discoveries；　an　aircraft　designer　he　knew　had　told　him　recently；　〃If　an　airplane's　flying　it's　already　out　of　date。〃
　The　practice　of　medicine；　O'Donnell　thought；　shading　his　eyes　from　the　bright　afternoon　sun　of　mid…August；　was　very　much　the　same。　Hospitals；　clinics；　physicians　themselves；　were　never　able　to　be　entirely　up　to　date。　No　matter　how　they　tried；　experimentation；　development；　new　techniques　were　always　ahead…sometimes　by　years。　A　man　might　die　today　when　the　drug　that　could　save　him　was　already　invented　and　even；　perhaps；　in　limited　use。　But　it　took　time　for　new　developments　to　bee　known　and　to　gain　acceptance。　The　same　was　true　of　surgery。　One　surgeon；　or　a　group　of　surgeons；　might　develop　a　new　life…saving　technique。　But　before　it　could　be　used　generally　others　must　master　it　and　pass　their　skill　along。　Sometimes　it　was　a　long　process。　Heart　surgery；　for　example；　was　fairly　general　now　and　within　reach　of　most　who　needed　it　badly。　But　for　a　long　time　only　a　handful　of　surgeons　were　qualified　or　willing　to　attempt　it。
　There　was　always　the　question；　too；　with　new　things：　is　this　good；　is　it　a　wise　development？　Not　all　change　meant　progress。　Plenty　of　times　in　medicine　there　were　false　scents；　theories　running　contrary　to　fact；　individuals　with　enthusiasms　and　obsessions　who　would　go　off　half　cocked；　misleading　others　when　they　did。　Sometimes　it　was　hard　to　steer　a　mid…course　between　open…mindedness　and　reasonable　caution。　At　Three　Counties；　with　its　quota　of　diehards　and　progressives…and　with　good　men　in　both　camps…it　was　a　continuing　problem　for　someone　like　O'Donnell　to　know；　at　any　given　moment；　exactly　where　and　with　whom　his　allegiance　lay。
　His　thoughts　were　broken　by　the　Viscount　taxiing　in；　the　shrill　whine　of　its　motors　drowning　out　the　voices　of　others　around　him。　O'Donnell　waited　until　the　motors　stopped　and　passengers　began　to　disembark。　Then；　seeing　Dr。　Coleman　among　them；　he　went　down　the　stairs　to　greet　the　hospital's　new　assistant　director　of　pathology　in　the　arrival　lobby。
　David　Coleman　was　surprised　to　see　the　chief　of　surgery…tall；　bronzed；　standing　out　from　the　crowd…waiting　for　him　with　outstretched　hand。　O'Donnell　said；　〃It's　good　to　see　you。　Joe　Pearson　couldn't　make　it；　but　we　thought　that　someone　should　be　around　to　say　'wele。'　〃　What　O'Donnell　failed　to　add　was　that　Joe　Pearson　had　flatly　refused　to　go　and；　Harry　Tomaselli　being　out　of　town；　O'Donnell　had　taken　the　time　to　drive　out　himself。
　As　they　moved　through　the　hot；　crowded　lobby　O'Donnell　saw　Coleman　glance　around　him。　He　got　the　impression　that　the　younger　man　was　making　a　quick　assessment　of　his　surroundings。　Perhaps　it　was　a　habit…if　so；　a　good　one。　Certainly　David　Coleman　would　stand　up　to　scrutiny　himself。　Though　he　had　had　a　three…hour　air　journey；　his　gabardine　suit　was　uncreased；　his　well…trimmed　hair　carefully　parted　and　brushed；　his　shave　recent。　He　wore　no　hat；　which　made　him　look　younger　than　his　thirty…one　years。　Though　slighter　than　O'Donnell　in　build；　his　features　were　clear…cut　and　well　defined；　he　had　a　longish　face　and　an　incisive　jaw。　The　brief　case　under　his　arm　added　a　professional　touch；　picture　of　a　young　scientist；　O'Donnell　thought。　He　steered　Coleman　toward　the　baggage　counter。　A　trailerload　of　bags　was　being　unloaded；　and　they　joined　the　scrimmage　with　other　passengers　who　had　disembarked。
　O'Donnell　said；　〃This　is　the　part　of　air　travel　I　dislike。〃
　Coleman　nodded　and　smiled　faintly。　It　was　almost　as　if　he　had　said；　Let's　not　waste　our　talents　on　small　talk；　shall　we？
　This　is　a　cool　customer；　O'Donnell　thought。　He　noticed；　as　he　had　at　their　previous　meeting；　the　steel…gray　eyes　and　wondered　what　it　took　to　penetrate　behind　them。　Now　Coleman　was　standing；　unmoving　among　the　crowd；　glancing　around。　Almost　as　if　by　mand；　ignoring　others；　a　redcap　gravitated　toward　him。
　Ten　minutes　later；　as　O'Donnell　threaded　his　Buick　through　the　airport　traffic　and　headed　toward　town；　he　said；　〃We've　put　you　up　in　the　Roosevelt　Hotel。　It's　as　fortable　as　any　and