ah.thefinaldiagnosis-第39章

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　builders　could　never　be　accused　of　having　wasted　money　on　aesthetic　frills。　The　architecture　was　strictly　utilitarian；　the　facings　of　plain　brick　unadorned　by　any　other　masonry。　The　effect　was　a　succession　of　conventional　rectangles：　walls；　doors；　and　windows。　Only　near　the　main　doorway　did　the　pattern　vary；　and　here　a　single　foundation　stone　announced；　〃Laid　by　His　Honor　Mayor　Hugo　Stouting；　April　1918。〃　As　he　walked　up　the　entry　steps　David　Coleman　found　himself　wondering　what　kind　of　a　man　that　long…forgotten　dignitary　had　been。
　Carl　Bannister　was　sorting　papers　on　Dr。　Pearson's　desk　when　Coleman　knocked　and　entered　the　pathologist's　office。
　〃Good　morning。〃
　Surprised；　the　senior　lab　technician　looked　up。　It　was　unusual　to　have　visitors　this　early。　Most　people　around　the　hospital　knew　that　Joe　Pearson　seldom　arrived　before　ten　o'clock；　sometimes　later。
　〃Good　morning。〃　He　returned　the　greeting；　not　too　affably。　Bannister　was　never　at　his　best　in　the　early　morning。　He　asked；　〃Are　you　looking　for　Dr。　Pearson？〃
　〃In　a　way；　yes。　I'm　starting　work　here　today。〃　Seeing　the　other　start；　he　added；　〃I'm　Dr。　Coleman。〃
　The　effect；　Coleman　thought；　was　somewhat　like　letting　off　firecrackers　under　a　hen。　Bannister　put　down　his　papers　hurriedly　and　came　around　the　desk；　almost　at　a　run；　his　bald　head　gleaming。　〃Oh；　excuse　me；　Doctor。　I　didn't　realize。　I'd　heard　you　were　ing；　but　we　had　no　idea　it　would　be　this　soon。〃
　Coleman　said　calmly；　〃Dr。　Pearson　is　expecting　me。　Is　he　in；　by　the　way？〃
　Bannister　seemed　shocked。　〃You're　too　early　for　him。　He　won't　be　here　for　another　two　hours。〃　His　face　creased　in　a　confidential　man…to…man　smile。　It　seemed　to　say：　I　expect　you'll　keep　the　same　kind　of　hours　yourself　as　soon　as　the　newness　wears　off。
　〃I　see。〃
　As　Coleman　glanced　around　him　Bannister　remembered　an　omission。　He　said；　〃Oh；　by　the　way；　Doctor；　I'm　Carl　Bannister…senior　lab　technician。〃　With　careful　geniality　he　added；　〃I　expect　we'll　be　seeing　a　lot　of　each　other。〃　Bannister　made　a　habit　of　taking　no　chances　with　anybody　senior　to　himself。
　〃Yes；　I　expect　we　will。〃　Coleman　was　not　sure　how　much　the　idea　appealed　to　him。　But　he　shook　hands　with　Bannister；　then　looked　around　for　a　place　to　hang　the　light　raincoat　he　had　brought；　the　morning　forecast　predicted　thunder　showers　later　in　the　day。　Once　again　Bannister　was　alert　to　serve　and　please。
　〃Let　me　take　your　coat。〃　He　found　a　wire　hanger　and　carefully　put　coat　and　hanger　on　a　rack　near　the　door。
　〃Thank　you；〃　Coleman　said。
　〃That's　perfectly　all　right；　Doctor。　Now；　would　you　like　me　to　show　you　around　the　labs？〃
　Coleman　hesitated。　Perhaps　he　ought　to　wait　for　Dr。　Pearson。　On　the　other　hand；　two　hours　was　a　long　time　to　sit　around　and　he　might　as　well　be　doing　something　in　the　meantime。　The　labs　would　be　his　domain　anyway。　What　was　the　difference？　He　said；　〃I　saw　part　of　the　labs　with　Dr。　Pearson　when　I　was　here　a　few　weeks　ago。　But　I'll　take　another　look　if　you're　not　too　busy。〃
　〃Well；　of　course；　we're　always　busy　around　here；　Doctor。　But　I'll　be　glad　to　take　the　time　for　you。　In　fact；　it'll　be　a　pleasure。〃　The　working　of　Bannister's　mind　was　incredibly　transparent。
　〃This　way；　please。〃　Bannister　had　opened　the　door　of　the　serology　lab　and　stood　back　for　Coleman　to　enter。　John　Alexander；　who　had　not　seen　Bannister　since　their　argument　the　night　before；　looked　up　from　the　centrifuge　in　which　he　had　just　placed　a　blood　sample。
　〃Doctor；　this　is　John　Alexander。　He　just　started　work　here。〃　Carl　Bannister　was　warming　to　his　role　of　showman。　He　added　facetiously；　〃Still　wet　behind　the　ears　from　technology　school；　eh；　John？〃
　〃If　you　say　so。〃　Alexander　answered　unfortably；　resenting　the　condescension　but　not　wanting　to　be　rude。
　Coleman　moved　forward；　offering　his　hand。　〃I'm　Dr。　Coleman。〃
　As　they　shook　hands　Alexander　said　interestedly；　〃You　mean　you're　the　new　pathologist；　Doctor？〃
　〃That's　right。〃　Coleman　glanced　around　him。　As　he　had　on　the　previous　visit；　he　could　see　that　a　lot　of　changes　would　need　to　be　made　in　here。
　Bannister　said　expansively；　〃You　just　look　around；　Doctor…at　anything　you　want。〃
　〃Thank　you。〃　Turning　back　to　Alexander；　Coleman　asked；　〃What　are　you　working　on　now？〃
　〃It's　a　blood　sensitization。〃　He　indicated　the　centrifuge。　〃This　specimen　happens　to　be　from　my　wife。〃
　〃Really。〃　Coleman　found　himself　thinking　this　young　lab　assistant　was　a　good　deal　more　impressive　than　Bannister。　In　appearance　anyway。　〃When　is　your　wife　having　her　child？〃　he　asked。
　〃In　just　over　four　months；　Doctor。〃　Alexander　balanced　the　centrifuge　and　switched　it　on；　then　reached　over　to　set　a　timing　dial。　Coleman　noticed　that　all　the　movements　were　economical　and　quick。　There　was　a　sense　of　fluidity　in　the　way　this　man　used　his　hands。　Politely　Alexander　asked；　〃Are　you　married；　Doctor？〃
　〃No。〃　Coleman　shook　his　head。
　Alexander　seemed　on　the　point　of　asking　another　question；　then　appeared　to　change　his　mind。
　〃Did　you　want　to　ask　me　something？〃
　For　a　moment　there　was　a　pause。　Then　John　Alexander　made　up　his　mind。　〃Yes；　Doctor；〃　he　said。　〃I　do。〃
　Whether　this　meant　trouble　or　not；　Alexander　thought；　at　least　he　would　bring　his　doubts　out　into　the　open。　Last　night；　after　the　dispute　with　Bannister；　he　had　been　tempted　to　drop　the　whole　subject　of　the　extra　test　on　blood　samples　ing　to　the　lab。　He　remembered　only　too　clearly　the　dressing　down　he　had　received　from　Dr。　Pearson　on　the　last　occasion　he　had　chosen　to　make　a　suggestion。　This　new　doctor；　though；　certainly　seemed　easier　to　deal　with。　And　even　if　he　considered　Alexander　wrong；　it　didn't　seem　likely　there　would　be　any　big　scene。　He　took　the　plunge。　〃It's　about　the　blood　tests　we're　doing…for　sensitization。〃
　As　they　had　been　speaking　he　had　bee　aware　of　Banister　in　the　background；　the　older　technician　moving　his　bald　head　from　side　to　side；　intent　on　missing　nothing　that　was　said。　Now　he　moved　forward；　annoyed　and　aggressive；　to　put　Alexander　in　his　place。　〃Now　listen！　If　that's　what　you　were　talking　about　last　night；　you　leave　it　alone！〃
　Coleman　asked　curiously；　〃What　was　it　you　were　talking　about　last　night？〃
　Ignoring　the　question；　Bannister　continued　to　lecture　Alexander。　〃I　don't　want　Dr。　Coleman　bothered　with　stuff　like　that　five　minutes　after　he　gets　here。　Forget　it！　Understand？〃　He　turned　to　Coleman；　the　automatic　smile　switched　on。　〃It's　just　some　bee　he's　got　in　his　bonnet；　Doctor。　Now；　if　you'll　e　with　me；　I'll　show　you　our　histology　setup。〃　He　put　a　hand　on　Coleman's　arm　to　steer　him　away。
　For　the　space　of　several　seconds　Coleman　did　nothing。　Then；　deliberately；　he　reached　down　and　removed　the　hand　from　his　sleeve。　〃Just　a　moment；〃　he　said　quietly。　Then　to　Alexander；　〃Is　this　something　medical？　To　do　with　the　laboratory？〃
　Deliberately　avoiding　Bannister's　scowl；　Alexander　answered；　〃Yes；　it　is。〃
　〃All　right；　let's　hear　it。〃
　〃It　came　up；　really；　because　of　this　blood…sensitization　test…the　one　for　my　wife；〃　Alexander　said。　〃She's　Rh　negative；　I'm　Rh　positive。〃
　Coleman　smiled。　〃Well；　that　applies　to　plenty　of　people。　There's　no　problem…that　is；　as　long　as　the　sensitization　test　shows　a　negative　result。〃
　〃But　that's　the　point；　Doctor…the　test。〃
　〃What　about　it？〃　Coleman　was　puzzled。　He　was　not　at　all　clear　about　what　this　young　lab　assistant　was　getting　at。
　Alexander　said；　〃I　think　we　should　be　doing　an　indirect　Coombs　test　on　all　these　samples；　after　the　tests　in　saline　and　high　protein。〃
　〃Of　course。〃
　There　was　a　silence　which　Alexander　broke。　〃Would　you　mind　saying　that　again；　Doctor？〃
　〃I　said　'of　course。'　Naturally　there　should　be　an　indirect　Coombs。〃　Coleman　still　could　see　no　point　in　this　discussion。　For　a　serology　lab　this　sort　of　thing　was　elementary；　basic。
　〃But　we're　not　doing　an　indirect　Coombs。〃　Alexander　shot　a　triumphal　glance　at　Bannister。　〃Doctor；　the　Rh…sensitivity　tests　here　are　all　being　done　just　in　a　saline　solution　and　in　high　protein。　There's　no　Coombs　serum　being　used　at　all。〃
　At　first　Coleman　was　sure　Alexander　must　be　wrong。　Apparently　the　young　technologist　had　been　working　here　only　a　short　time；　no　doubt　he　had　bee　confused。　Then　Coleman　remembered　the　tone　of　conviction　in　which　the　statement　had