ah.thefinaldiagnosis-第22章

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　〃What　happened；　Doctor？〃　Alexander　asked。
　〃It　says　here：　'Daughter　states　that　for　the　past　two　years　the　family　has　been　noticing　drainage　from　the　mother's　left　breast　area。　Fourteen　months　before　admission　bleeding　was　noticed　from　the　same　area。　Otherwise　she　appeared　in　normal　health。'　〃
　Pearson　turned　a　page。　〃It　seems　this　woman　went　to　a　faith　healer。〃　He　chuckled　grimly。　〃Guess　she　didn't　have　enough　faith；　though；　because　she　finally　collapsed　and　they　brought　her　to　this　hospital。〃
　〃By　then；　I　suppose；　it　was　too　late。〃
　This　isn't　politeness；　McNeil　thought。　This　guy　Alexander　is　really　interested。
　〃Yeah；〃　Pearson　answered。　〃But　if　she　had　gone　to　a　doctor　at　the　beginning　she　could　have　had　a　radical　mastectomy…that's　removal　of　the　breast。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。　I　know。〃
　〃If　she'd　had　that　she　might　still　be　alive。〃　Pearson　tossed　the　stomach　neatly　through　the　hole。
　Something　was　troubling　Alexander。　He　asked；　〃Didn't　you　just　say；　though；　she　had　a　peptic　ulcer？〃
　Good　for　you；　McNeil　thought。　Pearson；　it　seemed；　had　the　same　reaction；　for　he　turned　to　Bannister。　〃There　you　are；　Carl。　Here's　a　boy　who　keeps　his　ears　open。　You　watch　out　or　he'll　be　showing　you　up。〃
　Bannister　was　grinning；　but　McNeil　suspected　a　little　sourness。　What　had　been　said　might　prove　unfortably　true。　〃Well；　John〃…Pearson　was　really　expansive　now…〃she　might　have　had　trouble　with　that。　Then　again　she　might　not。〃
　〃You　mean　she'd　never　have　known　about　it？〃
　McNeil　thought　it　was　time　he　said　something　himself。　〃It's　surprising；〃　he　told　Alexander；　〃what　people　have　wrong　with　them　besides　the　things　they　die　of。　Things　they　never　know　about。　You　see　a　lot　of　that　here。〃
　〃That's　right。〃　Pearson　nodded　agreement。　〃You　know；　John；　the　remarkable　thing　about　the　human　body　is　not　what　kills　us　but　what　we　can　have　wrong　inside　and　still　go　on　living。〃　He　paused；　then　abruptly　changed　the　subject。　〃Are　you　married？〃
　〃Yes；　sir。　I　am。〃
　〃Your　wife　here　with　you？〃
　〃Not　yet。　She's　ing　next　week。　I　thought　I'd　find　us　a　place　to　live　first。〃
　McNeil　remembered　that　Alexander　had　been　one　of　the　out…of…town　applicants　for　the　job　at　Three　Counties。　He　seemed　to　recall　that　Chicago　had　been　mentioned。
　Alexander　hesitated；　then　he　added；　〃There　was　something　I　wanted　to　ask　you；　Dr。　Pearson。〃
　〃What's　that？〃　The　old　man　sounded　wary。
　〃My　wife　is　pregnant；　Doctor；　and　ing　into　a　new　town；　we　don't　know　anyone。〃　Alexander　paused。　〃This　baby　is　pretty　important　to　us。　You　see；　we　lost　our　first　child。　A　month　after　she　was　born。〃
　〃I　see。〃　Pearson　had　stopped　work　now　and　was　listening　carefully。
　〃I　was　wondering；　Doctor；　if　you　could　remend　an　obstetrician　my　wife　could　go　to。〃
　〃That's　easy。〃　Pearson　sounded　relieved。　Plainly　he　had　wondered　what　was　ing。　〃Dr。　Dornberger's　a　good　man。　He　has　an　office　right　here　in　the　hospital。　Would　you　like　me　to　call　him？〃
　〃If　it's　not　too　much　trouble。〃
　Pearson　motioned　to　Bannister。　〃See　if　he's　in。〃
　Bannister　picked　up　the　telephone　behind　them　and　asked　for　an　extension。　After　a　pause　he　said；　〃He's　in；〃　and　offered　the　instrument　to　Pearson。
　With　both　hands　gloved　and　wet；　the　old　man　motioned　his　head　irritably。　〃Hold　it！　Hold　it！〃
　Bannister　moved　in　closer　and　held　the　receiver　against　Pearson's　ear。
　〃That　you；　Charlie？〃　The　pathologist　boomed　into　the　mouthpiece。　〃I've　got　a　patient　for　you。〃
　In　his　office　three　floors　above　Dr。　Charles　Dornberger　smiled　and　moved　the　telephone　slightly　away　from　his　ear。　He　asked；　〃What　can　obstetrics　do　for　your　kind　of　patients？〃　At　the　same　time　he　reflected　that　this　call　was　convenient。　Since　the　meeting　which　O'Donnell　had　called　yesterday；　Charles　Dornberger　had　speculated　on　the　best　method　of　approach　to　Joe　Pearson。　Now；　it　seemed；　an　opportunity　was　presenting　itself。
　Down　in　Pathology　Pearson　maneuvered　the　cigar　to　a　corner　of　his　mouth。　He　always　enjoyed　exchanges　with　Dornberger。
　〃This　isn't　a　dead　patient；　you　old　fool。　It's　a　live　one。　Wife　of　one　of　my　lab　boys　here…Mrs。　John　Alexander。　They're　new　in　town。　Don't　know　anybody。〃
　As　Pearson　mentioned　the　name　Dornberger　opened　a　file　drawer　and　selected　a　blank　card。
　〃Just　a　minute。〃　He　cradled　the　phone　in　his　shoulder　and；　using　his　left　hand　to　hold　the　card；　wrote　in　a　fine　script　with　the　right；　〃Alexander；　Mrs。　John。〃　It　was　typical　of　Dornberger's　organized　approach　to　his　practice　that　this　was　the　first　thing　he　did。　Now　he　said；　〃Be　glad　to　oblige；　Joe。　Will　you　have　them　call　me　for　an　appointment？〃
　〃All　right。　Be　some　time　next　week。　Mrs。　Alexander　won't　be　in　town　till　then。〃　He　grinned　at　Alexander；　then　added；　still　almost　shouting；　〃And　if　they　want　twins；　Charlie；　it's　up　to　you　to　see　they　get　them。〃
　Pearson　listened　to　Dornberger's　answer　and　chuckled。　A　thought　struck　him。　〃And　hey！　Another　thing！　None　of　your　fancy　fees　for　this　job。　I　don't　want　the　boy　ing　to　me　for　a　raise　so　he　can　pay　his　doctor's　bill。〃
　Dornberger　smiled。　He　said；　〃Don't　worry。〃　On　the　card　he　made　a　notation；　〃Hospital　employee。〃　It　was　a　signal　to　himself　that　this　was　a　patient　he　would　charge　no　fee。　Into　the　phone　he　said；　〃Joe；　there's　something　I　want　to　talk　to　you　about。　When　would　be　a　convenient　time　to　e　and　see　you？〃
　〃Can't　make　it　today；　Charlie；〃　Pearson　said。　〃Got　a　full　schedule。　How　about　tomorrow？〃
　Dornberger　consulted　his　own　appointment　list。　〃I'm　crowded　tomorrow　myself。　Let's　make　it　the　day　after。　How　about　around　ten　in　the　morning？　I'll　e　to　your　office。〃
　〃That'll　be　all　right。　Unless　you　want　to　tell　me　now…on　the　phone。〃　Pearson's　voice　sounded　curious。
　〃No；　Joe；〃　Dornberger　said；　〃I'd　rather　e　and　see　you。〃
　In　Pathology　Pearson　answered；　〃All　right；　Charlie。　See　you　then。　So　long。〃　Impatiently　he　motioned　the　telephone　away　and　Bannister　replaced　it。
　To　Alexander；　Pearson　said；　〃That's　all　fixed。　Your　wife　can　be　admitted　to　this　hospital　when　she　es　to　term。　Because　you're　an　employee　you'll　get　a　twenty　per　cent　discount　on　your　bill。〃
　Alexander　was　beaming。　McNeil　thought：　Yes；　go　ahead；　enjoy　it；　my　friend。　This　is　one　of　the　old　man's　good　moments。　But　make　no　mistake…there'll　be　others；　and　those　you　won't　enjoy　at　all。
　
　〃I'll　only　be　a　moment。〃　In　his　office　Dornberger　smiled　at　the　student　nurse　who　had　e　in　while　he　was　talking　with　Pearson。　He　motioned　her　to　the　chair　alongside　his　desk。
　〃Thank　you；　Doctor。〃　Vivian　Loburton　had　brought　a　patient's　chart　that　Dornberger　had　asked　to　see。　Ordinarily　physicians　didn't　get　this　kind　of　service；　they　would　have　to　walk　to　the　ward　and　look　at　the　chart　there。　But　Dornberger　was　a　favorite　with　the　nurses；　they　were　always　doing　little　things　for　him；　and　when　he　had　phoned　a　few　minutes　ago　the　staff　nurse　had　sent　Vivian　off　promptly。
　〃I　like　to　do　one　thing　at　a　time　when　I　can。〃　Dornberger　was　writing　in　pencil　now；　noting　on　the　card　the　new　facts　Joe　Pearson　had　given　him。　Later；　when　he　had　more　information　from　the　patient；　he　would　erase　the　pencil　notes　and　plete　the　card　in　ink。　Still　writing；　he　asked　the　girl；　〃You're　new　here；　aren't　you？〃
　〃Fairly　new；　Doctor；〃　Vivian　said。　〃This　is　my　fourth　month　in　nursing　school。〃
　He　noticed　she　had　a　soft　voice　with　a　lilt。　Pretty　too。　He　wondered　if　she　had　slept　yet　with　any　of　the　interns　or　residents。　Or　had　things　changed　since　his　own　student　years？　He　occasionally　suspected　that　interns　and　residents　nowadays　were　getting　more　conservative　than　they　used　to　be。　A　pity。　If　true；　they　were　missing　a　good　deal。　Aloud　he　said；　〃That　was　Dr。　Pearson；　our　pathologist。　Have　you　met　him　yet？〃
　〃Yes；〃　Vivian　said。　〃Our　class　went　to　an　autopsy。〃
　〃Oh　dear。　How　did　you　。　。　。〃　He　was　going　to　say　〃like　it〃　but　changed　it　to；　〃How　did　you　find　it？〃
　Vivian　considered。　〃At　first　it　was　rather　a　shock。　Afterward　I　didn't　mind　too　much　though。〃
　He　nodded　sympathetically。　He　had　finished　writing　now　and　put　the　card　away。　This　had　been　a　quieter　day　than　usual；　it　was　a　luxury　to　be　able　to　clean　up　one　piece　of　work　before　going　on　to　another。　He　held　out　his　hand　for　the　chart。　〃Thank　you。〃　He　added；　〃I'll　only　be　a　moment　with　this；　if　you'd　like　to　wait。