ah.thefinaldiagnosis-第44节

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　Elizabeth　Alexander　was　feeling　good。　About　to　begin　lunch　in　Three　Counties　Hospital　cafeteria；　she　realized　she　had　been　feeling　that　way　for　days；　but　especially　so　this　morning。　The　child　inside　her　was　alive　and　stirring；　even　at　this　moment　she　could　detect　its　movements　faintly。　She　had　just　e　from　a　department…store　sale　where；　amid　the　melee　of　women；　she　had　victoriously　acquired　some　bright　fabrics　for　the　apartment；　including　one　length　for　the　tiny　extra　bedroom　which　was　to　be　the　baby's。　And　now　she　had　met　John。
　It　was　the　first　time　they　had　had　a　meal　together　in　the　hospital。　Use　of　the　cafeteria　by　employees'　families　was　an　unwritten　privilege　the　hospital　allowed；　and　John　had　learned　about　it　a　few　days　earlier。　A　few　minutes　ago　they　had　lined　up　to　select　their　food　and　Elizabeth　had　chosen　a　salad；　soup；　a　roll；　roast　lamb　with　potatoes　and　cabbage；　pie　with　cheese；　and　milk。　John　had　asked　good…humoredly；　〃Are　you　sure　you　have　enough？〃
　Elizabeth　selected　a　stick　of　celery。　Biting　into　it；　she　said；　〃This　is　a　hungry　baby。〃
　John　smiled。　A　few　minutes　earlier；　on　the　way　to　lunch；　he　had　felt　defeated　and　depressed；　this　morning's　tongue…lashing　by　Dr。　Pearson　still　fresh　in　mind。　But　Elizabeth's　infectious　spirits　had　caused　him　to　shrug　it　off；　at　least　for　the　time　being。　After　all；　he　reflected；　there　would　be　no　more　trouble　in　the　lab　because　from　now　on　he　intended　to　watch　his　step　carefully。　In　any　case；　Dr。　Pearson　had　now　done　the　sensitization　tests　himself…in　saline　and　high　protein…and　had　pronounced　both　test　results　negative。　〃So　far　as　your　wife's　blood　is　concerned；〃　he　had　said；　〃there　is　nothing　for　anyone　to　worry　about。〃　In　fact；　he　had　been　almost　kindly　about　it…at　least　it　seemed　that　way　after　the　earlier　outburst。
　There　was　another　thing　to　remember：　Dr。　Pearson　was　a　pathologist　and　John　was　not。　Maybe　Dr。　Pearson　was　right；　perhaps　John　had　placed　too　much　importance　on　some　of　the　things　that　were　taught　at　technology　school。　Wasn't　it　a　well…known　fact　that　schools　always　pumped　a　lot　of　theory　into　you　that　you　had　no　use　for　in　the　practical　world　outside？　Goodness　knows；　he　thought；　there　are　plenty　of　subjects　in　high　school　and　college　that　you　never　work　at　again　once　final　exams　are　over。　Couldn't　this　be　the　same　thing？　Couldn't　John　himself　have　taken　too　seriously　the　school　theory　about　the　need　for　a　third　sensitization　test；　whereas　Dr。　Pearson；　with　all　his　practical　knowledge；　knew　it　was　unnecessary？
　What　was　it　Dr。　Pearson　had　said　while　he　was　doing　the　tests　this　morning？　〃If　we　changed　our　laboratory　methods　every　time　something　new　came　up；　there'd　never　be　any　end　to　it。　In　medicine　there　are　new　ideas　ing　out　every　day。　But　in　a　hospital　we　have　to　make　sure　they're　proven　and　valuable　before　we　start　to　use　them。　Here　we're　dealing　with　people's　lives　and　we　can't　afford　to　take　chances。〃
　John　had　not　quite　been　able　to　see　how　an　extra　blood　test　would　imperil　anybody's　life；　but；　all　the　same；　Dr。　Pearson　did　have　a　point　about　the　new　ideas。　John　knew　from　his　own　reading　that　there　were　lots　of　them　around　and　not　all　good。　Of　course；　Dr。　Coleman　had　been　pretty　definite　about　the　need　for　a　third　sensitization　test。　But　then　he　was　a　lot　younger　than　Dr。　Pearson；　certainly　he　had　not　had　as　much　experience　。　。　。
　〃Your　soup's　getting　cold。〃　Elizabeth　broke　in　on　his　thoughts。　〃What　are　you　so　pensive　about？〃
　〃Nothing；　honey。〃　He　decided　to　put　the　whole　thing　out　of　his　mind。　Elizabeth；　at　times；　had　a　disconcerting　habit　of　worming　out　his　thoughts。　〃I　meant　to　ask　you　last　week；〃　he　said。　〃How　was　your　weight？〃
　〃It's　about　right；〃　Elizabeth　answered　cheerfully。　〃But　Dr。　Dornberger　said　I　have　to　eat　well。〃　She　had　finished　her　soup　and　was　attacking　the　roast　lamb　hungrily。
　Glancing　up；　John　Alexander　noticed　Dr。　Coleman　approaching。　The　new　pathologist　was　on　his　way　to　the　tables　where　the　medical　staff　usually　sat。　On　impulse　Alexander　rose　from　his　chair。　〃Dr。　Coleman！〃
　David　Coleman　glanced　across。　〃Yes？〃
　〃Doctor；　I'd　like　to　have　you　meet　my　wife。〃　Then；　as　Coleman　came　toward　them；　〃Elizabeth；　honey；　this　is　Dr。　Coleman。〃
　〃How　do　you　do；　Mrs。　Alexander？〃　Coleman　paused；　holding　the　tray　he　had　collected　from　the　counter。
　A　trifle　awkwardly　John　Alexander　said；　〃You　remember；　honey？…I　told　you　the　doctor　came　from　New　Richmond　too。〃
　〃Yes；　of　course；〃　Elizabeth　said。　Then　directly　to　Coleman；　smiling；　〃Hullo；　Dr。　Coleman…I　remember　you　very　well。　Didn't　you　used　to　e　into　my　father's　store　sometimes？〃
　〃That's　right。〃　He　recalled　her　clearly　now：　a　cheerful；　long…legged　girl　who　used　to　clamber　obligingly　around　that　cluttered；　old…fashioned　store；　finding　things　that　had　got　lost　in　the　confusion。　She　didn't　seem　to　have　changed　much。　He　said；　〃I　think　you　once　sold　me　some　clothesline。〃
　She　answered　brightly；　〃I　believe　I　remember　that。　Was　it　all　right？〃
　He　appeared　to　ponder。　〃Now　you　mention　it；　I　think　it　broke。〃
　Elizabeth　laughed。　〃If　you　take　it　back；　I'm　sure　my　mother　will　exchange　it。　She　still　runs　the　store。　It's　more　of　a　mess　than　ever。〃　Her　good　humor　was　infectious。　Coleman　smiled。
　John　Alexander　had　pulled　back　a　chair。　〃Won't　you　join　us；　Doctor？〃
　For　a　moment　Coleman　hesitated。　Then；　realizing　it　would　be　churlish　to　refuse；　〃All　right；〃　he　said。　He　put　down　his　tray…it　contained　a　Spartan　lunch…a　small　fruit　salad　and　a　glass　of　milk…and　sat　at　the　table。　Looking　at　Elizabeth；　he　said；　〃If　I　remember；　didn't　you　have　pigtails　when　I　knew　you？〃
　〃Yes；〃　she　answered　promptly；　〃and　bands　on　my　teeth　as　well。　I　grew　out　of　them。〃
　David　Coleman　found　himself　liking　this　girl。　And　seeing　her　here　today　had　been　like　suddenly　turning　a　page　from　the　past。　She　reminded　him　of　earlier　years；　Indiana　had　been　a　good　place　to　live。　He　remembered　the　summers　home　from　school；　driving　on　rounds　with　his　father　in　the　doctor's　old　and　battered　Chevrolet。　He　said　reflectively；　〃It's　a　long　time　since　I　was　in　New　Richmond。　My　father　died；　you　know；　and　Mother　moved　to　the　West　Coast。　There's　nothing　to　take　me　back　there　now。〃　Then　drawing　his　thoughts　away；　〃Tell　me；〃　he　said　to　Elizabeth；　〃how　do　you　like　being　married　to　a　medical　man？〃
　Swiftly　John　Alexander　put　in；　〃Not　a　medical　man…just　a　technologist。〃　When　he　had　said　it　he　wondered　why。　Perhaps　it　was　a　reflex　action　from　what　had　happened　this　morning。　A　few　minutes　ago；　when　Coleman　had　joined　them；　John　had　considered　telling　him　about　the　incident　in　the　lab。　But　immediately　afterward　he　had　decided　not　to。　Talking　freely　with　Dr。　Coleman　had　got　him　into　enough　trouble　already。　He　decided　to　leave　well　enough　alone。
　〃Don't　sell　technology　short；〃　Coleman　said。　〃It's　pretty　important。〃
　Elizabeth　said；　〃He　doesn't。　But　sometimes　he　wishes　he　had　bee　a　doctor　instead。〃
　Coleman　turned　to　him。　〃Is　that　right？〃
　Alexander　wished　Elizabeth　had　not　brought　this　up。　He　said　reluctantly；　〃I　did　have　ideas　that　way。　For　a　time。〃
　Coleman　speared　some　fruit　salad　with　his　fork。　〃Why　didn't　you　go　to　medical　school？〃
　〃The　usual　reasons…money　mostly。　I　didn't　have　any；　and　I　wanted　to　start　earning。〃
　Between　mouthfuls　Coleman　said；　〃You　could　still　do　it。　How　old　are　you？〃
　Elizabeth　answered　for　him。　〃John　will　be　twenty…three。　In　two　months'　time。〃
　〃That's　pretty　old；　of　course。〃　They　laughed；　then　Coleman　added；　〃You've　still　got　time。〃
　〃Oh；　I　know。〃　John　Alexander　said　it　slowly；　thoughtfully；　as　if　knowing　in　advance　that　his　own　argument　was　unconvincing。　〃The　trouble　is；　it　would　mean　a　big　financial　struggle　just　when　we're　beginning　to　get　settled。　And　besides；　with　a　baby　ing　。　。　。〃　He　left　the　sentence　hanging。
　Coleman　took　the　glass　of　milk　and　drank　deeply。　Then　he　said；　〃Plenty　of　people　have　gone　through　medical　school　with　a　baby。　And　financial　problems。〃
　〃That's　exactly　what　I've　been　saying！〃　Elizabeth　said　it　intensely；　leaning　forward　across　the　table。　〃I'm　so　glad　to　hear　it　from　someone　else。〃
　Coleman　wiped　his　mouth　with　a　napkin；　then　put　it　down。　He　looked　directly　at　Alexander。　He　had　a　feeling　that　he　had　been　right　in　his　first　impression　of　this　young　technologist。　He　seemed　intelligent　and　conscientious；　certainly　he　was　interested　in　his　work…that　had　been　evident　the　other　day。　Coleman　said；　〃You　know　what　I　think；　John？　I　think　if　you　feel　like　this；　and　don't　go　to　medical　school　while　you　have　the　chance；　it　may　be　something　you'll　regret　the　rest　of　your　life。〃
　Alexander　was　looking　down；　absently　moving　his　knife　and　fork。
　Elizabeth　asked；　〃There's　still　a　need　for　a　lot　of　doctors　in　pathology；　isn't　there？〃
　〃Oh　yes。〃　Coleman　nodded　emphatically。　〃Perhaps　more　in　pathology　than　anywhere　else。〃
　〃Why　is　that？〃
　〃There's　a　need　of　research　for　one　thing…to　keep　medicine　moving　ahead；　to　fill　in　the　gaps　behind。〃
　She　asked；　〃What　do　you　mean…the　gaps　behind？〃
　Momentarily　the　thought　occurred　to　David　Coleman　that　he　was　talking　more　freely　than　usual。　He　found　himself　about　to　express　ideas　which　most　of　the　time　he　kept　locked　in　his　own　mind。　But　the　pany　of　these　two　had　seemed　refreshing；　possibly　because　it　was　a　change　to