ah.thefinaldiagnosis-第6部分
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drinking and moved aside。 He wiped his lips on the back of his hand； then gestured to the shroud。 〃Didn't make it； eh？〃 The remark was to Weidman； it was an amiable gambit； a game played many times。
Weidman； too； had done this before。 〃I guess they pulled his number； Jack。〃
The janitor nodded； then raised his Coke bottle again and drank deeply。
How short a time； Nurse Penfield thought； between life and the autopsy room。 Less than an hour ago the body under the shroud had been George Andrew Dunton； living； age fifty…three； civil engineer。 She remembered the details from the case history on the clip board under her arm。
The family had behaved as well after the death as they had before…solid； emotional； but no hysterics。 It had made it easier for Dr。 MacMahon to ask for permission to autopsy。 〃Mrs。 Dunton；〃 he had said quietly； 〃I know it's hard for you to talk and think about this now； but there is something I have to ask。 It's about permission for an autopsy on your husband。〃
He had gone on； using the routine words； how the hospital sought to safeguard its medical standards for the good of everyone； how a physician's diagnosis could be checked and medical learning advanced； how this was a precaution for the family and others who would use the hospital in time to e。 But none of this could be done without permission 。 。 。
The son had stopped him and said gently； 〃We understand。 If you make out whatever is necessary； my mother will sign it。〃
So Nurse Penfield had made out the autopsy form； and here now was George Andrew Dunton； dead； age fifty…three； and ready for the pathologist's knife。
The autopsy…room doors swung open。
George Rinne； the pathology department's Negro diener…keeper of the morgue…looked up as the stretcher rolled in。 He had been swabbing the autopsy table。 Now it shone spotlessly white。
Weidman greeted him with the timeworn jest。 〃Got a patient for you。〃
Politely； as if he hadn't heard the line a hundred times before； Rinne bared his teeth in a perfunctory smile。 He indicated the white enameled table。 〃Over here。〃
Weidman maneuvered the stretcher alongside； and Rinne removed the sheet covering the naked corpse of George Andrew Dunton。 He folded it neatly and handed it back to Weidman。 Death notwithstanding； the sheet would have to be accounted for back in the ward。 Now； with a second drawsheet under the torso； the two men slid the body onto the table。
George Rinne grunted as he took the weight。 This had been a heavy man； a six…footer who had run to fat near the end of his life。 As he wheeled the stretcher clear Weidman grinned。 〃You're getting old； George。 Be your turn soon。〃
Rinne shook his head。 〃I'll still be here to lift you on the table。〃
The scene ran smoothly。 It had had many performances。 Perhaps in the distant past the two had made their grim little jokes with an instinct to create some barrier between themselves and the death they lived with daily。 But if so this was long forgotten。 Now it was a patter to be run through； a formality expected； nothing more。 They had grown too used to death to feel uneasiness or fear。
On the far side of the autopsy room was the pathology resident； Dr。 McNeil。 He had been shrugging into a white coat when Nurse Penfield and her charge came in。 Now； glancing through the case history and the other papers she had handed him； he was acutely conscious of Nurse Penfield's nearness and warmth。 He sensed the crisp starched uniform； a faint breath of perfume； a slight disarrangement of hair beneath her cap； it would be soft to run his fingers through。 He snatched his thoughts back to the papers in hand。
〃Well； everything seems to be here。〃
Should he try for Nurse Penfield or not？ It had been six weeks now； and at the age of twenty…seven six weeks was a long time to be celibate。 Penfield was more than averagely attractive； probably thirty…two； young enough to be interesting； old enough to have long since shed innocency。 She was intelligent； friendly； good figure too。 He could see a slip beneath the white uniform； in the heat she probably was not wearing much else。 Roger McNeil calculated。 He would probably have to take her out a couple of times before she came through。 Then that settled it； it couldn't be this month…money was too short。 Save it for me； la Penfield。 You'll be back； other patients will die and bring you here。
〃Thank you； Doctor。〃 She smiled and turned away。 It could be arranged； he was positive of that。
He called after her。 〃Keep 'em ing！ We need the practice。〃 Again the timeworn jest； the defensive levity in face of death。
Elaine Penfield followed the attendant out。 Her journey was done； tradition honored； the extra； unasked service given。 She had gone the second mile； now her duty lay with the sick； the living。 She had a feeling； though； that Dr。 McNeil had e close to suggesting something。 But there would be another time。
While George Rinne slipped a wooden headrest under the neck of the body； arranging the arms at the side； McNeil began to lay out the instruments they would need for the autopsy。 Knives； rib cutters； forceps； power saw for the skull 。 。 。 all of them clean…Rinne was a conscientious worker…but not sterile； as they would have to be in the operating room four floors above。 No need here to worry about infection of a patient on the table； only the pathologists need take precautions for themselves。
George Rinne looked at McNeil inquiringly； and the resident nodded。 〃Better phone the nursing office； George； Tell them the student nurses can e down now。 And let Dr。 Pearson know we're setting up。〃
〃Yes； Doctor。〃 Rinne went out obediently。 McNeil； as pathology resident； had authority even though his hospital pay was little more than the janitor's own。 It would not be long； though； before the gap between them would widen。 With three and a half years of residency behind him only another six months separated McNeil from freedom to take a post as staff pathologist。 Then he could start considering some of the twenty…thousand…dollar…a…year jobs； because fortunately the demand for pathologists continued to be greater than the supply。 He would not have to worry then about whether he could afford a pass at Nurse Penfield…or others。
Roger McNeil smiled inwardly at the thought； though he did not betray it on his face。 People who had to deal with McNeil thought he was dour； which he often was； and sometimes lacking in a sense of humor； which he was not。 Actually he did not make friends easily with men； but women found him attractive； a fact he had discovered early and turned to advantage。 When he was an intern his colleagues had found this puzzling。 McNeil； the gloomy； brooding figure of the mon room； had had uncanny success in whisking a succession of student nurses into bed； frequently where others who fancied their ability as paramours had failed。
The autopsy…room door swung open and Mike Seddons breezed in。 Seddons was a surgical resident； temporarily assigned to Pathology； and he always breezed。 His red hair stood up in odd places as though a self…created wind would never leave it static。 His boyish； open face seemed creased permanently in an amiable grin。 McNeil considered Seddons an exhibitionist； though in his favor the kid had taken to pathology a lot more readily than some of the other surgical residents McNeil had seen。
Seddons looked over at the body on the table。 〃Ah； more business！〃
McNeil gestured to the case papers and Seddons picked them up。 He asked； 〃What did he die of？〃 Then； as he read on； 〃Coronary； eh？〃
McNeil answered； 〃That's what it says。〃
〃You doing this one？〃
The resident shook his head。 〃Pearson's ing。〃
Seddons looked up quizzically。 〃The boss man himself？ What's special about this case？〃
〃Nothing special。〃 McNeil snapped a four…page autopsy form onto a clip board。 〃Some of the student nurses are ing in to watch。 I think he likes to impress them。〃
〃A mand performance！〃 Seddons grinned。 〃This I must see。〃
〃In that case you may as well work。〃 McNeil passed over the clip board。 〃Fill in some of this stuff； will you？〃
〃Sure。〃 Seddons took the clip board and began to make notes on fee condition of the body。 He talked to himself as he worked。 〃That's a nice clean appendix scar。 Small mole on the left arm。〃 He moved the arm to one side。 〃Excuse me； old man。〃 He made a note； 〃Slight rigor mortis。〃 Lifting the eyelids； he wrote； 〃Pupils round； 0。3 cm。 diameter。〃 He pried the already stiff jaw open； 〃Let's have a look at the teeth。〃
From the corridor outside there was the sound of feet。 Then the autopsy…room door opened； and a nurse； whom McNeil recognized as a member of the nursing school's teaching staff； looked in。 She said； 〃Good morning； Dr。 McNeil。〃 Behind her was a group of young student nurses。
〃Good morning。〃 The resident beckoned。 〃You can all e in。〃
The students filed through the doorway。 There were six； and as they entered all glanced nervously at the body on the table。 Mike Seddons grinned。 〃Hurry up； girls。 You want the best seats； we have 'em。〃
Seddons ran his eye appraisingly over the group。 There were a couple of new ones here he had not seen previously； including the brunette。 He took a second look。 Yes indeed； even camouflaged by the spartan student's uniform； it was obvious that here was something special。 With apparent casualness he crossed the autopsy room； then； returning； managed to position himself between the girl he had noticed and the rest of the group。 He gave her a broad smile and said quietly； 〃I don't remember seeing you before。〃
〃I've been around as long as the other girls。〃 She looked at him with a mixture of frankness and curiosity； then added mockingly； 〃Besides； I've been told that doctors never notice first…year nursing students anyway。〃
He appeared to consider。 〃Well； it's a general rule。 But sometimes we make exceptions…depending on the student； of course。〃 His eyes candidly admiring； he added； 〃By the way； I'm Mike Seddons。〃
She said； 〃I'm Vivian Loburton；〃 and laughed。 Then； catching a disapproving eye from the class instructor； she stopped abruptly。 Vivian had liked the look of this redheaded young doctor； but it did seem wrong somehow to be talking and joking in here。 After all； the man on the table
