ah.thefinaldiagnosis-第26部分

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　After　Pearson's　outburst　that　morning　about　the　poor…quality　surgical　slides；　Bannister　had　e　back　to　the　serology　lab　where　John　Alexander　was　working　and　had　told　him　the　whole　story。　By　this　time　Bannister　was　seething；　and　later　he　had　taken　out　some　of　his　own　bad　humor　on　the　two　girl　technicians　and　their　male　helper　who　worked　in　the　histology　lab　next　door。　Alexander　had　heard　what　was　said　through　the　doorway　which　Bannister　had　left　open　behind　him。
　Alexander；　though；　knew　that　not　all　the　blame　for　the　bad　slides　lay　with　the　histology　technicians。　Even　in　the　short　time　he　had　been　at　the　hospital　he　had　sensed　the　real　problem；　and　afterward　he　had　told　Bannister；　〃You　know；　Carl；　I　don't　believe　it's　all　their　fault。　I　think　they　have　too　much　to　do。〃
　Bannister　had　answered　sourly；　〃We've　all　got　too　much　to　do。〃　Then　with　clumsy　sarcasm　he　had　added；　〃Maybe　if　you　know　so　much　about　it　you　can　do　your　own　work　and　part　of　theirs　as　well。〃
　Alexander　had　declined　to　be　provoked。　〃I　don't　think　so。　But　I　do　think　they'd　be　a　lot　better　off　with　a　tissue…processing　machine　instead　of　having　to　do　everything　by　hand…the　old…fashioned　way。〃
　〃Forget　it；　kid。　It　isn't　your　problem。〃　Bannister　had　been　loftily　condescending。　〃And；　besides；　anything　that　means　spending　money　around　here　is　a　dead　duck　before　it　starts。〃
　Alexander　had　not　argued。　But　he　resolved　to　raise　the　subject；　the　first　chance　he　got；　with　Dr。　Pearson。
　He　had　had　to　go　into　Pearson's　office　that　afternoon　to　leave　some　lab　reports　for　signature；　and　he　had　found　the　pathologist　going　through　a　pile　of　mail　with　obvious　impatience。　Glancing　up　at　Alexander；　Pearson　had　motioned　him　to　put　the　papers　on　the　desk　and　had　gone　on　with　his　reading。　Alexander　had　hesitated；　and　the　old　man　had　barked；　〃What　is　it？　What　is　it？〃
　〃Dr。　Pearson；　I　was　wondering　if　I　could　make　a　suggestion。〃
　〃Now？〃
　A　more　experienced　hand　would　have　known　the　tone　of　voice　meant：　Leave　me　alone。　Alexander　answered；　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　Resignedly　Pearson　said；　〃Well？〃
　A　little　nervously　Alexander　began；　〃It's　about　speeding　up　the　surgical　reports；　Doctor。〃　As　he　mentioned　surgical　reports；　Pearson　had　put　down　his　letter　and　looked　up　sharply。　Alexander　went　on；　〃I　was　wondering　if　you'd　ever　thought　of　getting　a　tissue…processing　machine。〃
　〃What　do　you　know　about　tissue　processors？〃　There　was　an　ominous　note　in　Pearson's　voice。　〃And　anyway；　I　thought　we　put　you　to　work　in　Serology。〃
　Alexander　reminded　him；　〃I　did　a　full　course　in　histology　at　technologists'　school；　Doctor。〃　There　was　a　pause。　Pearson　said　nothing；　so　Alexander　went　on。　〃I've　used　a　tissue　processor　and　it's　a　good　machine；　sir。　It　would　save　us　at　least　a　day　in　preparing　slides。　Instead　of　processing　tissue　by　hand　through　all　the　solutions；　you　set　the　machine　overnight　and　automatically　by　morning〃
　Abruptly　Pearson　cut　in。　〃I　know　how　it　works。　I've　seen　them。〃
　Alexander　said；　〃I　see；　sir。　Then　don't　you　think〃
　〃I　said　I've　seen　these　so…called　tissue　processors　and　I'm　not　impressed。〃　Pearson's　Voice　was　harsh　and　grating。　〃There's　not　the　quality　in　the　slides　that　there　is　with　the　old　hand　method。　What's　more；　the　machines　are　expensive。　You　see　these？〃　He　riffled　through　a　stack　of　typed　yellow　forms　in　a　tray　on　his　desk。
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　〃They're　purchase　requisitions。　For　things　I　need　in　this　department。　And　every　time　I　put　a　bunch　through　I　have　a　fight　with　the　administrator。　He　says　we're　spending　too　much　money。〃
　Alexander　had　made　his　first　mistake　in　broaching　the　suggestion　when　Pearson　had　not　wanted　to　hear。　Now　he　made　a　second　error。　He　mistook　Pearson's　statement　as　an　invitation　to　continue　the　discussion。
　He　said　placatingly；　〃But　surely；　if　it　would　save　a　whole　day；　maybe　two　。　。　。〃　He　became　more　earnest。　〃Dr。　Pearson；　I've　seen　slides　made　with　a　processor　and　they're　good。　Perhaps　the　one　you　saw　wasn't　being　used　properly。〃
　Now　the　older　man　had　risen　from　his　chair。　Whatever　the　provocation；　Alexander　had　overstepped　the　bounds　between　physician　and　technologist。　Head　forward；　Pearson　shouted；　〃That'll　do！　I　said　I'm　not　interested　in　a　tissue　processor；　and　that's　what　I　meant；　and　I　don't　want　any　argument　about　it。〃　He　came　around　the　desk　until　he　was　directly　in　front　of　Alexander；　his　face　close　to　the　younger　man's。　〃And　there's　something　else　I　want　you　to　remember：　I'm　the　pathologist　here　and　I'm　running　this　department。　I　don't　mind　suggestions　if　they're　reasonable。　But　don't　get　stepping　out　of　line。　Understand？〃
　〃Yes；　sir。　I　understand。〃　Crestfallen　and　miserable；　not　really　understanding　at　all；　John　Alexander　went　back　to　his　work　in　the　lab。
　
　Mike　Seddons　had　been　preoccupied　all　day；　several　times　he　had　had　to　check　himself　and　make　a　conscious　effort　to　pull　back　his　mind　to　the　work　he　happened　to　be　doing。　Once；　during　an　autopsy；　McNeil　had　been　forced　to　warn　him；　〃There's　a　piece　of　your　hand　under　that　section　you're　about　to　slice。　We　like　people　to　leave　here　with　all　the　fingers　they　came　with。〃　Seddons　had　changed　his　grip　hastily；　it　would　not　have　been　the　first　time　that　some　inexperienced　learner　had　lopped　off　a　gloved　finger　with　one　of　the　razor…edged　knives　of　pathology。
　All　the　same　his　attention　still　kept　wandering；　the　question　recurring：　What　was　it　about　Vivian　that　disturbed　him　so？　She　was　attractive　and　desirable；　and　he　was　anxious　to　take　her　to　bed　as　quickly　as　possible…Mike　Seddons　was　under　no　illusions　about　that。　She　seemed　amenable；　too；　assuming　the　pain　in　her　knee　the　night　before　had　been　genuine；　and　he　now　believed　it　was。　He　hoped　she　would　still　feel　the　same　way；　though　there　was　no　guarantee　she　would；　of　course。　Some　girls　were　inconsistent　like　that…you　could　have　the　most　exotic　intimacies　with　them　one　day；　then　the　next　time　round　they　would　reject　even　the　most　basic　advance；　pretending　that　the　earlier　incident　had　never　even　happened。
　But　was　there　something　more　to　Vivian　and　himself　than　merely　sex？　Mike　Seddons　was　beginning　to　wonder。　Certainly　none　of　the　earlier　episodes…and　there　had　been　several…had　caused　him　to　do　half　so　much　thinking　as　he　was　doing　right　now。　A　new　thought　occurred　to　him：　Perhaps　if　he　could　get　the　sex　bit　out　of　his　system　other　things　might　bee　clearer。　He　decided　to　ask　Vivian　to　meet　him　again；　and　tonight…assuming　she　would　be　free…was　as　good　a　time　as　any。
　
　Vivian　had　found　the　note　from　Mike　Seddons　when　she　finished　her　last　class　of　the　day　and　went　back　to　the　student　nurses'　residence。　It　had　been　delivered　by　hand　and　was　waiting　for　her　in　the　mail　rack　under　〃L。〃　It　asked　her　to　be　on　the　hospital's　fourth　floor　near　Pediatrics　at　9：45　that　night。　At　first　she　had　not　intended　to　go；　knowing　she　would　have　no　reason　officially　to　be　in　the　hospital　and　she　might　be　in　trouble　if　she　ran　into　any　of　the　nursing　supervisors。　But　she　found　herself　wanting　to　go；　and　at　9：40　she　crossed　the　wooden　boardwalk　between　the　nurses'　home　and　the　main　hospital　buildings。
　Mike　was　waiting；　strolling　in　the　corridor；　apparently　preoccupied。　But　as　soon　as　he　saw　her　he　motioned　to　a　door　and　they　went　inside。　It　led　to　an　interior　stair　well；　with　a　metal　stairway　leading　up　and　down。　At　this　time　of　night　it　was　quiet　and　deserted　and　there　would　be　plenty　of　warning　of　anyone's　approach。　Mike　went　down　half　a　flight　onto　the　next　landing；　leading　her　by　the　hand。　Then　he　turned；　and　it　seemed　the　most　natural　thing　in　the　world　that　she　should　go　into　his　arms。
　As　they　kissed　she　felt　Mike's　arms　tightening　and　the　magic　of　the　night　before　came　sweeping　back。　At　this　moment　she　knew　why　she　had　wanted　so　much　to　e　here。　This　man　with　the　wild　red　hair　had　suddenly　bee　indispensable　to　her。　She　wanted　him　in　every　way…to　be　close　to　him；　talk　with　him；　make　love　with　him。　It　was　an　electric；　exciting　feeling　she　had　never　known　before。　He　was　kissing　her　cheeks　now；　her　eyes；　her　ears。　His　face　in　her　hair；　he　whispered；　〃Vivian　darling；　I've　been　thinking　about　you　all　day。　I　haven't　been　able　to　stop。〃　With　both　hands　he　took　her　face　and　looked　into　it。　〃Do　you　know　what　you're　doing？〃　She　shook　her　head。　〃You're　undermining　me。〃
　She　reached　out　for　him　again。　〃Oh；　Mike　darling！〃
　It　was　hot　on　the　stairway。　Vivian　felt　the　warmth　of　his　body　against　the　fire　of　her　own。　Now　his　hands　were　questing；　seeking。　She　whispered；　trembling；　〃Mike；　isn't　there　somewhere　else？〃
　She　felt　his　hands　pause　and　knew　he　was　considering。　He　said；　〃I　share　a　room　with　Frank　Worth。　But　he's　out　tonight；　won't　be　back　till　late。　Do　you　want　to　take　a　chance　and　e　to　the　residents'　quarters？〃
　She　hesitated。　〃What　would　happen？　If　we　got　caught。〃
　〃We'd　both　get　thrown　out　of　the　hospital。〃　He　kissed　her　again。　〃At　this　moment　I　couldn't　care。〃　He　took　her　hand。　〃e　on。〃
　They　went　down　one　flight　of　stairs　and　along　a　corridor。　They　passed　another　resident　who　grinned　as　he　saw　them　but　made　no　ment。　Then　more　stairs；　another　corridor。　This　time　a　white　figure　turned　out　of　a　doorway　just　ahead。　Vivian's　heart　leaped　as　she　recognized　the　night　nursing　supervisor。　But　the　supervisor　did　not　turn　around　a