dk.nightchills-第16部分

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　An　animal　moved　in　the　underbrush。
　Overhead；　above　the　canopy　of　trees；　a　hawk　screamed。
　Suddenly　the　summer　forest　seemed　much　too　dark；　too　dense；　too　wild：　sinister。
　You're　being　foolish；　he　thought。　You're　no　fortune　teller。　You're　no　clairvoyant。
　Nevertheless；　he　hurried　along　the　winding　path；　anxious　to　catch　up　with　Mark　and　Rya。
　At　11：15　that　morning；　Dr。　Walter　Troutman　was　at　the　big　mahogany　desk　in　his　surgery。　He　was　eating　an　early　lunch…　two　roast　beef　sandwiches；　an　orange；　a　banana；　an　apple；　a　cup　of　butterscotch　pudding；　and　several　glasses　of　iced　tea…　and　reading　a　medical　journal。
　As　the　only　physician　in　Black　River；　he　felt　that　he　had　two　primary　responsibilities　to　the　people　in　the　area。　The　first　was　to　be　certain　that；　in　the　event　of　a　catastrophe　at　the　mill　or　some　other　medical　crisis；　he　would　never　find　himself　undernourished　and　in　want　of　energy　to　fulfill　his　duties。　The　second　was　to　be　aware　of　all　developments　in　medical　techniques　and　theory；　so　that　the　people　who　came　to　him　would　receive　the　most　modern　treatment　available。　Scores　of　satisfied　patients…　and　the　reverence　and　affection　with　which　the　whole　town　regarded　him…testified　to　his　success　in　meeting　his　second　responsibility。　As　for　the　first；　he　stood　five　eleven　and　weighed　two　hundred　and　seventy　pounds。
　When　an　overweight　patient；　in　the　middle　of　one　of　the　doctor's　lectures；　had　the　temerity　to　mention　Troutman's　own　excess　poundage；　he　was　always　countered　with　the　same　joke。　〃Obese？　Me？〃　Troutman　would　ask；　clearly　astonished。　〃This　isn't　fat　I'm　carrying。　It's　stored　energy；　ready　to　be　tapped　if　there's　ever　a　catastrophe　up　at　the　mill。〃　Then　he　would　continue　his　lecture。
　In　truth；　of　course；　he　was　an　almost　pulsive　eater　and　had　been　all　of　his　life。　By　the　time　he　was　thirty；　he　had　given
　up　dieting　and　psychotherapy　as　truly　lost　causes。　The　same　year；　having　been　guaranteed　a　handsome　stipend　by　the　Big　Union　Supply　pany；　he　had　e　to　Black　River　where　the　people　were　so　pleased　to　have　a　doctor　of　their　own　that　they　didn't　care　if　he　was　fat；　thin；　white；　black；　or　green。　For　twenty　years　now；　he　had　been　acmodating　his　pulsion；　stuffing　himself　with　cakes　and　cookies　and　pies　and　five　square　meals　a　day；　and　in　sum　he　felt　that　his　life　held　more　enjoyment　than　that　of　any　other　man　he　knew。
　As　he　was　about　to　enjoy　it　even　more；　as　he　was　picking　up　the　second　roast　beef　sandwich；　the　telephone　rang。　He　considered　not　answering　it。　But　he　was　the　kind　of　doctor　who　went　out　on　house　calls　at　any　hour　of　the　day　or　night。　Even　lunch　had　to　be　put　aside　if　a　patient　needed　help。　He　picked　up　the　receiver。　〃Hello？〃
　〃Dr。　Troutman？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　The　voice　on　the　other　end　of　the　line　was　cold　and　sharp。　〃I　am　the　key；　Dr。　Troutman。〃
　〃I　am　the　lock；〃　Troutman　said　without　hesitation。
　〃Are　you　alone　in　the　house？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Where　is　your　nurse；　Miss　MacDonald？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　At　home；　I　suppose。〃
　〃When　will　she　be　ing　to　work？〃
　〃Half　an　hour　before　the　office　opens。〃
　〃And　the　office　opens　at　one　thirty？〃
　〃That's　correct；〃　Troutman　said。
　〃Are　you　expecting　anyone　else　before　one　o'clock？〃
　〃No。　No　one。〃
　The　stranger　was　silent　for　a　moment。
　Troutman　listened　to　his　desk　clock　ticking。　He　glanced　at　the　food　laid　out　on　a　linen　napkin　in　front　of　him；　picked　a　Sliver　of　roast　beef　from　the　sandwich；　and　ate　it　quickly　like　a　fish　taking　a　fly。
　When　the　man　on　the　other　end　of　the　line　had　decided　on　his　approach；　he　said；　〃I'm　going　to　ask　you　a　number　of　important　questions；　doctor。　You　will　give　me　plete　answers　to　the　best　of　your　ability。〃
　〃Yes；　of　course。〃
　〃Have　you　recently　had　an　epidemic　of　any　sort　in　Black　River？〃
　〃Yes；　we　have。〃
　〃Of　what？〃
　〃Night　chills。〃
　〃Explain　what　you　mean　by　that　term；　doctor。〃
　〃Severe　chills；　cold　sweats；　nausea　but　without　vomiting…and　the　resultant　insomnia。〃
　〃When　were　the　first　cases　reported　to　you？〃
　〃Wednesday；　the　tenth　of　this　month。　Nine　days　ago。〃
　〃Did　any　of　your　patients　mention　nightmares？〃
　〃Every　one　of　them　said　he'd　been　awakened　by　a　terrible　dream。〃
　〃Could　any　of　them　remember　what　it　was？〃
　〃No。　None　of　them。〃
　〃What　treatment　did　you　provide？〃
　〃I　gave　placebos　to　the　first　few。　But　when　I　suffered　the　chills　myself　on　Wednesday　night；　and　when　there　were　scores　of　new　cases　on　Thursday；　I　began　to　prescribe　a　low…grade　antibiotic。〃
　〃That　had　no　effect；　of　course。〃
　〃None　whatsoever。〃
　〃Did　you　refer　any　patients　to　another　physician？〃
　〃No。　The　nearest　other　doctor　is　sixty　miles　away…and　he's　in　his　late　seventies。　However；　I　did　request　an　investigation　by　the　State　Health　Authority。〃
　The　stranger　was　silent　for　a　moment。　Then：　〃You　did　that　merely　because　there　was　an　epidemic　of　rather　mild　influenza？〃
　〃It　was　mild；〃　Troutman　said；　〃but　decidedly　unusual。　No　fever。　No　swelling　of　the　glands。　And　yet；　for　as　mild　as　it　was；　it　spread　throughout　the　town　and　the　mill　within　twenty…four　hours。　Everyone　had　it。　Of　course　I　wondered　if　it　might　not　be　influenza　at　all　but　some　sort　of　poisoning。〃
　〃Poisoning？〃
　〃Yes。　Of　a　mon　food　or　water　supply。〃
　〃When　did　you　contact　the　Health　Authority？〃
　〃Friday　the　twelfth；　late　in　the　afternoon。〃
　〃And　they　sent　a　man？〃
　〃Not　until　Monday。〃
　〃Was　there　still　an　epidemic　at　that　time？〃
　〃No；〃　Troutman　said。　〃Everyone　in　town　had　the　chills；　the　cold　sweats；　and　the　nausea　again　Saturday　night。　But　no　one　was　ill　Sunday　night。　Whatever　it　was；　it　disappeared　even　more　suddenly　than　it　came。〃
　〃Did　the　State　Health　Authority　still　run　an　investigation？〃　Intently　studying　the　food　on　the　napkin；　Troutman　shifted　in　his　chair　and　said；　〃Oh；　yes。　Dr。　Evans；　one　of　their　junior　field　men；　spent　all　of　Monday　and　most　of　Tuesday　interviewing　people　and　taking　tests。〃
　〃Tests？　You　mean　of　food　and　water？〃
　〃Yes。　Blood　and　urine　samples　too。〃
　〃Did　he　take　water　samples　from　the　reservoir？〃
　〃Yes。　He　filled　at　least　twenty　vials　and　bottles。〃
　〃Has　he　filed　his　report　yet？〃
　Troutman　licked　his　lips　and　said；　〃Yes。　He　called　me　last　evening　to　give　me　the　results　of　the　tests。〃
　〃I　suppose　he　found　nothing？〃
　〃That's　correct。　All　the　tests　were　negative。〃
　〃Does　he　have　any　theories？〃　the　stranger　asked；　a　vague　trace　of　anxiety　in　his　voice。
　That　bothered　Troutman。　The　key　should　not　be　anxious。　The　key　had　all　the　answers。　〃He　believes　that　we've　experienced　a　rare　case　of　mass　psychological　illness。〃
　〃An　epidemic　of　formulated　hysteria？〃
　〃Yes。　Exactly。〃
　〃Then　he's　making　no　remendations？〃
　〃None　that　I　know　of。〃
　〃He　has　terminated　the　investigation？〃
　〃That's　what　he　told　me。〃
　The　stranger　sighed　softly。　〃Doctor；　earlier　you　told　me　that
　everyone　in　town　and　at　the　mill　had　experienced　the　night　chills。　Were　you　speaking　figuratively　or　literally？〃
　〃Figuratively；〃　Troutman　said。　〃There　were　exceptions。　Perhaps　twenty　children；　all　under　eight　years　of　age。　And　two　adults。　Sam　Edison　and　his　daughter；　Jenny。〃
　〃The　people　who　run　the　general　store？〃　〃That's　correct。〃
　〃They　didn't　suffer　from　the　chills　at　all？〃　〃Not　at　all。〃
　〃Are　they　connected　to　the　town's　water　supply？〃
　〃Everyone　in　town　is。〃
　〃All　right。　What　about　the　lumbermen　who　work　in　the　planned　forests　beyond　the　mill？　Some　of　them　virtually　live　out　there。　Were　they　all　affected？〃
　〃Yes。　That　was　something　Dr。　Evans　wanted　to　know　too；〃　Troutman　said。　〃He　interviewed　all　of　them。〃
　The　stranger　said；　〃I've　no　more　questions；　Dr。　Troutman；　but　I　do　have　some　orders　for　you。　When　you　hang　up　your　receiver；　you　will　instantly　wipe　all　memory　of　our　conversation　from　your　mind。　Do　you　understand？〃
　〃Yes。　Perfectly。〃
　〃You'll　forget　every　word　we've　exchanged。　You'll　erase　this　memory　from　both　your　conscious　and　subconscious；　so　that　it　can　never　be　recalled　no　matter　how　much　you　might　wish　to　recall　it。　Understood？〃
　Troutman　nodded　somberly。　〃Yes。〃
　〃When　you　hang　up　your　receiver；　you　will　remember　only　that　the　phone　rang…and　that　it　was　a　wrong　number。　Is　that　clear？〃
　〃A　wrong　number。　Yes；　that's　clear。〃
　〃Very　well。　Hang　up；　doctor。〃
　Carelessness；　Troutman　thought；　a　bit　irritably；　as　he　put　down　the　receiver。　If　people　paid　attention　to　what　they　were　doing；　they　wouldn't　dial　so　many　wrong　numbers　or　make　one　tenth　of　the　other　mistakes　that　peppered　their　lives。　How　many　patients；　badly　cut　or　burned；　had　he　treated　who　had　been　injured　only　because　they　were　inattentive；　careless？
　Scores。　Hundreds。　Thousands！　Sometimes；　when　he　opened　the　door　of　his　waiting　room　and　peered　inside；　he　had　the　feeling　that　he　had　just　pulled　a　pan　from　the　oven　and　was　staring　not　at　people　but　at　a　row　of　wall…eyed　trout　with　gaping　mouths。　And　now；　tying　up　a　doctor's　line　with　a　wrong　number；　even　for　half　a　minute　or　so…well；　that　could　be　damned　serious。
　He　shook　his　head；　dismayed　by　the　ineptitude　and　inefficiency　of　his　fellow　citizens。
　Then　he　grabbed　the　roast　beef　sandwich　and　took　an　enormous　bite　from　it。
　At　11：45　Paul　Annendale　stepped　into　Sam　Edison's　study　on　the　second　floor　of　the　house；　just　above　the　general　store。　〃Squire　Edis