ah.thefinaldiagnosis-第65部分

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e　there　could　ever　be　anything　quite　the　same　again；　at　any　rate〃…for　an　instant　her　voice　faltered…〃not　for　me。〃
　〃Then　why　。　。　。　？〃
　She　pleaded；　〃Please；　Mike。　Hear　me　out。　You　said　you　would。〃
　Impatiently　he　said；　〃Go　on。〃
　〃Whatever　you　may　say；　Mike；　I'm　not　the　same　girl　you　met　that　first　time　we　saw　each　other。　I　can't　be；　ever　again。〃　She　went　on　softly；　intensely；　〃That's　why　I　have　to　be　sure…sure　that　you　love　me　for　what　I　am　and　not　for　what　I　was。　Don't　you　see；　darling；　if　we're　going　to　spend　the　rest　of　our　lives　together；　I　couldn't　bear　to　think…not　later　on；　not　ever…that　you　married　me　。　。　。　out　of　pity。　No；　don't　stop　me；　just　listen。　I　know　you　think　it　isn't　true；　and　perhaps　it　isn't；　and　I　hope　it　isn't…with　all　my　heart。　But；　Mike；　you're　kind　and　generous；　and　you　might　even　be　doing　this…for　that　reason…without　admitting　it　to　yourself。〃
　He　snapped　back；　〃Are　you　suggesting　I　don't　know　my　own　motives？〃
　Vivian　answered　softly；　〃Do　any　of　us　really　know？〃
　〃I　know　mine。〃　He　took　her　hands　gently；　their　faces　close。　〃I　know　that　I　love　you…whole　or　in　part；　yesterday；　today；　or　tomorrow。　And　I　know　that　I　want　to　marry　you…without　doubts；　without　pity；　without　waiting　one　day　longer　than　we　have　to。〃
　〃Then　do　this　one　thing　for　me…because　you　love　me。　Go　away　from　me　now；　and　even　though　you're　in　the　hospital；　don't　e　back　to　see　me　for　one　week…seven　whole　days。〃　Vivian　looked　at　him　levelly。　She　went　on　quietly；　〃In　that　time　think　of　everything…of　me；　what　our　life　would　be　like　together；　how　it　would　be　for　you…living　with　a　cripple；　the　things　we　couldn't　share　and　those　we　could；　our　children…how　it　would　affect　them；　and　through　them；　you；　everything；　Mike…everything　there　is。　Then　when　you've　done　that；　e　back　and　tell　me；　and　if　you're　still　sure；　I　promise　that　I'll　never　question　you　again。　It's　just　seven　days；　darling…seven　days　out　of　both　our　lives。　It　isn't　very　much。〃
　〃Goddam；〃　he　said；　〃you're　obstinate。〃
　〃I　know。〃　She　smiled。　〃You'll　do　it　then？〃
　〃I'll　do　it　for　four　days…no　more。〃
　Vivian　shook　her　head。　〃Six…no　less。〃
　〃Make　it　five；〃　he　said；　〃and　you've　got　a　deal。〃
　She　hesitated　and　Mike　said；　〃It's　positively　my　best　offer。〃
　Vivian　laughed；　it　was　the　first　time　she　had。　〃All　right。　Five　days　from　this　moment。〃
　〃Like　hell　from　this　moment！〃　Mike　said。　〃Maybe　ten　minutes　from　now。　First　I've　got　a　little　storing　up　to　do。　For　a　young　fellow　with　my　hot　blood　five　days　is　a　long　time。〃
　He　moved　the　bedside　chair　closer；　then　reached　out。　It　was　a　long　kiss；　alternately　passionate　and　tender。
　At　the　end　Vivian　made　a　grimace　and　broke　away。　She　sighed　and　eased　herself　to　a　new　position　in　the　bed。
　Mike　inquired　anxiously；　〃Is　something　wrong？〃
　Vivian　shook　her　head。　〃Not　really。〃　Then　she　asked　him；　〃Mike；　where　have　they　got　my　leg…the　gone　one；　I　mean？〃
　He　seemed　startled；　then　told　her；　〃In　Pathology…in　a　refrigerator；　I　expect。〃
　Vivian　drew　in　a　long　breath；　then　expelled　it　slowly。　〃Mike　darling；〃　she　said；　〃please　go　downstairs　and　scratch　the　foot。〃
　
　The　hospital's　board　room　was　crowded。　News　of　the　emergency　meeting　had　gone　swiftly　around　the　hospital；　and　physicians　not　attending　Three　Counties　that　day　had　been　notified　in　their　downtown　offices　and　at　home。　Rumors　of　Joe　Pearson's　downfall　and　his　impending　departure　had　also　traveled　with　equal　speed　and　had　been　the　subject　of　a　buzz　of　discussion　which　had　quieted　as　Pearson　entered；　the　administrator　and　David　Coleman　with　him。
　Kent　O'Donnell　was　already　at　the　head　of　the　long　walnut　table。　Glancing　around；　he　could　see　most　of　the　familiar　faces。　Gil　Bartlett；　his　beard　wagging　rapidly；　was　chatting　with　Roger　Hilton；　the　young　surgeon　who　had　joined　Three　Counties'　staff　a　month　or　two　ago。　John　McEwan；　the　e。n。t。　specialist；　was　in　what　appeared　to　be　a　heated　discussion　with　Ding　Dong　Bell　and　fat　Lewis　Toynbee；　the　internist。　Bill　Rufus；　a　tie　of　brilliant　green　and　yellow　marking　him　out　from　the　crowd；　was　about　to　seat　himself　in　the　second　row　of　chairs。　Immediately　in　front；　looking　over　a　page　of　handwritten　notes；　was　Dr。　Harvey　Chandler；　chief　of　medicine。　There　were　several　members　of　the　house　staff；　and　among　them　O'Donnell　noticed　McNeil；　the　pathology　resident。　Alongside　the　administrator；　attending　the　meeting　by　special　request；　was　Mrs。　Straughan；　the　chief　dietitian。　Nearby　was　Ernie　Reubens；　who　appeared　to　be　quizzically　appraising　the　dietitian's　quivering；　voluptuous　breasts。　Absent　from　the　meeting　was　the　familiar　figure　of　Charlie　Dornberger；　who　had　already　made　known　his　intention　to　retire　immediately。
　Looking　toward　the　door；　O'Donnell　saw　Lucy　Grainger　e　in；　she　caught　his　eye　and　smiled　slightly。　Seeing　Lucy　was　a　reminder　of　the　personal　decision　about　his　own　future　which；　when　all　this　was　settled　and　done；　he　had　still　to　face。　Then　suddenly　he　realized　that　since　this　morning　he　had　not　once　thought　of　Denise。　The　hospital　activity　had　driven　all　awareness　of　her　from　his　mind；　and　he　knew　that　for　the　next　day　or　two；　anyway；　there　would　be　other　occasions　when　the　same　thing　would　be　true。　O'Donnell　wondered　how　Denise　herself　would　react　about　taking　second　place　to　medical　affairs。　Would　she　be　understanding？　As　understanding；　say；　as　Lucy　would　be？　Fleeting　as　the　thought　was；　it　made　him　unfortable；　as　if　by　the　mental　parison　he　had　been　disloyal。　For　the　moment　he　preferred　to　think　of　present　things。　Now；　he　decided；　it　was　time　the　meeting　began。
　O'Donnell　rapped　for　silence；　then　waited　until　the　talk　stilled　and　those　who　had　been　standing　had　slipped　into　their　seats。　He　began　quietly。　〃Ladies　and　gentlemen；　I　think　all　of　us　are　aware　that　epidemics　in　hospitals　are　not　unique　and；　in　fact；　are　a　good　deal　more　frequent　than　most　members　of　the　public　realize。　In　a　way；　I　suppose；　one　might　say　that　epidemics　are　a　hazard　of　our　existence。　When　one　considers　how　many　diseases　we　harbor　inside　these　walls；　it's　surprising；　really；　there　are　not　more。〃　All　eyes　in　the　room　were　upon　him。　He　paused　for　a　moment；　then　continued。　〃I　have　no　wish　to　minimize　what　has　happened；　but　I　want　us　to　keep　a　sense　of　proportion。　Dr。　Chandler；　perhaps　you'd　be　kind　enough　to　lead　off。〃
　As　O'Donnell　sat　down　the　chief　of　medicine　rose　to　his　feet。
　〃To　begin　with；　let's　summarize。〃　Harvey　Chandler　was　holding　his　page　of　notes；　and　his　glance　moved　theatrically　around　the　room。　Harvey's　enjoying　this；　O'Donnell　thought；　but　then　he　always　does　enjoy　attention。　The　medical　chieftain　went　on；　〃The　picture　so　far　is　that　we　have　two　definite　cases　of　typhoid　and　four　suspected。　All　of　the　cases　are　hospital　employees；　and　we　may　count　ourselves　fortunate　that　no　patients　are　affected…yet。　Because　of　the　number　of　cases　I'm　sure　it's　evident　to　you；　as　it　is　to　me；　that　we　have　a　typhoid　carrier　somewhere　in　the　hospital。　Now；　I　may　say　I'm　as　shocked　as　everyone　else　must　have　been　to　learn　that　examination　of　food　handlers　here　hasn't　been　done　for　。　。　。〃
　At　the　mention　of　food　handlers　O'Donnell　had　jolted　to　attention。　Now　he　cut　in；　quietly；　as　politely　as　he　could。
　〃Excuse　me；　Doctor。〃
　〃Yes？〃　Chandler's　tone　made　it　plain　the　interruption　was　not　appreciated。
　Gently　O'Donnell　said；　〃We're　going　to　be　dealing　with　that　phase　very　shortly；　Harvey。　I　wonder　if；　for　the　moment；　you　would　outline　the　clinical　aspects。〃
　He　could　sense　the　other　man's　resentment。　Harvey　Chandler；　who　was　virtually　equal　to　O'Donnell　in　the　hospital　hierarchy；　did　not　like　this　at　all。　Moreover；　Dr。　Chandler　enjoyed　talking　at　length；　he　had　a　reputation　for　never　employing　one　word　where　it　was　possible　to　use　two　or　three。　Now　he　grumbled；　〃Well；　if　you　wish；　but　。　。　。〃
　Suavely；　but　firmly；　O'Donnell　put　in；　〃Thank　you。〃
　Chandler　shot　him　a　glance　which　said：　We'll　discuss　this　later　in　private。　Then；　after　a　barely　perceptible　pause；　he　went　on；　〃For　the　benefit　of　those　of　you　who　are　not　familiar　with　typhoid…and　I　realize　there　will　be　some；　because　there　isn't　too　much　of　it　around　nowadays…I'll　run　over　the　principal　early…stage　symptoms。　Generally　speaking；　there's　a　rising　fever；　chills；　and　a　slow　pulse。　There's　also　a　low　blood　count　and；　naturally；　the　characteristic　rose　spots。　In　addition　to　all　that　a　patient　will　probably　plain　of　a　dull　headache；　no　appetite；　and　general　aching。　Some　patients　may　say　they're　drowsy　in　the　daytime　and　that　they're　restless　at　night。　One　thing　to　look　out　for　also　is　bronchitis；　that's　quite　mon　with　typhoid；　and　you　may　encounter　nosebleed　too。　And；　of　course；　a　tender；　swollen　spleen。〃
　The　chief　of　medicine　sat　down。　O'Donnell　asked；　〃Any　questions？〃
　Lucy　Grainger　asked；　〃I　take　it　that　typhoid　shots　are　being　arranged。〃
　〃Yes；〃　Chandler　said；　〃for　all　employees　and　staff；　also　patients　who　are　well　enough　to　have　them。〃
　〃What　about　kitchen　arrangements？〃　The　question　was　from　Bill　Rufus。
　O'Donnell　said；　〃If　you　don't　mind；　we'll　e　to　that　shortly。　At　this　point　is　there　anything　more　medically？〃　He　looked　around；　there　was　a　shaking　of　heads；　〃Very　well；　then。　We'll　hear　from　Pathology。〃　He　announced　quietly；　〃Dr。　Pearson。〃
　Until　this　m