ah.thefinaldiagnosis-第36章

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　The　door　of　the　outpatients'　lab　opened　and　a　woman　who　had　been　waiting　ahead　of　Elizabeth　came　out。　A　white…coated　girl　technician　was　behind　her。　The　technician　consulted　a　clip　board。　〃Mrs。　Alexander？〃
　〃That's　right。〃　Elizabeth　stood　up。
　〃Will　you　e　in；　please？〃
　She　followed　the　girl　through　the　doorway。
　〃Sit　down；　Mrs。　Alexander。　This　won't　take　long。〃
　〃Thank　you。〃
　At　her　desk　the　technician　consulted　the　requisition　slip　which　Dr。　Dornberger　had　written。　〃Rh　typing　and　sensitivity。　All　right；　just　put　your　hand　here；　please；　and　clench　your　fist。〃　She　took　Elizabeth's　wrist　and　sponged　it　with　antiseptic；　then　deftly　slipped　on　a　rubber　tourniquet。　From　a　tray　she　selected　a　hypodermic　and　broke　open　a　package　with　a　sterile　needle　which　she　fitted　to　the　syringe。　Quickly　selecting　a　vein　on　Elizabeth's　arm；　the　girl　inserted　the　needle　with　a　single　sharp　movement　and　eased　back　the　plunger。　She　drew　blood　until　it　was　level　with　the　7　cc。　mark　on　the　syringe；　then　whipped　the　needle　out；　putting　a　tuft　of　cotton　batting　on　the　puncture　it　had　made。　The　whole　procedure　had　taken　less　than　fifteen　seconds。
　〃I　think　you've　done　that　before；〃　Elizabeth　said。
　The　girl　smiled。　〃A　few　hundred　times。〃
　Elizabeth　watched　while　the　technician　labeled　a　test　tube　and　transferred　the　blood　sample　to　it。　When　she　had　finished　she　put　the　test　tube　in　a　rack。　Then　she　announced；　〃That's　all；　Mrs。　Alexander。〃
　Elizabeth　pointed　to　the　tube。　〃What　happens　to　it　now？〃
　〃It　goes　to　the　serology　lab。　One　of　the　technicians　there　will　do　the　test。〃
　Elizabeth　speculated　on　whether　it　might　be　John。
　
　Mike　Seddons；　sitting　alone　in　the　house…staff　lounge；　was　deeply　troubled。　If　someone　had　told　him　a　month　ago　that　he　could　be　this　concerned　about　a　girl　that　to　all　intents　and　purposes　he　scarcely　knew；　he　would　have　adjudged　the　other　person　crazy。　Yet　for　forty…eight　hours；　ever　since　he　had　read　the　chart　in　the　nursing　station　near　Vivian's　hospital　room；　his　worry　and　distress　had　steadily　grown。　Last　night　he　had　scarcely　slept；　for　hours　he　had　lain　awake；　his　mind　turning　over　the　full　significance　of　the　words　written　on　the　chart　in　Dr。　Lucy　Grainger's　handwriting；　〃Vivian　Loburton…suspected　osteogenic　sara…prepare　for　biopsy。〃
　On　the　first　occasion　he　had　seen　Vivian…the　day　of　the　autopsy…she　was　merely　another　pretty　student　nurse。　Even　at　their　second　meeting…before　the　incident　in　the　park…he　had　thought　of　her　principally　as　an　interesting；　exciting　lay。　Mike　Seddons　never　fooled　himself　either　about　words　or　his　own　intentions。
　Nor　did　he　now。
　For　the　first　time　in　his　life　he　was　deeply　and　genuinely　in　love。　And　tortured　with　a　haunting；　dreadful　fear。
　The　night　he　had　told　Vivian　that　he　wanted　to　marry　her　he　had　had　no　time　to　think　the　implications　through。　Up　to　that　point　Mike　Seddons　had　always　told　himself　there　would　be　no　question　of　marriage　until　he　was　established　in　practice；　his　wild　oats　sown；　his　future　financially　secure。　But　once　the　words　to　Vivian　were　out　he　had　known　them　to　be　true。　A　hundred　times　since　he　had　repeated　them　silently；　without　a　single　thought　of　wanting　to　turn　back。
　Then　this。
　Unlike　Vivian；　who　still　thought　of　her　problem　as　a　small　bump　below　the　knee…a　nuisance；　but　something　which　treatment　of　one　kind　or　another　would　clear　up…Mike　Seddons　knew　the　implications　of　the　phrase　〃suspected　osteogenic　sara。〃　He　knew　that　if　the　diagnosis　were　confirmed　it　would　mean　that　Vivian　had　a　virulent；　malignant　tumor　which　could　spread；　and　perhaps　already　had；　elsewhere　in　her　body。　In　that　event；　without　swift　surgery；　her　chances　of　survival　beyond　a　year　or　so　were　almost　nil。　And　surgery　meant　amputation　of　the　limb…with　all　speed　once　the　diagnosis　was　confirmed…in　the　hope　of　containing　the　spreading；　poisonous　cells　before　they　moved　too　far　beyond　the　original　site。　And　even　then；　statistically；　only　20　per　cent　of　osteogenic　patients　were　free　from　further　trouble　after　amputation。　The　rest　went　steadily　downhill；　sometimes　living　only　a　few　more　months。
　But　it　didn't　have　to　be　osteogenic　sara。　It　could　be　a　harmless　bone　tumor。　The　chances　either　way　were　fifty…fifty…odds　even；　the　same　chance　you　got　with　the　spin　of　a　single　coin。　Mike　Seddons　felt　himself　sweating　at　the　thought　of；　how　much…both　for　himself　and　Vivian…was　riding　on　the　biopsy　result。　He　had　considered　going　to　Lucy　Grainger　and　talking　the　whole　thing　over；　then　he　had　decided　no。　He　could　probably　find　out　more　by　staying　on　the　fringes。　If　he　declared　a　personal　interest　some　sources　of　information　might　be　closed　off　to　him。　To　spare　his　feelings　others　might　be　guarded　in　what　they　said。　He　did　not　want　that。　One　way　or　the　other　he　had　to　know！
　Talking　with　Vivian　and；　at　the　same　time；　trying　to　keep　his　thoughts　to　himself　had　not　been　easy。　Last　night；　sitting　alone　with　her　in　the　hospital　room…the　other　woman　patient　had　been　discharged；　and　for　the　time　being　the　second　bed　was　empty…she　had　teased　him　about　seeming　downcast。
　Cheerfully　chewing　grapes；　which　he　had　brought　her　earlier；　she　had　said；　〃I　know　what's　wrong。　You're　scared　of　being　pinned　down…not　being　able　to　hop　from　bed　to　bed。〃
　〃I　never　did　hop　from　bed　to　bed；〃　he　had　said；　trying　to　match　her　mood。　〃It　isn't　that　easy；　you　have　to　work　at　it。〃
　〃You　didn't　do　much　work　on　me。〃
　〃You　were　different。　It　just　sort　of　happened。〃
　She　had　stopped　at　that。　〃Yes；　I　know。〃　Then；　gaily　again；　she　had　said；　〃Well；　anyway；　it's　no　good　thinking　you're　going　to　get　out　of　this；　Dr。　Michael　Seddons；　M。D。　I　have　no　intention　of　letting　you　loose　again…ever。〃
　He　had　kissed　her　at　that；　holding　her　tightly；　feeling　more　emotion　than　he　had　believed　he　had。　She　moved　her　face　and　nuzzled　his　ear。　Her　hair　against　his　cheek　was　soft　and　fragrant。　Softly　she　said；　〃And　another　thing；　Doctor…stay　away　from　those　student　nurses；　they　have　no　morals。〃
　〃Really！〃　Again　he　responded　with　a　brightness　he　did　not　feel。　He　held　her　away　from　him。　〃Why　didn't　someone　tell　me　this　before？〃
　She　was　wearing　a　thin　blue　negligee；　open　at　the　front。　Beneath　it　was　a　nylon　nightgown　of　the　same　transparent　blue。　All　at　once　he　realized；　breathlessly；　how　young　and　beautiful　she　was。
　Vivian　had　looked　at　the　door。　It　was　closed。　She　said；　〃They're　busy　at　the　nursing　station　tonight。　I　know　because　they　told　me。　It'll　probably　be　an　hour；　at　least；　before　anyone　es　around。〃
　For　a　moment　he　had　been　shocked。　Then　he　had　laughed　and　fallen　in　love　all　over　again　with　her　honesty　and　simple　frankness。　He　said；　〃You　mean　here？　Now？〃
　〃Why　not？〃
　〃If　anyone　came　I'd　be　thrown　out　of　the　hospital。〃
　Softly　she　said；　〃You　weren't　so　worried　about　that　the　other　night。〃　Her　finger　tips　moved　lightly　down　his　face。　Impulsively　he　had　bent　and　kissed　her　neck。　As　his　lips　moved　lower　he　heard　her　breathing　quicken　and　felt　her　fingers　tighten　on　his　shoulder。
　For　a　moment　he　had　been　tempted；　then　sanity　won　out。　He　put　his　arms　around　her。　Tenderly　he　murmured；　〃When　all　this　is　over；　Vivian　darling；　then　we'll　be　really　alone。　What's　more；　we'll　have　all　the　time　we　want。〃
　That　was　yesterday。　This　afternoon；　on　the　operating　floor；　Lucy　Grainger　would　be　performing　the　biopsy。　Mike　Seddons　looked　at　his　watch。　It　was　2：30　P。M。　According　to　the　O。R。　schedule；　they　should　be　starting　now。　If　Pathology　worked　fast　the　answer　might　be　known　by　tomorrow。　With　a　fervor　at　once　incongruous　and　real　he　found　himself　praying：　Oh；　God！　Please；　God…let　it　be　benign！
　
　The　anesthetist　nodded。　〃We're　ready　when　you　are；　Lucy。〃
　Dr。　Lucy　Grainger　came　around　to　the　head　of　the　operating…room　table。　She　was　already　gloved　and　gowned。　Smiling　down　at　Vivian；　she　said　reassuringly；　〃This　won't　take　long；　and　you　won't　feel　a　thing。〃
　Vivian　tried　to　smile　back　confidently。　She　knew；　though；　she　didn't　quite　succeed。　Maybe　it　was　because　she　was　a　little　drowsy…she　was　aware　that　she　had　been　given　some　kind　of　sedation　as　well　as　the　spinal　anesthetic　which　had　taken　away　all　feeling　from　the　lower　portion　of　her　body。
　Lucy　nodded　to　her　assisting　intern。　He　lifted　Vivian's　left