ah.thefinaldiagnosis-第49章

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moving　slowly。〃
　〃Mother　of　God！〃　It　came　from　the　father…a　despairing；　tortured　wail。　He　was　sobbing；　his　hands　to　his　face。　After　a　moment　the　mousy　man　led　him　to　a　settee；　his　arm　around　the　other's　shoulders；　his　own　eyes　glistening。
　The　patrolman's　face　was　white。　He　said；　〃Doctor；　I　was　there　all　the　time。　I　could　have　moved　the　boy　。　。　。　but　I　didn't　know。〃
　〃I　don't　think　you　should　blame　yourself。〃
　The　man　appeared　not　to　have　heard。　He　went　on　as　if　in　a　daze。　〃I　took　a　first…aid　course。　I　got　a　badge　for　it。　All　the　time　they　taught　us…don't　move　anybody；　whatever　you　do；　don't　move　them！〃
　〃I　know。〃　Pearson　touched　the　patrolman's　arm　gently。　He　said　slowly；　〃Unfortunately　there　are　some　exceptions　to　the　rule…one　of　them　is　when　someone　is　bleeding　in　the　mouth。〃
　
　In　the　main…floor　corridor　on　his　way　to　lunch　David　Coleman　saw　Pearson　emerge　from　the　anteroom。　At　first　Coleman　wondered　if　the　senior　pathologist　were　ill。　He　seemed　distracted；　unaware　of　his　surroundings。　Then　he　caught　sight　of　Coleman　and　moved　toward　him。　The　younger　man　halted。
　〃Oh　yes　。　。　。　Dr。　Coleman　。　。　。　There　was　something　I　had　to　tell　you。〃　Coleman　sensed　that　for　some　reason　Pearson　was　having　trouble　marshaling　his　thoughts。　Now　he　reached　out　absently　and　grasped　the　lapel　of　Coleman's　white　lab　coat。　Coleman　noticed　that　the　old　man's　hands　were　nervous　and　fumbling。　He　disengaged　his　coat。
　〃What　was　it；　Dr。　Pearson？〃
　〃There　was　。　。　。　something　to　do　with　the　lab。〃　Pearson　shook　his　head。　〃Well；　it's　gone　now　。　。　。　I'll　remember　later。〃　He　seemed　about　to　turn　away　when　another　thought　came　to　him。　〃I　think　you'd　better　take　over　the　autopsy　room。　Starting　tomorrow。　Keep　your　eye　on　things。　See　they　do　a　good　job。〃
　〃Very　well。　I'll　be　glad　to　do　that。〃　David　Coleman　had　some　clear…cut　ideas　about　the　performance　of　autopsies；　and　this　would　be　an　opportunity　to　put　them　into　effect。　It　occurred　to　him　that　while　they　were　talking　he　might　as　well　bring　up　something　else。　He　said；　〃I　wonder　if　I　could　speak　to　you…about　the　laboratories。〃
　〃The　laboratories？〃　The　old　man's　mind　still　seemed　to　be　elsewhere。
　〃You'll　remember　in　my　letter　I　suggested　you　might　consider　giving　me　charge　of　some　part　of　the　laboratories。〃　It　seemed　a　little　odd　to　be　discussing　this　here　and　now；　but　Coleman　sensed　the　opportunity　might　not　occur　again。
　〃Yes　。　。　。　yes；　I　remember　something　being　said。〃　Pearson　appeared　to　be　watching　a　group　of　three　moving　down　the　corridor　away　from　them…a　policeman　and　a　little　man；　supporting　a　bigger　man　in　the　middle。
　〃I　wonder　if　I　might　start　in　Serology；〃　Coleman　said。　〃I'd　like　to　do　some　checks　on　the　procedures…standard　lab　checks；　that　is。〃
　〃Um？　What　was　that？〃
　It　was　annoying　to　have　to　keep　repeating　things。　〃I　said　I　would　like　to　make　some　lab　checks　in　Serology。〃
　〃Oh　yes；　yes　。　。　。　that's　all　right。〃　Pearson　said　it　absently。　He　was　still　looking　away；　down　the　corridor；　when　Coleman　left。
　
　Elizabeth　Alexander　was　feeling　good。　About　to　begin　lunch　in　Three　Counties　Hospital　cafeteria；　she　realized　she　had　been　feeling　that　way　for　days；　but　especially　so　this　morning。　The　child　inside　her　was　alive　and　stirring；　even　at　this　moment　she　could　detect　its　movements　faintly。　She　had　just　e　from　a　department…store　sale　where；　amid　the　melee　of　women；　she　had　victoriously　acquired　some　bright　fabrics　for　the　apartment；　including　one　length　for　the　tiny　extra　bedroom　which　was　to　be　the　baby's。　And　now　she　had　met　John。
　It　was　the　first　time　they　had　had　a　meal　together　in　the　hospital。　Use　of　the　cafeteria　by　employees'　families　was　an　unwritten　privilege　the　hospital　allowed；　and　John　had　learned　about　it　a　few　days　earlier。　A　few　minutes　ago　they　had　lined　up　to　select　their　food　and　Elizabeth　had　chosen　a　salad；　soup；　a　roll；　roast　lamb　with　potatoes　and　cabbage；　pie　with　cheese；　and　milk。　John　had　asked　good…humoredly；　〃Are　you　sure　you　have　enough？〃
　Elizabeth　selected　a　stick　of　celery。　Biting　into　it；　she　said；　〃This　is　a　hungry　baby。〃
　John　smiled。　A　few　minutes　earlier；　on　the　way　to　lunch；　he　had　felt　defeated　and　depressed；　this　morning's　tongue…lashing　by　Dr。　Pearson　still　fresh　in　mind。　But　Elizabeth's　infectious　spirits　had　caused　him　to　shrug　it　off；　at　least　for　the　time　being。　After　all；　he　reflected；　there　would　be　no　more　trouble　in　the　lab　because　from　now　on　he　intended　to　watch　his　step　carefully。　In　any　case；　Dr。　Pearson　had　now　done　the　sensitization　tests　himself…in　saline　and　high　protein…and　had　pronounced　both　test　results　negative。　〃So　far　as　your　wife's　blood　is　concerned；〃　he　had　said；　〃there　is　nothing　for　anyone　to　worry　about。〃　In　fact；　he　had　been　almost　kindly　about　it…at　least　it　seemed　that　way　after　the　earlier　outburst。
　There　was　another　thing　to　remember：　Dr。　Pearson　was　a　pathologist　and　John　was　not。　Maybe　Dr。　Pearson　was　right；　perhaps　John　had　placed　too　much　importance　on　some　of　the　things　that　were　taught　at　technology　school。　Wasn't　it　a　well…known　fact　that　schools　always　pumped　a　lot　of　theory　into　you　that　you　had　no　use　for　in　the　practical　world　outside？　Goodness　knows；　he　thought；　there　are　plenty　of　subjects　in　high　school　and　college　that　you　never　work　at　again　once　final　exams　are　over。　Couldn't　this　be　the　same　thing？　Couldn't　John　himself　have　taken　too　seriously　the　school　theory　about　the　need　for　a　third　sensitization　test；　whereas　Dr。　Pearson；　with　all　his　practical　knowledge；　knew　it　was　unnecessary？
　What　was　it　Dr。　Pearson　had　said　while　he　was　doing　the　tests　this　morning？　〃If　we　changed　our　laboratory　methods　every　time　something　new　came　up；　there'd　never　be　any　end　to　it。　In　medicine　there　are　new　ideas　ing　out　every　day。　But　in　a　hospital　we　have　to　make　sure　they're　proven　and　valuable　before　we　start　to　use　them。　Here　we're　dealing　with　people's　lives　and　we　can't　afford　to　take　chances。〃
　John　had　not　quite　been　able　to　see　how　an　extra　blood　test　would　imperil　anybody's　life；　but；　all　the　same；　Dr。　Pearson　did　have　a　point　about　the　new　ideas。　John　knew　from　his　own　reading　that　there　were　lots　of　them　around　and　not　all　good。　Of　course；　Dr。　Coleman　had　been　pretty　definite　about　the　need　for　a　third　sensitization　test。　But　then　he　was　a　lot　younger　than　Dr。　Pearson；　certainly　he　had　not　had　as　much　experience　。　。　。
　〃Your　soup's　getting　cold。〃　Elizabeth　broke　in　on　his　thoughts。　〃What　are　you　so　pensive　about？〃
　〃Nothing；　honey。〃　He　decided　to　put　the　whole　thing　out　of　his　mind。　Elizabeth；　at　times；　had　a　disconcerting　habit　of　worming　out　his　thoughts。　〃I　meant　to　ask　you　last　week；〃　he　said。　〃How　was　your　weight？〃
　〃It's　about　right；〃　Elizabeth　answered　cheerfully。　〃But　Dr。　Dornberger　said　I　have　to　eat　well。〃　She　had　finished　her　soup　and　was　attacking　the　roast　lamb　hungrily。
　Glancing　up；　John　Alexander　noticed　Dr。　Coleman　approaching。　The　new　pathologist　was　on　his　way　to　the　tables　where　the　medical　staff　usually　sat。　On　impulse　Alexander　rose　from　his　chair。　〃Dr。　Coleman！〃
　David　Coleman　glanced　across。　〃Yes？〃
　〃Doctor；　I'd　like　to　have　you　meet　my　wife。〃　Then；　as　Coleman　came　toward　them；　〃Elizabeth；　honey；　this　is　Dr。　Coleman。〃
　〃How　do　you　do；　Mrs。　Alexander？〃　Coleman　paused；　holding　the　tray　he　had　collected　from　the　counter。
　A　trifle　awkwardly　John　Alexander　said；　〃You　remember；　honey？…I　told　you　the　doctor　came　from　New　Richmond　too。〃
　〃Yes；　of　course；〃　Elizabeth　said。　Then　directly　to　Coleman；　smiling；　〃Hullo；　Dr。　Coleman…I　remember　you　very　well。　Didn't　you　used　to　e　into　my　father's　store　sometimes？〃
　〃That's　right。〃　He　recalled　her　clearly　now：　a　cheerful；　long…legged　girl　who　used　to　clamber　obligingly　around　that　cluttered；　old…fashioned　store；　finding　things　that　had　got　lost　in　the　confusion。　She　didn't　seem　to　have　changed　much。　He　said；　〃I　think　you　once　sold　me　some　clothesline。〃
　She　answered　brightly；　〃I　believe　I　remember　that。　Was　it　all　right？〃
　He　appeared　to　ponder。　〃Now　you　mention　it；　I　think　it　broke。〃
　Elizabeth　laughed。　〃If　you　take　it　back；　I'm　sure　my　mother　will　exchange　it。　She　still　runs　the　store。　It's　more　of　a　mess　than　ever。〃　Her　good　humor　was　infectious。　Coleman　smiled。
　John　Alexander　had　pu