ah.thefinaldiagnosis-第39节

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eman…〃some　outside　confirmation。〃
　
　Thirteen
　
　Vivian　kept　very　still…bewildered；　unprehending。　This　thing　could　not　be　happening　to　her；　it　must　be　someone　else　Dr。　Grainger　was　speaking　about。　Her　thoughts　raced。　That　was　it！　Somehow　the　charts　of　two　patients　had　bee　mixed。　It　had　happened　before　in　hospitals。　Dr。　Grainger　was　busy；　she　could　easily　be　confused。　Perhaps　some　other　patient　was　even　now　being　told　。　。　。
　Abruptly　she　stopped　her　thoughts；　made　them　stand　still；　tried　to　clear　her　mind。　There　was　no　mistake。　She　knew　it；　clearly　and　definitely；　from　the　expressions　of　Dr。　Grainger　and　Mike　Seddons。　They　were　watching　her　now；　seated　on　either　side　of　the　hospital　bed　where　Vivian　half　lay；　half　sat；　propped　up　by　pillows　behind　her。
　She　turned　to　Lucy　Grainger。　〃When　will　you　know　。　。　。　for　sure？〃
　〃In　two　days。　Dr。　Pearson　will　tell　us　then。　One　way　or　the　other。〃
　〃And　he　doesn't　know　。　。　。〃
　Lucy　said；　〃Not　at　this　moment；　Vivian。　He　doesn't　know。　He　doesn't　know　anything　for　sure。〃
　〃Oh；　Mike！〃　She　reached　for　his　hand。
　He　took　it　gently。　Then　she　said；　〃I'm　sorry　。　。　。　but　I　think　。　。　。　I'm　going　to　cry。〃
　As　Seddons　put　his　arms　around　Vivian；　Lucy　rose　to　her　feet。　〃I'll　e　back　later。〃　She　asked　Seddons；　〃You'll　stay　for　a　while？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　Lucy　said；　〃Make　sure　that　Vivian　is　quite　clear　in　her　mind　that　nothing　is　definite。　It's　just　that　I　want　her　to　be　prepared　。　。　。　in　case。〃
　He　nodded；　the　untidy　red　hair　moving　slowly。　〃I　understand。〃
　As　she　went　out　into　the　corridor　Lucy　thought：　Yes；　I'm　quite　sure　you　do。〃
　Yesterday　afternoon；　when　Joe　Pearson　had　reported　to　her　by　telephone；　Lucy　had　been　undecided　whether　to　tell　Vivian　at　this　stage　what　the　possibilities　were　or　to　wait　until　later。　If　she　waited；　and　Pathology's　report　on　the　biopsy　was　〃benign；〃　all　would　be　well　and　Vivian　would　never　know　of　the　shadow　which；　for　a　while；　had　drifted　darkly　over　her。　But；　on　the　other　hand；　if；　two　days　from　now；　the　pathology　report　said　〃malignant；〃　amputation　would　bee　vitally　urgent。　In　that　case；　could　Vivian　be　prepared　in　time；　or　would　the　psychological　impact　be　too　great？　The　shock；　suddenly　thrust　upon　a　young　girl　who　had　not　suspected　that　anything　serious　was　wrong；　could　be　tremendous。　It　might　be　days　before　Vivian　was　ready　mentally　to　accept　major　surgery…days　they　could　ill　afford　to　lose。
　There　was　something　else　Lucy　had　also　weighed　in　balance。　The　fact　that　Joe　Pearson　was　seeking　outside　opinion　was　significant　in　itself。　If　it　had　been　a　clear…cut　case　of　benign　tissue；　he　would　have　said　so　at　once。　The　fact　that　he　had　not；　despite　his　unwillingness　to　mit　himself　either　way　when　they　had　talked；　meant　that　malignancy　was　at　least　a　strong　possibility。
　Deliberating　all　these　things；　Lucy　had　decided　that　Vivian　must　be　told　the　situation　now。　If；　later；　the　verdict　was　〃benign；〃　it　was　true　she　would　have　suffered　fear　unneedfully。　But　better　that　than　a　sudden　explosive　impact　for　which　she　was　pletely　unprepared。
　The　immediate　problem　had　also　been　simplified　by　the　appearance　of　Dr。　Seddons。　Last　evening　the　young　resident　had　e　to　Lucy　and　told　her　of　his　own　and　Vivian's　plans　for　marriage。　He　had　admitted　that　at　first　his　own　intention　had　been　to　remain　in　the　background；　but　now　he　had　changed　his　mind。　Lucy　was　glad　he　had。　At　least　it　meant　that　Vivian　was　no　longer　alone　and　there　was　someone　whom　she　could　turn　to　for　support　and　fort。
　Without　question；　the　girl　would　need　plenty　of　both。　Lucy　had　broken　the　news　that　she　suspected　osteogenic　sara…with　all　its　tragic　possibilities…as　gently　as　she　could。　But　no　matter　how　one　put　it；　there　was　no　real　way　of　softening　the　blow。　Now　Lucy　remembered　the　next　thing　she　had　to　do：　apprise　the　girl's　parents　of　the　situation　as　it　stood。　She　glanced　down　at　a　slip　of　paper　in　her　hand。　It　contained　an　address　in　Salem；　Oregon；　which　she　had　copied　earlier　from　the　〃next…of…kin〃　entry　on　Vivian's　admitting　form。　She　already　had　the　girl's　agreement　that　her　parents　could　be　told。　Now　Lucy　must　do　the　best　job　she　could　of　breaking　the　news　by　long…distance　telephone。
　Already　her　mind　was　anticipating　what　might　happen　next。　Vivian　was　a　minor。　Under　state　law　a　parent's　consent　was　required　before　any　amputation　could　be　performed。　If　the　parents　planned　to　fly　here　immediately　from　Oregon；　the　written　consent　could　be　obtained　on　arrival。　If　not；　she　must　do　her　best　to　persuade　them　to　telegraph　the　authority；　giving　Lucy　the　discretion　to　use　it　if　necessary。
　Lucy　glanced　at　her　watch。　She　had　a　full　schedule　of　appointments　this　morning　in　her　office　downtown。　Perhaps　she　had　better　make　the　call　now；　before　leaving　Three　Counties。　On　the　second　floor　she　turned　into　the　tiny　hospital　office　she　shared　with　Gil　Bartlett。　It　was　little　more　than　a　cubicle…so　small　that　they　rarely　used　it　at　the　same　time。　Now　it　was　very　much　occupied…by　Bartlett　and　Kent　O'Donnell。
　As　he　saw　her　O'Donnell　said；　〃Sorry；　Lucy。　I'll　get　out。　This　place　was　never　built　for　three。〃
　〃There's　no　need。〃　She　squeezed　past　the　two　men　and　sat　down　at　the　tiny　desk。　〃I　have　a　couple　of　things　to　do；　then　I'm　leaving。〃
　〃You'd　be　wise　to　stay。〃　Gil　Bartlett's　beard　followed　its　usual　bobbing　course。　His　voice　was　bantering。　〃Kent　and　I　are　being　extremely　profound　this　morning。　We're　discussing　the　entire　future　of　surgery。〃
　〃Some　people　will　tell　you　it　doesn't　have　a　future。〃　Lucy's　tone　matched　Bartlett's。　She　had　opened　a　desk　drawer　and　was　extracting　some　clinical　notes　she　needed　for　one　of　her　downtown　appointments。　〃They　say　all　surgeons　are　on　the　way　to　being　extinct；　that　in　a　few　years　we'll　be　as　out…of…date　as　the　dodo　and　the　witch　doctor。〃
　Nothing　pleased　Bartlett　more　than　this　kind　of　exchange。　He　said；　〃And　who；　I　ask　you；　will　do　the　cutting　and　plumbing　on　the　bloomin'　bleeding　bodies？〃
　〃There　won't　be　any　cutting。〃　Lucy　had　found　the　notes　and　reached　for　a　brief　case。　〃Everything　will　be　diagnostic。　Medicine　will　employ　the　forces　of　nature　against　nature's　own　malfunctioning。　Our　mental　health　will　have　been　proven　as　the　root　of　organic　disease。　You'll　prevent　cancer　by　psychiatry　and　gout　by　applied　psychology。〃　She　zippered　the　brief　case；　then　added　lightly；　〃As　you　may　guess；　I'm　quoting。〃
　〃I　can　hardly　wait　for　it　to　happen。〃　Kent　O'Donnell　smiled。　As　always；　nearness　to　Lucy　gave　him　a　feeling　of　pleasure。　Was　he　being　foolish；　even　ridiculous；　in　holding　back　from　allowing　their　relationship　to　bee　more　intimate？　What　was　he　afraid　of；　after　all？　Perhaps　they　should　spend　another　evening　together；　then　let　whatever　happened　take　its　course。　But　here　and　now…with　Gil　Bartlett　present…was　obviously　no　time　to　make　arrangements。
　〃I　doubt　if　any　of　us　will　live　that　long。〃　As　Lucy　spoke　the　phone　on　the　desk　rang　softly。　She　picked　it　up　and　answered；　then　passed　the　instrument　to　Gil　Bartlett。　〃It's　for　you。〃
　〃Yes？〃　Bartlett　said。
　〃Dr。　Bartlett？〃　They　could　hear　a　woman's　voice　at　the　other　end　of　the　line。
　〃Speaking。〃
　〃This　is　Miss　Rawson　in　Emergency。　I　have　a　message　from　Dr。　Clifford。〃　Clifford　was　the　hospital's　senior　surgical　resident。
　〃Go　ahead。〃
　〃He　would　like　you　to　e　down　and　scrub；　if　you　can。　There's　been　a　traffic　accident　on　the　turnpike。　We've　several　seriously　injured　people；　including　a　bad　chest　case。　That's　the　one　Dr。　Clifford　would　like　your　help　with。〃
　〃Tell　him　I'll　be　right　there。〃　Bartlett　replaced　the　phone。　〃Sorry；　Lucy。　Have　to　finish　some　other　time。〃　He　moved　to　the　doorway；　then　paused。　〃I'll　tell　you　one　thing；　though…I　don't　think　I'll　worry　about　unemployment。　As　long　as　they　go　on　building　bigger　and　faster　motorcars　there'll　always　be　a　place　for　surgeons。〃
　He　went　out　and；　with　a　friendly　nod　to　Lucy；　O'Donnell　followed　him。　Alone；　Lucy　paused　a　moment；　then　picked　up　the　telephone　again。　When　the　operator　answered；　〃I　want　a　long…distance　call；　please；〃　she　said；　reaching　for　the　slip　of　paper。　〃It's　person…to…person…Salem；　Oregon。〃
　
　Threading　the　corridor　traffic　with　the　skill　of　long　practice；　Kent　O'Donnell　headed　briskly　for　his　own　office　in　the　hospital。　He　too　had　a　full　schedule　ahead。　In　less　than　half　an　hour　he　was　due　on　the　operating　floor；　later　there　was　a　meeting　of　the　medical　executive　mittee；　and　after　that　he　had　several　patients　to　see　downtown；　a　program　which　would　take　him　well　into　the　evening。
　As　he　walked　he　found　himself　thinking　once　more　of　Lucy　Grainger。　Seeing　her；　being　as　close　as　they　were　a　few　moments　ago；　had　set　him　wondering　again　about　Lucy　and　himself。　But　now　the　old　familiar　doubts…the　feeling　that　perhaps　their　interests　had　too　much　in　mon　for　any　permanent　relationship…came　crowding　back。
　He　wondered　why　he　had　thought　so　much　about　Lucy　lately…or　any　woman　for　that　matter。　Perhaps　it　was　because　the　early　forties　were　traditionally　a　restive　time　for　men。　Then　he　smiled　inwardly；　recollecting　that　there　had　seldom　been　a　period　when　occasional　love　affairs…of　one　kind　or　another…had　not　e　naturally　to　him。　Nowadays　they　were　merely　spaced　more　widely　apart。　Also；　of　necessity；　he　was　obliged　to　be　considerably　more　discr