ah.thefinaldiagnosis-第46部分

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　O'Donnell　made　a　wry　face。　〃As　definite　as　anything　like　that　can　ever　be。〃　He　mused。　〃Poor　kid。　How　old　did　you　say　she　is？〃
　〃Nineteen。〃　Lucy　was　watching　Kent　O'Donnell's　face。　To　her　eyes　it　seemed　to　mirror　thought；　character；　and　understanding。　She　reflected：　He　has　greatness　and　he　wears　it　easily　because　it　belongs　to　him。　It　made　what　he　had　said　a　few　moments　ago　about　her　own　ability　seem　warmer　and　more　significant。　Then　suddenly；　explosively；　as　if　in　a　burst　of　revelation；　Lucy　knew　what　she　had　denied　herself　knowing　these　past　months：　that　she　loved　this　man…profoundly　and　ardently。　She　became　aware；　with　startling　clarity；　that　she　had　shielded　herself　from　the　knowledge；　perhaps　from　an　instinctive　fear　of　being　hurt。　But　now；　whatever　happened；　she　could　shield　herself　no　longer。　For　a　moment　the　thought　made　her　weak；　she　wondered　if　she　had　betrayed　it　on　her　face。
　O'Donnell　said　apologetically；　〃I'll　have　to　leave　you；　Lucy。　It's　another　full　day。〃　He　smiled。　〃Aren't　they　all？〃
　Her　heartbeat　faster；　her　emotions　surging；　she　had　risen　and　gone　to　the　door。　As　he　opened　it　O'Donnell　put　an　arm　around　her　shoulders。　It　was　a　casual；　friendly　gesture　that　any　other　of　her　colleagues　might　have　made。　But　at　this　moment　the　effect　seemed　electric；　it　left　her　breathless　and　confused。
　O'Donnell　said；　〃Let　me　know；　Lucy；　if　there's　any　problem。　And　if　you　don't　mind；　I　might　drop　in　today　and　see　your　patient。〃
　Collecting　her　thoughts；　she　told　him；　〃I'm　sure　she'd　like　it；　and　so　would　I。〃　Then；　as　the　door　closed　behind　her；　Lucy　shut　her　eyes　for　a　moment　to　control　her　racing　mind。
　
　The　ordeal　of　waiting　for　the　diagnosis　concerning　Vivian　had　had　a　profound　effect　on　Mike　Seddons。　By　nature　a　genial　and　outgoing　personality；　in　normal　times　he　was　noted　for　being　one　of　the　livelier　spirits　on　Three　Counties'　house　staff；　and　it　was　not　unusual　to　find　him　the　focus　of　a　noisy；　boisterous　group　in　the　residents'　quarters。　For　the　past　several　days；　however；　most　of　the　time　he　had　avoided　the　pany　of　others；　his　spirits　dampened　by　the　knowledge　of　what　an　adverse　verdict　from　Pathology　could　mean　to　Vivian　and　himself。
　His　feelings　about　Vivian　had　not　wavered；　if　anything；　they　had　bee　more　intense。　He　hoped　he　had　conveyed　this　in　the　time　he　had　spent　last　evening　with　Vivian's　parents　after　their　initial　meeting　at　the　hospital。　At　first；　as　was　to　be　expected；　all　of　them…Mr。　and　Mrs。　Loburton；　Vivian；　and　himself…had　been　constrained；　their　talk　awkward　and　at　times　formal。　Even　afterward　it　had　seemed　that　the　Loburtons'　meeting　with　a　prospective　son…in…law；　which　in　other　circumstances　might　have　been　an　important　occasion；　had　taken　second　place　to　their　concern　with　the　immediate　problem　of　Vivian's　health。　In　a　sense　Mike　Seddons　felt　he　had　bee　accepted　because　there　was　no　time　for　anything　else。
　Back　at　the　Loburtons'　hotel；　though；　they　had　talked　briefly　about　himself　and　Vivian。　Henry　Loburton；　his　big　frame　spilling　from　an　overstuffed　chair　in　the　sitting　room　of　their　hotel　suite；　had　asked　Mike　Seddons　about　his　future；　more；　Seddons　suspected；　from　courtesy　than　from　any　real　concern。　He　had　responded　by　telling　them　briefly　of　his　own　intention　to　practice　surgery　in　Philadelphia　when　his　residency　at　Three　Counties　ended。　The　Loburtons　had　nodded　politely　and　had　left　the　matter　there。
　Certainly；　it　seemed；　there　would　be　no　opposition　to　a　marriage。　〃Vivian　has　always　seemed　to　know　what　she　wanted；〃　Henry　Loburton　had　observed　at　one　point。　〃It　was　the　same　way　when　she　wanted　to　be　a　nurse。　We　were　doubtful　about　it；　but　she　had　already　made　up　her　mind。　There　wasn't　much　else　to　say　after　that。〃
　Mike　Seddons　had　expressed　the　hope　that　they　would　not　consider　Vivian　too　young　to　marry。　It　was　then　that　Angela　Loburton　had　smiled。　〃I　imagine　it　would　be　rather　difficult　to　object　on　that　account；〃　she　had　said。　〃You　see；　I　was　married　at　seventeen。　I　ran　away　from　home　to　do　it。〃　She　smiled　at　her　husband。　〃We　didn't　have　any　money；　but　we　managed　to　get　by。〃
　Seddons　had　said　with　a　grin；　〃Well；　that　much　we'll　have　in　mon…anyway；　until　my　practice　gets　going。〃
　That　had　been　last　night。　This　morning；　after　the　visit　with　Vivian；　he　had　felt　for　some　reason　a　sense　of　lightness　and　relief。　Perhaps　he　had　been　depressed　unnaturally　long　and　brighter　spirits　were　seeking　an　outlet。　But；　whatever　the　cause；　he　felt　himself　seized　by　a　cheerful　conviction　that　everything　would　turn　out　well。　The　feeling　was　with　him　now…in　the　autopsy　room　where　he　was　assisting　Roger　McNeil　with　the　autopsy　of　an　elderly　woman　patient　who　had　died　last　night　in　the　hospital。　It　had　prompted　him　to　begin　telling　humorous　stories　to　McNeil；　Mike　Seddons　had　a　fund　of　them…another　reason　for　his　reputation　as　a　joker。
　Pausing　in　the　middle　of　the　latest；　he　asked　McNeil；　〃Have　you　any　cigarettes？〃
　The　pathology　resident　motioned　with　his　head。　He　was　sectioning　the　heart　he　had　just　removed　from　the　body。
　Seddons　crossed　the　room；　found　the　cigarettes　in　McNeil's　suit　coat；　and　lighted　one。　Returning；　he　continued；　〃So　she　said　to　the　undertaker；　'Thank　you　for　doing　that；　even　though　it　must　have　been　a　lot　of　trouble。'　And　the　undertaker　said；　'Oh；　it　wasn't　any　trouble　really。　All　I　did　was　change　their　heads。'　〃
　Grim　as　the　jest　was　in　these　surroundings；　McNeil　laughed　aloud。　He　was　still　laughing　as　the　autopsy…room　door　opened　and　David　Coleman　stepped　inside。
　〃Dr。　Seddons；　will　you　put　out　that　cigarette；　please？〃　Coleman's　voice　cut　quietly　across　the　room。
　Mike　Seddons　looked　around。　He　said　amiably；　〃Oh；　good　morning；　Dr。　Coleman。　Didn't　see　you　there　for　a　minute。〃
　〃The　cigarette；　Dr。　Seddons！〃　There　was　ice　in　Coleman's　tone；　his　eyes　steely。
　Not　quite　understanding；　Seddons　said；　〃Oh　。　。　。　oh　yes。〃　none；　moved　his　hand　toward　the　autopsy　table　with　the　body　upon　it。
　〃Not　there！〃　Coleman　rapped　out　the　words；　stopping　the　surgical　resident　short。　After　a　moment　Seddons　moved　across　the　room；　found　an　ash　tray；　and　deposited　the　cigarette。
　〃Dr。　McNeil。〃
　〃Yes；　Dr。　Coleman；〃　Roger　McNeil　answered　quietly。
　〃Will　you　。　。　。　drape　the　face；　please？〃
　Unfortably；　knowing　what　was　going　through　Coleman's　mind；　McNeil　reached　out　for　a　towel。　It　was　one　they　had　used　earlier；　it　had　several　big　bloodstains。　Still　with　the　same　soft　intensity；　Coleman　said；　〃A　clean　towel；　please。　And　do　the　same　for　the　genitals。〃
　McNeil　nodded　to　Seddons；　who　brought　over　two　clean　towels。　McNeil　placed　one　carefully　across　the　face　of　the　dead　woman；　the　other　he　used　to　cover　the　external　genitalia。
　Now　the　two　residents　stood　facing　Coleman。　Both　showed　traces　of　embarrassment。　Both　sensed　what　was　ing　next。
　〃Gentlemen；　I　think　there　is　something　I　should　remind　you　of。〃　David　Coleman　still　spoke　quietly…at　no　time　since　entering　the　room　had　he　raised　his　voice…but　there　was　no　mistaking　the　underlying　purpose　and　authority。　Now　he　said　deliberately；　〃When　we　perform　an　autopsy　we　do　so　with　permission　from　the　family　of　the　one　who　has　died。　Without　that　permission　there　would　be　no　autopsy。　That　is　quite　clear　to　you；　I　presume？〃
　〃Quite　clear；〃　Seddons　said。　McNeil　nodded。
　〃Very　well。〃　Coleman　glanced　at　the　autopsy　table；　then　at　the　others。　〃Our　own　objective　is　to　advance　medical　learning。　The　family　of　the　deceased；　for　its　part；　gives　us　the　body　in　trust；　expecting　that　it　will　be　treated　with　care；　respect；　and　dignity。〃　As　he　paused　there　was　silence　in　the　room。　McNeil　and　Seddons　were　standing　very　still。
　〃And　that　is　the　way　we　will　treat　it；　gentlemen。〃　Coleman　emphasized　the　words　again；　〃With　care；　respect；　and　dignity。〃　He　went　on；　〃At　all　autopsies　the　face　and　genitals　will　be　draped　and　there　will　be　no　smoking　in　the　room　at　any　time。　As　for　your　own　demeanor；　and　particularly　the　use　of　humor〃…at　the　word　Mike　Seddons　flushed　a　deep　red…〃I　think　I　can　leave　that　to　your　imagination。〃
　Momentarily　Coleman　looked　directly　at　each　man　in　turn。　Then；　〃Thank　you；　gentlemen。　Will　you　carry　on；　please？〃　He　nodded　and　went　out。
　For　several　seconds　after　the　door　had　closed　neither　spoke。　Then；　softly；　Seddons　observed；　〃We　appear　to　have　been　skillfully　taken　apart。〃
　Ruefully　McNeil　said；　〃With　some　reason；　I　think。　Don't　you？〃
　
　As　soon　as　they　could　afford　it；　Elizabeth　Alexander　decided；　she　would　buy　a　vacuum　cleaner。　The　old…fashioned　carpet　sweeper　she　was　using　now　collected　the　superficial　dirt；　but　that　was　about　all。　She　pushed　it　back　and　forth　a　few　more　times　over　the　rug　and　inspected　the　result　critically。　Not　very　good；　but　it　would　have　to　do。　She　must　remember　to　have　a　talk　with　John　tonight。　Vacuum　cleaners　were　not　terribly　expensive；　and　one　extra　monthly　payment　shouldn't　make　all　that　difference。　The　trouble　was；　though；　there　were　so　many　things　they　needed。　It　was　a　problem；　deciding　which　should　e　first。
　In　a　way；　she　supposed；　John　was　right。　It　was　all　very　well　to　talk　of　making　sacrifices　and　doing　without　things　so　that　John　could　go　to　medical　school。　But　when　you　came　right　down　to　it；　it　was　hard　to　manage　on　any　reduced　ine　once　you　became　accustomed　to　a　certain