ah.thefinaldiagnosis-第17部分

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　〃I　suppose　so。〃　O'Donnell　was　conscious　of　being　strangely　moved。　There　was　a　sense　of　depth　and　tenderness　about　Lucy；　a　feeling　of　peacefulness　and　ing　home。　She　should　have　children；　he　thought。　He　had　asked；　〃Do　you　still　feel　the　same　way　about　marriage　and　medicine…for　you；　that　is？〃
　〃I'm　no　longer　dogmatic　about　anything。〃　She　smiled。　〃That；　at　least；　I've　learned。〃
　O'Donnell　wondered　what；　from　his　own　point　of　view；　marriage　to　Lucy　would　be　like。　Would　there　be　love　and　mellowness？　Or　had　each　of　their　careers　gone　parallel　too　far　and　too　long　for　change　and　adjustment　now。　If　married；　how　might　they　spend　their　hours　of　leisure？　Would　the　talk　be　intimate　and　domestic？　Or　would　it　be　of　hospital　affairs；　with　charts　on　the　table　at　dinner　and　diagnostic　problems　for　dessert？　Would　he　perhaps；　instead　of　gaining　sanctuary；　find　merely　another　offshoot　of　medicine　and　his　daily　work。　Aloud　he　said；　〃I've　always　thought；　you　know；　that　we　have　a　good　deal　in　mon。〃
　〃Yes；　Kent；〃　Lucy　answered；　〃so　have　I。〃
　O'Donnell　had　finished　his　drink；　then　risen　to　leave。　He　realized　they　had　both　said　a　good　deal　more　than　had　passed　in　words。　Now　he　wanted　time　to　think　and　to　reason　things　through。　Too　much　was　involved　for　hasty　decisions。
　〃There's　really　no　need　to　go；　Kent。　Stay　if　you　wish。〃　Lucy　had　said　it　simply；　and　he　knew　if　he　stayed　it　would　be　up　to　him　what　happened　next。
　Part　of　his　mind　had　told　him　to　remain；　but　caution　and　habit　won　out。　He　took　her　hands。　〃Good　night；　Lucy。　Let's　think　about　all　this。〃
　When　the　elevator　doors　had　closed　she　was　still　standing　at　the　open　apartment　door。
　
　Six
　
　〃I　asked　you　here；〃　O'Donnell　told　the　group　around　the　board…room　table；　〃because　I'd　like　your　support　in　something　I　want　to　do。〃　The　others　were　listening　attentively。　Of　those　they　had　asked；　all　had　e　except　Reubens；　who　had　a　herniorrhaphy　scheduled。　O'Donnell　went　on；　〃I　think　we　all　know　there's　a　problem　in　Pathology。　I　believe；　too；　you'll　agree　it's　a　personal　problem　as　well　as　medical。〃
　〃What　kind　of　a　problem？〃　It　was　Charlie　Dornberger。　As　the　elderly　obstetrician　talked　he　filled　his　pipe。　〃I'm　not　sure　I　know　what　you're　getting　at；　Kent。〃
　O'Donnell　had　expected　something　like　this。　He　knew　that　Dornberger　and　Pearson　were　close　friends。　Politely　he　said；　〃I'd　like　you　to　hear　me　out；　Charlie；　if　you　will。　I'll　try　to　make　it　clear。〃
　Methodically　he　went　over　the　issues　involved…the　delays　in　surgical　reports；　the　increasing　service　the　hospital　required　from　its　pathology　department；　his　own　doubts　that　Joe　Pearson　could　cope　with　them　alone。　He　related　the　incident　of　Bill　Rufus'　patient；　turning　to　Rufus　for　confirmation；　and　followed　it　with　the　report　he　had　had　from　Reubens　that　morning。　He　told　them　of　his　own　interview　with　Pearson　and　the　old　man's　refusal　to　accept　a　second　pathologist。　He　concluded：　〃I'm　convinced　we　do　need　a　new　man　to　help　Joe　out。　I　want　your　support　in　seeing　that　one　is　brought　in。〃
　〃I've　been　concerned　about　Pathology　too。〃　Promptly；　as　if　to　ensure　the　observance　of　protocol；　Harvey　Chandler；　the　chief　of　medicine；　followed　O'Donnell。　His　words　held　the　suggestion　of　a　judicial　opinion　weightily　delivered；　as　usual；　his　simplest　statements　contained　an　air　of　mild　pomposity。　He　continued；　〃But　the　situation　may　be　difficult　with　Joe　Pearson　feeling　the　way　he　does。　After　all；　he's　a　department　head；　and　we　ought　to　avoid　any　suggestion　of　undermining　his　authority。〃
　〃I　agree；〃　O'Donnell　responded；　〃and　that's　why　I　want　some　help。〃　He　drummed　his　fingers　on　the　desk　top　for　emphasis。　〃Some　help　in　convincing　Joe　Pearson　that　changes　are　necessary。〃
　〃I'm　not　sure　I　like　the　way　we're　doing　this；〃　Bill　Rufus　said。
　〃Why；　Bill？〃　O'Donnell　noticed　that　Rufus　was　wearing　one　of　his　more　subdued　neckties　today。　It　had　only　three　colors　instead　of　the　usual　four。
　〃I　don't　think　a　few　of　us；　meeting　like　this；　have　any　right　to　talk　about　a　change　in　Pathology。〃　Rufus　looked　around　at　the　others。　〃Certainly　I've　had　some　run…ins　with　Joe　Pearson。　I　guess　most　of　us　have。　But　that　doesn't　mean　I'm　going　to　join　some　hole…and…corner　conspiracy　to　boot　him　out。〃
　O'Donnell　was　glad　this　had　e　up；　he　was　ready　for　it。　〃Let　me　say　emphatically；〃　he　said；　〃there　is　no　intention　on　my　part　or　anybody　else's　of…as　you　put　it〃…he　glanced　at　Rufus…〃booting　Dr。　Pearson　out。〃　There　was　a　murmur　of　assent。
　〃Look　at　it　this　way；〃　O'Donnell　said。　〃There　seems　to　be　agreement　that　changes　in　Pathology　are　necessary。　Take　surgical　reports　alone。　Every　day's　delay　where　surgery　is　needed　means　danger　to　the　patient。　I　know　I　don't　need　to　emphasize　that。〃
　Harry　Tomaselli　interjected；　〃And　don't　let　us　forget　that　these　delays　are　tying　up　hospital　beds　we　need　badly。　Our　waiting　list　for　admissions　is　still　very　long。〃
　O'Donnell　took　over　again。　〃Of　course；　instead　of　handling　things　this　way　I　could　have　called　the　executive　mittee　together。〃　He　paused。　〃I　still　will　if　I　have　to；　but　I　think　you　know　what　might　happen。　Joe　is　a　member　of　the　executive　himself　and；　knowing　Joe　as　we　all　do；　any　discussion　will　mean　a　showdown。　In　that　case；　assuming　we　force　the　issue；　what　have　we　gained？　We've　proven　to　Joe　Pearson　that　he's　no　longer　in　charge　of　his　own　department。　And　medically；　and　every　other　way…just　as　Harvey　said…we'll　have　undermined　ourselves　and　the　hospital。〃　O'Donnell　thought；　too；　of　what　he　could　not　tell　the　others：　that　he　was　also　weighing　Pearson's　influence　with　the　old　guard　on　the　hospital　board　and　the　political　repercussions　which　a　showdown　might　create。
　〃I'm　not　saying　I　go　along　with　you；　but　what's　your　suggestion？〃　The　question　came　from　Charlie　Dornberger。　He　punctuated　it　with　puffs　of　smoke　as　his　pipe　got　going。
　Rufus　sniffed。　〃We'd　better　hurry　this　up。　It　won't　be　fit　to　breathe　in　here　soon。　Do　you　import　that　camel　dung；　Charlie？〃
　As　the　others　smiled；　O'Donnell　decided　to　lay　it　on　the　line。　〃My　suggestion；　Charlie；　is　that　you　approach　Joe…on　behalf　of　the　rest　of　us。〃
　〃Oh　no！〃　The　reaction　from　Dornberger　was　much　what　O'Donnell　had　anticipated。　He　settled　in　to　be　persuasive。
　〃Charlie；　we　know　you're　a　close　friend　of　Joe's　and　I　had　that　in　mind　when　I　asked　you　here。　You　could　persuade　him　about　this。〃
　〃In　other　words；　you　want　me　to　carry　your　ax；〃　Dornberger　said　dryly。
　〃Charlie；　it　isn't　an　ax；　believe　me。〃
　Dr。　Charles　Dornberger　hesitated。　He　observed　that　the　others　were　watching　him；　waiting　for　his　answer。　He　debated：　should　he　do　as　O'Donnell　asked　or　not？　He　was　torn　by　two　conflicting　feelings…his　concern　for　the　hospital's　good　and　his　own　relationship　with　Joe　Pearson。
　In　a　way　the　news　of　the　state　of　affairs　in　Pathology　was　not　entirely　unexpected；　it　was　a　condition　he　had　suspected　for　some　time。　Nevertheless　the　two　incidents　concerning　Rufus　and　Reubens；　which　O'Donnell　had　revealed；　had　shocked　him　inexpressibly。　Dornberger　knew　also　that　O'Donnell　would　not　have　called　this　meeting　unless　he　had　been　seriously　concerned；　and　he　respected　the　chief　of　surgery's　judgment。
　At　the　same　time　Charles　Dornberger　wanted　to　help　Joe　Pearson　if　he　could；　and　at　this　moment　he　found　himself　resenting　the　tide　of　events　which　seemed　to　be　engulfing　the　elderly　pathologist。　And　yet　O'Donnell　had　appeared　to　be　sincere　when　he　said　there　was　no　intention　of　booting　Pearson　out；　and　the　others　seemed　to　share　this　feeling。　He　decided　that　perhaps　he　could　be　the　intermediary。　Possibly　this　way　he　could　help　Joe　best。
　Dornberger　looked　around　at　the　others。　He　asked；　〃Is　this　unanimous？〃
　Lucy　Grainger　said　thoughtfully；　〃I'm　very　fond　of　Joe。　I　think　we　all　are。　But　I　do　believe　some　changes　in　Pathology　are　necessary。〃　It　was　the　first　time　Lucy　had　spoken。　She　too　had　wondered　about　this　meeting　with　Kent　O'Donnell。　What　had　passed　between　them　in　her　apartment　last　night　had　left　her　strangely　disturbed　in　a　way　she　had　not　remembered　for　years。　Afterward　she　had　wondered　if　she　were　in　love　with　O'Donnell；　then　told　herself…only　half　believing…that　those　kind　of　phrases　were　all　very　well　for　the　young　and　ardent；　but　at　her　age…with　maturity；　independence；　and　a　professional　practice…one　reasoned　and　rationalized；　eschewing　hastily　conceived　emotions。　At　this　moment；　though；　she　found　herself　able　to　separate　personal　and　professional　feelings　and　to　think　about　the　problem　in　Pathology。　In　medicine　you　learned　to　do　that…to　push　things　out　of　your　mind　when　immediate　concerns　were　more　important。
　O'Donnell　looked　at　Rufus。　〃Bill？〃
　The　surgeon　nodded。　〃All　right…if　Charlie　will　approach　Pearson；　I　agree。〃
　Harvey　Chandler　was　next。　The　chief　of　medicine　told　Dornberger　ponderously；　〃In　my　opinion　this　is　the　best　way　to　handle　the　situation；　Charlie。　You　will　be　doing　all　of　us；　as　well　as　the　hospital；　a　very　real　service。〃
　〃Very　well；〃　Dornberger　said。　〃I'll　see　what　I　can　do。〃
　There　was　a　momentary　silence；　and　O'Donnell　sensed　a　feeling　of　relief。　He　knew　the　problem　had　been　understood　and　now；　at　least；　something　would　be　done。　Then；　if　this　approach　failed；　he　would　have　to　resort　to　more　direct　methods。　Sometimes；　he　reflecte