ah.thefinaldiagnosis-第18部分

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　〃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。〃
　〃All　right；　Doctor。〃　Vivian　decided　a　few　more　minutes'　respite　from　the　rush　of　ward　work　would　be　wele。　She　settled　back　in　the　chair。　It　was　cool　in　here　with　the　air　conditioning。　There　was　no　such　luxury　in　the　nurses'　home。
　Vivian　watched　Dr。　Dornberger　as　he　studied　the　chart。　He　was　probably　about　the　same　age　as　Dr。　Pearson；　she　thought；　but　certainly　a　lot　different　to　look　at。　While　the　pathologist　was　round…faced　and　heavy…jowled；　Dr。　Dornberger　was　lean　and　angular。　In　other　ways；　too；　his　appearance　was　a　contrast；　with　the　thatch　of　white　hair　carefully　bed　and　parted。　She　noticed　his　hands　were　manicured；　his　white　hospital　jacket　pressed　and　spotless。
　Dornberger　handed　back　the　chart。　〃Thank　you；〃　he　said。　〃It　was　good　of　you　to　bring　it。〃　He　has　a　sparkle　to　him；　Vivian　thought。　She　had　heard　he　was　much　beloved　by　his　women　patients。　There　was　little　need　to　wonder　why。
　〃We'll　be　seeing　each　other；　I　expect。〃　Dornberger　had　risen　and　opened　the　door　courteously。　〃Good　luck　in　your　studies。〃
　〃Good…by；　Doctor。〃　She　went　out；　leaving　a　trace　of　fragrance　behind　her；　Dornberger　thought。　Not　for　the　first　time　the　contact　with　someone　youthful　left　him　wondering　about　himself。　He　returned　to　the　swivel　chair　and　leaned　back　meditatively。　Almost　absently　he　took　out　his　pipe　and　began　to　fill　it。
　He　had　been　in　medicine　now　for　almost　thirty…two　years；　in　a　week　or　two　he　would　being　his　thirty…third。　They　had　been　full　years　and　rewarding　ones。　Financially　he　had　no　problems。　His　own　four　children　were　married；　and　he　and　his　wife　could　live　fortably　on　the　careful　investments　he　had　made。　But　would　he　be　content　to　retire　and　rusticate？　That　was　the　rub。
　In　all　his　years　in　medicine　Charles　Dornberger　had　prided　himself　in　keeping　up　to　date。　He　had　made　up　his　mind　long　ago　that　no　young　newer　was　going　to　surpass　him；　either　in　technique　or　knowledge。　As　a　result　he　had　read　avidly　and　still　continued　to　do　so。　He　subscribed　to　many　of　the　medical　journals　which　he　read　thoroughly　and　occasionally　contributed　articles　himself。　He　was　a　regular　attender　at　medical　conventions　and　conscientiously　took　in　most　of　the　business　sessions。　Early　in　his　career；　long　before　the　present　boundary　lines　were　drawn　in　medicine；　he　had　foreseen　the　need　for　specialization。　His　own　choice　had　been　obstetrics　and　gynecology。　It　was　a　choice　he　had　never　regretted；　and　he　often　felt　it　had　helped　him　to　keep　young　in　mind。
　Because　of　this　by　the　mid…thirties；　when　American　specialty　boards　were　ing　into　being；　Dornberger　was　already　established　in　his　own　field。　As　a　result；　under　the　so…called　〃grandfather〃　clause；　he　had　been　given　Board　certification　without　examination。　It　was　something　he　had　always　been　proud　of。　If　anything；　it　had　made　him　keener　still　to　remain　up　to　date。
　And　yet　he　had　never　resented　younger　men。　When　he　had　felt　them　to　be　good　and　conscientious；　he　had　gone　out　of　his　way　to　offer　help　and　advice。　He　admired　and　respected　O'Donnell。　He　considered　the　youthful　chief　of　surgery　one　of　the　best　things　that　had　ever　happened　to　Three　Counties。　His　own　morale　had　risen　with　O'Donnell's　changes　and　progress　in　the　hospital。
　He　had　made　many　friends；　some　among　his　own　immediate　colleagues；　others　in　unlikely　places。　Joe　Pearson　might　be　called　one　of　the　unlikely　ones。　Professionally　the　two　men　looked　at　a　lot　of　things　in　different　ways。　Dornberger　knew；　for　example；　that　Joe　did　not　read　much　these　days。　He　suspected　that　in　a　few　areas　of　knowledge　the　elderly　pathologist　had　slipped　behind　the　times；　and；　administratively；　there　was　the　problem　which　yesterday's　meeting　had　revealed。　And　yet；　over　the　years；　the　bond　between　the　two　men　had　grown　strong。　To　his　own　surprise　sometimes　he　had　found　himself　siding　with　Pearson　at　medical　conferences　and　defending　him　occasionally　when　Pathology　was　criticized　in　private。
　Dornberger's　interjection　ten　days　ago　at　the　mortali