ah.thefinaldiagnosis-第48部分

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　reasons　I'm　going　to　be　around　here　for　a　long　time　yet。　So　now's　the　time　to　decide…if　you　don't　like　the　way　I　run　things；　you　know　what　you　can　do。〃
　Before　Coleman　could　answer　there　was　a　knock　on　the　door。　Impatiently　Pearson　called　out；　〃Yes？〃
　A　girl　secretary　came　in；　glancing　curiously　from　one　to　the　other。　It　occurred　to　Coleman　that　Pearson's　voice；　at　least；　must　have　been　clearly　audible　in　the　corridor　outside。　The　girl　said；　〃Excuse　me；　Dr。　Pearson。　There　are　two　telegrams　for　you。　They　just　came。〃　Pearson　took　the　two　buff　envelopes　the　girl　held　out。
　When　she　had　gone　Coleman　was　about　to　reply。　But　Pearson　stopped　him　with　a　gesture。　Beginning　to　thumb　open　the　first　envelope；　he　said；　〃These　will　be　the　answers　about　the　girl…Lucy　Grainger's　patient。〃　His　tone　was　quite　different　from　that　of　a　few　moments　before。　He　added；　〃They　took　long　enough　about　it。〃
　Automatically　David　Coleman　felt　a　quickening　of　interest。　Tacitly　he　accepted　Pearson's　view　that　their　argument　could　be　postponed；　this　was　more　important。　As　Pearson　had　the　first　flap　open　the　telephone　jangled　sharply。　With　an　exclamation　of　annoyance　he　put　the　two　envelopes　down　to　answer　it。
　〃Yes？〃
　〃Dr。　Pearson；　this　is　Obstetrics；〃　a　voice　said。　〃Dr。　Dornberger　is　calling　you。　One　moment；　please。〃
　There　was　a　pause；　then　Dornberger　came　on　the　line。　He　said　urgently；　〃Joe；　what's　wrong　with　you　people　in　Pathology？〃　Without　waiting　for　an　answer；　〃Your　technician's　wife…Mrs。　Alexander…is　in　labor　and　the　baby　will　be　premature。　She's　on　the　way　here　in　an　ambulance；　and　I　haven't　got　a　blood…sensitivity　report。　Now　get　it　up　here　fast！〃
　〃Right；　Charlie。〃　Pearson　slammed　the　receiver　down　and　reached　for　a　pile　of　forms　in　a　tray　marked　〃Signature。〃　As　he　did；　the　two　telegraph　envelopes　caught　his　eye。　Quickly　he　passed　them　to　Coleman。　〃Take　these。　See　what　they　say。〃
　Pearson　riffled　through　the　forms。　The　first　time；　in　his　haste；　he　missed　the　one　he　wanted；　the　second　time　through　he　found　it。　He　lifted　the　telephone　again；　listened；　then　said　brusquely；　〃Send　Bannister　in。〃　Replacing　the　phone；　he　scribbled　a　signature　on　the　form　he　had　removed。
　〃You　want　me？〃　Bannister's　tone　and　expression　made　it　plain　that　he　was　still　smarting　from　the　reprimand　earlier。
　〃Of　course　I　want　you！〃　Pearson　held　out　the　form　he　had　signed。　〃Get　this　up　to　Dr。　Dornberger…fast。　He's　in　Obstetrics。　John　Alexander's　wife　is　in　trouble。　She's　going　to　have　a　premie。〃
　Bannister's　expression　changed。　〃Does　the　kid　know？　He's　down　in〃
　Impatiently　Pearson　cut　him　off。　〃Get　going；　will　you！　Get　going！〃　Hastily　Bannister　went　out　with　the　form。
　Dimly　David　Coleman　had　been　aware　of　what　was　going　on　around　him。　His　mind；　however；　had　not　yet　grasped　the　details。　For　the　moment　he　was　too　concerned　with　the　awesome　significance　of　the　two　telegrams　which　he　held；　opened；　in　his　hand。
　Now　Pearson　turned　to　him。　The　old　man　said；　〃Well；　does　the　girl　lose　her　leg　or　not？　Are　they　both　definite？〃
　Coleman　thought：　This　is　where　pathology　begins　and　ends；　these　are　the　borderlands　where　we　must　face　the　truth　of　how　little　we　really　know；　this　is　the　limit　of　learning；　the　rim　of　the　dark；　swirling　waters　of　the　still　unknown。　He　said　quietly；　〃Yes；　they're　both　definite。　Dr。　Chollingham　in　Boston　says；　'Specimen　definitely　malignant。'　Dr。　Earnhart　in　New　York　says；　'The　tissue　is　benign。　No　sign　of　malignancy。'　〃
　There　was　a　silence。　Then　Pearson　said　slowly；　softly；　〃The　two　best　men　in　the　country；　and　one　votes　'for；'　the　other　'against。'　〃　He　looked　at　Coleman；　and　when　he　spoke　there　was　irony　but　no　antagonism。　〃Well；　my　young　pathologist　friend；　Lucy　Grainger　expects　an　answer　today。　She　will　have　to　be　given　one；　and　it　will　have　to　be　definite。〃　With　a　twisted　smile；　〃Do　you　feel　like　playing　God？〃
　
　Sixteen
　
　A　police　patrolman　on　duty　at　Main　and　Liberty　heard　the　ambulance's　siren　six　blocks　away。　Moving　out　from　the　sidewalk；　and　with　the　skill　of　long　practice；　he　began　to　expedite　the　traffic　flow　so　as　to　leave　the　intersection　clear。　As　the　siren　grew　louder　and　the　flashing　warning　light　became　visible；　threading　its　way　toward　him；　the　patrolman　inflated　his　cheeks　and　blew　two　sharp　whistle　blasts。　Then；　signaling　a　halt　to　all　traffic　in　the　side　roads；　he　authoritatively　waved　the　ambulance　driver　through　a　red　light。　Pedestrians　at　the　intersection；　turning　their　heads　curiously；　caught　a　blurred　glimpse　of　a　young　woman's　white　face　as　the　ambulance　swept　by。
　Inside；　Elizabeth　was　only　dimly　conscious　of　their　progress　through　the　busy　city　streets。　She　sensed　they　were　moving　fast；　but　the　buildings　and　people　outside　were　a　confused　pattern　racing　past　the　window　near　her　head。　Momentarily；　between　each　onset　of　pain；　she　could　see　the　driver　up　ahead；　his　two　big　hands　nursing　the　wheel；　turning　quickly；　first　right；　then　left；　taking　advantage　of　every　opening　as　it　occurred。　Then　the　pain　came　back　and　all　she　could　think　of　was　to　cry　out　and　to　hold　on。
　〃Hold　my　wrists！　And　hang　on　all　you　want。〃　It　was　the　ambulance　attendant；　leaning　over　her。　He　had　a　stubble　of　beard　and　a　cleft　chin；　and　for　a　moment　Elizabeth　believed　it　was　her　father　e　here　now　to　fort　her。　But　her　father　was　dead；　hadn't　he　been　killed　at　the　railroad？　Or　perhaps　he　had　not　and　he　was　in　this　ambulance　along　with　her；　being　taken　to　some　place　they　could　be　cared　for　together。　Then　her　head　cleared　and　she　saw　it　was　not　her　father　but　a　stranger　whose　wrists　were　red　with　the　gouge　marks　her　nails　had　made。
　She　had　time　to　touch　the　marks　before　the　next　pain　came。　It　was　a　gesture；　all　she　could　do。　The　man　shook　his　head。　〃Don't　worry。　Just　you　hold　on　all　you　want。　We'll　be　there　soon。　Old　Joe　up　front　is　the　best　wagon　driver　in　the　city。〃　Then　the　pain　again；　worse　than　before；　the　intervals　between　growing　shorter；　the　sensation　as　if　all　her　bones　were　being　twisted　beyond　endurance　with　the　agony　centered　in　her　back；　the　torture　of　it　overflowing　into　a　flame　of　red；　yellow；　purple　in　front　of　her　eyes。　Her　nails　dug　deeper　and　she　screamed。
　〃Can　you　feel　the　baby　ing？〃　It　was　the　attendant　again；　he　had　waited　until　the　last　pain　subsided；　then　leaned　close。
　She　managed　to　nod　her　head　and　gasp。　〃I　。　。　。　I　think　so。〃
　〃All　right。〃　He　eased　his　hands　gently　away。　〃Hang　on　to　this　for　a　minute。〃　He　gave　her　a　towel　he　had　rolled　tight；　then　turned　back　the　blanket　over　the　stretcher　and　began　to　loosen　her　clothing。　He　talked　softly　while　he　worked。　〃We'll　do　the　best　we　can　if　we　have　to。　It　wouldn't　be　the　first　one　I've　delivered　in　here。　I'm　a　grandfather；　you　see；　so　I　know　what　it's　all　about。〃　His　last　words　were　drowned　out　by　her　cry；　once　more；　at　her　back；　flooding　around　her；　blinding；　overpowering；　the　crescendo　of　agony；　crushing；　unrelenting。　〃Please！〃　She　grasped　for　his　wrists　again；　and　he　gave　them；　faint　lines　of　blood　appearing　as　her　nails　ripped　flesh。　Turning　his　head；　he　called　forward；　〃How　are　we　doing；　Joe？〃
　〃Just　went　through　Main　and　Liberty。〃　The　big　hands　turned　the　wheel　sharply　right。　〃There　was　a　cop　there；　he　had　it　sorted。　Saved　us　a　good　minute。〃　A　swing　to　the　left；　then　the　head　leaned　back。　〃You　a　godfather　yet？〃
　〃Not　quite；　Joe。　It's　getting　pretty　close　though；　I　reckon。〃
　Again　the　wheel　spinning；　a　sharp　turn　to　the　right。　Afterward：　〃We're　on　the　home　stretch；　boy。　Try　to　keep　the　cork　in　a　minute　more。〃
　All　Elizabeth　could　think；　through　the　miasma　that　engulfed　her；　was：　My　baby…he'll　be　born　too　soon！　He'll　die！　Oh　God；　don't　let　him　die！　Not　this　time！　Not　again！
　
　In　Obstetrics；　Dr。　Dornberger　was　scrubbed　and　gowned。　Emerging　from　the　scrub　room　into　the　busy　interior　hallway　which　separated　the　labor　rooms　from　the　delivery　areas；　he　looked　around　him。　Seeing　him　through　the　glass　partitions　of　her　office；　Mrs。　Yeo；　the　head　nurse；　got　up　and　came　toward　him；　holding　a　clip　board。
　〃Here's　the　blood…sensitivity　report　on　your　patient；　Dr。　Dornberger。　It　just　came　in　from　Pathology。〃　She　held　out　the　board　so　he　could　read　without　touching　it。
　〃About　time！〃　Unusual　for　him；　it　was　almost　a　growl。　Scanning　the　form　on　top　of　the　clip　board；　he　said；　〃Sensitivity　negative；　eh？　Well；　there's　no　problem　there。　Is　everything　else　ready？〃
　〃Yes；　Doctor。〃　Mrs。　Yeo　smiled。　She　was　a　tolerant　woman　who　felt　that　every　man；　including　her　own　husband；　was　entitled　to　be　grouchy　now　and　then。
　〃How　about　an　incubator？〃
　〃It's　here　now。〃
　As　Dornberger　glanced　around；　a　nurse　held　the　outer　doorway　wide　while　a　woman　orderly　wheeled　in　an　Isolette　incubator。　Holding　the　trailing　cord　clear　of　the　floor；　the　orderly　glanced　inquiringly　at　Mrs。　Yeo。
　〃In　number　two；　please。〃
　The　orderly　nodded　and　wheeled　the　incubator　through　a　second　swing　door　immediately　ahead。　As　it　closed　behind　her　a　girl　clerk　came　toward　them　from　the　nursing　office。
　〃Excuse　me；　Mrs。　Yeo。〃
　〃Yes？〃
　〃Emergency　just　phoned。〃　The　girl　turned　to　Dornberger。　〃Your　patient　just　arrived；　Doctor；　and　she's　on　the　way　up。　They　say　she's　well　advanced　in　labor。〃
　
　Ahead　of　the　hospital　stretcher；　to　which　she　had　been　transferred　from　the　ambul