ah.thefinaldiagnosis-第40部分

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wn　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　pulled　back　a　chair。　〃Won't　you　join　us；　Doctor？〃
　For　a　moment　Coleman　hesitated。　Then；　realizing　it　would　be　churlish　to　refuse；　〃All　right；〃　he　said。　He　put　down　his　tray…it　contained　a　Spartan　lunch…a　small　fruit　salad　and　a　glass　of　milk…and　sat　at　the　table。　Looking　at　Elizabeth；　he　said；　〃If　I　remember；　didn't　you　have　pigtails　when　I　knew　you？〃
　〃Yes；〃　she　answered　promptly；　〃and　bands　on　my　teeth　as　well。　I　grew　out　of　them。〃
　David　Coleman　found　himself　liking　this　girl。　And　seeing　her　here　today　had　been　like　suddenly　turning　a　page　from　the　past。　She　reminded　him　of　earlier　years；　Indiana　had　been　a　good　place　to　live。　He　remembered　the　summers　home　from　school；　driving　on　rounds　with　his　father　in　the　doctor's　old　and　battered　Chevrolet。　He　said　reflectively；　〃It's　a　long　time　since　I　was　in　New　Richmond。　My　father　died；　you　know；　and　Mother　moved　to　the　West　Coast。　There's　nothing　to　take　me　back　there　now。〃　Then　drawing　his　thoughts　away；　〃Tell　me；〃　he　said　to　Elizabeth；　〃how　do　you　like　being　married　to　a　medical　man？〃
　Swiftly　John　Alexander　put　in；　〃Not　a　medical　man…just　a　technologist。〃　When　he　had　said　it　he　wondered　why。　Perhaps　it　was　a　reflex　action　from　what　had　happened　this　morning。　A　few　minutes　ago；　when　Coleman　had　joined　them；　John　had　considered　telling　him　about　the　incident　in　the　lab。　But　immediately　afterward　he　had　decided　not　to。　Talking　freely　with　Dr。　Coleman　had　got　him　into　enough　trouble　already。　He　decided　to　leave　well　enough　alone。
　〃Don't　sell　technology　short；〃　Coleman　said。　〃It's　pretty　important。〃
　Elizabeth　said；　〃He　doesn't。　But　sometimes　he　wishes　he　had　bee　a　doctor　instead。〃
　Coleman　turned　to　him。　〃Is　that　right？〃
　Alexander　wished　Elizabeth　had　not　brought　this　up。　He　said　reluctantly；　〃I　did　have　ideas　that　way。　For　a　time。〃
　Coleman　speared　some　fruit　salad　with　his　fork。　〃Why　didn't　you　go　to　medical　school？〃
　〃The　usual　reasons…money　mostly。　I　didn't　have　any；　and　I　wanted　to　start　earning。〃
　Between　mouthfuls　Coleman　said；　〃You　could　still　do　it。　How　old　are　you？〃
　Elizabeth　answered　for　him。　〃John　will　be　twenty…three。　In　two　months'　time。〃
　〃That's　pretty　old；　of　course。〃　They　laughed；　then　Coleman　added；　〃You've　still　got　time。〃
　〃Oh；　I　know。〃　John　Alexander　said　it　slowly；　thoughtfully；　as　if　knowing　in　advance　that　his　own　argument　was　unconvincing。　〃The　trouble　is；　it　would　mean　a　big　financial　struggle　just　when　we're　beginning　to　get　settled。　And　besides；　with　a　baby　ing　。　。　。〃　He　left　the　sentence　hanging。
　Coleman　took　the　glass　of　milk　and　drank　deeply。　Then　he　said；　〃Plenty　of　people　have　gone　through　medical　school　with　a　baby。　And　financial　problems。〃
　〃That's　exactly　what　I've　been　saying！〃　Elizabeth　said　it　intensely；　leaning　forward　across　the　table。　〃I'm　so　glad　to　hear　it　from　someone　else。〃
　Coleman　wiped　his　mouth　with　a　napkin；　then　put　it　down。　He　looked　directly　at　Alexander。　He　had　a　feeling　that　he　had　been　right　in　his　first　impression　of　this　young　technologist。　He　seemed　intelligent　and　conscientious；　certainly　he　was　interested　in　his　work…that　had　been　evident　the　other　day。　Coleman　said；　〃You　know　what　I　think；　John？　I　think　if　you　feel　like　this；　and　don't　go　to　medical　school　while　you　have　the　chance；　it　may　be　something　you'll　regret　the　rest　of　your　life。〃
　Alexander　was　looking　down；　absently　moving　his　knife　and　fork。
　Elizabeth　asked；　〃There's　still　a　need　for　a　lot　of　doctors　in　pathology；　isn't　there？〃
　〃Oh　yes。〃　Coleman　nodded　emphatically。　〃Perhaps　more　in　pathology　than　anywhere　else。〃
　〃Why　is　that？〃
　〃There's　a　need　of　research　for　one　thing…to　keep　medicine　moving　ahead；　to　fill　in　the　gaps　behind。〃
　She　asked；　〃What　do　you　mean…the　gaps　behind？〃
　Momentarily　the　thought　occurred　to　David　Coleman　that　he　was　talking　more　freely　than　usual。　He　found　himself　about　to　express　ideas　which　most　of　the　time　he　kept　locked　in　his　own　mind。　But　the　pany　of　these　two　had　seemed　refreshing；　possibly　because　it　was　a　change　to　be　with　someone　younger　after　being　around　Dr。　Pearson。　Answering　Elizabeth's　question；　he　said；　〃In　a　way　medicine　is　like　a　war。　And；　just　as　in　a　war；　sometimes　there's　a　spectacular　advance。　When　that　happens；　people…doctors…rush　to　the　new　front。　And　they　leave　a　lot　of　pockets　of　knowledge　to　be　filled　in　behind。〃
　Elizabeth　said；　〃And　that's　the　pathologist's　job…to　fill　them？〃
　〃It's　the　job　of　every　branch　of　medicine。　But　sometimes　in　pathology　there　are　more　opportunities。〃　Coleman　thought　a　moment；　then　continued；　〃There's　another　thing　too。　All　research　in　medicine　is　very　much　like　building　a　wall。　Someone　adds　a　piece　of　knowledge…puts　one　brick　on　another；　someone　else　adds　one　more；　and　gradually　the　wall　grows。　Finally　someone　es　along　and　puts　the　last　brick　on　top。〃　He　smiled。　〃It　isn't　given　to　many　to　do　spectacular　things…to　be　a　Fleming　or　a　Salk。　The　best　a　pathologist　can　do；　usually；　is　to　make　some　modest　contribution　to　medical　knowledge…something　within　his　own　reach；　within　his　own　time。　But　at　least　he　should　do　that。〃
　John　Alexander　had　been　listening　intently。　Now　he　asked　eagerly；　〃Will　you　be　doing　research　here？〃
　〃I　hope　so。〃
　〃On　what？〃
　Coleman　hesitated。　This　was　something　he　had　not　spoken　of　before。　But　he　had　said　so　much　now；　he　supposed　one　more　thing　would　not　make　any　difference。　〃Well；　for　one　thing；　on　lipomas…benign　tumors　of　fat　tissue。　We　know　very　little　about　them。〃　Unconsciously；　as　he　had　warmed　to　his　subject；　his　normal　coolness　and　reserve　had　fallen　away。　〃Do　you　know　there　have　been　cases　of　men　starving　to　death；　yet　having　tumors　thriving　inside　them？　What　I　hope　to　do　is〃　He　stopped　abruptly。　〃Mrs。　Alexander；　is　something　wrong？〃
　Elizabeth　had　gasped　suddenly　and　put　her　face　in　her　hands。　Now　she　took　her　hands　away。　She　shook　her　head；　as　if　to　clear　it。
　〃Elizabeth！　What　is　it？〃　Alarmed；　John　Alexander　jumped　up　from　his　chair。　He　moved　to　go　around　the　table。
　〃It's　。　。　。　it's　all　right。〃　Elizabeth　motioned　him　back。　She　closed　her　eyes　momentarily；　then　opened　them。　〃It　was　just　。　。　。　for　a　moment…a　pain；　then　dizziness。　It's　gone　now。〃
　She　drank　some　water。　Yes；　it　was　true　it　had　gone。　But　for　a　moment　it　had　been　like　sharp　hot　needles…inside　where　the　baby　moved…then　her　head　swimming；　the　cafeteria　spinning　around　her。
　〃Has　this　happened　before？〃　Coleman　asked。
　She　shook　her　head。　〃No。〃
　〃Are　you　sure；　honey？〃　It　was　John；　his　voice　anxious。
　Elizabeth　reached　across　the　table　and　put　a　hand　on　his。　〃Now　don't　begin　worrying。　It's　too　early　for　the　baby。　There's　at　least　another　four　months　to　go。〃
　〃All　the　same；〃　Coleman　said　seriously；　〃I　suggest　you　call　your　obstetrician　and　tell　him　what　happened。　He　might　want　to　see　you。〃
　〃I　will。〃　She　gave　him　a　warm　smile。　〃I　promise。〃
　At　the　time　Elizabeth　had　meant　what　she　said。　But　afterward；　away　from　the　hospital；　it　seemed　silly　to　bother　Dr。　Dornberger　about　a　single　pain　that　had　e　and　gone　so　quickly。　If　it　happened　again；　surely　then　would　be　the　time　to　tell　him…not　now。　She　decided　to　wait。
　
　Fifteen
　
　〃Is　there　any　news？〃
　From　the　wheel　chair　Vivian　looked　up　as　Dr。　Lucy　Grainger　came　into　the　hospital　room。　It　was　four　days　since　the　biopsy；　three　since　Pearson　had　sent　the　slides　to　New　York　and　Boston。
　Lucy　shook　her　head。　〃I'll　tell　you；　Vivian…just　as　soon　as　I　know。〃
　〃When　。　。　。　when　will　you　know　。　。　。　for　sure？〃
　〃Probably　today。〃　Lucy　answered　matter…of…factly。　She　did　not　want　to　reveal　that　she；　too；　was　troubled　by　the　waiting。　She　had　spoken　to　Joe　Pearson　again　last　night；　at　that　time　he　had　said　that　if　the　second　opinions　were　not　forthing　by　midday　today　he　would　phone　the　two　consultants　to　hurry　them　along。　Waiting　was　hard　on　everyone…including　Vivian's　parents；　who　had　arrived　in　Burlington　from　Oregon　the　previous　day。
　Lucy　removed　the　dressing　from　Vivian's　knee；　the　biopsy　scar　appeared　to　be　healing　well。　Replacing　the　dressing；　she　said；　〃It's　hard　to　do；　I　know；　but　try　to　think　of　other　things　as　much　as　you　can。〃
　The　girl　smiled　faintly。　〃It　isn